#ravenmaster

[edhesse]

#ai art #ravenmaster

[dean-boese-universe]

So, the Tower of London? A nearly 1000 year old landmark and now, a part of the monarchy's real estate holdings but what do you know about it? Today, we talk about the castle's origins, it's creation as a symbol of Norman might by William the Conqueror since then it has gone on to become a Royal Mint, a garrison, a palace, an armory, a raven's nest, a prison and a site of many murders and bloody executions. Join us as we learn about the tower and Krysta adds Henry VIII to her collection of people she despises. Find out who Margaret Pole was and why we love her so much. All this and more in this episode full of history, hauntings, and some true crime (or things that should have been crimes even if they weren't at the time) in this weird and wonderful episode of the Family Plot Podcast

#anne #boleyn #conqueror #countess #edward #fawkes #guy #henry #i #longshanks #margaret #pole #ravenmaster #tower #viii #wallace #warders #white #william #yeoman

[sleepybookdragon]

Our newest edition Rex’s first day out👍

#raven #Ravenmaster #tower of london

[bloodyentrails]

Reading the ravenmaster, a book about the ravens in the tower and how they are kept. And somehow this paragraph got me back to my military AU bullshit @disniq 🙈🙈🙈

#The ravenmaster #books #words #military AU #jason todd

[readingrobin]

Ooof this was probably my roughest month when it came to reading, Didn't really get a lot read since my schedule was jam packed and I didn't get as much reading in as I thought I would during vacation. To top it all off, the things I did manage to read mostly fell on the meh side of things, so I can't even say it was worth it for a few good reads. Oh well. I think I'll have better luck in November.

Total Books Read: 5

Total Pages Read: 1,713

Books Read:

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer (2.5/5) -

This book has been collecting dust on my bookshelves since the great vampire/werewolf YA fiction boom of the early 2010s. Really the only thing that's been keeping me from reading it has been circumstance and a deluge of other things I'd rather be reading. Big note to self, if the synopsis describes one of the teenage lead characters as "sexy," there's a good chance that I, an almost thirty year old adult, will get one of those ick feelings along my spine. It's one thing if it's coming through the perspective of a teenaged character, and another when you know it's more than likely coming from some middle-aged editor in a publishing office cubicle.

Now if I had read this over a decade ago, odds are I would have loved it. Awesome werewolf mythology that seemed very unique, a badass lead character that's not here for your girly dresses or makeup, sarcasm galore, oh yeah teen me would've eaten it up. While I can still appreciate the lore aspect, there are some qualities of the book that just tire me out.

Love triangles are always going to be some dodgy ground, particularly when you don't care for them or either of the love interests. Shay seemed so irresponsible and okay with constantly putting Calla in danger, even if it had the intention of trying to get her to see the truth behind the Keepers. Rey, though slightly better, made some comments here and there that set my teeth grinding, but at least it felt like he actually respected Calla at times. Pretty sure with how the story is going that Shay is ultimately going to win out in the end, which doesn't really encourage me to read any of the sequels.

At least pour one out for the gay werewolf representation in a time where queer characters, even queer side characters, were in short supply.

While I really liked the werewolf lore, the book also reinforces my least favorite werewolf trope, which is reinforcing incorrect "facts" about actual wolf pack dynamics to explain the weird sexism of the werewolf packs. I know it's all to make the term "alpha wolf" look cool and intimidating, but they literally do not exist. Wolf packs are made up of a mated pair and their kids/extended family. There's very little dominance involved. I know bringing actual reality to this werewolf book means absolutely nothing, but they did it first.

There's also an absurd amount of sexism, misogyny, and slut-shaming going on here and yes, I know it's all for us to realize that werewolf society is corrupt and has this weird propaganda thing going on to keeps the wolves in line, but god it's overbearing at times. It's really just a me thing, but I had to visibly cringe when one of the adults told Calla to "keep her legs shut." I don't know, maybe it was too much just because all the characters are like 15-17 years old and I'm entering my "old person yells at YA for being YA" era. God help me.

So yeah, lots of emotions with this one and I'm not sure if I want to continue the series just to get closure or not.

Don't Turn Out the Lights: A Tribute to Alan Schwartz's Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark edited by Jonathan Maberry (3/5) -

Seeing as I was a giant scaredy cat as a kid, I didn't really grow up with Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. I tried once, but Stephen Gammell's haunting illustrations proved to be too much for little me who already had an overactive imagination. Now that I have a little more stamina when it comes to horror and spooky pictures, I figured to give this collection a try to find some worthwhile middle grade horror. There are definitely strong contenders in this collection, some that'll even unnerve some adults. Others, well, they're there to give a little variety when it comes to the type and tone of the stories.

