Graphic Review – Rock Jaw, Master of the Eastern Border (Bone, Book 5) by Jeff Smith (4.5 stars)
Reading level: Middle Grade
Genre: Fantasy/Graphic Novel
Size: 128 pages
Publisher: Graphix
Release Date: January 1, 2007
ISBN-13: 978-0439706360
Stand Alone or Series: 5th book in Bone series
Source: Borrowed from library
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
This is the 5th book in the nine book Bone series by Jeff Smith. This is a good installment in the series and introduces some new characters to the series.
This book deals with Fone Bone and Smiley Bone and the rat monster baby that they saved. They encounter a new (large and in charge) character, a giant cougar, named Roque Ja. Of course the Bones take to calling him Rock Jaw which pisses him off. There is much running from bad guys and trying to determine who is one who’s side and just how you define good and evil.
To be honest this wasn’t my favorite installment in this series. You don’t get to see Thorn or Gma at all in this book and I missed them. Also I am unsure what the point of all of the orphaned animals joining the group was since they all left at the end of the story. I am assuming this will all tie together somehow…eventually. But the story didn’t seem to make much progress.
There also were a lot of things I really did like though. Rock Jaw is an awesome new character and his discussion of good and evil is a..uh..good one. This is a discussion we had with my son not too long ago when we were trying to explain (to a four year old) how good and evil kind of depends on perspective. I liked that we also learn more about the history behind the valley.
There was a lot of stuff that happened in this installment that was a bit piecemeal. Having not read the rest of the series yet I can only assume it will be significant in future installments. Like in previous installments there are some very funny parts in here and the illustration is spot on like always.
Overall I really enjoyed this Bone installment, but I liked it a little bit less than the previous few. I missed Thorn and didn’t understand how some of the small things that happened will relate to the rest of the story. I did really enjoy Rock Jaw though and hope we see him in future installments. I am excited to read the next book, Old Man’s Cave, to see how the story progresses.
This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
– 100+ Reading Challenge
– Fantasy Reading Challenge
– Graphic Novels Challenge List
