Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Red Sister
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE: 1966
WEBSITE: http://www.marklawrence.buzz/
CITY: Bristol, England
STATE:
COUNTRY: United Kingdom
NATIONALITY:
American-British * http://www.marklawrence.buzz/about-the-author/
RESEARCHER NOTES:
LC control no.: n 2011002442
LCCN Permalink: https://lccn.loc.gov/n2011002442
HEADING: Lawrence, Mark, 1966-
000 00399cz a2200133n 450
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005 20140107082234.0
008 110111n| azannaabn |n aaa
010 __ |a n 2011002442
040 __ |a DLC |b eng |e rda |c DLC |d DLC
053 _0 |a PS3612.A9484
100 1_ |a Lawrence, Mark, |d 1966-
670 __ |a Prince of Thorns, 2011: |b ECIP t.p. (Mark Lawrence) email from publisher (b. Jan. 28, 1966)
953 __ |a rg03 |b xk10
PERSONAL
Born January 28, 1966; married; children: four.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer and research scientist.
AWARDS:David Gemmell Legend Award, 2013, for Emperor of Thorns.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Mark Lawrence is a writer and research scientist. He worked in the field of artificial intelligence and has held secret-level clearance positions with governments in the United States and Britain. Lawrence then turned his attention to writing fantasy. In an interview in Unbound Worlds, Lawrence talked about his views on combining science and magic in his writing. “To my mind magic and science are interchangeable. If magic exists then … the study of magic is science and magic is just a part of the world, subject to laws just as gravity is. Technology is simply the production of useful stuff using science (magic).”
Prince of Thorns and Emperor of Thorns
Lawrence initiated the “Broken Empire” series in 2011 with the publication of Prince of Thorns. Prince Jorg joined a bandit gang to seek revenge against Count Renar for murdering his brother and mother. Jorg has even greater plans, though, with the ultimate goal of resurrecting an old empire and installing himself as emperor. A Publishers Weekly contributor cautioned that “this morbidly gripping, gritty fantasy tale is not for the squeamish.”
The third novel in the series, Emperor of Thorns, was published in 2013 after the sequel, King of Thorns. Now High King of Seven Nations, Jorg seeks revenge against his father while also uncovering the final dangerous lost technology that has the power to change and destroy the land. A contributor to the Bookwatch found the novel to be an “engrossing, satisfying conclusion to an epic fantasy series.” The Bookwatch reviewer “highly recommended” it to readers of the series.
Prince of Fools and The Wheel of Osheim
Prince of Fools is the first novel in the “Red Queen’s War” series. This series is also set in the same world as the “Broken Empire” series. A self-professed coward and ladies man, Prince Jalan Kendeth is the grandson of the Red Queen. Jalan joins a Norse warrior after a failed assassination attempt and sets off to learn more about rumors surrounding an army of the undead. Booklist contributor David Pitt labeled the novel “a must-read … for fans of the ‘Broken Empire’ series and readers who enjoy a good, epic-sized fantasy story.” A contributor to Publishers Weekly insisted that “the brisk adventure and black magic will leave readers eager for the next” novel in the series.
Published in 2015, The Wheel of Osheim is the third novel in the series. Snorri struggles to free his family from the underworld, while Prince Jalan continues to survive villain after villain to live another day. Booklist contributor Heather McCammond-Watts claimed that Lawrence brings “this captivating story … to a terrifying and stunning conclusion that will surely please fans.”
Red Sister
Lawrence published the novel Red Sister in 2017. Nona Grey is rescued from her death sentence by Sweet Mercy Convent’s Abbess Glass. There, Nona learns not only of the power of prayer, but also in making poisons, combat, and magical arts. The local lord who put Nona in jail is still determined to make her suffer, while internal forces challenge the existence of the convent itself. Nona must master what she has learned to save herself and her sisters.
Booklist contributor Lynnanne Pearson suggested that “a winning heroine and the appeal of a magical school will likely make this a hit with YA fantasy readers.” A contributor to Publishers Weekly reasoned that although the plot is “familiar to genre fans … Lawrence makes it seem fresh through evocative prose and three-dimensional characterizations.” In a review in Library Journal, Kristi Chadwick called the novel “stunning,” noting that the author “establishes a fantastic world in which religion and politics are dark and sharp as swords.”
