“The path to the throne is narrow, and must be walked alone.”

This was such a great fantasy read, I loved it. I loved the characters, I love that it felt like a breath of fresh air even with the trial trope. I loved the twists and mystery of it, the different factions/guilds. The last bit felt like it dragged at the end because I knew I wasn’t going to have anything a bit resolved but other than that, I’m absolutely thrilled a read this.

The world building and mythology is so well interwoven and even during the darkest times, there’s a wry/dry humor to it that I really appreciated. All the characters are complex and driven, even if you don’t like them. There are generational conflicts which become more relevant as the story goes on.


“We are magnificent.”

And so is Orbit and NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read and review this ARC!

Pretty much a perfect book!!? Loved it. didn’t even realize how long it was, it pulls you right in. The magic system is new and fun, there are trials - a classic, a small romance subplot, a bit of a mystery, and extremely compelling characters. Without spoiling I want to say how powerful I found the opening of the book. Absolutely perfect, I thought I was set up to read a book about one character only to be ripped away to new timeline until everything unwound and joined up. I don’t think a lot of the plot could have held up so strongly hinging on Yana’s character if we didn’t get that first look. Every character was well crafted and compelling. I also deeply enjoyed the ravens narration. Big recommend.

Thank you to Antonia Hodgson, Orbit Books, and Netgalley for this ARC!!
4.3 stars!!!
I loved this, and while it took me a bit to complete since I've been in a slump, I devoured this entirely.
This was such a breath of fresh air for fantasy and me! I've been reading more "romantasy's," and while they can be enjoyable, sometimes you need something like this book to take you away on an adventure completely
To begin, I loved Yana from the beginning ;-; when she died, a bit of my soul did too
I was excited to read her story, but I'm glad she was constantly referenced
Neema was such an interesting character since she had both likeable and unlikeable elements where you can't find a place for her
I related to her a bit with the love of libraries and books, and her character development was phenomenal
She wasn't evil, yet she did the things she had to do in order to succeed, which makes her complex, especially with decreeing the exile of Yana
Cain and Neema were so cute too
AND THE PLOT??? Hands down, it was so fantastic
I found myself a bit bored in some parts of the trial. I was hooked in the beginning, and finding out slowly who the emperor was incredible AND SHOCKED ME
It made me feel bad for Ruko, despite being someone you naturally wanted to hate, and then finding out that Andren killed her and not Bersun
It was just a fantastic plot, and all of the characters enraptured me and kept me reading
I also loved the usage of the Eight/guardians, and seeing how Sol and the Fox interact with Neema and Cain
I liked how the romance was there, but it wasn't the main focus, while giving us a fantastic storyline with engaging characters
Overall this was such an enjoyable read!! I loved this and I'm excited for book 2!!

I honestly had to take some time with this one because, while this was an absolutely wild read, there were also a few things I wasn't quite sure of.

But let's get into what I actually liked, first:

- the humor; this was probably the most surprising element of this book and one I was grateful for. It really helped the 700 pages feel less daunting, especially given the heavy political intrigue and other more serious aspects of the plot. For me, it was the right blend between that comedy without overshadowing those more serious moments.
- the unexpected; there were more than a few moments that had my jaw dropping, but nothing felt like it came out of nowhere. If I were to do a re-read, I'd definitely find hints that the author scattered around. Nothing felt like it was outside the realm of possibility the author had established in this world.
- the footnotes; I am a fervent footnotes apologist. I love them. The only critique I have is that I wish there were more of them. They honestly fade out towards the end, when I think they could have been utilized a bit more.

Now for the things I wasn't quite sure of or just didn't like:
- the romance; unfortunately, I don't quite think the romance hit for me. Mostly because while I appreciated Cain as a character (and his friendship with Keema), I never fully bought into their romance. It just didn't feel completely earned to me and it had entirely to do with some of Cain's decisions as a character.
- the magic; I don't know if this really was explained enough, early enough, for me to buy into just how much it played into the end of the book. Of course, it's equally possible that it was and I just didn't manage to retain that information throughout the course of the 700 page book. Especially because there was a LOT going on.
- the pacing; once the book hit about the 50% mark, the pacing really started to pick up in a way that felt less purposeful and more like the author realized the page count was reaching a high that they hadn't quite anticipated and they desperately needed to wrap things up and quickly.
- the representation; there's a lot of representation, but I'm unsure how good any of it is. Cain could fall into the trope of the bisexual/pansexual that sleeps around, but that could also be a side effect of something else. I'm truly unsure. That, and despite the varied queer representation, trans and nonbinary folk were not present--at least, none that I could see. Given that gay, lesbians, and bi folks were represented, having trans and nonbinary folk not there felt like a big oversight. I could also just be oversensitive.

Overall, this really wasn't quite a 4 star, but I'm interested enough in the trajectory of the plot that I'd be interested in continuing with the next book. And I did really like Keema as a character, even if almost no one else seemed to (in the book, that is lol).

