I don't think I knew what I was getting into with this book, but I am so very glad that I ended up picking it up. It is genuinely one of the best things I have read in a really, really long time.

I will say that it starts with a different POV to the rest of the book, and I found it a little confusing although there's some really good information that you need later. That was probably the lowest part of the book for me. From there though, it builds and gets better and better! By the second half of the book I was absolutely feral for it - I kept having to voice note my friend, screaming about the way the twists and turns were revealed! They were put together so well and some literally had me gasping. It's been a long time since a book did that to me!

The society itself is really interesting with the concept of the eight and the way that people align to the houses. A lot of similar things I have seen has people born into houses and I really like that this is through a choice and affiliation. I suspect that there is still a lot of family affiliation, but it felt quite fresh to me.

I like the way that the politics worked and how the 'shutting out the commoners' element gives obvious parallels to things in real life, but it didn't feel too heavy handed. And the concept of the trials and the emperor was really interesting.

In many ways, this book possibly shouldn't work, because it's a mish mash of so many things. It's part murder mystery, part trial to the death, part politics, part fantasy, and it's just SO good. I really don't think I'm able to articulate that enough!

Neema is such a good main character, and her traits often made me laugh. She just can't not share information, especially if someone else gets it wrong and that just made me laugh. I really liked the concept of how the people did align with the houses and it didn't feel too much like everyone had to be basically the same person - we see that best in Raven house. I loved Kane as a fox, although I did find his initial characterisation a little bit more frustrating because it played into one of my least favourite tropes, blaming someone for another's decision. I also really enjoyed meeting all the contestants and seeing how their alignments worked.

Then we have my favourite thing - an animal character! Without saying anything too spoilery, a raven that lives inside your chest is just very hard core! And the commentary about it going in and out being all "I won't show you that, don't imagine this <very explicit description>" just had me cackling. The way that the narration splits between the characters, but also is sometimes the raven worked really well for me. Not only because you had some snarky commentary that would have otherwise been out of place, but because it was a good way to add world building.

I also need to talk about the audio production on this, because I was lucky enough to listen to the audiobook, and the narrator did such an amazing job! I can't even tell you how fantastic a job they did! And the production itself is really excellent because it plays into the atmosphere it, and uses like the music in between chapters and sections really well. I definitely recommend the audiobook.

Overall, despite the slow start and one of my least favourite tropes, I can't help but give this book 5 stars! That should highlight just how much it blew me away. I'm already looking forward to re-reading it in preparation for part two. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Sad to say I didn't love this one as much as I hoped. It's a book with a good story, great characters, and balanced humor, but unfortunately I couldn't connect with any of it, and reading past the 30% ended up feeling like a chore, which I'm sure is part of the reason why it took me over a month to get through my ARC, even though I loved the beginning of the book. The Raven Scholar will appeal to many readers; I'm not one of them, sadly.

Thank you Netgalley and Hodderscape for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Hodderscape and Netgalley for both the eARC and audio ARC copies of this book in exchange for an honest review (read and listened to in combination).

I have to say that I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but this chaotic fantasy book has turned out to be one of my favourite reads so far this year.

The mix of humorous and more serious aspects meant I never knew what was going to happen next, and I found it hard to put down (despite the length). There’s something to keep everyone intrigued - political intrigue, games and a murder mystery, and some romance.

The characters are very well developed and the world building was very unique, but just so well crafted (and not in an overwhelming way!)

I love good banter and humour, and two of my absolute favourite things in this book were the witty dialogue and characters. Both were seamlessly interwoven with the more serious aspects of the story.

For example: “I’m not furious,” Katsan said, furious.

As well as the humour, I appreciated the fearless approach to dealing with characters to move the story along, and the plot twists were fantastic.

I also adored watching the various relationships between the characters grow and develop, and can’t wait to see how they develop further.

I really enjoyed the audiobook, and the narrator’s accents and voices for the characters were on point.

Bring on the next book!

