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Master of Crows #1
Master of Crows
Librarian's Note: an alternate cover for this ASIN can be found here.
What would you do to win your freedom?
This is the question that sets bondwoman, Martise of Asher, on a dangerous path. In exchange for her freedom, she bargains with her masters, the mage-priests of Conclave, to spy on the renegade sorcerer, Silhara of Neith. The priests want Martise to expose the sorcerer's treachery and turn him over to Conclave justice. A risky endeavor, but one she accepts without hesitation--until she falls in love with her intended target.
Silhara of Neith, Master of Crows, is a desperate man. The god called Corruption invades his mind, seducing him with promises of limitless power if he will help it gain dominion over the world. Silhara struggles against Corruption's influence and searches for ways to destroy the god. When Conclave sends Martise as an apprentice to help him, he knows she's a spy. Now he fights a war on two fronts -against the god who would possess him and the apprentice who would betray him.
Mage and spy search together for a ritual that will annihilate Corruption, but in doing so, they discover secrets about each other that may damn them both. Silhara must decide if his fate, and the fate of nations, is worth the soul of the woman he has come to love, and Martise must choose continued enslavement or freedom at the cost of a man's life. And love.
What would you do to win your freedom?
This is the question that sets bondwoman, Martise of Asher, on a dangerous path. In exchange for her freedom, she bargains with her masters, the mage-priests of Conclave, to spy on the renegade sorcerer, Silhara of Neith. The priests want Martise to expose the sorcerer's treachery and turn him over to Conclave justice. A risky endeavor, but one she accepts without hesitation--until she falls in love with her intended target.
Silhara of Neith, Master of Crows, is a desperate man. The god called Corruption invades his mind, seducing him with promises of limitless power if he will help it gain dominion over the world. Silhara struggles against Corruption's influence and searches for ways to destroy the god. When Conclave sends Martise as an apprentice to help him, he knows she's a spy. Now he fights a war on two fronts -against the god who would possess him and the apprentice who would betray him.
Mage and spy search together for a ritual that will annihilate Corruption, but in doing so, they discover secrets about each other that may damn them both. Silhara must decide if his fate, and the fate of nations, is worth the soul of the woman he has come to love, and Martise must choose continued enslavement or freedom at the cost of a man's life. And love.
393 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 13, 2009
About the author
Grace Draven
46 books7,332 followersI'm an author and Louisiana native living in Texas with my husband, three smalls and a big doofus dog. I have lived in Spain, hiked the Teton Mountains, honeymooned in Scotland, ridden in competition rodeo and am the great great granddaughter of a Nicaraguan president. I also hate doing laundry and refuse to iron anything.
I've loved storytelling since forever. I published my first short story with Amber Quill Press and have since written several other tales. A love of the bad boy in fiction always inspires me.
I've loved storytelling since forever. I published my first short story with Amber Quill Press and have since written several other tales. A love of the bad boy in fiction always inspires me.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,668 reviews
July 26, 2016
5++, A fantastic historical fantasy/PNR romance. HOT.
Yum, yum, yummy!!! Seriously, as GOOD AS IT GETS!!
Silhara of Neith, yum!
April 20, 2012
OK! So I'm giving this 5 stars even though it should be 4 for the following reasons: the first 20% is a little slow, and the last chapter is kinda weirdly put together. BUT I will say I LOVED THIS and it's only 2.99 self-published, I picked it up randomly, so my expectations weren't that high and I was forced to obsessively read this so wow, pardon me while I add an extra star for those reasons! :D
This is a VERY SIMILAR book plot-wise to one of my VERY favorite books, Darkangel by Meredith Pierce:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/92... (Which is still one of my fave all-time, more YA leaning than this though, so this is kinda the sexy-time version of that)
And it's pretty much the same-ish plot as a recent book by Nalini Singh "Lord of the Abyss":
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10... Which I didn't enjoy that much (3 stars pretty much).
Girl who is plain and unconfident is apprenticed/enslaved to a powerful, dangerous and outcast uber-dude who falls for him against all sense. OK so I love this plot so I was already a sucker for it, and I loved the way it played out in this book! There was interesting world-building, there were GREAT characters (which is the most important thing). I dunno, I was so surprised that I loved this so much and bravo for it getting out there, and WOW there were yummy scenes everywhere and I kind of loved the main heroine a ton. SOOO I'd say if you want a great vaginal fantasy try it out!!! WOOT
This is a VERY SIMILAR book plot-wise to one of my VERY favorite books, Darkangel by Meredith Pierce:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/92... (Which is still one of my fave all-time, more YA leaning than this though, so this is kinda the sexy-time version of that)
And it's pretty much the same-ish plot as a recent book by Nalini Singh "Lord of the Abyss":
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10... Which I didn't enjoy that much (3 stars pretty much).
Girl who is plain and unconfident is apprenticed/enslaved to a powerful, dangerous and outcast uber-dude who falls for him against all sense. OK so I love this plot so I was already a sucker for it, and I loved the way it played out in this book! There was interesting world-building, there were GREAT characters (which is the most important thing). I dunno, I was so surprised that I loved this so much and bravo for it getting out there, and WOW there were yummy scenes everywhere and I kind of loved the main heroine a ton. SOOO I'd say if you want a great vaginal fantasy try it out!!! WOOT
August 9, 2016
This is a tough one..
I enjoyed the book as a whole, the writing style was flowery, the world building was well done and it was interesting enough to keep me turning the pages. BUT I could not stand Silhara, our leading man, who was nothing but a giant JERK.
Look. I am all for an asshole leading man. Just look at my love of Panty Melting Andrew, Dragos and Daemon. But Silhara. There was just something inherently wrong about him.
I’ve dubbed him King of the Backhanded Compliment. He constantly and consistently puts our heroine down. And when he does bad things to her, he has the gall to turn it around and blame her for his errors. He was such a dick face, I nearly had to stop reading.
Honestly Silhara,
I think what bothered me the most about this, was that the attraction was completely one sided for the first half of this book. Martise found Silhara stunning, but Silhara thought Martise nothing but ordinary, and even when he did start to find her attractive, he was still giving her backhanded compliments and talking about her plainness. At least in Radiance the romance was a slow burn for both sides. They came to admire each other and fell in love, and valued each other for their sacrifices. In this, not so much.
Martise was likeable, but too timid and subservient. Sure, she was brought up as a slave, but even when she was “challenging” Silhara, she never really did anything outrageous. She was kind and generous of spirit, but this was constantly abused by Silhara and my dislike of him ended up clouding my like of her.
As I said earlier, the world building in this is fascinating. Ms. Draven has a wonderful way of writing that really encapsulates the moment and makes it easy to visualize everything she is introducing us to. The story in this was easy to digest and while things could have been a little more dramatic, or certain aspects of the story played up a little more, overall it was enjoyable.
But this is a fantasy romance novel and I did not buy the romance in this for a second. Silhara is a complete and utter fuck head and I kind of actually wanted Martise to end up with Gurn, instead of Silhara, that’s how much I didn’t like him.
This was okay. It wasn’t fantastic, and I really want to kick Silhara in the balls.
2.5 please-don’t-sing-Martise Stars
Thank you for the buddy read MacHalo Group!
I enjoyed the book as a whole, the writing style was flowery, the world building was well done and it was interesting enough to keep me turning the pages. BUT I could not stand Silhara, our leading man, who was nothing but a giant JERK.
Look. I am all for an asshole leading man. Just look at my love of Panty Melting Andrew, Dragos and Daemon. But Silhara. There was just something inherently wrong about him.
I’ve dubbed him King of the Backhanded Compliment. He constantly and consistently puts our heroine down. And when he does bad things to her, he has the gall to turn it around and blame her for his errors. He was such a dick face, I nearly had to stop reading.
Honestly Silhara,
I think what bothered me the most about this, was that the attraction was completely one sided for the first half of this book. Martise found Silhara stunning, but Silhara thought Martise nothing but ordinary, and even when he did start to find her attractive, he was still giving her backhanded compliments and talking about her plainness. At least in Radiance the romance was a slow burn for both sides. They came to admire each other and fell in love, and valued each other for their sacrifices. In this, not so much.
Martise was likeable, but too timid and subservient. Sure, she was brought up as a slave, but even when she was “challenging” Silhara, she never really did anything outrageous. She was kind and generous of spirit, but this was constantly abused by Silhara and my dislike of him ended up clouding my like of her.
As I said earlier, the world building in this is fascinating. Ms. Draven has a wonderful way of writing that really encapsulates the moment and makes it easy to visualize everything she is introducing us to. The story in this was easy to digest and while things could have been a little more dramatic, or certain aspects of the story played up a little more, overall it was enjoyable.
But this is a fantasy romance novel and I did not buy the romance in this for a second. Silhara is a complete and utter fuck head and I kind of actually wanted Martise to end up with Gurn, instead of Silhara, that’s how much I didn’t like him.
This was okay. It wasn’t fantastic, and I really want to kick Silhara in the balls.
2.5 please-don’t-sing-Martise Stars
Thank you for the buddy read MacHalo Group!
August 23, 2012
SO. . .One night Patrick Rothfuss (The Name of the Wind), Laini Taylor (Daughther of Smoke and Bones), and Nalini Singh (Angel's Blood) walked into a brothel.
Why?
Because I have a sick and twisted mine.
So these three authors walk into a high-end brothel, order Absynthe, and prepare to do the NASTY (yeah I'm bringing that term back). Clothes are torn. Sweat trickles. Erections and moistoning arise!
A CHILD IS CONCIEVED!!
Yes! Nalini Singh and Laini Taylor impregnate Patrick Rothfuss finally a man gets to understand the cruelty of pregnancy!).
Okay. Fast-forward. . .the child is born. . .It was a C-section!
And as this crying child is ripped out of Patrick's sliced gut to see the world, the child begins to reshape into something else!!!
Its flesh fades into an image. The infant's body sinks into itself as if something within its core is swallowing him whole. The poor kid forms into a book. The scent of paper rises in the operation room. The doctors gasp as these words appear, "Master of the Crows!"
Argueing erupts within the room. This is an amazing occurence but now what will everyone do? Do they give the child to the government--for testing and prodding? Should Patrick, Nalini, and Laini dash off to a secluded mountain on an exclusive island--teaching the child the genius things that these authors know?
They fight to the death, punching, slashing with knifes, and at times urinating on their fallen oponents (Laini Taylo doesn't mess around.) Blood and death linger in the air.
When all was said and done....They picked the last option. They gave the child to the world!!
