The Raven Tower
| Company type | Novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Fantasy literature |
| Founded | 2019 |
| Founder | Ann Leckie |
| Products | Fantasy novel |
The Raven Tower is a 2019 fantasy novel by Ann Leckie, representing her initial entry into the fantasy realm. The plot centers on Mawat, a prince determined to depose his usurping uncle and reclaim his position as the servant of a local deity, accompanied by his steadfast retainer, Eolo. The story is distinctively narrated from the viewpoint of a nature god using both first- and second-person narration.
Plot
Within the world of The Raven Tower, deities of diverse strengths exist, frequently manifesting as animals or natural landmarks. These gods are bound to absolute truth; any false statement compels them to expend energy reshaping reality to align with their words, risking depletion and death.
The narrative voice belongs to The Strength and Patience of the Hill, a god residing within a massive boulder, who recounts its existence from prehistoric eras through the arrival of humans. Iraden, the land in which the story unfolds, is protected by multiple gods including the Raven, which inhabits an actual living raven. The capital city Vastai—a crucial port—is governed by the Raven’s Lease, a human endowed with significant power but required to commit suicide upon the death of the Raven’s possessed bird. This human sacrifice energizes the incubating egg destined to hatch the next Raven.
Mawat, heir of the Lease and leader of Iraden’s military forces, learns that his father is gravely ill. Traveling with Eolo, a transgender retainer, he reaches Vastai only to discover his father missing, the raven deceased, and his uncle Hibal installed as the new Lease. Mawat accuses Hibal of causing instability in Vastai and damaging trade ties, particularly with the Xulhan Empire and its snake deity seeking an alliance with Hibal.
The Strength and Patience of the Hill narrates how the Raven once proclaimed, "The gods of Vastai will destroy the gods of Ard Vusktia," igniting a war that severely depleted much of the Raven's power and resulted in widespread destruction of gods across both regions—except for itself and Strength and Patience.
Eolo uncovers that Mawat’s father is imprisoned within Raven Tower’s dungeons and that Strength and Patience has been manipulated by the Raven to fuel its promises of protection over Vastai. This covert siphoning of power gradually weakened the Raven considerably.
Unaware he is serving the Raven’s interests, Mawat inadvertently liberates Strength and Patience from its control. The survival of this Ard Vusktian deity contradicts the Raven's prophecy, draining its power until it vanishes shortly before the story begins.
Amidst a flood-triggered dysentery epidemic and an advancing enemy army exposing Vastai’s vulnerability without Raven’s protection, Mawat is falsely accused of assassinating a senior politician. He kills Hibal expecting this act to empower the Raven; instead, it revitalizes Strength and Patience. Subsequently, Mawat is slain by the snake god. Strength and Patience pledges to eliminate the snake god, safeguard Eolo, and abandon Vastai to its fate.
The novel concludes with a northern armada approaching Vastai with intentions to destroy it.
Style
Strength and Patience employs first person narrative, while Eolo’s character is portrayed through second person narration. This juxtaposition reveals Strength and Patience's inner thoughts but only externalizes Eolo’s behavior without access to his internal reflections. These contrasting perspectives encourage readers to question whether Strength and Patience functions as an unreliable narrator, as many assertions are framed hypothetically or presented as hearsay.
Background
The Raven Tower offers a loose reinterpretation of Hamlet by William Shakespeare, with the storyline set in Vastai mirroring the original play’s events. The character Mawat serves as an analogue to Hamlet, while his steadfast companion Eolo corresponds to Horatio. Additionally, Tikaz embodies characteristics reminiscent of Ophelia. Although these parallels exist, the inclusion of multiple deities transforms Shakespeare’s tale into a unique fantasy narrative.
Reception
Critics widely praised the novel. Kirkus Reviews highlighted its "philosophical reflections on politics, power, and vengeance," emphasizing its richness despite being shorter than typical fantasy works. The Guardian referred to it as "innovative" and "a compelling story filled with political intrigue." NPR appreciated its detailed depiction of Vastai’s political landscape alongside the divergent perspectives of mortals and gods. Reviews in Locus magazine pointed out its inventive approach through twists and reversals of established genre conventions. Spectrum Culture commended the portrayal of a well-crafted transgender protagonist, noting its importance in a genre that has traditionally lacked queer representation.
The Raven Tower was nominated for the 2020 Hugo Award for Best Novel but was withdrawn by Leckie, who cited her numerous previous finalist appearances and wished to acknowledge other noteworthy works from 2019.