Anthony Greer's The Raven of Dusk: Transcendence uses multiple viewpoints and the distinct voices of its characters to tell the story of the planet Noreis and its descent into chaos and persecution.
Greer combines an action-packed plot with confident storytelling to build a complete, original world in which a handful of people struggle against what looks like an inevitable global catastrophe. It is a complicated book, full of rounded characters and metaphors about political abuse, totalitarianism and power. Committed science fiction and fantasy fans will appreciate it, as will readers interested in how politics shapes private lives.
The world of Noreis
At the start, Noreis is vibrant and prosperous. Women hold power, cities of glittering towers rise beside shining seas, and its history seems bright. But something is watching from the shadows: the Ravens. As the story unfolds, several lives begin to unravel at once:
- Raiden Arias sets out on a journey of vengeance with his son's life at stake.
- Eliza Bennihan finds herself surrounded by a mysterious white glow, while the politician she hopes to work for is about to give birth to a child who should not exist.
- Koston Donnick, a celebrated dynastic hero, hides dark secrets as his son slides into depravity and his queen's allies turn against her.
Meanwhile one man's curiosity about the "Transcendence Theory" sends ripples through the world's calm surface. Alliances shift, betrayals pile up, and it becomes clear that whatever caused a global extinction thousands of years ago may be about to strike again.
A game of thrones and odds
Greer clearly loves strategy games, and it shows. The politics of Noreis play out like a high-stakes table game in which every faction is calculating odds, hiding its hand and waiting for someone else to overcommit. The Ravens are the house: patient, unseen and confident that in the long run the numbers favour them. Readers who enjoy that kind of plotting will find plenty to chew on.
Our verdict
The multiple viewpoints take some effort in the opening chapters, but the payoff is a layered, ambitious world with real things to say about power. A promising start to a series for readers who like their fantasy political.
About the author
Anthony Greer grew up on Long Island and later moved to the Pacific Northwest. He writes science fiction, fantasy, mystery and young adult fiction, and describes himself as a keen board gamer.
