Bookseller Reviews
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I've missed Epic Fantasy this good!
Do not let the blunt/tropey synopsis fool you! This is an excellent piece of writing which has so so much to explore. A mystery to solve, characters to lea... READ MORE
Books like this are why I read fantasy
It only took me finishing the first chapter of The Raven Scholar to say "yep, this is the good stuff" and wow how right I was.
From the beginning Hodgs... READ MORE
A Must Read for all Fantasy Fans!
Reading this books was a real treat. From the moment I started reading I didn't want to put it down. A must read for fans of Hunger Games and the Empyrean ... READ MORE
Magnificent!
This was such an incredible read.
The complexity of the characters, the world-building, everything was so intricately written/ I felt completely immers... READ MORE
Truly magnificent
Little did I expect when I eventually picked up The Raven Scholar having had a ARC in my stash for months that I was about to have one of the most immersiv... READ MORE
Magnificent!
I absoloutly adored this! The premise sounds a bit tropey but the execution is brilliant! Nothing is what you expect, with a thousand twists and turns! I l... READ MORE
Enthralling and engrossing, fresh twisty fantasy with politics and murderous plots at its heart
It may have taken a little settling into, but by the time I was in, I was well and truly in. The Raven Scholar is a delightfully original and engaging bit ... READ MORE
The next big thing in fantasy!
I decided to pick up The Raven Scholar after my lovely colleague gave it such a glowing review, and wow was she right!
In this book we follow our main ... READ MORE
The Best Fantasy Book of the Year
This book catapulted its way into my list of favourite books by the end of chapter two, then went steam rolling to the very top. I am completely and utterl... READ MORE
The Raven Scholar, by Antonia Hodgson
With grown adult characters, epic world building and a feeling of elements being based in mythology, The Raven Scholar is the best fantasy I’ve read in a l... READ MORE
One of the Best Fantasy Books I have EVER read!
Thank you to the publisher for an advance copy of this book.
Review reader, you HAVE to read this book. I have been entirely blown away by it. I have dr... READ MORE
Truly magnificent!
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy of this masterpiece!
A perfectly written mix of fantasy and crime, comedy and tragedy, The Raven Scholar... READ MORE
Best new fantasy I've read in a long time!!
What can I say that hasn't already been said? This book was absolutely fantastic!! From the first page I knew this book was going to be incredibly good, an... READ MORE
A new favourite series
Yeah ok so this is my top fantasy of 2025, and 2025 is shaping up to be a GREAT year for fantasy.
I was initial put-off by the blurb of this book becau... READ MORE
Everyone Is So Mean To Neema
An epic, full-scale fantasy with the potential of becoming mighty in future books. The Raven Scholar has a lot of aspects we are familiar with from other f... READ MORE
Fantasy Perfection
Thank you to the publisher for sending me an advance copy of this book.
I do not think I can adequately explain how much I enjoyed reading this book. I ... READ MORE
An excellent fantasy tournament!
Fantasy tournament books are a dime a dozen at the moment, but The Raven Scholar manages to cut through the noise and deliver a story a cut above the rest.... READ MORE
THE NEW GAME OF THRONES HAS ARRIVED!
I might go so far to say this is in my top three books of all time, maybe even taking the top spot.
As with George RR Martin, Antonia Hodgson will have ... READ MORE
I need more
I absolutely loved this book. The world building, the characters, the plot and the twists. All of it!
We follow Neema, The Raven Scholar, scholar to the... READ MORE
One of the best fantasies I have ever read!
Whatever you think you know about this book going in... forget it. I recommend going in knowing as little as possible. The emperor's reign is ending and th... READ MORE
AMAZING
I already know that this one of my books of the year - it's absolutely incredible!
Read it!
Absorbing, funny, intriguing - loved it!
I'm a newcomer to fantasy so I don't have many points of comparison, but this book has all the hallmarks of great story-telling in any genre. I enjoyed the... READ MORE
Just so bloody good!
Brilliantly crafted, frequently funny (a rare spectacle in good fantasy) and led by such great characters that you want to root for and yell at simultaneou... READ MORE
Fantasy at its finest
Wow where to start ! This is one of the most well thought out fantasies I have read in a while. The world building was superb and the characters so multi-f... READ MORE
What a book!
