Review of Apollo's Raven

[Gerrard Mark]

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

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5 out of 5 stars

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Linnea Tanner's "Apollo's Raven" is a fantastic historical fantasy novel with a touch of romance. To establish who should hold the throne of the Cantiaci—King Amren or Marrock—Rome invades Britannia. After hurting and abandoning his youngest daughter, Catrin, seven years prior, King Amren had disowned his son Marrock. To inquire of the King about why he does not recognize Marrock as his heir, Senator Lucius Antonius travels with his son Marcellus. The senator's camp is the location of a future conference. The Senator retains Vala, the King's eldest daughter, while the King keeps Marcellus as insurance against misfortune. Concerned about a curse from his former queen, Rhan,
 
I like how Tanner uses vivid images and metaphors to describe Catrin's innermost thoughts about a variety of subjects, including her forbidden but politically charged romantic attraction to the Roman named Marcellus and her magical, inexplicable link with a raven. Like many of the characters in the book, Catrin is a complex and fascinating person. Because of the way the book is written, it seems possible that the characters were genuine individuals who had tough lives in the period and location of ancient Celtic Britain. I didn't notice any errors while reading this book; it was edited without flaws. 
 
The story moved along at a really good clip. Reader attention was maintained by revealing just enough of the plot at a time. There was a considerable bit of action, which I also liked. Action and romance were perfectly balanced. There was nothing that I didn't like in this book. 
 
I give this book a rating of 5 out of 5 because each of the intriguing characters Tanner created has a unique tale to tell. The character relationships are convincing because of the skillful construction of the connections between them. I recommend this book to adults who like romance and fantasy books. 
 
 
 

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Apollo's Raven
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