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.
Reviews:
‘Aware
that this is just the first book in the series and I am hooked and
will read on, however as a standalone book it would still make a
fantastic read.’ ~ Mark on Goodreads
‘A
good urban fantasy with well-developed characters and a grim and
complex setting. I would recommend.’ ~ Dannica Zulestin on
Goodreads
‘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 on Amazon
‘I
usually think endings are the worst part of most books, hard to wrap
up into a logical and solid ending, this book did well at it I was
satisfied but very much looking forward to the next book.’ ~
taruofatlantis on Amazon
‘The
narration by Mikael Naramore was good. He was able to capture the
voices of the characters well, especially the manic Tony. In general
the characters were distinguishable and the voicing gave life to each
of them. The production quality was good as well.’ ~ Poonam on
AudioBook Reviewer.
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:
PROLOGUE
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.
My Review:
The story is intriguing is full with
mysteries that you will unravel itself as you read the book. I loved
the way the story was described and how Jackson faces the raven that
comes in his dreams that grows intense with each passing days.
What I really like about the book was
that, it was at one point of time difficult for me to differentiate
between what was virtual and what is reality. I felt as if I am a
part of the book and the characters are real. Exceptional piece of
work which has all the elements of imagination, mystery and magic in
perfect blend that makes the story even more awesome.
