For centuries, the kingdom of Iraden has been protected by the god known as the Raven. He watches over his territory from atop a tower in the powerful port of Vastai. His will is enacted through the Raven’s Lease, a human ruler chosen by the god himself. His magic is sustained via the blood sacrifice that every Lease must offer. And under the Raven’s watch, the city flourishes.

But the power of the Raven is weakening. A usurper has claimed the throne. The kingdom borders are tested by invaders who long for the prosperity that Vastai boasts. And they have made their own alliances with other gods.

It is into this unrest that the warrior Eolo–aide to Mawat, the true Lease–arrives. And in seeking to help Mawat reclaim his city, Eolo discovers that the Raven’s Tower holds a secret. Its foundations conceal a dark history that has been waiting to reveal itself…and to set in motion a chain of events that could destroy Iraden forever.

So, let me get this out right at the very beginning of the review: I did not finish this book.

Which is of course the last possible outcome I could hope for when starting a new book, especially one I was very excited to get into.

But there it is.

I feel like I’m someone who is quick to agree with the DNF philosophy & say that life’s too short to read something you’re not enjoying. But there’s definitely been more than a couple times over the last few years where I’ve slogged through a book that wasn’t working for me, feeling a sense of obligation to either the author or publisher that sent out the book.

It can feel like a tricky spot to be in. But in this instance, I tried telling myself that my time and my opinions have some inherent value, and to listen to my gut and move on to something else. Because The Raven Tower was just not for me.

This was the first Ann Leckie book I ever started. I own Ancillary Justice, but it just hasn’t made it to the top of the TBR pile yet.

The Raven Tower is certainly very unique, and I knew that going into it. Much of the book is written in the second person, and I’m struggling to think of anything else I’ve ever read that was written that way. The narrator of the book is a god. Who inhabits a rock.

The rock/god is addressing Eolo, who has been traveling with Mawat, a royal heir. When they return to Mawat’s home, they discover that Mawat’s father has disappeared under mysterious circumstances, and his (Mawat’s) uncle has taken over. Mawat is furious.

Mawat & Eolo’s story was, for me, like a little ledge on a cliff that I was just clinging to. Parts of it really captivated me, but…it just wasn’t enough. The rest of the book sees the rock/god just…ruminating? Philosophizing? About this & that. Stuff & things. To me, these parts of the book really plodded along, to the point where it felt less like a story & more just like words on a page.

I’ve really only DNFed a small amount of books in my life, including books from favorite authors (most notably Dan Simmons’s The Fifth Heart…I got like 250 pages into that doorstop and just…couldn’t carry on) It always feels strange to walk away from a thing & not know how it ultimately turns out. But again, I have to try to believe that my time has value. For me, the biggest indication that I need to move on to something else, is if I just don’t look forward to the time I get to spend reading a particular book. Sadly, The Raven Tower felt like a chore to me, and I only got about 150 pages into it before moving on. This book is getting PLENTY of great reviews, so of course YMMV.

Thank you to Orbit Books for sending me a copy! The Raven Tower releases February 26th!