Raven book 1 is an entertaining adventure tale that has a sort of boisterous energy on every page. The action is brilliantly illustrated and the story itself has enough intrigue to keep you turning the page. There is a fair bit of violence and bloodshed so maybe not one for some younger readers that might be fans of The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

Unfortunately, the cast of characters are all a bit boilerplate. We have the stubborn nobleman Count de Montignac and his sweet daughter Anne. Kemba who is Raven’s wise and witty mentor. This is fine as there is enough nuance and smart dialogue to make you care about them (apart from Lady Darksee who as a villain is truly despicable).

For those that fancy a graphic novel full derring-do on the high seas or something a bit darker and violent than Pirates of the Caribbean, this is a real treat. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.