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The Sun Thief #1
Crowman
Touch the light. Hold the light. The light burns. The light runs away. Hold the light. Lock the light away.
The great spirit Vatu keeps the Sun in a box, where no thief can steal it. Once a year, the box is opened and life springs across the dark lands. The whole world belongs to Vatu. He is darkness, he is master of all. There is no hiding from him.
But Utas must try, for his daughter's sake. She is sick from darkness, and yet she glows with a mysterious light. If Vatu can find them, he will destroy them, or worse, drag them back into his mad, dark world. Torn between duty and mercy, between justice and freedom, Utas tries to escape, but it seems inevitable that the darkness will reclaim him.
For the greatest mercy and the greatest punishment Utas can suffer is to return to his true self.
The great spirit Vatu keeps the Sun in a box, where no thief can steal it. Once a year, the box is opened and life springs across the dark lands. The whole world belongs to Vatu. He is darkness, he is master of all. There is no hiding from him.
But Utas must try, for his daughter's sake. She is sick from darkness, and yet she glows with a mysterious light. If Vatu can find them, he will destroy them, or worse, drag them back into his mad, dark world. Torn between duty and mercy, between justice and freedom, Utas tries to escape, but it seems inevitable that the darkness will reclaim him.
For the greatest mercy and the greatest punishment Utas can suffer is to return to his true self.
234 pages, Paperback
First published March 13, 2020
2 people are currently reading
1381 people want to read
About the author
David Rae
6 books32 followersDavid Rae lives in the West of Scotland. He lives in a world of his own; a world of wonder, a world where hoards of workers spill out of factories, a world were fog and smoke shroud all kinds of creatures, a world where ruined castles, factories and houses were haunted by ghosts, gangs and memories. He lives in world where witches have been burned at the cross and martyrs have been hung on the Gallowgreen. He writes poetry and short stories and reads every trashy novel, every children's book and every comic that comes his way.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 16, 2020
What can I say about Crowman? A myth I’ve known all my life, but only read for the first time. Symbolism that speaks to the hollows in my bones. Language that is spare and beautiful at the same time. A narrative that is both a riddle and simple.
Utas and his daughter are fleeing from the dark lord Vatu, who has imprisoned the sun in a box and only allows one day of sunlight a year. Along the way he collects stragglers, or are they allies? Erroi, the fighter, whose body and spirit can move independently. Who travels in dreams and is silent and unknown. Mukito, a boy forced into banditry by a wicked stepfather. Zintoa, a soldier who is naive and trusting. Eskanza, a noble woman escaping an arranged marriage.
When the darkness consumes all, does this group of strangers stand a chance?
Rae’s debut novel is a triumph. I can’t wait to read more of his books.
I got an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Utas and his daughter are fleeing from the dark lord Vatu, who has imprisoned the sun in a box and only allows one day of sunlight a year. Along the way he collects stragglers, or are they allies? Erroi, the fighter, whose body and spirit can move independently. Who travels in dreams and is silent and unknown. Mukito, a boy forced into banditry by a wicked stepfather. Zintoa, a soldier who is naive and trusting. Eskanza, a noble woman escaping an arranged marriage.
When the darkness consumes all, does this group of strangers stand a chance?
Rae’s debut novel is a triumph. I can’t wait to read more of his books.
I got an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
June 22, 2020
Highly recommend this hugely imaginative book. Utas must hide daughter from the evil dark lord who has literally trapped the sun in a box and allows it to shine for one day a year. It is consequentially a dark and grim world, although the day when the sun shines is in its own way equally nightmarish and brutal. As Utas endeavours to escape, he befriends – of sorts – a youthful vagabond, a soldier and a mysterious character called Erroi. Highlights for me included the frightening world of the story, in particular the day the sun shone and entire sowing and harvesting all had to be done within hours, and of course the intriguing character Erroi. It’s a highly stylised tale, full of unexpected and imaginative twists and turns, and a great read.
July 13, 2020
Crowman is an ethereal dark fantasy with a striking cast of flawed characters, immaculate world-building, and a swirling miasma of a plot that left me guessing until the very last word.
The world-building is first rate—you can tell there was no stone left unturned. It definitely shows that Rae is passionate about this world he’s created, and it’s so easy to get immersed in it.
