Urban fantasy tale of dark magic and redemption
by
Size: 0.00 x 0.00 in
Pages: 400
Size: 6.00 x 9.00 in
Pages: 398
In a world where death magic is sometimes the lesser of the evils, a dark mage risks everything for redemption.
To win a pardon, Raven must play a dangerous game of double agent. His mission: help the Guardians bring down his master William, the most powerful dark mage alive.
His only Guardian contact is Cassandra, his former lover and the apprentice he once betrayed. His best weapon is the Ravensblood, a fearsome magical artifact his master thought destroyed.
As Raven struggles to regain Cassandra's trust, the two of them devise a desperate plan to defeat William. If their plan fails, Raven could lose everything: his freedom, his love, his life, and his soul. And if William acquires the Ravensblood, he will gain the power to bring the world to its knees.
First in the award-winning Ravensblood series, set in an alternate Pacific Northwest.
Genres:
Tropes: Antihero, Dark Enemy, Enemy to Ally, Magic Talisman, Redemption Arc
Word Count: 100000
Setting: City
Languages Available: English
Series Type: Continuous / Same Characters
Tropes: Antihero, Dark Enemy, Enemy to Ally, Magic Talisman, Redemption Arc
Word Count: 100000
Setting: City
Languages Available: English
Series Type: Continuous / Same Characters
Kelly on Amazon wrote:I enjoyed this story very much and was left hoping for a sequel. The story is set in a world of magic which Shawna describes wonderfully. The story is a bit different than my normal reading material - typically engineering documents and technical papers - so I am possibly much less familiar with the terms used in a world of magic than some other readers might be. A good author is able to use the context and descriptions in a story to convey the information needed to understand a new vocabulary without leaving the reader confused by a term or jumping out of a story to read explanations of words used. This is accomplished very well, keeping the reader immersed in the story.
Shawna is able to paint descriptive pictures with enough detail to let the reader create vivid images and yet keep a story moving at a nice pace. After I finished the book I passed it on to my wife. When sitting on our deck my wife put the book down, went inside, and returned shortly with a glass of brandy - something quite unusual for my wife. I knew exactly what part of the book she had reached.
As the end of the book drew near - the pace increased and the pages grew fewer. I found myself staying up much too late wanting to finish and wondering how Shawna could bring about a conclusion without leaving me waiting for volume two. Fortunately there was indeed a satisfactory conclusion allowing me to finally put the book down and drift off to sleep. I was happy to not be left with a brief "to be continued" comment but also thinking that there remained more of this interesting world to explore and hoping for a follow on story.
HonyeBee on Amazon wrote:Writing about good and evil is a well-known plot, but the depth and passionate beliefs of this story had me laughing and crying with and for the characters. This book made real the consequences of actions, with love and grief for the characters of evil and good. Can't wait to read the next book
It was very easy to become immersed in this story, due to a deeply flawed but compelling character, Corwyn Ravenscroft. Definitely give this author a chance, her storytelling will draw you in. Her style is just a hint of Andre Norton, a dash of J. K. Rowling, and the tiniest pinch of Anne Rice. The rest is her own unique stamp. I am also very happy that this story became available in paperback as that is the only way I will read a book! 😉
