This was a really fast-paced book set in a future after 'The Bombings', an event which has meant that most of mankind lives in centres like New York where a barrier keeps out most of the radiation. Jackson, a dodgy businessman fighting nightmares related to his efforts to keep his peculiar powers under wraps, finds a woman in a box in the desert - as you do - and discovers that she has some very peculiar powers of her own. The government of course takes an interest, and the resulting action leads to both of them finding out a good deal more about their background and abilities - not quite enough, though, that there is not plenty of room for a sequel.
The pace was hot, the plot was sound, the characters worked well together, and the main two were very sympathetic, particularly Anna. I liked the underplayed descriptions of a world that was familiar enough but clearly gone wrong, and the hints of a magical authority operating alongside the government, as well as apparently a parallel magical existence. I hope to see another episode in the series soon.
More information:
Name: Raven Song
Series: Inoki's Game (Book 1)
Paperback: 290 pages
Published Date: March 14, 2016
Publisher: Lucid Dreams Publishing
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1944674004
ISBN-13: 978-1944674007
Book Blurb:
A century
ago, the world burned. Even now, though rebuilt and defiant, civilization is
still choking on the ashes.
Jackson, a
smuggler, lives in the shadows, once a boy with no memory, no name, and no
future. Ravens followed him, long-extinct birds only he could see, and
nightmares flew in their wake. Once, Jackson thought himself to be one of the
lucky few touched by magic, a candidate for the Order of Mages. He is a man now,
and that dream has died. But, the ravens still follow. The nightmares still
whisper in his ear.
Anna’s life
was under the sun, her future bright, her scientific work promising. She knew
nothing of The Bombings, the poisoned world, or the occult. One day, she went
to work, and the next, she awoke in a box over a hundred years in the future,
screaming, fighting to breathe, and looking up into the eyes of a smuggler.
Anna fears she’s gone crazy, unable to fill the massive hole in her memories,
and terrified of the strange abilities she now possesses.
The
Coalition government has turned its watchful eyes towards them. The secret
factions of the city move to collect them first. And, old gods stir in the
darkness, shifting their pawns on the playing field.
If Anna and
Jackson wish to stay free, they must learn what they are and why they exist.
Unfortunately,
even if they do, it may be too late.
Raven Song is the first of a four
book adult-oriented dystopian fantasy series, a story of intrigue, love,
violence, and the old spirits in the shadows who wait for us to notice them
again. Readers of Neil Gaiman, Holly Black, and Charlie Human will enjoy this
dark magic-laced tale rooted on the bones of what our world could become.
Author Bio:
I. A.
Ashcroft has been writing fiction in many forms for almost twenty years. The
author's first book, written at age seven, featured the family cat hunting an
evil sorceress alongside dragons and eagles. This preoccupation with the
fantastical has not changed in the slightest.
Now, the
author dwells in Phoenix, AZ alongside a wonderful tale-spinner and two
increasingly deranged cats. Ashcroft writes almost exclusively in the realm of
darker fantasy these days, loving to entertain adults with stories of magic,
wonder, despair, violence, and hope, bringing a deep love of mythology into
every tale penned. The author also loves diverse and intriguing casts of characters.
When not
buried in a book, one might find Ashcroft learning languages, charting road
trips, and playing tabletop RPGs with clever and fun people.
Contact the
Author:
Quotes from Reviewers
“Fresh,
futuristic, dark, scary, and thrilling all at the same time… Even people who
don't usually read sci-fi/fantasy type stories will be able to feel grounded.”
– Sydney
Scrogham, author of Chase
________________________________________
“This is a
surprising book. Not because it is well written (it is) and not just because it
has an engaging plot that keeps you reading and wishing for more but rather
because it is such an unusual concept… an excellent novel that is well worth
reading if you want something different to the usual tropes.”
– D. A.
Lascelles, author of “Gods of the Sea “and Transitions
________________________________________
“The
concepts of Chosen ones, superhuman magical abilities, world collapse and time
travel aren't new, but Ashcroft gives them a special twist to create a story
that is clever, intelligent, original and utterly engrossing.”
