Published: February 26, 2019
Publisher: Orbit Books
Series: Untitled #1
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 432 (Hardcover)
My Rating: 4.0/5.0
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis:
Gods meddle in the fates of men, men play with the fates of gods, and a pretender must be cast down from the throne in this breathtaking first fantasy novel from Ann Leckie, New York Times bestselling author and winner of the Hugo, Nebula, and Arthur C. Clarke Awards.
For centuries, the kingdom of Iraden has been protected by the god known as the Raven. He watches over his territory from atop a tower in the powerful port of Vastai. His will is enacted through the Raven’s Lease, a human ruler chosen by the god himself. His magic is sustained via the blood sacrifice that every Lease must offer. And under the Raven’s watch, the city flourishes.
But the power of the Raven is weakening. A usurper has claimed the throne. The kingdom borders are tested by invaders who long for the prosperity that Vastai boasts. And they have made their own alliances with other gods.
It is into this unrest that the warrior Eolo–aide to Mawat, the true Lease–arrives. And in seeking to help Mawat reclaim his city, Eolo discovers that the Raven’s Tower holds a secret. Its foundations conceal a dark history that has been waiting to reveal itself…and to set in motion a chain of events that could destroy Iraden forever.
The Raven Tower stands out as one of the weirdest books I’ve read in awhile and in this case, it’s not a bad thing. For one thing, finding a book written in second person is not only rare, but also takes a second to get used to. And by second I mean at least 50 pages. It’s just weird, and it gets even weirder when you realize that a rock is narrating the story. Yep, a sentient ancient god-rock.
The aforementioned rock is narrating the how Eolo and Mawat come back to Vastai and find that Mawat’s position as Raven’s Lease (basically a sacrifice) has been taken by his uncle. While that story is unfolding, the rock god also tells the reader of its inception and slow journey to its current resting place. Honestly, that was just as interesting (if not more so) than the current events with Eolo and Mawat.
The whole concept of the gods building power through offerings – whether they be small tokens or human sacrifice isn’t exactly new, but the way it was present in The Raven Tower was so logical. Things were neat and orderly and followed a hierarchy. Now once you start looking at the human side of things, like the Raven’s Lease position, it makes you wonder why anyone would accept such a position if they have to die when the bird representation of the Raven dies. Aside from the obvious power and wealth aspects anyway.
Overall, this was a unique read and a fine foray into fantasy for Ann Leckie. I’ll definitely check out the next book in the series and I’d like to check out her scifi books as well.
Powder & Page 
Leave a comment