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 . . .
Format: Paperback
Pages: 656
Imprint: Hodder and Stoughton UK
Publication date: 29/04/2025
Series: The Eternal Path v1
The Raven Scholar
By Antonia Hodgson
Review by Kazia
Oh, the political intrigue! Hodgson transported me into this epic fantasy with her witty narration and held me tight with compelling characters, well-laid plot twists and a romance subplot that clawed its way into my heart. Executed with an unexpected hilarity that kept me highly entertained (in spite of all the tragedy), this murder-mystery-meets-high-stakes-fantasy has me so thoroughly invested that I will be gnashing my teeth in anticipation of the sequel. The stage has been set for a gripping tale, and I cannot wait for more of Hodgson’s world-building to be unravelled.
