The Raven Tower

By: Ann Leckie

Narrated by: Adjoa Andoh

SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2020 WORLD FANTASY AWARD
Gods meddle in the fates of men, men play with the fates of gods, and a pretender must be cast down from the throne in this masterful first fantasy novel from Ann Leckie, New York Times bestselling author and winner of the Hugo, Nebula, and Arthur C. Clarke Awards.

"Absolutely wonderful. . .utterly brilliant." -- The New York Times Book Review

For centuries, the kingdom of Iraden has been protected by the god known as the Raven.

He watches over his territory from atop a tower in the powerful port of Vastai. His will is enacted through the Raven's Lease, a human ruler chosen by the god himself. His magic is sustained by the blood sacrifice that every Lease must offer. And under the Raven's watch, the city flourishes.

But the Raven's tower holds a secret. Its foundations conceal a dark history that has been waiting to reveal itself. . .and to set in motion a chain of events that could destroy Iraden forever.
"It's a delight to read something so different, so wonderful and strange." -- Patrick Rothfuss

For more Ann Leckie, check out:Ancillary JusticeAncillary SwordAncillary Mercy
Provenance

Critic reviews

"I've been reading fantasy my whole life. After all these years, it's a delight to read something so different, so wonderful and strange."—Patrick Rothfuss

"A powerhouse epic of humans and gods at war, deeply imagined and profoundly thrilling. There are echoes of Shakespeare and Le Guin in The Raven Tower, but its strange dark brilliance could only have come from Ann Leckie."—Lev Grossman

"Leckie's tale takes on a mythic, metafictional quality...and the story's elements weave into a stunning conclusion. This impressive piece of craftsmanship cements Leckie's place as a powerful voice in both SF and fantasy."— Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Absolutely wonderful. The god's voice is mesmerizing, tender and careful....feels closer to the register of folk tale than epic, and is all the more riveting for that."—New York Times Book Review

"Leckie has an ear for language, an eye for character and a gift for creating new worlds and cultures... [her] examination of power, politics and governance is fascinating and well-conceived."—St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Sharp, many layered, and, as always for Leckie, deeply intelligent."— Kirkus (starred review)

"Leckie has a gift for using language both as worldbuilding and as plot device ... The Raven Tower spins out its mysteries before gleefully setting fire to them in the last few pages."—NPR

"Award-winner Leckie proves as adept at worldbuilding as ever-the setting and characters of The Raven Tower are as rich as any we encountered in Imperial Radch space-but it is the mode of narration that truly distinguishes her first novel-length foray into fantasy. Much like Hamlet, from which The Raven Tower draws clear inspiration, Leckie's is a story filled with complicated, very human people, as well as the forces that move around them, guiding them ever so slightly toward choices both good and bad."—B&N SciFi & Fantasy Blog

"The Raven Tower is an enormously compelling novel. It may draw inspiration from Hamlet, but...it reweaves the fabric of Shakespeare's play into cloth of a different color entirely. Leckie's worldbuilding is deep and thorough, showing us the edges of a broad, rich, complicated world, and her characters are fascinating."—Tor.com

"Leckie has created an enthralling and well-realized fantasy world, full of not only magic and gods but also characters representing a broad spectrum of gender and sexuality. Highly recommended for...anyone looking for exciting and boundary-pushing fantasy."— Booklist (starred review)

"Leckie's first foray into fantasy is every bit as exciting as her 2013 sci-fi debut, Ancillary Justice."
—Bustle

Missing something

It almost rang good and true on all marks, but felt it fell flat at times when it could of expanded more or created some other conflict. I’ll admit I’m not 100% amazed by the book, but I’m not turned off from it either.

It set a good story, it had okay details, but lacked a connection to any of the characters. I didn’t feel like I cared what happened to any of them honestly and felt I had to reconnect myself to the book each time I picked it up to be able to finish it.

Just didn’t hit al the notes for me.

100% loved the person Voice acting/narrating the story.

Great concept marred by ... you!

Yes, you. A fun and overall well executed concept is very nearly ruined by Lekie's decision (and her editors' apparent inability to dissuade her) to use second person singular for one of the principal characters. It's extremely jarring and downright unpleasant at times. You are apparently a boy hardened by war who can also collapse into a mewling, whimpering wreck when my lord--sorry, your lord--looks to be in some trouble. And your lord is in some trouble, start to finish. The narrator does a fantastic job given the material but, perhaps out of revenge for the literary crime being perpetrated, portrays the mewling you with such a pathetic warble that you, yes you, may want to claw your earbuds out. Now if you've struggled through this review and haven't made a quick exit with a tap of the Not Helpful button, you might as well listen to the book! Besides your dubious role in it, it's a fun, short and intriguing listen.

Easy listen, but very simple storyline

I enjoyed the story as filler to my commute. I probably won't continue the series though. There were some very interesting and creative elements. The story as a whole was just too simple. I didn't care what happened to any of the characters.

Amazing

I love this world and the way the story is structured. I have listened to this countless times and recommended it to anyone who asks for a book to read.

Amazing second person storytelling

A story told in the second person is rare, but it really pays off here. It allows for a amazing genre switch at the end of the book, when one looks at the entire story differently.