Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Master of Crows

by Grace Draven (Goodreads Author)

3.95 of 5 stars 3.95 · rating details · 1,307 ratings · 217 reviews

(Fantasy / Fantasy Romance) What would you do to win your freedom? This is the question that sets bondwoman, Martise of Asher, on a dangerous path. In exchange for her freedom, she bargains with her masters, the mage-priests of Conclave, to spy on the renegade sorcerer, Silhara of Neith. The priests want Martise to expose the sorcerer's treachery and turn him over to Concl...more

ebook, 276 pages

Published July 13th 2009 by Amber Quill Press, LLC

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Villain as romantic love interests

26th out of 119 books — 186 voters

Magicians, Sorcerers & Witches In PNR/UF

2nd out of 129 books — 34 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Sep 20, 2011 ♡KarLynP♡ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, genre-fantasy, genre-historical, steam-hot, loanable-kindlebooks, read-2011, genre-paranromal, great-hero, great-heroine, top-100-favorites, game-of-thrones, fantasy, dark-fantasy, magic, mages, fantasy-romance, adult

5++, A fantastic historical fantasy/PNR romance. HOT.
Yum, yum, yummy!!! Seriously, as GOOD AS IT GETS!!

Silhara of Neith, yum!

I loved this one. Master of Crows is a wonderful fantasy/PNR romance with a great balance of rich world building (felt like a medieval/Persia kind of world, loved it), mixed with a solid, steamy hot romance and great chemistry between the H/h (Silhara of Nieth, the Master of Crows, and Martise of Asher, a slave girl with an unexpected magical gift).

This book paints an int...more

like 48 likes · see review

Mar 02, 2011 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-pnr-sci-fi-romance, 4-5-5-stars

4.5 stars

The power of the god Corruption is increasing and its aim is to rule the world. It has chosen Silhara of Neith, a dark, renegade mage as its avatar. Ironically the one person powerful enough to stand against the lure of Corruption and to defeat it is Silhara. To do this though, Silhara, the Master of Crows, needs help in the translation of scrolls that will reveal the key to defeating Corruption and rid it from the world.

The priests send him Martise of Asher, a skilled scribe and transl...more

like 12 likes · see review

Nov 12, 2011 Melindeeloo rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-romance, friendable, favorites

Master of Crows was wonderful. If I hadn't gotten a rec from a Goodreads friend (Thanks Heather.), I'd have probably been a bit skeptical going into the book, because the reviews I'd seen had been so overwhelmingly positive - well now you can add me to the 'gushers'.

Having caught the eye of a corrupt god, a god who intends to use the Crow Mage Silhara as the vessel for his latest incarnation, the outcast mage is desperately trying to resist the god's powerful lure. But the god is seductive and...more Master of Crows was wonderful. If I hadn't gotten a rec from a Goodreads friend (Thanks Heather.), I'd have probably been a bit skeptical going into the book, because the reviews I'd seen had been so overwhelmingly positive - well now you can add me to the 'gushers'.

Having caught the eye of a corrupt god, a god who intends to use the Crow Mage Silhara as the vessel for his latest incarnation, the outcast mage is desperately trying to resist the god's powerful lure. But the god is seductive and Silhara is running out of time and will power - his only hope is to find a way to kill a god. Choosing the lesser of evils, Silhara petitions the Conclave for a scholar with expertise in archaic languages to help him dig through ancient texts for spell. Having no love for Silhara, the Conclave leader Cumbria, sees Silhara's request as the perfect opportunity to install a spy in Silhara's house. So Cumbria's 'ward' Martise - a slave promised her freedom in exchange for information leading to Silhara's downfall - is sent to 'aid' Silhara, and in exchanger for Conclave's assistance Silhara will help Martise to discover her hidden magic. As the pair slowly overcome their distrust and come to admire each other, both Martise and Silhara will have to decide whether their own freedom is worth the price of the other's life.

I am really character-centric in my reading and I loved both Martise and Silhara. Author Draven really took the time to flesh out her cast - even her supporting characters are well drawn. So for me it was a big plus that instead of being action driven, Master of Crows was character driven. The interractions between Martise and Silharea were deftly crafted with 'key' moments that moved their relationship along throughout the story, even as they both fought not to 'go' there. And since the pair started out pretty much as adversaries who needed the other for their own salvation, they both had really good reasons for not wanting to want each other. As a result, their mutual admiration and later their romance built slowly before finally progressing to the physical and capping off with a nice amount of steam. As a magic/fantasy romance, Master of Crows is not erotic by Paranormal Romance standards - but probably falls into that category by Fantasy standards.

