The Book of the Crowman by Joseph D’Lacey
19 March 2014
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Joseph D'Lacey, The Book of the Crowman
The Book of the Crowman is the concluding part of the Black Dawn story told by Joseph D’Lacey. The story started with Black Feathers (my review here). BotC picks up immediately where Black Dawn ended and we continue Gordon’s journey to find the Crowman and Megan’s story to become a keeper. Just a quick recap. This story is set in two timeframes with two different voices. Gordon is pre apocalypse. In his story the world is starting to rebel against the constant misuse foisted upon it by humans, strong weather, earthquakes, starvation, disease, are the beginning of the end. Enforcers called the Ward keep the populace in control using the harshest methods. The Ward fear a prophecy which has been told about the Crowman and are determined to find him and eliminate him. Gordon, on the run from the Ward similarly wants to find the Crowman. Set many years in the future in a much more simplified, post apocalyptic time is Megan. The Crowman appears to Megan one day thereby determining her future as a keeper. Megan will be responsible for keeping the legend of the Crowman alive for the next generation.
Book No.2 continues with Gordon’s trek across the country, desperately in search of the Crowman and apparently always just behind him. He meets and sees many strange things along the way, some of which are horrendous and unrepeatable. Unbeknown to himself he is also gathering something of a reputation. Meting out justice in fast and ruthless fashion and continually evading the clutches of the Ward. At the same time a good proportion of the population, tired of their life and disillusioned by the Ward are starting their own resistance movement, a green army, spurred on by the myth of the Crowman who they see ultimately as their champion of hope.
Back to the future and Megan has her own problems to overcome. she will receive a taste of what being a keeper will actually involve and it’s somewhat bitter. Her life will be so far removed from everything she ever knew before and she needs to come to terms with not only that and her new found duties but also a couple of other revelations.
I enjoyed the fact that both characters had developed for the conclusion. Gordon more so than Megan really. Gordon is now a man. He’s confident and feels like the earth gives him power. He has become a formidable opponent for the Ward and one that you can’t help feeling will succeed against all odds.
The whole story is heading in one direction. Conflict. The outcome of which will determine the future. Although, call me foolish but given that Megan is writing the story from the future does give you an idea of how certain things will go.
Apart from a bit of a slow start I thought the conclusion of the story was really gripping and in spite of the fact that I already had an idea of what was going to happen, I did race forward at breakneck speed.
In terms of criticisms, I understand that this was originally intended as a one book story that developed into two. I think it could have benefitted from maybe a little extra cutting and being kept as one book. There is a definite message to the story and in parts it can become a little bit repetitive but I didn’t particularly feel it was done in a preachy kind of way. Yes, the author is making a point but he’s found a great story as a vehicle to promote this message. The only other point I would make is that I felt like the ending was a tiny bit flat – which is perhaps the wrong phrase. I do think it was an appropriate ending, I also think it’s the ending I was expecting but somehow I just wanted something a little bit more.
I mentioned in my review of No.1 that this is dark fantasy and this definitely remains the case here. There are certainly a few scenes that people may be uncomfortable with – personally I thought they fit well with the story and context but there is definitely a bit of blood and gore going on not to mention torture, cannibalism, conflict. These are definitely dark days for sure.
Overall a very satisfying read with only a few niggles.
I received a copy of this from Netgalley in return for my honest opinion.
Black Feathers by Joseph D’Lacey
Just finished reading Black Feathers by Joseph D’Lacey. Black Feathers is both a pre and post apocalyptic story told by Gordon Black and Megan Maurice. Well, really, it’s the story of Gordon but it’s being told by Megan. Okay, let me start again!
At the start of the story we are introduced to Gordon literally as he is about to be born, under strange circumstances – snow blowing outside and a black crow ominously watching the proceedings from outside the bedroom window. Gordon’s birth coincides, or is the catalyst perhaps, with the earth falling into decline. As he grows in age the world’s descent seems to speed up, bad weather, starvation, disease and the general spiralling downwards of civilisation as a whole. At the same time a large corporation called The Ward have started to control/police everything. They appear out of the blue to question people – who are then mysteriously never seen again. As this story is starting to unfold we learn of Megan. Set years in the future, in a world which has reverted to what feels like a much more primitive era, Megan is, following a strange vision of the Crowman, chosen to become a keeper. Keeper’s walk the path of black feathers, they are used to keep the tale of the Crowman alive and prevent people from forgetting what came ‘before’. I suppose in this way Megan is actually telling us Gordon’s tale. Both Gordon and Megan will face trials and suffer much as they tread their chosen path in this coming of age novel. Both are in search of the truth about the Crowman and whether or not he is good or evil.
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this novel. I had a notion it might be horror but that was definitely not the case. There are certainly parts of the tale that are harrowing but I would describe this more as dark fantasy. On the face of it there doesn’t appear to have actually been a great deal taking place. Gordon is separated from his family by the Ward and sets off on his search for knowledge and truth and Megan is chosen to become a keeper and is likewise separated from her family while she learns the story of the past. And, yet in spite of this there doesn’t actually feel like a lack of action on this journey. In fact it grips you quite firmly from the outset with it’s story time voice. Along the way we meet other characters who serve to demonstrate the hardships that both protagonists suffer. There are still some characters who will help and assist and have kept a sense of moral obligation but these feel to be equalled if not out numbered by the characters who have become much more base as they lost their veneer of civilisation.
You can’t help having protective feelings for Gordon and Megan and wanting to help them in their ordeals although in reality they have both been ‘chosen’ because they are capable of handling such things.
In terms of criticisms there is an element to the story of ‘treat the earth badly and bad things will happen in return’. Frankly I don’t mind that there’s a message in the story as it’s not too preachy and feels more like it uses the possibility of such events taking place as a means for setting the story rather than as a stick to beat the reader with . I did feel like there were a few occasions where the story dragged a little but this wasn’t enough to make me stop reading and in fact for the most part the story did keep me racing along in anticipation of the outcome.
The end of the book of course is not the end of the tale and so you will undoubtedly have remaining questions but No.2 is already available to satisfy that need.
On the whole I thought this was quite a gripping tale. I enjoyed the author’s writing style and thought he made an excellent job of setting the scene for the next installment which I look forward to reading very soon!
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