Review – Ravencry by Ed McDonald
I read Blackwing, Ed McDonald’s debut novel, earlier this year and I absolutely loved it. It was about as close to perfect (for me, anyway) as a novel could get – great characters, awesome setting and a slap in the jaw ending that Nostradamus wouldn’t see coming. When the first novel is this good, there is always an air of trepidation picking up the second.
So, here goes…
I really liked Ravencry, but not as much as Blackwing. The setting for book one was unique, but obviously not any more. However, there was plenty of scope for expansion, and the author did a good job showing some new aspects to both sides of the Range, more insight into the drudge and the darlings, and a new cast of characters.
Of course, most importantly, Ryhalt Galharrow is back. The captain of Blackwing and punchbag for higher powers, he is one of the most intriguing characters in fantasy. He’s a Bogey-esque gumshoe who could be just as easily seen hunting for the Maltese Falcon as knocking heads with gods and wizards. He’s cynical, a gallow’s humour affciando (Galharrow’s humour?), and self-aware. His insights into the world he lives in set the tone for both novels, dark and fatalistic. Nenn is back and as brash as ever, as is Tnota, but the new range of characters are well thought out.
The story has moved on four years from the events of book one, Galharrow and Blackwing have had some success and life seems to be as good as it can be for our hero. He’s adopted a daughter, despite possibly the worst potential parent, and he spends more time behind a desk than feeling collars. However, a clandestine meeting with an old acquaintance puts Galharrow onto something big, and when Crowfoot’s house is robbed, Ryhalt’s “comfy” life comes crashing down around him.
The plot to book one was amazing, a constant trail of red herrings leading to an “I didn’t see that one coming” ending. This time around, the plot follows the same patte
rn, but doesn’t work as well – maybe I had my guard up after Blackwing. It’s still a good one, just not as good. In addition, the constant sense of danger that was evident in the first book is lacking here, maybe by design, but there never seems to be an “end of the world” vibe here.
That being said, this is still five-star quality. “What?” you say. “How can you give it the same amount of stars as you gave the better book?” Well, my closing line to my Blackwing review was – “Can I give it six stars?