So the bottom line is that I really enjoyed Master of Crows, it was a pleasant surprise and with an ending and a happily ever after that feel very finished, Martise and Silhara's tale looks to be a standalone story. Though not available on Kindle yet, Draven does have several other standalone looking ebooks out there and I plan to find out whether they are just as good as Master of Crows.(less)

like 14 likes · see review

Jan 31, 2013 Kathleen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, pnr-uf

**********
Content: Sex, erotica almost, some violence, several typos.
**********
3.5 stars, maybe more. Overall, a good read, and some parts were superior. Yet also disappointing: Because the author started the book with such a fantastical plot line and created such a sense of dire urgency -- even emergency -- I found the sex eventually overdone and distracting. I felt caught between two genres. IMO, the main flaws are repetition and sex-driven plot. I explain these flaws below and also highlight...more **********
Content: Sex, erotica almost, some violence, several typos.
**********
3.5 stars, maybe more. Overall, a good read, and some parts were superior. Yet also disappointing: Because the author started the book with such a fantastical plot line and created such a sense of dire urgency -- even emergency -- I found the sex eventually overdone and distracting. I felt caught between two genres. IMO, the main flaws are repetition and sex-driven plot. I explain these flaws below and also highlight the many parts I liked.

Many spoilers below!!

(view spoiler)

Secondary characters were pretty cool. I liked the dog and the manservant a lot.

Most of the potential for fantasy plot got smothered by romance, but the final battle against Corruption was well drawn. Vivid. I felt like I could see what was happening inside the mind of the god.

I really liked the very end. Silhara made some great choices. No instant riches. All that was lost is not instantly and easily recovered. They will work for it. Sweet.

There were about a dozen typos -- not too bad, and mostly punctuation, but at least one sentence did not make sense unless I inserted a word.

Some anachronistic vocabulary. For example, the author described a crushed melon drink as being "like a slurry," but, "slurry" reflects a contemporary setting and makes me think of a slushy, so this pulled me right out of that ancient market scene. How would Martise know about slurries, when historically "slurry" meant muddy, runny water, according to my huge old dictionary?

This author shows a lot of promise. I will read more of her work.(less)

like 4 likes · see review

Aug 12, 2012 Douglas Meeks rated it 5 of 5 stars

Master of Crows by Grace Draven

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I know somebody else read Master of Crows and did NOT tell me what an excellent book this was going to be. Let me clear up something and that is that all my all time favorite books have been epic type novels/trilogies/series where the hero/heroine struggles against seemingly impossible odds. That is where this book took me, as with most fantasy romance it is long winded and slow paced but the reason is that there is not the "MINE" moment yo...more

like 6 likes · see review

Jul 26, 2012 Kyndall rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, finished-in-a-day, well-written, romance

I love, love, loved this book. The character building and the romance were very fleshed out and well written. You slowly see their affections transform from hate to like to love. I would have liked a little more world building and background about the world. I also thought the last fight was a little anti-climactic, I guess I expected it to be a lot more of a struggle. So really it's a 4.5, for those reasons, but I will definitely be reading it again and recommending it to others.

I would love a...more

like 2 likes · see review

Dec 31, 2011 Melanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, favorites, bewitch-me, enemies-to-lovers, hey-look-what-i-can-do, gods-be-damned, grace-draven, kindle, plain-and-or-curvy-h, what-a-jerk, aint-he-sweet, indie-author

5+ stars

W-O-W! Grace Draven, I'm officially a fan!

I have to say this is one of the best fantasies I've ever read. It was masterfully crafted, extraordinary and epic. Usually, I reserve "epic" for the culmination of amazing series, but as a solitary novel, 'Master of Crows' was, for me, an epic journey from beginning to end.

I was instantly drawn into Silhara's world, the notorious and mysterious Master of Crows. A mage of unequal parallel, he faces daily battles with the god Corruption who wants...more

like 5 likes · see review

Feb 26, 2012 jD rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2_kindle_own, 2011-read, 2011_5-stars, 7_stand-alone, fantasy_romance, fantasy_myths, magic_wizards-and-such

I have done something I never do -- I just re-read this one because I needed something original and seductive with a strong magical element. I loved it as much this time as I did the first time. I would not be surprised to find myself reading it again at some point. This is one of my favorite books hands down. I did not change my review only this introduction. I have nothing new to add. I feel I captured it well in my original review in Nov. 2011.

Nothing could have prepared me for this book. It...more I have done something I never do -- I just re-read this one because I needed something original and seductive with a strong magical element. I loved it as much this time as I did the first time. I would not be surprised to find myself reading it again at some point. This is one of my favorite books hands down. I did not change my review only this introduction. I have nothing new to add. I feel I captured it well in my original review in Nov. 2011.

Nothing could have prepared me for this book. It’s an erotic love story set in a unique world of magic and imaginative cultural divides. Grace Draven is a gifted storyteller with spot on pacing, character development, and intrigue. This story is much more complex than it appears in the synopsis.

The Master of Crows is at its heart a love story, a very sensuous one to the point of erotica. The first half of the story is solidly fantasy with world building and character development. The second half of the book continued in it's complexity but then Ms. Draven added some heat. A lot of it. The carnal aspects were very well done. It's a patient seduction so the heat fits with the relationship that develops.

Silhara of Neith is the Master of Crows, a sorcerer disenfranchised from the magical community. He lives in a barony called Neith which is as broken as his life. He is the avatar for a banished god called Corruption who is a nasty piece of work. Corruption’s painful attempts at possession have left Silhara desperate to kill the god before he uses him to destroy the world. He reaches out to the mage-priests of Conclave for a scribe to help him find the solution in the ancient text he hords. He does not inform them that he is the avatar because they would target him for death.