I love this book. I humped it twice! And let me tell you, humping your Kindle Fire is not really good on the ereader....my poor screen is cracked at the edge.
Okay so for the bad stuff------Sadly yes no child is perfect... I have three kids so I have to remind myself of that everyday and force myself to not flee my home.
The book's bad things?
This author is an expressive author that loves to form words together into beautiful images. She's a liteary painter. If you don't like an author over describing then you may need to just read the sample chapter first.
Other than that....I LOVED THIS BOOK!
Awesome world! Outstanding Hero! Cool Heroine! Great plot!
Why?
Because I have a sick and twisted mine.
So these three authors walk into a high-end brothel, order Absynthe, and prepare to do the NASTY (yeah I'm bringing that term back). Clothes are torn. Sweat trickles. Erections and moistoning arise!
A CHILD IS CONCIEVED!!
Yes! Nalini Singh and Laini Taylor impregnate Patrick Rothfuss finally a man gets to understand the cruelty of pregnancy!).
Okay. Fast-forward. . .the child is born. . .It was a C-section!
And as this crying child is ripped out of Patrick's sliced gut to see the world, the child begins to reshape into something else!!!
Its flesh fades into an image. The infant's body sinks into itself as if something within its core is swallowing him whole. The poor kid forms into a book. The scent of paper rises in the operation room. The doctors gasp as these words appear, "Master of the Crows!"
Argueing erupts within the room. This is an amazing occurence but now what will everyone do? Do they give the child to the government--for testing and prodding? Should Patrick, Nalini, and Laini dash off to a secluded mountain on an exclusive island--teaching the child the genius things that these authors know?
They fight to the death, punching, slashing with knifes, and at times urinating on their fallen oponents (Laini Taylo doesn't mess around.) Blood and death linger in the air.
When all was said and done....They picked the last option. They gave the child to the world!!
I love this book. I humped it twice! And let me tell you, humping your Kindle Fire is not really good on the ereader....my poor screen is cracked at the edge.
Okay so for the bad stuff------Sadly yes no child is perfect... I have three kids so I have to remind myself of that everyday and force myself to not flee my home.
The book's bad things?
This author is an expressive author that loves to form words together into beautiful images. She's a liteary painter. If you don't like an author over describing then you may need to just read the sample chapter first.
Other than that....I LOVED THIS BOOK!
Awesome world! Outstanding Hero! Cool Heroine! Great plot!
December 21, 2023
✅ Plot
✅🆗 Pace
✅🆗 Romance
🆗 World-building
🆗❌ Characters
I liked this book as a whole, but the characters were a major problem for me.
First, there is Martise, she is a bland ordinary girl and I was happy about it because it is different from all the other stories where the girl is irresistible and super pretty. The problem is that the character as a whole is ordinary and not only physically. I just felt nothing for her, she is a nice girl in a tough situation, but I couldn't bring myself to care that much. Then there is Silhara, the dark, mysterious and handsome Master of crows... He was a jerk to Martise most of the time and even though he was also in a tough spot, I did not really care or feel anything for him. The fact that I did not connect with either of the main characters made it harder for me to really enjoy this story.
The rest of the book was good, this story is a good balance between fantasy and romance and it's not an insta-love story. I am not a fan of their romantic relationship though. It just doesn't feel right, maybe because I didn't like Silhara and Martise was getting on my nerves at times, but the way their relationship evolved was good (I am not sure this is making any sense... the way the relationship is built is good, but I did not really like it because I do not care that much for either character).
The world-building is well done enough for a standalone book and the descriptions are good. Not too many useless details (like the color of the clothing she's wearing), but enough to get immersed in the scenes and to feel the atmosphere of the manor where most of the story happens. There are some parts that are repetitive, but it was not a burden to read these parts.
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✅🆗 Pace
✅🆗 Romance
🆗 World-building
🆗❌ Characters
I liked this book as a whole, but the characters were a major problem for me.
First, there is Martise, she is a bland ordinary girl and I was happy about it because it is different from all the other stories where the girl is irresistible and super pretty. The problem is that the character as a whole is ordinary and not only physically. I just felt nothing for her, she is a nice girl in a tough situation, but I couldn't bring myself to care that much. Then there is Silhara, the dark, mysterious and handsome Master of crows... He was a jerk to Martise most of the time and even though he was also in a tough spot, I did not really care or feel anything for him. The fact that I did not connect with either of the main characters made it harder for me to really enjoy this story.
The rest of the book was good, this story is a good balance between fantasy and romance and it's not an insta-love story. I am not a fan of their romantic relationship though. It just doesn't feel right, maybe because I didn't like Silhara and Martise was getting on my nerves at times, but the way their relationship evolved was good (I am not sure this is making any sense... the way the relationship is built is good, but I did not really like it because I do not care that much for either character).
The world-building is well done enough for a standalone book and the descriptions are good. Not too many useless details (like the color of the clothing she's wearing), but enough to get immersed in the scenes and to feel the atmosphere of the manor where most of the story happens. There are some parts that are repetitive, but it was not a burden to read these parts.
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January 6, 2024
"A hero would sacrifice you to save the world, but a villain would sacrifice the world to save you."
Story Summary:
Silhara of Neith (MMC), dubbed Master of Crows, takes his reviled title unabashedly. A powerful mage and rogue, he's routinely at odds with the governing body of powerful mages, The Conclave, while also catching the eye of a malevolent god. As Silhara feels his soul being corrupted by the god, he writes to The Conclave in order to secure an apprentice that will assist him in finding a definitive way to defeat it. With their hostile relationship, Silhara knows The Conclave will more than likely send him someone that will also be there to spy, of which he will be ready for.
As Martise of Asher (FMC) meets the revered and equally feared, Silhara, she is immediately met with scorn and disdain, as at first their alliance is one born of treachery. Martise is initially sent by The Conclave to one assist Silhara and two to find him guilty of treason, the latter of which is their clarion call. Martise is not put off by the surly, Silhara. She meets him at every one of his tests, to his surprise, and Silhara must face the impending destruction of the world... and the walls built around his heart.
Characters:
--“You have done an unwise thing, Martise of Asher,” he said softly. “You’ve caught my interest.”
Oh, Silhara, where to begin. He is an exalted mage, of noble lineage, and lives like a pauper. Tall, willowy, sharp features, and with long, dark hair; like silk as told by Martise. He's cunning, armed with a silver tongue, a recluse and a bit rat-like. Silhara prefers to live on the outskirts of the towns and spends his days doing physical manual labour on his orange grove in a dilapidated manor. Even all the while being free to sell his magic and coupled with his infamy would've brought him untold riches; yet he chooses not to.
Silhara is enigmatic and nuanced. He's a dark, brooding, and mercurial with his treatment of, Martise. Their initial interactions were harrowing, felt more like a blood feud. I struggle to label him as either a hero or a villain, just a man trying to save himself.
Martise is plain and unassuming, sold into slavery at a young age, she knows it's best to keep your head down and not bare too much attention. She's armed with shrewdness, Martise is seen as the perfect spy. One that hides her cunning and ferocity, someone that's not going to "seduce" him. She comes into her own throughout the book and is shown to be evenly matched to an all powerful mage as a lowly slave.
Both of these characters are well developed and unforgettable.
Spoiler Review:
--“I am pathetic,” he muttered. “I condemn myself and risk a world for a woman.”
When he first meets Martise, he's unimpressed and finds her mousy. He wishes to have her express her 'gift' (magic) under his tutelage and subjects her to many tests, most of which terrified her and some hurt her. Martise continues to impress him by being even-keeled, and at first Silhara finds her more plain than attractive, he eventually falls hard for her steadfast earnesty.
This is slow burn romance, a well developed one. These characters have a mature relationship and everything about their love felt earned. The world truly stood in their way for them to be together.
--"She’d pulled him back from the abyss with the temptation of her affection. He was tempted to repay her with betrayal. He lifted a skein of her soft hair, letting it fall through his fingers in a cascade of russet waves. You should have let me die."
Grace Draven offers us a refreshing take on the fantasy/romance genre with this book. I much prefer the kind of world building in fantasy stories that introduce you to the setting by letting you experience it throughout the plot. I never appreciate exposition dumps and they just serve to confuse the reader. That's why I enjoy Grace Draven's mature writing, she treats her audience as adults and nothing is spoon fed.
Grace Draven's prose is a treat. It's perfectly backdropped by her wonderfully immersive and imaginative world. The magic is enchanting, but I have to say I do wish the book was longer to build even more of the history. There is much left to be explored through the supporting characters and the book sprints from A to B. I would've appreciated extraneous points from the story, but it's up for you to decide if you prefer that or something like this which is more focused.
So how is the spice? Completely loved it. It's written passionately and is so romantic. This is a slow-burn romance and Silhara is quiet in his love. He definitely prefers to show her than actually tell her. There are a few spice scenes, open door but not totally explicit; I'd rate it 3.5/5 on spice.
Overall, I really loved this book. This story perfectly balances fantasy and romance elements and excels at both. Plenty of action and steam to satisfy both sides.
Quotes:
Story Summary:
Silhara of Neith (MMC), dubbed Master of Crows, takes his reviled title unabashedly. A powerful mage and rogue, he's routinely at odds with the governing body of powerful mages, The Conclave, while also catching the eye of a malevolent god. As Silhara feels his soul being corrupted by the god, he writes to The Conclave in order to secure an apprentice that will assist him in finding a definitive way to defeat it. With their hostile relationship, Silhara knows The Conclave will more than likely send him someone that will also be there to spy, of which he will be ready for.
As Martise of Asher (FMC) meets the revered and equally feared, Silhara, she is immediately met with scorn and disdain, as at first their alliance is one born of treachery. Martise is initially sent by The Conclave to one assist Silhara and two to find him guilty of treason, the latter of which is their clarion call. Martise is not put off by the surly, Silhara. She meets him at every one of his tests, to his surprise, and Silhara must face the impending destruction of the world... and the walls built around his heart.
Characters:
--“You have done an unwise thing, Martise of Asher,” he said softly. “You’ve caught my interest.”
Oh, Silhara, where to begin. He is an exalted mage, of noble lineage, and lives like a pauper. Tall, willowy, sharp features, and with long, dark hair; like silk as told by Martise. He's cunning, armed with a silver tongue, a recluse and a bit rat-like. Silhara prefers to live on the outskirts of the towns and spends his days doing physical manual labour on his orange grove in a dilapidated manor. Even all the while being free to sell his magic and coupled with his infamy would've brought him untold riches; yet he chooses not to.
