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The Rakada #2
Sisters of the Lizard
All Sayana wanted was to enjoy her life in the rolling grasslands of the Tapestry. After she and her fellow Rakada managed to ride humongous, fire-breathing lizards to face down the Great Khan’s army, they should have been able to kick back a little for once. Not too much to ask, right?
Instead, the Tapestry is in turmoil—invading armies threaten, the other raider clans are at war, and inside his fortress city of Karkorum, the Khan broods and plots. What’s more, the Rakada’s giant lizards are getting sick, and they have no idea how to cure them. If they die, there's no telling what might happen to the Tapestry.
But then the Rakada receive a vision—apparently from the gods. A deep emerald pool surrounded by bone-white sands—one that may be able to heal their lizards. With no other option, the raiders set out on an epic quest across the mountains and into the desert.
But the danger that awaits them will be one greater than they’ve ever faced before. These guys really can’t catch a break.
Instead, the Tapestry is in turmoil—invading armies threaten, the other raider clans are at war, and inside his fortress city of Karkorum, the Khan broods and plots. What’s more, the Rakada’s giant lizards are getting sick, and they have no idea how to cure them. If they die, there's no telling what might happen to the Tapestry.
But then the Rakada receive a vision—apparently from the gods. A deep emerald pool surrounded by bone-white sands—one that may be able to heal their lizards. With no other option, the raiders set out on an epic quest across the mountains and into the desert.
But the danger that awaits them will be one greater than they’ve ever faced before. These guys really can’t catch a break.
443 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 5, 2026
About the author
Jackson Ford
15 books461 followersJackson Ford is the author of The Frost Files series, including The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t with Her Mind and Random Sh*t Flying Through the Air). He may or may not be the alter ego of author Rob Boffard, but he is definitely 100% a jackass.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
June 14, 2026
firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!
don’t ask me why it took me forever to finish this book, because i was very excited to dive into sisters of the lizard, after loving the first one!
sisters of the lizard had the same fantastic cast of strong women written by a man who clearly respects women; but this time, there was a lot more heartbreak, betrayal, and loss for the bone raiders.
i also listened to the audio on libby and it was fantastic!
i’m excited to see what’s in store from jackson ford🐉
don’t ask me why it took me forever to finish this book, because i was very excited to dive into sisters of the lizard, after loving the first one!
sisters of the lizard had the same fantastic cast of strong women written by a man who clearly respects women; but this time, there was a lot more heartbreak, betrayal, and loss for the bone raiders.
i also listened to the audio on libby and it was fantastic!
i’m excited to see what’s in store from jackson ford🐉
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Can’t believe I got another of my most anticipated reads as an ARC! Seriously NetGalley & the publishers - THANK YOU SO MUCH
« Your father should have shouted to the world about you. »
4.25✨
Wow, what a read! Sisters of the Lizard picks up a short while after the events of The Bone Raiders and brings you on an unstoppable and epic ride.
I’ve said this in my review for the first book and I’ll say it again : this author loves & respects women and it just shines through the pages. You can see how much he loves his characters, and he succeeds in making you love them as much as he does.
Hogelun was my favourite in this sequel. I couldn’t get enough of her! The character development was wild and she just kept on getting so much better. I loved that we got more of her povs in this sequel and that she was a central point to the story. Khun & Sayana seemed to be stuck in a flight mode in this sequel - they were avoidant and I liked how the author depicted this very differently for both of them.
I didn’t expect the storyline to go into such a religious theme but I liked how it ended and the direction it ended up taking. It’s definitely way darker than the first instalment. There’s a lot of things I didn’t see coming and I was sad by certain directions and things that happened but I love how the author just pulls on your heartstrings and makes you want to read the next one immediately.
« A little embarrassed at how much she wanted her lizard to survive more than she did Sarena. »
🎶 Peacefield - Ghost 🎶
« Your father should have shouted to the world about you. »
4.25✨
Wow, what a read! Sisters of the Lizard picks up a short while after the events of The Bone Raiders and brings you on an unstoppable and epic ride.
I’ve said this in my review for the first book and I’ll say it again : this author loves & respects women and it just shines through the pages. You can see how much he loves his characters, and he succeeds in making you love them as much as he does.
Hogelun was my favourite in this sequel. I couldn’t get enough of her! The character development was wild and she just kept on getting so much better. I loved that we got more of her povs in this sequel and that she was a central point to the story. Khun & Sayana seemed to be stuck in a flight mode in this sequel - they were avoidant and I liked how the author depicted this very differently for both of them.
I didn’t expect the storyline to go into such a religious theme but I liked how it ended and the direction it ended up taking. It’s definitely way darker than the first instalment. There’s a lot of things I didn’t see coming and I was sad by certain directions and things that happened but I love how the author just pulls on your heartstrings and makes you want to read the next one immediately.
« A little embarrassed at how much she wanted her lizard to survive more than she did Sarena. »
🎶 Peacefield - Ghost 🎶
June 7, 2026
This breath of fresh air ramps up everything that made Book 1 great. High stakes, laughs, darkness, genuine friendships and amazingly crafted characters. Jackson Ford is becoming a master. I had so much fun with this, and felt some genuine emotion. 5 Giant Lizards out of 5.
May 11, 2026
3.75⭐️
Sisters of the Lizard is an entertaining and action-packed fantasy read. In this sequel Jackson Ford expands the world really well and the story is rather interesting from start to finish. The giant lizards are still one of the most memorable parts of the series, and the adventure to save them added both tension and emotion to the plot.
It was good to get back in touch with those characters. Throughout the book they had to struggle with loyalty, responsibility, and survival. I also appreciated the balance between serious moments and humor, which kept the book from feeling too heavy.
However I feel like some sections felt a bit slower than others, and I wish a few subplots would have been explored more deeply. Even so, the overall story was exciting, creative, and easy to get invested in.
A great choice for readers who enjoy epic fantasy with strong characters, dangerous journeys, and unique creatures.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Sisters of the Lizard is an entertaining and action-packed fantasy read. In this sequel Jackson Ford expands the world really well and the story is rather interesting from start to finish. The giant lizards are still one of the most memorable parts of the series, and the adventure to save them added both tension and emotion to the plot.
It was good to get back in touch with those characters. Throughout the book they had to struggle with loyalty, responsibility, and survival. I also appreciated the balance between serious moments and humor, which kept the book from feeling too heavy.
However I feel like some sections felt a bit slower than others, and I wish a few subplots would have been explored more deeply. Even so, the overall story was exciting, creative, and easy to get invested in.
A great choice for readers who enjoy epic fantasy with strong characters, dangerous journeys, and unique creatures.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
May 6, 2026
It was great being back in the Tapestry with the Rakada ladies and their Araatan.
This time around the land’s two Gods are front and centre, and there was a lot more religion and lore involved which was interesting, but also a bit wearisome at times too.
Loved Crazy Khun, seeing Hogs become more decisive, and Erhi getting her dues. I didn’t think we really needed Jai or his father in the story- he was just a bit too weird for me to like him at all.
I will say that at some points, the characters drove me a bit mad with their slowness in getting through the mountains (literally life or death situation happening here, let’s hustle!!!); when they were faffing around I was literally yelling at the book.
This second book was full of battles, heartache, strong warriors, fire breathing giant lizard babies, and adventure, everything you’d want in a female driven fantasy.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Orbit Books for a copy!
This time around the land’s two Gods are front and centre, and there was a lot more religion and lore involved which was interesting, but also a bit wearisome at times too.
Loved Crazy Khun, seeing Hogs become more decisive, and Erhi getting her dues. I didn’t think we really needed Jai or his father in the story- he was just a bit too weird for me to like him at all.
I will say that at some points, the characters drove me a bit mad with their slowness in getting through the mountains (literally life or death situation happening here, let’s hustle!!!); when they were faffing around I was literally yelling at the book.
This second book was full of battles, heartache, strong warriors, fire breathing giant lizard babies, and adventure, everything you’d want in a female driven fantasy.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Orbit Books for a copy!
June 23, 2026
'The Bone Raiders' was one of my underrated gems of 2025. It was a surprise 5 star read and was full of much more depth than you initially expect going in. I was so excited to return to the world and it did not disappoint!
You are immediately thrown into the action from page one and rarely does it let up. This is fun explosive epic fantasy but with real heart underneath the surface. The found family is back if a little fractious this time around after the events of the first book and we even add in some new characters who really are welcome additions. We see natural and organic developments of the characters, especially Hogelun, who becomes one of the real stars of the book for me.
There are moments of real peril woven throughout this story and it is believable enough to really make you wonder what way the events will fall. No spoilers but it's not necessarily always the way you expect or want them to fall. This is one of those books where the stakes feel real and the story benefits from this. The tensions and the stresses of the characters are far more effective when you truly believe that things might not work out for everyone.