There are areas of the story that are dream-like and experimental. Along some parts of the journey, the threads never quite weave together tight enough to be certain what is real and what is a fantastical reimagining of events. While I loved the uncertainty personally, if you’re looking for a concrete, straightforward book, this won’t be your cup of tea.
The world-building is first rate—you can tell there was no stone left unturned. It definitely shows that Rae is passionate about this world he’s created, and it’s so easy to get immersed in it.
There are areas of the story that are dream-like and experimental. Along some parts of the journey, the threads never quite weave together tight enough to be certain what is real and what is a fantastical reimagining of events. While I loved the uncertainty personally, if you’re looking for a concrete, straightforward book, this won’t be your cup of tea.
October 27, 2020
I was intrigued by this metaphysical dark fantasy from the moment I read the description. Uniquely named characters and concepts drew me in immediately and filled my mind with questions and lush imagery...a masterful book blurb to say the least!
Vatu, the great spirit of darkness. I could see him, an ethereal and all-consuming shadow intent upon absolute control. Utas, the hopeful apparition fleeing from himself, and his beautiful daughter who is delicate and mysterious. Their plight pulled me along. I was invested in their harrowing journey, their disappointments, their hopes. Symbolism and spirituality are illustrated like characters, filling the narrative with thought-provoking themes that made me pause and consider.
As father and daughter make their way, they are joined by a melange of artfully created characters: Erroi, the warrior, whose body and spirit are independent of each other and who travels in dreams. He is beautifully silent and deliciously mysterious. Mukito, a boy whose cruel stepfather has left him few alternatives other than thievery. The innocent Zintoa, and noble Eskanza. The characters are elaborate, simple, fully-developed, flawed and entirely captivating.
The narrative is rich with unfamiliar people and places, intriguing me page after page. Dialog forms much of the story, yet there are descriptions that whisk the reader away. Poetic tangles of dream-like reveries adorn the journey, some so intricate and imaginative I simply had to read them again....and again! There were times I wasn't sure what was reality and what wasn't and I was reminded of an episode of STNG, 'Masks', where the hunt of Masaka and Korgano parallels the birth of Athena at the Parthenon.
Mythological and magical, Rae's Crowman is a masterpiece of epic fantasy, conceptual and allegorical fiction in which I would willingly immerse myself book after book after book.
Vatu, the great spirit of darkness. I could see him, an ethereal and all-consuming shadow intent upon absolute control. Utas, the hopeful apparition fleeing from himself, and his beautiful daughter who is delicate and mysterious. Their plight pulled me along. I was invested in their harrowing journey, their disappointments, their hopes. Symbolism and spirituality are illustrated like characters, filling the narrative with thought-provoking themes that made me pause and consider.
As father and daughter make their way, they are joined by a melange of artfully created characters: Erroi, the warrior, whose body and spirit are independent of each other and who travels in dreams. He is beautifully silent and deliciously mysterious. Mukito, a boy whose cruel stepfather has left him few alternatives other than thievery. The innocent Zintoa, and noble Eskanza. The characters are elaborate, simple, fully-developed, flawed and entirely captivating.
The narrative is rich with unfamiliar people and places, intriguing me page after page. Dialog forms much of the story, yet there are descriptions that whisk the reader away. Poetic tangles of dream-like reveries adorn the journey, some so intricate and imaginative I simply had to read them again....and again! There were times I wasn't sure what was reality and what wasn't and I was reminded of an episode of STNG, 'Masks', where the hunt of Masaka and Korgano parallels the birth of Athena at the Parthenon.
Mythological and magical, Rae's Crowman is a masterpiece of epic fantasy, conceptual and allegorical fiction in which I would willingly immerse myself book after book after book.
September 12, 2020
It's hard to put into words just how much I loved this book. The experience is like one of those top-class magic tricks where you can't see the magician's hand – except, in this case, you can't see the magician at all. You are simply swept up by the illusion; you are captivated by the spell. I immediately felt swallowed up by this extraordinary world, I felt like I was standing in someone else’s dream. I never once felt like I was reading a story. I was simply THERE. I loved every measured sentence spoken each time by an authentic voice. Every character felt rounded and real, even the smallest side character, and some descriptive passages actually took my breath away. The themes of Light and Dark, of Good and Evil, and the shifting half-light in between is masterfully portrayed. I would recommend this wondrous book to anyone.
