Book Review: The Bone Raiders by Jackson Ford

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

The Bone Raiders by Jackson Ford

Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Book 1 of The Rakada

Publisher: Orbit (August 12, 2025)

Length: 477 pages

Author Information: Website

Jackson Ford is one of those authors I expect to bring a certain wild and irreverent energy to whatever he writes. I’ve only read one of his books before (The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t with Her Mind), but even so, I went into The Bone Raiders anticipating something at least a little cheeky, if the Billy Joel lyric splashed on the cover was anything to go by. On the whole, I would say I got what I wanted—a fun book whenever it leans into fantasy adventure and dynamic action—though not without a few bumps along the way.

The story takes place across the vast grasslands of the Tapestry, where the rise of a new Khan is reshaping its landscape. With the tribal clans who live there being forced into the empire or outright destroyed, caught in the middle are the Rakada, better known as the Bone Raiders. A notorious band of fierce female fighters, they eke out a brutal existence on the plains by raiding, stealing, and terrorizing the villages along the countryside, and needless to say, the expansion of the Khan’s influence is putting a damper on their activities.

Enter Sayana, who is one of our POV characters, a young member of the Rakada who finds herself thrown into a dangerous situation after a scouting mission goes sideways. Things only get worse when a giant fire-breathing lizard-like creature called an araatan crashes onto the scene. However, witnessing its fearsome power gives Sayana an idea so crazy that it might just work. What if the Bone Raiders could somehow tame the araatan and ride them into battle against the Khan’s encroaching forces? Surely no one would be able to stand against them then. But pushing her plan forward will mean first convincing the rest of the Rakada, and with morale already so low, not all of them are willing to put themselves at even more risk. Still, everyone agrees that something must be done. Because if they don’t fight back, Sayana and her people will be wiped out for good.

What really sold me on this book were the characters. They can’t be called heroes by any stretch (these are women who plunder, murder, and take pride in that reputation) but they make for fascinating protagonists. Call them what you like, but boring isn’t one of them. The group has a messy found-family energy, full of interesting rivalries and loyalties that feel authentic and lived-in. Sayana, for example, works well as the eager but painfully naïve youngest member, constantly challenging the hierarchy and butting heads with her elders in an effort to prove herself. On top of that, these relationships aren’t just playing out within the Bone Raiders but also on the other side of the conflict, making the entire story feel dynamic and alive, which stands out as one of the book’s greatest strengths.

But I would say the world-building is a mixed bag. On one hand, the Tapestry is an appealing setting, and Ford clearly drew inspiration from nomadic plains cultures to shape his clans and characters. But on the other hand, there’s not much beyond the surface dressing, and at times the world feels lightly sketched in rather than fully fleshed out. Here and there, we catch a glimpse of the wider empire outside, but these fleeting moments come without much depth, and the novel’s cultural details strike me as overly simplistic. So, if you’re looking for deep lore or richly layered world-building, you may find the background here a bit lacking.

Hence if I sound torn, it’s because I kind of am. I loved the araatan, possibly the book’s most creative element. In fact, I wish we’d gotten to see more of them. The final act is also excellent, delivering high-octane action, but this was only after a slower and repetitive middle section. Still, as this appears to be the first volume of a new series, I am curious to see where the story will take us next.

In the end, The Bone Raiders is a fun but uneven series opener. The characters and humor stood out, the giant fire-breathing lizards totally stole the show, but the world-building is noticeably sparse and some patience is definitely required to push through slower sections. I can’t say I loved it from start to finish, but I had enough fun that I’ll be keeping an eye out for the sequel.