Raven's Gift
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Creator: Tobias D. Robison
Synopsis:
When Raven comes to Redthwen to meet her mentor Orvannon, she encounters a vicious traveler, a hag with an extraordinary Voice of Command, and that hag's charge, a mysterious little girl. By the time Orvannon arrives, Raven will have learned too much about these strangers, and she will have discovered a dragon with the ability to put people into a swoon. Orvannon's instructions start Raven off on an epic adventure. She will master the greatest bit of nose-magic in all of her native Ausland. She will face the dragon in combat. And she will have to deal with the hag while totally under control of that woman's power. These adventures lead to more, as Raven discovers how the great city of Shelton is under attack. She must use all her persuasion to bring a powerful wizard to the city's aid, and she will find that facing up to the attacking army is not enough. Raven explores the magical caves created by three great wizards, eventually discovering the greatest evil of her time. Victory in the "big boss battle" is not enough. When the evil magic is destroyed, Raven and her friend must avoid starvation, and face the lightning bolts of yet another mage, to have a chance of staying alive in peace. Raven's Gift is set in a magical, pastoral medieval world. Raven has a strange ability that is as much a curse as a gift. Trouble follows her every step, and danger approaches at every turn. She begins her journey with only her wits and her nose, but though her past haunts her, she finds companions who help her make amends for a terrible mistake. Raven's Gift is a dramatic fantasy with an unusual heroine and intriguing magic. With Raven's deep bond to nature and her pragmatic attitude toward the obstacles in her path, she manages to find her place as destiny's unsung hero in her dangerous world. One reader has said that Raven's Gift is like South Park mets James Bond meets Dungeons and Dragons. Although there's combat and even a military campaign in this novel, much of the action occurs in lively conversations. Even today, at the beginning of the 21st century, it is impossible to imagine making Raven's Gift into a movie -- for an unusual reason -- but if such a movie could be made, some parts of it might earn an R rating for being a bit earthy.
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Episodes:
Chapter 29: Something, after all
Fri, 26 Dec 2008 15:33:16 +0000
In this last chapter, we tie up some loose ends. Raven takes Amia to meet Mari and Myrn, and to see the lair of the Wyrm that she killed. We learn about Ghanatos's preoccupation with Ryantha. Raven and Amia glimpse Fermus. But how can Fermus be alive?
Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:47:01 +0000
Amia leads Raven to the only person who can possibly save Castia: Orkandus. Together, they fly back to the cavern. Will they be in time?
Mon, 08 Dec 2008 17:00:00 +0000
The three evil wizards are dead, and all their creations have vanished. That leaves Raven and Castia in a giant cavern with ... nothing. How will they survive long enough to get out? Well, they're not alone (see chapter 21); there's another wizard firing lighting bolts at them. Kill or be killed? Or make friends? Raven and Castia face difficult decisions while trying to get back to the rocky, barren waste outside.
Chapter 26: Death to the Others!
Sun, 07 Dec 2008 19:38:54 +0000
Aided by her Unlocker, Raven falls into Blehhm's enchanted caverns. She explores them, finding out where the Warriors and their flyers come from. A lucky stroke brings Daniel into the caverns as well, and they continue to explore together. But where is Blehhm?
Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:04:29 +0000
Raven, Orvannon and the brave volunteers set out to kill Blehhm. Raven leads them into the cavern to attack the wizard. After the battle, she makes a painful retreat to Shelton, where she finds hardly anyone willing to aid her against the evil wizards and their Warriors.
Sun, 23 Nov 2008 21:12:11 +0000
Raven and Daniel hitch a ride on a flyer. Raven makes a difficult escape, but what happens to Daniel? We'll hear how Orvannon wants to attack Blehhm.
Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:04:39 +0000
Raven and Daniel's relationship becomes much closer, while they continue to explore the magical caverns. They discover the very special “junk room”, and the source of the evil Warrior magic. But how are they to get out of the caverns and return to Shelton?
Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:37:57 +0000
Aided by her Unlocker, Raven falls into Blehhm's enchanted caverns. She explores them, finding out where the Warriors and their flyers come from. A lucky stroke brings Daniel into the caverns as well, and they continue to explore together. But where is Blehhm?
Sun, 02 Nov 2008 23:54:09 +0000
Amia tempts one of her uncles, but he refuses her. Raven follows Orvannon, wondering why he needs her to join him as he searches for the evil wizard Blehhm. They reach the rocky wastes where, according to Orkandus, Blehhm lives underground. Orvannon fears they are being followed. While he examines suspicious footprints, Raven disappears.
Sun, 26 Oct 2008 15:28:30 +0000
Orvannon, Orkandus and our other key players meet to decide how to battle the Warriors. Orkandus gives a field report on the enemy, and reveals that the Warriors are the creation of One-armed Blehhm. They plan a confrontation, aided by Orkandus's unspecified magic. The battle goes more or less as hoped, although Orvannon's bomb is a dud. Orkandus pays a great price for disrupting Blehhm's magic, and an old friend turns up. While the citizens of Shelton celebrate with a great bonfire, Orvannon and Raven quietly slip away.
Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:10:25 +0000
Raven, Castia and Normian ask the Wizard Orkandus to come to Shelton's aid by attacking the Warriors. Orkandus is furious; he cannot kill innocent people! Raven persuades Orkandus that the Warriors are not people, so he can spell against them. As she frames her intricate argument, she earns Normian and Castia's enmity. The Willems enables Orkandus to pinpoint his foe, and he tells the companions that he will be up against a mightier wizard. But he agrees to help them and restores Raven's friends to friendship with her. The wizard gives each of the three a blessing, and sends them back to Captain Fenger. As they travel, Normian spies a falcon accompanying them on their return.