Martise of Asher is selected to become Silhara’s apprentice and to assist him in his search for a solution. Martise is offered her freedom if she adds spying to her list of things to do. Having dreamed of her freedom since having her soul enslaved by a Conclave leader, she is willing to do the deed. As well, Martise is magically Gifted but no one has been able to make her gift manifest or to determine what it is. Martise is hopeful that the Master of Crows can help her find her magic.

Silhara and Martise start out with no trust and conflicting interest. Silhara is prickly and mean to Martise right off the bat. Martise exhibits servitude and compliance while harboring dreams of stabbing Silhara in the back. As the two engage in daily power struggles they are unaware of a slow blooming respect that will lead them into an affair that reaches critical mass. They work against time and one another until desperation moves their relationship from enemies to lovers. When all the pieces are put on the table, Silhara discovers that the price of killing a god is much higher than he could have imagined.

This is a full length novel with a real ending. Between the first page and last, the story is a pure joy ride. I fell in love with Silhara and Martise. Their interactions had a ring of sincerity that many authors struggle to accomplish. I enjoyed the characters when they did mundane things like having tea, harvesting oranges, or fighting for their lives. The world building and plot construction did not suffer at the expense of the love story. I was blown away over and over again as each layer was exposed and peeled away. The story is perfect in every respect. 5 stars all day, everyday.
(less)

like 3 likes · see review

Oct 08, 2012 Claire rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, vaginal-fantasy-group

Loved it!!!!!!
The smaller cast of characters, the setting (anyone else think of southern Spain?), the pacing and language are great. I enjoyed that Martise wasn't the beautiful female lead we've gotten used to, and that it was her wit and talents that got to Silhara and made her unique. As for Silhara ... oooh, boy! I liked his connection with Neith, the crumbling manor and the oranges (view spoiler) I loved the friendship betwee...more

like 1 like · see review

Jul 12, 2012 ala rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: mediocre, smut

Ok, now it's definitely official -- I do not like romance novels. So perhaps it is unfair of me to review this book, but I guess I had been under the impression it would be a fantasy with some romance... but no, this was definitely a romance with some fantasy. Even as such, I think it was a pretty unoriginal, unremarkable and un-entertaining. Made it to the First Sex Scene and couldn't be bothered to read more.

PS What's the deal with this heroine? First she's ugly but has a completely hot voice...more

like 1 like · see review

Nov 17, 2011 ~V~ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, paranormal-romance

A wonderfully epic novel filled with fantasy, adventure and romance! Starts out a little bit slow but picks up very quickly and sucks you right in! .The cover of this book is absolutely beautiful but i don't know that i would have ever picked up this book had i not gotten a recommendation from my Goodreads friend...thank you Heather C! :)

like 4 likes · see review

Nov 06, 2012 Isis Sousa rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: All of you, who like original stories, Fantasy, Romance and Action!

Shelves: my-favourite-books, fiction, fantasy

When I firsat started reading this book, I thought I started reading a “usual” Romance.

Little did I know, how complex was the world Grace Draven was leading me into. The two key characters, Silhara (oh what a beautiful name!) and Martise ( another equally beautiful name!) are almost like nemesis until a certain point in the story.

Silhara is such an ominous man, with words that are shaper than a razor blade. Martise is an admirable woman. She is full of virtues and lives the adventure (and Romanc...more

like · see review

Oct 29, 2012 Lucy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: did-not-finish, bad-boy, bland-heroine

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The stunning cover grabbed me. The start of the book also grabbed me. I liked the picture the author paints of the crumbling castle circled by crows, a malignant glowing yellow star, a dark sorcerer, and a plain, drab indentured girl.

I am not going to say much about the world-building. It definitely wasn't fleshed out extensively but world-building will not usually cause me to dislike a book.

My beef was with the characters.

Silhara was ok but not as creepy or powerful as the author intended imo....more The stunning cover grabbed me. The start of the book also grabbed me. I liked the picture the author paints of the crumbling castle circled by crows, a malignant glowing yellow star, a dark sorcerer, and a plain, drab indentured girl.

I am not going to say much about the world-building. It definitely wasn't fleshed out extensively but world-building will not usually cause me to dislike a book.

My beef was with the characters.

Silhara was ok but not as creepy or powerful as the author intended imo. I never really felt worried for the heroine's safety. He didn't seem to change much either. In disney's Beauty and the Beast aka similar plot line, I was more worried for the heroine, and the beast in that did seem to have a more obvious dark past. So...

The scene with the ex-boyfriend was off-putting. Do I want to see Silhara get jealous, get in a fight etc? Sure. But did he need to scar that guy? Did that ex need to be such an evil barely-human caricature (in order to justify the scarring)? Honestly, it only made me think even less of Martise that she had slept with such a loser in the first place.

Martise's character. She was plain. She was not a virgin. The author did well here on breaking convention. She just didn't seem to have much character though. I thought there was going to be a bit of a battle. He would maybe underestimate her and she would be actively trying to get her freedom and causing him grief. I can only assume she didn't care that much about her freedom given the effort she made.

Maybe the way she behaves/speaks/etc is due to a lifetime of slavery? Because that's how someone like that would act? Well, I don't care. She is still bland and boring and has next to no pluck. Change her background to once-free-then-enslaved if it would give her a bit more fire.

