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Tok #1
Raven Quest
Banished! Tok, the best flyer of all the young ravens, faces a terrible fate. Falsely accused of murder, he must leave the Raven Mountains forever. If he ever returns, he will be put to death by those he once called friends and family. Tok’s only hope is to reclaim his honor by completing a quest. Long ago, the ravens lived in partnership with the Grey Lords. Can Tok reunite his kind with these legendary hunters? The quest will take him on a perilous journey into dangers he cannot even imagine… Sharon Stewart was inspired to write Raven Quest when the image of a black raven – riding on the back of a white wolf in a swirling snowstorm – flashed across her mind. The story is also grounded in scientific research about ravens’ long-standing relationship with wolves.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 31, 2003
18 people are currently reading
1950 people want to read
About the author
Sharon Stewart
44 books46 followersI grew up and was educated in Vancouver, British Columbia. I am a writer and editor, and spent most of my career in educational publishing. I have lived in Spain and also in China, where I taught English as a second language, and have published articles about my experiences in China in newspapers across Canada. I am the author of nine novels, several of them historical fiction. I have also published a book of short stories and biographies of Louis Riel and Norman Bethune. I currently live in Toronto, Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
December 5, 2011
Raven Quest is a thrilling story by Sharon Stewart. When Tok the raven is falsely accused of a crime he did not commit, he is cast out of the Raven Mountains and stripped of his kora (the raven word for 'honor.') Setting out on an epic quest to reclaim his kora, Tok decides to hunt for the Grey Lords - the wolves that had long since vanished from the Raven Mountains.
I was hooked. From beginning to end I was gripped in the struggle for survival with the hero Tok. Sharon knows how to right a story, and I learned some amazing facts about ravens and crows along the way. There were some parts in the story that really touched my heart, and other parts when I was eager to know what happened next.
An amazing story that I recommend to all who love animal adventures,
~Sparrow
I was hooked. From beginning to end I was gripped in the struggle for survival with the hero Tok. Sharon knows how to right a story, and I learned some amazing facts about ravens and crows along the way. There were some parts in the story that really touched my heart, and other parts when I was eager to know what happened next.
An amazing story that I recommend to all who love animal adventures,
~Sparrow
January 7, 2025
Rating: 3.3 / 5
This is a nice little story that...I think I would have liked more when I was a child, honestly, and wondered what it would be like to be a bird--though not necessarily a raven.
Tok "No Name" is a raven who is disgraced because apparently his father did something unkora, which I guess means dishonourable. Tok himself is at the bottom of the conspiracy (which is what a group of ravens is called, go figure!), and then worse comes to worst when he is falsely accused of a murder and banished from the Raven Mountains altogether.
Tok wanders on his own for a while and then gets the idea to do something super kora to restore his status: to find the "Grey Lords" (i.e. wolves) and reunite them with ravens, which is something legendary among raven lore. Thus he heads north to find them, and his adventure is on!
Of course, along the way Tok has many close calls and adventures, both with other animals and even with humans as well. His journey is described really vividly and is interesting enough to follow along with, reminding me a bit of White Fang in terms of the imagery and wilderness, and just how well the author can describe this animal's mannerisms to correspond to it having a human-like consciousness, talking, etc.
Overall, I did really enjoy it; however, that being said, I am just rating it 3 stars because I think I've gotten a bit past the stage in my life (or at least, at this time) where I'm interested in animal-based narratives, and would really just like to read more about human interactions. Still, I will keep a note open to myself for a re-read on this in the future, as I may be interested in pursuing a simple narrative one day and just...feeling like a bird in flight.
This is a nice little story that...I think I would have liked more when I was a child, honestly, and wondered what it would be like to be a bird--though not necessarily a raven.
Tok "No Name" is a raven who is disgraced because apparently his father did something unkora, which I guess means dishonourable. Tok himself is at the bottom of the conspiracy (which is what a group of ravens is called, go figure!), and then worse comes to worst when he is falsely accused of a murder and banished from the Raven Mountains altogether.
Tok wanders on his own for a while and then gets the idea to do something super kora to restore his status: to find the "Grey Lords" (i.e. wolves) and reunite them with ravens, which is something legendary among raven lore. Thus he heads north to find them, and his adventure is on!
