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nina_bloodsworn's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.75
Raven: Blood Eye is the beginning of a trilogy about a boy named Raven found when he was only a small boy and he has no memory of where he came from. This is a mystery on its own. I really liked the coming of age story of Raven although it was a bit quicker at times as i was expecting. Having read the prequel trilogy, i was eager to get back to Sigurd. I loved him in the Rise of Sigurd books - what a great man and warrior but it was also apparent that Raven was written first - in small little details.
I am not so connected to Raven as I want it to be but i am hoping that changes in book 2.
So far I am loving the world, politics. Characters are alright here too. I know Mr Kristian can do it better but i am cutting some slack cause this was the first trilogy, if i am not mistaken and so room for improvment.
Usually i am way more emotionally connected to the characters of his books - so i have hope for that.
All in all nice start to the trilogy.
I am not so connected to Raven as I want it to be but i am hoping that changes in book 2.
So far I am loving the world, politics. Characters are alright here too. I know Mr Kristian can do it better but i am cutting some slack cause this was the first trilogy, if i am not mistaken and so room for improvment.
Usually i am way more emotionally connected to the characters of his books - so i have hope for that.
All in all nice start to the trilogy.
dmcke013's review against another edition
4.0
The first in a planned trilogy, Raven: Blood Eye is set during the early days of the Viking incursion into what would later become known as England. Pretty much the entire novel centres around one such such fictional raid: before, during and after the said event, with the subseqent sequels planning to 'open out' the Viking world.
If I had to compare it to other similar novels I've read, I would probably have to place it somewhere in the gap between Bernard Cornwell's (an author, incidentally, who Giles Kristian acknowledges as being part of his inspiration) series on Alfred the Great and Tim Severin's Viking books: not quite as polished as the former, nor as scholarly as the latter. Still an enjoyable enough read, though!
If I had to compare it to other similar novels I've read, I would probably have to place it somewhere in the gap between Bernard Cornwell's (an author, incidentally, who Giles Kristian acknowledges as being part of his inspiration) series on Alfred the Great and Tim Severin's Viking books: not quite as polished as the former, nor as scholarly as the latter. Still an enjoyable enough read, though!
icarus22's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
krste93's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
jakelewis_23_'s review against another edition
4.0
Reread
I loved this book first time around and yep…still love it! Great cast of characters and it really sucks you in! Will be continuing to reread the series
I loved this book first time around and yep…still love it! Great cast of characters and it really sucks you in! Will be continuing to reread the series
lucita_knjige's review against another edition
1.0
Ova knjiga je postala misterij. Čitam recenzije i veli Elizabeta da ima nepotrebna scena silovanja pred kraj. Ovo izdanje toga nema, nego se Gavran zacopa u engleskinju koja na kraju bježi s njima. AM CONFUSE.
Također, neke recenzije su spomenule da nema radnje toliko, kaj mi je isto ogromni WUT jer ima nekoliko mini plotova unutar priče.
Nemrem naći epub originala za piratski skinuti da provjerim so this is a mystery!
Također, neke recenzije su spomenule da nema radnje toliko, kaj mi je isto ogromni WUT jer ima nekoliko mini plotova unutar priče.
Nemrem naći epub originala za piratski skinuti da provjerim so this is a mystery!
team_centerfold's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
Overall I enjoyed the story, I had two major problems.
Not a fan of certain phrases he uses relatively. And I would have preferred the book split into a part one and part two. There's so much criss crossing and action that it feels more like a rollercoaster than a clear trajectory.