Ultimately I stopped reading because I hated the whole sacrifice/opening/entering magic power she has. How it just wants to be shafted by Silhara. etc. And Martise is like cool I will just sit her and pine and be passive and sacrificial and stuff.
(less)

like · see review

Oct 10, 2012 Ashley Robinson rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-owned-digital

I read this for the Vaginal Fantasy book club, and I'm left with mixed feelings.

This book didn't suck me in and keep me there, which was strange because it's everything I love in a fluffy read. There's high fantasy, interesting characters, SUPERB world-building, but for some reason it didn't click on all cylinders for me.

I've mulled over the issue for a while, and I've decided that it has everything to do with Silhara. I adored Martise, and I really appreciated the time that the author spends...more

like · see review

Sep 04, 2012 Charity rated it 4 of 5 stars

First order of business; I have to gush about the cover art! Best cover art ever! This beautiful piece of work was created by the talented Louisa Gallie. She is a Concept Artist, Illustrator and she also designs e-book covers. And after reading this book, I have to agree with what Ms. Draven wrote in her dedication.

”... an enthusiastic thank you to Louisa Gallie who found the heart of this book and brought it to vivid life...”

That she did! This artist really captured the essence of this book. I...more First order of business; I have to gush about the cover art! Best cover art ever! This beautiful piece of work was created by the talented Louisa Gallie. She is a Concept Artist, Illustrator and she also designs e-book covers. And after reading this book, I have to agree with what Ms. Draven wrote in her dedication.

”... an enthusiastic thank you to Louisa Gallie who found the heart of this book and brought it to vivid life...”

That she did! This artist really captured the essence of this book. It’s exactly the way I pictured it. Amazing!

Okay, well, I could ramble on and on about the importance of fantastic cover art. How crucial and sometimes overlooked it can be. But, I won’t bore you with my musings and statistics. Instead, I’ll get right to reviewing the content.

Master Of Crows is a Fantasy/Romance that is threaded with darkness, arcane magic and has an antediluvian/medieval vibe

This book seemed more like a romance then fantasy to me. The romance is a slow progression, but once it’s out there it’s all about the lovin’ and the fantasy aspect takes a back seat. For some reason that disappointed me. I was really getting into the fantasy world that Ms. Draven so beautifully created that I sort of forgot this book was categorized as a Romance as well. I would have liked the romance toned down just a little in order to evenly balance with the fantasy.

However, I was not disappointed in the characters. I thought the consistency was there. I know some reviewers scoff at the servant/master role between Martise and Silhara but I have to disagree.
Martise, was raised a slave. Taught to serve in the house of Asher. This is all she knows. That is who she is and we do see her progress slowly out of that role as she discovers her powers. Later on, we see she is treated like a mate and equal.
Silhara, is a brooding loner type who has pushed people away his whole life. Other Mages have feared him and treated him as an outcast. He assumes that role. However, Martise is able to break through that protective wall he has so stubbornly created and thus, drops his guard long enough that we as readers get a chance to see the man Martise has fallen in love with.
Silhara and Martise are the main protagonists is this tale but my heart goes to the supporting character Gurn. Gurn is the man-servant of Silhara, and is mute. I was so impressed with how skillfully Ms. Draven wrote his character. Obviously he has no dialog but his personality shines through the pages with the way she has so artfully scripted his actions and expressions. From a writing stand point, that is truly an impressive feat. I smiled when he smiled and felt frustrated and angry when his character did as well. Gurn’s character was an unexpected surprise and he stole the show for me.

Grace Draven is a wonderful descriptive writer. She sucked me into the land of Neith and I had no trouble at all visualizing all of the layers and subtile details. A talented and promising author that I expect will produce nothing but superior work in the future.

I recommend this book for those of you who love a romance first and a fantasy second. I give Master of Crows 4 stars. A great book for the antiquated romantic at heart.(less)

like · see review

Aug 31, 2012 Tiffany rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was loaned to me through Lendle.

I want to preface my review by saying that I suspect I might be in a reading funk and a lot of books are not capturing my attention like usual. However, saying that, I still consider 3 stars to be a good book, but not a great book (4 stars) and not a knock-my-socks-off book (5 stars).

Characters:
Martise of Asher is a slave whose master (Cumbria of Asher, a member of Conclave) has her spirit stone (a spirit stone contains part of a person's spirit so the...more This book was loaned to me through Lendle.

I want to preface my review by saying that I suspect I might be in a reading funk and a lot of books are not capturing my attention like usual. However, saying that, I still consider 3 stars to be a good book, but not a great book (4 stars) and not a knock-my-socks-off book (5 stars).

Characters:
Martise of Asher is a slave whose master (Cumbria of Asher, a member of Conclave) has her spirit stone (a spirit stone contains part of a person's spirit so they are bound to however owns the stone). She is sent to Neith under the guise of being an apprentice of Conclave to aid Silhara in translations (she is really there as a spy for Conclave to find a reason to have Silhara killed). Silhara is also supposed to help Martise unlock her power (which no one else has been able to do).

