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Tanyth Fairport #1
Ravenwood
You're never too old to make a bad decision.
After twenty winters on the road, Tanyth Fairport makes one last pilgrimage in her quest to learn all she can about the herbs and medicinal plants of Korlay before settling down to write her magnum opus. Her journey is interrupted when she decides to help a small village and learns that much of what she knows of the world may not be quite as it seems.
Nathan Lowell blends wiccan tradition and shamanistic lore into a fantasy quest for a new - if unlikely - heroine. She learns that the familiar sometimes hides the fantastic and that, even when you think you’ve made your decisions, life doesn’t always agree.
After twenty winters on the road, Tanyth Fairport makes one last pilgrimage in her quest to learn all she can about the herbs and medicinal plants of Korlay before settling down to write her magnum opus. Her journey is interrupted when she decides to help a small village and learns that much of what she knows of the world may not be quite as it seems.
Nathan Lowell blends wiccan tradition and shamanistic lore into a fantasy quest for a new - if unlikely - heroine. She learns that the familiar sometimes hides the fantastic and that, even when you think you’ve made your decisions, life doesn’t always agree.
Audiobook
First published January 1, 2010
About the author
Nathan Lowell
38 books1,528 followersNathan Lowell has been a writer for more than forty years, and first entered the literary world by podcasting his novels. His sci-fi series, The Golden Age of the Solar Clipper grew from his long time fascination with space opera and his own experiences shipboard in the United States Coast Guard. Unlike most works which focus on a larger-than-life hero (prophesized savior, charismatic captain, or exiled prince), Nathan centers on the people behind the scenes--ordinary men and women trying to make a living in the depths of space. In his novels, there are no bug-eyed monsters, or galactic space battles, instead he paints a richly vivid and realistic world where the "hero" uses hard work and his own innate talents to improve his station and the lives of those of his community.
Dr. Nathan Lowell holds a Ph.D. in Educational Technology with specializations in Distance Education and Instructional Design. He also holds an M.A. in Educational Technology and a BS in Business Administration. He grew up on the south coast of Maine and is strongly rooted in the maritime heritage of the sea-farer. He served in the USCG from 1970 to 1975, seeing duty aboard a cutter on hurricane patrol in the North Atlantic and at a communications station in Kodiak, Alaska. He currently lives in the plains east of the Rocky Mountains with his wife and two daughters.
Awards & Recognition
2008 Parsec Award Finalist for Best Speculative Fiction for Full Share
2008 Podiobooks Founder's Choice Award for Double Share
2008 Parsec Award Finalist for Best Speculative Fiction for South Coast
2009 Podiobooks Founder's Choice Award for Captain's Share
2009 Parsec Award Finalist for Best Speculative Fiction for Double Share
4 out of 10 Books on Podiobooks.com Top Overall Rated by Votes (2. Double Share, 3. Quarter Share, 5. Full Share, 8. Half Share) -- as of Jan 4, 2009
6 out of 10 Books on Podiobooks.com Top Overall Rating (1. Ravenwood, 2. Quarter Share, 3. Double share, 4. Captain's Share, 5. Full Share, 7. South Coast) -- as of Jan 4, 2009
Dr. Nathan Lowell holds a Ph.D. in Educational Technology with specializations in Distance Education and Instructional Design. He also holds an M.A. in Educational Technology and a BS in Business Administration. He grew up on the south coast of Maine and is strongly rooted in the maritime heritage of the sea-farer. He served in the USCG from 1970 to 1975, seeing duty aboard a cutter on hurricane patrol in the North Atlantic and at a communications station in Kodiak, Alaska. He currently lives in the plains east of the Rocky Mountains with his wife and two daughters.
Awards & Recognition
2008 Parsec Award Finalist for Best Speculative Fiction for Full Share
2008 Podiobooks Founder's Choice Award for Double Share
2008 Parsec Award Finalist for Best Speculative Fiction for South Coast
2009 Podiobooks Founder's Choice Award for Captain's Share
2009 Parsec Award Finalist for Best Speculative Fiction for Double Share
4 out of 10 Books on Podiobooks.com Top Overall Rated by Votes (2. Double Share, 3. Quarter Share, 5. Full Share, 8. Half Share) -- as of Jan 4, 2009
6 out of 10 Books on Podiobooks.com Top Overall Rating (1. Ravenwood, 2. Quarter Share, 3. Double share, 4. Captain's Share, 5. Full Share, 7. South Coast) -- as of Jan 4, 2009
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 193 reviews
November 23, 2014
I really want to give this book 3.5 stars, because it's more good than bad. Here are the things I really like:
I like the style of writing. It's calm. Soothing. Gentle. Sometimes non-stop action wearies me, and stories like this one are the antidote to that over-stimulation. I like that the main character is an older lady. I like the world - it's fantasy, and the setting seems like medieval Europe, but isn't quite.
