Review by RThomas80 -- Apollo's Raven by Linnea Tanner
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Review by RThomas80 -- Apollo's Raven by Linnea Tanner
[Following is a volunteer review of "Apollo's Raven" by Linnea Tanner.]
3 out of 4 stars
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Apollo's Raven by Linnea Tanner
I was immediately drawn to this book since I find anything having to do with Celtic lore and the spiritual practice of the Druids a fascinating read. This story did not disappoint. One thing that really attracts me to the Celtic society is the equality of men and women in their culture. The book's heroine, Catrin, is a perfect example of what I view to be the strong Celtic female in a position of authority.
Catrin is a young Celtic warrior princess blossoming into womanhood in the Britannic kingdom of Cantiaci. As the youngest daughter of King Amren and Queen Rhiannon, his wife and co-ruler, she has been brought up to understand her place as a member of the ruling family. However, she has been ordered by her father to suppress another emerging side of herself. Catrin, it seems, has been endowed with strong powers from the ancient Druids. She has formed a bond with a raven that has opened a floodgate of access to those powers. Unfortunately, since she does not feel that she can broach the topic without disappointing, possibly even angering, her father, she has no one to assist her with learning how to control the interactions with her raven or how to protect herself from being overcome by the power of their encounters.
Catrin, through her raven, learns that a Roman army has landed on their shores in the company of her father's sworn enemy, Marrock. She rushes home to warn her father of the threat. Unfortunately, she arrives after the Roman envoy has already appeared at court. She joins her family in the palace's reception hall where her father, King Amren, is receiving Senator Lucius Antonius, emissary of Emperor Tiberius of Rome. Accompanying Senator Antonius is his son, Marcellus Antonius, great grandson of the illustrious Mark Antony and heir apparent to his famous ancestor's charms and good looks. The king is informed that Rome, at the request of King Cunobelin, from the neighboring kingdom of Catuvellauni, is investigating the claim of Marrock, King Amren's disinherited son from his first marriage, as the true heir to his father's kingdom. The action of the bordering monarch comes as a complete surprise since they are currently negotiating the marriage of Amren's middle daughter, Mor, to Adminius, Cunobelin's son. Despite the intense air of hostility in the room, Catrin is very aware of the fact that she has drawn the attention of the handsome young Roman and finds herself unwillingly responding in the most unaccustomed way to his decidedly improper gaze.
In the open and inclusive society of the Celts, all the people within the walls of Durovernum, the capitol of Canticia, have access to the public areas of the palace and a large crowd has gathered to hear the exchange between their king and the Roman emissaries. Senator Lucius Antonius proves himself to be an arrogant and tactless representative of Rome by quickly enraging King Amren with his pronouncement of Rome's inclination to restore the exiled Marrock to the succession to the throne of Cantiaci. At the insult to King Amren's authority and the rights of his queen and daughters to rule, one of his personal soldiers, who has been closely guarding Marcellus during the discourse, springs into action and forces his blade to the throat of Lucius' son. When her father fails to immediately halt the sudden threat, Catrin takes control of the situation asserting her authority over her father's warrior by shouting above the din and commanding him to stand down. Though he had shown no outward fear, the eyes of Marcellus now express his appreciation of her quick action to save his life.
Thus begins Catrin's role as Marcellus' protector during his stay in this foreign land among a people who are completely alien to him; a place where he does not understand the beliefs, customs, or even the language of those who surround him. From their initial attraction, Catrin and Marcellus develop an inexplicable trust and mutual concern for each other that soon turns into love, despite their continual wariness that each retains a deep-rooted loyalty to their own faction. Struggling under the watchful eye of her mother and others vigilant for any sign of misconduct between herself and Marcellus, Catrin walks a thin line to continue their relationship and maintain contact with him without being viewed as a traitor who has allowed her feelings for the Roman enemy to overcome her loyalty to her family and her own people.
