X-Book

Palaces of the Crow

Already purchased

Click to open directly in the xigxag app.

Standard price shown. Sign in for personalised pricing.

Send as a gift Get in the xigxag app

Added to cart

Continue shopping or head to checkout

View cart
How does xigxag pricing work?

Listen to a sample

What to expect

From the Locus and Hugo Award-winning author Ray Nayler, this haunting novel blends history and speculative wonder into a story of survival, loyalty and the fragile beauty of life in the darkest of times.

'an extraordinary science fiction novel' SFX MAGAZINE
'constantly surprising, moving and thought-provoking' GUARDIAN
'a must-read author' SFF WORLD

June 1941, Eastern Europe. As the German blitzkrieg tears across a divided continent, four young lives are thrown into chaos: Neriya, a young Jewish girl who dreams of becoming a scientist; Czesław, an underage Polish deserter fleeing the Red Army; Kezia, a Roma horse trader whose family is on the run from Soviet collectivisation; and a nameless,, abandoned boy who cannot speak.

Driven deep into the Lithuanian woods, they form an unbreakable bond with one another and with a flock of crows whose uncanny intelligence hints at a secret older and stranger than they could ever have imagined.

Critics Review

This is an extraordinary science fiction novel that deftly deals with the nature of consciousness
SFX MAGAZINE
[A] constantly surprising, moving and thought-provoking novel.
GUARDIAN
A brilliant . . . blend of history and fantasy . . . Nayler's tale is packed with human brutality and the nobility of animals and their complex minds, never descending into sentimentality . . . [an] impressive novel
Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
An impassioned paean to togetherness even in the midst of the chaotic isolation of war and to the power of storytelling to keep memory and hope alive
Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
Summing up then, despite its different setting, Palaces of the Crow is yet another affecting and effective novel from Ray. It is rather emotional, perhaps his most affecting story to date. Like before, with Ray's previous books, Palaces of the Crow made me sad, it made me angry, and yet made me think. All of this together means that Palaces of the Crow is another book by Ray that hits the ball out of the park for me. Still a must-read author.
SFF WORLD
A story skilfully sown with dramatic surprises . . . [Palaces of the Crow] presents an extraordinary alien intelligence that happens to make its home here on Earth
Sam Sacks, Wall Street Journal
It shouldn't surprise anyone that the crows come out looking better than their human counterparts in Nayler's latest work of speculative fiction
Colin Dwyer, NPR
Over the last four years, Ray Nayler has become one of the most consistently fascinating science fiction writers working today
Esquire, Most Anticipated Books of 2026
A searing epic about the horrifying costs of war and the terrifying process of sanitising the past to protect the guilty and the complicit; it wraps readers in its intensity from the first page. Highly recommended
Library Journal (starred review)
Ray Nayler's Palaces of the Crow is an evocative and deeply human portrait of survival and awe along the Eastern European front of WWII
Laura Hubbard, Bookpage (starred review)
Author Ray Nayler
Narrator Eunice Wong
Duration 9 hours and 2 minutes
Release Date
ISBN 9781399637633
Format Audiobook
Publisher Orion
Genre Historical fiction, Narrative theme: Displacement, exile, migration, Second World War fiction, Speculative fiction
Availability AU, GB, IE

More from the same

Author

Narrator

About xigxag

Experience the best audiobooks with xigxag, an innovative and user-friendly audiobook platform designed for seamless discovery, purchase, and enjoyment of your favorite titles. Our flexible pricing model offers bestselling audiobooks for less, providing affordable prices and the best audiobook deals without requiring a subscription. Perfect for gifting, xigxag also features convenient audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options.

 

Beyond the listening experience, xigxag stands as an exciting alternative to big tech, embodying a strong commitment to sustainability and ethical practices. As the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service, we ensure a guilt-free listening experience from a leader in audiobook innovation.

 

Effortlessly search audiobooks, access honest audiobook reviews that evaluate both the content and narration, and easily discover hidden gems. Whether you prefer to download or stream top audiobook titles, xigxag provides the best possible listening experience anytime, anywhere, on the UK’s best independent audiobook app. Discover the future of audiobooks today.