What You Should Know Before Reading The Fall of Wolfsbane

If you’re thinking of reading The Fall of Wolfsbane, the first book in my Ravenglass Legends series, here are five key things to know before you begin.

Whether you’re a seasoned fantasy reader or new to the genre, this will help set the scene for the world, the tone, and the journey ahead.

1. This Is Not a Traditional Hero’s Journey

The Fall of Wolfsbane doesn’t follow a clear-cut tale of good versus evil.

It’s a story about survival, power, and the moral grey areas in between.

The protagonists aren’t chosen ones or saviours.

They’re young people torn from their home, forced to adapt, resist, or submit under an occupying force.

This is a coming-of-age story shaped by trauma, culture clash, and impossible choices.

2. The Story Is Told from Two Contrasting Perspectives

The novel follows a brother and sister, Ragnar and Maja Wolfsbane, whose lives are violently upended by the Ostreich Empire’s conquest of their homeland.

Ragnar becomes a hostage, forced to live among the conquerors.

Maja is taken to the Empire’s capital as a court curiosity, stripped of her identity and used as a tool for political propaganda.

Their paths diverge, but their bond remains central to the story.

Each character’s perspective offers a different view of the same war—one from within the Empire, the other in defiance of it.

3. Expect Grit, Politics, and Emotionally Grounded Magic

This is a gritty epic fantasy with moments of emotional intensity.

There is violence, political manoeuvring, and deep psychological conflict.

The magic system, built around a rare substance called ravenglass, is powerful but comes with a price.

To forge a ravenglass weapon, blood must be spilled and tears must be shed.

The magic isn’t flashy—it’s mysterious, intimate, and tied to memory and emotion.

4. It Explores Themes of Empire, Resistance, and Identity

One of the driving forces behind the novel is a desire to portray the emotional and cultural cost of conquest.

It’s about what happens when a people are conquered—not just physically, but spiritually and culturally.

How do you hold on to your identity when your language, clothes, and customs are stripped away?

Both Ragnar and Maja face these questions in different ways, as they navigate their roles within the Empire and decide what it means to resist or survive.

5. There’s More to Come in the Ravenglass Legends Series

The Fall of Wolfsbane is only the beginning.

The story lays the groundwork for a larger conflict that will shape not only the fate of the Wolfsbane siblings but the future of the Ostreich Empire itself.

Secrets about the ravenglass, the origins of magic, and the truth behind the Empire’s expansion are only beginning to surface.

If you enjoy richly layered worlds with long-term stakes and character growth, there’s much more in store.

Ready to Begin The Fall of Wolfsbane?

Now that you know what to expect, I hope you’re ready to step into a world of war, resistance, and dangerous magic.

The Fall of Wolfsbane is a story about transformation, about what we become when everything is taken from us, and what we choose to protect when we have the chance to fight back.

I can’t wait for you to meet Ragnar and Maja…

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