Whooowheeee. What a story!

Last year when Blackwing was released I said that Ed McDonald was going to crash onto the fantasy scene and show that there’s new blood out there. He exploded onto the fantasy scene along with many other debut authors – all of whom released great debut novels.

Ravencry has solidified this in my mind even more. Ed crashed onto the scene, proved he is the man to watch out for and shoved a gritty sequel out into the open.

Ravencry opens four years after the events of Blackwing – things have changed as to be expected but not in the ways you’d think.

Ryhalt Galharrow is running an efficient arm of Blackwing in the city of Valengrad, he’s running as tight a ship as physically possible when you consider the people he has behind him.

They drink, they smoke, they swear. They’re fabulous. Numerous old characters return in Ravencry which is great but as in any good series new characters abound.

Our story opens with death and drama and an efficient beginning to a gritty and dark tale of murder, mayhem and Misery. The story progresses in what is now Ed’s signature way – grim, dark and full of steampunk. That’s another thing that I loved about Blackwing and Ravencry – the steampunk elements to the story.

In Ravencry those steampunk elements are vital and the story is full of weapons. Not just your standard swords and shields but phos powered guns that malfunction and blow shit up. People we thought were one thing in Blackwing show us a totally different side to them in this book and this sudden shocking change of character does throw you off but Ed’s writing style drags you right back in.

I was reading Ravencry at the bus stop on my way home and I can neither confirm nor deny that I missed the bus. The tale and the writing style keep you engrossed and it’s a book I struggled to put down – damn you sleep! Why?! Whilst reading it time passed and I didn’t realise it.

In my reviews I try not to give a glorified synopsis and try to avoid letting any spoilers out. I’d rather talk about the writing and how it’s not just words on a page; it’s people you develop feelings for whether they’re good or bad, it’s places you want to see and visit even though they’re not real anywhere else except in your head. It’s those kinds of stories I love, Ravencry is a book that sucks you under and immerses you in The Misery right there alongside Galharrow and Tnota and Nenn.

I know that the next book is going to throw all kinds of things at me. This book threw loads of spanners in the works and has closed off some parts but opened up so many more avenues of creativity that I just know Ed is going to take and run with.

If you’re looking for a book that is filled with people getting gracked and so much darkness you’ll never see the light of day again – Ravencry is the book for you!

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 sh*t you not, I cried. The f*****s (who I love) in this book got to me…

Which leads me to- Nenn! You crazy woman! I love you!

I liked Blackwing, but with some reservations, so I'm happy to report that this is a much better book than the first in the series. The characters are better, more roundly drawn than the hard and nasty grimdark cliches the first book fell into, and the crazy bad trip psychedelic wasteland of the Misery, way underused last time around, is explored a lot more. The book still struggles a little to escape the grimdark cliches, but there is more inventive and original stuff here. I was a little ho-hum after Blackwing, but having read this one, I'm definitely on board for the third in the series (moreso because it's not immediately apparent where the story goes next - Galharrow vs Crowfoot is my bet for the climax....).

McDonald is fast becoming one of my favourite Grimdark authors. After the epic conclusion of Blackwing, I wondered where exactly he'd left himself to go. I needn't have worried. Ravencry picks up four years after the events of book one and is every bit as compulsively readable as its predecessor. Galharrow is a great character and his character arc here is perhaps a bit more introspective but extremely satisfying. This is a brilliant continuation of the series, concerned with all the questions that the best Grimdark fiction raises. There's no easy black and white morality, characters are all driven by their own agendas and questionable decisions are made. All in all a very satisfying read. More please.

Ravencry for me was an enjoyably consistent read leading on from Blackwing. Another 3.5 stars awarded to McDonalds fantastic world-building and awesome lead, Galharrow. Ravencry for me was hard to put down, being primarily focused in Valengrad, it felt at first strangely humbling to see Galharrow all set for himself, manor house and all!

But then we have the famous McDonald glee, where Galharrow is fighting for his very life in the first few pages of the book. NENN IS BACK TO! Being my foremost favourite character it was wonderful to see some familiar faces. Even Tnota!

McDonald has a way of relaying mystery in an excellent sort of noir narrative. Giving in to the dark and terror to create yet again another gripping story set in this world full of magic and gore.

What this series has left me with thus far, is to delve into different genres, try these dark fantasies and see where it leads. I have not been disappointed. An easy 3.5/5, and definitely what I would consider an above average read.