Silhara of Neith (aka Master of Crows) is hated by Conclave and feared by everyone else. He is a very powerful mage who has refused to pledge allegience to conclave. He is brusque and slightly scary at times. The god, Corruption, has set his eyes on Silhara to be his way into the world. This is bad and Silhara is trying to resist while also trying to find a way to kill Corruption, but in the meanwhile, Corruption is taking his toll on Silhara's body and mind.

Cons:
-I didn't like how the author made Martise so "plain". It was said at least a dozen times how unattractive he is. This is a personal preference that I don't like my heroines to be ugly. They don't have to beautiful, just not so unattractive that that is the first thing anyone says or thinks about her.

-***Spoiler-ish***: Silhara, in his quest to rid himself of his desire for Martise ordered himself a prostitute. I didn't mind that, but he went way way too far with the prostitute for it to be endearing that he didn't end up having sex with the prostitute. And the only reason he didn't was because (oh how to put this genlty)...his equipment wouldn't work because this beautiful prostitue was not Martise. I found nothing in that situation to endear Silhara to me.

Overall, I would say this was an enjoyable book. I read the first 40% fairly quickly, then I had trouble getting into it until ~75% then I sucked it down quickly again. (less)

like · see review

Aug 22, 2012 Madame X rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: angst-up-to-eleven, bait-and-switch, fantasy, meh, romance-ends-with-hea-or-hfn, weak-heroine

Here's the premise that got me really excited about MASTER OF CROWS: a black wizard, threatened with possession by an evil god, must ask for help from his worst enemies. The enemies send him a young woman, a spy, who serves as his apprentice while scheming to betray him. Against all odds, and by slow degrees, the black wizard and the spy fall in love. Also, kill the evil god.

Here's what I actually ended up reading: painfully noble wizard castigates himself over his many evil acts, commits none (...more Here's the premise that got me really excited about MASTER OF CROWS: a black wizard, threatened with possession by an evil god, must ask for help from his worst enemies. The enemies send him a young woman, a spy, who serves as his apprentice while scheming to betray him. Against all odds, and by slow degrees, the black wizard and the spy fall in love. Also, kill the evil god.

Here's what I actually ended up reading: painfully noble wizard castigates himself over his many evil acts, commits none (he's more the perpetually-guilty, hairshirt-wearing monk type). Rather than evil wizarding, he mostly occupies himself with tending an orange grove and making perfume. The spy is a really, really nice girl who does very little spying and a whole lot of brewing tea, picking oranges, and mooning over the wizard.

Here's what I wanted from the romance: a battle of wits or wills or magic. The fun of seeing an intense power disparity - Silhara is master of his domain; Martise is his minion, so long as she lives under his roof - slowly tip into a union of equals.

Here's what I got: Silhara's wit, will, and magic remain at all times the superior. At no point are these characters ever in any way equals. Martise is mostly servile but her occasional flashes of sarcasm or, even more daring!, occasional stubborn, silent disagreement with Silhara's edicts impress him to no end; he thinks her very brave.

The romance, to be fair, evolves gradually. But one of the primary obstacles to an HEA is that Martise doesn't feel pretty enough for Silhara. She's insecure and needs to be praised and cherished and reassured. In return for Silhara's praise and reassurance, Martise becomes even more servile, self-sacrificing, and sweet.

MASTER OF CROWS also happens to contain one of my least favorite plot tropes ever. Silhara is an accomplished wizard distinguished by his self-discipline. Martise, by contrast, has a powerful magical gift that she cannot control. She can give her power away - give and give and give, that's her special Gift! - but she can never control it. Her power is literally and figuratively not her own.

I do not think that MASTER OF CROWS should be described as a fantasy; I think that it is primarily romance. The subplot about the evil god of Corruption is just that - a subplot. It exists to bring the hero and heroine together in the same location, to separate them (he can't trust her with his secret!) or push their relationship along to the next major turning point (she'll put her own safety at risk for his!).

I also found myself skimming through the endless descriptive passages where nothing was happening story-wise. The writing just wasn't strong enough to hold my attention on its own.

This just isn't the book that I expected or hoped for. Not the sort of story or romance I enjoy reading. (less)

like 3 likes · see review

Aug 10, 2012 Brandon Smith added it

Shelves: gave-up-on

...more

like · see review

Aug 23, 2012 Kenya Wright rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: bad-boy-love, gave-literary-erection, gods-and-goddesses, hot-hot-sex-scenes, hot-classy-sex-scenes, hot-sexy-hero, lost-sleep-couldn-t-put-it-down, lots-of-romance, magic-and-witches, multi-pov, high-fantasy

SO. . .One night Patrick Rothfuss (The Name of the Wind), Laini Taylor (Daughther of Smoke and Bones), and Nalini Singh (Angel's Blood) walked into a brothel.

Why?

Because I have a sick and twisted mine.

So these three authors walk into a high-end brothel, order Absynthe, and prepare to do the NASTY (yeah I'm bringing that term back). Clothes are torn. Sweat trickles. Erections and moistoning arise!

A CHILD IS CONCIEVED!!
Yes! Nalini Singh and Laini Taylor impregnate Patrick Rothfuss finally a man g...more

like 7 likes · see review

Apr 21, 2012 K. Bird rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have to admit, it was the new edition's cover that tipped the balance and made me buy this book. Of course all the raving reviews didn't hurt, either.