Reviewing the novel in Tor.com, Laura M. Hughes mentioned that “while the princes of both ‘Thorns’ and ‘Fools’ did indeed break all manner of literary rules, you could argue that they took the longest route to get to where they were going—that Jorg’s philosophising and Jalan’s repartee were obstacles in the journey. Red Sister has a much subtler, ‘grown-up’ tone; one which I’ve only ever seen Lawrence exhibit in The Wheel of Osheim…. This bodes well indeed for his future work.” Hughes summarized that “Red Sister contains familiar and much-lauded stylistic features of Lawrence’s writing, while dealing with brand-new characters and themes in an entirely original setting. Readers who’ve enjoyed Lawrence’s earlier novels will also love Red Sister. Readers who have never encountered the ‘Broken Empire’ series should set it aside for the time being and instead dive straight into Red Sister. And as for readers who disliked either Jorg or Jalan, let me assure you: Nona Grey would kick both their arses, and turn Jorg’s Road Brothers into bacon for her breakfast.”
In a review in Fantasy Book Review, James Tivendale called it “one of the finest ‘magic-systems’ I have ever seen depicted in fantasy.” Tivendale explained that “the ‘magic-system’ is labyrinthine in its complexity. I used quotation marks with that phrase as to describe it as being as simplistic as that statement is underwhelming for what has been created. For precision, complexity and potential—the magics are potentially on par with the Warrens used in Malazan and Allomancy in Mistborn.” Tivendale concluded that “the finale of this story was utterly breathtaking. Nona is one of my favourite characters in fiction. Lawrence has created one of the most engaging fantasy worlds that my mind has allowed me to visit. At the finale, the second book is set up exceptionally well. It hit me yesterday that because I have an advanced copy of this, that I have to wait even longer for the second book. That is quite upsetting. When it is released officially I will buy this as it deserves a prime of place on my literal favourite bookshelf in my library.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, May 15, 2014, David Pitt, review of Prince of Fools, p. 29; June 1, 2016, Heather McCammond-Watts, review of The Wheel of Osheim, p. 70; April 1, 2017, Lynnanne Pearson, review of Red Sister, p. 31.
Bookwatch, October 1, 2013, review of Emperor of Thorns.
California Bookwatch, November 1, 2011, review of Prince of Thorns; October 1, 2012, review of King of Thorns.
Library Journal, February 15, 2017, Kristi Chadwick, review of Red Sister, p. 66.
Publishers Weekly, June 13, 2011, review of Prince of Thorns, p. 34; April 14, 2014, review of Prince of Fools, p. 38; March 6, 2017, review of Red Sister, p. 45.
ONLINE
Den of The Geek, http://www.denofgeek.com/ (April 5, 2017), Bridget LaMonica, review of Red Sister.
Fantasy Book Review, http://www.fantasybookreview.co.uk/ (November 25, 2011), James Tivendale, review of Red Sister.
Mark Lawrence Website, http://www.marklawrence.buzz (November 16, 2017).
Tor.com, https://www.tor.com/ (April 7, 2017), Laura M. Hughes, review of Red Sister.
Unbound Worlds, http://www.unboundworlds.com/ (April 19, 2017), Shawn Speakman, author interview.*
Mark Lawrence is married with four children, one of whom is severely disabled. His day job is as a research scientist focused on various rather intractable problems in the field of artificial intelligence. He has held secret level clearance with both US and UK governments. At one point he was qualified to say 'this isn't rocket science ... oh wait, it actually is'.
Between work and caring for his disabled child, Mark spends his time writing, playing computer games, tending an allotment, brewing beer, and avoiding DIY.
UnboundWorlds: Exploring the Science Fiction and Fantasy Universe
INTERVIEWS
Mark Lawrence Discusses His New Book, Red Sister
SHARE
INTERVIEWS
Mark Lawrence Discusses His New Book, Red Sister
By SHAWN SPEAKMAN
April 19, 2017
BARNES & NOBLE
INDIEBOUND
AMAZON
IBOOKS
SHARE
Cover detail from Red Sister by Mark Lawrence.
