Apollo's Raven

Curse of Clansmen and Kings #1

by Linnea Tanner

Can a Curse Control Ancient Britannia?

The world is in turmoil. Celtic kings hand-picked by Rome to rule are fighting each other for power. King Amren's former queen, a powerful Druid, has cast a curse that foretells Blood Wolf and the Raven will rise and destroy him.

King Amren reveals to his daughter, Princess Catrin, the grim prophesy that his former queen pronounced at her execution for treason to him.

The gods demand the scales be balanced for the life you take. If you deny my soul's journey to the Otherworld by beheading me, I curse you to do the same as mine. I prophesize your future queen will beget a daughter who will rise as a Raven and join your son, Blood Wolf, and a mighty empire to overtake your kingdom and to execute my curse.

Catrin is trained as a warrior and discovers she is the Raven and must find a way to block the curse of the evil former queen. Torn between her forbidden love for her father's enemy--Marcellus, the great-grandson of Mark Antony--and her loyalty to her people, she must summon the magic of the Ancient Druids to alter the dark prophecy that awaits her.

Will Catrin overcome and eradicate the ancient curse? Will she be able to embrace her forbidden love with Marcellus? Will she cease the war between Blood Wolf and King Amren? Will she save Ancient Britannia?

Apollo's Raven sweeps you into an epic Celtic tale of love, magic, adventure, intrigue and betrayal in Ancient Rome and Britannia.

Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Historical, Magic, Paranormal, Science Fiction Fantasy, Fiction

400 pages, Paperback

First published August 8, 2018

About the author

Award-winning author, Linnea Tanner, weaves Celtic tales of love, magical adventure, and political intrigue in Ancient Rome and Britannia. Since childhood, she has passionately read about ancient civilizations and mythology. Of particular interest are the enigmatic Celts, who were reputed as fierce warriors and mystical Druids.

Linnea has extensively researched ancient and medieval history, mythology, and archaeology and has traveled to sites described within each of her books in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series. Books released in her series include Apollo’s Raven (Book 1), Dagger’s Destiny (Book 2), Amulet’s Rapture (Book 3), and Skull’s Vengeance (Book 4). She has also released the historical fiction short story Two Faces of Janus.

A Colorado native, Linnea attended the University of Colorado and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry. She lives in Fort Collins with her husband and has two children and six grandchildren.

You can subscribe to her website: http://linneatanner.com/

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is also available on my blog: Wine Cellar Library

I have been looking for a new historical fantasy series to devour, but none had caught my eye until I was given the chance to read Apollo's Raven. There are few historical fantasy novels with enough conflict in the first book to be complex enough for a series. Linnea Tanner's first book in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series delivers just enough conflict and relationship discord to establish a very strong foundation for a series without overwhelming the reader.

Catrin, a Celtic princess, has an unbreakable loyalty to her family. When Roman enemies arrive on her father's lands and start making demands, she surprises herself by defending the young Roman Marcellus, whom she has never met. When Marcellus is left as a ward in exchange for Catrin's elder sister Vala, the budding romance between Catrin and Marcellus threatens to damage both her reputation and her family's bond.

Her father, King Amren, is fighting to maintain his sovereignty against both the Romans and his Celtic rivals. His son, Marrock, whom he exiled for gruesome crimes, has joined forces with the Romans and his father's Celtic rivals with the intent to overthrow King Amren. But there is someone even more sinister with even deeper resentment for the king who is pulling the strings behind the scenes.

Catrin has the ability to connect with her Raven, allowing her to meld her mind with the bird, control its body, and see through its eyes. This special magic sets her apart and establishes her as the key piece in a curse set upon King Amren decades ago. This curse is to be his demise unless Catrin can stop it.

This book has a fascinating blend of historical and magical elements, drawing from Celtic, Greek, and Roman history and lore. Female Celts are portrayed as strong—wearing battle dress, wielding weapons, leading men, and fighting in battles—stunning the patriarchal Romans. The novel is well-researched, the characters are well-developed, and the world-building is fantastic.

My only real complaints are, first, that the chapter titles are essentially spoilers. I suggest that you ignore them. Second, the scenes in which Catrin melds her mind with that of her raven are confusing. I felt that they could have been portrayed more clearly.

This book ends on a major cliffhanger. In fact, it really doesn't "end" at all, as the second book picks up right in the middle of the scene in which the first book ends. This commits you to reading the series. I do not mind this, as the book was wonderful and I have already purchased the second and third books in the series. There is enough conflict occurring in this book that it would not make sense for all of it to be resolved in a single installment, anyhow. So far, the book has five promised books, and I look forward to all of them.