We again get a POV from a villain and truly she made my blood boil throughout. To avoid spoilers from the first book I won't mention who it is but I was absolutely desperate for her to meet her end and get her comeuppance. Whether she does or not you'll have to read and find out for yourself!
My opening line of my review for book one was "Epic raids, giant fire breathing lizards, and also wholesome found family vibes? If this sounds as amazing to you as it did to me then I heartily recommend adding The Bone Raiders to your TBR and reading it as soon as possible." and it holds up here too. It's hard not to be enticed by the sound of it and I promise you that you will not regret it if you are.
You are immediately thrown into the action from page one and rarely does it let up. This is fun explosive epic fantasy but with real heart underneath the surface. The found family is back if a little fractious this time around after the events of the first book and we even add in some new characters who really are welcome additions. We see natural and organic developments of the characters, especially Hogelun, who becomes one of the real stars of the book for me.
There are moments of real peril woven throughout this story and it is believable enough to really make you wonder what way the events will fall. No spoilers but it's not necessarily always the way you expect or want them to fall. This is one of those books where the stakes feel real and the story benefits from this. The tensions and the stresses of the characters are far more effective when you truly believe that things might not work out for everyone.
We again get a POV from a villain and truly she made my blood boil throughout. To avoid spoilers from the first book I won't mention who it is but I was absolutely desperate for her to meet her end and get her comeuppance. Whether she does or not you'll have to read and find out for yourself!
My opening line of my review for book one was "Epic raids, giant fire breathing lizards, and also wholesome found family vibes? If this sounds as amazing to you as it did to me then I heartily recommend adding The Bone Raiders to your TBR and reading it as soon as possible." and it holds up here too. It's hard not to be enticed by the sound of it and I promise you that you will not regret it if you are.
June 9, 2026
I normally love this kind of adventure fantasy, and I really enjoyed the first one, but this, I struggled to finish, as it was easily 150 pages too long. There's only so much 'traipsing across the mountains and bickering about it' that can hold my attention.
The world was very empty - no history or detail or politics - and the characters, sadly, were kind of shallow. And they don't DO anything, they just wander about, gossiping about absolutely nothing, and occasionally playing Random Encounter Table.
The end (when we finally got there) was great, and the book wasn't bad, it was just a bit meh. I kept waiting for it to catch itself and actually do something, but sadly not. Endless 'she said this then she said that' and all the pace and drama just left to the mountain wind.
The world was very empty - no history or detail or politics - and the characters, sadly, were kind of shallow. And they don't DO anything, they just wander about, gossiping about absolutely nothing, and occasionally playing Random Encounter Table.
The end (when we finally got there) was great, and the book wasn't bad, it was just a bit meh. I kept waiting for it to catch itself and actually do something, but sadly not. Endless 'she said this then she said that' and all the pace and drama just left to the mountain wind.
June 18, 2026
Grundsätzlich hab ich es gerne gelesen, aber von der Begeisterung des ersten Bands ist nicht mehr viel übrig. Die Handlung ist sehr dürftig, manche Entwicklungen gefielen mir nicht. Aber ich liebe die Lizards. Ob ich Band 3 lese, werde ich bei Erscheinung entscheiden.
May 16, 2026
I stumbled upon The Bone Raiders last year and it was such a breath of fresh air, so when I saw the sequel was coming out in May it became my most anticipated release of the year.
The story picks up a few months after the events of the first book. Given how book 1 ended I had a certain expectation of how things would go. I was completely wrong but have no complaints whatsoever.
There's a definitive shift in town with Sisters of the Lizard. Bone Raiders had a great plot but there was also a lot of humour, here things are much darker with the humour dialled back to just an occasional chuckle. We also get to see and learn about different parts of the world outside of the Tapestry.
Given the title plus the cover art you can't hide from the fact there are giant lizards in this book and oh how I loved them. They felt like characters in their own right instead of just being creatures there to be used as means to an end. I loved them just as much as the Rakada.
Speaking of the characters. I wouldn't say there was a ton of development in them personality wise from the first book but we did learn some things about them as the book progressed. Some I loved, one I outright hated and I was happy with each POV picked to lead the narrative.
There's a fair bit of closure with this entry and at more than one point I thought this could actually be a duology. But then the final 30 to 40 pages happened and it became apparent that this will be at least a trilogy. Without going into spoilers all I can say is I need the next book immediately.
A very fast read that had me NEEDING to know what was going to happen next. Some moments shocked me, others satisfied me and all the way through I was very glad to be back in this world.
Toothy is one of the best names I've seen for an animal in quite some time. It's up there with Princess Donut for me.
The story picks up a few months after the events of the first book. Given how book 1 ended I had a certain expectation of how things would go. I was completely wrong but have no complaints whatsoever.
There's a definitive shift in town with Sisters of the Lizard. Bone Raiders had a great plot but there was also a lot of humour, here things are much darker with the humour dialled back to just an occasional chuckle. We also get to see and learn about different parts of the world outside of the Tapestry.
Given the title plus the cover art you can't hide from the fact there are giant lizards in this book and oh how I loved them. They felt like characters in their own right instead of just being creatures there to be used as means to an end. I loved them just as much as the Rakada.
Speaking of the characters. I wouldn't say there was a ton of development in them personality wise from the first book but we did learn some things about them as the book progressed. Some I loved, one I outright hated and I was happy with each POV picked to lead the narrative.
There's a fair bit of closure with this entry and at more than one point I thought this could actually be a duology. But then the final 30 to 40 pages happened and it became apparent that this will be at least a trilogy. Without going into spoilers all I can say is I need the next book immediately.
A very fast read that had me NEEDING to know what was going to happen next. Some moments shocked me, others satisfied me and all the way through I was very glad to be back in this world.
Toothy is one of the best names I've seen for an animal in quite some time. It's up there with Princess Donut for me.
May 9, 2026
Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
4.25 stars.
The sequel to the incredibly entertaining The Bone Raiders, Sisters of the Lizard sees the women of the Rakada embarking on a quest to save their beloved araatan (giant lizards).
This was as much of a blast as the first book, with some intense battle scenes, emotional moments, and flashes of humour.
I love these characters, and appreciated their growth in this story. I wish we had seen some Khun points of view though, as I find her so intriguing. I was glad to see the araatan play an integral role in this sequel, as they're such great and unique animal companions.
A really fun ride, and I hope we get another sequel.
4.25 stars.
The sequel to the incredibly entertaining The Bone Raiders, Sisters of the Lizard sees the women of the Rakada embarking on a quest to save their beloved araatan (giant lizards).
This was as much of a blast as the first book, with some intense battle scenes, emotional moments, and flashes of humour.
I love these characters, and appreciated their growth in this story. I wish we had seen some Khun points of view though, as I find her so intriguing. I was glad to see the araatan play an integral role in this sequel, as they're such great and unique animal companions.
A really fun ride, and I hope we get another sequel.
May 18, 2026
This sequel is darker and more emotional, with greater threats and sacrifices.
The high stakes and tension continue, and everything feels raw and authentic.
It's easy to get invested in the characters, and attached to the animal companions, so the loss and heartache hits hard but feels necessary to drive the characters.
It's a high stakes quest that mingles religion with destiny, and they face intense challenges and choices.
The high stakes and tension continue, and everything feels raw and authentic.
It's easy to get invested in the characters, and attached to the animal companions, so the loss and heartache hits hard but feels necessary to drive the characters.
It's a high stakes quest that mingles religion with destiny, and they face intense challenges and choices.
May 6, 2026
Book 2 in the Rakada series. I loved this, but I need to think about it for a while before reviewing.
April 24, 2026
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for approving me to read this book, I’m rating it 5.0 stars.
I had the best time with book 2 and it equally captured my attention as much as book 1 did. The follow up to book 1 lands us back in the tapestry with chaos unfolding due to a tenuous balancing act of resisting the khan’s forces, uncooperative raiders and other kingdoms. We get new characters that really pulled on my heartstrings and we see the consequences of betrayal.
I’m so invested in these characters and the lizards they seem to have bonded with. I feel like the bone raiders are a little lost in this book now there are less of them and how much they’ve sacrificed for the tapestry. Book 2 pushes them into new and horribly dangerous challenges that are life and death, but it honestly does seem like just another day in the tapestry.
I’m keen to see where the next book takes us after the ending of book 2, I feel like we’ve only just scratched the surface on the chaos and magic of this found family bunch.
I had the best time with book 2 and it equally captured my attention as much as book 1 did. The follow up to book 1 lands us back in the tapestry with chaos unfolding due to a tenuous balancing act of resisting the khan’s forces, uncooperative raiders and other kingdoms. We get new characters that really pulled on my heartstrings and we see the consequences of betrayal.
I’m so invested in these characters and the lizards they seem to have bonded with. I feel like the bone raiders are a little lost in this book now there are less of them and how much they’ve sacrificed for the tapestry. Book 2 pushes them into new and horribly dangerous challenges that are life and death, but it honestly does seem like just another day in the tapestry.
