Raven Quest

Dave Jenkinson is a professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba and the author of the “Portraits” section of Emergency Librarian.

Like Ben Gadd’s Raven’s End, Stewart’s Raven Quest is an
outstanding animal fantasy that immerses readers in the world of these
most intelligent birds.

Tok, the young son of a disgraced and murdered raven lord, is accused
of killing nestlings by a jealous rival, found guilty, and banished,
subject to death should he return. In order to restore his kora
(honour), Tok, realizing he must perform a brave task of benefit to all
ravenkind, finds direction in raven folklore, which includes a story
about a past symbiotic relationship between ravens and some animals
known as the Grey Lords. Ravens had apparently located prey for the Grey
Lords, who killed it, tore it open, and exposed the flesh, something the
ravens’ blunt beaks could not do. However, the Grey Lords had
apparently all been eradicated by the Two-Legs’ firesticks. Tok’s
self-imposed quest is to find any surviving Grey Lords, whatever they
may be, and bring them back to the remote Raven Mountains.

Stewart divides her story into six sections, with the first three
leading up to Tok’s finally encountering a Grey Lord, and the last
three involving Tok’s return journey of vindication with six wolves.
Very strong in characterization and relationships, Raven Quest is also
action-packed: Tok’s outward trek includes his surviving a cougar
attack and escaping Two-Legs’s captivity after hitting a power line.
Tok’s return journey is even more eventful, as the wolves are being
relentlessly hunted by humans. Fans of Kenneth Opel’s Silverwing
trilogy will definitely want to read Raven Quest. Highly recommended.