Review by Mquino -- Apollo's Raven by Linnea Tanner
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Review by Mquino -- Apollo's Raven by Linnea Tanner
[Following is a volunteer review of "Apollo's Raven" by Linnea Tanner.]
Apollo’s Raven, book 1 in Curse of Clansmen and Kings Series, takes the reader to 24 A.D; an age where kings believed they ruled the land and gods and goddesses ruled the earth. The author, Linnea Tanner, skillfully weaves a political, mystical romance in a setting where cliffs and water are the backdrops to soldiers, animal guides and shapeshifting. Tanner does a wonderful job of contrasting the pristine Roman culture to Celtic barbarianism by intertwining two characters, Celtic Princess Catrin and Roman Marcellus Antonius.
The historical setting is during Emperor Tiberius'reign and begins with a Roman deployment to the island of Britannia. Britannia is our present-day United Kingdom and was enticing to the Roman military for the rich farmlands and metals. Princess Catrin is the youngest of three daughters to King Amren of Cantiaci and Queen Rhiannon of Regni. Catrin is trained as a warrior, but also is spiritual and has a raven animal guide. Marcellus is the youngest child of Senator Lucius Antonius and has lost passion for his strengths in rhetoric and military strategy. The cultured Roman and the wild fearless druidess remind me of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. There is a passion between them that is teased throughout the story by their family curses: Rhan and the Antonius men. The two are integral in buffering the tension between their cultures while honoring and respecting their heritage. The writer does a superb job of incorporating both character's points of view throughout the book.
The mystical powers of the Ancient Druids are what captivated me in the book. Catrin develops her transformation by uniting spiritually and mentally with her raven. The raven is an interesting choice and I was fascinated to learn about their intelligence and habits. Her half-brother Marrock and her father’s druidess, Agrona, are also shapeshifters and allow the reader to enter a mythical world where potions and life threads are real and can be manipulated. The woman in the Celtic culture had a lot of power and respect. It was an interesting contrast to the Roman military leaders, who believed women had one purpose, to propagate the species.
The political background is interesting for it validates the temperament of the era and at least one character is not fictional. I would have like to have seen more maps throughout the book to try to follow the clans and military strategies. The political theme is important and leaves room for the continued books in the series. All the characters are well done and aid the reader in forming unexpected alliances. I felt drawn to Queen Rhiannon, Catrin’s mother, and found her complex and vulnerable.
There are a few necessary erotic scenes and some brutality that would warrant an audience of older teens or adults interested in historical fantasy. One cliché did take away from the masterful writing when Marcellus comments, “If I had used my right head to begin with, I wouldn’t be in this predicament” (3510). It was distracting and seemed out of place.
I would give this first book in the series, 4 out of 4 stars, because of its masterful writing and the author’s skill at intertwining romance, historical politics and the mysticism behind Druid and Greek Mythology. I look forward to the next book in the series. Linnea leaves the reader wanting more.
******
Apollo's Raven
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Apollo’s Raven, book 1 in Curse of Clansmen and Kings Series, takes the reader to 24 A.D; an age where kings believed they ruled the land and gods and goddesses ruled the earth. The author, Linnea Tanner, skillfully weaves a political, mystical romance in a setting where cliffs and water are the backdrops to soldiers, animal guides and shapeshifting. Tanner does a wonderful job of contrasting the pristine Roman culture to Celtic barbarianism by intertwining two characters, Celtic Princess Catrin and Roman Marcellus Antonius.
The historical setting is during Emperor Tiberius'reign and begins with a Roman deployment to the island of Britannia. Britannia is our present-day United Kingdom and was enticing to the Roman military for the rich farmlands and metals. Princess Catrin is the youngest of three daughters to King Amren of Cantiaci and Queen Rhiannon of Regni. Catrin is trained as a warrior, but also is spiritual and has a raven animal guide. Marcellus is the youngest child of Senator Lucius Antonius and has lost passion for his strengths in rhetoric and military strategy. The cultured Roman and the wild fearless druidess remind me of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. There is a passion between them that is teased throughout the story by their family curses: Rhan and the Antonius men. The two are integral in buffering the tension between their cultures while honoring and respecting their heritage. The writer does a superb job of incorporating both character's points of view throughout the book.
The mystical powers of the Ancient Druids are what captivated me in the book. Catrin develops her transformation by uniting spiritually and mentally with her raven. The raven is an interesting choice and I was fascinated to learn about their intelligence and habits. Her half-brother Marrock and her father’s druidess, Agrona, are also shapeshifters and allow the reader to enter a mythical world where potions and life threads are real and can be manipulated. The woman in the Celtic culture had a lot of power and respect. It was an interesting contrast to the Roman military leaders, who believed women had one purpose, to propagate the species.
The political background is interesting for it validates the temperament of the era and at least one character is not fictional. I would have like to have seen more maps throughout the book to try to follow the clans and military strategies. The political theme is important and leaves room for the continued books in the series. All the characters are well done and aid the reader in forming unexpected alliances. I felt drawn to Queen Rhiannon, Catrin’s mother, and found her complex and vulnerable.
There are a few necessary erotic scenes and some brutality that would warrant an audience of older teens or adults interested in historical fantasy. One cliché did take away from the masterful writing when Marcellus comments, “If I had used my right head to begin with, I wouldn’t be in this predicament” (3510). It was distracting and seemed out of place.
I would give this first book in the series, 4 out of 4 stars, because of its masterful writing and the author’s skill at intertwining romance, historical politics and the mysticism behind Druid and Greek Mythology. I look forward to the next book in the series. Linnea leaves the reader wanting more.
******
Apollo's Raven
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
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