Review - Treason of Hawks by Lila Bowen

Cover design by Lauren Panepinto

Treason of Hawks (The Shadow, 4)
Lila Bowen (Delilah S Dawson)
Orbit, 18 October 2018
PB, 371pp

I bought my copy of this book from Waterstones in Oxford.

With Treason of Hawks, Bowen brings to a close a truly remarkable sequence of books. Starting with Wake of Vultures and continuing with Conspiracy of Ravens and Malice of Crows (links to my reviews of the earlier books), she has documented the story of, first, the girl Nettie Lonesome, an orphan living in virtual slavery on a ranch presided over by the drunken man she calls Pap and then of the man Rhett Walker, who is also The Shadow, avenger of wrongs and at times, a great bird. As the series has progressed we've seen Rhett grow and develop, take on new challenges and, most of all, fight - both to overcome the monsters that threaten him and his friends, and to own and transcend his own past

Most of all, he has struggled with his relationship with Sam, finally finding love and a sort of happiness - which was thrown into terrible jeopardy in Malice of Crows.

Set in the lawless wastes of Durango Territory, a sort-of version of the Wild West that would seem familiar if it wasn't crawling with vampires, Lobos, Chupacabras and even carnivorous rabbits, the books have taken Rhett on a bewildering tour of ranger outposts, rail camps, cursed towns and abandoned missions. It's a breathtaking world that Bowen creates (ably assisted by Tim Paul's glorious map), one full of wonders (some never explored in the books), terrors and riddles.

Treason of Hawks continues right where Malice of Crows left off with Sam bleeding to death and Rhett in despair. And that note of darkness continues with what is really nonstop action, Rhett seemingly at the mercy of a mysterious and implacable enemy, desperate to defend the little family that he has build up. In many ways I think this is the darkest of the books, Rhett having to confront not only the unexpected weakness of the Shadow to protect and guide him, and malice and strength of his opponent, but also his own nature.

Rhett has, though all his adventures, been fixated on the idea of manliness. He worries about what he, as a man, should do and tends to scorn women and girls (at one point in this book he more or less claims not to know about the daily things that need to be done to make the ranch work - mainly women's work). Here, that attitude is challenged, as is the alarmingly high casualty rate among those who follow him. Monsters they may be, invulnerable to most dangers, but immortal they;re not - and Rhett begins to lose people.

The result is that - not for the first time - he has to question everything: who he is, what he has been, his heritage as a Native person, his ability to defend those he loves. As everything seems to be going wrong, what can he hold onto?

I have loved this series and adored Rhett as a character, and it is painful to see what Bowen puts him though here. Authors truly are monsters! But what happens also feels right. Durango is a brutal crucible for a man - or for anyone - to be formed in, rife with injustice, with persecution of both the Native population and the monsters, with Rhett's beloved Durango Rangers far from being the angels of justice that he imagined. (In fact coming to terms with this fact is one of his biggest challenges). In the course of these books we've seen slavery, murder and torture and there is no tidy resolution to that  - the forces behind it are too big, too strong, for resistance.

But much can be done and the book does focus on the power of love, friendship and kindness even in the face of such evils. It is in the end a quietly triumphant story, despite the losses and tears.

I'd strongly recommend this series, if you haven't read them, and if you have I'm happy to be able to report that Bowen tales the series out on a real high.

The whole thing is a fabulous achievement and I'm so glad to have read these books.

Lila Bowen kindly answered some questions when the first two books were published in 2016. You can read the interview here.

Review - Malice of Crows by Lila Bowen

Image from www.orbitbooks.net

Malice of Crows (Shadow, 3)
Lila Bowen
Orbit, 2 November 2017
PB, 344pp

I'm grateful to the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

Following directly on from Wake of Vultures and Conspiracy of Ravens, Malice of Crows picks up Rhett Walker's story immediately after Conspiracy ends. He's defeated the necromancer Trevisan, who was using gruesome magic to control monsters like Rhett - ordinary men and women with the ability to transform into animals, both mundane and esoteric - and compel them to labour building his railroad.

Yes - Trevisan was defeated, but fleeing he possessed the body of six year old Meimei, sister to Cora the healer (who is able to become a dragon when she wishes). Now Rhett - in his persona as The Shadow, avenger of wrongs and slayer of what needs to be killed, must track down Trevisan and free Meimei. Thus the story is really one long chase through the barren wastes of Durango Territory, with Rhett's posse confronting ever more daunting threats (not going to give details because spoilers).

