12-year-old Gabriel Finley loved riddles and word play. He lived with his Aunt Jaz in an old Brooklyn brownstone because his father had vanished without a trace a few years before the start of our story. Soon, Gabriel and Aunt Jaz are joined by house guests-- his father’s school friend Trudy and her daughter Pamela. When Gabriel rescues an orphaned baby raven named Paladin, he discovers a hidden family secret that could help him find and rescue his father. You see, Finleys are able to bond with ravens in some extraordinary ways—they are able to share thoughts and speak to one another, and even merge into one being—with the human able to fly or the raven able to walk. Gabriel and Paladin, along with Pamela, neighbor Abby and schoolmate Soames, set off for a foreboding netherworld miles under Brooklyn called Aviopolis, where Gabriel’s father Adam is held captive by his evil brother Corax, a half-raven-half-human evil demon looking for a hidden torc and scepter that will grant him unlimited wishes and power, enabling him to take over the world above. An epic fantasy adventure full of unique characters, seemingly unanswerable riddles and magic at unexpected turns.
Reviewed by Kathy Thornhill, Zauel Memorial Library
Recommended for grades 5-8
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