The Bone Raiders, Jackson Ford
The Bone Raiders, Jackson Ford
List: $31.99 | Sale: $22.40
Club: $15.99

The Bone Raiders

Author: Jackson Ford

Series: Rakada #1

Narrator: Anna Zhang

Unabridged: 15 hr 1 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Orbit

Published: 08/12/2025

Includes: Bonus Material Bonus Material Included


Synopsis

The start of a no‑holds‑barred, action‑packed fantasy series from the always irreverent Jackson Ford where a group of charmingly-named Bone Raiders harness the power of gigantic, fire-breathing lizards to defend their homeland from an invading enemy. You don't mess with the Rakada. The people living in the Great Grass call them the Bone Raiders, from their charming habit of displaying the bones of those they kill on their horses and armor.

But being a raider is tough these days. There's a new High Chieftain ruling the Grass. He's had it with the raider clans, and plans to use his sizeable military to do something about it. And then there are the araatan: fire-breathing lizards the size of elephants - one of which happens to turn up in a cute little settlement the Rakada are in the middle of raiding.

Sayana is a Rakada scout, and in the chaos of the raid-gone-wrong, she finds herself on the back of a rampaging araatan. Whoops. In a panic, she discovers she can steer it, like you would a horse. It's frankly amazing she survives any of this. Once Sayana gets an idea into her head, it's awful hard to dislodge. And now she has a doozy: what if the Rakada could swap their horses for araatan? Train the lizards to act as mounts? That would even the odds against the High Chieftain, no?

About Jackson Ford

Jackson Ford is a pseudonym for Rob Boffard, a South African writer currently living in Vancouver. He is the author of the critically acclaimed Frost Files series, about a government operative with telekinetic powers. He has released four science fiction novels under the name Rob Boffard, and was previously a journalist for over a decade, writing articles for publications and sites including The Guardian, the BBC, Wired Magazine and io9.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Holly Hearts Books on August 12, 2025

*4.5* This is a book that MOVES and I enjoyed it immensely! With breakneck action and punchy dialogue (a Jackson Ford specialty), it reads like a fantasy action flick that doesn’t skimp on giant fire breathing lizards that our main characters literally ride into battle with. It's a Khan inspired wor......more

Goodreads review by Billie's Not So Secret Diary on July 12, 2025

The Bone Raiders by Jackson Ford The Rakada #1 Fantasy NetGalley eARC Pub Date: Aug 12, 2025 Orbit Books Ages: 16+ In the grasslands of the Tapestry the Rakada, or called Bone Raiders by the other tribes because they display the bones of others on their armor, are feared raiders, but the new Khan is forcing......more

Goodreads review by thevampireslibrary on August 03, 2025

I'm dressing Bella ( 🐕) up as a fire breathing lizard for Halloween, this was EPIC, a male author who writes women the right way, with authenticity and sensitivity? claps and applause all around please, this was fast paced, a ton of fun and surprisingly emotional, the author does a great job at bala......more

Goodreads review by Patrycja on August 11, 2025

I've had a lot of fun with this one. ------------------------ “The Bone Raiders” is the first volume in a new fantasy series written by Jackson Ford. It was my first encounter with this author, but I’m sure it won’t be the last. The book tells a story of several people known as raiders. Their land is g......more

Goodreads review by Christine on August 12, 2025

3.25⭐️ The beginning 30% of this book had me engaged and was steadily climbing with the progression of the story along with the action. Then from there to the end the book just felt like one large plateau. This is the beginning of a new series and I’m hoping that the world and plot is thickened up a......more


Quotes

"The writing and storytelling is as clear and fun as the title indicates."—Locus, on The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t With Her Mind

"Ford's strengths are evident in the taut action sequences and suspenseful pacing."—Publishers Weekly, on The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t With Her Mind

"The novel unfolds cinematically with loads of breathtaking action, a perfect candidate for film or television adaptation . . . [Readers will] want more."—Booklist, on The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t With Her Mind

"Ford's breakneck pace keeps the tension high, and the thrills coming the whole way through."—BookPage, on The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t With Her Mind

"Ford's debut holds nothing back, delivering a sense of absurd fun and high-speed thrills that more than lives up to that amazing title."—B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog, on The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t With Her Mind

"Teagan is a frank and funny narrator for this wild ride, which starts off with our heroine falling from the 82nd floor of a skyscraper and pretty much never slow down . . . . A fast-paced, high-adrenaline tale that manages to get into some dark themes without losing its sense of fun."—Kirkus, on The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t With Her Mind