Of course, along the way Tok has many close calls and adventures, both with other animals and even with humans as well. His journey is described really vividly and is interesting enough to follow along with, reminding me a bit of White Fang in terms of the imagery and wilderness, and just how well the author can describe this animal's mannerisms to correspond to it having a human-like consciousness, talking, etc.
Overall, I did really enjoy it; however, that being said, I am just rating it 3 stars because I think I've gotten a bit past the stage in my life (or at least, at this time) where I'm interested in animal-based narratives, and would really just like to read more about human interactions. Still, I will keep a note open to myself for a re-read on this in the future, as I may be interested in pursuing a simple narrative one day and just...feeling like a bird in flight.
January 13, 2025
Four perfect circles made Skyah: bright sun, pale moon, a raven's amber eyes, and the shape of a story.
- Myths of the Tellers
Back to the origins! My 17-year-old me is really happy to be back reading xenofiction. And this time I'll never part with the genre ever again! What a book.
Tok is without title, territory, and any possibility of having a mate and hatchlings - ever. He is without kora, honour, because of what his father did when he was born. And now that he is also falsely accused of murder, he needs to flee his home for his life, and find a way to redeem himself...
It’s a beautiful story, beautifully written. The book is quest-driven and keeps the reader turning one page after another. I have been forced to stop the reading of the book half-way through, but my thoughts always lingered in Tok's world. What was he doing? Has he found what he's looking for yet?
The research that went into the natural world absolutely pays off. The animals are skilfully rendered beyond their role as fictional characters - their behaviour and anatomy is very realistic. I love ravens, and yet I was not aware of some details of their anatomy. The description of nature in which our protagonists move is the cherry on top.
The world building of the raven and wolf-folks makes any fan of fantasy and folklore really happy. If anything, I wish there was more! I hope we get some more treats from Sharon Stewart's second book. I also discovered with barely-containable delight that a third book of this saga is schedule to be published!
I can't wait to continue this series.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Trigger Warning
🐾 Animal violence
In his journey, Tok must face dangers and challenges. There is description of animal violence perpetuated by other animals, but also humans.
Quotes:
💬 Truth often comes disguised.
-Wisodm of the Tellers
💬 Hunter and hunted recognize each other. The rest is numon.
-Wolf proverb
💬 "You are numon, raven," he said. "You come upon us uninvited and unavoidable."
💬 "Numon is fate, luck, but more than either of those things. It is a way of being that you cannot escape, a path that there is no turning aside from. Until tomorrow, raven."
September 30, 2025
I was talking to a friend about this book and how responsible it was for my love of both ravens and wolves as a kid, and I was delighted to find that it actually holds up astonishingly well. It's pretty much a masterclass in plotting and pacing - there isn't a dull moment or a word wasted. Really impressively tight for a 9-12 book and surprisingly dark at points too. I'm glad to see it's stuck with me my entire life for a reason!
November 14, 2022
This book is about ravens and wolves, and the relationship between them. Framed for killing nestlings, young raven Tok is banished from his colony. Hoping to redeem himself, he goes in search of wolves, which once helped the ravens survive by letting them scavenge from their kills. If he can find them and persuade them to return to his homeland, all will be forgiven. When he eventually finds the wolves, however, he faces new challenges in dealing with them and leading them on the journey home, while the wolves struggle with issues of their own.
This is an interesting and well-written story, and I enjoyed reading it. There were a couple of factual errors regarding wolves, but fewer than I’m accustomed to seeing in wolf fiction, which was a pleasant surprise. There is a sequel, Wolf Rider, which I will definitely consider reading.
This is an interesting and well-written story, and I enjoyed reading it. There were a couple of factual errors regarding wolves, but fewer than I’m accustomed to seeing in wolf fiction, which was a pleasant surprise. There is a sequel, Wolf Rider, which I will definitely consider reading.
June 1, 2019
This is definitely one of my favourite books! I've read it about 5 times; I love it so much! I love the plot and the characters. Wonderful book by a wonderful author, and the sequel is just as fantastic!
February 6, 2012
Apart from a few chapters in the middle where nothing really happens, this is a great book. Very short chapters, so if you only read one or maybe two a day this book will take a while.