August 6, 2020
A Story about escape. But escape from what? From darkness, ultimately we all carry darkness within us and we can only escape it if we are willing to confront and accept what we truly are.
This a page turn and action-packed but thought-provoking and challenging dark fantasy novel, that follows one man's fight against the dark to save his daughter. Ultimately he must confront and conquor the darkness with in him.
This a page turn and action-packed but thought-provoking and challenging dark fantasy novel, that follows one man's fight against the dark to save his daughter. Ultimately he must confront and conquor the darkness with in him.
July 8, 2021
What a great story. Loved the plot, the characters, and the world. The cover is great also. I loved reading of the different areas and setting
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 6, 2020
If you're looking for an easy read, without flaws, perfectly well written...go somewhere else! If you're open-minded enough to let yourself in to an adventure of experimental phantasy writing, where some experiments work brilliantly well and others not at all, where you sometimes have to re-read a page because you simply didn't get it the first time, but an adventure that also rewards you with moments of true craftsmanship and creative outbursts from the author...then this book might be for you.
As inconsistent as the writing might appear at times, this story about the journey to a place where the sun is held in a box, only opened once every year, is mesmerising and will linger on in your thoughts long after you've finished the book.
As inconsistent as the writing might appear at times, this story about the journey to a place where the sun is held in a box, only opened once every year, is mesmerising and will linger on in your thoughts long after you've finished the book.
January 2, 2023
So great to find a fantasy series that’s so surprisingly well-written and immersive. Rae manages to create a world that’s rich, believable and just a little around the corner from our own, but he does it subtly, without maps and sketched out lists that look like abandoned D+D campaigns. The result is a world where the laws and rules make consistent sense and the characters exist in their own right rather than as archetypes simply there to fill a space. Rae’s background blurb made so much sense of the world he creates here too - it’s not Scotland but his idea of Scotland rendered mythic and gritty, with the supernatural never too far away, does resonate. Rae’s style is, I suppose, not for everyone. He writes securely in a character’s POV and stays within it throughout a chapter (as most writers who know how to write do) so the world around them and their intentions only gradually reveal themselves. The story rattles along too, with constantly surprising secondary characters making choices that do affect the main narrative. Overall, very enjoyable and engrossing. I’ll definitely be reading the rest and checking out anything else by Rae.
December 19, 2023
I like the characters and the storytelling aspect. For me the journey was more enjoyable than the ending of the story. I did find the ending a bit underclimactic but still doesn't hinder the other aspects of the book. The world was interesting with how sun is being only available in 1 day for the whole year. Definitely an enjoyable fantasy novel.
May 6, 2023
Overview
The book grabbed me from the beginning with many questions. An excellent start.
It is told in the first person present.
Story.
The tale is set in a land (or world) ruled by a dark entity, Vatu, who controls the Sun. He keeps the Sun in a box and only allows it out once a year. Days are measured by moonrise.
We begin with a merchant, Utas, travelling with a wagonload of silk. Wrapped in a silk parcel is his daughter. He is keeping her hidden as she is sought by Vatu.
She is sick, and glows with a strange light.
On their travels they meet a strange man who seems to be able to do the impossible. Who is he? What is he?
Vatu is seeking Utas and his daughter, but for what purpose?
I don't want to say anymore because of spoilers
Characters
The characters are believable, even Erroi, the mysterious stranger.
Utas is a man with a past. He wants to save his daughter from Vatu, but is unsure whether he can, or whether it is the right thing to do for her.
There are several other characters, all of which are interesting and believable, with their own problems.
Writing
Mr Rae has built a strange world that he brings us into in a competent manner.
There is, however, one thing that gave me trouble at the beginning.
The story, as I have said, is told in first person. At the beginning of Chapter 11, Mr Rae switches us from the POV of Utas to that of Malika, a young boy travelling with them with no indication except the chapter change. It took me a few sentences of confusion before I realised we were now in the POV of a different character.