Ravencry is the sequel to Ed McDonald’s absolutely storming debut, Blackwing. Ravencry takes place in the same bleak, hard-edged world as its predecessor, full of uncaring titans, mad magicians and a few people trying to do the right thing. Or at least not do the wrong thing. Most of the time. If the money’s good enough. If you’re here, chances are good you want to know if Ravencry lives up to its legacy – and the short version is yes. It’s brilliant - a tightly written, tautly plotted story of monsters, magic, betrayal and murder, with action that kept me turning pages, and schemes that left me wondering which of the unreliable characters I could trust.

A lot of Ravencry occurs in an urban environment, in Valengrad, bastion of all that is morally grey , standing at the border against the creeping horror of the Deep Kings. Valengrad is a pretty terrible place, one with rot sitting at its heart. The city thrums with life like maggots through a corpsecivilians moving between buildings in what seems like constant rain, ruled over by an oligarchy which seems to regard the seething mass of the populace as a mild inconvenience at best, and is outright repulsed by them at worst. It’s a city living in a noir nightmare, where the shadows seem long and constant, and are likely to hide a member of the state security apparatus. It’s a place desperately in need of hope, and fertile ground for something new – a semi-religious cult of the “Bright Lady”, which preaches egalitarianism and social reform, a ray of searing light in a world inclined more toward the darkness. It’s a change, but in a world where everything has a seedy underbelly, onr I forced to wonder whether a city as vibrantly, horrifyingly alive as Valengracan generate something as clean as hope.

We also get to see some more of the Misery, the blasted no-mans land between the Deep Kings an our less than polished heroes. It’s a Lovecraftian nightmare of shifting geography and altered perception, a space where the dead walk and talk, where the phantoms of your past are likely to pick up a rock and bash your head in. It’s a twisted, psychedelic place whose haunts are both revelatory and deadly. It has the capacity to break people, and if it doesn’t destroy them, is at least as likely to change them, to move a person closer to themselves, and closer to a monster.

Several of the characters sliding between city and Misery will be familiar as well. Galharrow, the gruff, pragmatic and brutal instrument of higher powers is still here. He’s got a shinier belt buckle, after the events of the last book, but is still the same man. That said, he’s now haunted by the spirit of lost love, a man stalking the half-world in search of truth.The man is now more driven, searching for something he feels has been lost. That loss has also informed the character - perhaps because a lost truth is worse than none at allGalharrow is still bitter, though with some of the edge filed off, but instead feels like a man on a quest – a tarnished knight seeking a grail of remembered affection, or at least emotional truth. This is a man being emotionally torn apart before our eyes. The raw passion at the heart of his dysfunction is terrifying in its honesty, and also in its effects. That said, Galharrow is still a man willing to kick arse and take names, or, preferably, shoot someone in the back whilst they’re asleep to solve his problems.

Galharrow is backed by an amazing supporting cast. The fabulous Nenn is his lieutenant, a hard-faced killer whose edges are softened a little by the possibilities of romance, now that the Blackwing are a more well-funded arm of the law. She’s still abrasive, delightfully sharp-tongued, and unwilling to take any crap – but there’s also a suggestion of emotional fragility under the armour which really
gives the character some heart. Then there’s the rest of this found-family; the hyper-organised secretary, whose competence keeps the entire enterprise afloat, and the teenage refugee determined to follow her role model into the Blackwing service. Watching Galharrow struggle with his feelings and approaches for both of these women, both independent, prideful and willing to make their own decisions in spite of him, is a delight. That their ‘family’ is filled out by a semi-psychotic mage trapped in the undying body of a child – well, that’s just par for the course.

These are complicated, often broken characters, whose emotional responses are crippled or channelled by traumatic past experience, but also feel genuine, and feel human. They contrast interestingly with the villains, whose competence is matched by an effort at inhumanity which is too malevolent to be uncaring. Those who stand against the Blackwing are skin-crawlingly vile, and I shivered in visceral disgust more than once.

The plot pulls from noir - a twisted, byzantine string of plots, counterplots, misdirected truth and outright lies. The central mystery is tightly plotted and compelling, and kept me turning pages far too late into the night. It’s got everything: bizarre magic. Treachery. Misunderstandings. Impressive displays of magic. Brutal murders. Stabbings. This is the bleeding edge of fantasy, one which you’ll feel leave a mark on you as you read it. It’s smart, and it will get under your skin, so that you want to know what happens next, then spend pages with heart in your mouth torn between trying to reach the end and not wanting it to end.