Antonia Hodgson has a strong writing style and worked with the political element to this book. I was hooked from the first page and thought worked well overall in the genre. I was invested in what was happening with the characters and thought they worked well in this universe.

This book was incredible and just the thing I’ve been needing. The premise was original, and there was epic fantasy with court intrigue. I cannot WAIT to read the next book! I’m hooked!

This was such a fun read. I couldn’t put it down. I was instantly hooked from page one and fell in love with the characters almost immediately

2.5 stars

While not entirely lacking in charm and intrigue, I'm not sure this book deserved its page count.

I'm not going to pretend this is the worst prose I've ever read, but it did at times lack polish. This simply could be that I read this as an ARC, not a final published work. It is clear that Hodgson crafted this world with care and detail and then wanted to play in the sandbox, so to speak. It made the pacing odd. I also found that it took away from the characters. Some, like Ruko or Benna, I thought were fascinating, but readers only got to know them on a surface level. Unfortunately, I found Neema to be the least interesting of the cast. There is also a narrative device in here that I found more distracting to the story than compelling.

Plot wise certain points in the story were more gripping than others. There was a lot going on in this installment. I did find the ending veered a little more 'Sunday morning cartoon villian' than I personally would have liked. However, the author put enough clues that it also didn't appear out of nowhere.

Overall, not a bad book, but I'm unsure if I'll continue on with the series.

Wow what a fantastic read! It was enthralling just how well thought out this world and its history was. I truly felt immersed from the very first page. The inner monologue was seamlessly mixed with actual action as well as relevant history. Tensions between characters was intense in a very realistic and threatening way. Not only were the character interactions intense, but the plot was as well. So many twists and turns and I truly could not predict the things that happened in this story even though I tried! I’m very excited for this release and its sequels!
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for providing an early review copy.

Honestly I don't know what I expected when I went into this story but whatever it was, it doesn't compare to the reality of how great this book actually was.

Say hello to one of my new favourite books: an early "Best of 2025" contender and the start of a new Epic Fantasy series that will appeal to a wide range of folks!

Please forgive me while I absolutely gush.

From the earliest chapters I could feel myself getting entirely hooked-- vividly picturing what was happening, the characters feeling real and full and lived in, the world immense and brimming wih history & character, the stakes already so high... And that's not even when the main story starts! A little taste from eight years before our true plot, but already so rich.

So why should you pick this up? Why will so many folks find something worthwhile in this story?

- The World-Building: this is a world that's clearly been fleshed out with a history and a present and a future that extends far beyond what we see on page. from famous poets to historic battles, from colorful fashions to crumbling cities, from enigmatic leaders to the lowliest orphans... the whole book is stuffed full of details to pick up on and teasers of more to come

- The Mythology: there are 8 distinct beings of myth who embody certain attributes and ideals, and most members of the society are pledged to one of the 8 factions who follow them. it added a fun flavor and character dynamics as they follow their faction's guiding principles

- The Characters: these are fully fleshed out characters with virtues as well as flaws, from the stoic to the silly. I'm not much of a character-driven reader, but I immediately loved so many of them from even their initial introduction, and it's always so noteworthy and special when an author accomplishes that.
and omg the animal companions!!! I loved them all from the moment they were introduced and will go to war for them.


- The Murder Mystery: who doesn't love a good ticking clock and a field full of suspects with motives? who doesn't love snooping through their rooms and uncovering the secrets they'd rather keep hidden? Hodgson uses this element to excellent effect, building tension and introducing interesting scenes that couldn't otherwise take place in an internally consistent way

- The Competition: trials/competitions/games are such a staple trope for a reason-- they're a great way to ratchet up the stakes and pit characters head to head. I loved the cleverness of these trials and that our main character wasn't always over-prepared. I think it's also really rare for trials to be approached with such sideways logic, which kept them feeling fresh and original instead of stale and repetitive

- The Writing: there's a wry humor in the narration style that I absolutely adore (and at the risk of setting expectations too high, very much reminds me of Tamsyn Muir's style). I think that the lens through which the story is told is quite clever and allows for some really interesting perspectives. and while we're talking high, high stakes and the end of the world quite often, the narration and several of the characters are quite humorous and lend a much needed levity. for every moment with a serious and efficient warrior there's a lazy and comical jokester

- The Twists: with as many books as I've read, I tend to be fairly good at spotting patterns and predicting outcomes. but I'd be lying if I didn't say the author managed to pull a lil switcheroo on me a few times. there are some fantastic twists in this which really made the story feel original and kept me on my toes. obviously your mileage may vary, but I absolutely loved it.


Overall this truly delivered on all my expectations and despite the 700 pages, I never felt it was a slog or a chore. Cannot wait for more in this series and so excited to start 2025 with a bang!

Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions and endless whinging while I wait for the sequel are my own.