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I would like to thank Online Book Club for making me aware of this exceptional book and series. I was provided with a free Kindle copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. You can find my OBC review here: Wine Cellar Library's review of Apollo's Raven

Note: Due to their Terms of Use, I can only share a link to the Online Book Club review and not the actual content of the review. Additionally, OBC has specific requirements for their reviews, hence why my personal review above is different.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Apollo's Raven was an interesting read. It is a story about love, greed, and betrayal. Basically, the story is about the main character, Catrin, who falls in love with the enemy she was supposed to seduce. By doing this, she ends up putting her entire family, and kingdom in jeopardy.

The same goes for Marcellus who was also supposed to get information from Catrin by seducing her, but things don't turn out the way he had expected. In the middle of an impending war between the Celtics and the Romans, the two fall in love.

Of course, this book was not only about romance because it had so much going on, but that was my favorite part.

What I loved the most about this book was the writing. The author, at the end of the book says that she did a lot of research for this book, and I believe her. Reading this felt like I had travelled back in time.

With that said, I think the ending could have been better. It was boring compared to what had been hinted on for the last thirty pages. There is a book 2, which I will definitely have to read because judging by the few sample chapters at the end of this book, it sounds like it will be awesome.

[Gary Dolman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won a handsome, hardbound edition of this recent release on the author's website. Apollo's Raven is historical fiction, set in Romano-British times. I am something of a stickler (pedant, even) for historical accuracy and I must say that the novel passed this first hurdle with flying colours. Linnea Tanner's passion for this period shines through and adds to the novel's appeal. The narrative was compelling, skillfully interweaving several plot-lines to a satisfying, if rather unexpected conclusion. Recommended.

[DubaiReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Romance, intrigue and sorcery.
One of the great things about receiving free audiobooks for review is that I get to sample genres out of my comfort zone. Although I am a fan of historical fiction, I have never read anything set in Roman times.
Apollo's Raven is fascinating, not just from the point of view of the belief systems of those times - curses, wolf spirits and sorceresses, but also for its insight into the way negotiations took place - with a hostage left in the enemy camp to ensure a serious attempt at peace.

Amren, King of Britannia, needs to broker peace with the invading Roman legions. While he is off negotiating with their ambassadors, Marcellus, son of one of their number, stays behind as 'guest' to the Celts, while one of Amren's daughters effectively becomes hostage to the Romans at their camp 100 miles away.
Unfortunately, there is an instant spark between Catrin, Amren's youngest daughter, and Marcellus. This is fueled by her father's instructions to act as host to him, all the while extracting valuable information about the enemy. It is a relationship with no hope of a future, as both parties are pawns in their parent's power struggle and an alliance forged by marriage is too good a bargaining tool. As negotiations break down and the danger level rises, so too, does the attraction between Catrin and Marcellus.

The book was well narrated by Kristin James, although I found it a bit too breathless in the exciting parts. There were also phrases in italics at the beginning of each chapter, which I wasn't even aware of until I saw them mentioned in another review. Apart from that she was clear and easy to understand.
Although I learnt a fair bit from this novel and it was obviously well researched, I didn't find it calling to me and although I see many other reviewers gave it 5 stars, I felt 3 stars was more representative for me.
For readers of Fantasy and lovers of Romans in history, this would be an excellent read, the first in a series in which Catrin and Marcellus may (or may not) manage to make a future together. It would also appeal to those who like strong female characters.

[Notes From 'Round the Bend · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve always enjoyed fantasy romances set in ancient or medieval settings, and if I had to pick one genre to read forever, it would be this. And with promises of desire, intrigue, danger, and forbidden love, “Apollo’s Raven” seemed as if it would fit my tastes perfectly. In the end, there were definitely some things to be desired about the execution of the premise, but it was a decent story and it’s clear Ms. Tanner has a passion for the period and cutltures.

What I enjoyed most about “Apollo’s Raven” was the layers. There was a lot going on here, and the journeys, both individual and as a collective, were exciting. There were elements to the story I wasn’t expecting and it held a few pleasant surprises. But between Lucius’ bid for political power in Rome, the budding romances/illicit affairs, the changing curse, power struggles between Celtic kings, Catrin’s awakening magical gifts, and Marrock’s machinations, the different threads were a bit hard to keep straight at times. I think perhaps Ms. Tanner got lost in the grand scale of her own story, as numerous (though usually small) events and details were dropped without explanation or treated as if they’d been previously introduced when they hadn’t. Thankfully, the big things eventually came together and the outcome was satisfying.