I’m keen to see where the next book takes us after the ending of book 2, I feel like we’ve only just scratched the surface on the chaos and magic of this found family bunch.
May 8, 2026
I can’t even begin to put into words how much I enjoyed this book and how badly I need the third one.
Sisters of the Lizard picks up after the events of The Bone Raiders and follows the Rakada as they grapple with a changed Tapestry. When they receive a vision from the gods, the raiders must travel across the Tapestry to save their lizards from the sickness slowly overtaking them.
Truly amazing storytelling with just enough action and emotional plot. I was CRYING (all caps, no brakes) during the last 10% and I can’t wait to see where the third book goes.
Thank you to NetGalley, Orbit, and the author for an eARC in exchange for my thoughts.
Sisters of the Lizard picks up after the events of The Bone Raiders and follows the Rakada as they grapple with a changed Tapestry. When they receive a vision from the gods, the raiders must travel across the Tapestry to save their lizards from the sickness slowly overtaking them.
Truly amazing storytelling with just enough action and emotional plot. I was CRYING (all caps, no brakes) during the last 10% and I can’t wait to see where the third book goes.
Thank you to NetGalley, Orbit, and the author for an eARC in exchange for my thoughts.
May 8, 2026
I mean, there’s definitely going to be another book right??????
I need to know what happens next. This is not a drill!!!
Sisters of the Lizard was a little slow for plot in the first half, but the end blew me away. Totally worth all the build up. These characters are so well realized by the author and you can tell the respect he has for them. They are all so multi-faceted and imperfect and human.
I also really enjoyed our new characters and seeing the araatan again. It will be so interesting to see how the lizards develop as we see some personalities shining through!
A totally epic addition to the series!!
I need to know what happens next. This is not a drill!!!
Sisters of the Lizard was a little slow for plot in the first half, but the end blew me away. Totally worth all the build up. These characters are so well realized by the author and you can tell the respect he has for them. They are all so multi-faceted and imperfect and human.
I also really enjoyed our new characters and seeing the araatan again. It will be so interesting to see how the lizards develop as we see some personalities shining through!
A totally epic addition to the series!!
May 13, 2026
7/10
I liked this book, but not as much as the first entry in the series. This one seemed to jump a little too much from the first and skip over some of the things that made the first great, like bonding with the lizards. There were still a lot of things that worked well in this book, particularly the battles, but I also had some gripes with it. The biggest one for me was the fact that Khun's character seemed to completely reverse all the growth she had throughout the first book. Subsequently the Ehri chapters became unbearable to read with their sense of entitlement and narcissism (which is partially the point, it was just laid on a bit thick in my opinion).
I liked this book, but not as much as the first entry in the series. This one seemed to jump a little too much from the first and skip over some of the things that made the first great, like bonding with the lizards. There were still a lot of things that worked well in this book, particularly the battles, but I also had some gripes with it. The biggest one for me was the fact that Khun's character seemed to completely reverse all the growth she had throughout the first book. Subsequently the Ehri chapters became unbearable to read with their sense of entitlement and narcissism (which is partially the point, it was just laid on a bit thick in my opinion).
June 24, 2026
I absolutely adored this book. It was everything a great sequel should do. Elevates everything from book 1 with a bang! The banter, the dash of romance and the storyline that left me gasping. And. My heart was broken by the late half of this book which means I love these characters. Which is a sign of an amazing book .
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
After everything the Rakada had been through over the last few months, their Araatan facing possible extinction was the very last thing that had crossed the women's minds, but that was exactly what they were facing. It started with their fire going out, then their tails started turning black and falling off, white growths appeared in their mouths and according to another raider who came across the body of a wild one death was the inevitable outcome. With the four remaining Rakada each having their own mount now this is simply not something they are willing to accept even if they haven't the first clue on how to save them. One evening each of them has a dream, a vision really, Father Sky shows them a place in the desert where they can be saved the women just have to make the journey, to a place they've never been with four sick araatan. Even knowing there is distinct possibility they'll never make it, they set off knowing they never really had a choice. What they don't know is they've just entered into a battle between gods because while Father Sky may want to save the araatan, Earth Mother wants them dead.
The very first thing I thought when I started reading this is "so help me ever god ever if the lizards die, I will throw my Kindle into traffic!" You all have no freaking clear how very spot on to the entire book that whole statement was.
To start this review I really have to backtrack to the first book, because whatever I thought this series was going to be about from that first book is absolutely not it. I genuinely pictured this to be some warring fantasy novel where the Rakada organize the rest of the raider clans get them all up on araatan and take out the Khan. That is absolutely not remotely the direction this went in. Oh sure the Khan is in it but quite frankly he's the least of their concerns. Who their real concern is, is Erhi. Erhi figured after she betrayed the Rakada that she would be rewarded greatly by the Khan or at least some higher up in the military. That did not happen, she literally becomes a grunt in the military isn't even allowed to be a healer and since Erhi is the biggest narcissist ever, as far as she is concerned, it's all the Rakada's fault. Since she gets the same vision as the rest of the Rakada due to her connection to the araatan she makes it her life goal to do the one thing she knows that will hurt them the most; ensure the araatan die. Of course, she just happens to meet up with a man who has been "called on" by Mother Earth to help destroy Father Sky. This is where Erhi really truly goes sideways, because while her narcissism is evident before she sets out on her trek to kill the araatan and utterly destroy the Rakada it's there but it's kind of that whiny narcissism, if you've ever met a narcissist you'll know what I'm talking about. The "it's everyone's else fault" but since she has no where to really point that blame while she's stuck doing absolutely nothing for the army that's all it is. It's all it would have stayed too if she had never left the military. Unfortunately for the Rakada but fortunately for readers because she is 100% one of those villains you will love because you hate her so much, she leaves and the closer she gets to them the more absolutely insane she gets. Her narcissism grows worse and worse and by the end she genuinely truly believes that not only has she not done anything wrong even though she's caused the death of probably hundreds thanks to her actions, she feels like she's owed for this. I am not going to go to far into it because I'll end up giving way too much away, and yeah I am going to use a video game reference here, but ya know the bombs on Final Fantasy where every time you hit them they get bigger until they explode? Yeah, that was Erhi except she just kept hitting herself and no matter why she had hit herself she decided that it was the Rakada's fault, but especially Hogelun's and the worst part the absolute f*cking worst part is that the araatan were just collateral damage. Hell, everyone that isn't the Rakada and Hogelun is and the end she does something so gods damned despicable that had there been even a hint of redemption or forgiveness on anyone of the Rakada's part regarding her I would have really thrown my Kindle.
Whew, that was such a lot on one character but I'm telling you all right now that oh is she one of my top 10 most hated characters ever. She may be even slimier than Seymour from FFX. Yup, I said that. The reason why though was really freaking simple, the Rakada are truly four of the greatest damn women ever written. For every minute of hatred I felt for Erhi my heart burst with absolute love for these wonderful imperfect women who omg fought so much but always, always had each other's back, who always, always loved each other unconditionally. Who risked their lives over and over again to save a bunch of damn lizards. Wonderful, beautiful lizards who made me cry numerous times throughout this book. And oh I want plushies NOW!! This book is from Hogelun and Sayana's POV again in terms of the Rakada and honestly both of them broke my damn heart and made so proud simultaneously. Sayana especially, that girl does not give herself enough credit, ever. She is so freaking bright and I think she's the only one that really never sees it, but more than that, the lengths she's willing to go to are just, well for her their perfect and understandable, but for the rest of us, would we be willing to make the sacrifices she makes? Probably not. Hogelun grows so much in this one too and yeah right up until the very end of this book just leaps and bounds. She's got PTSD from Erhi and she recognizes that even if she doesn't name it as such, so she is watching her araatan die while she's struggling with finding herself after an emotionally abusive relationship and the fact that she only stops and just screams once is absolutely astonishing to me. Again, so damn proud of her.
I am not going to go into Jai, not fully, because honestly, I just can't but just know whatever you think of him when you meet him, he is absolutely wonderful.
I almost cried so many times throughout this book. Genuinely there were so many times when I was like "nope, I can't do this anymore, how the hell could it possibly keep going so f*cking wrong for these women who I absolutely adore." But it wasn't till the end and I think a lot of people will know it when they get to it, that I just couldn't anymore. Between the near misses with the araatan (so many), the fact that one of Princess's babies does actually die (the babies are not the araatan that the Rakada raise, a bit of a spoiler there but important given that last statement), Erhi's explosion into just straight up madness, Sayana's sacrifices (that does not mean what you think), Hogelun trying to keep it together, Chimeg trying to keep them all together, and Khun actually not being Khun, there is a point where I realized I think I had kept all of these emotions going to be able to just get through it because omigoodness there are so many times when I thought that this was the end, no way were they getting out of this mess. My one big spoiler here will be that they do mostly get out and that cry at the end was just as much mourning for what was lost as for what was found.