The things that bugged me are small, and though they don't ruin the story, they did bug me enough to pull me out of the story world. For instance, I think Tanyth, the main character is supposed to be in her late 50s or early 60s, which seems a bit late to be experiencing her first hot flash. Some stories bug me because they gloss over things like going to the "privy." This one mentions it more than any other book, ever. And Tanyth seems to not realize her waiting limits...she almost wets her pants more than seems reasonable for a woman of her age.
My own knowledge of plants pulled me out of the story as well. At one point Tanyth instructs some other characters to find some comfrey. They come back with seedpods. Comfrey doesn't have seedpods, and the medicinal uses for the plant are quite different than what is described.
Finally, I found the villagers to be a little too vanilla. No matter how much people like each other, when they live in close quarters, or together, there are going to be petty disagreements and arguments. Not much of that going on here.
This is a light read. It didn't take long and was, overall, quite enjoyable. If you like older, female leads, you'll probably enjoy it. If you like stories with nature-based religions, you'll like this one. It's certainly not a bad story and there are many reasons you might love it.
I like the style of writing. It's calm. Soothing. Gentle. Sometimes non-stop action wearies me, and stories like this one are the antidote to that over-stimulation. I like that the main character is an older lady. I like the world - it's fantasy, and the setting seems like medieval Europe, but isn't quite.
The things that bugged me are small, and though they don't ruin the story, they did bug me enough to pull me out of the story world. For instance, I think Tanyth, the main character is supposed to be in her late 50s or early 60s, which seems a bit late to be experiencing her first hot flash. Some stories bug me because they gloss over things like going to the "privy." This one mentions it more than any other book, ever. And Tanyth seems to not realize her waiting limits...she almost wets her pants more than seems reasonable for a woman of her age.
My own knowledge of plants pulled me out of the story as well. At one point Tanyth instructs some other characters to find some comfrey. They come back with seedpods. Comfrey doesn't have seedpods, and the medicinal uses for the plant are quite different than what is described.
Finally, I found the villagers to be a little too vanilla. No matter how much people like each other, when they live in close quarters, or together, there are going to be petty disagreements and arguments. Not much of that going on here.
This is a light read. It didn't take long and was, overall, quite enjoyable. If you like older, female leads, you'll probably enjoy it. If you like stories with nature-based religions, you'll like this one. It's certainly not a bad story and there are many reasons you might love it.
January 13, 2010
I'm a little biased, but I liked this one. It was quite a challenge to write because of the nature of the heroine. And the time limit.
February 18, 2013
Ah, Nathan Lowell. Can you do no wrong? Ravenwood is yet another fantastic book from the highly-praised author of the Trader Tales series. As effortlessly as Lowell approached future tech and made it easily understood and digestible in the stories of Ishmael Wang, he hits a home run in the opposite direction. Ravenwood is set in a far distant past, in a time when swordplay was the main offensive weapon in conflict.
Tanyth Fairport, a wandering homeopath, has spent 20 years learning all she can about the land around her and how it can preserve and sustain life. On her way to what she feels may be the greatest teacher she'll encounter, she gets waylaid at a small village of prosperous hardworking folk who not only need her help, but ultimately her protection.
There's something about the village that tunes Mother Fairport into nature in a way she's never been. Her prayers to the gods of the era are answered, to her surprise, and she and the townfolk come to realize that she's more than just another herbalist.
Nathan Lowell does another fine job of presenting the technology of the era in such a wonderfully familiar way that you really appreciate the simplicity of narrative done well. As with the Trader Tales, he makes the ordinary extraordinary, in an engaging way that keeps the reader glued to the story.
I listened to the podiobook, available at http://www.podiobooks.com, and I recommend it if for nothing more than just listening to the smooth oration that is as effortless as the prose itself. I look forward to book two, Zypheria’s Call, which has just recently been released.
