King Arthur is back, but can he stop the Ravenmaster?

The Ravenmaster’s Revenge by Jacob Sannox is a short fantasy novel, coming in at just 44,000 words, making it a quick, enjoyable read. Sannox employs a split timeline structure, where the main story, set in 2019, is interwoven with various key events from England’s history. Think Arthurian Fantasy meets Highlander and you get the general idea.

The style combines the conventions of a modern thriller with a hectic series of historical adventures as Arthur and his knights work to thwart Branok, Merlin’s wayward apprentice. Arthur, a 5^th Century King, and his loyal knights of the Round Table have been bound by Merlin to defend England throughout the ages, effectively making them immortal. We follow their exploits during various key moments in history including the War of the Roses, the Gunpowder Plot, the English Civil War, the Black Death, the Great Fire of London, the Battle of Waterloo and World Wars I & II.

A key theme, which emerges as the centuries pass, is how the knights and the ideals they represent have increasingly less relevance to the land they are sworn to protect. The scene in the Somme during WWI is particularly vivid, capturing the horror of that conflict and the price of war brilliantly. As Arthur says, “This is not war as I understand it.”

This is a quintessentially English tale, illustrated by how Sannox deploys humour to underline the bizarre situation Arthur and his allies find themselves in as they try and relax for the evening during 2019:

‘Merlin sat through Excalibur, albeit sulking and muttering throughout, but left during the first animation in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.’

However, there are also more serious passages, beautifully written, which showcase Sannox’s storytelling ability and craft:

‘Before him, the last moments his family had spent together were preserved. The bad news had not been through the gate, had not walked the path or unlocked the door. The tragedy had not packed up Peter’s cars or Alice’s crayons from their bedroom floors. The plates on the draining board had yet to be informed of the loss. Carol’s half-finished coffee would be waiting patiently for her return, just where she had left it on top of the piano, leaving a ring on the varnish.

The Bolton family’s life was waiting for them. And if he turned the key and let in the air from a world in which his wife and children were dead, if he crossed that threshold?

David’s keys sat on his open palm, and he held them up, scrutinising them. He returned them to his trouser pocket and walked away from the house, from his Pompeii.’

What I enjoyed most about this novel is Sannox’s capacity to completely surprise you as the reader. I lost count of the number of times I was sitting there, thinking I knew where the story was going, only for my expectations to be confounded as the plot went off in another direction altogether. This is well-written, entertaining stuff that leads up to a chilling, unexpected climax.

I liked how Sannox tried something different with this book, although its length means some of the more interesting ideas aren’t fully explored and the supporting characters get less space to grow and develop. That said, I found myself caring about Arthur, Merlin and even Branok, each of them convincingly drawn and believable. Together, this trio hold the story together and propel it forwards at breakneck pace. The magical elements are also a standout aspect, especially Branok’s familiars.

Ravenmaster is a thoroughly enjoyable fantasy novel with a modern twist that will keep you guessing right to the end. The premise is great and Sannox clearly has lots more in store for his readers in the remaining two books in this trilogy.