Highly recommend this series. Honestly, after the first book I genuinely thought this was going to be a fun fantasy adventure and Jackson just shot that all to hell in the best possible way with book two. Easily, easily one of my favorite series ever.
As always thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the eArc!
The very first thing I thought when I started reading this is "so help me ever god ever if the lizards die, I will throw my Kindle into traffic!" You all have no freaking clear how very spot on to the entire book that whole statement was.
To start this review I really have to backtrack to the first book, because whatever I thought this series was going to be about from that first book is absolutely not it. I genuinely pictured this to be some warring fantasy novel where the Rakada organize the rest of the raider clans get them all up on araatan and take out the Khan. That is absolutely not remotely the direction this went in. Oh sure the Khan is in it but quite frankly he's the least of their concerns. Who their real concern is, is Erhi. Erhi figured after she betrayed the Rakada that she would be rewarded greatly by the Khan or at least some higher up in the military. That did not happen, she literally becomes a grunt in the military isn't even allowed to be a healer and since Erhi is the biggest narcissist ever, as far as she is concerned, it's all the Rakada's fault. Since she gets the same vision as the rest of the Rakada due to her connection to the araatan she makes it her life goal to do the one thing she knows that will hurt them the most; ensure the araatan die. Of course, she just happens to meet up with a man who has been "called on" by Mother Earth to help destroy Father Sky. This is where Erhi really truly goes sideways, because while her narcissism is evident before she sets out on her trek to kill the araatan and utterly destroy the Rakada it's there but it's kind of that whiny narcissism, if you've ever met a narcissist you'll know what I'm talking about. The "it's everyone's else fault" but since she has no where to really point that blame while she's stuck doing absolutely nothing for the army that's all it is. It's all it would have stayed too if she had never left the military. Unfortunately for the Rakada but fortunately for readers because she is 100% one of those villains you will love because you hate her so much, she leaves and the closer she gets to them the more absolutely insane she gets. Her narcissism grows worse and worse and by the end she genuinely truly believes that not only has she not done anything wrong even though she's caused the death of probably hundreds thanks to her actions, she feels like she's owed for this. I am not going to go to far into it because I'll end up giving way too much away, and yeah I am going to use a video game reference here, but ya know the bombs on Final Fantasy where every time you hit them they get bigger until they explode? Yeah, that was Erhi except she just kept hitting herself and no matter why she had hit herself she decided that it was the Rakada's fault, but especially Hogelun's and the worst part the absolute f*cking worst part is that the araatan were just collateral damage. Hell, everyone that isn't the Rakada and Hogelun is and the end she does something so gods damned despicable that had there been even a hint of redemption or forgiveness on anyone of the Rakada's part regarding her I would have really thrown my Kindle.
Whew, that was such a lot on one character but I'm telling you all right now that oh is she one of my top 10 most hated characters ever. She may be even slimier than Seymour from FFX. Yup, I said that. The reason why though was really freaking simple, the Rakada are truly four of the greatest damn women ever written. For every minute of hatred I felt for Erhi my heart burst with absolute love for these wonderful imperfect women who omg fought so much but always, always had each other's back, who always, always loved each other unconditionally. Who risked their lives over and over again to save a bunch of damn lizards. Wonderful, beautiful lizards who made me cry numerous times throughout this book. And oh I want plushies NOW!! This book is from Hogelun and Sayana's POV again in terms of the Rakada and honestly both of them broke my damn heart and made so proud simultaneously. Sayana especially, that girl does not give herself enough credit, ever. She is so freaking bright and I think she's the only one that really never sees it, but more than that, the lengths she's willing to go to are just, well for her their perfect and understandable, but for the rest of us, would we be willing to make the sacrifices she makes? Probably not. Hogelun grows so much in this one too and yeah right up until the very end of this book just leaps and bounds. She's got PTSD from Erhi and she recognizes that even if she doesn't name it as such, so she is watching her araatan die while she's struggling with finding herself after an emotionally abusive relationship and the fact that she only stops and just screams once is absolutely astonishing to me. Again, so damn proud of her.
I am not going to go into Jai, not fully, because honestly, I just can't but just know whatever you think of him when you meet him, he is absolutely wonderful.
I almost cried so many times throughout this book. Genuinely there were so many times when I was like "nope, I can't do this anymore, how the hell could it possibly keep going so f*cking wrong for these women who I absolutely adore." But it wasn't till the end and I think a lot of people will know it when they get to it, that I just couldn't anymore. Between the near misses with the araatan (so many), the fact that one of Princess's babies does actually die (the babies are not the araatan that the Rakada raise, a bit of a spoiler there but important given that last statement), Erhi's explosion into just straight up madness, Sayana's sacrifices (that does not mean what you think), Hogelun trying to keep it together, Chimeg trying to keep them all together, and Khun actually not being Khun, there is a point where I realized I think I had kept all of these emotions going to be able to just get through it because omigoodness there are so many times when I thought that this was the end, no way were they getting out of this mess. My one big spoiler here will be that they do mostly get out and that cry at the end was just as much mourning for what was lost as for what was found.
Highly recommend this series. Honestly, after the first book I genuinely thought this was going to be a fun fantasy adventure and Jackson just shot that all to hell in the best possible way with book two. Easily, easily one of my favorite series ever.
As always thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the eArc!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Jackson Ford, Orbit Books, and NetGalley for giving me an eARC of Sisters of the Lizard in exchange for my honest review.
Sisters of the Lizard is the second book in The Rakada series. This book takes place several months after the conclusion of The Bone Raiders. Now that they have gained control over the Tapestry from the Khan, the Rakada have taken the unexpected role of policing the Tapestry. However, that is just a blip in this story because when their giant lizards get sick and they receive this mysterious vision, they go out on a quest to save their beasts.
Unfortunately, I did not love this book as much as I loved The Bone Raiders. Don't get me wrong, it was still well-written. However, this book is clearly just a way to get the plot from conflict a to conflict b. The policing the tapestry becomes such a minor issue, however by the end of the book after they have gone on this adventure, it is clear it will be one of the central conflicts of the next book. I know in series there needs to be at least one book that more focuses on moving the conflict along to get to the major showdown that typically takes place at the end. I just wish it was not so obvious from the start that this is what the book is trying to do.
This book does have some things going for it though. There continues to be multiple POVS and the character development (whether their development is for the better or worse I will not say) was outstanding. I could see how much each of these characters were growing or changing because of the challenges that they were facing. I can see noticeable differences in the characters and that is something I always love to see in books. The writing and the overall world-building were also great. We got to see more of this world and learn more about different nations and somewhat more about the different political atmospheres that occur in other nations. I loved learning more about what is going on in this world and who the major players might be. While the plot was a bit of a letdown for me, I do not want to take away all the good that comes from this book. Even though I was not the biggest fan of this book clearly being more of a filler book, I am beyond excited for book 3. I loved loved loved The Bone Raiders and I am trying to keep in mind that even though I did not love this one nearly as much, it does not mean I will not love book 3. It is very possible that my expectations for this book were higher because of my love for book one. It is also possible that when I read book 3 the importance of this book will become more apparent to me and I will appreciate it all the more. Overall, if you loved book one this is definitely worth the read and this series as a whole is a great introduction to epic fantasy for those who are curious about the genre.
Sisters of the Lizard is the second book in The Rakada series. This book takes place several months after the conclusion of The Bone Raiders. Now that they have gained control over the Tapestry from the Khan, the Rakada have taken the unexpected role of policing the Tapestry. However, that is just a blip in this story because when their giant lizards get sick and they receive this mysterious vision, they go out on a quest to save their beasts.
Unfortunately, I did not love this book as much as I loved The Bone Raiders. Don't get me wrong, it was still well-written. However, this book is clearly just a way to get the plot from conflict a to conflict b. The policing the tapestry becomes such a minor issue, however by the end of the book after they have gone on this adventure, it is clear it will be one of the central conflicts of the next book. I know in series there needs to be at least one book that more focuses on moving the conflict along to get to the major showdown that typically takes place at the end. I just wish it was not so obvious from the start that this is what the book is trying to do.
This book does have some things going for it though. There continues to be multiple POVS and the character development (whether their development is for the better or worse I will not say) was outstanding. I could see how much each of these characters were growing or changing because of the challenges that they were facing. I can see noticeable differences in the characters and that is something I always love to see in books. The writing and the overall world-building were also great. We got to see more of this world and learn more about different nations and somewhat more about the different political atmospheres that occur in other nations. I loved learning more about what is going on in this world and who the major players might be. While the plot was a bit of a letdown for me, I do not want to take away all the good that comes from this book. Even though I was not the biggest fan of this book clearly being more of a filler book, I am beyond excited for book 3. I loved loved loved The Bone Raiders and I am trying to keep in mind that even though I did not love this one nearly as much, it does not mean I will not love book 3. It is very possible that my expectations for this book were higher because of my love for book one. It is also possible that when I read book 3 the importance of this book will become more apparent to me and I will appreciate it all the more. Overall, if you loved book one this is definitely worth the read and this series as a whole is a great introduction to epic fantasy for those who are curious about the genre.
