I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Blackwing was one of the surprise treats of last year. I picked up a hardback copy and almost made it last three days.

Revencry picks up about four years after the events at the end of Blackwing. Ryhalt Galharrow's still doing what he does best, drinking too much, smoking too much and sorting out trouble in the way only he can. On the plus side, the importance of the Blackwings has been recognised and there's now some funding and people available to do the work.

The story opens with Ryhalt meeting up on a barge one night with an old acquaintance who wishes to trade some information that he's stumbled upon for Ryhalt's protection. Things go south quite quickly and the informer is killed, with Ryhalt almost joining him before he tracks down and dispatches the three assassins that attacked them. The only problem is that Galharrow recognises one of the killers, he'd been executed a few week prior. From here on in things start to get messy, and then someone goes and breaks into Crowfoot's old place and raids his vault. This gets Ryhalt's tattoo itching at the most inopportune of moments.

Whilst all of this is happening mysterious sightings in the phos of a lady we know to be Ezabeth Tanza are increasing and to make matters worse, if they needed any help, a new cult has emerged around these sightings. Surely it's just a coincidence.

All our favourite characters return, Tnota, Nenn and Dantry, there's a far bigger part for the foul-mouthed, drunkard of a spinner trapped in a child's body, Gleck Maldon, and then Saravor makes an unwelcome return. Ryhalt's also become guardian to a young orphan girl and the object of desire for a coworker. Complications he just doesn't need.

The story rattles along at a good pace, although for me it's far more personal and introspective than the first. We spend a lot of time in Galharrow's head, especially during a "voyage of discovery" that he's forced to undertake.

Not unexpectedly for a story with a self-destructive protagonist, nobody comes away from these events unscathed, and that can be said of the reader too. We get to share in all the pain and sorrow. Very few punches are pulled.

I'm not sure that this is as good a book as Blackwing, but it's certainly worth a read and is an excellent continuation to the story.

fantastic follow up to Blackwing. McDonald had to feel the pressure to write a sequel to a book that received raves for a debut author. Besides reading fantasy genre I read a fair share of mystery. There is this feeling of great hardboiled detective novel. Rhyhalt is your tough as nails, over drinking fellow with his own moral compass. Grimnoir

May I just say: Oh my God!

Blackwing was an amazing novel and finishing it left me with a pang of disappointment that it was done but Ravencry is like a splash of cold and dirty canal water welcoming me back to Valengrad, the Misery and Ryhault Galharrow's continuing service to Crowfoot.

Ed McDonald's skill as an author is maturing and his descriptions of the filth and violence of Galharrow's world were, at times, almost palpable! Ravencry is a continuation of Galharrow's story and is darker and richer than what came before! There is nothing not to love , the mystery of the Bright Lady and her growing cult, a return of old friends and new enemies plus the ever growing threat of the Deep Kings was well-worth the wait!

This is epic, grim fantasy that fills me with a sense of comfort and well-being!