And...it was $2.99 well spent.

Okay, at first when the book opens and we meet Silhara in Neith and the god Corruption is trying to possess him, I almost stopped reading because of the overly dramatic prose.

I stuck with it and I was glad I did. So yes, there are some disconnected bits of dialogue I didn't follow, and the build up to the confrontati...more

like 1 like · see review

Apr 19, 2012 Felicia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: vaginal-fantasy

OK! So I'm giving this 5 stars even though it should be 4 for the following reasons: the first 20% is a little slow, and the last chapter is kinda weirdly put together. BUT I will say I LOVED THIS and it's only 2.99 self-published, I picked it up randomly, so my expectations weren't that high and I was forced to obsessively read this so wow, pardon me while I add an extra star for those reasons! :D

This is a VERY SIMILAR book plot-wise to one of my VERY favorite books, Darkangel by Meredith Pierc...more

like 24 likes · see review

Nov 16, 2011 ♠ Sharon is an emotional book junkie ♠ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011, emotional-angsty-books

**4-4.5 stars**

Master of Crows is a very different type of romance story and IMO it had a Jane Eyre feel to it. Martise is a slave to Cumbria, a member of the Conclave, a magic hierarchy. In exchange for her freedom, she is sent to spy on Silhara, a mage who is somewhat ostracized not only due to his immense power but to his willingness to NOT play by the rules. Throw into the mix a vengeful god, Corruption, who wants to take over Silhara and you have quite an adventure.

The story was really wei...more

like 7 likes · see review

Jan 30, 2013 Wendy rated it 3 of 5 stars

I have to say that while I liked this book, I feel conflicted about it as well, mostly due to the nature of the relationship between Silhara and Matrise. His behavior towards her is awful--he terrifies her to the point she regards him with fear. Not that he doesn't have good reason to be angry for the real reason for her presence, his behavior is just so absolutely horrible--I don't think calling it abusive is an understatement.

Yet, as in many scenarios such as this, she ends up falling in love...more

like · see review

Jul 25, 2012 Candace rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-romance, book-club-vaginal-fantasy

Although there was nothing earth shattering about Master of Crows, it's definitely a very enjoyable read. Silhara and Martise are both compelling characters, and in fact, I'd say the characterization is the book's strongest suit. They're both well developed - not perfect, but also admirable in their own ways. The romance between the characters is also convincing, and very passionate. There were a lot of sensual scenes, which I thought were well-written and quite steamy, although the author sever...more

like 1 like · see review

Oct 29, 2011 BamaGal rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of Tairen Soul

Recommended to BamaGal by: ♡KarLynP♡

Shelves: fantasy

A very good fantasy read, very good read. I had a little bit of trouble getting into the story in the beginning, however. There was a great deal of wonderful wordbuilding and vivid, colorful imagery; but there were also a few long, ponderous scenes that took too long to get to the point. Eventually this passed, and the story started to come together.

About the time Silhara and Martise left for the soul-eating Liche's Hall was when the story really took off for me. After that, it was a wonderful,...more

like 8 likes · see review

Jan 16, 2012 Ferdy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dark-tortured-broody-hero, likeable-hero

4.5 stars
I love a bit of romance mixed with fantasy, so as you can imagine I was more than pleased to stumble across Master of Crows. Silhara of Neith is the Master of Crows, a powerful mage who is simultaneously being plagued and seduced by the God, Corruption. Corruption whispers promises of power and destruction to tempt Silhara into giving up his body for Corruption's use. Silhara is desperate not to give into temptation for risk of losing his freedom, so he writes to the Conclave - a group...more 4.5 stars
I love a bit of romance mixed with fantasy, so as you can imagine I was more than pleased to stumble across Master of Crows. Silhara of Neith is the Master of Crows, a powerful mage who is simultaneously being plagued and seduced by the God, Corruption. Corruption whispers promises of power and destruction to tempt Silhara into giving up his body for Corruption's use. Silhara is desperate not to give into temptation for risk of losing his freedom, so he writes to the Conclave - a group of mages who despise Silhara - for help to destroy Corruption. The Conclave send Martise of Asher, a gifted scholar and mage to not only help Silhara find a way to kill Corription but to also spy on Silhara.
Silhara is all too aware that Martise is a spy but he does not know that she is also a slave, Silhara makes her stay at Neith very difficult in the hope that she leaves before giving the Conclave any ammunition that could sentance him to death. Martise's freedom rests on finding out if Silhara is in league with Corruption so she is not easily deterred by Silhara's less than warm hospitality. Everyday Silhara is more at risk of giving into Corruption's demands, knowing this Silhara stops antagonzing Martise and instead orders her to find a solution to their god problem. Martise and Silhara search for answers before Corruption becomes any stronger.
Martise is attracted to Silhara, the feeling is not mutual though. Martise is not beautiful or pretty, she as Silhara puts it - is as plain as a potato but she does have a rocking body and a voice again as Silhara puts it - that can make a guy come. Martise and Silhara slowly get to know each other and Silhara sees that though Martise is no beauty that she is smart, hard working and witty. Silhara is not your usual rich, layabout hero..he maybe a feared and all powerful mage but he's also a poor farmer who works hard in his grove to provide food and essentials for himself and his mute servant, Gurn. Gurn is loyal to Silhara and very much unafraid of him, he doesn't miss any opportunity to admonish Silahara for his treatment of Martise. Gurn is a wonderful character who steals every scene he's in.. he has more than depth, personality and complexity than most characters I've ever read - which I must say is a great feat since he doesn't even speak.
It was a welcome change to read about an unattractive heroine and a poor, struggling hero who works for every penny he gets. Silhara does not instantly become selfless and heroic just because he's developed feelings for Martise.. he actually at one point even contemplates choosing his only life over Martise's.. which was equal parts disappointing and refreshing.
As of yet, this is a stand alone book.. the ending was perfect, so I hope that there is no sequel. I will be reading whatever GD releases next.
(less)