Similarly, later in the book, (towards the end) there is a dialogue where Malika is blind and cannot see the speakers. I appreciate that if the narrator cannot see who is speaking it is difficult, but with no clues I was confused as to the speakers in this dialogue. There is, in fact, little in the way of differences in speech to help distinguish different characters.
The story is an excellent and gripping one, however, and I give it 4*
The book grabbed me from the beginning with many questions. An excellent start.
It is told in the first person present.
Story.
The tale is set in a land (or world) ruled by a dark entity, Vatu, who controls the Sun. He keeps the Sun in a box and only allows it out once a year. Days are measured by moonrise.
We begin with a merchant, Utas, travelling with a wagonload of silk. Wrapped in a silk parcel is his daughter. He is keeping her hidden as she is sought by Vatu.
She is sick, and glows with a strange light.
On their travels they meet a strange man who seems to be able to do the impossible. Who is he? What is he?
Vatu is seeking Utas and his daughter, but for what purpose?
I don't want to say anymore because of spoilers
Characters
The characters are believable, even Erroi, the mysterious stranger.
Utas is a man with a past. He wants to save his daughter from Vatu, but is unsure whether he can, or whether it is the right thing to do for her.
There are several other characters, all of which are interesting and believable, with their own problems.
Writing
Mr Rae has built a strange world that he brings us into in a competent manner.
There is, however, one thing that gave me trouble at the beginning.
The story, as I have said, is told in first person. At the beginning of Chapter 11, Mr Rae switches us from the POV of Utas to that of Malika, a young boy travelling with them with no indication except the chapter change. It took me a few sentences of confusion before I realised we were now in the POV of a different character.
Similarly, later in the book, (towards the end) there is a dialogue where Malika is blind and cannot see the speakers. I appreciate that if the narrator cannot see who is speaking it is difficult, but with no clues I was confused as to the speakers in this dialogue. There is, in fact, little in the way of differences in speech to help distinguish different characters.
The story is an excellent and gripping one, however, and I give it 4*
December 20, 2021
This review was originally posted at https://bit.ly/3eemHgh.
When the world is cast into darkness and the sun is only released once a year Vatu's rule is law. He is shadow. He is darkness. He is the keeper of the sun. All things light belong to him, including the daughter of Utas. When Utas escapes with Alaba, meeting up with a stranger and a bandit on the road he ends up caught and dragged back towards the very man he sought to escape. However, his fellow travelers are more than they seem and may just change their fates.
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. It took me a while to get to it. Life gets busy sometimes and this last year has definitely been eventful. But I got to it in the end and that is what matters. I liked the story in this book, although it ended with a cliffhanger and I don't personally feel as if anything was answered. I am sure that the author intends to make this a series, but since David Rae is not one of my regular authors I can't say I have much of a relationship with him.
While I did enjoy the story I hate to say that the writing left much to be desired. At times it was hard to keep reading. Especially the chapters including Vatu. Yikes. But, past the writing is an intriguing story that would be nice to have the hanging strings tied up to. I genuinely wanted Eskanza to go away completely. I felt her entire character was pointless and fail to see why she was even included. There was zero impact on the story. I didn't have a favorite character in this book, although there were some interesting ones.
Perhaps Mukito would be the closest option. Young man/boy who has a rough childhood and ends up becoming the apprentice of sorts of a mysterious man. He seems to have had the best character arc out of the lot as well as character development.
This book is definitely worth the read. Although you will need to pardon the writing style. It is very clipped and like you are reading a report. There's no emotion and it doesn't invoke any emotion in you. Actually, reading the synopsis will tell you everything you need to know about the writing style.
When the world is cast into darkness and the sun is only released once a year Vatu's rule is law. He is shadow. He is darkness. He is the keeper of the sun. All things light belong to him, including the daughter of Utas. When Utas escapes with Alaba, meeting up with a stranger and a bandit on the road he ends up caught and dragged back towards the very man he sought to escape. However, his fellow travelers are more than they seem and may just change their fates.
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. It took me a while to get to it. Life gets busy sometimes and this last year has definitely been eventful. But I got to it in the end and that is what matters. I liked the story in this book, although it ended with a cliffhanger and I don't personally feel as if anything was answered. I am sure that the author intends to make this a series, but since David Rae is not one of my regular authors I can't say I have much of a relationship with him.