When I read his debut novel, Prince of Thorns, I knew Mark Lawrence would be one of the new voices to read every year.
I was not wrong. I’ve loved all of his books. His readership has grown with every year’s release, his particular style of storytelling unique and his turn of phrase one that keeps a person reading long into the night.
But this year was the true test. While his first six books are roughly set in the same world with some characters that cross over, Red Sister is the first book in a brand-new series unrelated to anything he’s written before. And I’m happy to say, it’s great, probably the best thing Lawrence has written. Red Sister features Nona, one of the most interesting and complex main characters I’ve recently read, a young girl forced from her home and finding a home in a convent. It is all set within a world of religion, dangerous machinations, and political conflict. George R. R. Martin and Kvothe fans would do well to pick up Red Sister.George R. R. Martin and Kvothe fans would do well to pick up Red Sister.
Upon finishing it, I decided to send Lawrence some questions about the book and the future of the series. After all, the first book is only the tip of the iceberg, with a much larger world abroad. The interview is below.
Read on!
Unbound Worlds: Red Sister is now published. Tell Unbound Worlds about this first book in the “Book of the Ancestor” series?
Mark Lawrence: My elevator pitch consists of staring at the buttons and studiously ignoring anyone else in there with me. This is my seventh book and I still can’t bring myself to do the hard sell.
It’s an entirely new story, new world, and the characters are almost all female, the most important ones children in the 9 to 13 range. Also, there’s plenty of killing.
UW: Nona is a wonderfully complex character, a young girl who enters and grows within a very different life. Did you draw on strong women in your own life as inspiration?
ML: I don’t know. Generally I can either identify concrete inspiration such as “A Clockwork Orange” for my first main character, Jorg, and Flashman for my second, Jalan. Or I have no clue. Here I have no clue. Obviously I’m influenced by all my inputs, but I can’t untangle them. Mind you … what you said sounds like a great answer. So that.
UW: The book is quite unlike anything you’ve written before. How did you go about constructing the Convent of Sweet Mercy and the surrounding structures of power? Did it require research into the monastic or did you make it up as you went along?
ML: I always invent as I go. My only research was to Google for a nice map of an abbey and take inspiration from the labels, such as “cloister”, “scriptorium”, “refectory” etc.
UW: The worldbuilding here is very subtle but I loved it, especially the frozen world that is unfrozen periodically. Technology always seems to creep into your work. Why?
ML: I guess that’s my science background poking in. For me it adds another dimension of mystery. And to my mind magic and science are interchangeable. If magic exists then. . . the study of magic is science and magic is just a part of the world, subject to laws just as gravity is. Technology is simply the production of useful stuff using science (magic). Many secondary worlds have long histories but are technologically static, which always strikes me as odd. I think George RR Martin’s world in A Song of Ice and Fire has records for the ice wall going back ten thousand years. And in all that time they have had the bow and sword but not moved beyond. This seems odd given human ingenuity.
UW: How is work going on the sequel to Red Sister? Got a title in mind?
ML: The trilogy was finished 8 months before Red Sister’s publication. Grey Sister is next, then Holy Sister. And by finished I really do mean finished. Grey Sister has even been edited by the publisher and is practically ready to print.
UW: Your output is tremendous! Do you and Brandon Sanderson use the same ghost writer chained somewhere?
ML: That would be a ghostwriter worth keeping hold of! But my books are relatively short. A GRRM volume is well over twice as long. I think my main asset is that I write things once. I don’t have the draft draft draft disease that some suffer from. I’ve never deleted a page and rewritten it, some authors rewrite whole chapters or remove or add characters. That’s going to make it a lengthy process.
Red Sister by Mark Lawrence is available now!
The journey awaits!