My favorites would have to be:

"The Carved Bear" "The Golden Peacock" "The Neighbor" "The Bottle Tree" "The Tall Ones"

I don't know if the collection decently balanced between the light spooky stories that were more humorous and the more traumatizing tales. There are two that sort of stick out like sore thumbs, those being R.L. Stine's and Sherrilyn Kenyon's contributions. Stine is known for his off the wall twists, but this one being a little bit more silly, yet typical for his kind of work, doesn't really make it mesh well with the majority of other stories that want to leave you with a shiver down your spine. Kenyon's poem has the same effect, having more of an innocent, playful tone that sets it apart from the other stories, but not in a memorable way. I think if the collection offered a few more stories like these it wouldn't be so noticeable. Each are completely fine on their own, but not when integrated into a collection that aims to leave lasting scares.

Also, it's REALLY noticeable that some of the writers are writing stories centered around certain cultures that aren't their own or that they have done very little research on. I may be as white as winter snow, but even I know that the Devil has nothing to do with Dia de los Muertos. 

The Ravenmaster: My Life with the Ravens at the Tower of London by Christopher Skaife (3/5) -

I have such a great fondness for corvids, be they crows, ravens, magpies, or even blue jays, so I figured this book would be right up my alley. Skaife delves into the history behind the ravens' presence at the Towers, which I was surprised but maybe not too much that it holds a legend that may not be as old and revered as once thought.

I've been to the Tower of London, which helped me visualize some of his stories. The ravens there are definitely a quirky bunch. I remember one that graciously allowed a seagull to peck a bit at their raw chicken lunch, only to shoo them off a few seconds after. This cycle would actually repeat itself a bit, a little nibble and then a shoo, it almost seemed like a sort of game. Anyway, they are very amusing birds and Skaife really does make their personalities shine in this book.

There were moments where the book lost a little steam or included something that seemed a bit superfluous. The chapter on ghosts around the grounds seemed a little out of place in a book about the Tower ravens and the stories get a little repetitive once you edge closer to the end. But if you have an interest in the Tower and its inhabitants, I recommend picking it up.

The Oddmire: Changeling by William Ritter (2.5/5) -

I'm not sure if this is a case of me reading this book at the wrong time or I'm just getting more picky with my middle grade fantasy, but I never really felt very invested in this one. It's a great setup for a story, two brothers venture into a dark magical forest to learn which one of them is human and which is a changeling left by a goblin one long ago night. They meet various friends and threats across the way, culminating in a wonderful depiction of family bonds and loyalty. I appreciated how involved their mother was in the story, who had absolutely no qualms about going into the dangerous forest to save her kids. I love seeing more competent parents in fiction, if only just to show kids that some grownups are capable of being helpful at times.

But, other than that, I didn't really get much out of the story. The brothers seemed very interchangeable, not really having distinguishable personalities so that ultimately it doesn't really matter who is human and who is the changeling. They both have the same worries and fears, the same goals, so there's nothing really to set them apart.

The writing style didn't really pull me in either, to the point where by the last couple of chapters I was doing more skimming than actual reading.

I will say that it is a decent fantasy for younger readers looking for a bit of adventure and magic. It twists some fairy tale conventions just enough to feel fresh while holding onto a few just for good measure. I've probably just read too many at this point to really appreciate it.

Watership Down: The Graphic Novel by Richard Adams, adapated by James Sturm, illustrated by Joe Sutphin (5/5) -

I stumbled upon Watership Down a little later in life, knowing full well of its status as one of those "Top 10 Films that Scarred You As A Child." At some point, I had seen the glorious intro to the film, where Frith bestows various gifts to the animals and El-Ahrairah displays his tricks and cunning, and that immediately sent me to the novel. It's a beautiful story, with lush descriptions of the downs and adventure that, while coming from so humble a place, keeps you interested from beginning to end. By some magic, James Sturm and Joe Sutphin managed to capture everything about this story that has delighted readers for decades.

Sutphin goes for a more naturalistic style, keeping the rabbits and other various animals expressive, but not too cartoony. It mostly keeps to a certain realm of reality, with colors that are more muted, but never do any sort of disservice to the setting. While I am a fan of styles that bush boundaries, this style is perfect for Watership Down that, while seemingly fantastical at times, is a very down to earth tale. There's a certain charm to it that comes from the simplicity of its setup, that is a group of animals just trying to survive.