Very far from the romantasy I was sold.
The plot is brilliant and the balance murder
order mystery/ magic / romance is executed to the perfection.
I ... READ MORE
This book ruined my weekend.
I had plans. I had things to do. Instead, I read. This book is fantastic. Amazing. MAGNIFICENT. Hands down the best fantasy book I have read in years. The ... READ MORE
My book of the year!
When I talked to my manager about ‘The Raven Scholar’ (she had just started reading it), I told her it was absolutely fantastic. I read the first couple of... READ MORE
Brimming with high fantasy goodness
Thank you to the publishers for sending me a copy!
This book blew me away; it has the political intrigue of Game of Thrones, a murder mystery at its heart... READ MORE
May The Eight Guide you (to this book) And Remain Hidden
Easily one of the best books I have read, and I cannot wait to find out what happens next.
Court Intrigue, Trials, Murder, Twist upon Twist upon Twist,... READ MORE
Not your typical romance fantasy! Worth your time.
I need someone to kick me for leaving this on my shelf instead of reading it immediately. At first glance, I thought this would be your typical romantasy b... READ MORE
My favourite book of the year so far.
I adore this book, Its entry-level murder mystery lets you dive further into this epic high fantasy world brilliantly brought to life by Antonia Hodgson. W... READ MORE
Loved this so much!
So I wasn't expecting to enjoy The Raven Scholar as much as I did as the blurb is a bit lacklustre! I loved everything about this story, the characters are... READ MORE
Epic fantasy
The Emperor of Orrun is to step aside after 24 years on the throne. Candidates from the monasteries of Raven, Tiger, Bear, Fox, Oz, Monkey and Hound gather... READ MORE
A fantastic start!
This is a fantastic start to a new epic fantasy series! I loved the setting and the atmosphere the author created in this unique world. This is a story wit... READ MORE
Absolutely brilliant!
This really surprised me, and I loved it.
An immersive, epic fantasy that catapults you into the narrative with a shocking murder and then yanks you do... READ MORE
voices like antonia hodgson are the reason we need to keep investing in fantasy
this book is a clear reason we must invest in new voices for this genre because i am very much blown away by how good this book is ! i devoured this; each ... READ MORE
Add this to your TBR IMMEDIATELY
If you’ve seen the pretty editions of this book and thought “hm that is really pretty but I wonder if the book is any good” this is your sign to get it.
... READ MORE
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A masterpiece
By the first chapter I was intrigued. By page 62 I was obsessed. Over three quarters of the way through I was gasping at the twist.
Neema, Cain and the... READ MORE
Gripped from the first chapter
This is an incredibly detailed fantasy, with a gripping plot, amazing world building and clearly drawn characters. I was completely hooked after the first ... READ MORE
Expect murder, magic and spiritual guardians ...
A fantastic read!
A fantasy book with lots of plotting, back stabbing, lying and turmoil.
Briefly, in amongst the festivities, trials and fights to determ... READ MORE
One of the Best Books I've Read
Well-crafted fantasy with emotionally complex characters
I am dying for the next book!
Immersive, intriguing and pacey with masterful twists!
With fantastic plotting, masterful world building, engaging characters and wonderful twists, I would urge anyone considering reading this book to dive righ... READ MORE
Brilliant fantasy!
I loved this book. The characters, the world building and the super twisty plot. There is a good dash of humour too. Even though it weighs in at 600+ pag... READ MORE
Amazing and original fantasy!
This book was fantastic!! I couldn't anticipate anything in this book. Hodgson did such a great job of hooking each chapter that I didn't want to put it do... READ MORE
Has a little of everything and does it all perfectly.
This is one of the best books I've read this year. Great story with twists I did not see coming, complex multi-layered characters who are all more than the... READ MORE
Who Is Watching Over The Raven Scholar?
Stuck in her books and suddenly bought up through the ranks because of her handwriting, the Raven Scholar is slighted by the rest of her tower as she is fa... READ MORE
Synopsis
The Sunday Times bestseller from an electrifying new voice in epic fantasy - a masterfully woven tale of imperial intrigue, cutthroat competition, and one scholar's quest to uncover the truth.
She might win the throne. She might destroy an empire. Either way, it begins with murder.
