A review by catbooking
The Bone Ship's Wake by RJ Barker
2.0
This review was written during some severe sleep deprivation, so it may not make sense. I wanted to note my thoughts before they overgrew with moss and will reserve the right to edit in the future, which I normally try to avoid. :)
I am not entirely sure how I feel about this series. The first book was great, with an interesting and unique world and casual references to serious complex issues. But as I kept reading and more details of the world were revealed, so were made apparent the tears and sloppy stitching in the fabric of the world building.
It would have been possible to overlook the incongruities in how the world functioned if the emotional impact was strong. Alas, many of the big reveals in the book left me feeling disconnected, either because I foresaw them and thus the shock was lacking or they felt pointless and had no impact on the characters of the direction of the story. How many times can the main characters be betrayed before it becomes expected and boring? How many times can the named characters die in a tragic manner before everyone becomes indifferent to the loss? It is especially difficult to find the will to care if the betrayals and the deaths do not impact the narrative beyond the increasingly frequent laments about the unfairness of it all from the characters themselves.
I cannot leave this review without mentioning 'The Hawkeye initiative'. It would be wrong to ignore the embroidered crotches and oiled chests. About half way through book two I started wondering if the author seriously thought that was how men would be objectified in a matriarchal society or if it was meant to be a cheeky joke. I feel it is one rather than the other, but I would like to know for sure. I would also like to know why there were virtually no physical signs of affection on anyone's part. Lovers or friends, no one touches anyone unless it is for a direct assist and even then it is a big deal to make physical contact.
I don't know if I am willing to pick up author's other books. If I had stopped at book one I would have said unquestionably that I wanted more. Now, I am not so sure, especially since I bounced off his other series. I hate to leave this at a 'meh' but I guess we will see.
I am not entirely sure how I feel about this series. The first book was great, with an interesting and unique world and casual references to serious complex issues. But as I kept reading and more details of the world were revealed, so were made apparent the tears and sloppy stitching in the fabric of the world building.
It would have been possible to overlook the incongruities in how the world functioned if the emotional impact was strong. Alas, many of the big reveals in the book left me feeling disconnected, either because I foresaw them and thus the shock was lacking or they felt pointless and had no impact on the characters of the direction of the story. How many times can the main characters be betrayed before it becomes expected and boring? How many times can the named characters die in a tragic manner before everyone becomes indifferent to the loss? It is especially difficult to find the will to care if the betrayals and the deaths do not impact the narrative beyond the increasingly frequent laments about the unfairness of it all from the characters themselves.
I cannot leave this review without mentioning 'The Hawkeye initiative'. It would be wrong to ignore the embroidered crotches and oiled chests. About half way through book two I started wondering if the author seriously thought that was how men would be objectified in a matriarchal society or if it was meant to be a cheeky joke. I feel it is one rather than the other, but I would like to know for sure. I would also like to know why there were virtually no physical signs of affection on anyone's part. Lovers or friends, no one touches anyone unless it is for a direct assist and even then it is a big deal to make physical contact.
I don't know if I am willing to pick up author's other books. If I had stopped at book one I would have said unquestionably that I wanted more. Now, I am not so sure, especially since I bounced off his other series. I hate to leave this at a 'meh' but I guess we will see.