Read More

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apollo’s Raven by Linnea Taylor is an interesting book that combines many currently popular genres. I enjoyed it because it had flavors of fantasy and themes I often see in the role playing, table-top games I play. The story is set primarily in Britannia and Rome. In this way, it has some reflection of our world and history, but it does have many fantasy themes such as characters possessing magical powers, that set this world apart. The main character is Catrine, a young princess who is trying to navigate difficulties with her family, political intrigue, threats from enemy armies, and her own struggle with learning to manage her magical powers. Although, the book primarily seems to revolve around Catrine (with her appearing as the main character), there is a rich cast of other characters. Catrine has a father and mother (King Amren and Queen Rhiannon), who each have their own complicated pasts and current lives. She also has two older sisters, who present interesting side-stories. There is also a love interest and that relationship affects several elements of Catrine’s story. The story starts with Catrine learning that her kingdom is endangered and under threat from her estranged half-brother Marrock. As the story unfolds there are many plot twists and turns. As a reader, there were also many surprising moments as key information was introduced at just the right moment. Because of this, there were many times where I could not wait to read on and find out more about the various new mysteries and elements that had been introduced.

Apollo’s Raven is interesting also because of its writing style and narrative perspective. Many of the early chapters focus on Catrine and her thoughts/actions. However, later on, some chapters focus more on other characters to move the plot of the story forward. This also allowed me, as a reader, to get to understand those characters and their motivations. Overall, I really enjoyed the book and with this being the first in the series I am eager to read more about this world and this set of characters. I would also be interested to read other books by Linnea Taylor as she has an interesting style. For those interested in this book, I will say that the first part (perhaps the first 100 pages or so) I had a bit of trouble following the story and getting engaged. I think with such a rich world and the introduction of so many characters, it was just a lot to settle into. Once I made it through that portion, I felt more familiar and engaged with the story and wanted to see how everything would unfold. My only other critique of this book would be that it was hard for me to discern what age group this book is targeted toward and appropriate for. I am an adult, but often enjoy reading young adult books. Generally, the writing style and story seemed appropriate for a young adult audience. However, there was some romantic, even sexual content, and some unsettling content related to discussion of rape. I do not feel that these elements would be appropriate for all young adult audiences.

[Bea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rarely read fantasy stories, but this one I couldn’t pass up. The cover was so beautiful and the Celtic/Druid focus drew me right in. I am so very glad I read this book because the author was amazing. Her writing style, research, and ability to capture the reader were all top notch.

I enjoyed this book immensely, the story line and characters were easy to get to know and captured my imagination immediately. I doubt if there are too many women who wouldn’t find Catrin someone they would like to meet (or be)! Her ability to shapeshift and to see through her spirit animal’s eyes, the raven, is captivating. Naturally, I wished I had that ability as well but alas I don’t.

There is so much to like about this book, Romans, sorcery, romance, betrayal, trust etc. Actually there is pretty much something for any reader and I’m so happy that I read this book. I could tell about half-way through that this book would need a sequel. I’m not usually a fan of series because I want each book to be a book that can stand alone, but I’d consider reading the next book in this series. It was that good!

I received a copy of Apollos Raven through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to BooksGoSocial and to Linnea Tanner for the opportunity.

[Kelsie Maxwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Apollo’s Raven is the first book in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series by Linnea Tanner. This epic is a historical fantasy featuring an ancient curse. Apollo’s Raven packs a powerful punch with healthy doses of romance, political intrigue, sorcery, mythology, betrayal and sacrifice. The story is mostly told from the viewpoint of the two main characters, Catrin and Marcellus. The author gives both characters full backgrounds that make them extremely relatable.

I found this novel worthy of the designation of epic, and would recommend it to readers who are looking for a sweeping fantasy. Those interested in Celtic and Roman history may also find it enjoyable. Apollo’s Raven was compelling and well-edited, and I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

[Melisende · Rating 1 out of 5]

The subject matter (Romano-Briton, Celtic mythology) was of huge interest to me as a number of years ago, I submerged myself in this topic from every aspect, so I was looking forward to reading this novel.

And so I read it. And it has left no impression on me at all. I just really did not connect in any way with the story, the characters, the writing style - it just left me flat with no emotional response. I have read and enjoyed other fantasy fictional stories interwoven with pseudo-Celtic overtones, and this did not do the same.

I may return to this at a later stage, when Book 2 comes out, and revisit this series again.

[Linus Treefoot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Apollo's Raven is a triumphant blend of historical research and imaginative story telling. It was very exciting in parts, especially near the end when the prisoners are exchanged. It gave me some knowledge about an historical period I know very little about.