Everything is written from Tok's (the raven) perspective. But while this allowed me to see the world through Tok's eyes, it didn't actually make me feel like Tok. But maybe that was the author's intention, and I enjoyed it anyway so it doesn't really matter.
Bottomline: Overall highly recommended, and I'll probably give the sequel, Wolf Rider, a chance too.
Everything is written from Tok's (the raven) perspective. But while this allowed me to see the world through Tok's eyes, it didn't actually make me feel like Tok. But maybe that was the author's intention, and I enjoyed it anyway so it doesn't really matter.
Bottomline: Overall highly recommended, and I'll probably give the sequel, Wolf Rider, a chance too.
June 11, 2010
I got so bored... i dont think i finished reading this book. XD
August 26, 2023
Phenomenal book!! I read it as a child and a sudden flashback caused me to buy both of them for my collection. This book is just as good as I remembered it! You can tell the author did extensive research on raven and crow behaviour, I really appreciated the added lore that crows stick to their families and help raise younger siblings (a lesser known fact!!). Some of the wolf behaviour was inaccurate but that can easily be chalked up to the overwhelming amount of inaccurate information perpetuating the wolf research space so I don’t fault the author at all. Not to mention that she got more things right about wolves than other wolf books on the market, and this is a raven-centric book!
I was surprised at how mature the story is, especially for a book meant for children and young teens. This is not meant in a bad way, in fact I appreciated the lack of hesitation in killing off beloved characters and the addition of high-tension life-or-death scenarios. It makes it appealing to a wide range of audiences, one of the reasons I liked it so much reading it now. Very skillfully written in this way! Major kudos to the author.
I wish I could convince more people to read this, it’s criminally underrated.
I was surprised at how mature the story is, especially for a book meant for children and young teens. This is not meant in a bad way, in fact I appreciated the lack of hesitation in killing off beloved characters and the addition of high-tension life-or-death scenarios. It makes it appealing to a wide range of audiences, one of the reasons I liked it so much reading it now. Very skillfully written in this way! Major kudos to the author.
I wish I could convince more people to read this, it’s criminally underrated.
January 15, 2023
You sometimes find that hidden underrated gem and this was the book for me. This was my second favourite read so far this year and I am not regretting picking it up.
The story is simple and interesting. Tok is a raven who would anything for kora or honor. When he is falsely accused of killing the fletchlings in his parent's nest he is driven out and deemened dishonored. He decides that he will perform a great deed that will restore his honor, he will bring back wolves that used to live with ravens and helped them with food and by the end of the story he manages to bring back a pack and then he moves away to roost in a different place far away from his home.
What I love about this story is that even though it's a story meant for kids it's still fairly graphic and it doesn't hold back. There is no magic, the animals are behaving like realistic animals. Like ravens and wolves behave in real life. I loved this book, the characters are loveable and I love that it works as a standalone book as much as it works as the first part of the duology. I cannot wait to read the sequel and see how it holds up.
The story is simple and interesting. Tok is a raven who would anything for kora or honor. When he is falsely accused of killing the fletchlings in his parent's nest he is driven out and deemened dishonored. He decides that he will perform a great deed that will restore his honor, he will bring back wolves that used to live with ravens and helped them with food and by the end of the story he manages to bring back a pack and then he moves away to roost in a different place far away from his home.
What I love about this story is that even though it's a story meant for kids it's still fairly graphic and it doesn't hold back. There is no magic, the animals are behaving like realistic animals. Like ravens and wolves behave in real life. I loved this book, the characters are loveable and I love that it works as a standalone book as much as it works as the first part of the duology. I cannot wait to read the sequel and see how it holds up.
June 25, 2020
This book changed my identity when I read it as a public school kid. Where I found the Warrior books hard to follow in their anthropomorphism, the inclusion of different species worked to separate characters in this one. It was less confusing and more interesting, as birds and land mammals had to work together to get to their goals.
Not only did this book nail the animal perspective on human intrusion on nature, it added a cool twist on different animal's habits/ social structures. As you learned about how Ravens and wolves organize their families, you also got lore into why they feel it's most appropriate to do so, given their differing traits.