I guess that’s a quick way of saying, Ravencry is worth your money. It’s a sterling sequel to Blackwing, one I’ll be thinking about for a long time to come, and one I whole-heartedly recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley, Ed McDonald & the publisher for my arc of Ravencry.

Ravencry is the second book in the Raven's Mark trilogy by Ed McDonald. Following on from the events of Blackwing Galharrow is dealing with the fallback from the firing of Nall's engine. But a new threat is on the horizon and only Galharrow seems to see it for what it is.

The second novel is around the same pace as the first which is great as too often a middle novel in a series can be too slow or 'filling' but what I'm finding with this series is each novel is it's own mini story and adventure as it builds up to what I think will be the main event in the final one.

I really like Ed's style of writing, the novels are a great pace, well written and I felt very invested in the characters as well!
Looking forward to the next one!

I absolutely loved Blackwing when I read it, so I was delighted to be able to read Ravencry. I had super high expectations for this one, and while I enjoyed it, I found my interest waned a little in parts with it. I still love Galharrow as a character, but I really felt for him in this one. He really went through the wringer and it wasn’t an easy read. Ravencry was a good read, just not a great one!

As with Blackwing, the action in this book is centred around Ryhalt Galharrow, captain of the Blackwing, a man as gruff and gritty as ever, though he has gone up in the world slightly since the events of book one. I didn’t think that Galharrow had changed much between the two books, possibly why I didn’t grow to like him any better, as opposed to being wracked with guilt about his wife, he is now wracked with guilt about Ezabeth. I do believe that Galharrow was deliberately constructed to be a quite unlikeable character, but I prefer there to be a bit more of a heart to them, and not just pining for various women?

However, I did think that the plot of Ravencry was much stronger than that in Blackwing. I could get a handle on who the major players were and their motivations. I thought that the cult that has arisen since the end of the previous book was a great way to show how life had changed since the events of Blackwing and the way that plotline escalated through the book was a powerful reflection of current events (whether that was deliberate or not I’m not sure?).

I quickly got invested in this story, though not because I cared about what happened to the characters – which is normally what draws me in – but because I cared about the wider powers at play. I think it’s this big picture and the wider setting that is truly interesting in both Blackwing and Ravencry. I trust that as this series grows and the plot develops the focus will be on Galharrow’s part in a much bigger game, otherwise I think it might lose me.

One of my main criticisms of Blackwing was that there wasn’t quite enough explanation of how the magic system and powers worked, this book did go into a bit more detail as to how different people’s powers worked, it still isn’t quite clear how this relates to the more global conflict in this world but I do think this will be developed in later books.

Nenn continued to be my favourite character, had these books just been from the perspective of Nenn I would have been incredibly happy. She is the only female character who (for the most part) isn’t defined by Galharrow’s feelings towards her, she makes her own choices and she basically says whatever she is thinking. I do think that the women in this series tend to be written as emotional tools to make Galharrow care about things and that can lead to them having weaker characterisation. This certainly isn’t the worst example of writing female characters in fantasy fiction but it did leave something lacking.

Overall, this was a strong sequel, though the characters are still a little lacking, in my opinion, as the setting develops I find myself much more invested in the happenings of this world than I thought I would be.

Should you read this? If you enjoyed Blackwing you almost certainly will enjoy this book. I would recommend reading these books in order, however, so as to try to get a handle on what’s going on!

My rating: 3/5

I received a digital advanced review copy of Ravencry from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was a great sequel to an amazing debut. This definitely did not disappoint and I am looking forward to McDonald's next book.

I read the authors previous novel and was disappointed, but only in that I had to wait for the sequel, this is a thoroughly enjoyable read and even though I have the kindle book I will be purchasing the physical one soonest

This is a phenomenal followup to the excellent Blackwing.

The stakes are higher and the costs are almost unbearable.

I love the tight focus of this book, the story is Ryhalts and it's with Ryhalt we remain throughout the book.

The plot is excellent with loads of "what?", "no!" and "of course! how did I miss that?" moments.

The setting is vividly described, the Misery descriptions, in particular, are loaded with a sense of menace and dread. Again, the tight focus is delivered brilliantly - we are aware there are other places but we're not overloaded with details we don't need.

The "good" characters are really well written, with enough flaws to make them realistic and likeable. The "bad" characters are superb with reasons for doing what they do.

The pace is relentless and the action enjoyably tense.