This is a tricky book because so much of it revolves around a bait and switch in expectations, but that means it starts in a way that feels much more expected than the way it ends. I had to push through that start (it's effectively a prologue, but it feels much longer) and once I did, I came to love the uniqueness of how the characters were placed. Though I feel like there were other places where the pacing dragged slightly, and I don't love how many characters ended up physically similar to the animal gods they represented, the nuance of the interpersonal dynamics and the set up for the rest of the series had me hooked by the end!

This was one of those books I tried not to devour, I wanted to take my time, but it just drew me in and did not want to let go. Neema, our MC, was such a outstanding and relatable character. Not only because she's a little older than the trend, but she's trying her best doing what she loves despite those around her. She's genuinely smart and diligent and I felt for her. Especially for how she's treated by her fellow ravens. It did take me a bit to figure out what this book was. It wasn't heavy fantasy and could be so hilariously unserious but I say this in the best possible way. It was honestly just a well rounded read. All the characters were real and had clear motivations that had me invested. There was just a touch of romance which I ate up. This is just one of those books that I'm going to reread and think about long after I'm finished. Ever as I write this I'm connecting stuff that I missed. I am so happy this is a trilogy. I want more and can't wait until this is officially released!
Big thanks to Netgalley for letting me read this arc!

This was a great inventive debut. I had a lot of fun reading about the world building, lore and characters. Looking forward to reading more from this author in the future and highly recommend if you enjoy fantasy.

I enjoyed the author's almost playful writing style that brought levity and personality to the story. I think this book has a good interesting voice overall but the story itself failed to grip me. I think the length had something to do with it as sustaining momentum is difficult in a large fantasy novel like this and unfortunately for me it didn't grip me.

The Raven Scholar is a gorgeously inventive high fantasy that breathes new life into the genre. Many books claim “court intrigue” as one of their tropes, but this is real political intrigue in the tradition of Dune and other great classics. Rich world-building and a cast of complex characters make this a unique and wonderful reading experience; it’s been a long time since I enjoyed a fantasy book this much. It is a big book at over 600 pages, but never once felt long; I was caught up in the story from the first page, and never lost interest. I think this is a triumph of epic fantasy from an exciting new voice, and I’m so excited to see what she writes next! I would recommend The Raven Scholar to fans of The Justice of Kings, as well as readers who love complex high fantasy.

Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for the arc! The thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

This was such a fascinating fantasy - I haven't read as many epic fantasies as I wished I had and this truly made me realize I have to pick up more.

This book had several different elements that made it so captivating and hard to put down: brutal trials, murder, mystery, betrayal, and so so much political intrigue. There are several core characters (though some of them I found to be more compelling than others), and the omniscient narration was so mysterious. It was somewhat clear who they were but still fascinating to see it all unravel. I think fantasy readers will absolutely devour this book.

Thank you so much to Orbit and NetGalley for this ARC! 📚

i LOVED this, and cannot wait for it to release to talk about it with everyone i know. this is high political fantasy done deliciously.
Neema is a lowly Raven Scholar at the court of Emperor Bersun. Because she was born a commoner the nepo babies around her in the Raven palace disparage her, leaving her lonely except for her childhood friend Cain who is often busy on Fox business. When a series of events leads Neema on a task for the Emperor she feels morally torn about, it ruins her lifelong friendship but thrusts her into greater power in the Emperor's court.
Eight years later and it is time for the Emperor to end his reign according to the laws of the land - and a Festival will be held to determine his successor with a representative of each of the Eight guardians. But when one of those representatives winds up dead before the offical start of the festival the Emperor tasks Neema with the solving the mystery, only for her to get incredibly tangled in a web of power, greed, and secrets that will change the course of history.
While this is over 600 pages i FLEW through it. I did not want to put it down and am distraught that it's over and i have to wait an unknown amount of time for the next book.
Neema is one of my new favorite characters - incredibly intelligent, lonely girl who isn't always likeable but i love her. And the way Hodgson plays with narrative voice in this so so fun and interesting and at times took me by surprise and had me giggling out loud.
The layers of political intrigue and secrets in this were so GOOD to watch unfurl over the course of the novel and when i thought i'd figured everything oh boy i sure hadn't. This book uses so many familiar elements in a high fantasy but tells a story in a way that feels so new and original to me.
Orbit please tell me when the next book is coming.

This was great! I don't usually love an epic fantasy without romance but I really enjoyed this one! I loved the political intrigue, the world building, and the character development. It did not feel like 700 pages, I was absolutely hooked the entire time, couldn't put it down. I feel like fantasy readers are all going to love this one!

ohhhh man after a year of romantasies promising politics and morally grey characters with the politics being “im a secret prince” and the morally grey characters being “it was all for good actually” it is SO refreshing to read something like this. the characters did bad things for selfish reasons and they don’t turn out to be excuses because “it was for the greater good”, they just… go on living having done a bad thing and it’s accepted as their past. except cain. he’s never done a single thing wrong in his life and we love him for that