[Jan Sikes · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a story! I am a huge fan of "Game of Thrones," and this book grabbed me in much the same way. The author took me inside the world of ancient Romans and Celts. The imagery was compelling. I could see the characters, the weapons, the countryside, the lairs, and the castle. She stayed true to the times. When the son of a Roman nobleman is left in the care of a Celtic king as a show of good faith during negotiations, they could not have known that Catrin, the king's daughter, would fall deeply in love with the young Roman, Marcellus. Nor could they have known how deeply Marcellus would fall in love with Catrin. The story is built around the threat of an invasion and the lengths the Celts would go to in order to defend their homeland. Catrin was born with the spirit of the Raven in her and as the story unfolded, so did her abilities to meld with the raven, fly with the bird and see through his eyes. One of the most compelling scenes in the book was her visit to the Wall of Lives, where she saw the threads of each life and how they can be manipulated. To complicate the story even more, Catrin's half-brother, Marrock is determined to kill his father, King Amren, and claim the throne. There are druids and shape-shifters in this story and Marrock can shift into the body of a large red wolf. His mother possesses the body of another woman and together they work to destroy King Amren and his entire family. The hunger for power drives them. The author did a great job of unfolding the plot and layering conflict, complications, and magic coupled with mythology as she went. This story is well-written. I will definitely be picking up the second book in this series to see what happens next!

[Whispering Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stunning portrayal of Ancient Britannia. It is a story of prophecies, omens and forbidden love. It is a tale of sacrifice, bitter revenge and curses.

I agreed to read this novel but I was cautious as I am not a huge fan of historical fantasy, but to my delight, I discovered that the era, the setting in which the author has put her characters came across with a strong sense of time and place. The attention to the historical detail gives this novel a strong sense of realism and the mythological side of the book comes across as a very believable take on the religious beliefs of this time.

The narrative of Apollo's Raven is incredibly fast-paced which made this book a true pleasure to read. There was no sticky paragraphs, or long drawn out descriptions, the story kept on rolling and kept me reading.

I thought the characters were well-drawn. I especially liked the depiction of Catrin, who is caught between what she desires and what she can have. Her connection to the Raven comes at a cost, and her visions /prophesies are at times very frightening.

I really enjoyed this novel, it is a harrowing yet beautiful story.

*I received a copy of this book from The Coffee Pot Book Club for review consideration.

[Kevin Potter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here we have an enchanting historical fantasy romance set in Britannia during Roman times.

I honestly wanted to love this book. It isn't often that I find Celtic-inspired fantasy.

Kristin James gives us a wonderful audio experience. Her voices are varied, distinct, and well crafted (even the male voices). Her control of vocal inflections and tempo shifts throughout are nothing short of incredible. She's second to none.

The first thing that struck me about this book is the lushness of the descriptions of the physical locations. I have no doubt whatsoever that the author has either extensively researched the locales or visited them personally.

At first, I actually liked both of the main characters quite a bit.

Initially, Catrin comes off as very mature, confident if a little headstrong, and well rounded.

Similarly, Marcellus is a strong-willed young man with a cool head for politics and is less immoral than I would expect of the son of a Roman senator.

Unfortunately, both of these characters quickly become very wishy-washy on all of the qualities that appealed to me.

Catrin's headstrong nature becomes childish and petulant and Marcellus becomes the sex-driven ass that most of his kind are known for.

Of secondary concern is the "romance" between them. I'll be honest, at the end of the book I still don't believe they're in love. I've seen nothing to suggest they are. It feels more like an obsessive school-age infatuation.

Neither knew the first thing about the other when it began, and rather than having any basis in emotion or personality, it is purely physically driven, even at the end of the book.

Now, outside of the "romance" there is an interesting plot, though it takes a long time to get to it. And unfortunately it seems to come out of the blue since the author focuses almost solely on the romance and Catrin's budding magical abilities.

Although there are a couple aspects of it that I find a bit ridiculous, I enjoyed the magic system. I think it was well thought out and there are many points of connection with the powers historically attributed to the druid priests and sorcerers.

I particularly enjoyed the raven and wolf particulars, especially as those two animals are historically associated with those of the warrior caste.

Similarly, huge chunks of the world building are brilliantly assembled and conveyed. It's almost effortless the way the author presents most of the world building.

The truth is that if this was a secondary world fantasy I would have nothing negative to say here. However, this is a historical fantasy based on the Celtic world and I find myself wishing the author had done her research a little more thoroughly.