While I did enjoy the story I hate to say that the writing left much to be desired. At times it was hard to keep reading. Especially the chapters including Vatu. Yikes. But, past the writing is an intriguing story that would be nice to have the hanging strings tied up to. I genuinely wanted Eskanza to go away completely. I felt her entire character was pointless and fail to see why she was even included. There was zero impact on the story. I didn't have a favorite character in this book, although there were some interesting ones.
Perhaps Mukito would be the closest option. Young man/boy who has a rough childhood and ends up becoming the apprentice of sorts of a mysterious man. He seems to have had the best character arc out of the lot as well as character development.
This book is definitely worth the read. Although you will need to pardon the writing style. It is very clipped and like you are reading a report. There's no emotion and it doesn't invoke any emotion in you. Actually, reading the synopsis will tell you everything you need to know about the writing style.
May 29, 2022
Crowman by David Rae is a fascinating take on dark fantasy, incorporating a brilliant plot, a complex world, and a number of interesting characters. I was drawn to this by its description alone and its great cover, and what I uncovered really kept me reading.
The writing of Rae is really nice. I often find that in this genre things are just too wordy and contain so much irrelevant information, however Rae has trimmed this right down to keep the plot lean and moving along at a good pace. This could easily have been a longer book if it contained as much filler as a lot of other authors add in to try and flesh their world out. Rae achieves the same effect within a lot less pages, exploring lore and history, character and story with ease.
Utas is a brilliant character motivated by the safety of his daughter in a world surrounded by a darkness inflicted by Vatu. The soldiers that steal Alaba are subservient to Vatu and Utas’s struggle started to feel personal, like I was rooting for a normal person over the tyranny of evil. It is a terrifying world full of dark symbols and treachery, and it is highly creative to achieve such a feat. I did struggle with the characters names and ended up visiting the glossary at the end in order to note them down. This led to some small spoilers for me but this is how I often approach fantasy books so I am used to it.
The ending left me waiting more of Crowman and more from the characters. I can’t wait to see where it goes next. This book is superb, it really is, and I encourage all to pick up a copy.
The writing of Rae is really nice. I often find that in this genre things are just too wordy and contain so much irrelevant information, however Rae has trimmed this right down to keep the plot lean and moving along at a good pace. This could easily have been a longer book if it contained as much filler as a lot of other authors add in to try and flesh their world out. Rae achieves the same effect within a lot less pages, exploring lore and history, character and story with ease.
Utas is a brilliant character motivated by the safety of his daughter in a world surrounded by a darkness inflicted by Vatu. The soldiers that steal Alaba are subservient to Vatu and Utas’s struggle started to feel personal, like I was rooting for a normal person over the tyranny of evil. It is a terrifying world full of dark symbols and treachery, and it is highly creative to achieve such a feat. I did struggle with the characters names and ended up visiting the glossary at the end in order to note them down. This led to some small spoilers for me but this is how I often approach fantasy books so I am used to it.
The ending left me waiting more of Crowman and more from the characters. I can’t wait to see where it goes next. This book is superb, it really is, and I encourage all to pick up a copy.
April 9, 2021
Thank you to author David Rae for a copy of this book for review.
Review can be found here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Blog Review
Author Interview
Review can be found here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Blog Review
Author Interview
September 11, 2024
Dark fantasy in a world shrouded in eternal night, where a spirit of darkness rules like a god, keeping the sun locked away in a box and letting it out only one day a year.
This one was ... memorable and unique. There is a dream-like quality to it that completely captured me. The ending in particular did something to my brain and made me think. The last books that did that for me were probably Solaris by Stanislaw Lem or Roadside Picnic by the Strugatski brothers - in other words, stuff that's half noir spec fic, half cryptic philosophical allegory.
The world and atmosphere remind me a lot of the bleakness of the Dark Souls games, in the best way. It's not action-packed or fast-paced. It's not ponderous either. It just takes its time to let events unfurl and characters travel. Many scenes feel like little social experiments or ethical dilemmas being played out in front of the backdrop of a grim dark fantasy setting and a plot of wanted people on the run.