Walker is a Durango Ranger and proud of it. It's his identity, given to him by his beloved Captain. But we learn more in the course of this book about what that means. Rhett's pride in this status takes a hammering: it seems the Rangers aren't all he believed. Not just slayers of monsters, they are a weapon of the 'civilized' world, driving out the native people - and Rhett happens to be one of those himself. In many dialogues with Coyote Dan and his sister, Winifred, Rhett seeks to come to terms with who he is and what his destiny will be. In another sense, he is learning who he is from Sam. Beautiful, golden haired Sam, who he has loved since Rhett was called Nettie Lonesome. The story of Rhett and Sam gives the book a whole different dimension though there are some heart stopping moments when it seems Rhett may give away his former identity. What will happen if Sam discovers how old Monty, his (and Nettie/ Rhett's) former mentor, actually died?

There are secrets here, and complicated identities jostling against each other: in other hands it could all seem overcomplicated but Bowen (Delilah S Dawson) knows just what she's doing and she makes Rhett, Sam, Winifred, Cora, Earl so alive, and drives them along through such a pacy series of fights, flights, escapes and puzzles, that characters and story just leap from the page.

Gradually Rhett becomes more comfortable with his identities both as man and as monster. Bowen animates her story by making the 'outsiders' into so-called 'monsters' who are at the same time the most human of the characters. At one point a frustrated Rhett shouts out that he's 'unnatural': his friends help him see that isn't true at all. But Rhett is a monster and Trevisan, for all his necromancy and murder, isn't a 'monster', he remains just a man. Being able to pass in polite society, wield power and money and claim the protection of sheriffs - and Rangers - is no guarantee of a good heart.

I loved this book. As a continuation of Rhett's story it has the same epic storytelling as the earlier volumes, but I think it explores his personality more throughly and shows him growing. The book is proudly, obstinately diverse, on a number of different dimensions while at the same time being a sharply written, exciting and in some ways endearingly old-fashioned Western, albeit one set in a slightly parallel world with magic - and monsters - acknowledged. Whether you like action, fantasy, a bit of tender romance or just a well-written, entertaining story, you'll find them - and more - here.

The author very kindly answered some questions about the books for me last year - you can read what she said here.

An Interview with Lila Bowen

Last week I reviewed Wake of Vultures and Conspiracy of Ravens by Lila Bowen (Delilah S Dawson). I'm now delighted that Lila has agreed to answer some questions about her two books.

(Mild spoiler: Sharp eyed readers will not that below I've referred to the main character in the books as Nettie - this is the name mostly used in the first book. For reasons which will become more apparent in the second, it would be more appropriate to refer to Rhett - but I have left the questions as I originally put them, after reading Wake of Vultures).

Q. Thank for agreeing to answer some questions about Wake of Vultures and Conspiracy of Ravens. First, Nettie Lonesome, your central character is - to me - wonderful both as a personality and as a brilliantly realised creation: I could hear her voice throughout Wake of Vultures. Did she come to you before the plot or did the plot come to you first and suggest her?

A. Thank you! Nettie was an immediate, organic response to the story idea, which was: What if Lonesome Dove had real monsters? The next question, for me, was: What if women in Lonesome Dove could be heroes instead of whores, martyrs, and lunatics? Nettie was born from the combination of these two questions. She's a character with every disadvantage in her world, but she's uniquely constructed to triumph anyway.

Q. How much control do you have over your characters? Did the book ever take completely unexpected turns?

A. I always leave plenty of room for surprises. I knew Nettie first, then Sam, then Monty, then Dan, but I didn't know Winifred was going to show up until Nettie threw up on her. I don't start writing until I know the beginning, the instigating factor, the climax, and the ending of the story, but many of the twists and turns between these signposts ambush me. This is why I believe the subconscious is one of the writer's greatest allies. Your brain wants to make delightful connections.

Q. You say in the Author's Note that you set out to write YA but ended up writing fantasy instead. What is it about the book that places it in one genre rather than the other?

A. To be quite honest, the marketers at my publishing house decide this placement. Ultimately, they envisioned this series as something with a wider audience, which I appreciate. YA often centers on the bridge from childhood to adulthood, the journey of self-discovery. Which, I think, Nettie experiences. But the series goes beyond that, asking more sophisticated questions and taking Nettie down avenues beyond her own personal growth. It's Fantasy, either way, but her journey isn't limited to coming of age.

Q. You also mention some of the particular influences behind Wake of Vultures - not least Buffy the Vampire Slayer. What though inspired you to write in the first place - and how did you get started with your writing career?

A. I was always a reader, but I thought that writers were like nuns and heart surgeons-- that they knew, from a young age, what their calling would be. I knew I was an artist, but I had no road map for becoming a writer, so I didn't consider it a possibility. I am the owner of a relatively useless studio art degree.

When I was 31, my second child quit sleeping, and so did I. Running on three hours of sleep a night, my mind started to unravel. My husband, a psychologist, helped me schedule more sleep and suggested I find a hobby just for me that I could do even while caring for young children: writing. The part of my brain that would've said, “But I'm not a writer!” wasn't functioning, so I wrote my first book. It was a terrible book, but I went through the revision and query process and learned enough to write a better book that earned an agent and then an even better book that was purchased at auction as a three-book series.