May 5, 2026
I read Sisters of the Lizard with quite high expectations - and ended up somewhere between excitement, frustration and emotional exhaustion.
The story picks up shortly after the first book and plunges you straight back into chaos: rival clans, the Khan, looming wars - and above all the ailing Araatan, who suddenly can no longer breathe fire and are slowly wasting away. When the Rakada receive a divine vision of a healing, emerald-green pool, a desperate journey through desert and mountains begins, in which absolutely everything is at stake. This plot alone had me hooked straight away.
What still works best for me is the basic concept: a rugged, Mongolian-inspired world, badass female warriors and their giant lizards. Plus that found family vibe that keeps coming through. I particularly liked the dynamics within the group, even though they’re put to the test far more here. There’s plenty of conflict, plenty of pressure, plenty of emotional breakdowns...and at the same time, there’s humour that lightens the mood time and again (even if it didn’t always land for me).
Overall, the book is significantly darker and more intense than the first instalment. The scenes involving the suffering animals in particular were at times really hard to read and really hit home for me. Sometimes, I got a bit too angry about that. At the same time, however, this is precisely what creates high stakes and some truly powerful, painful moments.
What did cause me some problems, however, was the pacing. The journey drags in places, mainly due to the many setbacks, and I often felt that the story only really picked up pace in the final third. On top of that, I never quite got as emotionally invested as I would have liked: some characters and relationships remained a bit too superficial for me, and the antagonist also came across as rather one-dimensional.
Nevertheless: it’s loud, chaotic, emotional and, at times, truly gripping. I laughed, I was stressed, and towards the end it definitely hurt, even if not every blow landed squarely on target for me.
All in all, I liked the second volume slightly less than the first, but I still see wasted potential. The idea is brilliant, but the execution is a bit hit and miss (is that a thing?) for me. Anyone who enjoys action-packed, emotional fantasy with found families and animal companions, and can cope with a rather uneven pace, will probably have a lot of fun here. Just be prepared for the fact that it can also be quite painful. Read the trigger warnings.
Thank you NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for giving me the opportunity to read and review this eArc early! <3
The story picks up shortly after the first book and plunges you straight back into chaos: rival clans, the Khan, looming wars - and above all the ailing Araatan, who suddenly can no longer breathe fire and are slowly wasting away. When the Rakada receive a divine vision of a healing, emerald-green pool, a desperate journey through desert and mountains begins, in which absolutely everything is at stake. This plot alone had me hooked straight away.
What still works best for me is the basic concept: a rugged, Mongolian-inspired world, badass female warriors and their giant lizards. Plus that found family vibe that keeps coming through. I particularly liked the dynamics within the group, even though they’re put to the test far more here. There’s plenty of conflict, plenty of pressure, plenty of emotional breakdowns...and at the same time, there’s humour that lightens the mood time and again (even if it didn’t always land for me).
Overall, the book is significantly darker and more intense than the first instalment. The scenes involving the suffering animals in particular were at times really hard to read and really hit home for me. Sometimes, I got a bit too angry about that. At the same time, however, this is precisely what creates high stakes and some truly powerful, painful moments.
What did cause me some problems, however, was the pacing. The journey drags in places, mainly due to the many setbacks, and I often felt that the story only really picked up pace in the final third. On top of that, I never quite got as emotionally invested as I would have liked: some characters and relationships remained a bit too superficial for me, and the antagonist also came across as rather one-dimensional.
Nevertheless: it’s loud, chaotic, emotional and, at times, truly gripping. I laughed, I was stressed, and towards the end it definitely hurt, even if not every blow landed squarely on target for me.
All in all, I liked the second volume slightly less than the first, but I still see wasted potential. The idea is brilliant, but the execution is a bit hit and miss (is that a thing?) for me. Anyone who enjoys action-packed, emotional fantasy with found families and animal companions, and can cope with a rather uneven pace, will probably have a lot of fun here. Just be prepared for the fact that it can also be quite painful. Read the trigger warnings.
Thank you NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for giving me the opportunity to read and review this eArc early! <3
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for the ARC.
OH MY GOD this is one of the most stressful books I've read in a very long time. So to answer the big question: Do any of the main lizards die?
Okay, so. If you are expecting more of the first book, this is not it. This is much darker than the first book; animal suffering is RIFE here and it was so, so agonizing to read. It feels like Ford was doing the writing exercise where every time you stop, you go "What's the worst thing that could happen to these characters right now?" and then did that. It felt like it bordered on misery porn at some points--and yet with a mix of humor that wouldn't be out of place in Avatar: The Last Airbender. Does it work? Most of the time, yes, but sometimes things are just so. Incredibly. Bleak. I honestly almost DNF'd this at multiple points, despite having liked the first one so much, because I wasn't sure I could take more suffering. It was done very masterfully, but I did not enjoy it at all. (Yes, I know that is clearly the point, and yet it being so bad that I almost quit reading it multiple times is A Lot.)
This book also has straight-up magic in it; I can't remember if the first book did or not, but if it did, it wasn't very present, and there's a big "Yeah that's magic" thing going on here.
The character work continues to be done very well in this volume. I feel like a man writing an almost full cast of female characters, and doing it so well, is very rare and deserves to be applauded, so there you go. All of them continue to be written with nuance and layers, and in this book all of them are feeling somewhat adrift in their own ways, and Ford does a very good job of depicting that for both the POV characters and the non-POV ones.
The story has a very satisfying conclusion that can work as either a stop for a duology, or a jumping off point for another book. I wouldn't be surprised either way. That conclusion is what really propels my high rating here; it needed it in order to bring up the tragedy of the rest of the book. But in the end I felt like everything came together really well.
OH MY GOD this is one of the most stressful books I've read in a very long time. So to answer the big question: Do any of the main lizards die?
Okay, so. If you are expecting more of the first book, this is not it. This is much darker than the first book; animal suffering is RIFE here and it was so, so agonizing to read. It feels like Ford was doing the writing exercise where every time you stop, you go "What's the worst thing that could happen to these characters right now?" and then did that. It felt like it bordered on misery porn at some points--and yet with a mix of humor that wouldn't be out of place in Avatar: The Last Airbender. Does it work? Most of the time, yes, but sometimes things are just so. Incredibly. Bleak. I honestly almost DNF'd this at multiple points, despite having liked the first one so much, because I wasn't sure I could take more suffering. It was done very masterfully, but I did not enjoy it at all. (Yes, I know that is clearly the point, and yet it being so bad that I almost quit reading it multiple times is A Lot.)
This book also has straight-up magic in it; I can't remember if the first book did or not, but if it did, it wasn't very present, and there's a big "Yeah that's magic" thing going on here.
The character work continues to be done very well in this volume. I feel like a man writing an almost full cast of female characters, and doing it so well, is very rare and deserves to be applauded, so there you go. All of them continue to be written with nuance and layers, and in this book all of them are feeling somewhat adrift in their own ways, and Ford does a very good job of depicting that for both the POV characters and the non-POV ones.
The story has a very satisfying conclusion that can work as either a stop for a duology, or a jumping off point for another book. I wouldn't be surprised either way. That conclusion is what really propels my high rating here; it needed it in order to bring up the tragedy of the rest of the book. But in the end I felt like everything came together really well.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I went into Sisters of the Lizard with pretty high expectations after how much I loved The Bone Raiders, and overall this was a strong, emotional follow-up that really expands the world and raises the stakes. This is the second book in The Rakada series, and now the Tapestry is in complete turmoil: invading armies, raider clans fighting each other, and the looming threat of the Khan. On top of that, the Rakada’s bonded giant lizards, the araatan, are mysteriously falling ill, and no one knows how to save them. When all the Rakada receive a shared vision from the gods of an emerald pool, white sand, and the promise “you can save them all” - they’re forced into a dangerous journey across mountains and desert with everything on the line.
I absolutely loved being back with these characters. Seeing each of the raiders now bonded with their own araatan added so much character, and the found family dynamic continues to be one of my favorite parts of this series. That said, it’s really tested here - everyone is pushed to their limits, tensions are high, and the constant bickering made the journey feel even more real and strained. Jackson Ford still manages to weave in moments of humor, which helped balance things out, but this is definitely a heavier, more brutal installment.
The hardest part of this book, for me, was watching the araatan suffer. The Rakada fought so hard for them, and seeing them sick, unable to breathe fire, and struggling through the journey made this a genuinely tough read at times. The new characters introduced were a great addition and helped keep things fresh, but the overall tone stays pretty intense.