The book starts off focusing on two twins who have just reached a stage of maturity in their society as they travel to visit the emperor. It turns out their father was a rebel many years ago and tried to overthrow the emperor and the story starts from there. Except it doesn't exactly, as it flips then to focus on Neema - the titular Raven Scholar. For some reason the empire decides who is going to control the empire for 24 years at a time by having a series of trials set up by each of the 8 main houses of the Gods and then also fighting each other on a daily basis to gain points. I did struggle to get into the book as the main character is supposed to be unlikeable - a know it all who signed an order of exile and fated a teenager to her death because she wanted to show off her calligraphy as much as anything - but there are layers to Neema - and to the book as a whole. It turns out that the story you think you know might not be quite as it seems and there are reveals and twists and turns throughout the story. The cast is large and this didn't help me engage with the story, but it did payoff and after slogging through the first 45% of the book I flew through the rest. There is a lot of politics, scheming, trials, secrets, historical tales being exposed, mythical/legendary/holy creatures becoming more present in the living realm. There is a LOT going on and I've no idea where the author could take it in the sequel but I am interested to find out. I thought the narration was good, there were a lot of different personalities and even species to cover and this was done well, but I'm not sure if the actual voice of the narrator fit the protagonist that well, in that she sounded to me at least, a lot younger than the age she was portrayed as.

I come into this story with zero expectation and I was blown away.
I really loved this story.
Dark academia, murder mystery story with trials.
I loved Neema and Cain and I can't wait for the next book in this epic fantasy!
The audiobook was excellent and really worked well with the different POVs.

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 bit only to find several hours had gone by. The audiobook is one of the best produced I’ve heard, the different voices she manages make each character more real.

The world building is unique, I can’t think of anything similar. Anything animal based is always going to intrigue me. I don’t know how to continue now without having this book to read, hopefully the sequel comes along quickly!

At times it did feel a bit much how everything/the world seemed to be against Neema. She came across as more hated than someone who was positioned as being a potential antagonist. I thought for a large cast of characters they were all very well developed, I did feel that I knew them and that they had arcs that were important to the plot. Of course I have my favourites and ones I hope to see more of in the future (Sol and Pink Pink especially!)

I really hope everyone picks this up and they become as obsessed with it as I have! I need people to talk to about this and discuss!

This book is so much more than it seems on the surface, it truly feels like you’re reading an epic tale with a full world. I’m sure anyone who does pick it up with find it truly magnificent!

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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, emperor of Orrun, has reached the end of his twenty-four-year tenure and now, eight contenders trained at rival monasteries, each representing one of the eight animal guardians of the world are set to compete for the throne. Until one of them is found killed. It falls to Neema Kraa, high scholar to the emperor, to investigate the murder. Can she uncover the truth before the contest is over? The task is difficult, deadly, and may just change the entire world as she knows it.
This book is incredible. The world building is detailed and masterful without ever feeling heavy or overly complicated, the plot is easy to follow but the twists had me literally gasping. I’m usually the kind of person who predicts these sorts of things but Hodgson managed to surprise me at almost every turn.
The characters are wonderful. I loved Neema and her little idiosyncrasies, and I felt she was such a relatable reluctant MC. Cain was an absolute joy and I missed him whenever he wasn’t around. The supporting cast were brilliantly engaging and very well-rounded too. It was difficult to know who to root for!
The writing is beautiful too, poetic yet not overdone. I received an ARC of the audiobook and it was an absolute treat. The narrator is just incredible and her ability to inhabit all of the (many) characters in this book was quite honestly amazing.
I would highly recommend this book to fantasy fans and I cannot wait to read more from this author!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

After a twenty‑four‑year reign, Emperor Bersun’s death throws Orrun into chaos. Seven challengers—each bound to a sacred beast (Fox, Raven, Tiger, Ox, Bear, Monkey, Hound and a hidden Dragon)—enter a deadly competition for the throne. When the Raven champion is killed, bookish High Scholar Neema Kraa is thrust from her quiet studies into lethal trials, murder investigations and the whims of a demanding avian god.

Listening to the audiobook was a total delight. The ensemble cast brings every courtier, conspirator and creature to vivid life, and that gravelly, Gollum‑style Raven voice stole the show. Hodgson layers palace intrigue, inventive magic, unexpected twists and just enough romance to keep you hooked—and she sprinkles in humour that had me laughing out loud more than once.

⤷ 4.75✩

Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton Audio for providing me with this E-ARC via NetGalley

This book was an unexpected read that I absolutely loved. This has the potential to become one of my favourite fantasy series. My emotions were all over the place: from nearly crying to laughing out loud, to utter shock.