like 4 likes · see review

Dec 11, 2011 Bettie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Four stars for the story, and five for the reading experience.

The rare book that lives up to its lovely cover, it took Master of Crows a chapter to catch me, but it kept me reading straight through to the finish. The characters were well drawn, and the romance was great. The fantasy plot and setting were not as strong as the characters and romance, but I didn't really notice that until after I'd devoured the book.

This also happens to be the best-looking ebook I've ever read. I know that's a we...more

like 1 like · see review

Nov 04, 2011 Anna (Bobs Her Hair) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Anna (Bobs Her Hair) by: BamaGal (Naysa)

Shelves: fantasy-romance, ebook

Grade: C+

The redeeming part of this ebook are the main characters. It felt as if the author had a clear idea of her characters and a gist of their story before she began writing this story.

The setting felt vague and was just...there. Silvana and Martise were the redeeming factors in this ebook. They felt real and three-dimensional as their romance developed. When the plot/conflict came into focus the story lost some life.

Corruption is the antagonist but all we know is that he is a petty god a...more

like 4 likes · see review

Oct 28, 2011 Heather C rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Heather C by: ♡KarLynP♡

Shelves: fantasy, historical, ebook, paranormal-romance, smashwords, witches-wizards-magic, read-2011, enemies-to-lovers, faves, lots-of-tension, pdoc, review-on-amazon

Amazing…Incredible…Exquisite…Marvelous…Fantastic…Beautiful…

I'm going to attempt to write a review for this but in no way will I come near to doing it justice. It was just that great! I was drawn in and hooked from the very beginning. The historical/fantasy world was intricate and brilliantly described to the point that it impacted all of my senses; the frangrance of the oranges, the sounds of Neith, the touch of Silhara, the taste of Dragon Piss and the images of the Gift. The character developm...more Amazing…Incredible…Exquisite…Marvelous…Fantastic…Beautiful…

I'm going to attempt to write a review for this but in no way will I come near to doing it justice. It was just that great! I was drawn in and hooked from the very beginning. The historical/fantasy world was intricate and brilliantly described to the point that it impacted all of my senses; the frangrance of the oranges, the sounds of Neith, the touch of Silhara, the taste of Dragon Piss and the images of the Gift. The character development was flawless even with all their complexities.

The story is enemies-to-lovers themed revolving around Silhara (H) and Martise (h). Silhara is a poor orange farmer and outcast mage known as the Master of Crows. His deep dark secret is that he is the reborn avatar to the god Corruption. Martise is a plain, servant slave loaned to Silhara for research and translations. (Actually she is there to earn her freedom by spying on Silhara and providing proof of his crimes of treachery and heresy) In return, he is supposed to help her Gift manifest. Um, I will just say that nothing went exactly as planned. Even with all the darkness, I loved their snarky wit and humerous banter. I actually found myself laughing so hard my eyes were watering. Also, the sexual tension between them was thick and the sex was scorching hot!

I was too enamored with the story to highlight many quotes, but this one in particular affected me:

"Did I please you?"
Silhara raised his head slowly to stare at her. High color flagged his cheekbones. His pupils swallowed the lighter black of his eyes. "Please me? You've vanquished me."

The story does end with a HEA but there is some angst along the way. It had some really intense moments and I had to take a few breaks near the end to settle my stomach and catch my breath. (view spoiler) But this amazing love story was worth it.

So, now that you've suffered through my pathetic excuse for a review, I would like to direct you to KarLynP's amazing review!!!

I loved this story and highly recommend it to everyone! It will not be one that I will soon forget. Plus, the current price is only $2.99!!!

I think this might be the best book I've read all year!!!
(less)

like 19 likes · see review

Feb 03, 2013 Amanda Lee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-fucking-love, my-favourite-hero, hate-at-first-sight, selfless-hero, fantasy

Initially this cover make me feels that the story emphasize on the sorcerers, magic, politic, battle, war etc etc, with a little hint of romance. But after I finish it, I would say this is actually a fantasy romance with heavy emphasize on the interaction between H/h.

