R.A. MacAvoy

Stand-alone novels and novellas:


The Book of Kells — (1985) Publisher: An unusual and original work of fantasy from the acclaimed author of Tea with the Black Dragon. A contemporary man, John Thornburn (a meek, non-violent and unpredictable artist) and woman, Derval (his tough, confrontational, strong and warrior-like lover) time travel to ancient Ireland to avenge a Viking attack. Packed with fascinating details of historical time and place in Irish history and delicately balanced on the border between realism and fantasy, the story centers around one of the most famous and beautiful illuminated manuscripts in history, the legendary but entirely real Book of Kells. Celtic history blends with magical fantasy for a strange and immersive tale of adventure.

The Grey Horse — (1987) Publisher: Set against the colorful and magical backdrop of Ireland, The Grey Horse chronicles a time when the Irish people suffered under harsh English overlords who sought to destroy their culture and way of life. Into the Irish town of Carraroe, a magnificent, completely grey stallion appears. The horse brings with him the promise of better times and magical happenings, for he is actually the shape-shifted form of Ruairi MacEibhir, journeyed to such a time of danger in order to win the hand of the woman he loves.

In Between — (2009) Novella. Publisher: Ewen Young is just another up and coming young artist leaving one of his art shows when he is accosted by three Chinese thugs. After he fends them off, they leave him with a message: tell your uncle Jimmy Young we were here and we could have done much worse to you. The next day Ewen goes to visit his uncle, and finds him lying in a pool of blood amidst the smell of gunpowder. As Ewen rushes to him, the thug emerges from the shadows to shoot Ewen too. Uncle Jimmy has died, but Ewen has just started his journey through the In Between.

In Between

In Between is a novella by R.A. MacAvoy about Ewen Young, a Chinese-American painter who early in the story is held up by three gangsters — a threat to his uncle who apparently is behind on some gambling debts. Ewen is a fascinating character who seems to have some latent psychic powers... something that becomes more and more apparent as the story develops.

In Between is one of those novellas that feels and reads like a really tightly compressed novel (as opposed to, say, a stretched-out short story). The plot moves along very quickly, to the point where it sometimes feels rushed. Some characters are sketched rather than drawn in detail, and some of their backstories are barely hinted at. The novella consists of many very short scenes, often just 1 or 2 pages, and touches on a wide range of themes — art, meditation, Buddhism, martial arts, and syndicated crime — which reinforces the feeling that some of this material could have been developed in more depth in a full-length novel. There's a lot left to be read between the lines here.

As a newcomer to the works of R.A. MacAvoy, I enjoyed In Between, mainly because of Ewen, who deserves a full novel, but also because of the subtle spirituality of the story. At about 100 pages, this is a quick, enjoyable read that hopefully will be the base for a full-length novel in the future. —Stefan Raets

Death and Ressurection — (2011) Publisher: The award-winning writer of Tea With the Black Dragon and other acclaimed novels returns to fantasy with the intriguing story of Chinese-American artist Ewen Young who gains the ability to travel between the worlds of life and death. This unasked-for skill irrevocably changes his life — as does meeting Nez Perce veterinarian Dr. Susan Sundown and her remarkable dog, Resurrection. After defeating a threat to his own family, Ewen and Susan confront great evils — both supernatural and human — as life and death begin to flow dangerously close together.