Guiromelans is a knight, a sacred paladin, seeking nothing more than to obey the commandments of God. But when God betrays him and allows a hells-condemned witch to defeat him in battle, he is forced to reexamine his faith. What did he do to merit such disgrace? What can he do to atone for his sins? Facing challenges both of the flesh and of the soul, Guiromelans begins a pilgrimage across the known world. In search of redemption and forgiveness, he discovers the true meaning of God’s will. The Raven is the sequal to John Lawson’s first novel, Witch Ember.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wise addition to your Fantasy library,
This review is from: The Raven (Paperback)
I can only start by saying that I am floored. In my mind, there is no reason why this author should not be published through a major publisher. His work is without a doubt on my part, beyond exceptional. The scope of his imagination surpasses most of the commercial Fantasy books I've read.
What makes this book stand out is the sheer magnitude of the world that the author has created; the attention to detail, the originality of the characters and the world, even with the strong influences from our own cultures, norms and religions. His skill at world-building was brushed on in "Witch Ember"; here, it is in your face. John Lawson also plays with language, and context and adds to the mood and the expressiveness of his characters using dialect. It's brilliant, despite the need for a glossary (which the author thoughtfully marked with a post-it flag for me). "The Raven" is a dark adult fantasy, which like its prequel, has situations and bleakness in it that are not suitable for everyone. This book's stories are harsh and in some cases, graphic and gory. The visuals the writing produces sometimes make you wonder what the heck could possibly be going on inside the author's head. But don't be mistaken, this isn't just a gore-filled blood-fest; there's depth, substance and turmoil here; a violently tormented knight and a journey where you perceive growth and discovery, and perhaps even redemption. Guiromélans is a holy warrior; a tainted paladin; a man whose faith has been put into question, and whose identity is so steeped in faith that his entire being is thrown into turmoil by his doubt and confusion. You will follow him as he tries to make himself right with God again, and as he travels and adventures through a world of creatures and images fresh and gloomy. The three-dimensional characters that accompany him, who pass through his stories, whose lives he affects are as rich and complex as the world they live in. The book is as clean as a whistle with only occasional blips here and there; it is quite decently edited. It's a thick book, and luckily, fairly self-contained, so you can pick it up without having read "Witch Ember" and not feel lost or overwhelmed. Obviously, John Lawson has earned another five medallions from Odyssey Reviews for "The Raven". I highly recommend this book to any serious Fantasy reader--it's a solid investment for your library. You will be refreshed by its scope and originality. You will also enjoy the collection of illustrations peppered throughout the pages.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Well worth reading :),
By
This review is from: The Raven (Paperback)
The Raven by John Lawson
In Lawson's book The Raven, he picks up right where he left off with his first book, Witch Ember. Sir Guiromelans is now a Raven for the Seven Kingdoms and quite a good knight(He was introduced during the game Esmeree and a few others were playing called Court of Love). He wields a sword with much precision and has claimed many of what I call, "unholy" or non-Medianist lives with it. He feels scorned or abandoned by God after all of the disastrous events in Witch Ember and now vows to rid the world of all sorcerers, ember carriers and those that do not believe as they should in his mind. In The Raven, you are taken on quite a journey through Guiromelans' travels in search of answers that he doesn't even know he's really looking for. Piracy, fighting, killing, new creatures, and thoughts that travel back to a certain little witch will keep Guiromelans pressing forward to avenge his God as well as captivate the reader. Prepare yourselves for a Young Adult Fantasy that is in my opinion considerably better than Witch Ember, the illustrations have also improved. My only quibble is that I reviewed this in ebook form and there were so many new words that it made it impossible to travel all the way back to the end of the book for the glossary to understand the meanings; so for the most part I had to assume I knew what they meant. The Raven is a book that is a must read in print form. The story in itself was interesting and detailed very well, at times there were lapses in adventure but when Lawson picks back up, he really tries to blow the reader away. 4.5 Hearts
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Book Two,
This review is from: The Raven (Paperback)
The Raven, by John Lawson, is his second book in his series of Zå. This action- packed, page-turning, riveting saga chronologically starts where the first book, Witch Ember, ends, which is after the battle between Sir Guiromélans, a paladin, the sword of God and Esmeree, a witch, his true un-fulfilled love. Sir Guiromélans was sent by the Primate of the Church with an army of thousands to bring Esmeree back in chains and kill the 300 or so others. Using sorcery, Esmeree manages to destroy the attacking army. After saving Sir Guiromélans from a treacherous attack by one of his generals, she leaves Sir Guiromélans on the battlefield filled with sorrow, anguish and doubt of his oath of duty.
The Raven is Guiromélans adventitious story as his wanders thru trials and tribulations trying to understand his faith, his concept of God and his duty. It is filled with demons, both outside and inside, Gods, monsters, and battles reminiscent of Conan the Barbarian or Kull the Conqueror. Sir Guiromélans search for his life's meaning while being cursed by God gives this epic meaningful depth.
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