The single biggest, most glaring problem that irritates me to no end is the druids WERE NOT priests. Nor were they sorcerers, as this book purports. The druids were a caste. They were the intellectuals. The educators, the historians, the judges, the poets, the philosophers, the shamans... and yes, the priests and sorcerers as well. But while a druid COULD be a priest or sorcerer, not all of them were.

The term "druid powers" would have been met with confused expressions.

The second major issue also ties in with the druids. This being that THE BRITTON CELTS DIDN'T HAVE A WRITTEN LANGUAGE YET!

(this being set in the year 24 CE)

Sorry, I didn't mean to yell. It had to be done. In Brittany the Celts didn't develop written language until around the 4th century CE.

And finally, the Caste System. While the Celtic caste system was not nearly as rigid as, say, the Japanese or even the Romans themselves, they still had an established caste system that was difficult to break out of and there is not the slightest hint of that caste system in this book.

Apart from the historical inaccuracies, there are a few other problems. First, good chunks of the prose are just clumsy to read. The natural consequence to this is much of the dialogue feels stilted and gets repetitive. There is also a lot of word usage that just feels wrong for the period.

Now, I'm not one of those purists who thinks the language needs to be 100% accurate to the period. But it should hold to a slightly more old fashioned feel. Unfortunately, we end up seeing a lot of modern turns of phrase that throw me out of the story quite regularly.

There were several points where words seem to have been transposed (eg: "in her eye's mind"). There are a lot more of these sorts of occurrences than I would normally expect from a professionally edited novel.

I'm also struggling with the language barrier. We're somehow expected to believe that after spending every day together for over a month, still Marcellus never learned any of the Celtic tongue. Despite his statements earlier in the novel that he really wanted to learn to communicate with his captors.

Let's talk about consistency for a minute.
There isn't any. The star crossed lovers change their minds about one another so frequently it makes my head spin. On the one hand, it lends credence to my opinion that they are merely infatuated. However, if we are meant to believe it is "true love" as Catrin insists, then why are they forgetting about that and betraying/accusing the other of betrayal so often?

To say nothing of the fact that we're expected to swallow the basically "insta-love" we see with them. While there is a half-assed attempt at explaining it away as their souls being already familiar with one another, it's left as basically conjecture and feels like a really thin explanation.

And finally, the ending.
Again, some of this seems to come out of the blue. Although the groundwork was there earlier, because of the focus of the novel very little of it is seen until things are brought to the fore.

That said, though, when we finally get to it the ending actually comes together pretty well and ties several (though not all) of our disparate plot threads together into a cohesive close that is at least moderately satisfying.

[Y.G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Link to review ---> https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/vie...

[iread · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magnificently written historical romance
Apollo’s Raven is a beautifully written ancient Britannia romance. There are quite a few characters at first with difficult names, but once I got those straightened in my mind, the pages just flowed. This author has done her research. The characters spring to life with complexity and depth. I loved the heroine Catrin and her innocent zest for life. I can’t wait to read more in this series.

[Luciana Cavallaro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever wondered what life would be like in Ancient Britannia in the 1st Century CE? Or how the British Celts felt about the invasion of the Romans and the political unrest that ensued?

Apollo’s Raven is insightful and informative historical novel from new American writer Linnea Tanner. It paints a picture of Ancient Britannia and the ruling structure of the Celtic tribes, an antithesis of what made the Roman Empire powerful and dominant dictators.

The main character, Catrin, a Celtic Warrior princess, becomes entangled in a treacherous web of lies and learns of curse of which she is the key to prevent the downfall of her people. Or perhaps, is the cause of their demise.

Catrin falls in love with a Roman, and sets off chain of events that not only jeopardises the fate of her life, but also of her people. She must decide whether to save her family and tribe, or the man she loves.

This is a historical novel/fantasy with a strong romance theme, a forbidden love story between a Celtic princess and Roman, Marcellus, who accompanies his father, Senator Lucius Antonius, to Britannia by the order of Emperor Tiberius.

Apollo’s Raven is told from the point of view of Catrin, and in some parts, Marcellus. Catrin is portrayed as a strong yet vulnerable character who is struggling to accept her ability as a druidess, which comes to fore as the story progresses. Her vulnerability comes through as she finds herself attracted to the handsome and confident, Marcellus, and struggles to deny her feelings for him.
A great deal of research is evident in the story, from the culture of the Celtic way of life, to that of the Roman military structure. Each historical element has been treated with care and diligence. I am not familiar with Celtic history and was fascinated to read about the hierarchical structure and how much power women, in particular the queen, had within the Celtic tribe. I also loved the fact the women were trained to fight with swords and the bow and arrow, and how to ride a horse and a chariot. A contrast that was described very well when Senator Lucius Antonius has a meltdown on having to meet and discuss political matters with a ‘woman’.