This book made me cry, and introduced me to a new level of empathy. This book will stay with me for the rest of my life.
Not only did this book nail the animal perspective on human intrusion on nature, it added a cool twist on different animal's habits/ social structures. As you learned about how Ravens and wolves organize their families, you also got lore into why they feel it's most appropriate to do so, given their differing traits.
This book made me cry, and introduced me to a new level of empathy. This book will stay with me for the rest of my life.
December 7, 2018
No wonder this book got the Silver Birch award! What an amazing piece of literature for children. I read it for my own enjoyment but then insisted on having the child read it as well. I will most definitely be reading the second book.
This book is about a raven's "coming of age" journey intertwined with trying to fix his reputation. One might think there wouldn't be a lot to write about this sort of thing, but one would be wrong. Stewart does an amazing job of bringin Tok and his friends to life, and I was sad when I finished reading this book, because I had no more to read!
This book is about a raven's "coming of age" journey intertwined with trying to fix his reputation. One might think there wouldn't be a lot to write about this sort of thing, but one would be wrong. Stewart does an amazing job of bringin Tok and his friends to life, and I was sad when I finished reading this book, because I had no more to read!
August 27, 2019
Absolutely loved this book. I read it about 15 years ago in elementary school when it was the only book left to pick and I was upset I got stuck with such a long book. However I was quickly whisked away into a world where ravens live and die by there honor. I could not put the book down it introduced me to the fantasy book genre and really kept my attention as a child by populating its world with enigmatic animal characters that you really felt for. fantastic read for any young reader who's interested in fantasy.
April 19, 2019
Es una historia sobre un cuervo llamado Tok que está tratando de ser respetado por su clan de cuervos que lo han acusado de matar a uno de los suyos. Me gusta mucho el personaje de Tok y lo mucho que crece a través de la historia, preocupándose no sólo por si mismo sino también por las personas que ahora conoce en su viaje.
Es un libro simple en la forma en la que los buenos ganan y tienen un final feliz. Fue entretenido!
Es un libro simple en la forma en la que los buenos ganan y tienen un final feliz. Fue entretenido!
February 13, 2019
4.2 stars
What a fun, exciting adventure book. With both an interesting plot and memorable characters it kept my attention and interest the whole way through. A delightful well-written children’s/middle grade novel. I’m not sure why it seems to be the first in a series, it’s amazing all by itself, but I may check out a sequel.
What a fun, exciting adventure book. With both an interesting plot and memorable characters it kept my attention and interest the whole way through. A delightful well-written children’s/middle grade novel. I’m not sure why it seems to be the first in a series, it’s amazing all by itself, but I may check out a sequel.
January 13, 2023
my school has this book and i just finished reading it! it took since the start of the school year till now, we get 30 minutes of reading every couple of days, and it took alot of them. i love this book.
January 13, 2024
I read this for a book report a little bit ago, and I loved it. The characters are lovable and well-written, and the happy and sad moments between them really tie it together. I’m looking forward to the sequel!
July 14, 2017
An excellent read, great characters, fascinating story. Highly recommended!
November 6, 2017
This book really left me in suspense and I was always at the edge of my seat reading it. The storyline is amazing.
August 27, 2018
This book is an inspiring tale of friendships forged amongst different species. If you like animal tales with adventure and characters who come alive you'll love this book.
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September 16, 2022recently remembered the Silver Birch books from my elementary school days... what a blast from the past!
September 21, 2023
I read this when I was in the fifth grade and it was the first book I could get through and enjoy as a kid who hated reading books. I remembered it to be simply engrossing.
January 17, 2017
Great story! I loooveee ravens, they're one of my favorite birds! They're smart, good looking, AND THEY CAN LEARN HOW TO TALK!!! Did'ja know that? When this book was recommended to me, I knew I had to read it.
One of the things that I love most about this story was how ravens were written in general - they actually acted like real birds! The author's great at writing birdie mannerisms, because I could easily picture the ravens acting like ravens thanks to the pretty writing.~ I can't explain how she did it, but if you read the book for yourself, you'd probably see what I mean.
