Book Review - RAVENCRY by Ed McDonald

(Title: Ravencry / Author: Ed McDonald / Publisher: Ace Books / Publication Date: August 21, 2018)


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!

(My Rating: 10/10)