"the reader is pulled into a world where everything is always new and magical."
Guiromelans is a knight and a sacred paladin. He wants
nothing more than to obey the commandments of God. But then
God betrays him and allows a witch to defeat him in battle
and he needs to re-examine his faith and find out what he
did to have God turn his back on him . Thrown into doubt
and confusion he wonders what he can he do to put things
right? Up against challenges both of the flesh and of the soul,
Guiromelans begins a pilgrimage across the world searching
for forgiveness and redemption. On his travels Guiromelans
has many adventures in a world full of interesting
creatures. There are characters that accompany him and he
changes their lives as he soldiers on trying to find
answers to his questions. The Raven is the sequel to John Lawson's first novel, Witch
Ember and both are must reads for any Tolkien fans. Other
fantasy genre readers will also enjoy this novel which has
a lot to offer for anyone who likes something a little
dark, intense and creative. This world is unique and
reminded me of Maria V. Snyder's Study series and the
Hendee's Noble Dead books. With it's own fantastic
fantasy world and such great attention to detail the reader
is pulled into a world where everything is always new and
magical. The language in John Lawson's second book gives it meaning
just like in the first book, Witch Ember with the author
using a mixture of languages to bring his characters, world
and story to life. With Welsh, German and various other
Gaelic languages being used, making this novel stand out
from others and makes the whole experience more realistic. The artwork in the novel is a lovely refreshment and also
helps the reader imagine what this world and story really
looks like. The author has gone to a lot of trouble to
make his books more likeable and he has done it well.
This is a thick but rewarding read which will either be
loved and read as fast as possible or liked and read over a
period of time.
Reviewed by Amber Chalmers
Posted July 24, 2008
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