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Raven's Mark #2
Ravencry
Four years have passed since Nall’s Engine drove the Deep Kings back across the Misery, but as they hurl fire from the sky, darker forces plots against the republic.
A new power is rising: a ghost in the light known only as the Bright Lady manifests in visions across the city, and the cult that worship her grasp for power even as the city burns around them.
When Crowfoot’s arcane vault is breached, an object of terrible power is stolen, and Galharrow and his Blackwings must once find out which of Valengrad’s enemies is responsible before they have a chance to use it.
To save Valengrad, Galharrow, Nenn and Tnota must venture to a darker, more twisted and more dangerous place than any they’ve walked before: the very heart of the Misery.
RAVENCRY is the second book in the Raven’s Mark series, continuing the story that began with the award winning epic fantasy BLACKWING.
A new power is rising: a ghost in the light known only as the Bright Lady manifests in visions across the city, and the cult that worship her grasp for power even as the city burns around them.
When Crowfoot’s arcane vault is breached, an object of terrible power is stolen, and Galharrow and his Blackwings must once find out which of Valengrad’s enemies is responsible before they have a chance to use it.
To save Valengrad, Galharrow, Nenn and Tnota must venture to a darker, more twisted and more dangerous place than any they’ve walked before: the very heart of the Misery.
RAVENCRY is the second book in the Raven’s Mark series, continuing the story that began with the award winning epic fantasy BLACKWING.
414 pages, Hardcover
First published June 28, 2018
234 people are currently reading
3080 people want to read
About the author
Ed McDonald
16 books1,462 followersEd McDonald is a UK born fantasy writer.
Ed is a medieval historian and swordsman by training. He currently lives in London, UK.
Ed is a medieval historian and swordsman by training. He currently lives in London, UK.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 484 reviews
July 9, 2019
Sometimes you just have to give a book a second chance. I read Ravencry back in July and I just didn’t get on with it. And it surprised me because I loved the first book. Maybe I was just in a bad mood or maybe I was dealing with a book hangover. Either way, I read it again and I loved it.
Blackwing was full of dynamic characters with so much potential, but above them all stood an extremely tall dark wizard (or fixer) that was one of the most intriguing things about the book: Saravor. What’s his story? What exactly does he want? He clearly craved power, undying power, and here he reaches his hand and grasps for it.
I was glad to see it happen because all through Blackwing I knew we would be seeing much more of him. For a returning reader it’s obvious he was attempting something, though for Galharrow it’s not quite so clear. Indeed, this world is full of traitors, dark powers, religious fanatics and rivalling gods that battle for control (or balance) over all life. So, it took him a while to figure it all out and, when he did, he realised just how far his terrible foe had spread his web of manipulation and control. It’s a very clever plot, and I found myself quite surprised on several occasions. It’s anything but linear.
And that’s what I like about this series, I’m not quite sure where it’s going because the enemy attacks are unpredictable and ruthless. They will do anything to win. Saravor was a third party, a force that acted between the Nameless (the good gods) and the Deep Kings (the evil gods.) He wanted his own chance to join them, and part of me wanted him to succeed just so I could see what he would do with his new-found powers. And that says a lot, for a villain that is rarely present in the flesh he certainly has a lot of presence within the story.
I’m quite excited for Crowfall, the third and final instalment of this series. I’m not quite sure how this will all end, and the plot is quite wrapped up here. And if I'm honest, I don't think this feels quite like a trilogy. I think that's what got me when I first read it. If anything, it feels like a much longer story. So it will be interesting to see how Crowfall handles all the elements. I don't think it will conclude everything, but leave itself open for more stories with perhaps different characters. And I'm excited by that prospect, I think there's much here that can be used again.
Indeed, there were suggestions that the Drudge, the mindless minions of the Deep Kings, may have a sliver of humanity left in them. I found this quite intriguing, it would be great to see a little more of that. This idea, that a supposedly demonic enemy, is not entirely evil is something Peter Newman delivered to much surprise in The Seven and it really reversed the trilogy in on itself. It was a great idea. This could happen here, but, again, this is one of the few trilogies I've read that could go anywhere. So we shall see.
Overall, this really is a solid piece of fantasy. The world is dark, gritty and brutal. The story is told with prose loaded with dark humour. And it goes to show, even in the most bleakest situations a sense of bitter irony can be found.
Raven's Mark
1. Blackwing - 4.5 stars
2. Ravencry - 4 stars
FBR | Twitter | Insta | Academia
Blackwing was full of dynamic characters with so much potential, but above them all stood an extremely tall dark wizard (or fixer) that was one of the most intriguing things about the book: Saravor. What’s his story? What exactly does he want? He clearly craved power, undying power, and here he reaches his hand and grasps for it.
I was glad to see it happen because all through Blackwing I knew we would be seeing much more of him. For a returning reader it’s obvious he was attempting something, though for Galharrow it’s not quite so clear. Indeed, this world is full of traitors, dark powers, religious fanatics and rivalling gods that battle for control (or balance) over all life. So, it took him a while to figure it all out and, when he did, he realised just how far his terrible foe had spread his web of manipulation and control. It’s a very clever plot, and I found myself quite surprised on several occasions. It’s anything but linear.
And that’s what I like about this series, I’m not quite sure where it’s going because the enemy attacks are unpredictable and ruthless. They will do anything to win. Saravor was a third party, a force that acted between the Nameless (the good gods) and the Deep Kings (the evil gods.) He wanted his own chance to join them, and part of me wanted him to succeed just so I could see what he would do with his new-found powers. And that says a lot, for a villain that is rarely present in the flesh he certainly has a lot of presence within the story.
I’m quite excited for Crowfall, the third and final instalment of this series. I’m not quite sure how this will all end, and the plot is quite wrapped up here. And if I'm honest, I don't think this feels quite like a trilogy. I think that's what got me when I first read it. If anything, it feels like a much longer story. So it will be interesting to see how Crowfall handles all the elements. I don't think it will conclude everything, but leave itself open for more stories with perhaps different characters. And I'm excited by that prospect, I think there's much here that can be used again.
Indeed, there were suggestions that the Drudge, the mindless minions of the Deep Kings, may have a sliver of humanity left in them. I found this quite intriguing, it would be great to see a little more of that. This idea, that a supposedly demonic enemy, is not entirely evil is something Peter Newman delivered to much surprise in The Seven and it really reversed the trilogy in on itself. It was a great idea. This could happen here, but, again, this is one of the few trilogies I've read that could go anywhere. So we shall see.
Overall, this really is a solid piece of fantasy. The world is dark, gritty and brutal. The story is told with prose loaded with dark humour. And it goes to show, even in the most bleakest situations a sense of bitter irony can be found.
Raven's Mark
1. Blackwing - 4.5 stars
2. Ravencry - 4 stars
FBR | Twitter | Insta | Academia
December 22, 2019
There is a place in the Misery called 'Tiven's Dale' - what's not to love?
I read this a while ago and really enjoyed it. I wasn't in the best frame of mind at the time so my review wouldn't have done it justice. I will go back and re-read it early next year to review it properly. That being said, it's not quite as brilliant as Blackwing but it's still got amazing characters, intense sequences, and a mysterious religious cult. The Misery is one of my favourite places that have been created in all fantasy. So dark and grotesque. Whatever happens, I'll read Crowfall as soon as I can.
I read this a while ago and really enjoyed it. I wasn't in the best frame of mind at the time so my review wouldn't have done it justice. I will go back and re-read it early next year to review it properly. That being said, it's not quite as brilliant as Blackwing but it's still got amazing characters, intense sequences, and a mysterious religious cult. The Misery is one of my favourite places that have been created in all fantasy. So dark and grotesque. Whatever happens, I'll read Crowfall as soon as I can.
June 8, 2024
The second book of the series is keeping up with the first with the same action-driven investigation, world saving and morally grey characters. Although there's still too many questions about the world-building. Hope the author will clarify everything in the last book.
May 23, 2018
When I reviewed Blackwing last year, I noted that it was a novel that “did everything very well”.
Blackwing was a great book, but I thought it stopped just short of excellent. It had solid characters, an engaging plot, an interesting setting… but I didn’t quite think it was top-drawer.
Then came Ravencry.
When I’d finished, the first words out of my mouth were “Now THAT’S a fucking sequel.”
Too often I read the 2nd book in a trilogy and find myself a little disappointed. Maybe the magic of the first book isn’t there. Maybe it’s little more than a set-up for the third. Maybe it tries to be more introspective but the story falls a little flat.
There are countless things that can go wrong with a sequel.
I don’t think much went wrong here.
Ravencry has everything you loved about Blackwing and more. It’s a grimdark book, but not typically so. The characters are violent and coarse, but decent. It’s a gritty, violent world, but this story has a heart to it. It has a soul. It has a voice.
And it’s that voice that ties everything together.
Both Blackwing and Ravencry are written in an incredibly distinct, engaging style. We experience the story from the perspective of Captain Ryhalt Galharrow, and it’s his thoughts and internal monologue that make the books what they are. Galharrow feels larger than the words on the page. He feels alive; angry and sorrowful and cynical. This is a character powerful enough to make you forget that you’re reading a book. Instead, you experience a story.
But Galharrow isn’t the only character. A few familiar faces return, as well as a few that aren’t so familiar. The events of Blackwing have changed things, and McDonald isn’t afraid to explore that change.
Ravencry doesn’t retread old ground, and it doesn’t try to be something completely different. Instead, it takes everything that was great about Blackwing and builds on it, making for an even better book.
The plot is established from the first chapter, but with just enough mystery to grab at your curiosity. The pacing is on point. It begins with a jog, then builds up to an all-out sprint for the second half of the book. The setting is fascinating: a neon-lit city on the brink of dystopia, bordering a magical wasteland crawling with nightmares.
Ravencry was everything that I wanted in a sequel.
It continued the story of the previous book, was a fantastic story in its own right, and left me wondering how the hell the next book was going to top this.
If Blackwing was great, then Ravencry is excellent.
Blackwing was a great book, but I thought it stopped just short of excellent. It had solid characters, an engaging plot, an interesting setting… but I didn’t quite think it was top-drawer.
Then came Ravencry.
When I’d finished, the first words out of my mouth were “Now THAT’S a fucking sequel.”
Too often I read the 2nd book in a trilogy and find myself a little disappointed. Maybe the magic of the first book isn’t there. Maybe it’s little more than a set-up for the third. Maybe it tries to be more introspective but the story falls a little flat.
There are countless things that can go wrong with a sequel.
I don’t think much went wrong here.
Ravencry has everything you loved about Blackwing and more. It’s a grimdark book, but not typically so. The characters are violent and coarse, but decent. It’s a gritty, violent world, but this story has a heart to it. It has a soul. It has a voice.
And it’s that voice that ties everything together.
Both Blackwing and Ravencry are written in an incredibly distinct, engaging style. We experience the story from the perspective of Captain Ryhalt Galharrow, and it’s his thoughts and internal monologue that make the books what they are. Galharrow feels larger than the words on the page. He feels alive; angry and sorrowful and cynical. This is a character powerful enough to make you forget that you’re reading a book. Instead, you experience a story.
But Galharrow isn’t the only character. A few familiar faces return, as well as a few that aren’t so familiar. The events of Blackwing have changed things, and McDonald isn’t afraid to explore that change.
Ravencry doesn’t retread old ground, and it doesn’t try to be something completely different. Instead, it takes everything that was great about Blackwing and builds on it, making for an even better book.
The plot is established from the first chapter, but with just enough mystery to grab at your curiosity. The pacing is on point. It begins with a jog, then builds up to an all-out sprint for the second half of the book. The setting is fascinating: a neon-lit city on the brink of dystopia, bordering a magical wasteland crawling with nightmares.
Ravencry was everything that I wanted in a sequel.
It continued the story of the previous book, was a fantastic story in its own right, and left me wondering how the hell the next book was going to top this.
If Blackwing was great, then Ravencry is excellent.
March 25, 2020
Ravencry is a dark and unique novel that continues from the fantastic Blackwing and thrusts the reader back into the horrific land of the Misery to face the horrors of the creatures and broken men.
“Nothing makes you feel more powerless than failing a child.”
It’s been four long and bleak years since the end of Blackwing and Ryhalt Galharrow is still his ferocious, cold self. There is still the looming threat of the Deep Kings returning, the Drudge and demonic creatures within the Misery returning and destroying everything Ryhalt, Blackwing and the Nameless fought so hard for. There are relics of the Deep Kings that need protecting, spies of the Misery that need killing and the growing momentum of a cult that needs quelling. It’s all Ryhalt Galharrow’s job.
If you’ve read Blackwing you’ll know Ed McDonald has a gripping and intense style to his writing, one that I find very enjoyable. It manages to hook you in and leave you always wanting more. If you haven’t read Blackwing then get to it quickly because you’re missing out. McDonald has a clear prose that is dark and honest as well as entertaining. I never once felt lost, there is description of appearances, senses, the landscape of the Misery and a well-rounded approach to writing the battle and duel sequences.