Silhara is enigmatic and nuanced. He's a dark, brooding, and mercurial with his treatment of, Martise. Their initial interactions were harrowing, felt more like a blood feud. I struggle to label him as either a hero or a villain, just a man trying to save himself.
Martise is plain and unassuming, sold into slavery at a young age, she knows it's best to keep your head down and not bare too much attention. She's armed with shrewdness, Martise is seen as the perfect spy. One that hides her cunning and ferocity, someone that's not going to "seduce" him. She comes into her own throughout the book and is shown to be evenly matched to an all powerful mage as a lowly slave.
Both of these characters are well developed and unforgettable.
Spoiler Review:
--“I am pathetic,” he muttered. “I condemn myself and risk a world for a woman.”
When he first meets Martise, he's unimpressed and finds her mousy. He wishes to have her express her 'gift' (magic) under his tutelage and subjects her to many tests, most of which terrified her and some hurt her. Martise continues to impress him by being even-keeled, and at first Silhara finds her more plain than attractive, he eventually falls hard for her steadfast earnesty.
This is slow burn romance, a well developed one. These characters have a mature relationship and everything about their love felt earned. The world truly stood in their way for them to be together.
--"She’d pulled him back from the abyss with the temptation of her affection. He was tempted to repay her with betrayal. He lifted a skein of her soft hair, letting it fall through his fingers in a cascade of russet waves. You should have let me die."
Grace Draven offers us a refreshing take on the fantasy/romance genre with this book. I much prefer the kind of world building in fantasy stories that introduce you to the setting by letting you experience it throughout the plot. I never appreciate exposition dumps and they just serve to confuse the reader. That's why I enjoy Grace Draven's mature writing, she treats her audience as adults and nothing is spoon fed.
Grace Draven's prose is a treat. It's perfectly backdropped by her wonderfully immersive and imaginative world. The magic is enchanting, but I have to say I do wish the book was longer to build even more of the history. There is much left to be explored through the supporting characters and the book sprints from A to B. I would've appreciated extraneous points from the story, but it's up for you to decide if you prefer that or something like this which is more focused.
So how is the spice? Completely loved it. It's written passionately and is so romantic. This is a slow-burn romance and Silhara is quiet in his love. He definitely prefers to show her than actually tell her. There are a few spice scenes, open door but not totally explicit; I'd rate it 3.5/5 on spice.
Overall, I really loved this book. This story perfectly balances fantasy and romance elements and excels at both. Plenty of action and steam to satisfy both sides.
Quotes:
"Do you need anything from me?” She was reluctant to leave him.
The folds of her leine muffled his chuckle. “Can you give me salvation?”
The strange question sent another bolt of dread through her. “No.”
“Then tea will do.”
“I’ve a taste for you as well, and time enough to indulge.”
“A companion," he whispered against her mouth. "A lover." He nibbled at her bottom lip, and his hand slid from her nape to cup the back of her head. "A beloved wife.”
“And will you love me for a day? A year? A lifetime?" She knew the answer but wanted to hear him say it in that beautiful, shattered voice.
"Beyond that," he whispered, eyes shining with the tempest of emotion he'd held in check until now. "Beyond the reign of false gods and meddlesome priests. Beyond al Zafira when her bright stars fade.”
July 10, 2019
Grace Draven creates such compelling stories!! I think what I love more about her stories is that her characters are unconventional and unique. They are not pretty, kind or well mannered. But somehow they grow on you.
Martise and Silhara are both such characters and I fell in love with them....
Also the love that blossoms between them is so slow and subtle that it feels really natural and unavoidable....
If you've read any of her other books, then I don't have to try hard to convince you to give this book a chance. Her storytelling is superb, there is enough action to keep the pages turning and lots of feelings to keep your heart beating fast....
August 17, 2023
3.5 stars!
"Master of Crows" by Grace Draven is a fantasy novel that delves into a world of magic, power struggles, and forbidden love. While the story presents several captivating elements, certain aspects left me with conflicting emotions.
The male lead, Silhara, is a character shrouded in complexity and darkness, wielding considerable magical power. His troubled history undoubtedly adds layers to the narrative. However, I found myself struggling to connect with his actions and attitude, especially in his interactions with the female main character (FMC). That didn't sit well with me, consistently grating on my nerves. I couldn't identify any redeeming traits to balance his flaws.
Conversely, the FMC lacked the distinctive qualities that often make protagonists memorable. Her character felt somewhat underexplored, preventing me from fully engaging with her journey throughout the book. If the author had invested more effort into unearthing the depths of both central characters, the reading experience could have been far more enjoyable.
The pacing of the story alternated between moments of action and calm, creating a textured rhythm. However, this variation occasionally disrupted the overall flow of the narrative.
Despite these shortcomings, "Master of Crows" sets the stage for a potentially captivating tale. Encountering a protagonist who doesn't fit the conventional standards of beauty, coupled with a hero battling financial hardships and earning every bit through sheer effort, provided a refreshing shift from the usual narrative. And there were some funny moments that really made me laugh at 3 a.m. The side characters are well placed in the story; even the pet had a different contribution to the whole book, which I really liked. More so, the tension between the characters, particularly the slow-burning romance, adds an interesting layer of complexity to the plot.
All in all, it was a decent read. Although there were moments of enjoyment, the major important parts of the book failed to make a significant impression on me. As a result, I'm currently unsure about going any further with this series.
"Master of Crows" by Grace Draven is a fantasy novel that delves into a world of magic, power struggles, and forbidden love. While the story presents several captivating elements, certain aspects left me with conflicting emotions.
The male lead, Silhara, is a character shrouded in complexity and darkness, wielding considerable magical power. His troubled history undoubtedly adds layers to the narrative. However, I found myself struggling to connect with his actions and attitude, especially in his interactions with the female main character (FMC). That didn't sit well with me, consistently grating on my nerves. I couldn't identify any redeeming traits to balance his flaws.
Conversely, the FMC lacked the distinctive qualities that often make protagonists memorable. Her character felt somewhat underexplored, preventing me from fully engaging with her journey throughout the book. If the author had invested more effort into unearthing the depths of both central characters, the reading experience could have been far more enjoyable.
The pacing of the story alternated between moments of action and calm, creating a textured rhythm. However, this variation occasionally disrupted the overall flow of the narrative.
Despite these shortcomings, "Master of Crows" sets the stage for a potentially captivating tale. Encountering a protagonist who doesn't fit the conventional standards of beauty, coupled with a hero battling financial hardships and earning every bit through sheer effort, provided a refreshing shift from the usual narrative. And there were some funny moments that really made me laugh at 3 a.m. The side characters are well placed in the story; even the pet had a different contribution to the whole book, which I really liked. More so, the tension between the characters, particularly the slow-burning romance, adds an interesting layer of complexity to the plot.
All in all, it was a decent read. Although there were moments of enjoyment, the major important parts of the book failed to make a significant impression on me. As a result, I'm currently unsure about going any further with this series.
October 28, 2011
Amazing…Incredible…Exquisite…Marvelous…Fantastic…Beautiful…
I'm going to attempt to write a review for this but in no way will I come near to doing it justice. It was just that great! I was drawn in and hooked from the very beginning. The historical/fantasy world was intricate and brilliantly described to the point that it impacted all of my senses; the frangrance of the oranges, the sounds of Neith, the touch of Silhara, the taste of Dragon Piss and the images of the Gift. The character development was flawless even with all their complexities.
The story is enemies-to-lovers themed revolving around Silhara (H) and Martise (h). Silhara is a poor orange farmer and outcast mage known as the Master of Crows. His deep dark secret is that he is the reborn avatar to the god Corruption. Martise is a plain, servant slave loaned to Silhara for research and translations. (Actually she is there to earn her freedom by spying on Silhara and providing proof of his crimes of treachery and heresy) In return, he is supposed to help her Gift manifest. Um, I will just say that nothing went exactly as planned. Even with all the darkness, I loved their snarky wit and humerous banter. I actually found myself laughing so hard my eyes were watering. Also, the sexual tension between them was thick and the sex was scorching hot!
I was too enamored with the story to highlight many quotes, but this one in particular affected me:
The story does end with a HEA but there is some angst along the way. It had some really intense moments and I had to take a few breaks near the end to settle my stomach and catch my breath. But this amazing love story was worth it.
So, now that you've suffered through my pathetic excuse for a review, I would like to direct you to KarLynP's amazing review!!!
I loved this story and highly recommend it to everyone! It will not be one that I will soon forget. Plus, the current price is only $2.99!!!
I think this might be the best book I've read all year!!!
I'm going to attempt to write a review for this but in no way will I come near to doing it justice. It was just that great! I was drawn in and hooked from the very beginning. The historical/fantasy world was intricate and brilliantly described to the point that it impacted all of my senses; the frangrance of the oranges, the sounds of Neith, the touch of Silhara, the taste of Dragon Piss and the images of the Gift. The character development was flawless even with all their complexities.
The story is enemies-to-lovers themed revolving around Silhara (H) and Martise (h). Silhara is a poor orange farmer and outcast mage known as the Master of Crows. His deep dark secret is that he is the reborn avatar to the god Corruption. Martise is a plain, servant slave loaned to Silhara for research and translations. (Actually she is there to earn her freedom by spying on Silhara and providing proof of his crimes of treachery and heresy) In return, he is supposed to help her Gift manifest. Um, I will just say that nothing went exactly as planned. Even with all the darkness, I loved their snarky wit and humerous banter. I actually found myself laughing so hard my eyes were watering. Also, the sexual tension between them was thick and the sex was scorching hot!
I was too enamored with the story to highlight many quotes, but this one in particular affected me:
"Did I please you?"
Silhara raised his head slowly to stare at her. High color flagged his cheekbones. His pupils swallowed the lighter black of his eyes. "Please me? You've vanquished me."
The story does end with a HEA but there is some angst along the way. It had some really intense moments and I had to take a few breaks near the end to settle my stomach and catch my breath. But this amazing love story was worth it.
So, now that you've suffered through my pathetic excuse for a review, I would like to direct you to KarLynP's amazing review!!!
I loved this story and highly recommend it to everyone! It will not be one that I will soon forget. Plus, the current price is only $2.99!!!
I think this might be the best book I've read all year!!!
August 26, 2021
Top-notch romance, but lacking in worldbuilding.
Would recommend it to fantasy romance lovers.
Would recommend it to fantasy romance lovers.
