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.

This new fantasy series was really interesting! The world building was so unique and well done. The characters were well written and likeable. There were twists I did not see coming! The narrator was great and easy to listen to. I look forward to reading the next book in the series!

First I wanna thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to this incredible book in advance.
What a read! The synopsis really intrigued me but I wasn't expecting for it to grab me right from the start. The incredible world building with the super unique magic system (the Eight and them being their Gods, the way some of them could be a part of someone or even possess them), the politics, the very interesting competition and trials they were in. Everything was so well done and our girl Neema, our FMC, she is a badass and she's so damn intelligent. I loved how smart she is from the start, how she evolved with the trials and how she solved one of the twists I didn't see coming AT ALL (the emperor one). I also really like Cain. He's funny as heck and so sweet, even if he tries to hide it.
The last few chapters with its twists and turns: with the emperor, with Ruko, with the Eight, with Nishtala (which I gotta say I really don't like, what an entitled brat).
And I gotta congratulate the narrator. The accents were incredible 👌🏻 and the different voices for every character, even the Raven, the laughter, the screams, all the emotions were passed through the interpretation of the book. It was an incredible narration. One of the best audiobooks I've heard so far.
I'm so looking forward for the next book 🙌🏻

The Raven Scholar is the first book in The Eternal Path Trilogy, and it is a fantasy of epic proportions. The world building is detailed, and the story is long and complicated, but it's all very much worth the investment. Trials for the throne and a murder mystery form the backbone of the story, and I loved the mix of fantasy and mystery. The narrative frequently shifts perspective, giving a deeper sense of the characters and the more surreal aspects of the story, and I really enjoyed the writing style. I also loved the intense rivalry among the characters, the sheer number of twists and secrets, the gentle humour, and the sprinkling of romance. I'm already excited to see where it takes us next.

This was a very solid fantasy, featuring trial elements and a central mystery.
I felt the book was too long for the story it was telling, but I really enjoyed the twists and turns that happened, and the characters (especially Neema) were fantastic. I listened to the audio and I had a few issues with the inflections the narrator put on some of the words, especially when it was dialogue, but I did get used to this.

I LOVED this book!

It took me a minute to get into it, with a fairly slow start. I wasn’t sure about the narrator and didn’t know where the plot was going. But then I got to the end of part 1 and WHAT a plot twist.

There are a few plot twists in this and I didn’t guess any of them. Even when I got it pretty close, the author still surprised me. This is a story of challenges to become emperor, whilst the Neema tries to figure out a murder at the same time. Let me say I usually fold murder mysteries so boring and this was kept me hooked.

Lastly, the narrator proved me wrong. She vocal range, and the way each character had a distinctive voice and their personality shone through, was amazing.

I toyed between a 4 and a 5 but it was so feel good with so many plot twists that I think the 5 stars is well deserved.


Thank you NetGalley and Hodderscape for this ARC. This review is honest and freely given.