The romance angle is an intriguing and effective plot as it gives the central characters’ purpose and motive to find a way to be together, in spite of their differences and allegiances. Yet, the question remains, will their love truly test the arduous trials that they will face? Is it cliched? I guess it is but in the context of the story it works well, and we do want to learn how and what Catrin and Marcellus will do to prevent a war and, if they will find each other again.

What I also liked about the story was the reference made to Mark Antony, the general who fell in love with Egyptian Queen, Cleopatra. Marcellus and his father are the direct descendants the Antonius family, a black stain, Lucius seems to be intent working hard to remove. It appears another Antonius is about to fall in the same trap, loving a foreigner and a royal personage. Could history be repeating itself?

From a historical perspective, Apollo’s Raven is a good introduction to what life was like for the Celtic Brits when the Romans invaded. The plot is intriguing, and the forbidden love angle adds to the punchiness of the story. A particularly enjoyable read.

[H.M. Holten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Celts Versus Romans

The time is 24 A D, some years before the Roman invasion of Britain. There is a tentative connection between the Romans and the Celts, they trade, and some Celtic kings pay homage to the Romans. Catrin is a Celtic teenager, with magic abilities. She is also a warrior princess, daughter of King Amren, and she has outstanding fighting skills. Marcellus is a Roman soldier, son of the Roman senator, Lucius. The narrative abounds with luscious scenes and messy drinking, romance and fights, betrayal and loyalty, shapeshifters, gods and goddesses, sacrifices, as well as plaid pants, leather armours, blood, vomit, stench, and fragrance.

Apollo’s Raven is a complex story, told from multiple points of view. Was that a good choice? I have my doubts. The storyline becomes ungainly and loses tension, which is a pity. The characters show various believable traits. Still, some of them are inflated with egomania to a degree that makes them appear less than real. There were some beautiful descriptions of the landscape — Ms Tanner has a deft hand in world-building.

[Noelle Brighton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the mix of historical aspects and fantasy in this novel. The author weaves a good story and sets up for the next in the series quite well. I enjoyed this!

[Lori · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a disappointing book! While the premise and the cover art seemed promising, the author doesn’t deliver a story worth reading.

The characters are not well drawn nor do they remain true to themselves. They contradict themselves, wavering in their feelings, thoughts, and allegiances. Thus, they bounce all over the place, at first confident, then doubting, then weak, or falling in love with the love of their life, then doubting this love, then not, and back again in a confusing stew of cardboard, two-dimensional actors, none of whom are developed enough to even garner some sympathy from the reader. I didn’t like any of them nor did I truly care if any of them survived.

Some of the characters introduced seem to be playing a crucial role in the plot, only to be dropped and never heard from again several chapters or half a book later. I can understand trilogies that leave some characters and plot lines unresolved for future development, but not to the extent it happens in this book.

The dialog is forced and often repetitive. Rarely does it feel accurate in terms of time period, nor does it propel the storyline forward. The author’s use of anachronistic words and phrases renders it tedious and boring, and sometimes even annoying. For example, it’s hard to imagine Roman or Celtic warriors continuously asking their captors what one person is saying to another, and answering, “Right,” followed by repetitive phrases that restate what has already been stated numerous times.

The plot is confusing and often hard to follow, as the characters bounce back and forth in their contradictory thoughts and actions that only add to the melee. The conclusion is one of the most abrupt I have ever read, to the point of being jarring, and it leaves many unresolved subplots as well as unanswered questions. Some scenes are contradictory to earlier events and end up making no sense at all.

The writing is unimaginative and often repetitive in terms of descriptive detail. How many times can a warrior swagger in the span of two or three pages? It is also sometimes ponderous and wordy. Some aspects of the story are over-explained, while others are alluded to and then never explained or resolved.

I wish I had something good to say about this book. It featured ravens, Celts, druids, wolves, and magic, all of which I am interested in and love reading about, except for in this truly disappointing book.

[D. Peach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, I liked this read. In 24 AD, the Romans have arrived in Britannia to lay the groundwork for an invasion, and to that end, they’ve pitted the British kings against each other with promises of power. While negotiations with the Romans take place, hostages are exchanged to secure each party’s safety. Princess Catrin’s father instructs her to pry information from Marcellus, the son of the Roman leader. But things don’t go as planned, and Catrin must choose between the man she loves and her people.

The story starts out with some romance and a bit of insta-love, but fortunately, that is short-lived. Not that there isn’t a romantic component to the story, but the bulk of the read is taken up with action, danger, politics, and plenty of magic.