November 12, 2011
Master of Crows was wonderful. If I hadn't gotten a rec from a Goodreads friend (Thanks Heather.), I'd have probably been a bit skeptical going into the book, because the reviews I'd seen had been so overwhelmingly positive - well now you can add me to the 'gushers'.
Having caught the eye of a corrupt god, a god who intends to use the Crow Mage Silhara as the vessel for his latest incarnation, the outcast mage is desperately trying to resist the god's powerful lure. But the god is seductive and Silhara is running out of time and will power - his only hope is to find a way to kill a god. Choosing the lesser of evils, Silhara petitions the Conclave for a scholar with expertise in archaic languages to help him dig through ancient texts for spell. Having no love for Silhara, the Conclave leader Cumbria, sees Silhara's request as the perfect opportunity to install a spy in Silhara's house. So Cumbria's 'ward' Martise - a slave promised her freedom in exchange for information leading to Silhara's downfall - is sent to 'aid' Silhara, and in exchanger for Conclave's assistance Silhara will help Martise to discover her hidden magic. As the pair slowly overcome their distrust and come to admire each other, both Martise and Silhara will have to decide whether their own freedom is worth the price of the other's life.
I am really character-centric in my reading and I loved both Martise and Silhara. Author Draven really took the time to flesh out her cast - even her supporting characters are well drawn. So for me it was a big plus that instead of being action driven, Master of Crows was character driven. The interractions between Martise and Silharea were deftly crafted with 'key' moments that moved their relationship along throughout the story, even as they both fought not to 'go' there. And since the pair started out pretty much as adversaries who needed the other for their own salvation, they both had really good reasons for not wanting to want each other. As a result, their mutual admiration and later their romance built slowly before finally progressing to the physical and capping off with a nice amount of steam. As a magic/fantasy romance, Master of Crows is not erotic by Paranormal Romance standards - but probably falls into that category by Fantasy standards.
So the bottom line is that I really enjoyed Master of Crows, it was a pleasant surprise and with an ending and a happily ever after that feel very finished, Martise and Silhara's tale looks to be a standalone story. Though not available on Kindle yet, Draven does have several other standalone looking ebooks out there and I plan to find out whether they are just as good as Master of Crows.
Having caught the eye of a corrupt god, a god who intends to use the Crow Mage Silhara as the vessel for his latest incarnation, the outcast mage is desperately trying to resist the god's powerful lure. But the god is seductive and Silhara is running out of time and will power - his only hope is to find a way to kill a god. Choosing the lesser of evils, Silhara petitions the Conclave for a scholar with expertise in archaic languages to help him dig through ancient texts for spell. Having no love for Silhara, the Conclave leader Cumbria, sees Silhara's request as the perfect opportunity to install a spy in Silhara's house. So Cumbria's 'ward' Martise - a slave promised her freedom in exchange for information leading to Silhara's downfall - is sent to 'aid' Silhara, and in exchanger for Conclave's assistance Silhara will help Martise to discover her hidden magic. As the pair slowly overcome their distrust and come to admire each other, both Martise and Silhara will have to decide whether their own freedom is worth the price of the other's life.
I am really character-centric in my reading and I loved both Martise and Silhara. Author Draven really took the time to flesh out her cast - even her supporting characters are well drawn. So for me it was a big plus that instead of being action driven, Master of Crows was character driven. The interractions between Martise and Silharea were deftly crafted with 'key' moments that moved their relationship along throughout the story, even as they both fought not to 'go' there. And since the pair started out pretty much as adversaries who needed the other for their own salvation, they both had really good reasons for not wanting to want each other. As a result, their mutual admiration and later their romance built slowly before finally progressing to the physical and capping off with a nice amount of steam. As a magic/fantasy romance, Master of Crows is not erotic by Paranormal Romance standards - but probably falls into that category by Fantasy standards.
So the bottom line is that I really enjoyed Master of Crows, it was a pleasant surprise and with an ending and a happily ever after that feel very finished, Martise and Silhara's tale looks to be a standalone story. Though not available on Kindle yet, Draven does have several other standalone looking ebooks out there and I plan to find out whether they are just as good as Master of Crows.
August 15, 2022
Who thought of a super duper powerful mage that earns a living selling oranges, I ask? I wanna know to award them a medal for original occupations.
I mean, of all the possible ways a sorcerer with exceptional magical powers, so exceptional a freakin' god wants to possess him to rule the world, enslave humanity, and have orange juice for breakfast each morning, you chose to make him a fruit grower? Silhara could've been able to summon diamonds out of thin air and be as rich as a satrap, or hire himself for turning your enemy into a hairy worm for a hundred pounds of gold, or some other more profitable source of income. But oh, no, he had to grow oranges! I like that.
On my first read, I didn't like this. It was a combination of expecting too much B&B that simply wasn't there, and that the worldbuilding was rather poorly developed. It's a mishmash of cultures with no real depth and the magic system that Conclave (without a 'the') regulates read like fanfiction of the Catholic Church written by someone who's not familiar with the religion's structure. It didn't help that Silhara is a rather... horny mage who does something that used to be one of my most disliked tropes (the glamour on the prostitute, if you're curious).
So what improved this second time reading it? Martise, mostly. The worldbuilding is still very weak, there's overlooked and unexplained plot points (how come Silhara is a whore's bastard that supposedly doesn't know his father, but then it turns out he has family on both sides?), the god is vanquished rather too quickly and easily with no real cost or aftermath that shows the horrors of that magic, because magic that powerful has to have a price and here it doesn't, and the mage is still as horny as ever. But Martise is a well-rounded character; some might call her too servile, Silhara sure does, but to me she shows the realistic mindset of a slave with an abusive master that finds her shield in obedience and subservience. I'm not quite sure why she feels so strongly towards Silhara in spite of his constant put-downs and condescension, and I often wished she'd just pelt him with rotten oranges for being such a donkey. She alone was worth the reread, and I'm glad I gave this a second chance to join my keepers shelf for B&B retellings, even though it's merely a thematic sprinkling that's not enough to classify this as a retelling.
I mean, of all the possible ways a sorcerer with exceptional magical powers, so exceptional a freakin' god wants to possess him to rule the world, enslave humanity, and have orange juice for breakfast each morning, you chose to make him a fruit grower? Silhara could've been able to summon diamonds out of thin air and be as rich as a satrap, or hire himself for turning your enemy into a hairy worm for a hundred pounds of gold, or some other more profitable source of income. But oh, no, he had to grow oranges! I like that.
On my first read, I didn't like this. It was a combination of expecting too much B&B that simply wasn't there, and that the worldbuilding was rather poorly developed. It's a mishmash of cultures with no real depth and the magic system that Conclave (without a 'the') regulates read like fanfiction of the Catholic Church written by someone who's not familiar with the religion's structure. It didn't help that Silhara is a rather... horny mage who does something that used to be one of my most disliked tropes (the glamour on the prostitute, if you're curious).
So what improved this second time reading it? Martise, mostly. The worldbuilding is still very weak, there's overlooked and unexplained plot points (how come Silhara is a whore's bastard that supposedly doesn't know his father, but then it turns out he has family on both sides?), the god is vanquished rather too quickly and easily with no real cost or aftermath that shows the horrors of that magic, because magic that powerful has to have a price and here it doesn't, and the mage is still as horny as ever. But Martise is a well-rounded character; some might call her too servile, Silhara sure does, but to me she shows the realistic mindset of a slave with an abusive master that finds her shield in obedience and subservience. I'm not quite sure why she feels so strongly towards Silhara in spite of his constant put-downs and condescension, and I often wished she'd just pelt him with rotten oranges for being such a donkey. She alone was worth the reread, and I'm glad I gave this a second chance to join my keepers shelf for B&B retellings, even though it's merely a thematic sprinkling that's not enough to classify this as a retelling.
November 15, 2015
4.5-stars
Neith, a place few visit and none are welcome.
Silhara of Neith, a powerful mage. He was pragmatic. That's one thing I liked about him:/
He can be an alpha as well:
“One move and I’ll slit your throat. Die handsome or live honest. What will it be?”
Martise of Asher, a skillful translator, was sent to Neith to spy on Silhara. Her mission obviously failed cos dude, she was no spy and at times, she couldn’t help acting like this sad mouse of a woman who would leap at her own shadow. Oh well. She just didn't know she was a keeper of immense untapped power.
Slow-building relationship:
Silhara: “You have done an unwise thing, Martise of Asher,” “You’ve caught my interest.”
Their relationship was layered with distrust, apprenticeship, friendship, respect and love. No insta-love.
Simple worldbuilding. A well-executed story with great characters development and good pace. This is my first book by Grace Draven and I look forward to adding her books to my bookshelf;)
Neith, a place few visit and none are welcome.
Silhara of Neith, a powerful mage. He was pragmatic. That's one thing I liked about him:/
He can be an alpha as well:
“One move and I’ll slit your throat. Die handsome or live honest. What will it be?”
Martise of Asher, a skillful translator, was sent to Neith to spy on Silhara. Her mission obviously failed cos dude, she was no spy and at times, she couldn’t help acting like this sad mouse of a woman who would leap at her own shadow. Oh well. She just didn't know she was a keeper of immense untapped power.
Slow-building relationship:
Silhara: “You have done an unwise thing, Martise of Asher,” “You’ve caught my interest.”
Their relationship was layered with distrust, apprenticeship, friendship, respect and love. No insta-love.
Simple worldbuilding. A well-executed story with great characters development and good pace. This is my first book by Grace Draven and I look forward to adding her books to my bookshelf;)
May 1, 2018
Draven has the knack of creating really fascinating worlds, fully formed, with back histories, and a logic that makes sense. Add to this characters that are more than what they appear, with depth, and I’m impressed. This is my third title from this author and each time I’ve been totally taken by her stories (favourite is still Radiance). She combines fantasy and romance effortlessly, using tropes of each genre to great effect, each given its due importance. It’s not a fantasy with a pinch of romance, or indeed the reverse. It is both and thus focuses in the foreground on people, their relationships (not just amorous but all of them) and psychology, and in the background compelling societies with complex politics and beliefs - each sphere influencing the other. My only drawback is that I want MORE!
November 10, 2015
"You have done an unwise thing, Martise of Asher," he said softly. You've caught my interest."
Another fantastic read by Grace Draven.
5 Say My Name Stars for this wonderful read.
Another fantastic read by Grace Draven.
5 Say My Name Stars for this wonderful read.
August 20, 2015
This book? Me gusta.
