Raven's End: A Tale of the Canadian Rockies

In penning his first novel, author Ben Gadd has combined elements of nature, mystery, ecology, humor and spirituality to produce a volume that holds appeal for both adults and youngsters. A climbing fatality inspired Gadd, a long-time mountain climber and author of "Handbook of the Canadian Rockies" to craft this tale of Colin, a young raven searching for his past. Just as climbing a mountain is often a quest, so is this tale, which is told from the perspective of Colin. He has no memory prior to being rescued from a near-fatal fall by Zack, a member of the Raven's End flock that lives in the shadow of Yamnuska. Zack introduces him to the flock, and they adopt Colin. As the young raven journeys through the seasons, the book takes the reader on a journey through the Rockies. We witness Colin's growing maturity and wisdom, as he becomes an apprentice to Greta, an old, wise raven in the flock. She teaches him about the ways of ravens that he had apparently forgotten as a result of shock from his "fall." Through Colin, we learn about the important role that Trees play in the lives of ravens, an importance that stands out in the raven's mythology Gadd has created for the story. Colin learns how to tap into his intuitive power of second sight, provided by his dreams and a voice he keeps hearing, a talent not shared by all ravens. It is because of this talent that he is chosen to apprentice under the watchful eye of Greta. He also learns of the power of evil, and nearly loses his life in a struggle with a dark raven named Zygadena. When Colin is ready - or perhaps a little before he is ready - he flies off on a journey through the mountains that is both physical and spiritual in nature. At journey's end, on the Mountain of Feathers, he meets the Great Raven and finds the answers to all his questions. Gadd himself says he did not set out to write a spiritual story, but there are some definite spiritual elements throughout the book, including the aspect of reincarnation. Reincarnation itself can be seen as one part of nature's recycling process, or a form of deep ecology. As part of his apprenticeship, Colin learns that nothing really dies, because that which dies helps something else live. Although individual ravens may perish, ravenhood continues. The book may remind readers of Thornton Burgess' animal stories or Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book. When they do sit down to read Raven's End, though, they should make sure to set aside a good chunk of free time. It is not an easy book to put down.

I thought Raven's End was an excellent animal fantasy book. You could really tell that he spent time researching ravens and thier habits. The writing style was excellent, the plot was fast paced, and the characters well developed. I think Ravens would have been hard to write about beacause they aren't the the normal animal fantasy focus: wolves. You have to remember while reading this book, that it is a fantasy, so the animal characters will be more human like than in reality. Otherwise, it wouldn't be a fantasy, but a guide about ravens. Enjoy this book for what it is, a great animal fantasy. I highly reccomend it.

As wierd as it may sound, the characters in this book are very human, in an animal sort of way. They are very real, almost like people I actually know. and I really liked the spiritual aspect of it.This story is partly based on the climbing experience of my father, who is the character Ted in the book. It was interesting for me to read because I knew that the accident had to be in there somewhere, but I wasn't sure how it fit in to the story. It was a neat moment when I knew for sure who Colin was.Definately one of the better books I've read.

A beautiful blend of natural history and fantasy. Gadd takes the fascinating natural history of ravens and the Canadian Rockies and weaves them into a tremendous tale of adventure, discovery, mystery and magic. This is a wonderful book for readers of all ages. A real treat - I hope a sequel is not far off!P.S. Don't start reading this before bed if you have to get up early!