After twenty-four years on the throne, it is time for Bersun the Brusque, emperor of Orrun, to bring his reign to an end. In the dizzying heat of mid-summer, seven contenders will compete to replace him.
Trained at rival monasteries, each contender is inspired by a sacred animal - Fox, Raven, Tiger, Ox, Bear, Monkey, and Hound. An eighth - the Dragon proxy - will be revealed only once the trials have begun. Eight exceptional warriors, thinkers, strategists - the best of the best.
Then one of them is murdered.
It falls to the brilliant but idiosyncratic Neema Kraa to investigate. But as she hunts for a killer, darker forces are gathering.
If Neema succeeds, she could win the throne - whether she wants it or not. But if she fails, she will sentence herself to death - and set in motion a sequence of events that could doom the empire . . .
Publisher information
- Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
- ISBN: 9781529339871
- Number of pages: 656
- Dimensions: 198 x 130 x 56 mm
- Weight: 560g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
View allA gripping page-turner...
I'm not really a great fan of fantasy romance, but I absolutely loved Antonia Hodgson’s historical crime novels. So I decided to have a read of this one.
... READ MORE
Incredible!
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the e-arc!
I adored this book from the very beginning.
In the first three chapters, there is already tre... READ MORE
Political Fantasy
Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this eCopy to review
I recently finished The Raven Scholar, and it was an exhilarating blend of mystery, ... READ MORE
An Absolute Must Read For Fantasy Fans (& I've Potentially Already Found My Favourite Read Of 2025)
’But two very lonely, unloved children who find solace and kinship in each other? Oh, you should not underestimate that kind of magic. It can burn through ... READ MORE
Review of The Raven Scholar
A huge thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Antonia Hodgson for providing me with an ARC of The Raven Scholar in exchange for my honest review.
Th... READ MORE
Even includes a ravens POV
This is a fairly long fantasy at 700 pages for book 1 but I loved the authors story telling and there were some twists and turns I didn’t see coming.
In ... READ MORE
Discworld humour meets Mistborn politics!
I don't know how to put into words how perfect this book was for me specifically.
Don't get me wrong - it's excellent all around, in particular if you l... READ MORE
5 stars isn't enough
If I could give this more stars I would as 5 doesn't seem sufficient! This was a LONG read but it never felt like a struggle and I was hooked the whole way... READ MORE
Fantastic Read
Loved this. Fully on board with Neema and her life as a high scholar for the emperor. I savoured the story and actually read it twice, i found it that good... READ MORE
A really superb new fantasy book
This is an outstanding new fantasy book, with a very well developed natural and supernatural world-building.
The Eight guardians (god-like entities: Ra... READ MORE
a must read!
the raven scholar is an epic fantasy set in a Orrun, where every 24 years, a new emperor is chosen through trials. seven contenders are due to begin their ... READ MORE
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An absolutely fabulous beginning to a fantasy series
I don't remember the last time I enjoyed a book quite this much. Quite simply, it was absolutely blumin' fantastic! I went in not knowing very much about t... READ MORE
Unique, surreal, overly long!
I'm not going to write a synopsis as , if other reviews have been read and anyone has made it this far you know what the book is about. All I can add is my... READ MORE
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a magnificent new epic fantasy
I had heard nothing but good things about The Raven Scholar before going into it, but when a book gets that much hype there’s always something in the back ... READ MORE
Absolutely adore everything about this
I cannot explain how much I loved this book. It had everything I want in a fantasy. High stakes, a unique magic system, complex characters, brilliant world... READ MORE
Unexpected in the best way!
This was fantastic!
Honestly, it just threw me straight back to the fantasy books I loved and the ones that got me into reading in the first place.
I lov... READ MORE
Epic fantasy
First off I already had it per ordered I was so excited I got approved for the arc Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton Audio this has to be the best... READ MORE
Was not it
I got an early copy of this and was very excited from previous reviews. Unfortunately the story lacked depth (despite the almost 100 page prologue!). I lik... READ MORE
A jolly good escapist read
As a fantasy, The Raven Scholar has all you might wish for – original settings, a good cast of characters with intriguing flaws, political intrigue, magic,... READ MORE
Fantastic fantasy.
The emperor of Orrun is coming to the end of his reign after twenty-four years, and a successor is needed to replace Bersun the Brusque.