This book kinda reminds me of Uprooted but in a way that the hero is sarcatic, rude and supah supah hot. Unlike Uprooted who has subtle romance, Master of Crows focuses on the romance between Martise and Silhara.
If you like long-haired sorcerers who insults those who are in authority and is not sorry being a condescending ass to idiots, then you should read this book.
"What in Bursin's holy name name is that?" he snarled. If it were possible to die of embarrassment, Martise was sure she wouldn't survive the next few minutes.
"I was singing." His eyebrows rose to almost his hairline. "Singing. Is that what you call it? It sounded like someone was torturing a cat."
Here's another one.
“Don’t sing.” He pointed a finger at her for emphasis. “You’ve scared my dog, my birds and my servant with your yowling.” He paused. “You’ve even managed to scare me.”
Silhara is the Master of Crows and he is feared by the Conclave because:
1. Rumor has it that he dabbles heavily in the black art. (Denied)
2. He is an ass to them and he can make a Bishop quake in his boots by his sharp tongue alone. (Confirmed)
3. He is powerful as shit. (Also confirmed)
But when an evil god started seducing him with all the usual tactics (you know, world domination and everything), he asked the Conclave for a help. Then the conclave sends Martise, a spy who must expose the evilness of Silhara. Of course, Silhara knows about this ploy so imagine the scenario.
But even in this fictional world, the universe fucks people up so imagine the shock of Martise and Silhara when they started falling with each other.
“He loved her to the point of madness, to obsession and even sacrifice. He wasn't Berdikhan, and he wouldn't make her Zafira. He'd rob her of her Gift, but she'd live. If he had to destroy Corruption, Conclave and himself, she'd live.”
-Silhara
So if I were you, if you like this kind of story and hero, read the book. It's a fresh air from all the common romance books that you can usually read.
This book kinda reminds me of Uprooted but in a way that the hero is sarcatic, rude and supah supah hot. Unlike Uprooted who has subtle romance, Master of Crows focuses on the romance between Martise and Silhara.
If you like long-haired sorcerers who insults those who are in authority and is not sorry being a condescending ass to idiots, then you should read this book.
"What in Bursin's holy name name is that?" he snarled. If it were possible to die of embarrassment, Martise was sure she wouldn't survive the next few minutes.
"I was singing." His eyebrows rose to almost his hairline. "Singing. Is that what you call it? It sounded like someone was torturing a cat."
Here's another one.
“Don’t sing.” He pointed a finger at her for emphasis. “You’ve scared my dog, my birds and my servant with your yowling.” He paused. “You’ve even managed to scare me.”
Silhara is the Master of Crows and he is feared by the Conclave because:
1. Rumor has it that he dabbles heavily in the black art. (Denied)
2. He is an ass to them and he can make a Bishop quake in his boots by his sharp tongue alone. (Confirmed)
3. He is powerful as shit. (Also confirmed)
But when an evil god started seducing him with all the usual tactics (you know, world domination and everything), he asked the Conclave for a help. Then the conclave sends Martise, a spy who must expose the evilness of Silhara. Of course, Silhara knows about this ploy so imagine the scenario.
But even in this fictional world, the universe fucks people up so imagine the shock of Martise and Silhara when they started falling with each other.
“He loved her to the point of madness, to obsession and even sacrifice. He wasn't Berdikhan, and he wouldn't make her Zafira. He'd rob her of her Gift, but she'd live. If he had to destroy Corruption, Conclave and himself, she'd live.”
-Silhara
So if I were you, if you like this kind of story and hero, read the book. It's a fresh air from all the common romance books that you can usually read.
May 20, 2016
4.25 stars
Review...
I have only praise for this book.
I was introduced with Grace Draven's work in
and
and I was simply stunned and overwhelmed with the amount of imagination and complex span of emotions that this author leads her characters through.
It was no different with Master of Crows...
Silhara of Neith /i> - a dark mage and a hardworking man who rose from the poor towards the status of a land lord or Neith...who is tempted daily by the dark forces Corruption to overpossess him and make him their servant...
"I will not yield."
under the suspicion that he's stepping to the dark side the Conclave (high priests that practice magic) use Silhara's request for an apprentice to help him in translating the old scripts to find the solution to fight and beat the menacing Corruption and they send her. But the Conclave have a hidden plan of their own and it has nothing to do with fighting the evil magic or the gods of Corruption.
"Martise is a skilled scribe and translator and has the Gift. She was once schooled at Conclave. The mage-finders sense her magic.
But Martise and Silhara take a huge dislike to each other and they barely can control their own outbursts of discontent with each other's presence.
The Master of Crows was a hateful, contemptible pig.
She'd have to temper her dislike for the crow mage. He was no different from any other landowner of high-ranking clergyman, and so far inflicted nothing more damaging on her that a few snide remarks. Still there was something inherently dangerous about him.
But there's this undescribable and unexplainable attraction Martise feels towards Silhara and that is confusing the hell out of her.
The Master of Crows was an overwhelming presence, frightening, annoying and fascinating.
But fire had licked her insides at her first sight of him. Her face heated with what was surely the hottest blush ever gracing a woman no longer a maiden. Such feelings had no place here. She was bound; he was outcast. She resided at Neith to spay on him, and if the promise in his expression was any hint, he'd make her wish she never crossed his threshold.
they slowly get to know each other, through hard work on the land, through interactions while she translated scribes, filled with sassy remarks that slowly stir interest in Silhara...
The woman emerging in her place fascinated him a little more each day.
As lyrical as her voice, her laughter transformed her from peahen to swan.
he starts seeing beyond the plain features of Martise and let himself be open towards her warmth, beyond-her-age wisdom, wit and humor.
She made him wonder - and smile. That alone gave him pause. Silhara couldn't remember the last time he'd found something worth smiling about that didn't involeve mockery, yet in the last ten minutes Cumbria's little spy almost coaxed a laugh out of him with her comment...
But even that melting ice shell that Silhara is keeping as a cover can't really diminish the danger that lingers around him and in him...
"You have done an unwise thing, Martise of Asher", he said softly. "You've caught my interest."
As the Corruption sets another stroke...the fight Silhara must duel couldn't bring him victory without the essence - the Gift Martise holds hidden within her.
"Your Gift is no blessing, Martise. Not to you...You're a vessel, nothing more. A source to be used by mages like me. Your power strengthens the magic of others.
I can teach you to hide your Gift. Not just control it, but submerge it. Deep enough that the priest will never sense its presence. And I am a good liar.
But for Martise it's already too late, to hide, or to lie, to him or to herself...BUT that still doesn't diminish the hurt Silhara caused her with his words.
"You can use me, and I can't stop you."
"How is this different from any other day?"
"What will protect me from you?"
He pulled her hard against him and nipped her shoulder. "Nothing."
The powerful magic, the devious plot from the Conclave priests, the horrid attacks of Corruption, the exchange of power, strength, devotion and love in the crucial moments would hold against all evil.
"What happened to that sad mouse of a woman who first came to Neith and leapt at her own shadow?"
"I didn't love you then."
Martise will show the strength in her character when you'd least expect it to show...and her strength came from her heart and soul...willing to sacrifice the last bit of herself in order to save the man she loved
"Use me. Use my Gift. Let me love you for this moment. It will be enough.
and the outcome only stirred her heart to grow stronger...
"No, Martise of Asher. I am a greedy man. We could live a thousand years mroe than this twisted god, and still it will not be enough.
Fantastic writing, phenomenal imaginary world and effortless storytelling...for me though, it had slightly slower pace than in Radiance and it messed with my own tempo of reading...other than that I recommened this book to anyone who's willing to indulge him/herself into the "other world" of fantasy, magic, power and love.
March 26, 2016
3.5 stars
“I’ve no wish to be reduced to a cipher, Martise. I’ll die before that happens, and I’ll take Corruption down with me.” She bowed her head. “I wish you loved me,” she said in a small voice. “Maybe then I could make you halt this madness.”
This book was a lot darker than the other books I’ve read from this author. The god, Corruption, wants to use Silhara, Master of Crows, to rule the world. And Silhara will do anything he can to deter Corruption, refusing to be anyone’s puppet. Martise of Asher, is sent to spy on the Master of Crows for the Conclave under the ruse of assisting Silhara in his research for a way to defeat Corruption.
Martise has been a slave for many years, and in order to gain her freedom she must spy on Silhara. Martise came across as meek at first, most probably because of her years as a slave, but as the story progressed she learned to speak her mind.
Silhara was a very dark character, and at times very difficult to like. He’s so powerful, and doesn’t really care about how his actions affects others. In the beginning he was very rude and unkind to Martise. But as he came to know Martise, his actions towards her changed.
The romance was very slow building. At first Silhara found Martise plain and unattractive. But the longer they spent time together, the more attracted Silhara became to Martise. There was one part in the book that I found very upsetting, and it definitely affected my enjoyment and rating of this book. .
Grace Draven has a real talent for writing romantasy, and although there were parts of the romance I really didn’t enjoy, there were also parts that were very sweet and sexy. The fantasy was excellent, and I really enjoyed the world-building.
November 26, 2012
Another long overdue review. This is an under-appreciated indie gem that was recommended to me. I'm so glad it was.
Master of Crows is a great read for fans of fantasy and romance. I'd say that, if you enjoyed my Elemental Mysteries series, there's a great chance you'll enjoy this book as well. The world is beautifully drawn, the characters are layered and interesting. Silhara is an intriguing hero with just the right edge of dark for my taste. Martise is a wonderfully subtle heroine who proves that quiet doesn't mean meek.
Overall, a great book. Highly recommended, and I'd really like to read more from this author.
Master of Crows is a great read for fans of fantasy and romance. I'd say that, if you enjoyed my Elemental Mysteries series, there's a great chance you'll enjoy this book as well. The world is beautifully drawn, the characters are layered and interesting. Silhara is an intriguing hero with just the right edge of dark for my taste. Martise is a wonderfully subtle heroine who proves that quiet doesn't mean meek.
Overall, a great book. Highly recommended, and I'd really like to read more from this author.
April 25, 2015
In truth, Master of Crows was pretty much guaranteed to get a high rating from me, given the fact it probably comes closest to the kind of book I'd been seeking for a long time -- that is, a romance that takes place in a fantasy setting along with mages, magic and all that good stuff. Better yet, there was a decent story and never once did we lose that fantasy element, not even amidst the lust and romance...which was HOT, by the way.