Of course, not every plot point and character makes it through the process of adaptation. I am thankful that Sturm was able to include some of the folk tales of the rabbits, which was one of my favorite elements of the story. Naturally, to keep this story to a single volume and maintain a sense of flow, things would have to be reworked and shifted.

In my opinion, this graphic novel is an exemplary transfiguration on the original story that will please fans and hopefully entice new readers to the book.

Rating Average 3.2

#robin's book log #reading wrap up #monthly wrap up #nightshade #don't turn off the lights #the ravenmaster #the oddmire #watership down #books #reading

[farchanter]

Christopher Skaife: The Ravenmaster

To catch and capture a[n escaped] raven in full view of the public is a tricky business and to be avoided if at all possible, since it requires not only a cool head and steady nerves but quite a bit of luck. My first piece of advice to anyone finding themselves in such a predicament would be to stay cool and to pretend you have total control of the situation, which you most certainly do not. Like it or not, you're about to become a star on YouTube.

(picture: ravens Munin and Jubilee II, taken during my 2017 trip to the Tower of London)

Tradition holds that there must be no fewer than six ravens kept at the Tower of London, or else the British throne will fall. Of course, for all of their intelligence and capability, it wouldn't be reasonable to expect a population of ravens to survive in the Tower all on their own. Enter the man with one of the most unique jobs in the entire world: yeoman warder Christopher Skaife— the ravenmaster.

As the person most responsible for the most famous collection of corvids in the entire world, Skaife is in the singular position to share the stories of these remarkable animals. His respect and love for both ravens as a species and also these specific birds as highly intelligent individuals drips from every page. As the yeoman warders live within the Tower, Skaife is also able to give us a look into the inner workings of one of the most recognizable (yet still secretive) tourist destinations on the planet.

The Ravenmaster is very loosely structured as a day in the life of Christopher Skaife, beginning with the dawn checks on the ravens and ending with shepherding them back into their enclosure. The narrative meanders throughout, however, exploring Skaife's stories about caring for the ravens, their mischiefs, their astonishing primate-level cognition, Skaife's own history, his mistakes, his successes, his dreams, and the curiosities one of the world's most famous castles has accumulated over its long history.

Like a lot of the best nonfiction work, Skaife is the teller of stories you simply cannot find anywhere else. His willingness to approach his vaunted job— quite literally his place in a mythology— with candor is vital to what makes The Ravenmaster succeed. For instance, he quite readily acknowledges the key story of the ravens— that they are an ancient augur of the health of the monarchy— cannot be attested to before the late 19th century.

And, listen: I grew up outside of Philadelphia. I took multiple field trips to the Betsy Ross House. I fully understand how the story around a thing can become more important than whether or not the story is literally true. But I really appreciate how Skaife is willing to approach these stories with objectivity, even if that might undermine his very title.

We are fortunate that, for as much as Skaife is a professional animal caretaker, he is just as much a professional storyteller. The warders are responsible for leading tours of the Tower, something they take quite seriously. If I were to level one criticism, it's that the written structure of the jokes, stories, and even the larger flow of the book feel a little off. Once I realized, however, that this is an adaptation of Skaife's tour story, it made much more sense. If you imagine that you're hearing this story as he leads you through the both literally and metaphorically layered history of the Tower of London, that's the best form of The Ravenmaster. You don't, in fact, actually need to imagine it: there exists an audiobook version, narrated by Skaife himself. I would encourage you to check it out.

I read this book because I love corvids. Every spring and summer, there is a colony of blue jays who take up nesting in my neighborhood, and they've come to know me by sight. It is a wonderful feeling when a corvid likes you— or, at least, has you pegged for a sucker. For that reason, I thought I might close with Skaife's advice for how he came to fall in love with ravens:

If you are in any way interested in birds, and yet like me just a few years ago you don't know where to start, I suggest studying a particular bird: don't try to learn about every species all at once. Pick a bird you love, or which fascinates you in some way. It doesn't matter which one: a goose, a swan, a sparrow, a hawk. Learning about birds, like learning anything else, is all about patience and persistence and just doing the little things right, again and again. Get to know your bird. Attend to their peculiar traits and the shape of them, their flight, their song, the way they walk. Study their talons, their feathers, their tails. Look into their eyes.

If you'll excuse me, I've got some homework to do about blue jays.