Sun, 12 Oct 2008 17:17:20 +0000
The full group meets with Orvannon. Raven also sees him in private and brings him up to date on her travels and discoveries. Orvannon arranges to make a primitive gunpowder bomb. Raven, Normian and Castia try to visit Orkandus, the shape-changer and illusionist who does not wish to be disturbed. They brave great challenges to win an opportunity to wash awful odors off their bodies in the wizard's cellar.
Chapter 17: More and More Warriors
Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:15:12 +0000
Raven and her group kill more Warriors. They report Raven's skill at sensing them to Trixmurs, so she puts them on the dangerous Western wing. They go out with reinforcements, and at last they will find out what the Warriors are really doing.
Sun, 28 Sep 2008 22:54:43 +0000
Raven finds Normian, Castia and Daniel in the Southern Detail. She tells her friends what she has been doing, lying carefully to conceal the black powder she carries, and her special sense of smell. They tell her that they protect Shelton from Warriors, monstrous men who fight to the death. On her first field sortie, she's horribly surprised by the sight and smell of her first Warrior, and her friends begin to suspect that she has a unique ability to find more of them.
Chapter 15: Unfriendly Shelton
Mon, 22 Sep 2008 02:43:52 +0000
Raven enters the great city of Shelton. She finds a place to stay. She pays an adventurous visit to Gondia Alley, where she hopes to buy a knife. And she discovers the truth about "finger or Fenger". This is the last chapter of Part Two, which is called 'Wrong.' Somehow, Raven winds up in Shelton's army.
Sun, 14 Sep 2008 14:45:25 +0000
Mari nurses Raven back to health. But she also asks Raven hard questions about the life she lives. Mari and Raven experiment with the Willems. Raven gets strong again, and at last she's ready to enter the great city, Shelton.
Chapter 13: Willems, Riddles, and Smells
Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:09:20 +0000
Raven discovers how Myrn has been punished. Myrn gives Raven more advice about her Willems, and reveals Orvannon's secret. Raven almost reaches Shelton, but has a dispute with an ash tree.
Sun, 31 Aug 2008 16:09:26 +0000
Chattering about Ausland and Jomes, the four companions decide to go north. They wish to warn a man named Lanndys that Jomes wants to steal something from him. But they arrive too late, and crazy Lanndys gives them a very hard time, turning Raven's friends over to soldiers, and imprisoning Raven to further his own ends. Raven makes an excellent escape, but now: she's on her own.
Sun, 24 Aug 2008 20:59:10 +0000
Raven comes upon Daniel at Corpoth. He joins her on the way to Shelton. They meet up with Normian and Castia, and encounter more soldiers looking for the boot Raven stole. She tries to lie her way out of a tight spot, and Daniel comes to her rescue.
Mon, 18 Aug 2008 11:24:01 +0000
Raven persuades Callum not to become a murderer. Or does she? She takes something from a corpse that makes her a pursued woman. And she meets 'Fermus', the bizarre creature that helps her to escape.
Sun, 10 Aug 2008 22:53:56 +0000
Orvannon congratulates Raven for killing Wyrm. Gretel almost kills Raven, but once again, her Willems come to the rescue. Unfortunately, Gretel does destroy Orvannon's orders to Raven. What's Raven to do? And she has to do something about little Trudie. And her adventures are just beginning. This is the last chapter of Part One, which is called: Wyrm.
Mon, 04 Aug 2008 01:37:50 +0000
Castia and Normian say goodbye and leave Walthorn. Using her new artifact, the magic Willems, Raven finds a way to confront Wyrm. Afterwards, exhausted, she sends Orvannon a message about what she's done.
Tue, 29 Jul 2008 08:01:04 +0000
Raven returns to Walthorn. Derk blocks her way, but Dunjle rescues her. Castia's special friend Normian, the archer, is now staying at Walthorn, and Raven spends a night with them. She tries out her unlocker, and it works. And Jomes tempts Raven with the free-knife, a throwing knife that is deadly accurate.
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 02:08:35 +0000
Raven rescues Myrn. Raven gets the strange magical artifact that Myrn recommended, but she has no idea how to kill wyrm with it. Orvannon tracks Raven down, and they have hard words about Raven's choice.
Fri, 11 Jul 2008 18:16:46 +0000
Raven goes to Gardia, seeking some magic to help her defeat the dragony Wyrm. Her docent at the museum will be young Myrn, who seems inexperienced but has remarkable knowledge of the museum. Myrn suggests a bizarre piece of nose-magic to Raven. Could this artifact possibly help her?
Chapter 4: Pigs and Diversions
Fri, 11 Jul 2008 18:11:39 +0000
Raven fights a pig and loses, but wins, by saving Gretel and her young charge Trudie. Raven meets Ned and learns a great lesson about life, and about counting silver. Raven studies Wyrm, having no idea how to kill it. She decides she needs to go to Gardia Museum, to find a magical artifact that will help her.
Fri, 11 Jul 2008 18:05:29 +0000
Raven arranges to stay at Walthorn for awhile. She meets Gretel again, and also Gretel's nasty associates. Raven and Castia -- her new magical Zhouraini friend -- get even with Derk.
Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:50:27 +0000
Raven tells Orvannon how she performed her last job for him. Then: "Kill the Wyrm," he says. Raven moves to Walthorn to work on her new task. On the way, she finds the corpse of a murdered woman. She also visits an 'Honester', where we learn about the religion of northern Ausland.
Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:36:42 +0000
Raven comes to Redthwen to find her mentor, Orvannon. She meets the hag Gretel and dangerous Garfie. This chapter includes a rape, a murder, and Raven's first encounter with the monster dragon she calls 'Wyrm'.