There are some interesting character choices here as well. At the heart of it all is an unassuming, kindly man who wants to hide his sick daughter from the godlike spirit of darkness for reasons to do with the book's central mystery (which you shouldn't expect to get a clear answer to), a dubious straw-hatted swordsman who sometimes seems more mythical spirit than human, an orphaned bandit boy, a runaway teenage bride from a rich family, and an overly nice and trusting backwater soldier. (Side note: don't expect anything in the way of diversity).
But the book also frustrated me quite a lot. The writing style is very retro, which would normally be a plus for me. It's first person, yet detached and matter-of-fact. It reminded me a lot of old school Sword & Sorcery stories in a way. But its simplicity is so exaggerated that it often becomes a chore to read. Especially in the more artsy and trippy parts, where the author starts repeating himself over and over again ... there is a hollowness and lifelessness to it that spills over into the characters, who - despite the first-person narration - show no inner life. It's all just: "I do this. I do that. She looks sad. I comfort her. We leave. Etc." Well, not as bad as that, but close. It often adds to the allegorical charm of the work, but just as often it does a massive disservice to the whole experience of reading it.
This is why I almost gave Crowman 3 stars. However, the ending stuck with me so hard, once again pointing to the many layers of interpretation and food for thought to be found in this book, that I felt more like giving it 5.
So I settled for 4, which is probably fair.
This one was ... memorable and unique. There is a dream-like quality to it that completely captured me. The ending in particular did something to my brain and made me think. The last books that did that for me were probably Solaris by Stanislaw Lem or Roadside Picnic by the Strugatski brothers - in other words, stuff that's half noir spec fic, half cryptic philosophical allegory.
The world and atmosphere remind me a lot of the bleakness of the Dark Souls games, in the best way. It's not action-packed or fast-paced. It's not ponderous either. It just takes its time to let events unfurl and characters travel. Many scenes feel like little social experiments or ethical dilemmas being played out in front of the backdrop of a grim dark fantasy setting and a plot of wanted people on the run.
There are some interesting character choices here as well. At the heart of it all is an unassuming, kindly man who wants to hide his sick daughter from the godlike spirit of darkness for reasons to do with the book's central mystery (which you shouldn't expect to get a clear answer to), a dubious straw-hatted swordsman who sometimes seems more mythical spirit than human, an orphaned bandit boy, a runaway teenage bride from a rich family, and an overly nice and trusting backwater soldier. (Side note: don't expect anything in the way of diversity).
But the book also frustrated me quite a lot. The writing style is very retro, which would normally be a plus for me. It's first person, yet detached and matter-of-fact. It reminded me a lot of old school Sword & Sorcery stories in a way. But its simplicity is so exaggerated that it often becomes a chore to read. Especially in the more artsy and trippy parts, where the author starts repeating himself over and over again ... there is a hollowness and lifelessness to it that spills over into the characters, who - despite the first-person narration - show no inner life. It's all just: "I do this. I do that. She looks sad. I comfort her. We leave. Etc." Well, not as bad as that, but close. It often adds to the allegorical charm of the work, but just as often it does a massive disservice to the whole experience of reading it.
This is why I almost gave Crowman 3 stars. However, the ending stuck with me so hard, once again pointing to the many layers of interpretation and food for thought to be found in this book, that I felt more like giving it 5.
So I settled for 4, which is probably fair.
April 18, 2023
I got through Crowman, the first in a series titled, “The Sun Thief,” and felt torn over how much I enjoyed it. It seems from reading the other reviewers, I might be in the minority. I will start with what I liked.
The premise is great. I really loved the world-building and lore surrounding Vatu. Some characters were very interesting, some were bland. You will be hooked on learning more about Erroi from the very first chapter, though. Sometimes I enjoyed the writing style, other times I didn’t. There is something whimsical about the simple writing style that adds to the dreamlike quality of the world. When it works, it works well. Unfortunately for me, this style didn’t do the story justice. Note: I truly believe the author is a talented and creative writer. It’s more the style they chose for this book.
An example is here when Erroi takes on some bullies (capos): “More laughter comes from the capos, and then short cries of amazement and then shouts of pain and anger. One capo is lying on the ground. His left arm is at a strange angle; it must be broken, and it must be very painful.”