I loved this book, though it wasn't without its cheesy parts (but then again, I'm a firm believer that any good romance story must have its fair share of cheese). Speaking of which, I do wish the romantic aspect of the book hadn't been so "traditional". For example, in my opinion the hero-as-the-master and heroine-as-the-apprentice love story theme has been done to death. And while I liked Silhara of Neith, I was disappointed that he ended up not being so different from your typical, archetypal male love interest, i.e. the tall, dark, handsome, aloof, brooding, misunderstood and privately tortured lone wolf that I'm so very used to seeing in romance novels by now.
Still, I'm very impressed, especially since this book appears to be self-published by the indie author. That probably explains the typos and other errors in my Kindle version, and there was also an overuse of certain words and descriptions (the author seemed especially fond of describing characters smelling of male or female warmth) but they were minimal and did not detract from my enjoyment. Master of Crows could have benefited from a bit of editing, but other than that it was beautifully written and I'm glad I stumbled upon the Amazon forum where I initially found the recommendation.
Definitely check this out if you're a fan of the romance and fantasy genres, and would like to see both wrapped up and delivered in one neat little package.
I loved this book, though it wasn't without its cheesy parts (but then again, I'm a firm believer that any good romance story must have its fair share of cheese). Speaking of which, I do wish the romantic aspect of the book hadn't been so "traditional". For example, in my opinion the hero-as-the-master and heroine-as-the-apprentice love story theme has been done to death. And while I liked Silhara of Neith, I was disappointed that he ended up not being so different from your typical, archetypal male love interest, i.e. the tall, dark, handsome, aloof, brooding, misunderstood and privately tortured lone wolf that I'm so very used to seeing in romance novels by now.
Still, I'm very impressed, especially since this book appears to be self-published by the indie author. That probably explains the typos and other errors in my Kindle version, and there was also an overuse of certain words and descriptions (the author seemed especially fond of describing characters smelling of male or female warmth) but they were minimal and did not detract from my enjoyment. Master of Crows could have benefited from a bit of editing, but other than that it was beautifully written and I'm glad I stumbled upon the Amazon forum where I initially found the recommendation.
Definitely check this out if you're a fan of the romance and fantasy genres, and would like to see both wrapped up and delivered in one neat little package.
September 22, 2021
This book and Heart's Blood are my fantasy romance comfort reads.
What they've got in common? Creepy castle, magic, similar shy but smart heroine, both are variation on the Beauty and the Beast story. Heroes are very different though and this one is smuttier.
This book just gives me so many cozy feelings, I can't even try to be objective.
What they've got in common? Creepy castle, magic, similar shy but smart heroine, both are variation on the Beauty and the Beast story. Heroes are very different though and this one is smuttier.
This book just gives me so many cozy feelings, I can't even try to be objective.
January 15, 2015
**********
Content: Sex, erotica almost, some violence, several typos.
**********
3.5 stars, maybe more. Overall, a good read, and some parts were superior. Yet also disappointing: Because the author started the book with such a fantastical plot line and created such a sense of dire urgency -- even emergency -- I found the sex eventually overdone and distracting. I felt caught between two genres, high fantasy and erotica. IMO, the main flaws are repetition and excess sex, a sex-driven plot. I explain these flaws below in spoilers and also highlight the many parts I liked.
Many spoilers below!!
Secondary characters were pretty cool. I liked the dog and the manservant a lot.
Most of the potential for fantasy plot got smothered by romance, but the final battle against Corruption was well drawn. Vivid. I felt like I could see what was happening inside the mind of the god.
I really liked the very end. Silhara made some great choices. No instant riches. All that was lost is not instantly and easily recovered. They will work for it. Sweet.
There were about a dozen typos -- not too bad, and mostly punctuation, but at least one sentence did not make sense unless I inserted a word.
Some anachronistic vocabulary. For example, the author described a crushed melon drink as being "like a slurry," but, "slurry" reflects a contemporary setting and makes me think of a slushy, so this pulled me right out of that ancient market scene. How would Martise know about slurries, when historically "slurry" meant muddy, runny water, according to my huge old dictionary?
This author shows a lot of promise. I will read more of her work.
Content: Sex, erotica almost, some violence, several typos.
**********
3.5 stars, maybe more. Overall, a good read, and some parts were superior. Yet also disappointing: Because the author started the book with such a fantastical plot line and created such a sense of dire urgency -- even emergency -- I found the sex eventually overdone and distracting. I felt caught between two genres, high fantasy and erotica. IMO, the main flaws are repetition and excess sex, a sex-driven plot. I explain these flaws below in spoilers and also highlight the many parts I liked.
Many spoilers below!!
Secondary characters were pretty cool. I liked the dog and the manservant a lot.
Most of the potential for fantasy plot got smothered by romance, but the final battle against Corruption was well drawn. Vivid. I felt like I could see what was happening inside the mind of the god.
I really liked the very end. Silhara made some great choices. No instant riches. All that was lost is not instantly and easily recovered. They will work for it. Sweet.
There were about a dozen typos -- not too bad, and mostly punctuation, but at least one sentence did not make sense unless I inserted a word.
Some anachronistic vocabulary. For example, the author described a crushed melon drink as being "like a slurry," but, "slurry" reflects a contemporary setting and makes me think of a slushy, so this pulled me right out of that ancient market scene. How would Martise know about slurries, when historically "slurry" meant muddy, runny water, according to my huge old dictionary?
This author shows a lot of promise. I will read more of her work.
January 16, 2012
4.5 stars
I love a bit of romance mixed with fantasy, so as you can imagine I was more than pleased to stumble across Master of Crows. Silhara of Neith is the Master of Crows, a powerful mage who is simultaneously being plagued and seduced by the God, Corruption. Corruption whispers promises of power and destruction to tempt Silhara into giving up his body for Corruption's use. Silhara is desperate not to give into temptation for risk of losing his freedom, so he writes to the Conclave - a group of mages who despise Silhara - for help to destroy Corruption. The Conclave send Martise of Asher, a gifted scholar and mage to not only help Silhara find a way to kill Corription but to also spy on Silhara.
Silhara is all too aware that Martise is a spy but he does not know that she is also a slave, Silhara makes her stay at Neith very difficult in the hope that she leaves before giving the Conclave any ammunition that could sentance him to death. Martise's freedom rests on finding out if Silhara is in league with Corruption so she is not easily deterred by Silhara's less than warm hospitality. Everyday Silhara is more at risk of giving into Corruption's demands, knowing this Silhara stops antagonzing Martise and instead orders her to find a solution to their god problem. Martise and Silhara search for answers before Corruption becomes any stronger.
Martise is attracted to Silhara, the feeling is not mutual though. Martise is not beautiful or pretty, she as Silhara puts it - is as plain as a potato but she does have a rocking body and a voice again as Silhara puts it - that can make a guy come. Martise and Silhara slowly get to know each other and Silhara sees that though Martise is no beauty that she is smart, hard working and witty. Silhara is not your usual rich, layabout hero..he maybe a feared and all powerful mage but he's also a poor farmer who works hard in his grove to provide food and essentials for himself and his mute servant, Gurn. Gurn is loyal to Silhara and very much unafraid of him, he doesn't miss any opportunity to admonish Silahara for his treatment of Martise. Gurn is a wonderful character who steals every scene he's in.. he has more than depth, personality and complexity than most characters I've ever read - which I must say is a great feat since he doesn't even speak.
It was a welcome change to read about an unattractive heroine and a poor, struggling hero who works for every penny he gets. Silhara does not instantly become selfless and heroic just because he's developed feelings for Martise.. he actually at one point even contemplates choosing his only life over Martise's.. which was equal parts disappointing and refreshing.
As of yet, this is a stand alone book.. the ending was perfect, so I hope that there is no sequel. I will be reading whatever GD releases next.
I love a bit of romance mixed with fantasy, so as you can imagine I was more than pleased to stumble across Master of Crows. Silhara of Neith is the Master of Crows, a powerful mage who is simultaneously being plagued and seduced by the God, Corruption. Corruption whispers promises of power and destruction to tempt Silhara into giving up his body for Corruption's use. Silhara is desperate not to give into temptation for risk of losing his freedom, so he writes to the Conclave - a group of mages who despise Silhara - for help to destroy Corruption. The Conclave send Martise of Asher, a gifted scholar and mage to not only help Silhara find a way to kill Corription but to also spy on Silhara.
Silhara is all too aware that Martise is a spy but he does not know that she is also a slave, Silhara makes her stay at Neith very difficult in the hope that she leaves before giving the Conclave any ammunition that could sentance him to death. Martise's freedom rests on finding out if Silhara is in league with Corruption so she is not easily deterred by Silhara's less than warm hospitality. Everyday Silhara is more at risk of giving into Corruption's demands, knowing this Silhara stops antagonzing Martise and instead orders her to find a solution to their god problem. Martise and Silhara search for answers before Corruption becomes any stronger.
Martise is attracted to Silhara, the feeling is not mutual though. Martise is not beautiful or pretty, she as Silhara puts it - is as plain as a potato but she does have a rocking body and a voice again as Silhara puts it - that can make a guy come. Martise and Silhara slowly get to know each other and Silhara sees that though Martise is no beauty that she is smart, hard working and witty. Silhara is not your usual rich, layabout hero..he maybe a feared and all powerful mage but he's also a poor farmer who works hard in his grove to provide food and essentials for himself and his mute servant, Gurn. Gurn is loyal to Silhara and very much unafraid of him, he doesn't miss any opportunity to admonish Silahara for his treatment of Martise. Gurn is a wonderful character who steals every scene he's in.. he has more than depth, personality and complexity than most characters I've ever read - which I must say is a great feat since he doesn't even speak.
It was a welcome change to read about an unattractive heroine and a poor, struggling hero who works for every penny he gets. Silhara does not instantly become selfless and heroic just because he's developed feelings for Martise.. he actually at one point even contemplates choosing his only life over Martise's.. which was equal parts disappointing and refreshing.
As of yet, this is a stand alone book.. the ending was perfect, so I hope that there is no sequel. I will be reading whatever GD releases next.
December 27, 2013
I've had some time to think on this review and I think I'm going with three stars on this one. I enjoyed it but it won't stick with me.
I didn't know from the shelving that my friends had on this book that it was more high fantasy than paranormal, which can sometimes be an issue for me. As a rule, I'm not an epic fantasy reader. That was certainly part of my problem with this story. However, I think that this book wasn't a "love" more because it just wasn't anything really new. It is sort of the classic "misunderstood good guy" vs "ancient evil" with a hefty dose of romance thrown in.