Tanyth Fairport, a wandering homeopath, has spent 20 years learning all she can about the land around her and how it can preserve and sustain life. On her way to what she feels may be the greatest teacher she'll encounter, she gets waylaid at a small village of prosperous hardworking folk who not only need her help, but ultimately her protection.
There's something about the village that tunes Mother Fairport into nature in a way she's never been. Her prayers to the gods of the era are answered, to her surprise, and she and the townfolk come to realize that she's more than just another herbalist.
Nathan Lowell does another fine job of presenting the technology of the era in such a wonderfully familiar way that you really appreciate the simplicity of narrative done well. As with the Trader Tales, he makes the ordinary extraordinary, in an engaging way that keeps the reader glued to the story.
I listened to the podiobook, available at http://www.podiobooks.com, and I recommend it if for nothing more than just listening to the smooth oration that is as effortless as the prose itself. I look forward to book two, Zypheria’s Call, which has just recently been released.
May 17, 2011
3.5 stars. O.K. I've bumped it up to 4 stars.
Interesting for several reasons. I listened to this open-source book as a podcast from podiobooks. The book was divided even into 16 (as I recall) 45 min episodes read and well produced by the author Nathan Lowell. I would like to thank him for making this good read available with no DRM.
The writing was well done (even if a touch formulaic at points). A fascinating concept for a set of adventures surrounding Tanyth Fairport a 50 something, pre-menopausal, wanderer, herbalist, healer, and reluctant seer (and witch?).
The story is set in a medieval like fictitious land, and the heroine, Tanyth, has been wandering for 20 some years from teacher to teacher and gets side tracked in a small village.
I really appreciated the absence of vulgarity and graphic "adult" descriptions. Which supports the thesis that a good writer doesn't need to include that content.
The author adapts neopagan (wiccan) lore and practice into the story. I thought the description of natural remedies and living off the land, and the internal dialogue about the characters beliefs interesting. Clearly the goddess worship is a clear reflection of our human tendency to worship the creation rather than the Creator (c.f. , Romans 1).
This book will make for great discussion with my kids and friends.
Interesting for several reasons. I listened to this open-source book as a podcast from podiobooks. The book was divided even into 16 (as I recall) 45 min episodes read and well produced by the author Nathan Lowell. I would like to thank him for making this good read available with no DRM.
The writing was well done (even if a touch formulaic at points). A fascinating concept for a set of adventures surrounding Tanyth Fairport a 50 something, pre-menopausal, wanderer, herbalist, healer, and reluctant seer (and witch?).
The story is set in a medieval like fictitious land, and the heroine, Tanyth, has been wandering for 20 some years from teacher to teacher and gets side tracked in a small village.
I really appreciated the absence of vulgarity and graphic "adult" descriptions. Which supports the thesis that a good writer doesn't need to include that content.
The author adapts neopagan (wiccan) lore and practice into the story. I thought the description of natural remedies and living off the land, and the internal dialogue about the characters beliefs interesting. Clearly the goddess worship is a clear reflection of our human tendency to worship the creation rather than the Creator (c.f. , Romans 1).
This book will make for great discussion with my kids and friends.
May 17, 2020
Very good! The story line wasn't what I had expected!
January 17, 2021
Homesteaders in some land some where, but not really defined. "The King's Own" are mentioned, but not part of the story. This could be set any time in the twelfth through fifteenth centuries or earlier. An older woman comes upon a young village and shares her knowledge of plants and herbs for medicinal and other purposes. The village youth share their combined wisdom of building. Fact based and very interesting. Our heroin, Tanyth, begins to dream and sees through the eyes of a Raven. Evil is foretold, happens and is dealt with.
A read of human nature, which seems to be a theme for Nathan Lowell's books. I will continue this series.
A read of human nature, which seems to be a theme for Nathan Lowell's books. I will continue this series.
June 1, 2014
I bought a selection of fantasy novels for something like $ 0.99. It had a couple of gems, and Ravenwood was one of them.
This story is a refreshing change from the dark, bloody and cynical stream of fantasy that is now very popular and which I like plenty. Ravenwood is the opposite in many ways. It goes at a slow but steady pace, takes place in an understandable and not too intricate world, lacks in (gratuitous) violence and is carried by an unlikely and fascinating protagonist: a lonely wandering middle aged female herbalist.
