Raven's End

Spiritual, philosophical, political, and beautifully written, Raven's End is an exciting novel about the lives of ravens. Over the course of four seasons in the spectacular Rocky Mountains, Raven's End follows the adventures of Colin, a young raven who arrives unexpectedly to join the Raven's End flock. His newfound friends include Greta, the wise elder; lifelong nestmates Molly and Zack; spunky teenagers, Sarah and Brendan; and the two scoundrels, Dolus and Garth. Among them, Colin learns what it takes to survive: how to fight cold, evade hunters' guns, fly in hailstorms, and scavenge from wolf kills. Colin participates in the daily ritual of morning Flaps, in which the flock, led by Main Raven, exchanges news about food sources, weather, births, and deaths. After supper the ravens all join in the evening Flight, honing their flying skills with daredevil spins and dives and revelling in the sheer joy of performing their graceful aerial ballet. In between they have adventures involving mountain animals, like bears, wolves, and lynx including the two-legged upright creatures who always leave them tasty morsels. In the course of the novel we find out that Colin is a raven of exceptional talents and intelligence, who contemplates his mortality, and has the gift of second sight. When he finds himself in a life-or-death struggle against evil, his bravery and leadership save the day. But will he, in his spiritual quest, learn the truth about his origins? Only the spirit of the Great Raven, who visits Colin in disguise, can answer these questions... Written with graceful prose and a passion for the natural world, Raven's End will delight readers from ages 9 to 95. From the Hardcover edition.