My first novel of Ann Lecki’s, The Raven Tower is an interesting quandary of a multiple god universe. It is told from the standpoint of one of those larger strength gods and his ascent through his lifespan. this includes learning merely to hearing the humans that begged for his help and eventually evolved into moving himself across countries. I give Ann’s novel a 4/5 rating as it was beautifully written. The plot lines are wonderful, if only a bit slow in the beginning. That first half were meant for world building and so the slow pace is justified. I enjoyed that the point of view for the book, centered on this one god within the matrix of gods, each with a justified purpose, be they large or small.
** Spoiler Alert** Below
As implied, the story begins centered on one god, in a multi-god universe, The Strength and Patience of the Hill. He survives most of his life in a large boulder. An aspect of the plot, that I enjoyed, is their inability to lie. If they tried to speak things that were not wholly true, or outright lies, the universe would make truths. And any energy differences would be exacted from that god and could kill them if they were not watchful with their words. Gods can take forms of animals or other aspects of nature, they may also move to another one but it requires much power and effort.
As I mentioned before, the first portion of the book takes us through Strength and Patience’s life history, his journey through being alone and then upon being with humans. He even learns to speak to those praying to to him, first through patterns of inscribed tokens but eventually he speaks to them directly. Initially, he inhabits to northern part of the Country, Iraden.
One of the other gods within Iraden, that we meet is called the Raven, who is naturally, a Raven. Located within the port city of Vastai, much further south than Strength and Patience, initially. The Raven is linked to humanity, uniquely, by being tethered to the Raven’s Lease. Lease’s are bound to the Raven’s will and submit their lives to this cause but gain the power of a god. There is always an heir to the lease, somewhere is the bloodlines of the original family.
In the present time, we discover the most recent Lease’s heir, Mawat. Son of the existing lease and current commander of the army, he is notified his father is ill and must return to Vastai immediately. He returns with his attendant, a transgender man named Eolo. They must travel along much of the country, to reach Vastai, but when they do return, they find Mawat’s Uncle, Hibal on the leases’s bench instead. Mawat accuses Hibal of murdering his father and attempts to communicate with the Raven one-on-one. Mawat will be required to sit on the ground, in the square and appeal the Raven for a private audience. This move accuses Hibal of foul play while obtaining the bench.
Meanwhile, Eolo, is thrown into the Raven’s world by a private audience with Hibal, where he attempts to lie to Eolo and convince him Mawat’s father abandoned the Lease’s Bench of his own accord. Hibal contests he fled, but Hibal allows Eolo to ask three questions to the Raven in Mawat’s stead. The answers convince Eolo, a dangerous game is still in play. Eolo discovers Mawat’s father beneath the Raven’s tower, half alive.
Within the Raven’s tower, he uncovers none other than Strength and Patience enslaved to the Raven. His eternal turning provided power and life to keep the Raven alive but he was slowly dying. Finally, he discovers a god touched stone, which makes Eolo invisible upon touching it. Eolo utilizes the stone to exit the tower in one piece, but Mawat does not believe what he claims to find.
After much convincing, Mawat and Eolo return t the tower and indeed find his father. Rather than being exited he is angry and claims his father was selfish since he was unwilling to pay his life to the Raven, as it is with Leases’s. They release Strength and Patience from his bondage to the Raven and then Mawat makes quick work of the usurper, Hibal. His father dies shortly after of his injuries and undernourishment. Mawat is framed for a high ranking official’s death and the city is flooded. Dysentery and enemy forces attack, proving the Raven is indeed dead and unable to help his people. Finally, the snake god kills Mawat, but Strength and Patience promises to look out for Eolo, since he is truly a gentle soul. Strength and Patience leaves Vastai vowing to never come back.
This was one wild ride in the final chapters.