The story of Tanyth Fairport is will written, and it is difficult not to warm to this soft-spoken but strong-willed lady. What made this story so enjoyable was the obvious love poured into every detail of the story. The simple joy of making and drinking a mug of tea jumped of the pages and into me, the reader. I even yearned for a cup of chamomile tea, and I really dislike chamomile (I'm more of an earl grey or mint type). There was enough tension and action to keep me flipping the pages, but ultimately the feel good vibe was the biggest hook for me.
The book is not without flaws. The main letdown for me was the lack of depth of most characters, and the somewhat simplistic black and characters. They were either good folks (Little House on the Prairie-like) or bad folks, and not much gray. Even Tanyth seemed to lack any flaws, although there is more depth to her character.
At points, the lack of conflict slowed the book down to just short of a crawl. I guess that is one of the book's biggest strength as well as one of its biggest flaws. In the same vein, the plot was quite linear.
The fantasy system is not very groundbreaking, but it has a believable solidity to it which I actually liked.
If you are looking for fantasy that is a bit different, lacks violence and strong language and an over-complicated world-building and intrigue, this is a good book to pick up. In that regard, it is in the same vein of Treespeaker by Katie Stewart, one of my favorite 'clean' fantasy novels.
Apparently, there are three Tanyth Fairport novels available. I will definitely buy the sequel.
This story is a refreshing change from the dark, bloody and cynical stream of fantasy that is now very popular and which I like plenty. Ravenwood is the opposite in many ways. It goes at a slow but steady pace, takes place in an understandable and not too intricate world, lacks in (gratuitous) violence and is carried by an unlikely and fascinating protagonist: a lonely wandering middle aged female herbalist.
The story of Tanyth Fairport is will written, and it is difficult not to warm to this soft-spoken but strong-willed lady. What made this story so enjoyable was the obvious love poured into every detail of the story. The simple joy of making and drinking a mug of tea jumped of the pages and into me, the reader. I even yearned for a cup of chamomile tea, and I really dislike chamomile (I'm more of an earl grey or mint type). There was enough tension and action to keep me flipping the pages, but ultimately the feel good vibe was the biggest hook for me.
The book is not without flaws. The main letdown for me was the lack of depth of most characters, and the somewhat simplistic black and characters. They were either good folks (Little House on the Prairie-like) or bad folks, and not much gray. Even Tanyth seemed to lack any flaws, although there is more depth to her character.
At points, the lack of conflict slowed the book down to just short of a crawl. I guess that is one of the book's biggest strength as well as one of its biggest flaws. In the same vein, the plot was quite linear.
The fantasy system is not very groundbreaking, but it has a believable solidity to it which I actually liked.
If you are looking for fantasy that is a bit different, lacks violence and strong language and an over-complicated world-building and intrigue, this is a good book to pick up. In that regard, it is in the same vein of Treespeaker by Katie Stewart, one of my favorite 'clean' fantasy novels.
Apparently, there are three Tanyth Fairport novels available. I will definitely buy the sequel.
April 25, 2017
Tanyth is a middle aged woman in a land where few women seem to get to that age, and she has been traveling for 20 years training with various herb women. We meet Tanyth during her journey as she comes to a little village, that she ends up helping.
The beauty of this story is the gentleness of it. I feel like I knew Tanyth and had a real sense of her day to day life, from the smells and sounds of the dawn to her boots. It wasn't about something exciting, or tragic or unjust or heroic happening in the plot, it was just this woman ... and I couldn't put it down.
Like the other Nathan Lowell series I've read, the first book is the strongest and most insightful, with the sequels progressing the plot while the characters somewhat became caricatures of themselves and the dialogue became slightly more formulaic.
But don't let that stop you. If you love character based fiction then I'm sure you will love this as much as I did. Favourite of 2015 so far.
The beauty of this story is the gentleness of it. I feel like I knew Tanyth and had a real sense of her day to day life, from the smells and sounds of the dawn to her boots. It wasn't about something exciting, or tragic or unjust or heroic happening in the plot, it was just this woman ... and I couldn't put it down.
Like the other Nathan Lowell series I've read, the first book is the strongest and most insightful, with the sequels progressing the plot while the characters somewhat became caricatures of themselves and the dialogue became slightly more formulaic.
But don't let that stop you. If you love character based fiction then I'm sure you will love this as much as I did. Favourite of 2015 so far.
May 5, 2023
I've been putting off reading this for years. I wish I'd read it sooner! Very enjoyable!