“Somebody had to talk some sense into somebody, and the first somebody would be me, and the second had to be everybody.”
The action within Ravencry is particularly strong with the realism and brutality of an Abercrombie book, and the experience of a HEMA practitioner. Cutlass fights, the thunder of matchlock arms firing, with the added fantastical element of magic called ‘phos’. The magic was written really well and I liked - as in Blackwing - how it was incorporated into the main storyline. Our POV cannot access phos which I feel suited Ryhalt, rather than the main character being a legendary fire-casting wizard.
The world of Ravencry is an excellent one. It is crafted brilliantly, seeping with history and established characters. There is diversity in the settings and characters - I just wanted a map in the front! I loved how the world has changed in some details since the end of Blackwing, but also was surprised where some things really hadn’t changed - much like the story, it continually was able to surprise me.
‘“Who’s there?”
“It’s me, darling.”’
The characters are written well, just in my opinion lacking the dynamics and intrigue as the first book. Ryhalt wasn’t able to bounce off of some characters as well as in Blackwing, and the regular passages dedicated to his inner-thoughts felt a little jarring, making the story feel a lot slower than Blackwing. Still, it was a great read and I look forward to finishing the trilogy with Crowfall.
4/5 - Not quite as superb as Blackwing, Ravencry builds from the foundations and allows us to dig even deeper into the original and fantastic world McDonald has created. Brutal action and a main character who has enough resilience and determination to defy the odds. I loved the growing tension of the cult and the creatures of the misery, though they didn’t play as major a role as I was hoping. Bring on Crowfall, looking forward to seeing where it takes Ryhalt!
“Nothing makes you feel more powerless than failing a child.”
It’s been four long and bleak years since the end of Blackwing and Ryhalt Galharrow is still his ferocious, cold self. There is still the looming threat of the Deep Kings returning, the Drudge and demonic creatures within the Misery returning and destroying everything Ryhalt, Blackwing and the Nameless fought so hard for. There are relics of the Deep Kings that need protecting, spies of the Misery that need killing and the growing momentum of a cult that needs quelling. It’s all Ryhalt Galharrow’s job.
If you’ve read Blackwing you’ll know Ed McDonald has a gripping and intense style to his writing, one that I find very enjoyable. It manages to hook you in and leave you always wanting more. If you haven’t read Blackwing then get to it quickly because you’re missing out. McDonald has a clear prose that is dark and honest as well as entertaining. I never once felt lost, there is description of appearances, senses, the landscape of the Misery and a well-rounded approach to writing the battle and duel sequences.
“Somebody had to talk some sense into somebody, and the first somebody would be me, and the second had to be everybody.”
The action within Ravencry is particularly strong with the realism and brutality of an Abercrombie book, and the experience of a HEMA practitioner. Cutlass fights, the thunder of matchlock arms firing, with the added fantastical element of magic called ‘phos’. The magic was written really well and I liked - as in Blackwing - how it was incorporated into the main storyline. Our POV cannot access phos which I feel suited Ryhalt, rather than the main character being a legendary fire-casting wizard.
The world of Ravencry is an excellent one. It is crafted brilliantly, seeping with history and established characters. There is diversity in the settings and characters - I just wanted a map in the front! I loved how the world has changed in some details since the end of Blackwing, but also was surprised where some things really hadn’t changed - much like the story, it continually was able to surprise me.
‘“Who’s there?”
“It’s me, darling.”’
The characters are written well, just in my opinion lacking the dynamics and intrigue as the first book. Ryhalt wasn’t able to bounce off of some characters as well as in Blackwing, and the regular passages dedicated to his inner-thoughts felt a little jarring, making the story feel a lot slower than Blackwing. Still, it was a great read and I look forward to finishing the trilogy with Crowfall.
4/5 - Not quite as superb as Blackwing, Ravencry builds from the foundations and allows us to dig even deeper into the original and fantastic world McDonald has created. Brutal action and a main character who has enough resilience and determination to defy the odds. I loved the growing tension of the cult and the creatures of the misery, though they didn’t play as major a role as I was hoping. Bring on Crowfall, looking forward to seeing where it takes Ryhalt!
April 28, 2018
A sequel to the critically acclaimed, award-winning Blackwing, Ravencry raises the bar even higher for modern fantasy.
It's been three years since the Nameless unmade one of the Deep Kings and used his heart to re-activate Nall's Engine and obliterate every drudge in close proximity. Since then there's been an uneasy truce between the two sides, with the Deep Kings too afraid to send their Darlings close to Valengrad. But when a valuable artifact is stolen from Crowfoot's lair, Galharrow knows it's only a matter of time before the people of Valengrad are called to once again face impossible odds of survival.
Every debut author has to pass quite a few tests before they become established, and the call to show that the success of their debut wasn't a one-time-thing might be the most important one. McDonald passed the test with flying colors, proving once and for all that's he's here to stay and become a household name sooner than later.
In Ravencry, McDonald kept everything we loved from Blackwing, such as the gritty and grim setting, the morally grey yet highly likeable characters, the complex and in many places unpredictable events, and the general air of mystery surrounding all of the above, but he also introduced new elements, plot devices and machinations, keeping the story familiar yet fresh and alluring.
When I first read Blackwing I was so impressed that I didn't even write a review. I simply called it perfect in every possible way, and the same applies for Ravencry. Everything begins and ends with McDonald's unique storytelling abilities, but it's what's in-between that makes the difference, such as the proficient and smooth prose, the perfectly balanced pace and the beautiful imagery, all of them coming together to create a perfect page-turner.
All in all, Ravencry is the perfect sequel and a book every fantasy author would aspire to write.
It's been three years since the Nameless unmade one of the Deep Kings and used his heart to re-activate Nall's Engine and obliterate every drudge in close proximity. Since then there's been an uneasy truce between the two sides, with the Deep Kings too afraid to send their Darlings close to Valengrad. But when a valuable artifact is stolen from Crowfoot's lair, Galharrow knows it's only a matter of time before the people of Valengrad are called to once again face impossible odds of survival.
"'What do you make of all that?'
'It sounds very fucking bad', Maldon said. 'But then, you have to wonder just how much of this has been going on for the last thousand years, don't you? How often does one side or the other come up with something like the Heart of the Void?'
'Once was too often,' I said. 'The sky should never have been sundered.' I wondered how many of our people Crowfoot had destroyed when he unleashed his weapon and burned the Misery into being. Too many. Sometimes I wondered if he'd known how badly he would tear reality when he unleashed that power, but I always came to the same conclusion. It was better not to know."
Every debut author has to pass quite a few tests before they become established, and the call to show that the success of their debut wasn't a one-time-thing might be the most important one. McDonald passed the test with flying colors, proving once and for all that's he's here to stay and become a household name sooner than later.
In Ravencry, McDonald kept everything we loved from Blackwing, such as the gritty and grim setting, the morally grey yet highly likeable characters, the complex and in many places unpredictable events, and the general air of mystery surrounding all of the above, but he also introduced new elements, plot devices and machinations, keeping the story familiar yet fresh and alluring.
When I first read Blackwing I was so impressed that I didn't even write a review. I simply called it perfect in every possible way, and the same applies for Ravencry. Everything begins and ends with McDonald's unique storytelling abilities, but it's what's in-between that makes the difference, such as the proficient and smooth prose, the perfectly balanced pace and the beautiful imagery, all of them coming together to create a perfect page-turner.
All in all, Ravencry is the perfect sequel and a book every fantasy author would aspire to write.
March 28, 2019
5 oh-I-seriously-loved-this stars
Where to start with this one??? Well, I didn't know what to expect from Ravencry. Often in fantasy series, there's a clear overarching pattern, an obvious direction that allows the reader to guess, at least in part, where the author will be taking it. Things were so wrapped up in Blackwing, that it could almost have been a standalone, so other than the ongoing war between the Deep Kings and the Nameless and the tantalising suggestion of a 'ghost' within the light, there wasn't any specific route I could identify. Now this might or might not work for you, but I found it thrilling to have the future wide open, knowing that I would be facing whatever comes with Galharrow and his strange crew was more than enough.
Set four years after the Siege, things open with relative calm. I mean, Galharrow nearly gets killed within the first 5 minutes, but otherwise Valengrad seems to be pretty much back together and so does our main character. He even has his own office and manor house. Not quite cream, of course, but doing well for himself. This settled beginning threw me, but in a good way- I didn't expect the distance, nor the role of Galharrow as important part of the state apparatus. Looking back it was essential as a period of calm before the sh*tstorm, the steady start of a book which had some seriously violent threat escalation page by page. There's a whole hell of a lot more bloody action in this offering. And, of course, the Bright Lady in the light was a clue for this second book after all, allowing zealous religion to join political machinations and the intensifying peril from the Deep Kings to underscore the plot.
The overarching narrative was one of metamorphosis and of journey, and I don't mean that as a simple movement from place to place, though there was a bit of that too- believe me, if you liked the flashes of the Misery in the last book, you're going to LOVE this one. Galharrow is changed, both physically and mentally, by his experiences throughout the novel and you are with him every instant. At first glance, he appears to be a simple man, and he seems to imagine himself this way too, with his sorrows drowned in alcohol and his ever-present inked debt to Crowfoot, yet as as he is challenged and his essential character explored, his apparent unlikeable nature conflicts with a deeper personal morality and obligation he feels to those around him. McDonald does this exceptionally well, there's a real sense of rebirth during Galharrow's time in the Misery, it's spiritual and practically psychedelic, an incredible description of madness in a place, with its lethal creatures and ghost-ridden landscape, both supremely real and unreal at once.
There's no resorting to easy morality or simple choices here. This is a dangerous world, where decisions have to be whatever ones that keep you alive. Necessity rules. And yet, like Blackwing, Ravencry avoids being straight grim by allowing hope and love to hold their place within the darkness. It's this that allows the tragedy to be more keenly felt, for the broken expectation of better days is a knife to the heart.
This is top quality fantasy, assured and inventive in equal measure, with the kind of pacing that feels like a surging tsunami- an unstoppable maelstrom building to impossible heights before crashing down in a fury of destruction. I have no doubt this will be one of my best reads of the year.
Where to start with this one??? Well, I didn't know what to expect from Ravencry. Often in fantasy series, there's a clear overarching pattern, an obvious direction that allows the reader to guess, at least in part, where the author will be taking it. Things were so wrapped up in Blackwing, that it could almost have been a standalone, so other than the ongoing war between the Deep Kings and the Nameless and the tantalising suggestion of a 'ghost' within the light, there wasn't any specific route I could identify. Now this might or might not work for you, but I found it thrilling to have the future wide open, knowing that I would be facing whatever comes with Galharrow and his strange crew was more than enough.
Set four years after the Siege, things open with relative calm. I mean, Galharrow nearly gets killed within the first 5 minutes, but otherwise Valengrad seems to be pretty much back together and so does our main character. He even has his own office and manor house. Not quite cream, of course, but doing well for himself. This settled beginning threw me, but in a good way- I didn't expect the distance, nor the role of Galharrow as important part of the state apparatus. Looking back it was essential as a period of calm before the sh*tstorm, the steady start of a book which had some seriously violent threat escalation page by page. There's a whole hell of a lot more bloody action in this offering. And, of course, the Bright Lady in the light was a clue for this second book after all, allowing zealous religion to join political machinations and the intensifying peril from the Deep Kings to underscore the plot.
The overarching narrative was one of metamorphosis and of journey, and I don't mean that as a simple movement from place to place, though there was a bit of that too- believe me, if you liked the flashes of the Misery in the last book, you're going to LOVE this one. Galharrow is changed, both physically and mentally, by his experiences throughout the novel and you are with him every instant. At first glance, he appears to be a simple man, and he seems to imagine himself this way too, with his sorrows drowned in alcohol and his ever-present inked debt to Crowfoot, yet as as he is challenged and his essential character explored, his apparent unlikeable nature conflicts with a deeper personal morality and obligation he feels to those around him. McDonald does this exceptionally well, there's a real sense of rebirth during Galharrow's time in the Misery, it's spiritual and practically psychedelic, an incredible description of madness in a place, with its lethal creatures and ghost-ridden landscape, both supremely real and unreal at once.
There's no resorting to easy morality or simple choices here. This is a dangerous world, where decisions have to be whatever ones that keep you alive. Necessity rules. And yet, like Blackwing, Ravencry avoids being straight grim by allowing hope and love to hold their place within the darkness. It's this that allows the tragedy to be more keenly felt, for the broken expectation of better days is a knife to the heart.
This is top quality fantasy, assured and inventive in equal measure, with the kind of pacing that feels like a surging tsunami- an unstoppable maelstrom building to impossible heights before crashing down in a fury of destruction. I have no doubt this will be one of my best reads of the year.