I will say the pacing felt a bit uneven - it took a while to really get going, and with how many setbacks the raiders face, it sometimes felt exhausting to push through. But that ending? Absolutely devastating. It hit hard, and I was sobbing more than once.
Overall, I’m giving Sisters of the Lizard 4.25 stars. It’s an emotional, high-stakes continuation that leans darker than the first book, with a strong focus on survival, loyalty, and sacrifice. I definitely recommend this series if you love epic fantasy with found family and animal companions - just be prepared, this one hurts.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.
I absolutely loved being back with these characters. Seeing each of the raiders now bonded with their own araatan added so much character, and the found family dynamic continues to be one of my favorite parts of this series. That said, it’s really tested here - everyone is pushed to their limits, tensions are high, and the constant bickering made the journey feel even more real and strained. Jackson Ford still manages to weave in moments of humor, which helped balance things out, but this is definitely a heavier, more brutal installment.
The hardest part of this book, for me, was watching the araatan suffer. The Rakada fought so hard for them, and seeing them sick, unable to breathe fire, and struggling through the journey made this a genuinely tough read at times. The new characters introduced were a great addition and helped keep things fresh, but the overall tone stays pretty intense.
I will say the pacing felt a bit uneven - it took a while to really get going, and with how many setbacks the raiders face, it sometimes felt exhausting to push through. But that ending? Absolutely devastating. It hit hard, and I was sobbing more than once.
Overall, I’m giving Sisters of the Lizard 4.25 stars. It’s an emotional, high-stakes continuation that leans darker than the first book, with a strong focus on survival, loyalty, and sacrifice. I definitely recommend this series if you love epic fantasy with found family and animal companions - just be prepared, this one hurts.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the opportunity to review this eARC!
I’ll be honest — I finished this mostly feeling relieved to be done.
After being pretty underwhelmed by book one, I was really hoping the sequel would deepen things a bit. And I did end up enjoying this one more overall, mainly because the pacing is better. Especially toward the last ~20%, where it finally feels like the story actually kicks into gear. It just… takes a while to get there.
One of my biggest issues is still the character work. They didn’t really gain more depth here, and the relationships still felt pretty surface-level, which made it hard for me to feel fully invested in what was happening. The humor also didn’t really land for me this time around — it kind of lost the novelty it had in the beginning of book one.
The villain was probably the most frustrating part. Her whole motivation is very revenge-driven, but it never felt particularly nuanced. It came across more like she was just determined to make things worse for everyone out of spite, rather than from anything more layered or complex. So the central conflict ended up feeling flatter than I wanted it to.
The worldbuilding expands a little — mostly confirming that gods are actively meddling — but beyond that it still felt pretty surface-level to me. Which was disappointing, because the Mongolian-inspired setting is such a strong concept and I really wanted more from it.
And I do have to say… with a premise like a group of raiders riding fire-breathing lizards into battle, I expected a bit more… actual fire breathing. The idea is so good, it just didn’t feel fully realized on the page.
The ending didn’t fully land for me emotionally either. There are some heavy losses, but because I never felt deeply connected to the characters, those moments didn’t hit as hard as they probably should have. It ended up feeling more frustrating than impactful.
That said, the concept itself is still fantastic. A Mongolian-inspired fantasy world with a found-family group of raiders protecting each other is such a strong idea, and I really wanted this series to work more for me.
I think this will probably work better for readers who enjoy fast-paced, chaotic fantasy and aren’t looking for a ton of depth.
I’ll be honest — I finished this mostly feeling relieved to be done.
After being pretty underwhelmed by book one, I was really hoping the sequel would deepen things a bit. And I did end up enjoying this one more overall, mainly because the pacing is better. Especially toward the last ~20%, where it finally feels like the story actually kicks into gear. It just… takes a while to get there.
One of my biggest issues is still the character work. They didn’t really gain more depth here, and the relationships still felt pretty surface-level, which made it hard for me to feel fully invested in what was happening. The humor also didn’t really land for me this time around — it kind of lost the novelty it had in the beginning of book one.
The villain was probably the most frustrating part. Her whole motivation is very revenge-driven, but it never felt particularly nuanced. It came across more like she was just determined to make things worse for everyone out of spite, rather than from anything more layered or complex. So the central conflict ended up feeling flatter than I wanted it to.
The worldbuilding expands a little — mostly confirming that gods are actively meddling — but beyond that it still felt pretty surface-level to me. Which was disappointing, because the Mongolian-inspired setting is such a strong concept and I really wanted more from it.
And I do have to say… with a premise like a group of raiders riding fire-breathing lizards into battle, I expected a bit more… actual fire breathing. The idea is so good, it just didn’t feel fully realized on the page.
The ending didn’t fully land for me emotionally either. There are some heavy losses, but because I never felt deeply connected to the characters, those moments didn’t hit as hard as they probably should have. It ended up feeling more frustrating than impactful.
That said, the concept itself is still fantastic. A Mongolian-inspired fantasy world with a found-family group of raiders protecting each other is such a strong idea, and I really wanted this series to work more for me.
I think this will probably work better for readers who enjoy fast-paced, chaotic fantasy and aren’t looking for a ton of depth.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Rating 4.25
Sisters of the Lizard is the follow-up to The Bone Raiders. The world of the Rakada widens into sun-scorched deserts and crumbling ruins, and with that expansion comes thicker layers of political intrigue. The stakes rise not just through battle, but through instability. A mysterious sickness striking the lizards doesn’t merely threaten survival — it upends an entire culture. Power structures tremble, spiritual certainties fracture, and the bond between rider and beast becomes something deeper than loyalty. It becomes existential.
World building isn’t just decorative. Ford crafts a politically splintered landscape where alliances feel brittle and traditions rest uneasily atop buried histories. The widening horizon introduces questions of colonization, adaptation, and what survival truly costs. These themes don’t arrive, they surface through travel, confrontation, and the friction between characters who see the world differently.
As the setting expands, so do the people within it. The novel leans hard into questions of identity, leadership, and the weight of responsibility. Its most compelling evolution lies in forcing characters to interrogate beliefs they once held sacred. That discomfort is the point. They are allowed to be wrong. To falter. To argue. To grow. The conflicts feel moral as much as physical, and the character work stands as the book’s strongest pillar.
That said, some quest beats tread familiar ground and can verge on predictability. The banter, still sharp and entertaining, occasionally skims over deeper emotional fractures that might have cut more sharply if left exposed. Even so, the action remains gripping, and Ford’s gift for blending humor, tension, and camaraderie keeps the narrative buoyant.
Overall, this is a thoughtful, high-stakes continuation that trades some of the raw immediacy of the first book for greater depth and complexity. It feels like the middle movement of a larger symphony, not the loudest, but an important, shaping one.
Sisters of the Lizard is the follow-up to The Bone Raiders. The world of the Rakada widens into sun-scorched deserts and crumbling ruins, and with that expansion comes thicker layers of political intrigue. The stakes rise not just through battle, but through instability. A mysterious sickness striking the lizards doesn’t merely threaten survival — it upends an entire culture. Power structures tremble, spiritual certainties fracture, and the bond between rider and beast becomes something deeper than loyalty. It becomes existential.
World building isn’t just decorative. Ford crafts a politically splintered landscape where alliances feel brittle and traditions rest uneasily atop buried histories. The widening horizon introduces questions of colonization, adaptation, and what survival truly costs. These themes don’t arrive, they surface through travel, confrontation, and the friction between characters who see the world differently.
As the setting expands, so do the people within it. The novel leans hard into questions of identity, leadership, and the weight of responsibility. Its most compelling evolution lies in forcing characters to interrogate beliefs they once held sacred. That discomfort is the point. They are allowed to be wrong. To falter. To argue. To grow. The conflicts feel moral as much as physical, and the character work stands as the book’s strongest pillar.
That said, some quest beats tread familiar ground and can verge on predictability. The banter, still sharp and entertaining, occasionally skims over deeper emotional fractures that might have cut more sharply if left exposed. Even so, the action remains gripping, and Ford’s gift for blending humor, tension, and camaraderie keeps the narrative buoyant.
Overall, this is a thoughtful, high-stakes continuation that trades some of the raw immediacy of the first book for greater depth and complexity. It feels like the middle movement of a larger symphony, not the loudest, but an important, shaping one.
June 2, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC
4.5 Stars
Sisters of the Lizards is action-packed, full of emotion, and features a perilous quest.
Book two of The Rakada series picks up a few months after the events of Bone Raiders (do read Bone Raiders before picking this book up; there’s a lot of plot and relationships you will not understand without reading book one of the series).
All the Rakada now have their own giant lizard to ride, each one perfectly matching its rider’s personality. But not everything is going to plan; the Great Khan is plotting, there are mysterious forces at play, and the lizards are falling sick. The Rakada must journey across the mountains to find a cure and save their beloved companions.