Magic is integral to the story, the plot, and the relationships. It focuses on an old prophecy in which Catrin plays the central role. Her connection to ravens enables her to see through the bird’s eyes, and ravens provide her with some protection. More so, they are the gateway to the mystical Wall of Lives where she learns how to manipulate outcomes. The magic in the book isn’t a hard system, but it works, and I appreciated the way it created friction between Catrin and Marcellus.

The characters are great, three dimensional, emotional, and flawed. Even secondary characters are unique individuals. I liked how consistent they were and how that was often a problem. Catrin is foiled repeatedly by both well-intentioned characters and villains. There are villains on both sides of the conflict which complicates matters.

The danger and action keep the pace up, and though a long read, the book zipped by. It ends with a dramatic conclusion to the negotiations but is mostly open-ended. I’ll definitely be reading onward. I highly recommend this book to epic fantasy readers who love magic, action, intrigue, and a bit of romance.

[Merissa (Archaeolibrarian) · Rating 3 out of 5]

APOLLO'S RAVEN is the first book in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series and prepare yourself! You are about to enter a book full of twisted tales and layers of intrigue. I mean, come on! Curses, Romans, and Celts - what more could I ask for?

This is a long book, giving you ample time to lose yourself in Ancient Britannia, where Catrin sees Romans come to land through her raven's eyes. This event sets off a chain that will see her fall in love and come into her powers and many other things. Marcellus is there at his father's command, basically seeing if the timing for an invasion is good or not.

There is an instant connection between the two that could just be the infatuation between two young teens. However, as the story goes, it is true love and they are bound together forever. This, I found a little hard to believe as they know nothing about each other past their attraction, and constantly doubt each other, believing them to be betraying them, etc. I hope their relationship develops and matures as the books progress as both of them acted childishly at times.

I enjoyed the story but found some parts a bit difficult to digest. For instance, there was a whole lot more to druids than just being sorcerers or priests but none of that is mentioned. I was confused by the term 'druid powers' as that could encompass a whole manner of things.

Bear in mind it is the first book, so there are lots of things left unanswered. I am hopeful for more information in the following books. This was an enjoyable story and I look forward to reading more in this series.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 2, 2022

[StephLynn · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was so bad it actually made me angry that I was reading it. If I hadn't been given free access to read it specifically to write a review, I would have DNF'ed it within the first chapter. The author claimed to do lots of intense historical research, but you can't tell.

The reason I'm so disappointed in this book is because the premise is great. A political clash between Roman's and Celts, a mild romance to set the scene of a coming of age story made more complex by burgeoning mystical powers. It sounded fantastic and the reviews were so positive.

Well, it read like it was written by a horny 13-year-old with no romantic experience and who is confused by the difference between Roman and Greek mythology. The head-hopping was obnoxious, sometimes with multiple head-hops in a single paragraph. The blatant misunderstanding of ancient cultures was painful. At one point, an early AD Roman soldier "clicked his heels" in a salute. The dialogue was so stilted and unnatural that my fiance forbade me from reading examples out loud to him because a few sentences had him equally angry. A Roman used Greek names for gods as frequently as the Roman names, and none of their characters seemed capable of modulating their emotions or reactions despite supposedly having extensive experience as ambassadors and with negotiations.

I wouldn't suggest this book to any audience, unless they were actively looking for something awful to read.

[Christeena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing Story

My favorite part of this story was seeing how the characters evolved from beginning to end. I wish there was more explanation on how the gods’ affected the characters’ decisions & actions. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in mystical, medieval stories!!

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got so lost in this book that I didn't realize how much time was passing, I only noticed the time when the book ended... 2am... oops!

So it probably now goes without saying, but I loved this book and I'm definitely getting the next book int he series to find out what's going to happen next.

The story is beautifully crafted, it took me on a journey along with Catrin (the main character) who is coming into her Druidic powers and discovering that she is the subject of a prophesy and what that means for her and her people. Her growing relationship with Marcellus a roman and therefore and enemy of her people allows for many twists and turns. I don't want to give anything away, so I'll just say, if you like this type of book, you'll love this one.

The narration was excellent, Kristin did a fantastic job with the character voices and the overall flow and pace of the narration. The only thing that I noticed is it sounds like some on Marcellus' parts were re-recorded, there's a slight change in the sound for some of his thoughts, but it's only a minor shift.

This book was supplied free by the author/narrator/publisher and I voluntarily wrote this honest review.

[Rainelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like that the book shows promise of a good book. I tried connecting with the main character, but I was lost with who she is portrayed to be in the book. There was no build up to the character. Her background story was a quick read through. There was no explanation to her character and her abilities.

[Chris Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic novel. The writing style hooked me from the start. The storyline was captivating and engaging and the love story between Catrin and Marcellus who were supposed to be enemies was really thrilling. The author definitely did her research - the setting, and the time was written perfectly. I will continue with the series.

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Apollo’s Raven” is a good balance of adventure, magic, and romance.

Read full review in the 2018 September issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by this author and I enjoyed it a lot. Lots of myths, history and love stories to keep you engaged and guessing.

[Sabrina · Rating 1 out of 5]

The worst book I have ever read. Romanticizing pedophilia, grooming, and beastiality? No thank you.

[Lydia Peever · Rating 5 out of 5]

Catrin is a princess, soul traveler and mystic. A sorceress cum shapeshifter and the daughter of King Amren of the Cantiaci. The historical fiction of Linnea Tanner, “Apollo’s Raven”, begins with Catrin along with her sisters Vala and Mor, who are trapped in the clash of kingdoms between the tattooed Cantuvellauni people of her Celtic homeland, and the advancing Roman armies. While their combat instructor, Belinus, is distracted by the middle daughter, Mor, and eldest sister Val is betrothed to a Roman for political reasons, Catrin is overwrought with painful memories of her exiled and disfigured brother Marrock. Marrock has returned to her in a vision that can only mean bloodshed and death to all she holds dear.

Catrin's visions are much more than waking dreams. Her faithful familiar is a black raven that allows her to travel through the skies and into the past or future by taking her vision and allowing her to see what it can see, for better or worse. There is a curse upon the land and her family. Just like the future, this curse can be rewritten so it is up to Catrin and her Roman ally Marcellus alongside her mother, Queen Rhiannon, to outwit Marrock and the advancing Roman army he has maliciously manipulated for his own revenge.

The introduction to Catrin and her powers is quite breathtaking. All at once the reader is taken into the fold of how magic and sorcery is viewed in this world crafted by Tanner, and all at once mystified and humbled. The young princess is new to this power she keeps a secret from others, and we are witness to its bold and reckless enchantment as we see the weakness that transferring your waking mind to another body can hold. With the threats that surround this young warrior maiden, the author weaves a tantalizing push and pull between the free life Catrin could have and the path she treads--for destiny and magic clear the way. Unlike many epic fantasies, the style is quite casual and could be disarming for those seeking a more literary approach to the sword and sorcery of Europe in the dawn of the common era. A smattering of historical figures blend into the background of this landscape which is rich with trappings of the time and while there could be some exclamations or jargon out of place it would take research to verify one way or another. It all blends in, however, as so much of the world inhabited by our hero and her sisters is true to our own. With only a few twists of imagination, a world where we can see through the eyes of another creature comes to life.

Thankfully there are few scenes of romance. The story could surely be billed as a romance story entirely, but I found it much more like a dark fantasy that only edges on a love story. With very few scenes of eroticism, the focus is certainly on peril, bloodshed, mystery, magic and deception. For those who come to ‘Apollo's Raven” looking for love, they will find maggots, skulls, torture and entrails in all the right places. Much to my delight, this book contains quite a few gory scenes throughout. While each character is entirely their own and distinctly drawn, it seems all characters are quick to temper and are all quite sadistic. Even the most gentle seeming creatures here are proven exceedingly cruel at least once if not chapter by chapter. The raven is a character of its own too, and not without its shining moments of barbarism. Owners of large birds, specifically corvids, will know the author not only researched the time and place in which the story has taken place but the nature of these strange little creatures. Whether playing the jester, faithful guardian or spirit animal, the raven--which has no name--shares the quirks a pet crow would truly display. Something that only one at home with these cold coal creatures would really bring to life.

More time exploring the character of Agrona, the King’s witch who plays a large part in the story and has the bloodiest and most interesting introduction would have done well. The story does well as it is, though she offered something entirely different later in the story in contrast to who she is when first met, the direction she starts off in is fascinating and embodies more of the magic qualities of this world that everyone fears and is warned off but rarely gets to see. Of five stars, this is closer to a four than three-and-a-half. While lyrical and paced well, some of the slang and colloquialisms cause a snag when they don’t ring true. Some dialogue injects mirth where not ought to be had and when the scenario is not meant to be funny. Some of the gravity is sucked out by the misstep of a word or two but the story does recover every time, and instantly. For lovers of animal familiars mixed in with dark magic, this could fly quite high and is worth looking into the next book in the series.