December 25, 2011
A story about a brave, mid-fifties, unassuming women who wandered the roads of an agrarian society for twenty years dressed as a slight man and carrying an oak staff. She had left an abusive husband after a particularly severe beating. On her journey, she spent time with other enlightened women and learned the ways of herbs and folk medicine absorbing the ways of the natural world including prayers and incantations. She was heading towards a renown wise, old women in the north who had accumulated a life of wisdom in the uses of natural remedies and potions, hoping to study with her and learn of her knowledge before it was lost with her death. She passes through a small village and ends up showing the villagers how to use a tea made of willow bark to treat a women that had a high fever. The villagers begged her to spend some time with them and teach them some of the herbal remedies she knew as their village medicine women had died the previous winter without training any replacement. She settles for the first time in twenty years and befriends the villagers another first in many years. Her struggles to fit in and become a member of a society that held her in high esteem while anxious to complete her self assigned mission. The story features her development into a seer and benefactor for the village and also showcases her strength of character and physical ability when confronted by bullies and would be extortionists. A story of love, bravery, strength and growth in the world. Well developed characters and appropriate dialogue in a realistic environment not far removed from our current life.
March 2, 2012
I hope this is the first of a series but my book budget will suffer as this will go on my 'auto buy' list after the first read/ first book of the series.
As far as I know, this is the author's first fantasy and it fits exactly into what I think of as a 'comfort read'. Real, average people (though they are dealing with magic, of course) but in basically ordinary circumstances. An interesting story to tell with a certain amount of mayhem and suitably nasty bad guys to defeat, very few stereotypes and a wonderfully mature main character ... definitely not the stereotypical young, beautiful witch who enchants everyone in her path.
This is a sensible older healer who settles in a small village for the winter and stomps around muttering to herself when the raven starts talking to her ... been there, done that (well, talking to myself, can't say that I've had conversations with ravens). Instead of a sword, she wields a wicked walking staff. This one goes direct to my 'keep to re-read' category.
As far as I know, this is the author's first fantasy and it fits exactly into what I think of as a 'comfort read'. Real, average people (though they are dealing with magic, of course) but in basically ordinary circumstances. An interesting story to tell with a certain amount of mayhem and suitably nasty bad guys to defeat, very few stereotypes and a wonderfully mature main character ... definitely not the stereotypical young, beautiful witch who enchants everyone in her path.
This is a sensible older healer who settles in a small village for the winter and stomps around muttering to herself when the raven starts talking to her ... been there, done that (well, talking to myself, can't say that I've had conversations with ravens). Instead of a sword, she wields a wicked walking staff. This one goes direct to my 'keep to re-read' category.
July 21, 2010
I found this podcast while searching iTunes store to see what podcasts were available. This one sounded interesting; I was hooked after listening to the first episode. I liked the way the main character, Tanyth, was developed, and how the town of Ravenwood was formed. The narrator (the author, Nathan Lowell) was excellent and really made the story come alive. I am looking forward to more in this series.
7/20/10: I listened to this podcast again and enjoyed it even more the 2nd time around.
7/20/10: I listened to this podcast again and enjoyed it even more the 2nd time around.
March 24, 2022
Finished this and book 2 Zepheria's call and am onto book 3. They are quite good and have the same vibe as the Pendric-Desdemona books by The Bujold though not quite as polished. The story is about a middle aged Herbalist woman discovering her unexpected Shaman powers. This author is flirting with great and I think his best work is yet to come. These books are quite good and there aren't many stories like it that I am aware of.
June 23, 2020
An interesting story idea. There are not many middle aged herbalists featured in literature.....
April 27, 2020
During the current “stay-at-home” life we are living, I’ve found myself going back to a book genre I’ve neglected for years. Some “fantasy” tales can be a tad wak-a-doodle: not so with this series. Ravenwood is a solid, enjoyable book by one of my fave SciFi writers — can’t wait to read more. The characters are delightful, the writing tight, and the location well thought out and the story line reasonable. Thank you, Mr. Lowell.
January 3, 2020
3.5 STARS
Tanyth Fairport, an older woman who'd traveled the forest roads to seek herb lore for twenty winters, come upon a village and stayed to help them survive attacks by a group of troublemaking ne'er-do-wells, teach them some herb lore, gave them ideas on how to expand the village .
