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A tangle of ingenious riddles, a malevolent necklace called a torc, and flocks of menacing birds: these are just some of the obstacles that stand between Gabriel and his father, Adam Finley, who has vanished from their Brooklyn brownstone. When Gabriel rescues an orphaned baby raven named Paladin, he discovers a family secret: Finleys can bond with ravens in extraordinary ways. Along with Paladin and three valiant friends, Gabriel sets out to bring his father home. They soon discover that Adam is being held captive by the evil demon Corax—half man, half raven, and Adam’s very own disgraced brother—in a foreboding netherworld of birds called Aviopolis. With help from his army of ghoulish minions, the valravens, Corax is plotting to take over the land above, and now only Gabriel stands in his way.
“A vivid, compelling fantasy that sends you off to a world you will not soon forget.” —Norton Juster, author of The Phantom Tollbooth
“A great read for fantasy lovers who have worn out their copies of Harry Potter.” —School Library Journal, Starred
“Brimful of antic energy and inventive flair, like the best middle-grade fantasies; readers, like baby birds, will devour it and clamor for future installments.” —Kirkus Reviews
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Creators
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Series
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Publisher
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Release date
August 26, 2014 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9780553396928
- File size: 254943 KB
- Duration: 08:51:07
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Languages
- English
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Levels
- Lexile® Measure: 670
- Text Difficulty: 3
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Reviews
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Listeners will find Michael Goldstrom's warm, inviting voice a reassuring presence in Hagen's inventive story of ravens, bravery, and the battle between good and evil. His voice has a hint of brassiness, which shines in his portrayals of the cunning, raspy birds. There's also a boldness in his depictions of the human characters, the fiery young Gabriel and his friends. Younger listeners will find companionship with the courageous and offbeat teens, while older listeners will respond to the darker themes and complex history of the battling ravens. Wordplay and Goldstrom's cleverly nuanced delivery add levity to dark moments, making this a rewarding listen for all ages. K.S.B. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine -
Starred review from August 18, 2014
Adult author Hagen (The Laments) makes his children's debut with a fantasy adventure touched with whimsy, satire, and the quirky love of urban fauna that characterizes New Yorkers. Gabriel Finley's parents are absent, having disappeared in separate mysterious incidents that his guardian, Aunt Jaz, refuses to discuss. But she does pass along his father's diary, which outlines how Adam Finley became the amicus, or human interlocutor, of a raven named Baldasarre. There's also the matter of Adam's creepy brother, Gabriel's uncle Corax, who likewise disappeared, leaving behind a portrait to loom over Gabriel as he seeks to solve the riddles, literal and figurative, set by ravens, uncle, and missing parents. With an unlikely crew of mismatched Brooklyn schoolmates, Gabriel takes up the mantle of the ancient, bittersweet relationship between humans and ravens in order to untangle the even more twisted relationships between human and human. Though familiar tropes abound, Hagen's sensibility is uniqueâthe desk-wrangling scene is not to be missed. There's a hint of sequels to come, but this quest is more than satisfying on its own. Ages 9â12.
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