Synopsis
Let us fly now to the empire of Orrun, where after twenty-four years of peace, Bersun the Brusque must end his reign. In the dizzying heat of mid-summer, seven contenders compete to replace him. They are exceptional warriors, thinkers, strategists—the best of the best. Then one of them is murdered.
It falls to Neema Kraa, the emperor’s brilliant, idiosyncratic High Scholar, to find the killer before the trials end. To do so, she must untangle a web of deadly secrets that stretches back generations, all while competing against six warriors with their own dark histories and fierce ambitions. Neema believes she is alone. But we are here to help; all she has to do is let us in.If she succeeds, she will win the throne. If she fails, death awaits her. But we won’t let that happen. We are the Raven, and we are magnificent.
Review
Let me start by saying: The Raven Scholar is exactly the kind of fantasy novel I’ve been hankering for. It’s not just escapism (though there is nothing wrong with that) – it’s high fantasy executed with intelligence, depth, and a sense of wonder that hearkens back to why I fell in love with the genre in the first place.
First off, this book sidesteps the over-saturated romantasy trend beautifully. There’s a delicate hint of romance, yes – but it never dominates, never overwhelms. Instead, the heart of the story lies in ambition, purpose, mystery, and magic-driven politics. If you’re yearning for fantasy that’s about kingdoms, myths, and intrigue rather than endless romantic arcs, The Raven Scholar delivers.
Set in the empire of Orrun, Hodgson weaves a tapestry of eight guardian houses – each aligned with an animal archetype. These ancestries don’t just flavour the setting – they define how characters think, move, and act. The concept is familiar, but here, it’s embedded into every sentence, every gesture
It’s immersive and theatrical, allowing the world to feel vast and populated long before the main action kicks in.
Neema Kraa, the academically gifted but socially careless High Scholar, is deeply compelling – brilliant, prickly, and infuriating in the best way. Watching her juggle murder investigations amid deadly trials – a journey from reluctant contender to reluctant hero – is a real treat after several years of very bland FMCs in books. And the cast around her? Outstanding. From sly, charming Fox Cain to the loathsome yet evolving and multidimensional Ruko, Hodgson populates the narrative with rounded, morally grey figures. Their ambitions and flaws feel authentic and layered. Unique voices abound, and even minor characters are memorable.
This is a door-stopper fantasy – well over 600 pages, and yet despite its heft, the pace never bogs. There’s a compelling balance of intrigue, action, mystery, competition, and even mythology unfolding like clockwork.
This is a dazzling piece of high fantasy – smart, immersive, character-driven. But the only reason it falls tantalisingly short of a perfect five is that occasionally, a few events are relayed in summary rather than shown – moments of missed immediacy in an otherwise live-wire narrative. It’s a tiny quibble in what’s otherwise a richly textured world and story.
If you’re out there, wide-eyed and fed up with over-glorified romantasy, The Raven Scholar should be your next read. It’s high-fantasy with grit, cleverness, and a heartbeat – epic and yet intimate, political and yet personal. Antonia Hodgson has given us a compelling start to The Eternal Path trilogy, one I’ll be returning to long after the final page.
The Ink Thief 