This story is slooow. Tanyth gets up, goes to the privy, sets oatmeal onto the fire, eats breakfast, talks to various folk, survives an attack, sets more oatmeal onto the fire, and worms herself back into blankets for a sleep, again and again. There's a certain coziness to the rhythm, but it took some teeth-gritting to keep my attention focused enough to finish this book.
Overall, well-written, unique, and an interesting change from what is typical. I enjoyed it, and may even move onto Book 2.
Tanyth Fairport, an older woman who'd traveled the forest roads to seek herb lore for twenty winters, come upon a village and stayed to help them survive attacks by a group of troublemaking ne'er-do-wells, teach them some herb lore, gave them ideas on how to expand the village .
This story is slooow. Tanyth gets up, goes to the privy, sets oatmeal onto the fire, eats breakfast, talks to various folk, survives an attack, sets more oatmeal onto the fire, and worms herself back into blankets for a sleep, again and again. There's a certain coziness to the rhythm, but it took some teeth-gritting to keep my attention focused enough to finish this book.
Overall, well-written, unique, and an interesting change from what is typical. I enjoyed it, and may even move onto Book 2.
November 21, 2013
Found the audio podcast of this book in podiobooks.com and listened to it with no expectations of what the plot is or who the author was. Ended up totally loving the book.
Love love love the villagers. They exuded warmth and welcome and the way they were written made me feel like I knew these people, that I cared for them. They were so likable, and no one in the village grated only nerves. They acted like a huge extended family that welcomed the main character into their heart and hearths with such open arms. Listening to the women cajole each other while working made me remember my own girlfriends. The children headed by Reily (sp?) were just the cutest little things that always made me wistful. The men (especially Thomas, William, and Frank) made me feel secure for everyone in the village whenever they were around and I just felt proud of who they were and what they do despite their circumstances in life.
Tanyth Fairport also slowly grew on me. She exuded girl power without being in your face about it. I love that her character has such a strong although somewhat unfortunate backstory. She is rueful about her growing powers, never using her power and influence over the villagers unless they actually specifically asked it of her, but also makes me go have a wide grin and root for her when she uses them in defence of herself and those around her. I love how she started from this reclusive vagabond to becoming part of the family in the village.
And I reckon any author who can make me hate and wish to bestow all possible harm on a character for being so stupid and evil and greedy like the main antagonist made me feel while listening to the story is an author worth his salt. I HATED the guy and felt as frustrated as William was feeling when he was trying to explain to him how their village worked and how impossible his demands were. I whooped in glee when Tanyth faced off with him and pumped my fist in the air every time she landed a blow to him and his cohorts because they are just so hateful and unreasonable.
I can't wait to read the second book. I hope it's as good as this one was.
Love love love the villagers. They exuded warmth and welcome and the way they were written made me feel like I knew these people, that I cared for them. They were so likable, and no one in the village grated only nerves. They acted like a huge extended family that welcomed the main character into their heart and hearths with such open arms. Listening to the women cajole each other while working made me remember my own girlfriends. The children headed by Reily (sp?) were just the cutest little things that always made me wistful. The men (especially Thomas, William, and Frank) made me feel secure for everyone in the village whenever they were around and I just felt proud of who they were and what they do despite their circumstances in life.
Tanyth Fairport also slowly grew on me. She exuded girl power without being in your face about it. I love that her character has such a strong although somewhat unfortunate backstory. She is rueful about her growing powers, never using her power and influence over the villagers unless they actually specifically asked it of her, but also makes me go have a wide grin and root for her when she uses them in defence of herself and those around her. I love how she started from this reclusive vagabond to becoming part of the family in the village.
And I reckon any author who can make me hate and wish to bestow all possible harm on a character for being so stupid and evil and greedy like the main antagonist made me feel while listening to the story is an author worth his salt. I HATED the guy and felt as frustrated as William was feeling when he was trying to explain to him how their village worked and how impossible his demands were. I whooped in glee when Tanyth faced off with him and pumped my fist in the air every time she landed a blow to him and his cohorts because they are just so hateful and unreasonable.
I can't wait to read the second book. I hope it's as good as this one was.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2014
A highly entertaining Podiobook fantasy from the author of the "Share" SF series (and, yes, I've listened to all of those, too). I'm not sure how well Lowell's storytelling translates to print -- but on audio, he makes treadmill sessions & household chore time fly by.
