This book was a blast to read, and I highly recommend it to fans of lovecraftian pulp horror! The book was a real (digital) page-turner. The exciting and unusual plot moves quickly with plenty of action. It is clear the author is familiar with the table top role playing game behind the story, because not only did I enjoy the characters, I could almost picture myself playing as these characters! Masterfully written. Grab this book as soon as it hits the shelves.

Thanks to NetGalley and Arconyte Books for a digital ARC of Tim Pratt’s The Ravening Deep in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the cover. I didn’t feel like it was representative of what I got as I read. Or, I suppose now that I’m evaluating it critically, maybe it is and I just didn’t realize, because the text and the cover do feel “game-y.” I’m definitely not the target audience of this book. Stopping at 5%. That said, the writing/prose itself is lovely.

Thank you to NetGalley and Aconyte for the ARC.

ARC Copy...Yep flows like a game session plus the Lovecraft creepy mythos and very strong here especially around the Innsmouth-nautical story moods and monsters. Even if not fan of the game, still a good read for Lovecraft fans.

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.

*Thank you to NetGalley and to Aconyte Books for my first ARC sent for review!*

When I first saw the book cover and the genres they fall into, I was pretty excited. Without spoiling anything (because believe me, going too much in depth would ruin the fun of the book), it was a fun read!

I enjoyed reading about the main three characters, and there was plenty of instances I found myself on the edge of my seat or with my mouth wide open. The setting is vivid enough you can visualize things as they happen, it doesn't bounce around with unnecessary description - which with a plot like that, it can be an easy mistake to make - and I was pleasantly surprised with how everything played out. I was interested in learning more of the world and story elements, the author knows how to keep your attention at every page.

I can't wait for its release. Well done!

Introduction:

After discovering an ancient temple in the deep ocean, dissolute fisherman Abel Davenport becomes influenced by a long-dead god. He attempts to restore the god’s cult, but his actions result in a plague of twisted doppelgangers being unleashed on Arkham. Davenport realizes that he alone cannot stop the monsters from resurrecting the Ancient One, and decides to start a new cult to end the old one. To achieve this, he teams up with redeemed cultist Diana Stanley and notorious thief Ruby Standish. They must also convince Carl Sanford, the powerful leader of Arkham’s Silver Twilight Lodge, to join their cause. Together, they may be the only hope of preventing a catastrophic eldritch invasion.

Thoughts:

Mother of all holy things! Wow! Just wow! Tim Pratt has yet again proven why he’s a Hugo Award Winner because The Ravening Deep was truly a whirlwind of awesomeness to read. It is a fascinating blend of science fiction, fantasy, and mythology that is both intriguing and suspenseful, with unique and goose flesh inducing innovative concepts. As is typical of Tim Pratt’s writing, the world-building is excellent, the plot is intricate, and the characters are beautifully crafted. Despite its brevity, the story’s plot was flawless, and there was not a single dull moment throughout the entire narrative. I haven’t ever played Arkham Horror games but Tim Pratt makes it almost impossible not to explore them or other literature based on the games by different authors, with his fabulous writing skill and storytelling. Told in multiple point of views, The Ravening Deep delves in to unique mythology concepts unlike anything I’ve ever read before and I loved every single part of it. Of course there were a few moments here and there the plot became somewhat rickety but it didn’t necessarily distract me from enjoying the story at all.

Diana, Ruby and Abel were unique and great protagonists. I do understand the story is based on a game so Tim Pratt can’t derive from the narrative much but I would have loved to dig deeper into Ruby’s story as she was a really interesting character. Cain was a brilliant antagonist and I absolutely loved Carl Sanford’s character. The dialogs were well written and the interactions amongst characters felt natural and on point.

In conclusion, The Ravening Deep is a brilliant book that has the potential to turn into it’s own series and Tim Pratt is truly a gifted writer that never fails to impress me. My heartfelt gratitude to Netgally, Aconyte Books and Tim Pratt for providing me this advanced reader copy of The Ravening Deep.

Rating: 4.5

I am skeptical about tie-in fiction but almost always excited to read a Tim Pratt book. In this case the Arkham setting is not terribly restrictive, and Pratt’s talent for droll horror and fantasy is ideally suited for the material. This is a page turning, fun read, with elements of real horror and ample opportunities for Pratt’s excellent dialogue and well-turned phrases. Familiarity with Lovecraftian themes is a plus but not a must, by any means. The only odd editorial feature is the frequent use of bolder italics for emphasis, which works at times but is overused. Well worth the time to read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.