October 8, 2025
Para Ryhalt Galharrow, capitán de los Blackwing que trabaja para Pata de Cuervo, las cosas no podrían ir peor, sobre todo cuando las órdenes le llegan distorsionadas o incoherentes, o directamente es imposible cumplirlas.
Los Reyes de las Profundidades están lanzando fuego desde el cielo; un fantasma atrapado en la luz, al que se conoce como la Dama de la Luz, ha empezado a aparecerse por toda la ciudad; y la secta que la venera ansía hacerse con el poder mientras la ciudad arde a su alrededor.
Tal vez Galharrow no pueda hacer gran cosa con la secta —ni con las extrañas órdenes que le envía el Sin Nombre—, pero cuando alguien entra en la cámara de Pata de Cuervo y roba un objeto que encierra un terrible poder, se verá obligado a tomar parte en una carrera contrarreloj para recuperarlo. Sólo que para conseguirlo necesita respuestas, y encontrarlas significará viajar hasta un lugar de pesadilla: al mismísimo corazón de la Miseria.
Ravencry me ha gustado un poco más que su predecesor y eso que lo disfruté mucho. Al leerlo recordé qué fue lo que me gustó tanto de esta saga de fantasía oscura. La miseria.
Una novela oscura y única en ciertos aspectos que continúa desde la fantástica Blackwing y empuja al lector sin piedad de regreso a la tierra de la Miseria.
Para enfrentar los horrores de las criaturas, los profundos y los hombres destrozados. Muy ágil, entretenido, buenos personajes que siguen una evolución y cambio. Conocemos más de este mundo y el ritmo de este autor es lo que más me gusta, me pasó como en el primero que me lo zampé en dos días aunque la reseña ha caído meses después. Es un placer volver a GR y reseñar... ✍️
Los Reyes de las Profundidades están lanzando fuego desde el cielo; un fantasma atrapado en la luz, al que se conoce como la Dama de la Luz, ha empezado a aparecerse por toda la ciudad; y la secta que la venera ansía hacerse con el poder mientras la ciudad arde a su alrededor.
Tal vez Galharrow no pueda hacer gran cosa con la secta —ni con las extrañas órdenes que le envía el Sin Nombre—, pero cuando alguien entra en la cámara de Pata de Cuervo y roba un objeto que encierra un terrible poder, se verá obligado a tomar parte en una carrera contrarreloj para recuperarlo. Sólo que para conseguirlo necesita respuestas, y encontrarlas significará viajar hasta un lugar de pesadilla: al mismísimo corazón de la Miseria.
Ravencry me ha gustado un poco más que su predecesor y eso que lo disfruté mucho. Al leerlo recordé qué fue lo que me gustó tanto de esta saga de fantasía oscura. La miseria.
Una novela oscura y única en ciertos aspectos que continúa desde la fantástica Blackwing y empuja al lector sin piedad de regreso a la tierra de la Miseria.
Para enfrentar los horrores de las criaturas, los profundos y los hombres destrozados. Muy ágil, entretenido, buenos personajes que siguen una evolución y cambio. Conocemos más de este mundo y el ritmo de este autor es lo que más me gusta, me pasó como en el primero que me lo zampé en dos días aunque la reseña ha caído meses después. Es un placer volver a GR y reseñar... ✍️
July 6, 2018
Blackwing was one of the most exceptional debuts of 2017 and an amazing example of how grimdark can be a beautiful thing when done in a certain style. We met Galharrow and his band of brothers, watched birds claw their way our of his forearm to deliver instructions from an entity with far greater worries on his mind than these ridiculously messy humans and experienced a truly great finale in his war against the OP invaders.
Ravencry continues the part of the story that really begins with Ezabeths sacrifice at the end of Blackwing. Having given herself to the light she once commanded she has become something of a legend and as if to confirm her exalted status she has a growing number of faithful acolytes and has started being witnessed in sightings and divine visions. Obviously this is a struggle for our protagonist and he must deal with this conflict within himself and his city whilst also containing the force that is the big bad whose own servants have nicked something from Crowfoot.
It’s not quite end of the world stuff and for me this was very much a book of two halves. I didn’t get that sense of ‘it’s great to be back’ in the opening chapters. The side characters that I liked from Blackwing popped up but no longer seemed to have any impact on Ryhalt and the whole thing was lacking a sense of threat. It just sort of plodded along and in all honesty I almost stopped reading it. Then the second half began and I could not put it down. The threads came together, the urgency and pace increased, the characters woke up and actually started doing things and the world building began to sparkle as it did in its predecessor. I’m frustrated the first 200 or so pages were so slow because I’m sure there will be readers who don’t stick it out to see the finale which would be a huge shame.
I enjoyed Ravencry but it was Blackwing’s brilliance that kept me reading during the slow parts. Thankfully it has a compelling and engaging final act that will definitely have me coming back for more but perhaps not with quite the same breathless anticipation I approached this one with.
Shoutout to Dan Smith (@bionicgraphics). who is doing the UK cover in particular. They are beautiful and striking and leap off the shelf the same way the bird should claw it's way out of Galharrow's arm.
7/10
Thank you to AceRoc Books for the early copy.
Ravencry continues the part of the story that really begins with Ezabeths sacrifice at the end of Blackwing. Having given herself to the light she once commanded she has become something of a legend and as if to confirm her exalted status she has a growing number of faithful acolytes and has started being witnessed in sightings and divine visions. Obviously this is a struggle for our protagonist and he must deal with this conflict within himself and his city whilst also containing the force that is the big bad whose own servants have nicked something from Crowfoot.
It’s not quite end of the world stuff and for me this was very much a book of two halves. I didn’t get that sense of ‘it’s great to be back’ in the opening chapters. The side characters that I liked from Blackwing popped up but no longer seemed to have any impact on Ryhalt and the whole thing was lacking a sense of threat. It just sort of plodded along and in all honesty I almost stopped reading it. Then the second half began and I could not put it down. The threads came together, the urgency and pace increased, the characters woke up and actually started doing things and the world building began to sparkle as it did in its predecessor. I’m frustrated the first 200 or so pages were so slow because I’m sure there will be readers who don’t stick it out to see the finale which would be a huge shame.
I enjoyed Ravencry but it was Blackwing’s brilliance that kept me reading during the slow parts. Thankfully it has a compelling and engaging final act that will definitely have me coming back for more but perhaps not with quite the same breathless anticipation I approached this one with.
Shoutout to Dan Smith (@bionicgraphics). who is doing the UK cover in particular. They are beautiful and striking and leap off the shelf the same way the bird should claw it's way out of Galharrow's arm.
7/10
Thank you to AceRoc Books for the early copy.
May 21, 2018
Faith is a powerful motivator. When the chips are down, belief in an uncertainty can serve as sufficient inspiration to rise to a task of near-impossibility. Faith might stem from a fervent adherence to religious beliefs, or devotion to a sovereign figure, or even from love itself. Ed Donald’s Ravencry explores these themes of faith and religion, as well as the dangers of interpreting and channeling the power they can provide.
Four years have passed since the events of Blackwing: Captain Ryhalt Galharrow has grown his business, increased his staff, and was gifted a large home by the city as thanks for the previous book’s events. The Deep Kings have been quiet, and the Range has not had to defend itself from any threat of drudge shambling out of the Misery. On the surface, life has improved, but Galharrow is still devastated and haunted by the loss of a loved one. He won’t return affections to a colleague, even though the mutual attraction is there. He hardly ever goes home, and prefers to drown himself in work and alcohol to avoid being along with his thoughts. Visions of his lost companion are getting stronger. And through it all, some strange occurrences begin to happen around the city: other citizens are beginning to have familiar visions inside the phos light. A man that Galharrow has killed shows up alive several weeks later. And worst of all, an item of terrible power has been stolen, and clues of the culprit lead back to a malignant figure in Galharrow’s past who is on the cusp of ascension into unspeakable evil.
As more visions and prophecies begin to cloud the minds of the city, a cult of yellow-hooded believers begins to threaten the hierarchy of the ruling class. As the city begins to descend into chaos and destruction, Ryhalt is forced to investigate how these events are connected, as well as how far his faith will carry him.
One of the more interesting threads that’s woven throughout the story is how far Ryhalt is physically and mentally tested during his investigations. Each test Ryhalt faces leans on a different aspect of Ryhalt’s abilities: he’s pushed to his absolute limit in terms of physical abuse, exhaustion, sanity, and self-sacrifice. He has always believed that the people around him are more important than his own life, so he pushes himself as far as possible with barely a moment’s thought for self-preservation. One might think that his disregard for his own life might be due to his crippling depression, but over time, Ryhalt’s reasoning morphs into something that resembles faith in something better, a belief in something more powerful than anything else the city has shown him. The audience is once again privy to Ryhalt’s inner monologue, so his journey can be difficult to endure at times. But the ultimate payoff is extraordinary.
Although this review has focused mostly on the ideas of faith and beliefs, let me be clear: there’s also a dizzying amount of violence, excitement, tragedy, and dark humor liberally spread across the back half of the story. Once the halfway point is reached, the pace quickens and the stakes heighten to a point where it was difficult to find a good place to stop, so I powered through it all in one long and nerve-wracking reading session. My only real complaint is that it took half a book to get to this point. There were a lot of pieces necessary to set the table for this story, but there was also a lack of tension or drive to move forward in the beginning chapters. At times, the story felt like it was meandering a bit, and it took a while for events to feel like they carried real narrative weight. All of that was quickly dealt with as the halfway mark neared, but it’s due to a slow opening that I didn’t give this book a higher mark.
Still, Ravencry is an exceptional middle book of a trilogy: it tells an engaging story that stands on its own two legs. It does an excellent job of incorporating major events that happened in the previous book without leaning too hard on them. It could even serve as an entry point to the series, though I wouldn’t recommend it. In Ravencry, McDonald has crafted a desolate world brimming with creativity and dark fantasy that tests the boundaries of faith and belief. Picking up the mantle of Captain Ryhalt Galhorrow was once again a thrilling and emotional ride, and while the wait for the conclusion of the trilogy will be an arduous one, I have full confidence in McDonald’s writing that he’s saving the best for last.
Thanks to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
8.5 / 10
Four years have passed since the events of Blackwing: Captain Ryhalt Galharrow has grown his business, increased his staff, and was gifted a large home by the city as thanks for the previous book’s events. The Deep Kings have been quiet, and the Range has not had to defend itself from any threat of drudge shambling out of the Misery. On the surface, life has improved, but Galharrow is still devastated and haunted by the loss of a loved one. He won’t return affections to a colleague, even though the mutual attraction is there. He hardly ever goes home, and prefers to drown himself in work and alcohol to avoid being along with his thoughts. Visions of his lost companion are getting stronger. And through it all, some strange occurrences begin to happen around the city: other citizens are beginning to have familiar visions inside the phos light. A man that Galharrow has killed shows up alive several weeks later. And worst of all, an item of terrible power has been stolen, and clues of the culprit lead back to a malignant figure in Galharrow’s past who is on the cusp of ascension into unspeakable evil.
As more visions and prophecies begin to cloud the minds of the city, a cult of yellow-hooded believers begins to threaten the hierarchy of the ruling class. As the city begins to descend into chaos and destruction, Ryhalt is forced to investigate how these events are connected, as well as how far his faith will carry him.
One of the more interesting threads that’s woven throughout the story is how far Ryhalt is physically and mentally tested during his investigations. Each test Ryhalt faces leans on a different aspect of Ryhalt’s abilities: he’s pushed to his absolute limit in terms of physical abuse, exhaustion, sanity, and self-sacrifice. He has always believed that the people around him are more important than his own life, so he pushes himself as far as possible with barely a moment’s thought for self-preservation. One might think that his disregard for his own life might be due to his crippling depression, but over time, Ryhalt’s reasoning morphs into something that resembles faith in something better, a belief in something more powerful than anything else the city has shown him. The audience is once again privy to Ryhalt’s inner monologue, so his journey can be difficult to endure at times. But the ultimate payoff is extraordinary.
Although this review has focused mostly on the ideas of faith and beliefs, let me be clear: there’s also a dizzying amount of violence, excitement, tragedy, and dark humor liberally spread across the back half of the story. Once the halfway point is reached, the pace quickens and the stakes heighten to a point where it was difficult to find a good place to stop, so I powered through it all in one long and nerve-wracking reading session. My only real complaint is that it took half a book to get to this point. There were a lot of pieces necessary to set the table for this story, but there was also a lack of tension or drive to move forward in the beginning chapters. At times, the story felt like it was meandering a bit, and it took a while for events to feel like they carried real narrative weight. All of that was quickly dealt with as the halfway mark neared, but it’s due to a slow opening that I didn’t give this book a higher mark.
