This week we are looking at a stunning sophomore selection from a very promising new author. This week we are looking at Raven Lane by Amber Cowie.
In Cowie’s debut book last year she attempted a dual timeline story and did it very effectively – an accomplishment, considering that not even all experienced authors can pull that off. In this book, Cowie gets even more experimental with her craft and actually manages to weave in what is effectively a novella length story by the end of this book… *within this book*. This is a technique so rare in my reading experience as to nearly be unique, and Cowie does it astoundingly well, both in creating the novella and in weaving it into the overall tale of the main story.
The main story itself is full of twists and turns that will keep the reader guessing very nearly as long as her debut book did last year, and it does indeed feature several subjects that some might find troublesome. But if you like complicated characters and a well paced mystery, this is definetely the book for you. Overall a truly great work with only the barest hint of a sophomore slump – and that is more due to just how amazing the first book was rather than anything truly negative about this outing. Indeed, with the inclusion and execution of the novella, this is actually a stronger book in its totality. Very much recommended.
As always, the Goodreads/ Amazon review:
Superb Sophomore Outing. In Amber Cowie’s much anticipated sophomore effort following her debut, Rapid Falls, nearly one year ago, she becomes even more ambitious – and gives the reader even more value for their money. The overall story here is perhaps a *slight* slump from her stunning debut, and yet even that speaks to how amazing her debut truly was, as this is a truly strong book in its own right and has explosive revelations very nearly as deep as that one did. But what makes this book truly stand out is the novella effectively buried within it – and which would be classified in an entirely different genre of its own. Readers of my other reviews will know that I often proclaim Jeremy Robinson the Modern Day Master of Science Fiction and I have my reasons for doing that. The novella Cowie embedded within this book? It alone could give Robinson a run for his money, and if expanded into a book of its own could be one of the most compelling science fiction thrillers of whatever year it is released. Truly amazing work, and very much recommended.