Not a fan of certain phrases he uses relatively. And I would have preferred the book split into a part one and part two. There's so much criss crossing and action that it feels more like a rollercoaster than a clear trajectory.
rmb86's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.75
eyreguide's review against another edition
5.0
This story felt very well researched and accurate so that the Vikings and the English of the 9th century were very vividly portrayed, down to the muck and filth that must have been prevalent in that time. While the realistic details certainly put off any attempt to romanticize that time period for me (no woman should want to live during that time anyways!) it was interesting to see how much the equally vividly portrayed characters made me almost envy the simple, honorable lifestyle of the Norsemen brotherhood. Osric, the English, but perhaps really Norse, captive of Sigurd and his men, is our narrator of what it means to come to belong to such a brotherhood, and their acceptance of him brings a lot of heart into this novel full of detailed violent fighting scenes, and less detailed (thankfully) rape and pillaging.
Although the novel started off slowly in the beginning, it picks up pretty quickly and I really enjoyed how Osric, or Raven as he is now called, develops from a cowardly boy to an honorable fighter committed to his Jarl; becoming instrumental when the Norsemen are forced by the English to steal the valuable Gospel of St. Jerome from another English county. The English as characters are generally not very sympathetic and their motivations and actions are somewhat unpredictable, adding suspense to the story as the poor Norsemen, who just want to go home, are forced to complete one task after another. Not all the Norsemen are trustworthy though, and in-group dissension increases the drama. I found myself rooting for certain people to die horrible deaths and for love to bloom between two deserving characters in this harsh, unforgiving time. It was also funny to read the constant jibes the Norse warriors made at each other - usually involving comparing their brothers to animals, women, and cowards. There are some inventive insults!
The attitudes of the Norse towards the Christian “gods” made me think of how much religion is a product of culture. It’s thought-provoking to read the Norse and English clash on their beliefs in this novel and this added another layer of historical realism to the story that I really appreciated. This is a well-written, vivid and richly detailed historical drama with gory violence, but also sharply realized characters who make up the heart of the drama.
Although the novel started off slowly in the beginning, it picks up pretty quickly and I really enjoyed how Osric, or Raven as he is now called, develops from a cowardly boy to an honorable fighter committed to his Jarl; becoming instrumental when the Norsemen are forced by the English to steal the valuable Gospel of St. Jerome from another English county. The English as characters are generally not very sympathetic and their motivations and actions are somewhat unpredictable, adding suspense to the story as the poor Norsemen, who just want to go home, are forced to complete one task after another. Not all the Norsemen are trustworthy though, and in-group dissension increases the drama. I found myself rooting for certain people to die horrible deaths and for love to bloom between two deserving characters in this harsh, unforgiving time. It was also funny to read the constant jibes the Norse warriors made at each other - usually involving comparing their brothers to animals, women, and cowards. There are some inventive insults!
The attitudes of the Norse towards the Christian “gods” made me think of how much religion is a product of culture. It’s thought-provoking to read the Norse and English clash on their beliefs in this novel and this added another layer of historical realism to the story that I really appreciated. This is a well-written, vivid and richly detailed historical drama with gory violence, but also sharply realized characters who make up the heart of the drama.
rebelbelle13's review against another edition
3.0
I wasn't disappointed by this novel, but I wasn't impressed either. I was expecting a little more character development and Norse culture and a little less of the fighting and skull-bashing, to be honest, but as it stands, my first foray into Viking fiction was okay. Norse mythology is delved into, including the gods- Thor, Odin, Hela, Frigg, Loki, the Valkyrie and others, as well as Valhall (Norse heaven) and Ragnarok (end of days). There's also a helpful glossary and list of names to help you navigate all the players in this first installment of the Raven trilogy. There wasn't a whole lot of character development. Raven goes from being a peaceful blacksmith in an English coastal town to a testosterone filled, war-mongering Norseman in a matter of pages. There's lots of violence here. There's gratuitous battle scenes and descriptions of injuries down to the smells- so if that's a turn off for you, I'd steer clear. The plot consists of battle, travel, battle, conversation, battle, travel, etc. This caused me to lose interest about halfway through, and I really had to convince myself it was a good idea to push through to the end. The book is well written, but I felt it was missing something. There's still questions about Raven's past, so it's possible I'll read the next, but it won't be anytime soon.