Still, Ravencry is an exceptional middle book of a trilogy: it tells an engaging story that stands on its own two legs. It does an excellent job of incorporating major events that happened in the previous book without leaning too hard on them. It could even serve as an entry point to the series, though I wouldn’t recommend it. In Ravencry, McDonald has crafted a desolate world brimming with creativity and dark fantasy that tests the boundaries of faith and belief. Picking up the mantle of Captain Ryhalt Galhorrow was once again a thrilling and emotional ride, and while the wait for the conclusion of the trilogy will be an arduous one, I have full confidence in McDonald’s writing that he’s saving the best for last.
Thanks to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
8.5 / 10
June 30, 2020
Another excellent entry in this series. As good or better than the first (though the first has a very, very shocking ending that's hard to rival!).
Very much looking forward to the final instalment when I finally find time to tackle it.
Very much looking forward to the final instalment when I finally find time to tackle it.
December 9, 2022
Another great Lovecraftian noir story set in the wastelands. Just as good as book 1, though I'm not sure I liked it better than Blackwing.
What surprises me is how much of a romance this book actually is, which is fine. Additionally,
Ryhalt's parental relationship with his young ward/employee Amaira is also so real and she is one of the best preteens I've read in fantasy. I would wager that Ed McDonald has children.
There are fewer creatures, less horror, and more time in the Misery than last go, and I'm not sure I enjoyed that as much. There is another mystery to be solved but I don't think I was as invested or liked the cast quite as much as last go-around.
Also, I'd really like to see more of the Nameless or Kings but I'm not sure if that's in the cards or if they're just the "powers that be".
All in all, it was fantastic and if I'd had book 3 on my person when I finished, I'd have gone ahead and started it.
What surprises me is how much of a romance this book actually is, which is fine. Additionally,
Ryhalt's parental relationship with his young ward/employee Amaira is also so real and she is one of the best preteens I've read in fantasy. I would wager that Ed McDonald has children.
There are fewer creatures, less horror, and more time in the Misery than last go, and I'm not sure I enjoyed that as much. There is another mystery to be solved but I don't think I was as invested or liked the cast quite as much as last go-around.
Also, I'd really like to see more of the Nameless or Kings but I'm not sure if that's in the cards or if they're just the "powers that be".
All in all, it was fantastic and if I'd had book 3 on my person when I finished, I'd have gone ahead and started it.
June 22, 2020
"Ravencry" is the second book in a grim dark fantasy series featuring Ryhalt Galharrow, a Blackwing captain, and picks up about four years after the end of "Blackwing". Although "Blackwing" is recapped at the beginning of this book, I recommend reading the books in order.
My favorite part of these books is the world building. The war between the Nameless and the Deep Kings continues. Each side is assisted by its own brand of sorcerer. The factions are separated (most of the time) by a desolate territory called the Misery that is full of dangerous creatures, magical objects and death. Galharrow is bound to one of the Nameless, who summons him in a unique and painful way. He spends most of his time in the city of Valengrad, which in this book is under bombardment by the Deep Kings, overrun by fanatics and being manipulated by an ambitious and power-hungry being. I also like the characters in these books, they are resourceful and colorful, but not invincible. The books have a very high body count, so the survival of favorite characters is not guaranteed.
What I don't like about the books is that they start well and then get slow and a little boring before picking up the action again at the end. Each book ends with an exciting battle and there isn't a cliffhanger. I will definitely continue with the series.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
My favorite part of these books is the world building. The war between the Nameless and the Deep Kings continues. Each side is assisted by its own brand of sorcerer. The factions are separated (most of the time) by a desolate territory called the Misery that is full of dangerous creatures, magical objects and death. Galharrow is bound to one of the Nameless, who summons him in a unique and painful way. He spends most of his time in the city of Valengrad, which in this book is under bombardment by the Deep Kings, overrun by fanatics and being manipulated by an ambitious and power-hungry being. I also like the characters in these books, they are resourceful and colorful, but not invincible. The books have a very high body count, so the survival of favorite characters is not guaranteed.
What I don't like about the books is that they start well and then get slow and a little boring before picking up the action again at the end. Each book ends with an exciting battle and there isn't a cliffhanger. I will definitely continue with the series.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
October 28, 2021
Una novela con una trama oscura, segunda parte de la trilogía.
Me gusta mucho el ambiente y la atmósfera que crea el autor.
Estaré pendiente de la tercera parte.
Me gusta mucho el ambiente y la atmósfera que crea el autor.
Estaré pendiente de la tercera parte.
December 11, 2023
dark and dangerous paths keep you on your toes
August 16, 2018
Click here for full review:
http://outofthisworldrev.blogspot.com...
When I first read Ed McDonald's debut novel Blackwing back in the Fall of 2017, I remember distinctly thinking to myself that it was going to absolutely detonate onto the Fantasy landscape with a thunderous explosion. As a reviewer, It's always neat to read a book by a new author and just know instinctively that it will leave a huge mark with the rest of the book-buying public before too long. The book had so many elements that made it a blockbuster waiting to happen. The setting was intensely dark, the history was rich and complex, and the characters had personalities that jumped off the page and made you feel the widest range of emotions imaginable. Add to that the fact that Ed's writing is so vivid and moving, and you had the makings of one of the best Fantasy books and series to come along in quite some time. The most accurate quote regarding Blackwing that I've ever read comes from one of my favorite Fantasy authors Anthony Ryan. Ryan said about Blackwing, "Upon starting Blackwing, it quickly gained the rare distinction of being one of those books that felt as if it had been written especially for me." Not only is that incredibly high praise from a very accomplished author in the industry, it is also exactly the way that I felt when I read it last year. So when I discovered that book two of the Raven's Mark series RAVENCRY was being offered as an advance reading copy by the publisher Ace, I immediately put in a request. I just had to know how the story continued after that phenomenal first book. After a long month and what seemed like an eternity, I opened my email to find out that I had been approved to receive a copy and I practically jumped out of my shoes I was so elated. I wondered if Ed could match the brilliance of Blackwing or even somehow surpass it. It just so happens that my receiving a review copy also coincided with our family vacation to South Carolina, so I was more than a little excited that RAVENCRY would be accompanying me on the beach for a solid week of reading and relaxation. Just a quick warning to those who haven't read the first book, there may be some spoilers ahead in my review, so please keep that in mind should you choose to continue reading. And now without further delay, on to RAVENCRY...
RAVENCRY begins about three years following the aftermath of the catastrophic events of book one. The Blackwing are in a state of flux, their master and one of the Nameless, Crowfoot now fighting the Deep Kings on another plane of existence and Captain Ryhalt Galharrow left beaten both physically and mentally by the brutal encounters with the Darlings and Drudge in the previous book. Ryhalt is admittedly grayer and more battle-scarred in this installment. He is also absolutely haunted by the loss of his beloved Ezabeth, who fell during the chaos that erupted along the Misery years earlier. To say that he is still struggling mightily with that loss is an understatement and it definitely comes through in his demeanor and actions throughout the story. Valengrad is a shambles and is being torn apart at the seems by continuing instability and political infighting. Making things worse is a cult calling itself The Order of the Bright Lady has also taken root in the city, only serving to further destabilize the area. The Bright Lady being a mysterious figure who her followers say has come to save those who remain following the previous carnage. The identity of The Bright Lady and the reasons why she has garnered such a following in such a short amount of time are very much a mystery. With this as a backdrop, Ryhalt Galharrow is sent a message from Crowfoot through his raven telling him that Crowfoot's lair has somehow been breached and something of vital importance may have been taken from it. Ryhalt's worse fears are confirmed when upon arriving at the lair he discovers that Crowfoot's powerful wards have all been destroyed and dozens of guards slaughtered in an apparent theft. Ryhalt knows instantly that whoever did this had to be a sorcerer or being of immense and incalculable power and the thought that someone or something could even do this is unthinkable. It is discovered that the artifact that was taken was something that if in the wrong hands, could make the holder of it almost immortal and impervious to any harm. Ryhalt has his suspicions of who the culprit may be and knows that he must find them soon and reclaim the artifact before it can be put to the worst of uses. In addition to this he must also find a way to deal with the constant bombing of Valengrad originating from the Misery that is killing people by the hundreds every night. There is a feeling deep in the pit of the Blackwing Captain's stomach that the Deep Kings and the Empire are amassing at the border for one final assault that could spell the end for Valengrad, and every soul living within it. Can the Blackwing avert this disaster and will Ryhalt be able to find whoever stole Crowfoot's artifact before disaster strike? What part does the Bright Lady play in all of this? The answers to these questions await you in this pivotal second book of The Raven's Mark.
My first thought when I finished the last page of RAVENCRY was how in the world was I going to write a review that would even come close to doing it justice? No matter what I come up with, this book needs to be experienced not simply described. But since I am a book reviewer, I will do my best with the words that I have available. To say that RAVENCRY is a triumph would be to do it an injustice. As fantastic as Blackwing was, this book only serves to double down on the emotion, the misery, and the tortured characters who you live and die with at every turn of the page. Ed McDonald has done something that very few writers can do in that he has crafted a second book that is even better than the first. No small feat when you consider the high standard that was set with his debut offering. Where Blackwing was a masterful piano concerto, RAVENCRY is a blistering symphony replete with violent eruptions of woodwind, string, and timpani. McDonald makes you feel the impact of every bomb hitting the city of Valengrad, sympathize with the plight of every character, root for the heroes as they do everything in their power to thwart the evil that awaits them beyond the Misery. This book has zero wasted words, every scene is important to what happens next and quite often it is something that jars you to tears and assaults your senses. RAVENCRY will leave you physically and emotionally exhausted when done but at the same time glad that you decided to take the entire journey from beginning to end. And just like George RR Martin, Ed McDonald can't help but have you fall in love with the characters and get emotionally invested, only to see them tested in the most violent and torturous of ways. It truly is an art that few authors can pull off in such an economy of page count. If you enjoy deep Fantasy writing that matters, please pick up RAVENCRY. The book will be officially available for purchase in the U.S. on August 21st. I would recommend reading book one Blackwing before starting this book however. The background gained from the first is essential in experiencing the full impact of the events that occur in book two. Thank you Ed McDonald for giving us such an incredible world to live in for a while. Can't wait to see what comes next!
http://outofthisworldrev.blogspot.com...
When I first read Ed McDonald's debut novel Blackwing back in the Fall of 2017, I remember distinctly thinking to myself that it was going to absolutely detonate onto the Fantasy landscape with a thunderous explosion. As a reviewer, It's always neat to read a book by a new author and just know instinctively that it will leave a huge mark with the rest of the book-buying public before too long. The book had so many elements that made it a blockbuster waiting to happen. The setting was intensely dark, the history was rich and complex, and the characters had personalities that jumped off the page and made you feel the widest range of emotions imaginable. Add to that the fact that Ed's writing is so vivid and moving, and you had the makings of one of the best Fantasy books and series to come along in quite some time. The most accurate quote regarding Blackwing that I've ever read comes from one of my favorite Fantasy authors Anthony Ryan. Ryan said about Blackwing, "Upon starting Blackwing, it quickly gained the rare distinction of being one of those books that felt as if it had been written especially for me." Not only is that incredibly high praise from a very accomplished author in the industry, it is also exactly the way that I felt when I read it last year. So when I discovered that book two of the Raven's Mark series RAVENCRY was being offered as an advance reading copy by the publisher Ace, I immediately put in a request. I just had to know how the story continued after that phenomenal first book. After a long month and what seemed like an eternity, I opened my email to find out that I had been approved to receive a copy and I practically jumped out of my shoes I was so elated. I wondered if Ed could match the brilliance of Blackwing or even somehow surpass it. It just so happens that my receiving a review copy also coincided with our family vacation to South Carolina, so I was more than a little excited that RAVENCRY would be accompanying me on the beach for a solid week of reading and relaxation. Just a quick warning to those who haven't read the first book, there may be some spoilers ahead in my review, so please keep that in mind should you choose to continue reading. And now without further delay, on to RAVENCRY...