#completion list #books #completed #todo #review #christopher skaife #the ravenmaster #nonfiction #birds #ravens #the tower of london #corvids #tower of london #history

[crowcryptid]

my purpose in life was to be a village pigeon caretaker but i was born too late

#the other alternative was to be ravenmaster at the tower of london #which still exists but theres only 1 at a time yknow #can i take care of the pigeons instead #thats easier to get into #instead i have to sit in traffic and make eye contact which gives me an allergic reaction (im normal idk what ur talking about) #sighs.

[snitling]

Episode of The Sandman where Dream goes to the Tower of London and ends up fucking covered in ravens, who are all very excited and delighted to have him there, the tourists are all staring and recording videos which will curiously not play later, and the Ravenmaster is absolutely horrified, trying to pick them all up but they keep escaping and trying to cuddle into Dream's neck. Meanwhile, Dream just sits there because he's had a bad day and wants some affection

#dream of the endless #netflix the sandman #the sandman netflix #the sandman

[jaubaius]

The Ravenmaster talking Ravenish🔊

#birds #unmuted #cool #raven #indoor voice #amazing sound #great conversationalist

[master-john-uk]

29th February 2024: The Tower of London officially introduced the new Ravenmaster, Yeoman Warder Barney Chandler. Barney has taken over from YW Chris Skaife, who has done an excellent job of caring for the Tower's ravens for the last fourteen years.

There must always be at least six resident ravens at The Tower London. The legend goes: "If the ravens ever leave, The Tower will fall and so will the Kingdom!"

[melmey]

reading survey

I was tagged by @the-sign-of-tea to post my recent, current and future reads.

Recent: I've read "The Ravenmaster: My Life with the Ravens at the Tower of London" by Christopher Skaife, because I love corvids. It is not bad, if you are interested in how the Tower treats the ravens.

Before that I've read "#Urban Birding" by David Lindo. Yes, another book about birds, because birds have been my all time special interest. That book was a bit disappointing.

Current: I read "Die Sprachen der Tiere" (Animal Languages: The secret conversations of the living world) by Eva Meijer. It is a rather philosophical book about language and how humans tend to disregard all languages that are different to ours. But she also presents interesting research about different animals and how they communicate. A definite recommendation to read as it makes you reflect on how we communicate and how we misunderstand animals.

Future: I have a reservation at my library for "American Prometheus" by Kai Bird, which is the biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer that was the basis for the movie. I haven't seen the movie but I've heard an interesting podcast (Origin Story, a really good British podcast that I can strongly recommend) which made me want to read the book.

You might notice a pattern, yes, I mostly read non-fiction.

I tag @srebrnafh @kedreeva @themirokai @krakensdottir @chained-to-the-mirror @rainydaydecaf @loveinthemindpalace @ornithological @spoonietimelordy @flagged-island @besidethepath

#reading survey

[starrypawz]

I will forever be frustrated that ravenmaster is a legitimate job but one I will never be able to obtain as its job that requires military experience and not just being a spooky weirdo

[sleepybookdragon]

#raven #ravenmaster #tower of london #youtube #beefeater #yeoman warder

[bloodyentrails]

Reading the ravenmaster, a book about the ravens in the tower and how they are kept. And somehow this paragraph got me back to my military AU bullshit @disniq 🙈🙈🙈

#The ravenmaster #books #words #military AU #jason todd

[hell-hotel-mkg]

Roster Drop

We would like to welcome our official cast of 19 guests to the Belrose Hotel! We hope you all enjoy your stay, and thank you everyone for applying!

Full roster list under the cut. The star (★) denotes a mod character.

Miryam-Joëlle Girault - Bodyguard

★ Magnus Makepeace - Ravenmaster

Birabiro Tesfaye - Butterfly Collector

Nikolai Volkov - Jeweler

★ Friedrich Heppenheimer - Transit Engineer

Belladi Tharwat - Couturier

Ernest Carmichael - Music Box Repairman

Hato Giordano - Falconer

Nelle Oellen - Curator

Kento Honda - Conservator

Piotr Kowalczyk - Pigeon Racer

Erik Yu - Cellist

★ Yvonne Gore - Freelancer

Derosa Roman - Astronomer

Chess Davis - Accompanist

Arthfael van de Albrecht - Company Heir

★ La Tesoro - Gentleman Thief

MACHI - Idol

Lament Sinclair - Mortician

#danganronpa roleplay #drrp #Youtube

[plaguedocboi]

the tower of london has a "ravenmaster" and he looks exactly like you'd expect someone called that to look (the raven in the photo's a chick btw, that's why it looks so anxious)

————————— Wake up babe new plague doctor design dropped

#submission #ravens