The succession wi... READ MORE
Phenomenal Fantasy
The Raven Scholar is an intensely gripping fantasy full of twists, political intrigue and a murder mystery. The world building is incredible and the writin... READ MORE
An early contender for book of the year!
WOW! What a book!
I was mildly intrigued going in but honestly it wasn’t giving me 5 star vibes. I thought to myself that I would give the first few cha... READ MORE
Stupendous world building
An epic fantasy with spectacular world building and superbly individual characters, some lovable, some tolerable and some despicable. Raven Scholar Neema K... READ MORE
Stunning
I thoroughly enjoyed this epic and cannot wait for book two.
Magnificent!
This truly epic story is nearly impossible to sum up in a review. It is long but it covers so much. It doesn’t drag either, I would sit down to listen to a... READ MORE
Brilliant start to an exciting new fantasy series!
Neema holds the prestigious post of High Scholar in Orran. On the surface she’s got everything she’s worked so hard for, but beneath the veneer she is haun... READ MORE
Interesting and engaging fantasy novel - surprises at every turn.
A thoroughly enjoyable tale, it tells the story of Neema, a scholar of the Raven faction, working for the emperor. This leads her to end up involved in a c... READ MORE
Epic fantasy is back
“
Kraa-king Read
A genre-melding chunk. A murder mystery in an intricate and savage fantasy world.
It’s brilliant and has definitely left a fragment of raven inside of m... READ MORE
Absolutely fantastic!
An amazingly intricately woven tale of a devious scheme years in the making and revealed at this momentous occasion of choosing the new emperor of Orrun an... READ MORE
700+ pages and yet I still crave more!!
So it doesn’t happen too often that you read a 700+ page book and yet still crave more! This book was absolutely incredible and a very nice surprise becaus... READ MORE
Riveting, at times claustrophobic but worth the read
I do agree, this story is one of the best stories I read in 2025. I loved the interesting pantheon linked to animal gods that evolved throughout the pages.... READ MORE
Interesting and engaging fantasy novel - surprises at every turn.
A thoroughly enjoyable tale, it tells the story of Neema, a scholar of the Raven faction, working for the emperor. This leads her to end up involved in a c... READ MORE
Magnificent
Original, enthralling, astonishing, Magnificent.
I was hooked from the first page.
The Emperor must stand down, the best from each sect of the eight will... READ MORE
The trials for the role of Emperor have begun.
The Emperor can only rule for 24 year and so the Eight must undertake trials to appoint a new Emperor. Not all is fair and something else is going on. Neem... READ MORE
Definitely recommend
The raven scholar is such a cool book! I was enthralled from page one, i love fantasy books with complex worldbuilding and I didn’t mind one bit is the beg... READ MORE
This was addictive!
The Raven Scholar was EPIC. No exaggeration, no hyperbole, just the truth. At no point was I bored. Not even a flicker of a yawn, unless it was way past mi... READ MORE
Brilliant story (struggled with the writing at the start)!
This is a tough one – I loved the plot but struggled with the writing. I started The Raven Scholar at the beginning of March and struggled to get hooked. W... READ MORE
Epic Fantasy!
This book! It took me a while to get in to as it is quite dense but once I started to understand the world and get to know the characters I couldn’t put it... READ MORE
Addictive & twisty
“She might win the throne. She might destroy an empire. Either way, it begins with murder.”
This is an epic fantasy with a murder mystery while there ar... READ MORE
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Raven Scholar
For twenty-four years Bersun the Brusque has ruled as emperor of Orrun. As his reign comes to a close, seven contenders compete to be the new ruler of Orru... READ MORE
Long but good
In the empire of Orrun, the emperor is stepping down after twenty-four years, and seven contenders compete to replace him. They are the best of the best, e... READ MORE
Addictive
The Raven Scholar was exactly the type of fantasy novel I was looking for: addictive, with a wonderful world-building, fantastic characters, and beautifull... READ MORE
Six star literary masterpiece!
I thought the Raven Scholar was a masterpiece: bold, original, and beautifully written. Despite being a long high fantasy, The Raven Scholar does not suffe... READ MORE
I hope a second book is coming soon!
