Gabriel Finley and the Raven's Riddle

Gr 3–6—As Gabriel Finley nears his 12th birthday, he learns that his long-missing father could communicate with ravens. Gabriel realizes that he is destined to join with the ravens to find a dangerous necklace, called a torc, that may be able to save his father—or destroy the world. Gabriel delivers a young raven named Paladin from the evil valravens and together they set off to find the torc and rescue Gabriel's father. He soon discovers that he must travel to an underground world called Aviopolis and face the terrible Corax, a half-man, half-raven who is also Gabriel's uncle. Along his journey, Gabriel teams up with new friends and potential traitors. Narrator Michael Goldstrom does an excellent job capturing the eerie, fantastical quality of the tale while providing recognizable voices for each of the main characters. The differences between voices are subtle but convincing. Goldstrom's voice only serves to enhance the pacing and tone of an already excellent story. Fantasy lovers will find themselves captivated by this presentation.—Deanna Romriell, Salt Lake City Public Library, UT