I actually liked the writing style, which many people didn't enjoy. It is kind of that overdone, fantasy-speak but it worked for me. I think the romance was convincing. I just wasn't that invested in the story.
A nice read but not a home run for me.
I didn't know from the shelving that my friends had on this book that it was more high fantasy than paranormal, which can sometimes be an issue for me. As a rule, I'm not an epic fantasy reader. That was certainly part of my problem with this story. However, I think that this book wasn't a "love" more because it just wasn't anything really new. It is sort of the classic "misunderstood good guy" vs "ancient evil" with a hefty dose of romance thrown in.
I actually liked the writing style, which many people didn't enjoy. It is kind of that overdone, fantasy-speak but it worked for me. I think the romance was convincing. I just wasn't that invested in the story.
A nice read but not a home run for me.
November 19, 2014
Favorite Quote: “You have done an unwise thing, Martise of Asher,” he said softly. “You’ve caught my interest.”
This book has been recommended by many (including Has and Angela – and someone on my blog who I can’t remember, sorry!) I recently finished Dreamer’s Pool by Juliet Marillier (and loved) so I was in the mood for another fantasy book. Let me warn and say – the first chapter or two of this book I was a little lost – I was unsure what was happening to the hero and how exactly the heroine was going to play into everything. But as I continued, it all fell into place, and a really great and sensual romance and story develops.
Silhara is called The Master of Crows, living in a ruined estate called Neith. He is a renegade sorcerer, refusing to join or play by the Conclave’s rules. Silhara is a loner, only having his devoted servant Gurn as a companion. And while he might be a recluse, his arrogance is mighty.
He seemed a man born to rule – if not a country than certainly a fiefdom, a dale. His behavior toward Cumbria was insolent, as if he considered himself not only the bishop’s equal, but his superior. In her experience, only those born of noble stock and to great wealth displayed that conduct. Martise despised such people.
But recently his days have been filled with other thoughts. The god called Corruption has chosen Silhara as his avatar, and is now invading his dreams and thoughts, demanding obedience. Silhara does not want to be…corrupted, and even though he has great power, he doesn’t know how to kill a God. He asks the Conclave for an intern of sorts, a scribe, to help translate old text to see if an answer lies in his extensive library. The Conclave sends a girl named Martise.
As much as Silhara despised the idea, he needed Conclave’s help. Nothing was immune to destruction, not even a god. The priests returned his contempt in full measure, but they might each use the other in the common goal of defeating Corruption. Conclave was known to turn a blind eye to crow mages and their forbidden arts if such practices aided them. Silhara wanted one of Conclave’s novitiates, a cleric-scribe versed in acient tome, one with knowledge of forgotten and arcane languages. Killing a god required magic far older and much darker than a Conclave ritual, and such knowledge was often buried in dead languages or ancient scrolls. Conclave had its strictures, but its scribes were unmatched in their skills for translations.
Martise is a slave of the Conclave. She has a magic ability, but it has never surfaced, so she doesnt’ know what it encompasses. The Conclave wants her to spy on Silhara. They are very wary of Silhara and his dance with Corruption, and want Martise to find out what is really going on. Martise is plain, and perceived as weak but has an extraordinary memory and can transalte any language. Silhara is at first frustrated with this woman. She is so pale and fragile he doesn’t feel she has any place in his house. Silhara is extremely haughty and insolent and his attitude scares Martise a bit – but as she is a slave and this was commanded of her, she bites her tongue and offers guidance anyway she can. At first these two butt heads but soon Silhara realizes just how smart and witty Martise can be, and as Martise learns of Shilhara’s true nature, a romance develops that made me smile through the pages.
“You don’t like oranges?” He sounded more curious and amused than offended. “My grove produces some of the sweetest.”
“You don’t seem like a farmer,” she said, failing to keep the doubt out of her voice. She still found the idea strange – this mage, notorious for snubbing the Conclave and delving in the dark arcana, pursuing a livelihood so mundane and laborious.
Hi eyes widened. Even Gurn paused in drinking his tea.
“It’s how I keep us fed and this hulk from crumbling around us.” Sarcasm sharpened his tongue. “What? Did you think I lounded on my couch all day, reading tome and muttering incantations while Gurn fed me grapes?”
She knew better. Twenty-two years of servitude should have kept her silent, made her apologize for her impertinence, but some small demon goaded her to respond in a like manner, despite her upbringing and every instinct warning her otherwise.
“It would explain the dust.”
As I mentioned, the fantasy aspect of this book takes a bit to settle in – it can be confusing at first. But you soon learn Silhara is a man fighting the god corruption – he is a man born to a whore but now with great power. He lives hidden away, a loner. When Martise comes into his life, even though she isn’t loud and brash, she makes her appearance known. She makes quick friends with Gurn, Silhara’s beloved servant, and their friendship allows Silhara to realize maybe he can trust this girl.
This book has everything I like in a fantasy – a dark, magic filled world with really bad guys and a hero who could be bad or good – you aren’t really sure. A heroine with surprising strength and wit. A romance that is strong and sensual and unwanted but keeps picking up strength until the two of them must give in. Silhara is so haughty that when he is brought down, it can be quite amusing to watch. Two very rich and complex characters. The author also does a really nice job with describing the setting – I could picture each scene vividly. I was very impressed.
Really enjoyed this – I recommend.
Rating: B+
This book has been recommended by many (including Has and Angela – and someone on my blog who I can’t remember, sorry!) I recently finished Dreamer’s Pool by Juliet Marillier (and loved) so I was in the mood for another fantasy book. Let me warn and say – the first chapter or two of this book I was a little lost – I was unsure what was happening to the hero and how exactly the heroine was going to play into everything. But as I continued, it all fell into place, and a really great and sensual romance and story develops.
Silhara is called The Master of Crows, living in a ruined estate called Neith. He is a renegade sorcerer, refusing to join or play by the Conclave’s rules. Silhara is a loner, only having his devoted servant Gurn as a companion. And while he might be a recluse, his arrogance is mighty.
He seemed a man born to rule – if not a country than certainly a fiefdom, a dale. His behavior toward Cumbria was insolent, as if he considered himself not only the bishop’s equal, but his superior. In her experience, only those born of noble stock and to great wealth displayed that conduct. Martise despised such people.
But recently his days have been filled with other thoughts. The god called Corruption has chosen Silhara as his avatar, and is now invading his dreams and thoughts, demanding obedience. Silhara does not want to be…corrupted, and even though he has great power, he doesn’t know how to kill a God. He asks the Conclave for an intern of sorts, a scribe, to help translate old text to see if an answer lies in his extensive library. The Conclave sends a girl named Martise.
As much as Silhara despised the idea, he needed Conclave’s help. Nothing was immune to destruction, not even a god. The priests returned his contempt in full measure, but they might each use the other in the common goal of defeating Corruption. Conclave was known to turn a blind eye to crow mages and their forbidden arts if such practices aided them. Silhara wanted one of Conclave’s novitiates, a cleric-scribe versed in acient tome, one with knowledge of forgotten and arcane languages. Killing a god required magic far older and much darker than a Conclave ritual, and such knowledge was often buried in dead languages or ancient scrolls. Conclave had its strictures, but its scribes were unmatched in their skills for translations.
Martise is a slave of the Conclave. She has a magic ability, but it has never surfaced, so she doesnt’ know what it encompasses. The Conclave wants her to spy on Silhara. They are very wary of Silhara and his dance with Corruption, and want Martise to find out what is really going on. Martise is plain, and perceived as weak but has an extraordinary memory and can transalte any language. Silhara is at first frustrated with this woman. She is so pale and fragile he doesn’t feel she has any place in his house. Silhara is extremely haughty and insolent and his attitude scares Martise a bit – but as she is a slave and this was commanded of her, she bites her tongue and offers guidance anyway she can. At first these two butt heads but soon Silhara realizes just how smart and witty Martise can be, and as Martise learns of Shilhara’s true nature, a romance develops that made me smile through the pages.
“You don’t like oranges?” He sounded more curious and amused than offended. “My grove produces some of the sweetest.”
“You don’t seem like a farmer,” she said, failing to keep the doubt out of her voice. She still found the idea strange – this mage, notorious for snubbing the Conclave and delving in the dark arcana, pursuing a livelihood so mundane and laborious.
Hi eyes widened. Even Gurn paused in drinking his tea.
“It’s how I keep us fed and this hulk from crumbling around us.” Sarcasm sharpened his tongue. “What? Did you think I lounded on my couch all day, reading tome and muttering incantations while Gurn fed me grapes?”
She knew better. Twenty-two years of servitude should have kept her silent, made her apologize for her impertinence, but some small demon goaded her to respond in a like manner, despite her upbringing and every instinct warning her otherwise.
“It would explain the dust.”
As I mentioned, the fantasy aspect of this book takes a bit to settle in – it can be confusing at first. But you soon learn Silhara is a man fighting the god corruption – he is a man born to a whore but now with great power. He lives hidden away, a loner. When Martise comes into his life, even though she isn’t loud and brash, she makes her appearance known. She makes quick friends with Gurn, Silhara’s beloved servant, and their friendship allows Silhara to realize maybe he can trust this girl.
This book has everything I like in a fantasy – a dark, magic filled world with really bad guys and a hero who could be bad or good – you aren’t really sure. A heroine with surprising strength and wit. A romance that is strong and sensual and unwanted but keeps picking up strength until the two of them must give in. Silhara is so haughty that when he is brought down, it can be quite amusing to watch. Two very rich and complex characters. The author also does a really nice job with describing the setting – I could picture each scene vividly. I was very impressed.
Really enjoyed this – I recommend.
Rating: B+
November 26, 2018
Full Review
What I enjoyed
I loved the plot of this: We have the Master of crows who is being harassed by a dark god, called corruption. The god wants to possess the Master's body so he keeps tempting him with how 'powerful' he can become. The master then decides to find a way to destroy the god with the help of a girl who was sent by priests to spy on him
What I didn't like
- The 'romance': I was excited when I read that the romance in this book was significant because from my experience with adult fantasy books, the romance is usually a small part of the plot and I find myself wanting more. Sadly, this book didn't deliver the romance well which is sad bc it had potential: The master and the girl were distrustful of each other at first, being that the girl was a spy and the master knew it. I was expecting some type of enemy-lover trope but all I got was lust. The master kept acting like he would die if he didn't have sex with her. Emotional connection was not a part of this 'romance' and everything just seemed physical. All his thoughts about her were sexual in nature. When they did have sex, it was way too descriptive. I didn't need to know all that and sadly, it was more than once
Overall, this would have been better if the focus was more on the plot and the emotional connection between the two characters. I think I'm going to stick with my adult fantasy books with not enough romance because those are better than this.