RAVENCRY begins about three years following the aftermath of the catastrophic events of book one. The Blackwing are in a state of flux, their master and one of the Nameless, Crowfoot now fighting the Deep Kings on another plane of existence and Captain Ryhalt Galharrow left beaten both physically and mentally by the brutal encounters with the Darlings and Drudge in the previous book. Ryhalt is admittedly grayer and more battle-scarred in this installment. He is also absolutely haunted by the loss of his beloved Ezabeth, who fell during the chaos that erupted along the Misery years earlier. To say that he is still struggling mightily with that loss is an understatement and it definitely comes through in his demeanor and actions throughout the story. Valengrad is a shambles and is being torn apart at the seems by continuing instability and political infighting. Making things worse is a cult calling itself The Order of the Bright Lady has also taken root in the city, only serving to further destabilize the area. The Bright Lady being a mysterious figure who her followers say has come to save those who remain following the previous carnage. The identity of The Bright Lady and the reasons why she has garnered such a following in such a short amount of time are very much a mystery. With this as a backdrop, Ryhalt Galharrow is sent a message from Crowfoot through his raven telling him that Crowfoot's lair has somehow been breached and something of vital importance may have been taken from it. Ryhalt's worse fears are confirmed when upon arriving at the lair he discovers that Crowfoot's powerful wards have all been destroyed and dozens of guards slaughtered in an apparent theft. Ryhalt knows instantly that whoever did this had to be a sorcerer or being of immense and incalculable power and the thought that someone or something could even do this is unthinkable. It is discovered that the artifact that was taken was something that if in the wrong hands, could make the holder of it almost immortal and impervious to any harm. Ryhalt has his suspicions of who the culprit may be and knows that he must find them soon and reclaim the artifact before it can be put to the worst of uses. In addition to this he must also find a way to deal with the constant bombing of Valengrad originating from the Misery that is killing people by the hundreds every night. There is a feeling deep in the pit of the Blackwing Captain's stomach that the Deep Kings and the Empire are amassing at the border for one final assault that could spell the end for Valengrad, and every soul living within it. Can the Blackwing avert this disaster and will Ryhalt be able to find whoever stole Crowfoot's artifact before disaster strike? What part does the Bright Lady play in all of this? The answers to these questions await you in this pivotal second book of The Raven's Mark.
My first thought when I finished the last page of RAVENCRY was how in the world was I going to write a review that would even come close to doing it justice? No matter what I come up with, this book needs to be experienced not simply described. But since I am a book reviewer, I will do my best with the words that I have available. To say that RAVENCRY is a triumph would be to do it an injustice. As fantastic as Blackwing was, this book only serves to double down on the emotion, the misery, and the tortured characters who you live and die with at every turn of the page. Ed McDonald has done something that very few writers can do in that he has crafted a second book that is even better than the first. No small feat when you consider the high standard that was set with his debut offering. Where Blackwing was a masterful piano concerto, RAVENCRY is a blistering symphony replete with violent eruptions of woodwind, string, and timpani. McDonald makes you feel the impact of every bomb hitting the city of Valengrad, sympathize with the plight of every character, root for the heroes as they do everything in their power to thwart the evil that awaits them beyond the Misery. This book has zero wasted words, every scene is important to what happens next and quite often it is something that jars you to tears and assaults your senses. RAVENCRY will leave you physically and emotionally exhausted when done but at the same time glad that you decided to take the entire journey from beginning to end. And just like George RR Martin, Ed McDonald can't help but have you fall in love with the characters and get emotionally invested, only to see them tested in the most violent and torturous of ways. It truly is an art that few authors can pull off in such an economy of page count. If you enjoy deep Fantasy writing that matters, please pick up RAVENCRY. The book will be officially available for purchase in the U.S. on August 21st. I would recommend reading book one Blackwing before starting this book however. The background gained from the first is essential in experiencing the full impact of the events that occur in book two. Thank you Ed McDonald for giving us such an incredible world to live in for a while. Can't wait to see what comes next!
September 9, 2019
The Good: Compelling characters (and creatures!), plot twists aplenty, and a return to one of the most nightmarish landscapes in fantasy, this time cranked up on the creep-out factor.
The Bad: After a strong start, I personally felt that the foot came off the gas pedal while some of the investigative meandering got underway, but once that was done and dusted, it certainly picked up again.
The Ugly Truth: No sane person would ever go into the Misery without good reason, let alone go back again, but Ravencry is a warm welcome back to the nightmarish dystopia from Ed McDonald. Ryhalt Galharrow – fantasy’s answer to Luther – returns with a bang and a crash, and it is his strengths but more importantly his weaknesses that make this story of human perseverance against inhuman forces all the more enthralling.
The Full Review: Ravencry is the second book in Ed McDonald’s Raven’s Mark series, published by Gollancz in the UK, and Ace in the US (with a number of rights sales in other countries).
Ravencry picks up a few years after the events of Blackwing. The city of Valengrad has moved on, recovered the best it can, assured of their safety thanks to the power of Nall’s engine. Ryhalt Galharrow, Blackwing Captain, knows the truth, but he is haunted by more than just secrets. Having lost someone near and dear, gone but certainly not forgotten, he continues to fight the good fight against defectors, the Drudge, and all others loyal to the dreaded Deep Kings, as well as the monstrosities of the Misery. But when a new threat strikes at the heart of Valengrad, and a ‘saviour’ strikes at Galharrow’s heart, its down to Blackwing to confront both of them.
I was a big fan of Blackwing, and I am a big fan of Ravencry, though I will say it was a little different than I expected. That’s not a bad thing, but it did leave me thinking ‘is the entire book going to be like this?’ The main reason I felt like this was because some of the investigation work at the start felt a bit meandering to me, but like any good detective-type set-up, the little leads are the clues to the conspiracy, and the pay-off was well worth the pursuit. And at the end, all the loose ends were tied up, though there was enough rope left dangling within reach ready to climb into book 3.
Which leads me nicely to the detective himself: Ryhalt Galharrow.
Galharrow is your more-than-meets-the-eye gruff ruffian. He’s a brute with a heart of gold beneath the grime. The DCI Luther of fantasyland’s grimdark fairytale. In this outing, Galharrow does wallow in his own self-pity a touch, which combined with the meandering I mentioned earlier wasn’t as enjoyable for me, but once things got underway, and Galharrow kicked into fight-or-flight mode, he came out swinging. Galharrow is one of those rare characters that runs the full gambit of human emotion, growth, strengths and weaknesses (shout out to another favourite of mine in this field: Girton Clubfoot from RJ Barker’s Wounded Kingdom books aka Assassin books).
Which is why, on the note of getting underway, this is a 5-star read for me. It was hovering at 4-stars for the first two-thirds, but once it got to act 3 (I’ve just checked: page 257 of 414, so yeah, near-as-damn-it thirds it is!) out came the big guns blasting their way to 5-star. From then on it was Galharrow at his best – and WORST – doing anything and everything to survive. And I mean everything.
Other characters are equally as strong in their presence. Maldon is a big favourite for me, as is Nenn. I won’t go into detail for fear of spoilers, but the cast is a fully-fleshed out who’s-who ready to get stripped back to their bones by the baddies.
The worldbuilding remains strong with this one, and after the brief outings into the Misery in Blackwing, I was thrilled to be back in the dystopian lithium-fuelled nuclear wastes of nightmare. Valengrad too is a welcome return, and the developments to society following the events of Blackwing are a nice touch that add to the world as well as the plot.
McDonald too has grown as a writer in Ravencry. He is able to cram huge amounts of information into a few lines, an enviable skill, and his ideas continue to come thick and fast on the page. Not to labour the point, but the ending scenes in the third act were a rollercoaster ride of ‘this is a bad idea, but it might work!’
Another thing to note was the big nod to the Blitz during the Second World War. I won’t go into this for fear of spoilers, but I haven’t read a fantasy book with anything like this in it before.
The Raven’s Mark series is grim. It is dark. But I wouldn’t necessarily tag it with the gloom and doom of ‘Grimdark’. There’s a lot of hope and heart in the books, and this is where Ravencry really shines. Ravencry is a story of human perseverance, and when you take out the dystopian elements and the overall ‘bad’ world (in which the main character has to clean up the mess that’s been made) it’s a love story at its core.
In closing, if you like characters who are damned if they do and damned if they don’t, with a hefty dose of dystopian worldbuilding and devilish creatures, this is a cracker of a series, and Ravencry is one of those rare books that beats the ‘difficult second book’ syndrome.
For me, Ravencry was a different beast to Blackwing, and I am excited to see whether Crowfall goes back to its roots or heads off in a new direction entirely.
The Bad: After a strong start, I personally felt that the foot came off the gas pedal while some of the investigative meandering got underway, but once that was done and dusted, it certainly picked up again.
The Ugly Truth: No sane person would ever go into the Misery without good reason, let alone go back again, but Ravencry is a warm welcome back to the nightmarish dystopia from Ed McDonald. Ryhalt Galharrow – fantasy’s answer to Luther – returns with a bang and a crash, and it is his strengths but more importantly his weaknesses that make this story of human perseverance against inhuman forces all the more enthralling.
The Full Review: Ravencry is the second book in Ed McDonald’s Raven’s Mark series, published by Gollancz in the UK, and Ace in the US (with a number of rights sales in other countries).
Ravencry picks up a few years after the events of Blackwing. The city of Valengrad has moved on, recovered the best it can, assured of their safety thanks to the power of Nall’s engine. Ryhalt Galharrow, Blackwing Captain, knows the truth, but he is haunted by more than just secrets. Having lost someone near and dear, gone but certainly not forgotten, he continues to fight the good fight against defectors, the Drudge, and all others loyal to the dreaded Deep Kings, as well as the monstrosities of the Misery. But when a new threat strikes at the heart of Valengrad, and a ‘saviour’ strikes at Galharrow’s heart, its down to Blackwing to confront both of them.
I was a big fan of Blackwing, and I am a big fan of Ravencry, though I will say it was a little different than I expected. That’s not a bad thing, but it did leave me thinking ‘is the entire book going to be like this?’ The main reason I felt like this was because some of the investigation work at the start felt a bit meandering to me, but like any good detective-type set-up, the little leads are the clues to the conspiracy, and the pay-off was well worth the pursuit. And at the end, all the loose ends were tied up, though there was enough rope left dangling within reach ready to climb into book 3.
Which leads me nicely to the detective himself: Ryhalt Galharrow.
Galharrow is your more-than-meets-the-eye gruff ruffian. He’s a brute with a heart of gold beneath the grime. The DCI Luther of fantasyland’s grimdark fairytale. In this outing, Galharrow does wallow in his own self-pity a touch, which combined with the meandering I mentioned earlier wasn’t as enjoyable for me, but once things got underway, and Galharrow kicked into fight-or-flight mode, he came out swinging. Galharrow is one of those rare characters that runs the full gambit of human emotion, growth, strengths and weaknesses (shout out to another favourite of mine in this field: Girton Clubfoot from RJ Barker’s Wounded Kingdom books aka Assassin books).
Which is why, on the note of getting underway, this is a 5-star read for me. It was hovering at 4-stars for the first two-thirds, but once it got to act 3 (I’ve just checked: page 257 of 414, so yeah, near-as-damn-it thirds it is!) out came the big guns blasting their way to 5-star. From then on it was Galharrow at his best – and WORST – doing anything and everything to survive. And I mean everything.
Other characters are equally as strong in their presence. Maldon is a big favourite for me, as is Nenn. I won’t go into detail for fear of spoilers, but the cast is a fully-fleshed out who’s-who ready to get stripped back to their bones by the baddies.
The worldbuilding remains strong with this one, and after the brief outings into the Misery in Blackwing, I was thrilled to be back in the dystopian lithium-fuelled nuclear wastes of nightmare. Valengrad too is a welcome return, and the developments to society following the events of Blackwing are a nice touch that add to the world as well as the plot.
McDonald too has grown as a writer in Ravencry. He is able to cram huge amounts of information into a few lines, an enviable skill, and his ideas continue to come thick and fast on the page. Not to labour the point, but the ending scenes in the third act were a rollercoaster ride of ‘this is a bad idea, but it might work!’
Another thing to note was the big nod to the Blitz during the Second World War. I won’t go into this for fear of spoilers, but I haven’t read a fantasy book with anything like this in it before.
The Raven’s Mark series is grim. It is dark. But I wouldn’t necessarily tag it with the gloom and doom of ‘Grimdark’. There’s a lot of hope and heart in the books, and this is where Ravencry really shines. Ravencry is a story of human perseverance, and when you take out the dystopian elements and the overall ‘bad’ world (in which the main character has to clean up the mess that’s been made) it’s a love story at its core.
In closing, if you like characters who are damned if they do and damned if they don’t, with a hefty dose of dystopian worldbuilding and devilish creatures, this is a cracker of a series, and Ravencry is one of those rare books that beats the ‘difficult second book’ syndrome.
For me, Ravencry was a different beast to Blackwing, and I am excited to see whether Crowfall goes back to its roots or heads off in a new direction entirely.
October 8, 2018
3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/10/06/...
Don’t know why, but lately it feels like I’ve been striking out a lot with hyped books. My latest disappointment: Ravencry by Ed McDonald. The praise I’ve been seeing for it has been damn near universal. Most reviews I saw also lauded it for being even better than the first book.
However, this is probably the area where my opinion differs. While Ravencry was a good read, I don’t really believe it lived up to the standards set by its predecessor. In fact, the strength of the first book—and to some degree, my feelings that I owed it to my enjoyment of Blackwing to see this one through—was one of the few things that kept me reading even when the drive to continue was low.