Ravenwood is a pagan-themed tale featuring a rarity in in most fantasy: a woman protagonist over fifty (or at least close to it!). Tanith Fairport is a healer and long-time student of herb lore, on the road to improve her knowledge & escape an abusive past. When she stops to help a sick woman in a small, new village, she expects to be on her way by morning -- but fate (or perhaps the All-Mother) has a different plan for her.
What follows is a detailed, character-rich account of Tanith's next few months in the village (later named Ravenwood, for spoiler reasons), helping its mostly young inhabitants get themselves established. Bandits, business problems, & her own discovery of herself as more than a simple healer keep the plot humming along, though I wouldn't call this a tale of high adventure. Rather, it's a story of personal growth with a fascinating, somewhat magical setting.
Listeners who enjoy strong believable heroines over the age of 30, Wicca-type pagan details, and/or plenty of information about herbs (and village life in general) will welcome this one. I'm hoping for more Tanith Fairport adventures, though none are currently being offered in audio form.
Ravenwood is a pagan-themed tale featuring a rarity in in most fantasy: a woman protagonist over fifty (or at least close to it!). Tanith Fairport is a healer and long-time student of herb lore, on the road to improve her knowledge & escape an abusive past. When she stops to help a sick woman in a small, new village, she expects to be on her way by morning -- but fate (or perhaps the All-Mother) has a different plan for her.
What follows is a detailed, character-rich account of Tanith's next few months in the village (later named Ravenwood, for spoiler reasons), helping its mostly young inhabitants get themselves established. Bandits, business problems, & her own discovery of herself as more than a simple healer keep the plot humming along, though I wouldn't call this a tale of high adventure. Rather, it's a story of personal growth with a fascinating, somewhat magical setting.
Listeners who enjoy strong believable heroines over the age of 30, Wicca-type pagan details, and/or plenty of information about herbs (and village life in general) will welcome this one. I'm hoping for more Tanith Fairport adventures, though none are currently being offered in audio form.
September 18, 2022
I was so keen to read more of Nathan Lowell's works after reading The Wizards Butler and was so happy when I stumbled upon this. As a "retired" Wiccan myself, I was sure this here might be straight up my alley. I thought this book was about this middle aged female wanderer/adventurer, yet kind of calm wiccan kind of herb gatherer with some wicked staff fighting skills. Boy, was I wrong! Aside from a couple of ecciting scenes, this book was just about daily life, waking up, going to the bathroom, cooking and eating, with some village drama on the side. The story wasn't going anywhere. The heroine just kept talking about going to see this wise woman but she never went. There were so many scenes that were unneccessary and the book suffered from severe overwriting, which resulted in lack of build-up and tension. I was bored out of my mind often times, but still, the book had some interesting ideas there that kept me reading, hoping that eventually something would happen, but it never did. I felt like the author was promising another book where it would happen, but since he kept promising it in this book and it didn't, I'm not going to waste my time reading another book about boring stuff like cooking and waking up and going to the toilet, waiting for another promise to be broken.
November 30, 2011
Enjoyable light fantasy. Lowell always writes well -- clear, straightforward, enough detail and background to support the story but not overwhelm it. He does a good job of writing about a middle aged woman dealing with the beginning of menopause and the development of some unexpected abilities while traveling about the countryside collecting herb lore.
As with his Golden Age of the Solar Clipper series, Lowell doesn't do overly dramatic or herculean. He writes about simple ordinary people dealing with fairly ordinary -- for their society -- problems and situations. With maybe just a little hiccup of the extraordinary, like the ability to see through the eyes of a raven. But the characters are so real and likeable.
A good read. I will definitely buy the next one if he makes a series of it.
As with his Golden Age of the Solar Clipper series, Lowell doesn't do overly dramatic or herculean. He writes about simple ordinary people dealing with fairly ordinary -- for their society -- problems and situations. With maybe just a little hiccup of the extraordinary, like the ability to see through the eyes of a raven. But the characters are so real and likeable.
A good read. I will definitely buy the next one if he makes a series of it.
July 26, 2013
Lowell is a fantastic writer. I listened to his Podiobooks.com recording of this fantasy, in approximately 35-minute instalments, while starting a sock on my Knittingboard sock loom; I'm nearly half done on the first of a pair of socks now, almost to the heel turn. I'm sure Tanith "Mother" Fairport would approve.
