Bathed in the Blood of Ravens

Reviews

“While Bathed in the Blood of Ravens is Parker’s debut novel, he has mastered the pacing required to keep the story engaging. As noted by the book’s full title, this is the first book in the A Destiny of Blood & Magic series, and aside from a couple of points that are not fully resolved, and a scene teasing that this story isn’t quite over, it is a complete read. You won’t find yourself suddenly at the end of the story, wondering why it suddenly ended.”

W.A. Stanley

Read his full review here!

"Blood of Ravens is a carefully crafted fantasy story that has great pacing, with the characters leading the reader through an adventure of heartache, valor, and self discovery. The first installment in a series finishes nicely while inviting the reader to read the next novel; the battle is won but the war is far from over.  Even though this is R.L. Parker's debut novel, it's clear he has been telling stories for a very long time, especially with how everything has a rhyme or reason. It's not an overwhelming read and yet it captures so much -- definitely worth picking up if you're looking for a new world to explore!"

C. Mallory

“War, betrayal, murder, conspiracy, a rising darkness, an ancient evil, and a world ending threat -and that's just in the first 10 pages-. R.L. Parker's Bathed in the Blood of Ravens is an exhilarating tale of a teenager's quest for vengeance against dark forces. It will take more than just skill to drive back the coming evil and defeat the scourge of his family. He will need friends, forbidden magic, and a very special weapon to face the dangers ahead. I can honestly say I didn't want the story to end, and I can't wait to find out what happens next.”

L.A. Cousins III  (TheMightyNerdman)

“I would have completed this book in two days had life and work cooperated. 

Fantasy, wonder, magic… if you are a D&D lover this book is for you! I didn't want to stop reading! Definitely a page turner and I can't hardly wait for the next book.”

J. Cohen

“R.L. Parker has created a world that’s entirely new yet feels familiar at the same time. Bathed in the Blood of Ravens weaves a tale of conquest, revenge, love, loss and forbidden magic that will leave you on the edge of your seat!”

J. Veneziano

Contributors

• Author - R.L. Parker

• Cover Art -  Charlotte Mallory

• Editor - Kristina Parker

• Proof / Alpha Reader - Aaron Stevens

Beta Readers

• C. Mallory

• J. Veneziano

• L.A. Cousings III

• J. Cohen

A Word from the Author

Bathed in the Blood of Ravens has been a long time coming. I created the original concept for the story of Laurence Ravencrest in 1993, and have been stewing over that story ever since. I spent the next decade molding my fictional world, its characters, and organizations through pen & paper roleplaying games. Very quickly after starting down that tabletop roleplaying path, I was forced to customize magical and martial combat systems to accommodate the world I had in mind. Next thing I knew, I was running campaign sessions for over twenty hours a week in a fictional world that was growing more complex by the day.

By the early 2000’s, I had taken a stab at writing the first few chapters but those chapters were ultimately scrapped and thrown away. Unfortunately, I spent the next twenty years focused on my software development career. However, the story never went away. It would pop into my mind from time to time unsolicited. I occasionally dreamed about it, in vivid detail—several scenes in the book came from those dreams. I even spent entire weekends collecting, organizing and reformatting piles upon piles of notes. In fact, my wife and I still have many of the character sheets, notes and maps from those extensive gaming sessions from the nineties.

This novel marks the first edition in the series A Destiny of Blood & Magic; a dark saga full of pain, intrigue, mysterious forces and through it all, growth and love. Laurence’s tale is too long for a single novel; as are the tales of those who will fight with and against him. Our unwitting protagonist is in for a rough ride, and I don’t pull my punches.

I am a character-driven storyteller, as you might note from some of my blog entries. This means that even I do not know everything that will happen, because my characters drive my story. So, join me on this journey if you dare. I’m confident you’ll enjoy the ride.