As a sequel, I think Ravencry sought to do all the right things, including an attempt to build upon everything that made the previous novel so great. A few years have passed since we last saw Captain Ryhalt Galharrow at the end of Blackwing, but peace continues to elude our unhappy protagonist. The events that took place in the conclusion of the first book have left him damaged and grieving, though he makes a valiant effort to push on through the dark times and get over his loss.
But in the heart of the city, a cult known as The Order of the Bright Lady has emerged and taken root. Their goddess is supposedly a savior come to offer salvation to those who survived the horrible carnage. More and more, she is appearing in what her acolytes are calling divine visions, growing the order’s influence. The situation worsens as Galharrow is unexpectedly called upon by his patron, Crowfoot, to investigate a powerful artifact stolen from the Nameless’ vault. Now the captain and his fellow mercenary Blackwings must get to the bottom of this theft, a mission that will require them to venture deep into the Misery, the expansive wasteland of corrupted magic where all your worst memories and nightmares come to life.
I hate to say it, because to its credit, Ravencry features many of the same elements and follows many of the same patterns as Blackwing. The problem was that it was much too slow. That said, I did enjoy the introduction. We had a fantastic opening, which refamiliarized us with Galharrow, who hasn’t really changed much since we last saw him, though now carries the extra burden of mourning for someone close he lost. I thoroughly enjoyed the book through the scene at the opera, the awkward moment where our protagonist witnesses a weak and sickly bird burst through the tattoo on his arm to bring him a dire message while trying to hide in a public restroom (which I actually found darkly funny), and then the subsequent rush to inspect the breached vault.
But then we run smack into a brick wall in terms of pacing. One problem was that there was so much exposition and dialogue, a lot of centered on established character and world-building points I already knew. Pages would go by where I felt little to no progress would be made on the overarching plot. Fresh elements were on the whole few and far between, while old ideas were retreaded. I just didn’t feel as galvanized or enthusiastic about the premise this time around.
In some ways, I think McDonald tried to catch lightning in a bottle twice by sticking close to the playbook and with what has worked before, but I can’t help but think it might have backfired. The good news though, is that if you enjoyed Blackwing, there is little reason why you shouldn’t enjoy Ravencry as well, since the two books are so similar in vein. I also don’t want to sound too negative, because this was certainly not a bad book, and I do wish to stress that. However, as someone who reads a huge volume of books each year, with sequels making up a large bulk of that, I know what works and what doesn’t for me. I prefer sequels that not only retain the strengths of the original, but perhaps strive to go above and beyond them as well, and here is where I think a lot of second-books-in-a-series struggle.
All in all, I’m going with a middling rating for this one. There were moments of brilliance in Ravencry, most notably in the beginning and at the end, but broadly speaking, it was slow-going. I will continue watching this series, but I’ll probably be more on guard with the next novel.
Don’t know why, but lately it feels like I’ve been striking out a lot with hyped books. My latest disappointment: Ravencry by Ed McDonald. The praise I’ve been seeing for it has been damn near universal. Most reviews I saw also lauded it for being even better than the first book.
However, this is probably the area where my opinion differs. While Ravencry was a good read, I don’t really believe it lived up to the standards set by its predecessor. In fact, the strength of the first book—and to some degree, my feelings that I owed it to my enjoyment of Blackwing to see this one through—was one of the few things that kept me reading even when the drive to continue was low.
As a sequel, I think Ravencry sought to do all the right things, including an attempt to build upon everything that made the previous novel so great. A few years have passed since we last saw Captain Ryhalt Galharrow at the end of Blackwing, but peace continues to elude our unhappy protagonist. The events that took place in the conclusion of the first book have left him damaged and grieving, though he makes a valiant effort to push on through the dark times and get over his loss.
But in the heart of the city, a cult known as The Order of the Bright Lady has emerged and taken root. Their goddess is supposedly a savior come to offer salvation to those who survived the horrible carnage. More and more, she is appearing in what her acolytes are calling divine visions, growing the order’s influence. The situation worsens as Galharrow is unexpectedly called upon by his patron, Crowfoot, to investigate a powerful artifact stolen from the Nameless’ vault. Now the captain and his fellow mercenary Blackwings must get to the bottom of this theft, a mission that will require them to venture deep into the Misery, the expansive wasteland of corrupted magic where all your worst memories and nightmares come to life.
I hate to say it, because to its credit, Ravencry features many of the same elements and follows many of the same patterns as Blackwing. The problem was that it was much too slow. That said, I did enjoy the introduction. We had a fantastic opening, which refamiliarized us with Galharrow, who hasn’t really changed much since we last saw him, though now carries the extra burden of mourning for someone close he lost. I thoroughly enjoyed the book through the scene at the opera, the awkward moment where our protagonist witnesses a weak and sickly bird burst through the tattoo on his arm to bring him a dire message while trying to hide in a public restroom (which I actually found darkly funny), and then the subsequent rush to inspect the breached vault.
But then we run smack into a brick wall in terms of pacing. One problem was that there was so much exposition and dialogue, a lot of centered on established character and world-building points I already knew. Pages would go by where I felt little to no progress would be made on the overarching plot. Fresh elements were on the whole few and far between, while old ideas were retreaded. I just didn’t feel as galvanized or enthusiastic about the premise this time around.
In some ways, I think McDonald tried to catch lightning in a bottle twice by sticking close to the playbook and with what has worked before, but I can’t help but think it might have backfired. The good news though, is that if you enjoyed Blackwing, there is little reason why you shouldn’t enjoy Ravencry as well, since the two books are so similar in vein. I also don’t want to sound too negative, because this was certainly not a bad book, and I do wish to stress that. However, as someone who reads a huge volume of books each year, with sequels making up a large bulk of that, I know what works and what doesn’t for me. I prefer sequels that not only retain the strengths of the original, but perhaps strive to go above and beyond them as well, and here is where I think a lot of second-books-in-a-series struggle.
All in all, I’m going with a middling rating for this one. There were moments of brilliance in Ravencry, most notably in the beginning and at the end, but broadly speaking, it was slow-going. I will continue watching this series, but I’ll probably be more on guard with the next novel.
December 6, 2019
Enjoyed Ravencry which is the sequel to Blackwing. There were parts that were neat and gritty with a western ish feel to it all. I love the Misery and its dark twisted magic that fouls the air. It continues with one POV as in book one. Galharrow is the MC and I like him as a character, flawed in many ways. Doing his duty in this grim world with fading hope. The atmosphere comes over quite well through his thoughts, views and interactions. This sequel didn't spark as much interest as Blackwing did and also fell more flat. Some dialogues were too simplistic/ static and repetitive. I am still curious for the last installment! This wasn't a bad book at all. But there were too many parts that I didn't click with on a personal level.
October 24, 2019
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I have such a good time with this book! After reading and enjoying Blackwing, I wanted to continue with the series before letting too much time elapse. After listening to a sample of the audiobook, I decided to go that route. I was enjoying myself but somewhere around the midpoint of the book, I admitted to myself that some of the details of the story were getting past me. I continued with the book but decided that I was going to have to listen to it a second time because I didn't want to miss anything. So I did. Yes, I started this audiobook over again at the beginning just as soon as I finished it. I did pick up on quite a few things that I missed the first time around on my second listen and found that I really enjoyed the story a whole lot more so it was a good decision. I guess you could say that I liked this book since I liked it enough to listen to it twice!
This book is set about 4 years after the events of the first book. Ryhalt is still the leader of Blackwing and is working with his group. He knows things that would be dangerous if others found out but he knows how to keep things to himself when necessary. This book jumps right into the action with Ryhalt leaving a meeting in a rather unconventional manner just to stay alive. When he sees a man that he is sure he recently killed, he knows that something is going on. Plus there is the small matter of an important and powerful item that goes missing. I knew that Ryhalt had his work cut out for him.
This book was just as dark and bloody as I expected it to be after reading the previous installment. The story is set in a cruel world where things can and often do go wrong. Things are rather desperate at times and I was more than a little worried about the safety of all of the key characters. I loved the way that the reader has a chance to really get to know these characters better in this installment. A lot of the book is centered solely on Ryhalt and I felt that his actions showed exactly what kind of man he is. I thought that a couple of other characters important in his life were wonderfully developed so that they had a bigger impact on the overall story.
Colin Mace was the perfect narrator for this book. If you had asked me what Ryhalt Garharrow sounded like after reading the first book, I couldn't have come up with anything that fits better than this narrator. I think that he really was able to bring this story to life. His reading added excitement, desperation, hope, and uncertainty of the story when appropriate. I believe that his narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story and I plan to listen to more of his work.
I would highly recommend this story to others. It is a gritty fantasy that is well crafted and entertaining. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series!
I received a digital review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley and I purchased a copy of the audiobook.
Initial Thoughts
This is probably a 4.5 read but I am rounding up for now. I decided to listen to the audiobook for this one and thought that the narration really made the story even more impressive. This was very well done. I actually listened to the book twice back to back just to make sure I hadn't missed anything. This was a dark story and at times it felt hopeless but I was always impressed by the quality of the storytelling. I can't wait to get started on the next book.
I have such a good time with this book! After reading and enjoying Blackwing, I wanted to continue with the series before letting too much time elapse. After listening to a sample of the audiobook, I decided to go that route. I was enjoying myself but somewhere around the midpoint of the book, I admitted to myself that some of the details of the story were getting past me. I continued with the book but decided that I was going to have to listen to it a second time because I didn't want to miss anything. So I did. Yes, I started this audiobook over again at the beginning just as soon as I finished it. I did pick up on quite a few things that I missed the first time around on my second listen and found that I really enjoyed the story a whole lot more so it was a good decision. I guess you could say that I liked this book since I liked it enough to listen to it twice!
This book is set about 4 years after the events of the first book. Ryhalt is still the leader of Blackwing and is working with his group. He knows things that would be dangerous if others found out but he knows how to keep things to himself when necessary. This book jumps right into the action with Ryhalt leaving a meeting in a rather unconventional manner just to stay alive. When he sees a man that he is sure he recently killed, he knows that something is going on. Plus there is the small matter of an important and powerful item that goes missing. I knew that Ryhalt had his work cut out for him.
This book was just as dark and bloody as I expected it to be after reading the previous installment. The story is set in a cruel world where things can and often do go wrong. Things are rather desperate at times and I was more than a little worried about the safety of all of the key characters. I loved the way that the reader has a chance to really get to know these characters better in this installment. A lot of the book is centered solely on Ryhalt and I felt that his actions showed exactly what kind of man he is. I thought that a couple of other characters important in his life were wonderfully developed so that they had a bigger impact on the overall story.
Colin Mace was the perfect narrator for this book. If you had asked me what Ryhalt Garharrow sounded like after reading the first book, I couldn't have come up with anything that fits better than this narrator. I think that he really was able to bring this story to life. His reading added excitement, desperation, hope, and uncertainty of the story when appropriate. I believe that his narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story and I plan to listen to more of his work.
I would highly recommend this story to others. It is a gritty fantasy that is well crafted and entertaining. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series!
I received a digital review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley and I purchased a copy of the audiobook.
Initial Thoughts
This is probably a 4.5 read but I am rounding up for now. I decided to listen to the audiobook for this one and thought that the narration really made the story even more impressive. This was very well done. I actually listened to the book twice back to back just to make sure I hadn't missed anything. This was a dark story and at times it felt hopeless but I was always impressed by the quality of the storytelling. I can't wait to get started on the next book.
October 15, 2022
Surprise is a powerful thing. We fall into bubbles of calm and become sluggish. The kill in our brains gets turned off and the fight-or-flight response gets clouded. These men weren't professionals. Opportunists, maybe. They wore city-swords, the kind of spindly things that have a fancy hilt to impress at parties and a blade that wouldn't cut cheese. I doubted that they had ever been charged by a big, angry, determined man with a cutlass in hand.
Life is all about new experiences.
Loved this followup to Blackwing. Ed McDonald took all the promise of the first book, capitalised on it, and made a sequel that pushes the story in just the right places. It's still fantasy mixed with cosmic horror mixed with that urban, flintlock setting that produces such an effective atmosphere, and in this one I saw a tinge of noir atmosphere around the edges, too - that lone hero, battered and bruised and risking everything to stand up against insurmountable odds.
Put that way, everything Lovecraftish has that edge, but it's so easy to take it in a direction that loses me completely - too grim, too unrelentingly hopeless. Ed McDonald doesn't hold back even slightly when it comes to terrible or heartbreaking, but he pulls off the balance by giving Ryhalt people to fight for, and despite himself, he's hopeful. That pushes through to the reader, and makes it our fight too - I couldn't look away from the page.
Absolutely brilliant series so far, and some breadcrumbs for the third dropped in this that have me very keen to get onto it, even if I'm not ready to finish the trilogy yet and say goodbye. Thank goodness for rereads.
