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Urchin and the Raven War
Urchin & The Raven War Cover 1
Published: October 2008
July 14, 2023 (Purple House Press)
Number: Fourth
Languages: English
Illustrator: Omar Rayyan
Narrator: N/A
Preceded by: The Heir of Mistmantle
Succeeded by: Urchin and the Rage Tide

Synopsis[]

After his last adventures, Urchin of the Riding Stars has taken his place as a trusted member of the Circle in King Crispin's court. Life on the island is back to normal, with little Princess Catkin growing up and testing everyone's patience in the process.

But daily life is disrupted when Lord Arcneck and other inhabitants of Swan Isle come to Mistmantle asking for help. Their home has been taken over by bloodthirsty ravens that are attacking them and ravaging everything in sight.

The brave animals of Mistmantle rush to the aid of their friends, but in doing so, incur the wrath of the invaders upon themselves. The vengeful ravens are powerful and won't stop until they hunt down and destroy every creature on the island. Only by using all of their courage and cunning will Urchin and his friends stand a chance to preserve life as they know it on their beloved home.

Plot[]

Several years after the previous book, the Lord of Swans, Lord Arcneck, arrives on Mistmantle, asking for Crispin's aid in a war against an invading force of ravens. Crispin accepts and sends a small attack force to the island without Urchin, as Urchin has travelled beyond the Mists twice. After a successful raid and the death of the Archraven, Crispin returns but is severely wounded by a raven. The Taloness and The Silver Prince rally forces to attack Mistmantle. In the ensuing battle, a young otter introduced in the book's prologue, Corr, sets out to attack the raven boats carrying reinforcements, but simply draws them into the first battle. He is rescued by Fingal of the Floods and taken to the Tower.

Meanwhile, Urchin is charged with leading the defense of Curlingshell Bay with Heath. However, Catkin tags along and she and Urchin are lead into a trap by Gloss' brother, Grith. Catkin is to be executed before Crispin, drowned slowly on a post, while Urchin's fate is not discovered as he fights his way free with help from Needle and Hope, whilst in captivity Urchin manages to turn the Silver Prince against the Taloness. Catkin is rescued by Fingal, Tide, and Swanfeather; and Urchin, Sepia, and Hope are able to lift the siege that has beset the Tower rescuing Crispin, Cedar and Padra in the process. Urchin then comes up with an idea using nets to trap the ravens. A few members of the Circle manage to get to the Tower and help to defend it while the Silver Prince murders the Taloness.

The battle is then drawn to the Tangletwigs, where Gleaner, defending Aspen's grave, stabs the Silver Prince in anger for disturbing the burial site. Urchin, who went to help defend Tangletwigs with Cedar, manages to rescue her by dragging her undercover. However, he is severely wounded and goes into a coma (where dialogue eludes to a romance between him and Sepia), but he is later revived and recovers after being given some of Apple's cordial.

The battle against the Ravens ends when Queen Larch comes from Whitewings with an army of squirrels and swans to defeat the ravens. They use nets to trap them, a technique which was used by Silverbirch and Smokewreath to trap the swans on Whitewings in its earlier history.

At the end of the book Fir passes away in his sleep, Urchin is given Corr as a page and is taught the Threadings Code, hinting that he will be made a Captain, and the young otter is also discovered to be a Voyager.


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