In a realm governed by a pantheon of absent gods, mortal power transfers every 24 years by means of a competition between factions. Neema Kraa, Orrun’s brilliant but unconventional (and unpopular– think Elphaba, in Wicked) High Scholar, is thrust into a dangerous game of power when a contestant for the throne is murdered. Ordered to become the replacement candidate and to solve the murder of her predecessor, Neema must face trials both physical and mental in the competition to rule (which she doesn’t want to do in the first place). As she investigates the murder, she’s persistently contacted by an enigmatic entity, the Raven, who promises to help her win the contest, but for a price.

This debut epic fantasy features a compelling protagonist facing high-stakes political manoeuvring and a mysterious (and often sarcastic and witty) guiding presence. I admit a soft spot for narrators who break the fourth wall and speak directly to the reader. Even better if they are slightly condescending and clever on top of it, such as in the Bartimaeus Series (did I mention this book also has footnotes? *Grins*). So, The Raven Scholar has an intermittent narrator that I quite liked, and characters that I believed in. Neema is a scholar. She is in good shape, and occasionally has some mystical help, but she does not magically develop amazing fighting skills. She seriously considers running away at one point. I sometimes get bored with books that feature “deadly trials” but Antonia Hodgson provided a fresh take on the idea by blending in a political aspect, where trials can be any sort of task and favor any candidate, purposely or not.

The beginning of the book was something of a shock. I immediately was drawn into the story, only to find out that we don’t start with our main character! I was surprised, but it ended up making me more invested in Neema’s story, because her investigation is linked to the characters we met and became curious about in the first few chapters, and BOY did I want to know what happened to them. It was also refreshing to have smart villains. Really, the antagonists are not playing around. I thought I had a handle on what was happening, and then things took a turn I did NOT expect. With 3% of the book left I was wondering how it was going to all get wrapped up, and then, it ended. Thank goodness there are going to be sequels because I am dying to find out how this all ends.

I loved the Raven. They were magnificent. I enjoyed learning the lore of the realm’s pantheon and the different factions (I would totally be a raven) and the complexity even of the side characters. I cannot wait to continue the Eternal Path series. Antonia Hodgson made a tremendous fantasy debut with this book. Five stars from me, and I would recommend it to fans of the Bartimaeus series by Jonathan Stroud, the Summer Dragon by Todd Lockwood, the Temeraire series by Naiomi Novik, and the Abhorsen series by Garth Nix.

The Raven Scholar is due for publication 17th April – you can pre-order your copy HERE