Stars and Ravens by Francis Deer & Mika Hunter
Published by Independently Published
Age Group: Adult
Format: Fiction
Genres and Categories: Gay Characters, Queer Characters, Detective Characters, Magic Users, Outlaw Characters, Dwarves, Elves, Mystery, Physical Disabilities, Action, Adventure, Detective Fantasy, Various Magic, LGBTQIA+ Romance, Found Family
Series: Valerian Crow #1
My Rating:
Published on: 29th November 2019
Pages: 684
Disability Representation: Missing hand.
Buy this Book! Amazon UK / Amazon US
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Investigating a murder case, Valerian Crow is drawn into a mystery discernible only to him due to his unwanted magical abilities. Joining forces with unlikely companions, he finds himself increasingly entangled in enigmatic events. When Valerian accepts work from strange employers, magic is more and more invading his world and endangering his hold on reality. In the course of events, he has to decide whom to trust and learn to rely on others. A challenging task, even more so since all his life Valerian has been forced to lock certain parts of himself away and thus never deciphered the ways of his own heart.

This book was provided for free by the Author and the publishers in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book!

Content Warnings:

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Well, the tagline for a book has never been truer! When I started writing my review for Stars and Ravens: The Mysterious and Sometimes Confusing Adventures of Valerian Crow by Francis Deer and Mika Hunter I struggled to find the words to describe this novel because it is a unique delight. It’s as if someone were baking a cake and used book genres and fantasy elements instead. Throw in a handful of adventure, a pinch of epic journeys, a spoonful of quests, the essence of roleplay, a sprig of mystery and a good helping of camaraderie, and you’ll come close to the cake book that is Stars and Ravens. 

Those who have read some of my previous reviews will know that I’m not a big fan of long books that take a long time getting to the point or go on long journeys. I’ll admit that at times Stars and Ravens tested that part of my patience; however, where other novels have failed, Deer and Hunter have a wonderful ability to draw the reader back into the story. Just as my mind was beginning to wander, to think “ok, this is going on a bit too long now…” up popped a new plot point, a twist in the mysterious and confusing adventures that are Valerian Crow’s life.

And what a set of adventures it is. After the initial murder investigation mentioned in the synopsis, Valerian ends up journeying with two companions: a human male called Taran and a female dwarf called Lif. Taran and Lif have been adventuring for several years together. Lif is a warrior, and Taran, well, Taran is a thief and a lover of women. You’re probably thinking at this point, oh no, not another misogynistic pig. At times, Taran can be a bit… naive; however, he’s actually just a big loveable fellow. He loves women of all ages, and although he loves them and leaves them, it appears he does so without any upset. They just wait for him to pop by their way again. He doesn’t win over every woman, of course, and I’ll let you discover that for yourself.

As for Lif, she is nothing like Taran. She disapproves of his lifestyle completely, as a thief and his way with women, yet is loyal to a fault. She also has a beard, which I thought was wonderful. A lot of detail has gone into the world-building of the universe of Stars and Ravens, with Dwarves, Elves and creatures of the night living alongside humans, and there is a vast belief system for each land and race as well. Each character, even the minor ones, is so well-rounded with shortcomings and strengths. None of them is perfect, and those that appear perfect soon enough show their flaws. Stars and Ravens builds the groundwork for an M/M relationship which will grow in the course of the series. It is a slow burn, and is beautiful to watch as the characters learn more about themselves and each other.

The magic system is unlike anything I have ever seen, and it’s fascinating how deep the two authors have gone with their visualisation of magic. Normally, you get a brief description of what it looks like, a colour and maybe a small or temperature. In Stars and Ravens, it is a fully immersive surround-sound experience. I mentioned that one of the “ingredients” was roleplaying, and I think what separates this book from other fantasy novels I’ve read is the element of oral storytelling that has been woven into the narrative. I felt like I was being told a story by someone, not that I was reading a story. This is quite a significant achievement considering the book is not written in the first person.

The book ends on a huge cliffhanger that I did not see coming. I flipped the page and was gobsmacked that there was no more. I think I may have even flicked it back to check that I’d not missed a page! It was an epic ending, and while I’d had my suspicions all along, I still didn’t see all of that coming. Deer and Hunter did extremely well to mask the true intentions of the story right up until the end.

Stars and Ravens falls just short of a five out of five stars rating simply because it didn’t quite hit the spot for me personally. Fans of tabletop roleplaying and epic fantasy sagas will love this epic fantasy novel filled with quests and camaraderie. Mystery fans will, like me, be enthralled by the ongoing investigations as the group tries to puzzle out what is really going on, who their mystery employers are and what the tasks they give them have to do with anything. Deer and Hunter offer a rich fantasy tale utilising a unique storytelling technique not to be missed by fantasy fans.

About Francis Deer & Mika Hunter

Francis Deer and Mika Hunter have been friends for over 30 years, at one point deciding to join forces and become co-authors. They both live in Munich with their respective families: two husbands, two girls, two boys, two cats and the occasional nest of hornets.

Francis Deer holds diplomas in theology and adult educational science. Currently, she works as a software tester for an IT company. In addition, Francis trained as a baby-wearing consultant and runs her own small business. Over the years, she acted in various theatre groups, always striving for the romance part yet ultimately ending with the comedy role. Francis is an avid collector of tarot cards as they offer an intriguing mix of beautiful artwork and rich symbolism.

Mika Hunter studied foreign languages in Germany and France. After her exams, she went on to work for a European patent and trademark attorney firm. She spent several years in Sweden, where she helped to run a shop for children’s clothes. Mika leads a fantasy role-playing game, enjoying to surprise her players with intricate plots. She loves writing sonnets and drawing everything from birthday cards to stage backdrops for children’s theatre plays. She enjoys a variety of music, among her favourites Italian opera as well as Finnish rock and heavy metal.

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Thanks for reading my review for Stars and Ravens: The Mysterious and Sometimes Confusing Adventures of Valerian Crow by Francis Deer and Mika Hunter!

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