My book ideas come from all over. Wake of Vultures was indeed a combination of Buffy and Lonesome Dove. The idea for Hit came from an episode of South Park. Wicked as They Come came
from a dream that I met Buffy's Spike in a strange birch forest. I always try to be open to great book ideas.

Q. How has it been so far - how does it compare with what you expected?

A. It's amazing. It's such a gift, to know what I'm meant to do and be able to wake up every day and do it. I still take great joy in first drafting and editing, and getting to meet fans and other writers at conventions and conferences is a huge bonus. I have never had so much confidence, energy, and gratitude. I try to pay it forward to new writers so that they find publishing as wonderful and welcoming as I did.

Q. Do you/ did you expect this book to be controversial (and did it turn out to be)?

A. Firstly, Wake of Vultures shouldn't be controversial at all. We owe it to our readers to show a mirror for them on the page, so that everyone can see themselves as the hero of a story. But I know that publishing is sometimes late to the party, and I also know that my agent had reservations regarding whether the book would find a home in traditional publishing. Since the sale, I've seen nothing but love and enthusiasm from my publisher and from readers. I haven't received a single piece of hate mail or a rude tweet-- about this series. Goodness knows I get them for other things! All the emails I've received for Nettie have been kind and effusive, and it means so much that readers appreciate Nettie and her journey.

Q. Conspiracy of Ravens picks up directly where Wake of Vultures ends. Do you plan more adventures for Nettie?

Yes! Orbit recently bought two more Shadow books [Hooray! - BBB], so we're planning for four books in the series. There will also be short stories in various anthologies and magazines, most of which I can't announce yet.

Q. Do you know in detail where the rest of the series is going? Or is it still fairly open?

A. We have a loose synopsis for each book with the understanding that stories need room to grow and mutate. I have a couple of new characters I can't wait to introduce to Nettie, and the plot should wrap up in a satisfying way-- just in case readers are worried that book 4 will end on a cliffhanger.

Q. Are there any clues in the (brilliant!) map included in the books or is this just scene setting?
I'm so glad you like the map! I feel so fortunate to have worked with a great artist, Tim Paul, on both maps. We try hard not to spoil anything for savvy map fans, but I have left all sorts of interesting tidbits that I can use in future books. It was really neat to see the Durango Rangers badge I'd envisioned created for the map in Conspiracy of Ravens. I want a Ranger star, too!

Q. Durango is clearly part of a wider alternate world. Might Nettie explore that?

A. I think the Shadow will mostly roam Durango, but I do have a feeling that Nettie's world is related to the world in my Blud series, which starts with Wicked as They Come. Fanged rabbits, magic dust, monsters... I have my suspicions. Nettie is a creature of her world, of the hard ground and hard folk of Durango, and it has a hold on her heart and her destiny.

Q: Finally, a question that isn't (directly) about the book. You're trapped in a lonely mountain cave and the rescue party will take several days to reach you. You have plenty of food and water, and you can have one book with you. Which would it be?

A. Something big and meaty-- maybe The Outlandish Companion by Diana Gabaldon. I've read all her books many times over, but I've never picked up the tome that includes all the history, recipes, references, and tidbits about the series I've loved since 2000. Take your time, y'all. As long as I've got gluten free crackers and cheese, I'll keep reading.

Thank you so much for the interview!

And thank you again Lilia (Delilah) for answering these questions.

Both books are out now, available from the usual places - your local bookshop, or here, here or here (UK links). They are both exciting, genre-stretching reads and I'd strongly recommend them.

Wake of Vultures
Lila Bowen (Delilah S Dawson)
Orbit, 11 October 2016
PB, 342pp

Conspiracy of Ravens
Lila Bowen (Delilah S Dawson)
Orbit, 11 October 2016
PB, 359pp

Review: Wake of Vultures and Conspiracy of Ravens

Image from http://www.orbitbooks.net/

Wake of Vultures
Lila Bowen (Delilah S Dawson)
Orbit, 11 October 2016
PB, 342pp

Conspiracy of Ravens
Lila Bowen (Delilah S Dawson)
Orbit, 11 October 2016
PB, 359pp

I'm grateful to Orbit for a copies of both these books.  I'm, unusually, reviewing them together here - inevitably that means some spoilers for Wake in the Ravens review so stop reading at the first review if you want to avoid those.

Nettie Lonesome lives in a land of hard people and hard ground dusted with sand. She's a half-breed who dresses like a boy, raised by folks who don't call her a slave but use her like one. She knows of nothing else. That is, until the day a stranger attacks her. When nothing, not even a sickle to the eye can stop him, Nettie stabs him through the heart with a chunk of wood and he turns to black sand.

And just like that, Nettie can see.