Life is all about new experiences.
Loved this followup to Blackwing. Ed McDonald took all the promise of the first book, capitalised on it, and made a sequel that pushes the story in just the right places. It's still fantasy mixed with cosmic horror mixed with that urban, flintlock setting that produces such an effective atmosphere, and in this one I saw a tinge of noir atmosphere around the edges, too - that lone hero, battered and bruised and risking everything to stand up against insurmountable odds.
Put that way, everything Lovecraftish has that edge, but it's so easy to take it in a direction that loses me completely - too grim, too unrelentingly hopeless. Ed McDonald doesn't hold back even slightly when it comes to terrible or heartbreaking, but he pulls off the balance by giving Ryhalt people to fight for, and despite himself, he's hopeful. That pushes through to the reader, and makes it our fight too - I couldn't look away from the page.
Absolutely brilliant series so far, and some breadcrumbs for the third dropped in this that have me very keen to get onto it, even if I'm not ready to finish the trilogy yet and say goodbye. Thank goodness for rereads.
May 8, 2018
I loved Blackwing. I couldn't wait to put my hands on Ravencry. And when I finally did a strange thing happened. I couldn't get into it. I struggled. I tried hard. All in vain.
I DNF-ed it at 46% of the ebook. I've read three other books and then decided to try once again. A wise decision - this time the story managed to suck me in momentarily.
Blackwing wasn't the most joyous book of 2017. It was dark and bleak. Ravencry makes Blackwing sound like a gentle fairy tale. It's one of the darkest books I've ever read.
Four years have passed since Nall’s Engine drove the Deep Kings back across the Misery, but it doesn't mean the Reach became a safer place. Nope. Things get worse when Crowfoot's arcane vault is breached and an object of terrible power is stolen. Galharrow and his Blackwing team will have to save Valengrad. To do so, they must return to the Misery. If you've read Blackwing, you probably trembled upon reading this name. Cool Kids of Doom (Darling) appear to wreak havoc and turn lives into misery. And they're not even the scariest creatures in the book.
On many levels, it's a devastating, violent and cruel book. Characters you love, die. Ryhalt's emotional state is unbearable at times. Physically, he's not much better. He had way too many cigars, way too many brandies. The guy's worldview is heavy. Not surprising given Ed McDonald's enjoyment in tormenting his characters and driving them insane.
Ryhalt's wry sense of humor brings a bit of relief to all the drama. But just a bit. Here's a cool sample:
The pacing becomes breakneck in the second half of the book, but I had the impression that at times, especially in the beginning, the author tries to pack too much lore and world-building into certain parts of the narrative. As I've mentioned in the beginning, there were whole chapters where I lost focus and grew bored. To be fair, though, the second half of the book was terrific. Heart-breaking, violent and just stunning.
The finale was crazy. It'll be fascinating to see what'll happen next and I'll definitely read next book in the series.
I've received the copy of the book through NetGalley.
I DNF-ed it at 46% of the ebook. I've read three other books and then decided to try once again. A wise decision - this time the story managed to suck me in momentarily.
Life is merciless. She doesn't care if you're old, young, man or woman, loved or reviled. The only thing you can count on is that you're going to be treated with as little fairness as everyone else
Blackwing wasn't the most joyous book of 2017. It was dark and bleak. Ravencry makes Blackwing sound like a gentle fairy tale. It's one of the darkest books I've ever read.
Four years have passed since Nall’s Engine drove the Deep Kings back across the Misery, but it doesn't mean the Reach became a safer place. Nope. Things get worse when Crowfoot's arcane vault is breached and an object of terrible power is stolen. Galharrow and his Blackwing team will have to save Valengrad. To do so, they must return to the Misery. If you've read Blackwing, you probably trembled upon reading this name. Cool Kids of Doom (Darling) appear to wreak havoc and turn lives into misery. And they're not even the scariest creatures in the book.
On many levels, it's a devastating, violent and cruel book. Characters you love, die. Ryhalt's emotional state is unbearable at times. Physically, he's not much better. He had way too many cigars, way too many brandies. The guy's worldview is heavy. Not surprising given Ed McDonald's enjoyment in tormenting his characters and driving them insane.
Ryhalt's wry sense of humor brings a bit of relief to all the drama. But just a bit. Here's a cool sample:
I was terrified. Really, deeply terrified. XXX wasn't here in person, but there were few living creatures that inspired as much fear in me as he did. The Deep Kings, the Nameless, the jellyfish thing under the northern Misery sands, and maybe my mother.
The pacing becomes breakneck in the second half of the book, but I had the impression that at times, especially in the beginning, the author tries to pack too much lore and world-building into certain parts of the narrative. As I've mentioned in the beginning, there were whole chapters where I lost focus and grew bored. To be fair, though, the second half of the book was terrific. Heart-breaking, violent and just stunning.
The finale was crazy. It'll be fascinating to see what'll happen next and I'll definitely read next book in the series.
I've received the copy of the book through NetGalley.
June 29, 2018
This book was ‘I’m crying as I read the last page‘ kind of good. Damn it to all hells, but McDonald truly topped Blackwing with the sequel.
I could spin the usual yarn about how I was gripped from the first page- sucked right back into this world McDonald had created. I could tell you how I LOVED riding in the coat tails of Ryhalt Galharrow again. Because I did… I could tell you how magnificent it was to yet again experience the smooth ride of McDonald’s writing… but, if you’re familiar with this series already, then all of this is no news to you.
I could tell you about certain events in the book- but what use would that be? I can hardly take their glory and dull it all by recycling it to you. You either read fantasy, or you don’t. You are either familiar with Ed McDonald’s books or you aren’t… fact remains, if you are familiar and you do read fantasy, you’ll also know that what I would have to say about the plot wouldn’t make a blind bit of difference. You’re going to read it anyway! And you’re going to love it! To the Misery and back, boi!
After finishing the first page of the book, I put it down, sighed and thought to myself- Ryhalt! How I’ve missed you, you stubborn, unrelenting man! I was looking forward to the battles and smooth-flowing relationship dynamics I was going to have the chance to witness through him. What I was not prepared for, was the intensity of emotions to varying degrees McDonald has kicked the door in with for this book. It was an onslaught of a man’s soul in torment, and the state of thinking himself unworthy of redemption and love.
Redemption, sacrifice, love and fighting for what’s good and right takes a whole new meaning in Ravencry. It’s truly, utterly intense and it doesn’t come without feeling pain or loss. A whole new light is shone on Ryhalt’s character- something we only saw a glimpse of in Blackwing. It must be the first person POV that enabled me to BE Ryhalt. To truly understand his choices, his reasoning, his pain and his hopelessness, but also his stubbornness and his unwavering loyalty and love he has for his companions. If there is ever a true show of selflessness, then Captain Galharrow is your man!
OK, I know I said it was pointless of me to sing praises where we all very well know praise is a given, but I have to say it anyway. I continued to enjoy McDonald’s writing… there is a certain quality to it that made me see and experience this book as a whole in its unique way. In a way that I think it was intended. A grim, unforgiving setting with all the good and light trying to pierce the dark; and that certain ‘spark’, that ‘pep in the step’ kind of feeling that only the characters in this book can convey. Ravencry is not just a story. It’s a matured, 7-star cask of whiskey that you display on a shelf and stare with loving eyes like your most prized possession. Both sweet and bitter, with delightful effects and not so delightful after effects.
Blackwing (book #1) was a tremendous discovery for us all fantasy lovers- we had discovered something that fed our ever-thirsty want for that specific, unique world, the magic and the characters that only fantasy can deliver. Ravencry settled solidly on the foundation of Blackwing and opened up in all dimensions by pushing each of the characters to the very limits. Tnota and Nenn (among others) showed a whole different layer to who they are. You can see inside them and taste their worries. Everyone had their own conflict- mostly due the the impact of Misery, in other parts due to the impact of a different evil trying to take away their homes and futures from them. But it’s not just showing that conflict and struggle… it’s also about displaying the courage, bravery and loyalty. The fearlessness of the characters we have come to love.
There is also a strong theme of blind, unquestioning faith in Ravencry… and lads, you all know how I love a bit of ‘religious’ controversy! I love this theme so much, that indeed I could see where all the shebang about the Order of the Bright Lady was going. I just knew it and it was marvellous- how everything unravelled a scene at a time. And even though I was sceptical like Ryhalt, I too wavered at times… could it really be? And this? This is a sign of being sucked into storytelling in a way that makes you question your own preset opinions and moral and beliefs.
Ravencry is simply phenomenal! And because I haven’t spoken about Galharrow enough yet- no! I haven’t!– I will offer further thoughts about him… because he is the centrepiece of the book… because I can’t stop… because he is everything- a soldier, a role model, a friend and a father figure. The last of which took my by complete surprise but it fit him perfectly and it grounded him to certain extent. I admired the addition of this relationship. It humanized the Captain. It turned him from a fictional character in a fictional book to someone that could easily step off the page and you’d know you’d always be safe!
You should consider reading the Raven’s Mark series for his character alone, if for nothing else- although, everything about this series is sensational. He is not your typical hero… he is old, and tired. He makes no excuses for being physically less than in his prime and he is willing to sacrifice his body and heart. Over and over and over again.
All that is now left… as I shed my tears with the goodbyes I witnessed… is to wait for the next book. The many different endings left me heartbroken and emotionally sucked me dry. I shit you not, I cried. The fuckers (who I love) in this book got to me…
Which leads me to- Nenn! You crazy woman! I love you!
I could spin the usual yarn about how I was gripped from the first page- sucked right back into this world McDonald had created. I could tell you how I LOVED riding in the coat tails of Ryhalt Galharrow again. Because I did… I could tell you how magnificent it was to yet again experience the smooth ride of McDonald’s writing… but, if you’re familiar with this series already, then all of this is no news to you.
I could tell you about certain events in the book- but what use would that be? I can hardly take their glory and dull it all by recycling it to you. You either read fantasy, or you don’t. You are either familiar with Ed McDonald’s books or you aren’t… fact remains, if you are familiar and you do read fantasy, you’ll also know that what I would have to say about the plot wouldn’t make a blind bit of difference. You’re going to read it anyway! And you’re going to love it! To the Misery and back, boi!
“I know you, Captain Galharrow. You’re the footsteps of death to men like me”
After finishing the first page of the book, I put it down, sighed and thought to myself- Ryhalt! How I’ve missed you, you stubborn, unrelenting man! I was looking forward to the battles and smooth-flowing relationship dynamics I was going to have the chance to witness through him. What I was not prepared for, was the intensity of emotions to varying degrees McDonald has kicked the door in with for this book. It was an onslaught of a man’s soul in torment, and the state of thinking himself unworthy of redemption and love.
Love’s not an easy thing to bear. Makes us doubt ourselves in ways that don’t make sense.
Redemption, sacrifice, love and fighting for what’s good and right takes a whole new meaning in Ravencry. It’s truly, utterly intense and it doesn’t come without feeling pain or loss. A whole new light is shone on Ryhalt’s character- something we only saw a glimpse of in Blackwing. It must be the first person POV that enabled me to BE Ryhalt. To truly understand his choices, his reasoning, his pain and his hopelessness, but also his stubbornness and his unwavering loyalty and love he has for his companions. If there is ever a true show of selflessness, then Captain Galharrow is your man!
OK, I know I said it was pointless of me to sing praises where we all very well know praise is a given, but I have to say it anyway. I continued to enjoy McDonald’s writing… there is a certain quality to it that made me see and experience this book as a whole in its unique way. In a way that I think it was intended. A grim, unforgiving setting with all the good and light trying to pierce the dark; and that certain ‘spark’, that ‘pep in the step’ kind of feeling that only the characters in this book can convey. Ravencry is not just a story. It’s a matured, 7-star cask of whiskey that you display on a shelf and stare with loving eyes like your most prized possession. Both sweet and bitter, with delightful effects and not so delightful after effects.
Blackwing (book #1) was a tremendous discovery for us all fantasy lovers- we had discovered something that fed our ever-thirsty want for that specific, unique world, the magic and the characters that only fantasy can deliver. Ravencry settled solidly on the foundation of Blackwing and opened up in all dimensions by pushing each of the characters to the very limits. Tnota and Nenn (among others) showed a whole different layer to who they are. You can see inside them and taste their worries. Everyone had their own conflict- mostly due the the impact of Misery, in other parts due to the impact of a different evil trying to take away their homes and futures from them. But it’s not just showing that conflict and struggle… it’s also about displaying the courage, bravery and loyalty. The fearlessness of the characters we have come to love.
There is also a strong theme of blind, unquestioning faith in Ravencry… and lads, you all know how I love a bit of ‘religious’ controversy! I love this theme so much, that indeed I could see where all the shebang about the Order of the Bright Lady was going. I just knew it and it was marvellous- how everything unravelled a scene at a time. And even though I was sceptical like Ryhalt, I too wavered at times… could it really be? And this? This is a sign of being sucked into storytelling in a way that makes you question your own preset opinions and moral and beliefs.
Life is merciless. She doesn’t care if you’re old, young, man or woman, loved or reviled. The only thing you can count on is that you’re going to be treated with as little fairness as everyone else.
Ravencry is simply phenomenal! And because I haven’t spoken about Galharrow enough yet- no! I haven’t!– I will offer further thoughts about him… because he is the centrepiece of the book… because I can’t stop… because he is everything- a soldier, a role model, a friend and a father figure. The last of which took my by complete surprise but it fit him perfectly and it grounded him to certain extent. I admired the addition of this relationship. It humanized the Captain. It turned him from a fictional character in a fictional book to someone that could easily step off the page and you’d know you’d always be safe!
You should consider reading the Raven’s Mark series for his character alone, if for nothing else- although, everything about this series is sensational. He is not your typical hero… he is old, and tired. He makes no excuses for being physically less than in his prime and he is willing to sacrifice his body and heart. Over and over and over again.
It passed between us, the final bell-toll in a service that had served nobody well.
All that is now left… as I shed my tears with the goodbyes I witnessed… is to wait for the next book. The many different endings left me heartbroken and emotionally sucked me dry. I shit you not, I cried. The fuckers (who I love) in this book got to me…
Which leads me to- Nenn! You crazy woman! I love you!
You make a deep bond with a man when you ride together in the Misery. You trust each other, understand how little chance you got on your own. We’re none of us an island.
April 28, 2018
A sequel to the critically acclaimed, award-winning Blackwing, Ravencry raises the bar even higher for modern fantasy.
It's been three years since the Nameless unmade one of the Deep Kings and used his heart to re-activate Nall's Engine and obliterate every drudge in close proximity. Since then there's been an uneasy truce between the two sides, with the Deep Kings too afraid to send their Darlings close to Valengrad. But when a valuable artifact is stolen from Crowfoot's lair, Galharrow knows it's only a matter of time before the people of Valengrad are called to once again face impossible odds of survival.
Every debut author has to pass quite a few tests before they become established, and the call to show that the success of their debut wasn't a one-time-thing might be the most important one. McDonald passed the test with flying colors, proving once and for all that's he's here to stay and become a household name sooner than later.
In Ravencry, McDonald kept everything we loved from Blackwing, such as the gritty and grim setting, the morally grey yet highly likeable characters, the complex and in many places unpredictable events, and the general air of mystery surrounding all of the above, but he also introduced new elements, plot devices and machinations, keeping the story familiar yet fresh and alluring.
When I first read Blackwing I was so impressed that I didn't even write a review. I simply called it perfect in every possible way, and the same applies for Ravencry. Everything begins and ends with McDonald's unique storytelling abilities, but it's what's in-between that makes the difference, such as the proficient and smooth prose, the perfectly balanced pace and the beautiful imagery, all of them coming together to create a perfect page-turner.
All in all, Ravencry is the perfect sequel and a book every fantasy author would aspire to write
It's been three years since the Nameless unmade one of the Deep Kings and used his heart to re-activate Nall's Engine and obliterate every drudge in close proximity. Since then there's been an uneasy truce between the two sides, with the Deep Kings too afraid to send their Darlings close to Valengrad. But when a valuable artifact is stolen from Crowfoot's lair, Galharrow knows it's only a matter of time before the people of Valengrad are called to once again face impossible odds of survival.
"'What do you make of all that?'
'It sounds very fucking bad', Maldon said. 'But then, you have to wonder just how much of this has been going on for the last thousand years, don't you? How often does one side or the other come up with something like the Heart of the Void?'
'Once was too often,' I said. 'The sky should never have been sundered.' I wondered how many of our people Crowfoot had destroyed when he unleashed his weapon and burned the Misery into being. Too many. Sometimes I wondered if he'd known how badly he would tear reality when he unleashed that power, but I always came to the same conclusion. It was better not to know."
Every debut author has to pass quite a few tests before they become established, and the call to show that the success of their debut wasn't a one-time-thing might be the most important one. McDonald passed the test with flying colors, proving once and for all that's he's here to stay and become a household name sooner than later.
In Ravencry, McDonald kept everything we loved from Blackwing, such as the gritty and grim setting, the morally grey yet highly likeable characters, the complex and in many places unpredictable events, and the general air of mystery surrounding all of the above, but he also introduced new elements, plot devices and machinations, keeping the story familiar yet fresh and alluring.
When I first read Blackwing I was so impressed that I didn't even write a review. I simply called it perfect in every possible way, and the same applies for Ravencry. Everything begins and ends with McDonald's unique storytelling abilities, but it's what's in-between that makes the difference, such as the proficient and smooth prose, the perfectly balanced pace and the beautiful imagery, all of them coming together to create a perfect page-turner.
All in all, Ravencry is the perfect sequel and a book every fantasy author would aspire to write
March 20, 2024
“I took another sip from the wine. The third bottle. Probably not the best idea in my condition. But aren’t we just a combination of our worst habits.” - Galharrow
The Ravencry series aptly intertwines elements of SF, Fantasy, even noir mystery - a potent cocktail. Intoxicated by its charm the first time round, I’m in need of more of the good stuff. And as expected, i was not to be disappointed.
The second installment in the Blackwing series Ravencry turned out just as grim.
The author spun an intriguing world that interweaves late renaissance science and technology with a particular dark brand of magic, all unfolding as events leap between the the republic, specifically its capital Valengrad and the post apocalyptic insanity called The Misery, a barren wasteland that follows no natural law. Populated with the, from the first part, familiar malformed humanoid drudge, good and evil humans and gods, childlike nightmarish darlings, this alternate universe is as bizarre as it is captivating. The second book introduces more of a menagerie of bizarrary, there are the cult of the bright women, the supremely obese “singers”, severed heads that speak, and a tall spire, akin to the Shanghai Pearl Tower whose sphere is poised to give forth another Deep God”.
Ryhalt Galharrow’s humor is as dry and self-deprecating as ever.
Our main character, ever battling his own demons, has, once again, his work cut out, indeed. All in all, a more than worthy continuation of the first part and a must read. In short, this is “grim lore” at its best, again.
On a side note, despite starting with a quick overview of events transpired in the first installment, this is meant to refresh ones memory rather than provide a smooth entry for reader that missed the first part. The plot is rather complex and events are intricately connected.
The Ravencry series aptly intertwines elements of SF, Fantasy, even noir mystery - a potent cocktail. Intoxicated by its charm the first time round, I’m in need of more of the good stuff. And as expected, i was not to be disappointed.
The second installment in the Blackwing series Ravencry turned out just as grim.
The author spun an intriguing world that interweaves late renaissance science and technology with a particular dark brand of magic, all unfolding as events leap between the the republic, specifically its capital Valengrad and the post apocalyptic insanity called The Misery, a barren wasteland that follows no natural law. Populated with the, from the first part, familiar malformed humanoid drudge, good and evil humans and gods, childlike nightmarish darlings, this alternate universe is as bizarre as it is captivating. The second book introduces more of a menagerie of bizarrary, there are the cult of the bright women, the supremely obese “singers”, severed heads that speak, and a tall spire, akin to the Shanghai Pearl Tower whose sphere is poised to give forth another Deep God”.
Ryhalt Galharrow’s humor is as dry and self-deprecating as ever.
Our main character, ever battling his own demons, has, once again, his work cut out, indeed. All in all, a more than worthy continuation of the first part and a must read. In short, this is “grim lore” at its best, again.
On a side note, despite starting with a quick overview of events transpired in the first installment, this is meant to refresh ones memory rather than provide a smooth entry for reader that missed the first part. The plot is rather complex and events are intricately connected.
January 31, 2021
7,25/10
Me ha gustado algo más que el anterior, supongo que comprendí mejor el estilo narrativo de su autor y el mundo donde discurre la acción ya no me era desconocido.
Lo mejor, pues el tono oscuro que nos acompaña durante toda la historia, así como el worldbuilding que cada vez nos deja más perlitas.
Lo que menos me ha gustado, el estilo narrativo de McDonald a veces cuesta un poco y se enmaraña demasiado, pero por fortuna solo ocurre en un par de ocasiones. Añadiría que aunque los personajes protagonistas cumplen muy bien, faltan antagonistas que les hagan sombra.
Seguiré con el tercero que espero pronto hacerme con él.
Me ha gustado algo más que el anterior, supongo que comprendí mejor el estilo narrativo de su autor y el mundo donde discurre la acción ya no me era desconocido.
Lo mejor, pues el tono oscuro que nos acompaña durante toda la historia, así como el worldbuilding que cada vez nos deja más perlitas.
Lo que menos me ha gustado, el estilo narrativo de McDonald a veces cuesta un poco y se enmaraña demasiado, pero por fortuna solo ocurre en un par de ocasiones. Añadiría que aunque los personajes protagonistas cumplen muy bien, faltan antagonistas que les hagan sombra.
Seguiré con el tercero que espero pronto hacerme con él.
April 13, 2020
We run when we can run, and we fight when we have to, and sometimes the dawn comes and there's no choice but to grit your teeth, draw steel and scream against the night. - Blackwing Captain Ryhalt Galharrow
McDonald's excellent world building continues in this second installment in the Ravens' Mark trilogy - I would never wish to visit the Misery with it's grim, harrowing landscape and disturbing creatures, but I sure enjoyed reading about it!
McDonald's excellent world building continues in this second installment in the Ravens' Mark trilogy - I would never wish to visit the Misery with it's grim, harrowing landscape and disturbing creatures, but I sure enjoyed reading about it!
July 20, 2018
Da nije poslednjih 15%, bila bi ovo vrlo sigurna petica – unapredjenje u odnosu na prvi deo na svakom polju. Medjutim, knjiga se baš tad prepusti baražu sentimentalnosti, klišea i ispunjenih, a neželjenih očekivanja, pa mi je možda malo i gora od prvog, koji je bar imao jedan vraški dobar obrt na kraju. I dalje je super zanimljiv svet, kao i lavkraftovski elementi, te se nadam da će Mekdonald to privesti kraju kako valja.
4
4
September 24, 2018
Ravencry is very much a book of two parts. I felt the first half was slow, lacked urgency and, though Ed's fine writing still made it easy to read, failed to establish the kind of forward momentum that made Blackwing such a strong debut. Fortunately, things pick up quickly in the second half as the Misery takes centre stage and the various threads converge.
In truth, the plotting is never as effortless as in the preceding novel and Galharrow doesn't so much ride his luck as storm relentlessly forward in invincible plot armour - quite literally in fact, near the end of the book. Even so, a number of memorable scenes and great character moments glitter amidst the muddiness of the plotting and make this is a worthy, if not perfect sequel.
As an aside, I got the impression Ravencry was tough to write and - speaking from experience here - I suspect the general quality of epic fantasy would be higher across the board if authors weren't obliged by publishers to serve up a 400-500 page novel so soon after a strong debut.
3.5 stars, rounded up because I read it in 2 days.
In truth, the plotting is never as effortless as in the preceding novel and Galharrow doesn't so much ride his luck as storm relentlessly forward in invincible plot armour - quite literally in fact, near the end of the book. Even so, a number of memorable scenes and great character moments glitter amidst the muddiness of the plotting and make this is a worthy, if not perfect sequel.
As an aside, I got the impression Ravencry was tough to write and - speaking from experience here - I suspect the general quality of epic fantasy would be higher across the board if authors weren't obliged by publishers to serve up a 400-500 page novel so soon after a strong debut.
3.5 stars, rounded up because I read it in 2 days.
July 8, 2018
Ravencry is a great sequel to Blackwing.
tl;dr: If you liked Blackwing for its gritty noirish feel with its great world building and broken characters who fight against all odds, you will like Ravencry too.
People who are new to this series can consider this to be similar to Joe Abercrombie's or David Gemmel's heroic fantasies. The world building is far more intricate albeit a dystopian one. The characters are brilliantly sketched out with each of them staying in your mind long after the book is over. The writing is excellent with a lot of pithy dialogues and prose that sears the soul. There is plenty of action too with a lot of gore.
That's basically it. If you have not read these books, drop everything and go read them.
tl;dr: If you liked Blackwing for its gritty noirish feel with its great world building and broken characters who fight against all odds, you will like Ravencry too.
People who are new to this series can consider this to be similar to Joe Abercrombie's or David Gemmel's heroic fantasies. The world building is far more intricate albeit a dystopian one. The characters are brilliantly sketched out with each of them staying in your mind long after the book is over. The writing is excellent with a lot of pithy dialogues and prose that sears the soul. There is plenty of action too with a lot of gore.
That's basically it. If you have not read these books, drop everything and go read them.
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