Waves Take Your Bones

By Athena Giles

Book Overview

The dead rise and the sea is calling.

Tallis and Finn, simple farmers, find their quiet village overrun by shriekers, a horde of undead revenants. After a devastating attack and heartbreaking losses, they must flee the only land they've known for the capital of the kingdom of Okaesa. Along the way, Tallis and Finn are separated from the other refugees, with their only escape across the Nightmare Bridge, a thing of horrific legends, which leaves them both scarred from the experience.

In the capital, there is still no safety, for Tallis and Finn are drafted into the navy aboard separate ships, under dueling commanders. Amid struggling with the loss of their home they might find themselves crossing blades with those dearest to them who have fallen to the mysterious undead disease. The capital, an island fortress, seems to be the last refuge of the kingdom, until Tallis discovers the undead have learned to sail...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1960247433
• ISBN13: 9781960247438
• Release Date: August 2025
• Publisher: Space Wizard Science Fantasy
• Length: 282 Pages
• Weight: 0.84 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Swashbuckling and shriekers!

First off, I loved how the phrase (and title of this book) "waves take your bones" was both a blessing/farewell and a curse to the enemies (mostly shriekers in this first book at least). It really brought to home how much the sea plays a part in the lives of these people and added to the richness of the world they are living in. I think this was a pretty strong middle grade novel that would be interesting to young teens with its shriekers (kinda like zombies but a bit more with venom) and its main characters, Tallis and Finn both with strengths and weaknesses but willing to fight on the ships to protect their families and land from the shriekers. It has a very strong 1800s and pirates swashbuckling feel, but nicely egalitarian in its opportunities for all willing to fight and serve in the fleet. I also really liked how Tallis and Finn were not pushed into a romance. No time for that! Plus they make great friends and found family! As this is the first book, it has a good setup and a couple battles that are quite exciting and heartbreaking. There is a bit of foreshadowing with the shriekers, some wins and losses and high stakes left hanging for the fate of the capital and kingdom of Okaesa. This was a well done audiobook with the narrators, Daniel Henning and Diana Blue, doing an excellent job in bringing the characters of Tallis and Finn to life and the world they live in. I am glad I got the chance to listen to it and I cannot wait to see what happens next!