ARA Review by Fares Elbargisy of Apollo's Raven

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Fares Elbargisy
Posts: 3
Joined: 26 Feb 2022, 09:17
Bookshelf Size: 0

ARA Review by Fares Elbargisy of Apollo's Raven

Post by Fares Elbargisy »

[Following is an OnlineBookClub.org ARA Review of the book, Apollo's Raven.]
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3 out of 5 stars
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Apollo's Raven is great for those who love fantasy and history. Overall, I rate the book 3 out of 5 due to the below reasons:

The good: Apollo's Raven is a good balance of adventure, magic, and romance. Every side character has a unique personality, and each has a backstory that is intriguing to the point of the listener wanting more. What makes this book especially fun is the spin on ancient history as it blends real events and people with the realm of the magical. Marcellus and Catrin have undeniable chemistry. Their journey is one full of turmoil, betrayal, and lust.

The bad: Appollo's Raven is a complex story, told from multiple points of view. Was that a good choice? I have my doubts. The storyline becomes ungainly and loses tension, which is a pity. The characters show various believable traits. Still, some of them are inflated with egomania to a degree that makes them appear less than real. The romace in the book also felt cliché.

Summary of book: The time is 24 AD. There is a tentative connection between the Romans and the Celts. Catrin is a Celtic teenager, with magic abilities. She is also a warrior princess, daughter of King Amren, and she has outstanding fighting skills. Marcellus is a Roman soldier, son of the Roman senator, Lucius. The narrative abounds with luscious scenes and messy drinking, romance and fights, betrayal and loyalty, shapeshifters, gods and goddesses, sacrifices, as well as plaid pants, leather armours, blood, vomit, stench, and fragrance.

***
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