The story started of with Silhara 'Master of Crows', a powerful sorcerer requested for an apprentice from the Conclave (imagine evil government)to help him with some deciphering. At this point, it was pointed out that Silhara was t...more Initially this cover make me feels that the story emphasize on the sorcerers, magic, politic, battle, war etc etc, with a little hint of romance. But after I finish it, I would say this is actually a fantasy romance with heavy emphasize on the interaction between H/h.

The story started of with Silhara 'Master of Crows', a powerful sorcerer requested for an apprentice from the Conclave (imagine evil government)to help him with some deciphering. At this point, it was pointed out that Silhara was trying to battle the Corruption (imagine evil demon).

Martise was of course the apprentice that was being sent. On the surface, she was suppose to help Silhara and in return he will help her to discover her Gift (magic). But Conclave wanted her there as a spy (though she didn't manage to do much spying work). She was bind to the Conclave by some magic as some sort of slave. So in order to gain her freedom, she needed to deliver 'information' on Silhara. From the beginning, Silhara knows that Martise will be a spy because she is from the Conclave. So there is not mystery there or any doubt. What I like about Martise is that she is not an innocent young lady. She knows hardship and knows what she want in her life. When she falls for Silhara, she embrace the fact decided without a doubt that she won't betray him even though he haven't reciprocate her feelings yet. I'm not sure when it started, but I think she falls for him somewhere between learning he work manual labor in his farm without using magic or when he reveal some of his past to her. The past I like most is when he talk about his relationship with the oranges.

When I started with this book, I found it was so beautifully written and I thought I was actually reading a literature instead of a romance book. We seldom came across such beautiful writing in bodice ripper or PNR romance. But fear not, this book is not all serious stuff, there is some funny moments as well.

You know most of the time, we read about sorcerer and warrior doesn't have any actual job, beside battling and plotting. But Silhara actually own a farm of oranges and he actually work as a farmer. He had a mute servant, Gurn, who acted like his best buddy. And a smelly mutt name Cael. The interaction between Martise with his household was kinda fun to read. And not before long, Martise had already won over his household from Silhara.

The most WOW moment was during the smackdown between Silhara and Martise ex-lover boy. All I can say it, although I was shocked, it also melted my knee right there.

Grace Draven can manage to make you feel down and then straight away uplift your mood in the same page itself. The most memorable part of the story is when Silhara ordered Gurn to get him a prostitute because he wanted to stop himself from thinking about Martise too much. Then lovely Gurn reluctantly followed his ordered and get him the most expensive and high end prostitute just to piss his master off. I feel in love with Gurn right there and then. So how did Silhara response to that situation? (view spoiler)

The climax was Silhara working with Conclave to battle the Corruption (did I mentioned that the Corruption keep haunting him and wanted to possess him?). Martise play a role here as well, not just sit at home and wait for her hero to return or may not return.

This story is about sacrifices you make to love one without asking anything in return. This story is about sorcerer, so when we say sacrifices, it means something big, it means your LIFE. Not about sacrificing your status or money and what not.

I'm so glad I found this book, because it was not often gush upon by my fellow GR friends.(less)

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Vaginal Fantasy H...: WE ARE SWITCHING THE ALT/MAIN THIS MONTH BUT WE WILL DISCUSS BOTH ON THE HANGOUT!	120	820	Nov 03, 2012 12:14am
Vaginal Fantasy H...: * Master of Crows Discussion Thread Spoilers	68	455	Nov 02, 2012 01:33pm
Vaginal Fantasy H...: Master of Crows Casting	23	162	Oct 30, 2012 06:14pm
Vaginal Fantasy H...: Master of Crows	23	355	Oct 10, 2012 07:19pm
Happily Ever Afte...: Book Giveaway by Me	20	42	May 11, 2012 04:40am

combine
Other Editions (2)

Genres

Fantasy

256 users

Romance

96 users

Romance > Fantasy Romance

36 users

Romance > Paranormal Romance

36 users

Fantasy > Magic

31 users

Fantasy > Paranormal

20 users

Romance > Historical Romance

12 users

Adult

11 users

Fantasy > High Fantasy

7 users

Science Fiction Fantasy

7 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Grace Draven

I'm an author and Louisiana native living in Texas with my husband, three smalls and a big doofus dog. I have lived in Spain, hiked the Teton Mountains, honeymooned in Scotland, ridden in competition rodeo and am the great great granddaughter of a Nicaraguan president. I also hate doing laundry and refuse to iron anything.

I've loved storytelling since forever. I published my first short story with...more

More about Grace Draven...

Books by Grace Draven

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Master of Crows

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from Master of Crows

“A companion," he whispered against her mouth. "A lover." He nibbled at her bottom lip, and his hand slid from her nape to cup the back of her head. "A beloved wife.” — 10 people liked it

“And will you love me for a day? A year? A lifetime?" She knew the answer but wanted to hear him say it in that beautiful, shattered voice.
"Beyond that," he whispered, eyes shining with the tempest of emotion he'd held in check until now. "Beyond the reign of false gods and meddlesome priests. Beyond al Zafira when her bright stars fade.” — 6 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: Master of Crows
avg rating	preview: Master of Crows Goodreads rating: 3.95 (1307 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6811150-master-of-crows?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1316187731l/6811150.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6811150-master-of-crows?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Master of Crows by Grace Draven[/url]

Master of Crows

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website