Sometimes you have trust issues with people, whether it’s someone you know very well, or even a stranger, there’s always a reason to be skeptical. Well, take those examples of paranoia and scale them up tenfold, because in Kevin Sands’ The Raven’s Revenge, a mysterious killer named the Raven places the main character Chris in a game of life or death, where everything is at stake.
Well, take those examples of paranoia and scale them up tenfold.
After being framed for a crime he didn’t commit, the protagonist Christopher Rowe finds himself in the midst of a third and final battle against the mysterious and brutal Raven, who is willing to kill everyone Chris knows just to see him suffer. He and his two friends Tom and Sally now embark on a cat and mouse journey all over the city of London, with one goal in mind, to unmask the Raven and find his true identity.
This is the sixth book in the Blackthorn Key series. In the previous story, Chris, Tom and Sally have arrived in London, and upon arriving, they get sent a mysterious note in secret riddles, and as the three friends start to look deeper into the mystery, they soon find out that the traitor is planning to kill the king and will kill anyone who tries to get in his way. In the last and final book, the stakes are much higher, as the traitor puts Chris through one last mind-bending challenge, where everyone he knows is in danger.
In the last and final book, the stakes are much higher, as the traitor puts Chris through one last mind-bending challenge, where everyone he knows is in danger.
Christopher Rowe was trained by an alchemist named Master Benedict, who died in an accident, which Chris thinks is because of his nemesis the Raven, a mischievous and mysterious killer who is commencing a plan to kill everyone around him and make him suffer. When he arrives in London, he receives a message sent by the Raven that marks the beginning of a massive goose chase around London to find out who he really is. He and his two best friends, Tom and Sally, who have been with him throughout all his troubles, are the only two people who he can trust are not spies working for the Raven. They only have a day to solve these riddles using all their alchemical knowledge, and if they don’t, the Raven will brutally kill all of his friends and make him suffer and die alone. With all these intense and horrible consequences, it’s important that they put their minds to use and solve the clues by midnight. Will they succeed and figure out the Raven’s identity, or will they die trying? Follow the three kids’ journey of cat and mouse all over London, where anything could turn for the worst in this intense and thrilling finale of the Blackthorn series.
This book has a lot of great aspects that make it such a fascinating book and also so intense. The most prominent example of this is how the antagonist, The Raven is a tactical genius that makes you contemplate if Chris can trust anyone. Because of this paranoia, the trust issues that Chris has are really clear and when something he thinks is off, you can see the emotions that he is trying to hide. Another plot point that the story pulled off well is the relationship between Mr. Benedict and Chris, and how Mr. Benedict has a voice that speaks to Chris in his mind. Having someone wiser and older in his mind brings in a new perspective from Chris’ stress to Benedict’s thinking which is calmer and more collected.
With all these intense and horrible consequences, it’s important that they put their minds to use and solve the clues by midnight. Will they succeed and figure out the Raven’s identity, or will they die trying?
The only real criticisms I have about this book are issues with pacing that make it slightly challenging to get really hooked into. Additionally, there are many longer sections which can make it a challenge to keep readers motivated.
The Raven’s Revenge, written by Kevin Sands, is the last instalment in the Blackthorn Key series, and features both the author’s amazing writing and also some tricky puzzles and riddles throughout. This is a detective and murder mystery style book with a lot of plot twists and red herrings that leave you guessing what’s real and what’s not at every turn.
This mysterious and intense book by Kevin Sands is a great read for people who enjoy series like Sherlock Holmes, where there are complex puzzles and riddles that make you think about the meaning of them. There is a decent amount of murder in this book, so I recommend it for older kids, probably around ages 13-16. With a menacing villain and tricky riddles, I thought this was a great read!
Since escaping from university with a pair of degrees in theoretical physics, Kevin Sands has worked as a researcher, a business consultant, and a teacher. He lives in Toronto, Canada. He is the author of the award-winning and bestselling Blackthorn Key series.
Publisher: Aladdin (January 17, 2023)
Hardcover 8″ x 6″ | 512 pages
ISBN: 9781534484597
Aiden Lee is from Vancouver, BC. He’s in grade 8 and enjoys playing volleyball and playing badminton with his family. Aiden is always up for a challenge and he loves reviewing many different genres of books; some of his favourite genres include mystery, sci-fi and adventure. He enjoys going on adventures with the characters; he hopes he can help other children find books they can enjoy as much as he does.
- Aiden Leehttps://miramichireader.ca/author/aiden-lee/
- Aiden Leehttps://miramichireader.ca/author/aiden-lee/