By the way, the ravens in this book are SO CRUEL. When Tok gets falsely accused by the raven who hates him, I was like "Geez! Tough crowd! Isn't there any bird here who's actually DECENT?!" ...however my opinion changed about them later on, after the 'two-legs' made a couple of nasty scenes... They're even WORSE than Tok's buddies! I'm telling you, there's lotsa characters to despise in this lovely little story, but thankfully Tok knows how to be awesome. :)
This is a great story for all ages, but I can see kids appreciating it the most. Just be warned that there's some mild violence in it.~
One of the things that I love most about this story was how ravens were written in general - they actually acted like real birds! The author's great at writing birdie mannerisms, because I could easily picture the ravens acting like ravens thanks to the pretty writing.~ I can't explain how she did it, but if you read the book for yourself, you'd probably see what I mean.
By the way, the ravens in this book are SO CRUEL. When Tok gets falsely accused by the raven who hates him, I was like "Geez! Tough crowd! Isn't there any bird here who's actually DECENT?!" ...however my opinion changed about them later on, after the 'two-legs' made a couple of nasty scenes... They're even WORSE than Tok's buddies! I'm telling you, there's lotsa characters to despise in this lovely little story, but thankfully Tok knows how to be awesome. :)
This is a great story for all ages, but I can see kids appreciating it the most. Just be warned that there's some mild violence in it.~
November 2, 2015
Brilliant. Truly brilliant. "Raven Quest" is one of the best animal books I've ever read--very likely one of the best books I've read. Birds are pretty hard to write (I've tried!), since they're so different from humans, but Stewart pulled this off as if she were writing about herself. It's amazing. And while the animals talk and have systems that the actual animals don't have, they still feel like normal animals... and maybe they're like this without our knowing. Who knows. I think my only real problem with the book was the crows' ease with Tok, whereas normal crows would mob any trespassing raven or other chick- and egg-eater they could, but that rivalry still existed in the story, so I excused her.
Meanwhile, the plot is original, the writing is great, and the characters are strong. Veerrrry highly recommended.
Meanwhile, the plot is original, the writing is great, and the characters are strong. Veerrrry highly recommended.
September 19, 2020
When I first started rereading this, I thought perhaps it was another book that I had loved because I loved any book about wolves (and I was pretty into ravens and crows at the time). However, as I went through it, I remembered just how good of a book it is. It's written very well, the world and plot are interesting, but most of all, the characters are amazing. Tok, the main character, develops so well throughout the story, almost to the point of seeming like a different-- better-- character by the end, yet still with the essential traits that make him Tok. And that's not to speak of the other characters in this book. Definitely worth reading once or twice. And I'm looking forward to finally getting to read Wolf Rider!
October 4, 2013
Tok, a yearling raven, is banished from his community, his honor stripped, his patrimony denied--all based on false accusations. But in order to reclaim his honor and his rightful place in his community, he sets out on a seemingly impossible quest to reunite all ravenkind with the legendary Gray Lords. What a heart-stopping adventure, full of danger, tragedy, unlikely friendships! And . . . because Ms. Stewart has so thoroughly researched the social and natural ecology of raven clans and wolf clans, the reader comes away with a deeper knowledge of these magnificent creatures.
Young Adult Fiction is a happenin' place!
Young Adult Fiction is a happenin' place!
January 19, 2008
A fantastic story about survival between two species. Ravens and wolfe's working together in order to survive. The Raven Tok is an outcast and must find a way to save himself because he has been falsy accused of murder. All the books i read have a five star rating because there all fantabulously awesome and magnificant!!!
April 8, 2013
When I picked up this book it was simply because the cover was interesting at the time. The story inside, however, captivated me I loved it. And despite reading it so many years ago there are some vivid details that I remember from this book. Somehow it has stayed with me all this time. A good read for a young reader with a strong appetite for adventure.
November 7, 2013
I hate it when reading a book with speaking animal characters it contains their animal noises along with their dialogue. Because I guess just having them talk isn't enough, we needed to constantly be reminded that these are indeed birds and not just people flying around having conversations about ravens being more awesome than crows.
April 14, 2008
I would have given this book a 5-star, had it been more interesting in the beginning. Great, but you need to bear through the beginning before you get to the action part. Also a little sad in the middle.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews