Review of Apollo's Raven
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photosynthesis19
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Review of Apollo's Raven
[Following is a volunteer review of "Apollo's Raven" by Linnea Tanner.]
Apollo’s Raven, authored by Linnea Tanner, is a historical fantasy book that masterfully combines elements of Roman and Celtic history, romance, and magic. Catrin is the youngest daughter of King Amren and Queen Rhiannon, the powerful rulers of the Cantiaci tribe. Catrin is born with a raven spirit which grants her the ability to travel to other spiritual realms. When Catrin was still a child, her older half-brother, Marrock, was banished from the Cantiaci kingdom after he committed a treacherous act that put Catrin’s life in grave danger.
Marrock, who is born with a wolf spirit and possesses similarly powerful abilities as his younger half-sister, vows to destroy the Cantiaci kingdom and plans to ally with the Romans to achieve his goal. Consequently, Catrin must learn to control her mystical powers to protect her family and kingdom from Marrock. During these dire times, she meets Marcellus Antonius, a young Roman who is kept as a hostage in King Amren’s castle while the king and several Roman ambassadors attempt to forge an alliance. Catrin is tasked with supervising Marcellus and prying information from him, but they soon learn that their fates are intertwined in a way that neither of them could have ever fathomed.
When I first started reading the book, I found it difficult to immerse myself in the story and to empathize with the characters. Catrin’s personality felt shallow, and I was perplexed at how quickly and openly she displayed her attraction to Marcellus when she was supposed to be a composed and reserved warrior princess. I also felt that their immediate flirtations and physical intimacy, such as holding hands right away, were too bold for the time period that the book is set in.
However, as the story progressed and the political intrigue intensified, the plot development and interactions between the characters started to feel much more natural. About halfway through the book, the author succeeded in fully drawing me in. The author did an excellent job at building suspense without giving away what was going to happen next. The final chapter of the book was a real cliffhanger that left me yearning for more.
Furthermore, I liked that the book depicted Catrin and her mother as powerful, determined women with strong minds and personalities. It was refreshing to read that Catrin could outrun Marcellus and overtake him in a horse race. The supporting characters also felt realistic and relatable, such as Cynwrig, a fear-inducing warrior whose only weakness was his beautiful wife, and Decimus Flavius, a Roman tribune who was not afraid to lead an army of men into battle but was ruled by superstitions.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. Although it took me a couple of chapters to fully immerse myself in the story, the book succeeded in drawing me in and keeping me on the edge of my seat until the very last page. The book appeared to be well edited, and I only found a handful of minor grammar errors that did not interrupt the reading flow. I am determined to read the sequel to this book. I recommend this book to people who enjoy reading adventure, fantasy, and romance novels. The book contains several instances of profanity and a few scenes with sexually explicit content.
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Apollo's Raven
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Apollo’s Raven, authored by Linnea Tanner, is a historical fantasy book that masterfully combines elements of Roman and Celtic history, romance, and magic. Catrin is the youngest daughter of King Amren and Queen Rhiannon, the powerful rulers of the Cantiaci tribe. Catrin is born with a raven spirit which grants her the ability to travel to other spiritual realms. When Catrin was still a child, her older half-brother, Marrock, was banished from the Cantiaci kingdom after he committed a treacherous act that put Catrin’s life in grave danger.
Marrock, who is born with a wolf spirit and possesses similarly powerful abilities as his younger half-sister, vows to destroy the Cantiaci kingdom and plans to ally with the Romans to achieve his goal. Consequently, Catrin must learn to control her mystical powers to protect her family and kingdom from Marrock. During these dire times, she meets Marcellus Antonius, a young Roman who is kept as a hostage in King Amren’s castle while the king and several Roman ambassadors attempt to forge an alliance. Catrin is tasked with supervising Marcellus and prying information from him, but they soon learn that their fates are intertwined in a way that neither of them could have ever fathomed.
When I first started reading the book, I found it difficult to immerse myself in the story and to empathize with the characters. Catrin’s personality felt shallow, and I was perplexed at how quickly and openly she displayed her attraction to Marcellus when she was supposed to be a composed and reserved warrior princess. I also felt that their immediate flirtations and physical intimacy, such as holding hands right away, were too bold for the time period that the book is set in.
However, as the story progressed and the political intrigue intensified, the plot development and interactions between the characters started to feel much more natural. About halfway through the book, the author succeeded in fully drawing me in. The author did an excellent job at building suspense without giving away what was going to happen next. The final chapter of the book was a real cliffhanger that left me yearning for more.
Furthermore, I liked that the book depicted Catrin and her mother as powerful, determined women with strong minds and personalities. It was refreshing to read that Catrin could outrun Marcellus and overtake him in a horse race. The supporting characters also felt realistic and relatable, such as Cynwrig, a fear-inducing warrior whose only weakness was his beautiful wife, and Decimus Flavius, a Roman tribune who was not afraid to lead an army of men into battle but was ruled by superstitions.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. Although it took me a couple of chapters to fully immerse myself in the story, the book succeeded in drawing me in and keeping me on the edge of my seat until the very last page. The book appeared to be well edited, and I only found a handful of minor grammar errors that did not interrupt the reading flow. I am determined to read the sequel to this book. I recommend this book to people who enjoy reading adventure, fantasy, and romance novels. The book contains several instances of profanity and a few scenes with sexually explicit content.
******
Apollo's Raven
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: The Middle Reaches (Episodes 1-8) by L. Andrew Cooper