To further complicate her situation, the threat to her father's kingdom and the very lives of herself and her family has heightened the intensity and frequency of her capacity to connect to the visionary abilities she receives from her raven. Without proper instruction in the Druid spiritual practice, she is left to navigate the realms of her corporeal existence and that of the Otherworld. She must learn as she goes how to protect herself from becoming trapped in the alternate reality of her raven-induced visions. Those close to her worry for her health and safety as they watch her uncharacteristic behavior escalate. But, in her own heart, Catrin is certain that, if she can gain control of her ability to guide the unpredictable outcomes of her Druidess gift, she is the only chance of diverting the unthinkable fate of her family at the hands of Marrock and the Romans.
I give this book 3 out of 4 stars. The only reason it would not get the full 4 stars is that there are a few grammatical and spelling errors along with a very few passages where an astute reader would catch a missing word or slight skip in the story line. However, none of these proofreading errors are a major obstacle to the continuity of the book and do not impede the reader from enjoying the overall story.
The book is quick-paced, matching the urgency of the situation in which the King of Cantiaci and his family find themselves. The initial confrontation between King Amren and Senator Lucius Antonius sets the groundwork perfectly to give the reader a basic glimpse into the cultural rift between the Celtic fiefdoms and their Roman counterparts and the complexity of the diplomatic negotiations by which King Amren maintains control of his kingdom through treaties to avoid full Roman occupation. Not only does it illustrate the distrust between the Celts and their Roman suppressors, but, also, the careful strategies required to maintain peace between the various independent kingdoms that make up Britannica. As the story unfolds and you follow the political maneuverings of Kings Amren and Cunobelin, Queen Rhiannon, Senator Antonius, and the plotting Marrack (among others), any preconceived notions of the Celtic rulers as common clan leaders instead of extremely intelligent political strategists are completely dispelled. There are secrets, suspicions, and contrivances on all sides, among allies as well as foes.
Apollo's Raven is the first of a series of books to be written by author Linnea Tanner. Her writing style and the development of the story line are conducive to keeping the reader avidly turning the pages to keep up with the characters as they race to stay one step ahead of their adversaries while traversing the complexities of relationships with those closest to them. I am anxiously awaiting the next book!
******
Apollo's Raven
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3 out of 4 stars
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Apollo's Raven by Linnea Tanner
I was immediately drawn to this book since I find anything having to do with Celtic lore and the spiritual practice of the Druids a fascinating read. This story did not disappoint. One thing that really attracts me to the Celtic society is the equality of men and women in their culture. The book's heroine, Catrin, is a perfect example of what I view to be the strong Celtic female in a position of authority.
Catrin is a young Celtic warrior princess blossoming into womanhood in the Britannic kingdom of Cantiaci. As the youngest daughter of King Amren and Queen Rhiannon, his wife and co-ruler, she has been brought up to understand her place as a member of the ruling family. However, she has been ordered by her father to suppress another emerging side of herself. Catrin, it seems, has been endowed with strong powers from the ancient Druids. She has formed a bond with a raven that has opened a floodgate of access to those powers. Unfortunately, since she does not feel that she can broach the topic without disappointing, possibly even angering, her father, she has no one to assist her with learning how to control the interactions with her raven or how to protect herself from being overcome by the power of their encounters.
Catrin, through her raven, learns that a Roman army has landed on their shores in the company of her father's sworn enemy, Marrock. She rushes home to warn her father of the threat. Unfortunately, she arrives after the Roman envoy has already appeared at court. She joins her family in the palace's reception hall where her father, King Amren, is receiving Senator Lucius Antonius, emissary of Emperor Tiberius of Rome. Accompanying Senator Antonius is his son, Marcellus Antonius, great grandson of the illustrious Mark Antony and heir apparent to his famous ancestor's charms and good looks. The king is informed that Rome, at the request of King Cunobelin, from the neighboring kingdom of Catuvellauni, is investigating the claim of Marrock, King Amren's disinherited son from his first marriage, as the true heir to his father's kingdom. The action of the bordering monarch comes as a complete surprise since they are currently negotiating the marriage of Amren's middle daughter, Mor, to Adminius, Cunobelin's son. Despite the intense air of hostility in the room, Catrin is very aware of the fact that she has drawn the attention of the handsome young Roman and finds herself unwillingly responding in the most unaccustomed way to his decidedly improper gaze.