The lizards are such great characters, and I adored the way Ford gave them such emotional intelligence in this book. Reading about how they suffered, yet still trusted their riders, was heart-wrenching, particularly in many of the scenes in the mountains. I loved pretty much every chapter that followed the Rakada’s journey to save their lizards and would have probably rated the book 5 stars if that had been the whole book.
The world Ford has created is fantastic. I enjoyed the variation in setting from the first book and the expansion of our understanding of the world beyond The Tapestry.
Sadly, I personally just couldn’t stand Ehri’s storyline. Every time her chapters came around, I just wanted to put the book down or skip ahead to the next Rakada chapter. I thought her character arc and personality were immature and one-dimensional, which is a shame because it differed heavily from her portrayal in book one. That said, her storyline doesn’t spoil the book completely, and what is going on around her is very important for the plot, so power through if you’re also struggling with her sections.
Overall, I adore this series. It’s such a fun read, with plenty of battle scenes and humour, but this book also really tugged at the heartstrings. I’m so invested in the Rakada’s journey and can’t wait to see what happens next.
4.5 Stars
Sisters of the Lizards is action-packed, full of emotion, and features a perilous quest.
Book two of The Rakada series picks up a few months after the events of Bone Raiders (do read Bone Raiders before picking this book up; there’s a lot of plot and relationships you will not understand without reading book one of the series).
All the Rakada now have their own giant lizard to ride, each one perfectly matching its rider’s personality. But not everything is going to plan; the Great Khan is plotting, there are mysterious forces at play, and the lizards are falling sick. The Rakada must journey across the mountains to find a cure and save their beloved companions.
The lizards are such great characters, and I adored the way Ford gave them such emotional intelligence in this book. Reading about how they suffered, yet still trusted their riders, was heart-wrenching, particularly in many of the scenes in the mountains. I loved pretty much every chapter that followed the Rakada’s journey to save their lizards and would have probably rated the book 5 stars if that had been the whole book.
The world Ford has created is fantastic. I enjoyed the variation in setting from the first book and the expansion of our understanding of the world beyond The Tapestry.
Sadly, I personally just couldn’t stand Ehri’s storyline. Every time her chapters came around, I just wanted to put the book down or skip ahead to the next Rakada chapter. I thought her character arc and personality were immature and one-dimensional, which is a shame because it differed heavily from her portrayal in book one. That said, her storyline doesn’t spoil the book completely, and what is going on around her is very important for the plot, so power through if you’re also struggling with her sections.
Overall, I adore this series. It’s such a fun read, with plenty of battle scenes and humour, but this book also really tugged at the heartstrings. I’m so invested in the Rakada’s journey and can’t wait to see what happens next.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Trigger warnings for: Animal death, animal suffering, character death
This is not a happy book. It is, in fact, far from being happy. The arratan, who are a delight, end up spending most of the book suffering as a debilitating disease starts eating away at their tails, rotting them from the inside, and no mortal cure can be found. So of course this means the Rakada have to find some way to heal them, which means a lengthy road trip on the backs of dying animals — and the author doesn’t let you forget that these animals are in pain. (And it’s a ong road trip.)
So if animal suffering is a deal breaker for you, you might want to tread carefully with this book.
Then there are the character deaths. I knew they were coming, but that didn’t make it any easier to read about them. Sayana continues to be impetuous, and has no real character arc or growth in this book. Hogs is still the stand out character for me, learning to stand up for herself — even having to remind herself that she can and should voice her opinion rather than remaining silent — after so long with Ehri telling her what to think, what to do. Ehri, too, has her part to play, and yes … you can see the ending coming, but that doesn’t make it any less bittersweet.
Often in trilogies the second book is the darker one, amping up the stakes so that book three can have more time to work on the satisfying ending. But if this is the second half of a duology … well, the ending works. I just feel unsettled, like I’m still waiting for something … more. I wanted some giant cathartic — and ideally happy! — moment of victory. Instead I had a moment of victory, but it didn’t feel like the grand explosion or the release of tension, just a slow unwinding. Now, I don’t know if there’s a third book coming out, but if there is, I’m going to be standing right in line to get it.
Thank you so very, very much to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.
This is not a happy book. It is, in fact, far from being happy. The arratan, who are a delight, end up spending most of the book suffering as a debilitating disease starts eating away at their tails, rotting them from the inside, and no mortal cure can be found. So of course this means the Rakada have to find some way to heal them, which means a lengthy road trip on the backs of dying animals — and the author doesn’t let you forget that these animals are in pain. (And it’s a ong road trip.)
So if animal suffering is a deal breaker for you, you might want to tread carefully with this book.
Then there are the character deaths. I knew they were coming, but that didn’t make it any easier to read about them. Sayana continues to be impetuous, and has no real character arc or growth in this book. Hogs is still the stand out character for me, learning to stand up for herself — even having to remind herself that she can and should voice her opinion rather than remaining silent — after so long with Ehri telling her what to think, what to do. Ehri, too, has her part to play, and yes … you can see the ending coming, but that doesn’t make it any less bittersweet.
Often in trilogies the second book is the darker one, amping up the stakes so that book three can have more time to work on the satisfying ending. But if this is the second half of a duology … well, the ending works. I just feel unsettled, like I’m still waiting for something … more. I wanted some giant cathartic — and ideally happy! — moment of victory. Instead I had a moment of victory, but it didn’t feel like the grand explosion or the release of tension, just a slow unwinding. Now, I don’t know if there’s a third book coming out, but if there is, I’m going to be standing right in line to get it.
Thank you so very, very much to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.
February 28, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the eARC!
First of all, this review is gonna have some personal analogies-so if you don’t like those kinds, it’s cool…
I can say with my whole heart I absolutely loved The Bone Raiders, and while I knew going into this there was going to be some really sad moments, I wasn’t fully prepared for the absolute emotional roller coaster 🎢 I experienced.
This book made me ill, at times I didn’t even want to pick it up-look how long it took me to read it for goodness sake!
But I also had “Hell Yeah!” Moments, fucking sad emo kid moments 🫶🏻, and found the character behaviors to hit home more than I expected them too.
The first chapter sets the scene for what’s to come, but oh boy is it mild in comparison.
There is one scene that reminded me of the feeling of watching The Land Before Time (you know the scene) but hit me with the Uno reverse card-as an adult it flipped it on me and I cried… sobbed… I messaged the author a few times on IG to let him know just how sick I was feeling. His response 😈😈😈
😑😑😑😑😑😑
Anywho, Erhi pissed me off so bad because what do you mean The Rakada ruined your life and took everything from you? Girl, you did that when you flipped on them- traitor ass.. she did all that because Hogs wouldn’t allow herself to be manipulated and she spoke up, instead of letting Erhi tell her what to do all the time. I think it’s great Hogs found her own voice in the group, even though she was internally fighting herself. Their dynamic reminded me of the relationship I have with my mom- I said they would be personal… it’s honestly sad how much people will give up or try to fight you once they can’t control you anymore.
The last 100ish pages I was crying, cheering, wanting it to just be over! It was a long, grueling battle and fuck dude-it hurts still.
Also, Sponge Bath and Toothy are the goodest boys and Princess is still my girl 👑
10/10 would recommend- can’t wait to hold the paperback in my hands
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the eARC!
First of all, this review is gonna have some personal analogies-so if you don’t like those kinds, it’s cool…
I can say with my whole heart I absolutely loved The Bone Raiders, and while I knew going into this there was going to be some really sad moments, I wasn’t fully prepared for the absolute emotional roller coaster 🎢 I experienced.
This book made me ill, at times I didn’t even want to pick it up-look how long it took me to read it for goodness sake!
But I also had “Hell Yeah!” Moments, fucking sad emo kid moments 🫶🏻, and found the character behaviors to hit home more than I expected them too.
The first chapter sets the scene for what’s to come, but oh boy is it mild in comparison.
There is one scene that reminded me of the feeling of watching The Land Before Time (you know the scene) but hit me with the Uno reverse card-as an adult it flipped it on me and I cried… sobbed… I messaged the author a few times on IG to let him know just how sick I was feeling. His response 😈😈😈
😑😑😑😑😑😑
Anywho, Erhi pissed me off so bad because what do you mean The Rakada ruined your life and took everything from you? Girl, you did that when you flipped on them- traitor ass.. she did all that because Hogs wouldn’t allow herself to be manipulated and she spoke up, instead of letting Erhi tell her what to do all the time. I think it’s great Hogs found her own voice in the group, even though she was internally fighting herself. Their dynamic reminded me of the relationship I have with my mom- I said they would be personal… it’s honestly sad how much people will give up or try to fight you once they can’t control you anymore.
The last 100ish pages I was crying, cheering, wanting it to just be over! It was a long, grueling battle and fuck dude-it hurts still.