This is an exciting example of Erroi using his freakin’ ninja skills and should be written so. Instead, it just reads like a witness report of the incident.
The ending leaves you wanting more, there are considerable plot points left unresolved, but that is ok since it is the first in a series. However, I would really only recommend this book to those who are real hardcore fans of dark fantasy.
The premise is great. I really loved the world-building and lore surrounding Vatu. Some characters were very interesting, some were bland. You will be hooked on learning more about Erroi from the very first chapter, though. Sometimes I enjoyed the writing style, other times I didn’t. There is something whimsical about the simple writing style that adds to the dreamlike quality of the world. When it works, it works well. Unfortunately for me, this style didn’t do the story justice. Note: I truly believe the author is a talented and creative writer. It’s more the style they chose for this book.
An example is here when Erroi takes on some bullies (capos): “More laughter comes from the capos, and then short cries of amazement and then shouts of pain and anger. One capo is lying on the ground. His left arm is at a strange angle; it must be broken, and it must be very painful.”
This is an exciting example of Erroi using his freakin’ ninja skills and should be written so. Instead, it just reads like a witness report of the incident.
The ending leaves you wanting more, there are considerable plot points left unresolved, but that is ok since it is the first in a series. However, I would really only recommend this book to those who are real hardcore fans of dark fantasy.
March 12, 2023
I loved this book! It's weird and wonderful in all the right ways. First, the writing is fantastic - as other reviewers have noted, sometimes writers in this genre can go on and on and on with their world-building, and while the author created an incredible world, he managed to do so without excessive wordiness and extraneous details. I loved the short, but descriptive writing style! I also loved the main character Utas, and his motivations were very clear - keep his daughter Alaba safe - while they are all being hunted by Vatu because of her powers of the sun. Of course during their journey other characters show up, some with additional "interesting" powers to complicate (in a good way) the plot and also to introduce even more mythical elements to the story. The book very much reminded me of the tv series Carnival Row, especially when the story and the characters sort of switch between the more normal world and the reality of being in a world where characters could suddenly have special powers (even though they appear to be perfectly "normal"). I can't wait to read more from this writer and I am going to start on the next book in the series immediately! So great!
September 12, 2025
A wonderfully crafted read for fans of epic fantasy, David Rae’s Crowman pulled me in with its haunting premise and lyrical prose. I was captivated by the world Rae has built—a land ruled by the great spirit Vatu, who hoards the sun in a box and doles out light only once a year. Imaginative —right? Something the likes of which I have never read in any book. This bleak landscape sets the tone for Utas’s desperate quest to save his glowing, ailing daughter from Vatu’s clutches. The story is more than a simple good-versus-evil tale; it’s layered with questions about duty, freedom, and the darkness we all carry. Then there are the exceptionally written and well-grounded characters and the prose that sings like music through every page, with terrific descriptions and well-manicured dialogues.
August 23, 2022
Dark fantasy with a complex array of characters.
I enjoyed the world building and character backgrounds, along with a smattering of jedi-like wisdom nuggets. The concept of keeping the sun in a box provided a unique take on religious culticism.
At times the characters repeated themselves in dialog, and the switching narrator was a bit confusing. Definitely needed to check the glossary of characters from time to time.
Overall I appreciated how the author managed to cram an epic into a digestible first of series. If you're looking for a spooky fall read, add this to the list!
I enjoyed the world building and character backgrounds, along with a smattering of jedi-like wisdom nuggets. The concept of keeping the sun in a box provided a unique take on religious culticism.
At times the characters repeated themselves in dialog, and the switching narrator was a bit confusing. Definitely needed to check the glossary of characters from time to time.
Overall I appreciated how the author managed to cram an epic into a digestible first of series. If you're looking for a spooky fall read, add this to the list!
April 19, 2021
This book was a wonderful read. The writing style was very poetic. The descriptions were beautiful!
There were some times where I could picture everything perfectly, and it was like I could see everything in front of me. At other times, I felt things could use more description, some dialogue was not needed, but it was still a great book, where the reader felt compassion for each character.
There were some times where I could picture everything perfectly, and it was like I could see everything in front of me. At other times, I felt things could use more description, some dialogue was not needed, but it was still a great book, where the reader felt compassion for each character.
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