Review by AYISHA_ASH -- Apollo's Raven by Linnea Tanner

[AYISHA_ASH]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Apollo's Raven" by Linnea Tanner.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Apollo's Raven is an insightful historical novel from author Linnea Tanner. It gives us much detail about the lives of the Celtic kings and queens. Catrin is a Celtic princess and spirit warrior, who becomes entangled in a treacherous web of lies, betrayal and a terrible curse cast by the former queen.

“ The gods demand the scales be balanced for the life you take. If you deny my soul's journey to the Otherworld by beheading me, I curse you to do the same as mine. I prophesize your future queen will beget a daughter who will rise as a Raven and join your son, Blood Wolf, and a mighty empire to overtake your kingdom and to execute my curse.”

She either prevents the downfall of her father, king Amren and her people or becomes the cause of it.
Catrin falls in love with Marcellus, the son of the Roman ambassador. This forbidden love sets off a chain of events that not only jeopardises the fate of her life, but also of her people. It seems that she has to choose between her people and the man she has fallen in love with.

The story is mainly told from Catrin’s point of view. Catrin is strong yet vulnerable who has not completely come to terms with her powers as a druidess. She finds herself attracted to Marcellus and tries to deny her feelings for him. Some parts of the story are told from Marcellus point of view.

I loved it that Celtic women are trained in battle and plays a major role in political discussions. This is in contrast to the Romans, who do not believe women should have an active role in politics. Marcellus’ father, Senator Lucius Antonius, is outraged at having to discuss political matters with a woman.

It is evident that the author has done a lot of research for the book. The Celtic culture and Roman military structure has been portrayed in great detail. The plot is imaginative, and the author has succeeded in bringing to life an ancient pagan tradition. I found it to be particularly fascinating. The romance between Catrin and Marcellus is a bit cliched - will their love hold in the face of the potential war? But I guess it works well with the story. I found the book to be highly intriguing and rate it 4 out of 4 stars. Eagerly waiting for the next book in the series.

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Apollo's Raven
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Like AYISHA_ASH's review? Post a comment saying so!

[Sharon Myles]

Great review, will definitely read the book!

[David Samanthaa]

Apollo's Raven" is a masterful blend of history and fantasy. The author's attention to detail and skillful storytelling make this book a standout in the genre.