The character work is excellent. Both main and side characters have intricate backgrounds to the extent that you find yourself empathising with the villainous characters. You fully understand their motivations.

The plottwists are perfectly executed. All the various subplots build toward one reveal that tiss everything together in a stunning way.

Regarding the audio, it was a work of art. The narrator portrayed all emtoions perfectly and kept the suspense at just the right level throughout. I was very satisfied with this narrator.

I am already highly anticipating the next book. I cannot wait!

It took me quite a while to get into this book, and I was tempted to dnf this book but I pushed through and I am glad. There is a lot of worldbuilding and I think that was the major thing for me with this book.

Apart from that I really enjoyed this book, I thought that the world created was really interesting, and the characters were good to read. The plot also works really well, and I would really recommend this book.

I will continue to read this series, and will look out for future releases by this author, but will concede that I likely will need to reread this book for as it is so heavy.

I loved this audiobook and can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this book.
I was so invested in the fate of the characters and loved the 8 animal gods who were set to return.
The fragment of the raven was such a great character and made it both funny and at times sad.
I am looking forward to the continuation of this series.

solid 4 ⭐

when I first started this book, I didn't know I would be in for a wild ride, and how much I would enjoy it. I listened to it on audio, and I have to say the narrator did a fantastic job, I felt immersed in the story the whole time.

what I particularly liked about this book:
- immaculately fleshed out characters
- murder mystery with a plot twist
- deadly trials for the throne
- interesting mythology
- unique world-building and magic system

the only thing that was off for me personally sometimes was the pacing, hence not giving the book a 5-star rating. I am still very much looking forward to the rest of the books in the trilogy!

Big thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton Audio for the free audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review. 💜

Ok, first off I have to talk about the audiobook. It's narrated by Daphne Kouma and when I say she goes hard, I mean it. What a ride!! She fully commits to the voices of the various characters and the drama and comedy of the moment and I ATE IT UP. Phenomenal narration! 24-odd hours of audiobook has never gone by so quickly.

The story itself is an absolute delight. We've got drama, intrigue, COMEDY, romance, fabulous worldbuilding and wonderful characters. The way I gasped at some of the twists! I nearly cried at one point. This is the kind of epic fantasy I love to read! So happy I read this and I absolutely, wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone.

Eagerly awaiting the sequel and I must buy a stunning shelf trophy for rereads.💜

(4/5⭐️) 📚/🎧 Thank you NetGalley for the eARC and Audiobook of ‘The Raven Scholar’. I didn’t have any expectations going into this, all I knew was that it was fantasy and hyped! It definitely is correctly hyped because I enjoyed it a lot. The beginning was hard to get into which is why it ended up taking me a while to finish (I originally had the audio but requested the ebook as well to help get through the start). This is not to say the beginning was bad, it was information overload and took me a bit to adjust to the world and characters, especially when it came to understanding what was happening and its significance. Once the plot begun, I was in the loop and all for it. The synopsis definitely doesn’t cover at all what you’re in for!

I’m excited for this book to release now! Also…this is a trilogy?? Another series I have to wait (impatiently) for it to finish!

The Raven Scholar is the first book in the Eternal Path Trilogy series and a captivating epic fantasy novel. While the point of view shifts throughout the story, it focuses on Neema Kraa, the reluctant contender for the throne and the High Scholar.

The strongest asset of this story is the layered and complex world-building, complete with legends, religion and complicated history that affects the present. It took me a while to grasp the main concepts, the lore, all the characters and the relationships between them. While most of the plot takes place on a relatively small island, we explore the world created by the author through stories and flashbacks. The novel is filled with politics, secrets, intrigues and plot twists.

On the other hand, I would like to see a bit more foreshadowing for the main plot twists. They seemed to come out of nowhere. Also, the characters change only slightly despite undergoing multiple challenging trials. I would love to see more character development.

To sum up, as the first book in a trilogy, The Raven Scholar opens a fascinating story that I will definitely follow through the next books.

The Raven Scholar is a fantasy whodunnit that plays a brilliant game of switcheroo with the reader. Just when you think you’ve figured out a character’s path or role in the story, it flips your assumptions on their head—and that’s a huge part of the fun. It subverted my expectations several times in such a satisfying way.

