The Raven ScholarThe Raven Scholar
What it's about
In the empire of Orrun, the next emperor is chosen through a deadly contest between candidates from each of the empire's orders. Neema Kraa, a brilliant, prickly and deeply unpopular scholar, is one of them. When one of her rivals is murdered, she becomes the obvious suspect, and she has to find the real killer while competing in trials designed to break her. Behind it all are gods, ancient secrets and a political game that goes much deeper than a single murder.
Why it's worth reading
It's a debut fantasy that became one of 2025's breakout hits, a Hugo Award finalist and a Goodreads Choice finalist. It combines a twisty murder mystery with big-scale epic fantasy, and Neema is an irresistible heroine.
You'll love it if you liked
The Tainted Cup
Babel
The EverlastingGood to know
It's long, with a lot of worldbuilding up front, but it moves quickly once the contest starts. Hodgson was already known for historical crime novels before this, her first fantasy.
By the numbers
- Readers91 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics25 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller27 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz100 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #23 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #38 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #54 of the 481 new books we rank
- #302 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Epic, Gripping
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Quick answers
Is The Raven Scholar worth reading?
Yes. It's a debut fantasy that became one of 2025's breakout hits, a Hugo Award finalist and a Goodreads Choice finalist. It ranks #302 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 81.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Raven Scholar about?
In the empire of Orrun, the next emperor is chosen through a deadly contest between candidates from each of the empire's orders. Neema Kraa, a brilliant, prickly and deeply unpopular scholar, is one of them. When one of her rivals is murdered, she becomes the obvious suspect, and she has to find the real killer while competing in trials designed to break her. Behind it all are gods, ancient secrets and a political game that goes much deeper than a single murder.
How long does it take to read The Raven Scholar?
About 16 hours (654 pages), or about 5 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Raven Scholar?
If you liked it, try The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett, Babel by R. F. Kuang or The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow.