Review of Apollo's Raven
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Chad Anthony
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Review of Apollo's Raven
[Following is a volunteer review of "Apollo's Raven" by Linnea Tanner.]
Apollo's Raven by Linnea Tanner is a historical fiction novel. It focuses on the life of Princess Catrin (the daughter of King Amren of Britannia) and the greedy fight for power between kingdoms. Catrin discovers she has mystical powers, which make her connect with and see through the eyes of her raven. As she tries to understand her powers, a new form of trouble brews with the return of Marrock, her half brother, who is also in alliance with the Romans and Catuvellauni.
Nobody wanted Marrock back after his exile due to his treachery against King Amren and the defilement of Princess Catrin, but he managed to persuade Lucius Antonius, the Roman senator, and Cunobelin, the king of Catuvellauni, to join forces with him.
Upon the arrival of the Roman entourage, Catrin, young as she is, takes an interest in Marcellus, Lucius’ son. They eventually fall in love during the time he is kept in the palace as a royal guest (hostage), pending when the negotiations between the kingdoms are concluded. Their love is, however, against her father's wishes. How could she even be in love with their enemy?
Catrin’s mystical powers surge, and her spiritual connection to her raven increases. She fears how her powers grow, and now she will have to become a druidess to learn how to control them. She then discovers that she was cursed many years ago, and the curse is going to make her conspire with her bloodthirsty half-brother to usurp her father’s throne. In addition to this shocking revelation, there are enemies within the palace walls. She is greatly disturbed and looks for ways to avert the looming danger.
Does she succeed? How does her relationship with Marcellus turn out? Does he really love her, or was he also on to something to help Rome gain dominance over Britannia? Find out in this interesting novel set in AD 24 in medieval Britannia.
For starters, the author really did an immense amount of research to bring this book to life. She dove into the history, practices, and conflicts of the Celts and made a compelling story out of it. There was enough description of the main characters, and the words flowed well.
I enjoyed the unexpected twists in the plot. It was thrilling. Characters’ true intentions were revealed in the most shocking ways. I also loved the inclusion of a map and the way the story grips the reader from the very beginning. There is also a good blend of history, magic, romance, and suspense in the book.
Apollo’s Raven is the first book in The Curse of Clansmen and Kings Series, so for lovers of this genre, there's more. It, however, has graphic details of rituals, killings, and sex, as it was the lifestyle of the people of that time. It will therefore not be suitable for younger readers or readers who are sensitive to such content.
What I will consider a drawback in this book is the lack of proper character development for a few of the minor characters, like Vala, Catrin’s sister. Since she was the royal hostage to the Romans as Marcellus was to her father’s kingdom, more light should have been shed on what became of her. Also, at some point, the plot slowed down, then picked up its pace later on. I found a few errors in it.
I'll rate this book four out of five stars because of the drawback I mentioned above. The plot is well structured and complex, and the author was able to resolve most of the conflicts in it, save for a few characters and their actions.
Readers interested in romance, mystery, fantasy, historical fiction, magic, or mystical literature and history about the Celts who once lived in Britannia will enjoy Apollo’s Raven.
******
Apollo's Raven
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Apollo's Raven by Linnea Tanner is a historical fiction novel. It focuses on the life of Princess Catrin (the daughter of King Amren of Britannia) and the greedy fight for power between kingdoms. Catrin discovers she has mystical powers, which make her connect with and see through the eyes of her raven. As she tries to understand her powers, a new form of trouble brews with the return of Marrock, her half brother, who is also in alliance with the Romans and Catuvellauni.
Nobody wanted Marrock back after his exile due to his treachery against King Amren and the defilement of Princess Catrin, but he managed to persuade Lucius Antonius, the Roman senator, and Cunobelin, the king of Catuvellauni, to join forces with him.
Upon the arrival of the Roman entourage, Catrin, young as she is, takes an interest in Marcellus, Lucius’ son. They eventually fall in love during the time he is kept in the palace as a royal guest (hostage), pending when the negotiations between the kingdoms are concluded. Their love is, however, against her father's wishes. How could she even be in love with their enemy?
Catrin’s mystical powers surge, and her spiritual connection to her raven increases. She fears how her powers grow, and now she will have to become a druidess to learn how to control them. She then discovers that she was cursed many years ago, and the curse is going to make her conspire with her bloodthirsty half-brother to usurp her father’s throne. In addition to this shocking revelation, there are enemies within the palace walls. She is greatly disturbed and looks for ways to avert the looming danger.
Does she succeed? How does her relationship with Marcellus turn out? Does he really love her, or was he also on to something to help Rome gain dominance over Britannia? Find out in this interesting novel set in AD 24 in medieval Britannia.
For starters, the author really did an immense amount of research to bring this book to life. She dove into the history, practices, and conflicts of the Celts and made a compelling story out of it. There was enough description of the main characters, and the words flowed well.
I enjoyed the unexpected twists in the plot. It was thrilling. Characters’ true intentions were revealed in the most shocking ways. I also loved the inclusion of a map and the way the story grips the reader from the very beginning. There is also a good blend of history, magic, romance, and suspense in the book.
Apollo’s Raven is the first book in The Curse of Clansmen and Kings Series, so for lovers of this genre, there's more. It, however, has graphic details of rituals, killings, and sex, as it was the lifestyle of the people of that time. It will therefore not be suitable for younger readers or readers who are sensitive to such content.
What I will consider a drawback in this book is the lack of proper character development for a few of the minor characters, like Vala, Catrin’s sister. Since she was the royal hostage to the Romans as Marcellus was to her father’s kingdom, more light should have been shed on what became of her. Also, at some point, the plot slowed down, then picked up its pace later on. I found a few errors in it.
I'll rate this book four out of five stars because of the drawback I mentioned above. The plot is well structured and complex, and the author was able to resolve most of the conflicts in it, save for a few characters and their actions.
Readers interested in romance, mystery, fantasy, historical fiction, magic, or mystical literature and history about the Celts who once lived in Britannia will enjoy Apollo’s Raven.
******
Apollo's Raven
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: A Summer with the Hermit King by William Todd