I loved 'The Tainted Cup' and 'A Drop of Corruption' by Robert Jackson Bennett. He set a high bar for fantasy with a real investigative spine, and I've bee... READ MORE
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Clever and inspiring high fantasy
Wow. This book was everything that I wanted from an epic fantasy, and more.
Antonia Hodgson has successfully weaved a tale full to the brim of betrayal... READ MORE
Brilliant
“It was like reading a book, she decided. You read the book and the world became scenes, the characters became people, and they lived inside you.”
If it... READ MORE
So immersive
What a great fantasy book. I know so many people will love this book. The Audiobook is incredible, the narration really enhances the experience and brought... READ MORE
A great new fantasy book
From the very first page, I was completely immersed in this world, captivated by its rich histories and intriguing characters.
The book seamlessly inter... READ MORE
Simply magnificent
Without doubt my favourite fantasy book of the year (and I know it’s only April, but I can’t see it being knocked off the top spot!)
Bersun the Brusque, e... READ MORE
Loved every minute of this epic fantasy
I am bereft. Bereft, I tell you! This first instalment in The Eternal Path trilogy ended way too quickly. Despite its 700 pages, I would quite happily have... READ MORE
The Raven Scholar is such an immersive and creative experience.
I absolutely loved the story and was captivated from the first pages. The characters are well-developed, full of flaws and real. In terms of the world-buil... READ MORE
One of the best Epic Fantasy books I've read in ages! Magnificent!!
Epic fantasy combined with murder mystery, deadly competition, friendship, rivalry, romance and a ton of plot twists to keep you guessing. The story is dar... READ MORE
Magic and political machinations
In this debut fantasy series, the people are split into eight houses allied to sacred animals, Dragon, Ox, Bear and so on. The throne is won through compet... READ MORE
Delightful and addictive
The feeling of a bad day lead me into a bookstore desperately seeking to improve my mood and it’s as if this book called out to me. I picked it on a (fated... READ MORE
Magical masterpiece
Magnificent! Such a unique plot, never ready anything like it! You wouldn't think a story about a lonely scholar would hook you the way this did! Cannot wa... READ MORE
Refreshing fantasy read
Let me start bt saying this book is fantastic. It is a long book but the story really immersed me in the world. The world building is great, the characters... READ MORE
Incredible. A must-read if you miss truly epic fantasy.
YOU ARE NOT READY. This is going to be one of my favorite reads of 2025—and I wasn’t even sure I wanted to pick it up! Thankfully the incredible reviews co... READ MORE
So immersive
What a great fantasy book. I know so many people will love this book. The Audiobook is incredible, the narration really enhances the experience and brought... READ MORE
Modern fantasy at it's finest
Now this is what modern fantasy should be! I absolutely loved it. I don't really want to summarise it at all, because I think this book is best experienced... READ MORE
5 stars from the first page
There are few thrills as a reader like picking up a book and knowing from the very first page that you’re going to love a book. I requested The Raven Schol... READ MORE
Probably the best fantasy book I've read in years!
Wow. Wow. This might be one of the best books I've ever read? I'm in love. Everything about it was wonderful. The world building, the characters, the brill... READ MORE
Four stars!
The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson is an intriguing fantasy novel set in the empire of Orrun, where the delicate peace that has lasted for twenty-four ye... READ MORE
Beautiful book
4.75 ⭐
The Raven Scholar is a captivating mix of political intrigue and psychological complexity, crafting a narrative that stays with you long after yo... READ MORE
Looking forward to reading
Beautiful book
Witty, Wickedly Smart, and Wonderfully Diverse – A Must-Read Debut
A gloriously clever and layered debut with footnotes, folklore, meddling gods, and a socially awkward, morally complex scholar at its centre. The worldbuil... READ MORE
Absolutely loved!
To say I was consumed by this book would be an understatement.
Clever, mysterious, witty, twists - what more can I ask for??
One of my favourite fantasy... READ MORE
Never Underestimate a Raven
A refreshing change from much of the fantasy genre.The Raven Scholar has all the ingredients I enjoy in fantasy: political intrigue, challenges, mysteries,... READ MORE
2.5 and once again I don’t get all of the hype
I was really looking forward to this book, having seen all of the reviews and the synopsis - I definitely thought this would be a book for me. I genuinely ... READ MORE
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