REVIEWS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: THE HEART OF THE WORLD (RAVEN SON BOOK 3) BY NICHOLAS KOTAR

Abstract: A book displaying Kotar’s growth as an author, but which doesn’t quite measure up as a whole to the potential of its parts.  Prose and character writing have improved, and certain ideas introduced in the world building grabbed me imaginatively and intellectually while also allowing the conflict to develop naturally.  Some subplots fall flat, though, as do some character revelations, but overall the multiple plots and characters work well together, and there is no wasted space to be found.  The ending might also be frustrating to some, but there is good payoff for the set up.

Content Warning (highlight to view): violent imagery, non-explicit sexual content, some frightening/grotesque imagery, some mild cursing, demonic possession

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I don’t know when I grew so attached to Kotar’s world and characters, but I quite enjoyed The Heart of the World, the third book in his Raven Son series.  Before I go on, THIS IS A BOOK IN A SERIES, SO THERE WILL BE SOME SPOILERS FOR PRIOR BOOKS.  For those interested, here are links for the reviews of book 1 and book 2 in the series.

The Heart of the World picks up 20 years after Vasyllia fell into possession of the Raven.  After receiving Llun’s flask and its miraculous living water, Voran has traveled the lands, preaching peace between peoples and healing whoever he can while also seeking a way to reenter Vasyllia.  But all his efforts seem wasted as wars escalate and the Raven’s traps keep him outside the wall.  Meanwhile, Sabiana, Darina of Vasyllia and prisoner of the Raven, has fallen to despair, giving up her body and fleeing in spirit from the city only to end up bound to the crippled Khaidu, a young Gumira who still holds to the old tales.  Now Vasyllia stands without a Dar and without a champion as the Raven searches for the city’s secret, the secret of the Heart of the World.

There are two other major plot threads within this story, but that’s probably enough of a teaser for now.

Kotar has again improved in his writing with this novel.  His prose is less clunky, though he still occasionally throws in an awkward turn of phrase or metaphor.  I know he wants originality with his comparison, but while his comparisons are very precise, they can still be off-putting.  Still, I wasn’t pulled out too many times.  The exposition felt much more natural, too, which helped make the world building in this book more engaging.

And the world building is interesting.  I like concepts and details he touched on, such as his variation of the Fates, how he explored the idea of the “unknown god” sought by all peoples, and certain revelations related to Vasyllia’s importance to the world.  The world building also provided natural sources of conflict and gave decisions made by the characters more weight in the grand story while remaining personal, and that can be a hard balance to strike.

The characters have also improved.  Certain characters like Voran and Sabiana do start out frustrating.  Yes, it is understandable that after 20 years of defeat they would become cynical, but it’s still hard to start out the third book in a series with supposed heroes still dealing with the same and more flaws as 20 years before.  Thankfully, though, they become much more likable as the story goes one, though the transitions are rather clunky.  Sabiana, herself, becomes a much more defined character through her interactions with Khaidu.  And Khaidu really is a key to the characters in this story.  I liked her from the start.  She’s a good example of a character with faith as a virtue but who has her own flaws and weaknesses, both physical and personal.  Her growth and later revelations about her could have been better handled, but she never feels overpowered or too weak, and I enjoyed her dynamic with the other characters.  Through her and her tribe, Kotar also remedies some of the over-simplification of the Gumiren that had made them boring.  It could even be said that the simplifications of prior books is due to following the Vasylli point of view, and perhaps that was his intention, but whatever is the case, Khaidu and her people were better humanized without lessening the evils done by those who followed the Raven.  Another new character, Antomir, son of Mirnian and Lebia, is also interesting.  He starts out sheltered and a bit annoying, but his particular storyline quickly makes him relatable so that the reader can become invested in his worries and growth.

In fact, most of the new and returning cast are engaging and grow on the reader.  The only set of new characters I did not particularly care for relate to the character Parfyon.  I can’t go too much into it for spoiler reasons, but whenever I came across his sub-plot, I found myself a bit bored and wanted to get through them as quickly as possible to return to the characters I actually cared about.

Part of that disinterest might have been due to Parfyon’s sub-plot, itself, though.  His storyline is pretty predictable right from the start and has a somewhat anti-climactic ending.  That is not necessarily a bad thing.  In fact, his plot isn’t even bad or all that disappointing.  It just isn’t as good at using its tropes and patterns as the other plots of the story.  In those other sections, there are quite a few well-executed plot twists and story beats.  They aren’t revolutionary, but they are still pretty well done and don’t feel like tired cliches.  Most of the plots also move at a good pace with very little wasted space and lots of build up with decent pay off.  The ending of the book is set up for a future book in the series, which might frustrate some readers, but most of the plot threads are dealt pretty well.  The worst criticism I can give to the story, really, is that, for all the potential in its parts, and for all the points where it was well executed, it never quite reached its full potential, whether through clunky prose or character development, which is always a shame.

Nicholas Kotar displayed growth in The Curse of the Raven and earned my ongoing interest, and that continues here.  Unfortunately, the final work doesn’t quite add up to the potential of the parts.  However, with better character writing, improved prose, some interesting world building, and good use of tropes and patterns within his plot, Kotar provides the reader an avenue through which to become invested in the characters and the story.  I’ve found myself more and more invested as the series has continued, and I hope he continues this upward turn, and I look forward to what he has coming next.