I'm really looking forward to the third book.

ARC via netgalley.

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

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 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.

* I received an advance copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review *

The sequel to the highly praised Blackwing sees Ryhalt Galharrow trying to move on from losing the love of his life and investigating the theft of a magical artefact from a heavily protected vault.

For the first few chapters this book felt like a Captain Vimes Discworld novel (in a good way) with the humour toned down a little. We were exploring the pre-industrial city and investigating a crime that could have dire consequences for the safety of the city.

The book spends significantly more time in the city than in the Misery (the strange, twisting wasteland) than was the case for the first book, which gives it a very different feel. Plotting and intrigue abound as an evil sorcerer's plot to achieve ultimate power starts to unfold.

The book felt slightly less dark than the first, and has quite a different feel to it than Blackwing, but is still absolutely superb. The flowing prose and cracking dialogue make this a true page-turner and one of the best fantasy books I have read in quite some time.

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.

<blockquote><i>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</i></blockquote>

Blackwing wasn't the most joyous book of 2017. It was dark and bleak. <b>Ravencry makes Blackwing sound like a gentle fairy tale</b>. 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:

<blockquote><i>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.</i></blockquote>

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'm a big fan of Ed McDonald's first book, Blackwing. It was a really modern take on how to write a great fantasy epic. It had all the classic tropes — swordsmen, magicians, monsters, end-of-the-world stakes — yet it was done so differently that I felt like I'd never read anything like it before. It kept me turning the pages late into the night and became my favourite book of the year.

The great news is Ravencry is even better. It's everything I loved about the first book cranked up to another level of awesomeness. Poor Galharrow really gets put through the blender as does everyone else. The Misery lives up to its name and the bad guys got a whole lot more bad. It's compulsive reading. It's nail-biting stuff and, oh-my-god, it's brilliant.

Spoiler Free Review but I do reference the first book in the series Blackwing
I think this is one of the hardest spoiler free reviews I have done so it will be a very limited review till late June early July to give others a chance before I reveal all the details.

Ed McDonald kept everything I loved from the first book in the series Blackwing, the setting, the slightly morally corrupt but highly likeable characters (Tnota, Nenn and Dantry), the way he manages to keep the reader guessing with wonderfully constructed and unpredictable events is a definite testament to his writing style. I love that both books kept me guessing till the very end.

The book is set in a brilliantly creepy world that is unique and not a place I want to live as I seem to be stupidly unlucky and most things seem to want to kill you. That, along with the unpredictability of the story make for an exciting read. The Misery is a very apt name and it certainly lives up to it, with creatures wanting to kill you, the enemy wanting to kill you and the Misery itself wanting to kill you. In other words, everything is against you. Without going into details there are some moments that were genuinely heart breaking.

The story reads well and at a good pace. Although for me, I found Ravencry a little more personal in places compared to Blacking but that might be due to already being invested in the characters.

Revencry picks up about fourish years after the events at the end of Blackwing. Ryhalt Galharrow's still doing what he does best (partying hard and giving into his vices). The story opens with Ryhalt meeting with an old acquaintance who wishes to trade some information and things go south. Whilst all of this is happening, mysterious sightings of a mystical apparition are increasing and to make matters worse, a new cult has emerged around these encounters (clearly no conection).

That is all I am saying I daren’t say anymore without spoilers all I can say is read both books! I loved them and they are worth a read.

Netgalley STOP very generous STOP ARC received STOP for STOP honest interview STOP

*shakes fist* at Ed Mcdonald for creating such a bloody great trilogy which I've become addicted too. Really lucky to have been given the opportunity to read Ravencry but felt I had to read Blackwing first. Oh! What a terrible chore! :)

Like all accomplished and awesome fantasy writers, Ed has created a memorable and cherished cast of characters. And like all fabulous Grimdark, they are all fabulously flawed. Even Galharrow, Captain of the Blackwing is scarred, alcoholic and almost broken by the Misery and the weight of his responsibilities. He cares too much for a man with a reputation and history of aristocratic birth and bloody disgrace.

Even the secondary characters have more heart, more steel and are more memorable than a good single malt on a misty afternoon in Abroath. Probably.

I'll have to stop going on because I know I'll spoiler bad so I'll leave you with this.

McDonald is awesome and v friendly on social media.
Both Blackwing and Ravencry are brilliant.
Buy, read, tell your mates and hound the author for the 3rd installment.

