Blood Song (Raven’s Shadow #1) by: Anthony Ryan
I give this book five out of five stars; I will read this book again someday. It’s engaging, with a beautiful balance of character and story driven action. I did not want to put this book down and the minute I had to I was calculating the minutes until I could pick it back up. It’s a book full of twists and turns as truths are uncovered only to reveal even more questions. The characters you think you know you don’t, and the flawed are filled with beauty and depth. If you enjoy a complex plot or a narrative that makes you think, this is your book. If you like battle scenes, this is your book. If you like ending’s that make you shout, “Oh man!”- then this is your book.
What I loved about this book:
1) The mysteries. There are mysteries being uncovered and solved at every turn. Some grow and get bigger before getting solved. The mysteries are everywhere and vary but tie into magic, war, love, and politics.
2) The locations. When I read a fantasy novel I expect to be taken someplace, and Ryan’s debut novel met my expectations with gusto.
3) The characters. Ryan’s care in the development of his characters is evident and I consider his ability on par with David Gemmel or Robin Hobb.
As someone who served in the military, the truth and love in the connections the protagonist and his brothers shared resonated with me. Ryan did what every artist should and he wrote what he knows, using his experience in the service to make these characters ring true in all the right ways. The success of this book is very merited and I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