Wake of Vultures

It's a Western. It's fantasy. Its protagonist is a kind of alt-reality Huck Finn, escaping from a brutal childhood and embarking on a series of adventures across a harsh, unforgiving landscape. It's The Lone Ranger or Zorro for the 21st century. It's all kinds of things, but Wake of Vultures is, most of all, utterly, utterly wonderful, readable and addictive.

Nettie - or Rhett, as she decides she'd rather be (the name changes several times as he flees from possess monsters and worse) is escaping near slavery, as a mixed race Native American/ Black orphan brought up on a desolate ranch in the 19th century in what would be Texas in this world (nearest town: Gloomy Bluebird). It's a world stalked by vampire saloon girls, dwarf miners, harpies, Sirens, the terrible Cannibal Owl itself and more. Rhett enthusiastically takes on these threats: after all, at the start of the book he's been hurt much worse by his treatment on grounds of race and gender and (potentially, if he's caught out) gender identity (to use modern terms which don't actually appear in the book, even as it confronts these subjects square on).

All the elements of a classic Western are here: cattle rustling, the glittering desert, "Injuns" (sympathetically portrayed: Bowen admits in a note at the end the difficulty of using language which risks either being wrong for the setting or disrespectful to the modern ear), seamy saloons and a dubious sort of instant justice. But there's more besides: Rhett is a magnificent creation, a girl (at the start) who takes his own fate and his own nature in his hands, identifying as a man and living that identity in various roughneck settings even as he works his way through an awful lot of growing up. Questioning his upbringing, his own worth and his origins (and dealing with those pesky monsters) is a great deal to manage, but he confronts it with aplomb.

I was impressed at the way Bowen empowers Rhett (but also the ranger Sam) to claim suppressed identities and confront the racial and other injustices of the real Old West, acknowledging and subverting the brutal reality behind it. At the same time Bowen's not afraid to use classic fantasy tropes: the prophesy, the Child Who Lived, raised in humble surroundings but (perhaps?) with a great destiny (there's a touch of Harry Potter here even in a story which has much darker and more realistic themes). I thought that actually grounded the story: strange though it may seem, that framework, the quest to destroy a monster, worked very well in the parched-desert-and-hostile-wilderness setting. It's worlds away from the classic Northern European fantasy (fur cloaks and snow) while the Western setting still gives the same sort of lawless environment and the same scope for a quest - having escaped Gloomy Bluebird and joined up with the legendary knights, sorry, Durango Rangers, Rhett sets out to confront a great evil, risking his newfound freedom - and in one powerful scene, identity. (And I wouldn't be surprised if a dragon or two turns up in the series one day).

Oh, and it's a rattling good read too, the sort of book that's best read in one or two sittings: every chapter ends on a cliffhanger (literally, in one case), there's a relentless drive to the central quest and the sense of peril and jeopardy mounts remorselessly. The end runs seamlessly into the next story (so, tomorrow really IS another day...) which promises even greater things.

Overall, a great addition to the genres of both the weird Western and of modern fantasy. Strongly recommended.

Look away now if you haven't read Vultures and don't want to see some mild spoilers.

Conspiracy of Ravens

Still with me? Well, I did warn you...

Ravens picks up right where Vultures ends, with Rhett transformed again into... something and literally leaping to freedom. He's now adopted the identity of The Shadow, legendary defender of the weak, but it takes time to come to terms with that and inevitably the immediate subsequent pages lose some of the tension of the previous book which has just worked up to a climax - Rhett must journey in the desert to explore his new identity (or identities) and learn some painful lessons, including on gratitude.

Indeed one of the attractive qualities about Rhett is that he's far from perfect, too inclined to lash out, perhaps following a less that ideal model of what being a man is: but he learns, he tries to do better, even amongst the monster chasing and questing.

And he's oh so brave and handsome, charming the socks... and other things... off both men and women, which adds a certain tension to camp life. Indeed there's almost so much going on here as to risk our losing sight of the ultimate objective, but that doesn't happen because the new quest here is brought by an Irishman, Earl, who's sometimes a donkey but is never less than focussed on rescuing his brother.

In his aspect as The Shadow, Rhett can't but offer assistance and so the pursuit begins again, as he and his posse set out to kill a sinister railway boss who has a whole camp enslaved and is gradually harvesting them for body parts. It's him who commands the ravens of the title and fantastically creepy servants they are too.

Again the pace is relentless once this pursuit gets going, with many obstacles to be confronted on the way - a cruel beast-show proprietor, the corrupt Rangers of Lamartine and a mysterious horned creature. Some of these encounters impose a real cost, immediately or later on, but Rhett doesn't flinch throughout.

Compulsive, page-turning stuff, if anything even more compelling than Vultures and as before, Bowen leaves the book in the middle of the action with the reader - well, this reader - wanting more.