Product Description

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.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #192856 in Books
• Published on: 2001-02-15
• Released on: 2001-02-15
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 347 pages

Review
“Ben Gadd has reached deep into the mystery of ravens in this book. It is beyond doubt a fascinating story – a real classic.”
–Andy Russell

“Gadd has combined fiction and fact in such an exciting way it is hard to put the book down – a completely absorbing tale.”
–J. Cam Finlay, author of A Bird-Finding Guide to Canada

“Here’s a book about animals that think and talk like people, both of which are features I would not expect to like – yet I found Raven’s End riveting.…It’s a great book for kids as well as for grown-ups and, like Watership Down, reminds us that we are animals too.”
–Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, author of The Hidden Life of Dogs

From the Back Cover
“Ben Gadd has reached deep into the mystery of ravens in this book. It is beyond doubt a fascinating story – a real classic.”
–Andy Russell

“Gadd has combined fiction and fact in such an exciting way it is hard to put the book down – a completely absorbing tale.”
–J. Cam Finlay, author of A Bird-Finding Guide to Canada

“Here’s a book about animals that think and talk like people, both of which are features I would not expect to like – yet I found Raven’s End riveting.…It’s a great book for kids as well as for grown-ups and, like Watership Down, reminds us that we are animals too.”
–Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, author of The Hidden Life of Dogs

About the Author
As the author of the classic Handbook of the Canadian Rockies, Ben Gadd is recognized as one of the greatest living authorities on the natural world of the Canadian Rockies. An interpretive guide, Ben Gadd lives in Jasper, Alberta.

Customer Reviews

Great!
As wierd as it may sound, the characters in this book are very human, in an animal sort of way. They are very real, almost like people I actually know. and I really liked the spiritual aspect of it.

This story is partly based on the climbing experience of my father, who is the character Ted in the book. It was interesting for me to read because I knew that the accident had to be in there somewhere, but I wasn't sure how it fit in to the story. It was a neat moment when I knew for sure who Colin was.

Definately one of the better books I've read.

Rawk-a-taw!
A beautiful blend of natural history and fantasy. Gadd takes the fascinating natural history of ravens and the Canadian Rockies and weaves them into a tremendous tale of adventure, discovery, mystery and magic. This is a wonderful book for readers of all ages. A real treat - I hope a sequel is not far off!

P.S. Don't start reading this before bed if you have to get up early!