Tanith has been on the road twenty winters, moving from place to place learning herbs and healing from a succession of women, when she comes upon a new little village of city kids who have set themselves up mining for brick and pottery clay ten days' journey out from their old home town. Nathan's gentle reading voice draws you right in to their world of pioneering, hard work, rough justice and tentative magic.
Watch the raven.
Tanith has been on the road twenty winters, moving from place to place learning herbs and healing from a succession of women, when she comes upon a new little village of city kids who have set themselves up mining for brick and pottery clay ten days' journey out from their old home town. Nathan's gentle reading voice draws you right in to their world of pioneering, hard work, rough justice and tentative magic.
Watch the raven.
July 30, 2012
As Nathan Lowell does so well, instead of big heros, big drama, he takes regular people and shows the heroism. The Solar Clipper series is the life of a sailor and happens to be set in space, but this one is a rural low-tech setting, small village surviving difficult economic challenges, with kindness shown to a rather ordinary-appearing middle-aged woman. She finds a place in their lives and hearts, as they do in hers, and this unassuming woman is not as 'ordinary' as she appears--low-key heroism at is best with just a touch of magic. I didn't want this one to end, I wanted to see more in this 'universe'.
April 10, 2014
I just loved this book it was one of the first books I got when I was given a kindle for christmas, The story is about a woman who endured her husband's beatings while her son lived with them but when he left to join the army she also left and then stayed with the village healer. She spent the next 20 years going from one village healer to another all the time learning from them the art of healing.then she comes upon a small settlement where she ask if she can use their well for fresh water she ends up staying for the winter with all that it entails. this is a great book it made me shed a tear so it gets to you enjoy. Bob.
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August 3, 2010
I've been avidly listening to Nathan Lowell's podiobooks, and he is an absolutely darling reader. Ravenwood is my least favorite yet, perhaps because of the fantasy setting, but also the excessive repetition of the magical occurrences. Still, I will listen to anything Nathan wants to read, and Tanyth is a very well-rounded character. Good for Nathan, writing intimately about a menopausal herbalist with a history of domestic violence!
March 7, 2012
I wasn't sure I'd like this book, until my sister-in-law said, "You have to read it"! Well she was right, I really enjoyed it. Loved the character, Tanyth,and the inhabitants of Ravenwood. She's a healer of sorts, gathering her wisdom from others, and sharing. A lovely fantasy, and I hope there are more books from this author. If you enjoy learning about herbs,and ancient beliefs, then read this book. Hope you like it as much as I did.
November 3, 2017
I enjoyed this book quite a lot, but not as much as the Trader's tale series by Lowell, his writing is really good as always, but there's something missing from at least this first book in the Fairport series on which I can't completely put my finger. It might just be that it's one of the earlier books that he wrote. So I think I will continue the series, but leave a couple of books inbetween this time, to get my palate cleansed.
August 3, 2016
Author Lowell has created an absolute work of art. With sparkling clarity his characters spring from the pages directly to the visual centers of the readers mind. I rarely read a book from start to finish, without pausing to read a few chapters in one or more other books, but this book kept my interest and I read it without interruption. I look forward to reading the rest of this series (While I wait the release of OWNER’S SHARE as an ebook).
August 10, 2016
A pleasing story that shows that the mundane life of ordinary people can still be interesting.
For all the detail about life in a small village, I did have one question. Where was the livestock? There was one brief mention of chickens I vaguely remember, but they never seemed to eat any or their eggs. Also, while they ate a lot of cheese they didn't seem to have a cow or even goats. Surely a pig or two would be standard also.
For all the detail about life in a small village, I did have one question. Where was the livestock? There was one brief mention of chickens I vaguely remember, but they never seemed to eat any or their eggs. Also, while they ate a lot of cheese they didn't seem to have a cow or even goats. Surely a pig or two would be standard also.
June 29, 2014
Another excellent series start to a great character study. Lowell weaves a story of Tanyth and her life's search for herbs, potions, and health-healing capabilities. What she begins to discover during her arduous path on the road describes a wonderful journey of a soul in search of something greater than the everyday, the mundane.
November 2, 2015
Engaging read, good story, likeable characters, and a touch of magic. I thoroughly enjoyed Lowell's Trader series and am reading this new fantasy trilogy a book a day--did I mention fast read? The protagonist had me at stiff body in the mornings and creaking knees, as she got ready for her miles and miles of walking through the woods.
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