The Raven Ring

I loved the book, the characters were realistic and completly based on people you can like and are amazed by. I loved the fact that the main charater was a girl who was a hugely able person. Most books have men as the warriors, but this one proved that women can be just as adept at anything they try as men can be. I loved that the main characters were not all honourable and that they shaped the story with believable actions. It also showed that people with perfectly good intentions can be as annoying as can be. I rate this five star for excellent characters, believable plot, and overall good writing.

The Raven Ring is one of my favorite books. It was the first book I read in the "Shadows over Lyra" novels, and discovered it was a stand-alone book. This can be your first Patricia C. Wrede book, but it will make you want to read more. The Raven Ring is about a young woman, Eleret, who goes to visit the city of Ciaron to collect her dead mothers belongings. There, she discovers many people who are interested in the raven ring her mother owned. With the help of her friend, the sly and witty thief Karvonen, and her guide/bodyguard/friend Lord Daner, she solves the mystery of the Raven Ring and finds love along the way. The Raven Ring is a great book which has just the right amount of mystery, romance, and fun in it. Patricia Wrede is a great author. The Raven Ring is the kind of book you will want to have on your bookshelf to read over and over again.

I absolutely adore this book! Eleret is one of my favorite characters in all of literature, and I love her friends too. I have read this book more times than I can count, and highly recomend it too readers of all ages. It has plenty of action, and just the right amount of romance to be believable. I like how Eleret is capeable of taking care of herself in the big city, but is smart enough to realize that she needs a guide to help her, especially with the trouble that seems to be following her. Someone killed her mother, and now that same someone seems to be after her, and the ring that he mother wore. And even worse the someone seems to be a dreaded shadow-born, the soul stealers.

I LOVE this book. The characters are so far from what you would expect, it's refreshing. I read this book after I read the Enchanted Forest Chronicals, but they are incredibly different. The Chronicals are like fairy tales, and are so sweet, but I did think that the characters were slightly cliche. However, The Raven Ring's characters are so unique, and I was totally in love with Karvonen. Looking at things from Eleret's POV was fabulous, too, because she was so different than anyone else. Wonderul. Read it. I have a copy, but there is no way I'm giving it up!

THE RAVEN RING has some of the best and most unique characters I have ever come across, every single person that comes into the scene has their own picks and pans, which are played out quite well in this great Lyra book. Another book that I've found that comes close to the intriguing mystery and sexual tension that was found in this book was also discovered in CROWN DUEL and COURT DUEL...both were just as catchy as THE RAVEN RING, and all 3 books are a must in ever fantasy lover's library.