– Hannah
Ross, author of the Quest of the Messenger series
________________________________________
“Raven Song
does not wait long and throws the reader into an action adventure starring
likable leads from the very start.”
– Moonike,
Goodreads reviewer
________________________________________
“I will
freely admit the chapter where the book shows Anna’s past made me tear up… even
now as I write this I tear up a bit thinking of it.”
–
taruofatlantis, Goodreads reviewer
________________________________________
“Jackson was
such a realistic character that I could practically see him in front of me when
I read about him. I could see his movements, mannerisms… feel his relief, fear
and curiosity. He is a perfect character in every which way. Anna is a
character with no memories of why she is where she is. Oh and also, she may
have traveled in time. Her character develops so beautifully as the story
progresses. I wanted to hug her and cry out "You go girl!" at many
points in the story.”
– Uma, book
blogger at Books. Bags. Burgers.
________________________________________
“The
descriptiveness of these scenes is amazing and keeps you turning the page....
you get the sense of a meld between Mad Max and some drug addled dream sequence
at times.”
– Mark,
Goodreads reviewer
________________________________________
“What a dark
and beautiful fantasy! I had wanted to read this one for a while, since I has
first heard of it, but just got the chance, and I'm so glad I did! Richly
written with an interesting plot and complex characters this is one for all you
dark fantasy/dystopian/grimdark tales!”
– Stephanie,
book blogger at Adventures Thru Wonderland
________________________________________
“Ashcroft
has a brilliant imagination coupled with an eloquent writing style that draws
the reader in, makes us feel a wide array of emotions, and holds us captivated
to the very end. I anxiously await the next volume in this series.”
– K.
McCaslin, Amazon reviewer
________________________________________
“Such beauty
blooms in the language and such mystery envelops the plot that the more you
read, the more you fall in love with the pages.”
– Gayathri,
Amazon reviewer
________________________________________
“The story
of Jackson and Anna is one that was both touching and action packed. Smartly
written with a smooth voice and an incredible talent for world building and
storytelling, the author has really captured a great premise here. In fact, I
was thrilled to see that this was only Book One in a series. ”
– Judge,
24th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards
________________________________________
“This being
a debut book, blew me away. I do not ever do book reviews, but I wanted to let
those who read them know, you must buy this book. It is gritty, fun, full of
drama, and a little bit of love. All of the elements come together and are
beautifully married to create the dystopian world full of complex, and varied
characters.”
– Amazon
Customer, 5 star review
________________________________________
"A
fresh and unique take on a dystopian world, Ashcroft has managed to take one of
my favorite genres and breathe new life into it. With touches of magic in a
world gone south, Raven Song is packed with adventure and intrigue. A page
turner you won't want to put down..."
– The Faerie
Review
________________________________________
"Urban
fantasy lovers who like layered multi dimensional plotlines would surely like
the author's page turning writing style."
–
Saiswaroopa Iyer, author of Abaya
Quotes from the Book
Jackson let
the implication settle on his shoulders, and his voice dropped to a whisper,
even though no one was there to hear. “The Coalition wants to smuggle. With
us.”
“They’re not
here for our generous bulk discounts on three-day shipping, boss.”
________________________________________
And there,
behind the glass, was no gun stash, no bombs, no drugs, no illicit data chips.
It was a
woman, a young woman, eyes closed as if asleep.
Jackson
blinked.
“Well,
shit,” Frank said for both of them.
________________________________________
Something in
Anna snapped … She yelled like Nyx had, tears coursing down her face now, and
slammed her under-exercised, desk-job fist into the glass.
Anna heard
the crunch, and was certain it was her hand breaking. A throbbing numbness
exploded up her entire arm.
She pulled
her hand back, and under it, a thick crack had split the plate.
________________________________________
“What am I?”
The question tore out of his chest in the wake of the jarring memories, and it
left a cold, fearful hole behind.
“Ah. There
it is. Good job.”
Jackson
could hardly look now at the stranger’s jaunty smile. His heart beat faster
with terror.