The world is rich with magic and intrigue, and characters are aligned with animal guardians—a touch that adds both depth and danger to the story. There are trials, secrets, and genuine moments where characters feel truly at risk. While the tone is generally light and very readable, it’s not afraid to go dark in places, adding an edge that I really appreciated.

I listened to the audiobook, and it was excellent. The story offers ample opportunities for a narrator to shine, and this one absolutely does. The performance brings the characters and tension to life with real skill. The narrative switches between third and first person, which can sometimes be jarring in print, but it works beautifully in audio, especially with a talented narrator. I really hope the same narrator returns for the rest of the trilogy.

After reading the initial 10%, I immediately bought a physical copy, which says a lot. This is clearly the beginning of something bigger, and I get the sense we’ve only just scratched the surface of the world and its possibilities. A series I’m excited to continue.

(Review edited to add note about the narration.)

I love that the author is one of the voices.
Such an interesting and vibrant story, I loved the world building and the story from the start.
The twists and turns were unexpected and am excited to see what happend even if the end was slower than the rest of the book.
4.5 stars

This book was utterly weird in the best possible way. I never knew where it would take me, but honestly I loved it the whole time. I highly recommend going in blind as I did. That being said, I'm going to try to keep this review relatively vague to avoid any sort of spoiler.

The Raven Scholar is epic fantasy with a little bit of everything mixed in. It's chaotic and unconventional, but Antonio Hodgson absolutely crushed it. There's murder mystery, political intrigue, games/trials, dark academia, and just a little bit of romance. It's a relatively long book, but it kept my interest the whole time. A part of that is likely due to the incorporation of asides of folklore delivered via the raven. This was an excellent aspect that really helped to break the book up while giving the reader necessary backstory without overwhelming amounts of information. I was skeptical at the beginning because it started out ominously and I hated the main character, but trusting the process absolutely did not let me down. All of the threads woven together into such an intricate and complex story was incredibly done.

I highly recommend this book and I am already eagerly anticipating the sequel.

4.5/5 stars rounded up to 5.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton Audio for providing access to the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A solid mystery fantasy, filled with trials and a likeable FMC (Neema Kraa), that you'll definitely find yourself rooting for. A whole star goes to Sol, as I adored their every line.

It was a pretty long first book, but it was fast paced enough to keep me entertained for its whole duration, never getting bored. The narrator, Daphne Kouma, does an incredible job as well, handling a massive cast of characters, and keeping the voices clearly distinct.

My one complaint would be the inclusion of too many backstories and character perspectives, due to the medium I absorbed this in. In print they might've been easy to track, but here I found myself confused a couple of times, which has hurt the immersion.

The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson, narrated by Daphne Kouma | Pub Date 17 Apr 2025

Wow, what a book! I think this was the fastest I’ve ever gone through an audiobook - even though it's over 20 hours long. Huge thanks to the narrator for keeping me completely engaged the whole way through. Now I definitely want a physical copy too!

So, The Raven Scholar is a masterful blend of epic old-style fantasy, political intrigue, and murder mystery.​ The story sets in the empire of Orrun, where every 24 years a new emperor is chosen through a series of trials among seven contenders - Fox, Raven, Tiger, Ox, Bear, Monkey, and Houndthe, an eighth (the Dragon proxy) will be revealed only once the trials have begun. And narrative takes a dark turn when one of the competitors is murdered. Neema Kraa, the emperor's High Scholar, is thrust into the dual role of investigator and unexpected participant in the deadly contest. As she navigates court politics and uncovers layers of secrets, Neema's journey becomes very dangerous.

The world-building here is complex but detailed, captive and engaging, and thanks to the narrator, drawing readers into this society with no problem. The characters are richly developed, with Neema standing out as a brilliant protagonist whose determination drives the story forward. Despite the story starts off at a slower, thoughtful pace, giving plenty of room to get to know the characters and the world they live in, but once it picks up, it really picks up - full of unexpected twists and reveals that keep you on the hook.

Overall, The Raven Scholar is an impressive debut that sets up a trilogy with tons of potential. If you're into high fantasy with depth, mystery, and a world you can get lost in, this one’s definitely worth your time.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and the narrator for this audio-ARC in exchange for an honest review.