:)

4.5 out of 5
Review copy received from Netgalley. All views are my own.

Near the end of last year I bought Ed McDonald’s first novel, Blackwing, because the ebook was on offer for 99p and it was too much of a good offer to miss. It was one of those books that I meant to review but time got away from me and I never got around to doing it. Nevertheless, I found Blackwing to be a very enjoyable book. I liked the characters, I liked the story and the world that McDonald created to be highly original (but more on that later). The only problem I could find with this debut novel was that I found it to be a little too short and it kind of messed with pacing a bit. I just wanted it to be a little bit longer to flesh some parts out a bit more. Ravencry takes what happened in Blackwing and builds on it spectacularly.
Summary: For Ryhalt Galharrow, working for Crowfoot as a Blackwing captain is about as bad as it gets - especially when his orders are garbled, or incoherent, or impossible to carry out.
The Deep Kings are hurling fire from the sky, a ghost in the light known only as the Bright Lady had begun to manifest in visions across the city, and the cult that worship her grasp for power while the city burns around them.
Galharrow may not be able to do much about the cult - or about strange orders from the Nameless - but when Crowfoot's arcane vault is breached and an object of terrible power is stolen, he's propelled into a race against time to recover it. Only to do that, he needs answers, and finding them means travelling into nightmare: to 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.

Ravencry, as with Blackwing, is told from the perspective of Ryhalt Galharrow the leader of Blackwing. It is a dark series, very creepy with a lot of uncomfortable elements (the body horror *shudder*. If there’s one thing to really creep me out it’s body horror). It is a brilliantly realised world. It is very unique, not a place you would want to particularly live as most things seem to want to kill you but it does make for interesting reading. It is a very miserable world, but I like it when misery is heaped upon my characters so it’s all good in my opinion. The Misery is a very apt name and it certainly lives up to it, with creatures wanting to kill you, the enemy wanting to kill you and the Misery itself wanting to kill you.
The magic system in this series is also very unique, especially for someone like me who often gets the magic system of fantasy series confused if I read multiple fantasy novels at the same time. I won’t go into detail because everyone probably read about the magic system in the Blackwing reviews (again why didn’t I get around to reviewing it?) but it is a brilliantly inventive system that works well in the gritty world. I think my favourite aspect of the magic is Galharrow’s raven tattoo which connects him to Crowfoot. It’s an interesting concept and highly destructive when it needs to be.
The plot, at its heart, is very simple. Magic artefact is stolen by madman who wants power but it doesn’t feel stale at all. McDonald’s writing style is fresh and inventive; his description is wonderfully and grotesquely evocative at the same time. He manages to draw the reader in and keep them entertained (and grossed out) throughout the story. He weaves the plot and, even though it isn’t the most complicated of plots, he makes you care.
The characters you knew and loved from the first book are back and (spoiler) not all of them make it. No details but certain moments were actually heart breaking and I came close to welling up (not actual crying, I save that for absolutely devastating and gut wrenchingly emotional books). Galharrow continues to be an excellent protagonist and he goes through absolute shit in this book. He has to deal with the death of Ezabeth from Blackwing, the problem at hand involving the theft of Crowfoot’s artefact, the Misery, a cult, the almost certain death of everyone and much, much more. As I said above, I love it when authors heap painful shit on the characters so I absolutely loved all of it (Woobies, Break the Cutie etc are my absolute favourite tropes of all time, I’m obviously a huge sadist). Nenn is just as awesome as the first book and I like that the consequences of what happened in Blackwing came back to bite Galharrow in the arse because Saravor, the Fixer (or as the Darling calls him “patchwork man” which amused me) is back and this time he isn’t just a creepy fucker (again I say body horror is squicky) he’s a megalomaniacal cunt who wants power. Amaira was a sweet character who I also liked a lot and what she did at the end raises a whole new issue that I want to read about.
The book was a solid four star in my opinion until the last quarter of the novel, when things sped up pace immensely and I found myself not wanting to put the book down. Galharrow’s time in the Misery is life changing in a myriad of different ways and once that section of the novel started it ramped up from a good story to an excellent story. I would highly recommend Ravencry, it is a fantastic book which irons out some of the issues I had in the first book. It feels more confident, less rushed and the pacing is much improved. I never once felt bored reading it (and I read it super slowly compared t my usual speed because I wanted to take it all in). Go and read it and if you haven’t read Blackwing, go and read that while you’re waiting for this to be released. You won’t be disappointed.