Also, Sponge Bath and Toothy are the goodest boys and Princess is still my girl 👑
10/10 would recommend- can’t wait to hold the paperback in my hands
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5⭐
Sisters of the Lizard was seriously epic, everything I wanted from the sequel! The stakes were higher, the connection between the Rakada and the lizards even more fleshed out and we got even more character development from our favourite badass ladies!
I have to warn you, the author didn't pull any punches, there were real consequences to mistakes and danger loomed over both the Rakada and their araatans.
The plot was rather complex, since there not only were conflicts between the clans of the Tapestry but also with the Khan, and what's more, the giant fire-breathing lizards got sick from a mysterious sickness. So the Rakada had to navigate all the fights while also trying to find a cure for their araatans. But can they trust the vision they received from the gods, and the people they met along the way to actually help them?
I already despised Erhi in The Bone Raiders for her betrayal, but my hate for her only grew by tenfold in book 2! I understood her motivations, but found her incredibly selfish and obnoxious.
The confrontation between Sayana and her father, the Khan, was highly anticipated by me after the last chapter of book 1 and it did not disappoint!
Thankfully, it's not just Erhi and the Khan whom we met again in this book, but that encounter did not happen how I had expected at all. It only left me wanting more - hopefully in book 3!
And my favourite character, Khun, was just as iconic here as in book 1! I mean naming her araatan Sponge Bath? Who else could have come up with such a name if not Khun...
The final chapter was very foreboding - I already fear the challenges the Rakada will have face in the next instalment in the series. Which I cannot wait to read!
Thank you to Little Brown Book Group UK | Orbit and the author for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Sisters of the Lizard was seriously epic, everything I wanted from the sequel! The stakes were higher, the connection between the Rakada and the lizards even more fleshed out and we got even more character development from our favourite badass ladies!
I have to warn you, the author didn't pull any punches, there were real consequences to mistakes and danger loomed over both the Rakada and their araatans.
The plot was rather complex, since there not only were conflicts between the clans of the Tapestry but also with the Khan, and what's more, the giant fire-breathing lizards got sick from a mysterious sickness. So the Rakada had to navigate all the fights while also trying to find a cure for their araatans. But can they trust the vision they received from the gods, and the people they met along the way to actually help them?
I already despised Erhi in The Bone Raiders for her betrayal, but my hate for her only grew by tenfold in book 2! I understood her motivations, but found her incredibly selfish and obnoxious.
The confrontation between Sayana and her father, the Khan, was highly anticipated by me after the last chapter of book 1 and it did not disappoint!
Thankfully, it's not just Erhi and the Khan whom we met again in this book, but that encounter did not happen how I had expected at all. It only left me wanting more - hopefully in book 3!
And my favourite character, Khun, was just as iconic here as in book 1! I mean naming her araatan Sponge Bath? Who else could have come up with such a name if not Khun...
The final chapter was very foreboding - I already fear the challenges the Rakada will have face in the next instalment in the series. Which I cannot wait to read!
Thank you to Little Brown Book Group UK | Orbit and the author for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This follow-up to The Bone Raiders by Jackson Ford wastes no time throwing you into the story. It immediately reaches out, grabs you by the sternum, and refuses to let you go until the last page. I’d like to say I couldn’t put it down, but it’s more accurate to say that I frequently had to put it down and go pace or stare at a wall for a few minutes.
Taking place not long after the events of the first book, Sisters of the Lizard somehow manages to raise both the stakes and the action from the first book. The book starts out at a moment of immense crisis, and the tension never really eases from there. I found myself laughing, yes, but also sobbing and wishing I could scream in frustration and stress.
This, more than anything, should be an endorsement for the quality of the writing. Ford effortlessly writes a story that has readers completely invested and enamoured with the characters. As with the previous book, the writing is the opposite of the dreaded “women-written-by-men” phenomenon. So much care and time is dedicated to the characters’ thoughts and inner worlds–whether they are characters we love or that we hate.
I loved (and emotionally suffered) through every heart-pounding moment of this book. Though marked as a duology, I truly hope that this story keeps going because it seems to have SO much left to say, and my shattered heart hopes for a resolution.
Do not miss this or the previous book if you love books with action, political intrigue, complex characters, and–of course–dragons.
Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit Books for generously providing me with a copy. All opinions are my own.
Taking place not long after the events of the first book, Sisters of the Lizard somehow manages to raise both the stakes and the action from the first book. The book starts out at a moment of immense crisis, and the tension never really eases from there. I found myself laughing, yes, but also sobbing and wishing I could scream in frustration and stress.
This, more than anything, should be an endorsement for the quality of the writing. Ford effortlessly writes a story that has readers completely invested and enamoured with the characters. As with the previous book, the writing is the opposite of the dreaded “women-written-by-men” phenomenon. So much care and time is dedicated to the characters’ thoughts and inner worlds–whether they are characters we love or that we hate.
I loved (and emotionally suffered) through every heart-pounding moment of this book. Though marked as a duology, I truly hope that this story keeps going because it seems to have SO much left to say, and my shattered heart hopes for a resolution.
Do not miss this or the previous book if you love books with action, political intrigue, complex characters, and–of course–dragons.
Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit Books for generously providing me with a copy. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A very good read for me and deeper than you might think
In full
The Sisters of the Lizard are a group of (female) raiders - the Rakada. The lizards (more properly araatan) are very large and can breathe fire - they scare the sh*t out of people basically. The raiders ride them which leaves nothing much in the way of opposition! As raiders they tend to be anti-establishment however there are complications there. The Tapestry (their land) is under threat from various quarters both inside and out of their territory and that distracts them from raiding. In addition it would seems that their lizards are not well and that really worries them. The book starts with Sayana in a tree (just) on a cliff with a branch through her leg and no memory of how she got there - tense and exciting. The book then goes back a while to pick up the start of this story.
There's a good cast here. Bear in mind that who is actually "good" will always be moot in a book like this. You (well me anyway) get to love the raiders but they can be brutal. There's four Sisters ; Sayana, Hogs (Hogelun), Khun and Chimeg (the chief). There are 4 araatans, Tooth Monster, Sponge Bath, Princess and the Chief's one (she refuses to name her's). There are a few other significant folk involved but they start to arrive a little way into the book. The book follows the Sisters in their quest to save their lizards. Will the fact that the gods seems to be interested in the sickness of the lizards be good or bad news…
There is a lightness here to the writing/storytelling however parts of the story are dark, maybe brutally so at times. Don't expect happily ever after from this. I'm not a fan of "categories" however I'd call this modern fantasy that - for me - has a feel of David Wragg's books or possibly Grey Bastards or Scott Lynch's work. At its best this was at least as good as any of those.
Ultimately I got into this book fairly easily. I didn't feel I was missing out for having not read the first book (though I intend to do that as soon as I have time). As time went on it became a book that was far easier to read than put down. OK - it's not "the most fantastic fantasy" I've ever read but it was very entertaining and ticked lots of boxes. Book 3 soon please…
My thanks to the author and the publisher for an advance copy of this book
In full
The Sisters of the Lizard are a group of (female) raiders - the Rakada. The lizards (more properly araatan) are very large and can breathe fire - they scare the sh*t out of people basically. The raiders ride them which leaves nothing much in the way of opposition! As raiders they tend to be anti-establishment however there are complications there. The Tapestry (their land) is under threat from various quarters both inside and out of their territory and that distracts them from raiding. In addition it would seems that their lizards are not well and that really worries them. The book starts with Sayana in a tree (just) on a cliff with a branch through her leg and no memory of how she got there - tense and exciting. The book then goes back a while to pick up the start of this story.
There's a good cast here. Bear in mind that who is actually "good" will always be moot in a book like this. You (well me anyway) get to love the raiders but they can be brutal. There's four Sisters ; Sayana, Hogs (Hogelun), Khun and Chimeg (the chief). There are 4 araatans, Tooth Monster, Sponge Bath, Princess and the Chief's one (she refuses to name her's). There are a few other significant folk involved but they start to arrive a little way into the book. The book follows the Sisters in their quest to save their lizards. Will the fact that the gods seems to be interested in the sickness of the lizards be good or bad news…
There is a lightness here to the writing/storytelling however parts of the story are dark, maybe brutally so at times. Don't expect happily ever after from this. I'm not a fan of "categories" however I'd call this modern fantasy that - for me - has a feel of David Wragg's books or possibly Grey Bastards or Scott Lynch's work. At its best this was at least as good as any of those.
Ultimately I got into this book fairly easily. I didn't feel I was missing out for having not read the first book (though I intend to do that as soon as I have time). As time went on it became a book that was far easier to read than put down. OK - it's not "the most fantastic fantasy" I've ever read but it was very entertaining and ticked lots of boxes. Book 3 soon please…
My thanks to the author and the publisher for an advance copy of this book
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