“Do you
really want to know?” the man said.
________________________________________
The road was
lined with an old wiry fence, which sagged and splintered in places, cordoning
off barren, rocky land. Anna sipped her coffee and gazed absently at the fence
and the road lines, watching them stretch forever into the horizon. The clouds
had been flat wisps, the landscape a painting frozen in time. And then, she had
seen them.
Ravens.
Nearly
twenty of the massive birds were clustered on a segment of wire. She normally
would have thought nothing of the flock. But, as she passed, in the span of
half a second, they lifted their heads and turned with her, as if they weren’t
twenty birds at all, but one mind in many bodies.
Her stomach
made an apprehensive leap. Some old story in her memory surfaced. Omens of
death. Ravens.
________________________________________
She bounded
ahead of the soldiers, snagging a handhold in the maimed dirt. Her arms
screamed as she pulled herself up, forcing her hands into new nooks, finding
purchase for her feet. She never would have been able to do this in her past
life. And yet, now, it seemed like she should, and she was hardly surprised
when it worked.
________________________________________
The harsh
arena lights were like the sun, drying Jackson’s blood to his skin. Flickers of
black wheeled in his vision against the light. Then, they weren’t flickers
anymore. They were dark-feathered birds croaking their song overhead, circling,
watching.
His
companions until the end. Always.
________________________________________
In the end,
she didn’t have a plan.
But, she did
have the inner voice that had urged her on when the NNSS was attacked. It was
the same voice that saw her lead the breakout. You’re going to do it, the voice
said. You don’t know how yet, but you will. You have to. Why else would you be
alive, after all this? To die here?
Anna decided
to call this voice courage, and she hoped it was right.
A boy lay on
the broken sidewalk, eyes closed. He was pale and thin, looking not a day over
ten years old. His half-clothed body shuddered against the chilly night air.
His bony frame scraped against the grime of the street as he curled into
himself, trying to keep back the cold. Overhead, the stars hung bright and
lonely.
In the
alley, almost invisible against the midnight darkness, a man stood tall over
the boy. His well-pressed suit was as black as the shadows, as his skin, and as
the raven on his shoulder. The way he hovered over the child, he seemed a
strange guardian. But his eyes were turned upwards to the sky, away from the
boy’s plight, as if it was no real matter. In those black eyes the stars were
mirrored, impossible and brilliant. Those eyes stared back into the past, when
the celestial lights were loved and revered, when each constellation had a
story.
Once upon a
time… this was when the world had sung to him, the dream-walker, the
song-weaver, the star-stringer.
Once, before
humans had forgotten his name.
Now, the
starry sky was almost hidden by the glowing blue haze of the Barrier, a shield
cast over what was left of the city: proud New York, ruined, rebuilt, defiant.
The stranger
kept staring upwards into oblivion, even as the boy let out an unhappy whimper,
chills wracking his weak frame. The raven flew from the stranger’s shoulder
then, alighting onto the sidewalk, picking past the weeds and rubble. It
rejoined its fellows who had settled amicably around the child, oblivious to
the fact that ravens were all supposed to be dead. One hundred years ago,
poison had leeched into the earth, into the grass, into the grazers, and into
the corpses left behind. The blight spared little, its kind no exception.
Regardless, this impossible creature affectionately brushed at the boy’s dark
hair with its beak.
At the
touch, the boy awoke with a start. His wide, uncomprehending eyes took in the
world as he struggled to sit up, his head swinging around wildly; past awnings
and high rises he had never seen, past scrawled words and graffiti he could not
understand. He teetered to his feet, then fell back down again as his knees
gave out, sending the birds around him into flight.
He saw no
starry eyes in the darkness, no stranger standing nearby. He was halfnaked, shivering,
hungry, and alone, his head aching down to his teeth. The nameless boy shook
off the dreams he couldn’t remember and wondered where he was.
If there had
been any passersby on that cold autumn night, they would have sworn that this
boy hadn’t been there a minute ago, and no stranger or ravens had been there at
all.
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