What I enjoyed
I loved the plot of this: We have the Master of crows who is being harassed by a dark god, called corruption. The god wants to possess the Master's body so he keeps tempting him with how 'powerful' he can become. The master then decides to find a way to destroy the god with the help of a girl who was sent by priests to spy on him
What I didn't like
- The 'romance': I was excited when I read that the romance in this book was significant because from my experience with adult fantasy books, the romance is usually a small part of the plot and I find myself wanting more. Sadly, this book didn't deliver the romance well which is sad bc it had potential: The master and the girl were distrustful of each other at first, being that the girl was a spy and the master knew it. I was expecting some type of enemy-lover trope but all I got was lust. The master kept acting like he would die if he didn't have sex with her. Emotional connection was not a part of this 'romance' and everything just seemed physical. All his thoughts about her were sexual in nature. When they did have sex, it was way too descriptive. I didn't need to know all that and sadly, it was more than once
Overall, this would have been better if the focus was more on the plot and the emotional connection between the two characters. I think I'm going to stick with my adult fantasy books with not enough romance because those are better than this.
February 11, 2015
http://bookslifewine.com/r-master-of-...
I purchased Master of Crows as part of a (no longer available) box set named Darkly Dreaming. All of the authors in the Darkly Dreaming box set were NTM but I bought the set based on the strength of the recommendations for Master of Crows alone.
I am SO GLAD I listened to the recommendations and bought this book!
When I started Master of Crows I had no clue what the story was about. I'd not read the blurb or any reviews so everything was very new for me. Fun!!
Master of Crows started rather slowly. Normally the slow buildup would annoy me but Draven does it so well! I was entranced at the world unfolding before me so I didn't feel impatient to "get on with the story."
I loved the way that Draven turned some typical romance stereotypes on their heads: the heroine, Martise, is not beautiful or even considered pretty - she's considered rather plain by all who know her. What makes her outstanding is her personality, her wit, her intelligence and her beautiful speaking voice. Silhara, the hero, is all that is beautiful: tall, lithe, nicely muscled body and handsome face. Silhara's also a total asshole to Martise in the beginning and he's both reviled among his peers as well as poor.
The whole first part of Master of Crows allows Martise and Silhara to get to know each other - learn to respect each other and it was quite wonderful. Martise is a great heroine and Silhara - although arrogant - is a great person who obviously cares much more about people than about things. The relationship he has with his (only) servant/friend shows how much Silhara cares about people and he was willing to sacrifice himself to ensure the rest of the world was safe from Corruption.
There's just so much lovely happening in this book! There's so much to love but it's so hard to explain exactly what it is that entrances me so much. The worldbuilding is lovely, the characters are nuanced and easy to love (even secondary characters), the writing itself is so smooth... I *hope* that Grace Draven does what few authors have done since Andre Norton: create a mythology filled multifaceted world that tells the stories of numerous people(s).
When I (reluctantly) reached the end of Master of Crows...I was decidedly satisfied. And I hoped (with both fingers crossed) that Draven would NOT decide to write a sequel to this story based around the same couple. I felt that the ending of Master of Crows was perfect and needed no addition. I've learned that a sequel starring Martise and Silhara will be released this year - and I'll buy it, lol. The strength of Master of Crows encouraged me to purchase several more short stories and novels by Grace Draven.
Recommended!
I purchased Master of Crows as part of a (no longer available) box set named Darkly Dreaming. All of the authors in the Darkly Dreaming box set were NTM but I bought the set based on the strength of the recommendations for Master of Crows alone.
I am SO GLAD I listened to the recommendations and bought this book!
When I started Master of Crows I had no clue what the story was about. I'd not read the blurb or any reviews so everything was very new for me. Fun!!
Master of Crows started rather slowly. Normally the slow buildup would annoy me but Draven does it so well! I was entranced at the world unfolding before me so I didn't feel impatient to "get on with the story."
I loved the way that Draven turned some typical romance stereotypes on their heads: the heroine, Martise, is not beautiful or even considered pretty - she's considered rather plain by all who know her. What makes her outstanding is her personality, her wit, her intelligence and her beautiful speaking voice. Silhara, the hero, is all that is beautiful: tall, lithe, nicely muscled body and handsome face. Silhara's also a total asshole to Martise in the beginning and he's both reviled among his peers as well as poor.
The whole first part of Master of Crows allows Martise and Silhara to get to know each other - learn to respect each other and it was quite wonderful. Martise is a great heroine and Silhara - although arrogant - is a great person who obviously cares much more about people than about things. The relationship he has with his (only) servant/friend shows how much Silhara cares about people and he was willing to sacrifice himself to ensure the rest of the world was safe from Corruption.
There's just so much lovely happening in this book! There's so much to love but it's so hard to explain exactly what it is that entrances me so much. The worldbuilding is lovely, the characters are nuanced and easy to love (even secondary characters), the writing itself is so smooth... I *hope* that Grace Draven does what few authors have done since Andre Norton: create a mythology filled multifaceted world that tells the stories of numerous people(s).
When I (reluctantly) reached the end of Master of Crows...I was decidedly satisfied. And I hoped (with both fingers crossed) that Draven would NOT decide to write a sequel to this story based around the same couple. I felt that the ending of Master of Crows was perfect and needed no addition. I've learned that a sequel starring Martise and Silhara will be released this year - and I'll buy it, lol. The strength of Master of Crows encouraged me to purchase several more short stories and novels by Grace Draven.
Recommended!
August 12, 2012
Master of Crows by Grace DravenMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I know somebody else read Master of Crows and did NOT tell me what an excellent book this was going to be. Let me clear up something and that is that all my all time favorite books have been epic type novels/trilogies/series where the hero/heroine struggles against seemingly impossible odds. That is where this book took me, as with most fantasy romance it is long winded and slow paced but the reason is that there is not the "MINE" moment you find in a lot of PNR it is a more realistic slowly evolving romance based on days/months of interaction. Master of Crows held to this principal in an excellent manner keeping my attention while plodding along towards a goal that becomes seemingly unattainable. Since I don't do spoilers all I can say is that they have to defeat a god, a ruling body of priestly sorcerers and a few personal demons to have a chance, the odds are NOT in their favor. So, for me this gets 5 Stars on it ultimate entertainment satisfaction, this is not high romance (it DOES get there, but I am not sure there is even a kiss before 50-60% of the book) but it is storytelling at its finest and an ending that while richly satisfying can be left as a stand alone or possible a sequel but as much as I enjoyed this I think it needs to remain a stand-alone. I love it when I expect little of a book and find it to be exceptional, the only other time in recent months that has happened was with Original Blood by Stuart Land.
View all my reviews
December 25, 2015
Romance in a fantasy setting. Very good world building. Refreshing characters. The female MC is not your usual blushing virgin and the male MC is not the usual, one-dimensional tall-dark-and-handsome. He is somewhat of an arse, who is a good person deep down, so not all tropes have been avoided. But the avoidance of the major ones makes for a nice change and more interesting characters.
The book did not completely sweep me off my feet. I started loosing momentum in the last third of the book. There was a lot of orange harvesting, domesticity and not a lot of tension. The romance angle was taking over. The whole Corruption/spy part of the book felt pretty insignificant at that point. If the book had concentrated more on the evil god trying to take over, the looming conspiracy, her possible betrayal, et cetera, this could have been a very suspenseful book. As it was, it just meandered along pleasantly for too long.
The big showdown was good, though. I liked the parts set in the big city and when they visited the tribe in the mountains. I laughed a few times, there was a nice amount of humour, I liked the characters, I liked the world building. Some scenes were written very well, the drama about their relationship was nicely developed.
I picture the male MC as a sherlocky Benedict Cumberbatch. A novel about his early years at Conclave, meeting his mentor and about becoming Master of Crows could be an interesting story.
The female MC was a bit too meek for my taste, but then I guess that's in character with having grown up as a slave.
As a romance novel the book was fine. As a fantasy novel it wasted its potential somewhat. However, it is generally well written. Some passages I read several times, because I liked them so much. I thought about giving this three stars, but then it is better than just ok, so four stars it is! I plan to read more by this author.
The book did not completely sweep me off my feet. I started loosing momentum in the last third of the book. There was a lot of orange harvesting, domesticity and not a lot of tension. The romance angle was taking over. The whole Corruption/spy part of the book felt pretty insignificant at that point. If the book had concentrated more on the evil god trying to take over, the looming conspiracy, her possible betrayal, et cetera, this could have been a very suspenseful book. As it was, it just meandered along pleasantly for too long.
The big showdown was good, though. I liked the parts set in the big city and when they visited the tribe in the mountains. I laughed a few times, there was a nice amount of humour, I liked the characters, I liked the world building. Some scenes were written very well, the drama about their relationship was nicely developed.
I picture the male MC as a sherlocky Benedict Cumberbatch. A novel about his early years at Conclave, meeting his mentor and about becoming Master of Crows could be an interesting story.
The female MC was a bit too meek for my taste, but then I guess that's in character with having grown up as a slave.
As a romance novel the book was fine. As a fantasy novel it wasted its potential somewhat. However, it is generally well written. Some passages I read several times, because I liked them so much. I thought about giving this three stars, but then it is better than just ok, so four stars it is! I plan to read more by this author.
November 25, 2018
“And will you love me for a day? A year? A lifetime?" She knew the answer but wanted to hear him say it in that beautiful, shattered voice.
"Beyond that," he whispered, eyes shining with the tempest of emotion he'd held in check until now. "Beyond the reign of false gods and meddlesome priests. Beyond al Zafira when her bright stars fade.”
Omg this book was freaking adorable😍
If I had to describe it in one sentence I would say is like Uprooted but with more romance and better sex scenes lol😂 Hope that encourages to pick it up because it was an amazing read!
4.25/5★★★★
"Beyond that," he whispered, eyes shining with the tempest of emotion he'd held in check until now. "Beyond the reign of false gods and meddlesome priests. Beyond al Zafira when her bright stars fade.”
Omg this book was freaking adorable😍
If I had to describe it in one sentence I would say is like Uprooted but with more romance and better sex scenes lol😂 Hope that encourages to pick it up because it was an amazing read!
4.25/5★★★★
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