In the open and inclusive society of the Celts, all the people within the walls of Durovernum, the capitol of Canticia, have access to the public areas of the palace and a large crowd has gathered to hear the exchange between their king and the Roman emissaries. Senator Lucius Antonius proves himself to be an arrogant and tactless representative of Rome by quickly enraging King Amren with his pronouncement of Rome's inclination to restore the exiled Marrock to the succession to the throne of Cantiaci. At the insult to King Amren's authority and the rights of his queen and daughters to rule, one of his personal soldiers, who has been closely guarding Marcellus during the discourse, springs into action and forces his blade to the throat of Lucius' son. When her father fails to immediately halt the sudden threat, Catrin takes control of the situation asserting her authority over her father's warrior by shouting above the din and commanding him to stand down. Though he had shown no outward fear, the eyes of Marcellus now express his appreciation of her quick action to save his life.
Thus begins Catrin's role as Marcellus' protector during his stay in this foreign land among a people who are completely alien to him; a place where he does not understand the beliefs, customs, or even the language of those who surround him. From their initial attraction, Catrin and Marcellus develop an inexplicable trust and mutual concern for each other that soon turns into love, despite their continual wariness that each retains a deep-rooted loyalty to their own faction. Struggling under the watchful eye of her mother and others vigilant for any sign of misconduct between herself and Marcellus, Catrin walks a thin line to continue their relationship and maintain contact with him without being viewed as a traitor who has allowed her feelings for the Roman enemy to overcome her loyalty to her family and her own people.
To further complicate her situation, the threat to her father's kingdom and the very lives of herself and her family has heightened the intensity and frequency of her capacity to connect to the visionary abilities she receives from her raven. Without proper instruction in the Druid spiritual practice, she is left to navigate the realms of her corporeal existence and that of the Otherworld. She must learn as she goes how to protect herself from becoming trapped in the alternate reality of her raven-induced visions. Those close to her worry for her health and safety as they watch her uncharacteristic behavior escalate. But, in her own heart, Catrin is certain that, if she can gain control of her ability to guide the unpredictable outcomes of her Druidess gift, she is the only chance of diverting the unthinkable fate of her family at the hands of Marrock and the Romans.
I give this book 3 out of 4 stars. The only reason it would not get the full 4 stars is that there are a few grammatical and spelling errors along with a very few passages where an astute reader would catch a missing word or slight skip in the story line. However, none of these proofreading errors are a major obstacle to the continuity of the book and do not impede the reader from enjoying the overall story.
The book is quick-paced, matching the urgency of the situation in which the King of Cantiaci and his family find themselves. The initial confrontation between King Amren and Senator Lucius Antonius sets the groundwork perfectly to give the reader a basic glimpse into the cultural rift between the Celtic fiefdoms and their Roman counterparts and the complexity of the diplomatic negotiations by which King Amren maintains control of his kingdom through treaties to avoid full Roman occupation. Not only does it illustrate the distrust between the Celts and their Roman suppressors, but, also, the careful strategies required to maintain peace between the various independent kingdoms that make up Britannica. As the story unfolds and you follow the political maneuverings of Kings Amren and Cunobelin, Queen Rhiannon, Senator Antonius, and the plotting Marrack (among others), any preconceived notions of the Celtic rulers as common clan leaders instead of extremely intelligent political strategists are completely dispelled. There are secrets, suspicions, and contrivances on all sides, among allies as well as foes.
Apollo's Raven is the first of a series of books to be written by author Linnea Tanner. Her writing style and the development of the story line are conducive to keeping the reader avidly turning the pages to keep up with the characters as they race to stay one step ahead of their adversaries while traversing the complexities of relationships with those closest to them. I am anxiously awaiting the next book!
******
Apollo's Raven
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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Latest Review: Apollo's Raven by Linnea Tanner