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Mark Lawrence (author)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mark Lawrence
Occupation Writer, novelist, research scientist
Genre Fantasy
Notable works
The Broken Empire Trilogy
The Red Queen's War (Trilogy)
Website
marklawrence.buzz
Mark Lawrence (born in 1966) is an American-British novelist who wrote The Broken Empire trilogy of fantasy books. In 2014, Lawrence won the David Gemmell Legend Awards for best novel for Emperor of Thorns.[1]
Contents [hide]
1 Biography
2 Reception
3 Bibliography
3.1 The Broken Empire
3.2 The Red Queen's War
3.3 The Book of the Ancestor
3.4 Short Works and Standalone Works
3.5 Poetry
4 References
5 External links
Biography[edit]
Mark Lawrence was born in 1968, in the United States. While he was still young, his parents moved to the United Kingdom.
He is married and has four children.[2] Lawrence is the primary carer of his disabled child Celyn, and for this reason he does not travel to promote his books or attend conventions. He works as a novelist and was[3] a research scientist in the field of artificial intelligence. He has held secret level clearance with both US and UK governments.[4]
Reception[edit]
Lawrence's first work, Prince of Thorns, was published by Ace / Voyager in August 2011 and was a finalist in the Goodreads Choice Award for "Best Fantasy 2011", a David Gemmell Morningstar Award Finalist in 2012 and short listed for the Prix Imaginales (Roman étranger) in 2013. Prince of Thorns was also one of Barnes & Noble's "Best Fantasy Releases of 2011".[5]
His second book, King of Thorns was published by Ace / Voyager in August 2012 and was again a finalist in the Goodreads Choice Award for "Best Fantasy 2012."[6] King of Thorns was also one of Barnes & Noble's "Best Fantasy Releases of 2012",[7] and a David Gemmell Legend Award Finalist in 2013.
The final book in the Broken Empire trilogy, Emperor of Thorns, was published by Ace / Voyager in August 2013. Sales in the first week got the book positioned on the Sunday Times Bestseller list. It also made the final of the Goodreads Choice Award (2013) and won the David Gemmell Legend Award (2014).
Prince of Fools, released in 2014 by Ace/Voyager in June, was a semi-finalist in the Goodreads Choice Award for "Best Fantasy 2014" in an expanded category. It was also a David Gemmell Legend Award Finalist in 2015.
The Liar's Key, released in 2015 by Ace/Voyager in June was a semi-finalist in the Goodreads Choice Award for "Best Fantasy 2015", and won Lawrence a second David Gemmell Legend Award (2016).
The Wheel of Osheim, released in 2016 by Ace/Voyager in June was a semi-finalist in the Goodreads Choice Award for "Best Fantasy 2016".
His work is currently translated into 20 languages and he has sold over a million books worldwide.
In April 2015, at the London Book Fair, Harper Voyager announced the acquisition of a new epic fantasy trilogy - The Red Sister Trilogy. UK and Commonwealth rights (exc. Canada) for the Red Sister trilogy were acquired for a six-figure sum from Ian Drury at Sheil Land. Red Sister features Lawrence's first ever female protagonist, Nona; a girl with a mysterious past and a dangerous future. Lawrence has stated that this trilogy is not set in the world of the Broken Empire.[8]
Bibliography[edit]
The Broken Empire[edit]
Prince of Thorns (2 August 2011)
King of Thorns (7 August 2012)
Emperor of Thorns (6 August 2013)
A short story entitled Sleeping Beauty set in the Broken Empire was released on 26 April 2014.
The Red Queen's War[edit]
Prince of Fools (3 June 2014)
The Liar's Key (June 2015)
The Wheel of Osheim (2 June 2016)
The Book of the Ancestor[edit]
Red Sister (April 2017)
Grey Sister
Holy Sister
Short Works and Standalone Works[edit]
Dark Tide (2012) released in Fading Light Anthology
Quick (2013) released in Triumph Over Tragedy Anthology
Select Mode (2013) released in Unfettered
Bad Seed (2014) released in Grimdark Magazine issue No. 1[9]
During the Dance (2014) A free standalone short story that is available on his Website
A Rescue (2015)- Available in Legends II: Stories in Honour of David Gemmell
Christmas Tale - A free standalone short story that is available on his Website
Locked In - A free standalone short story that is available on his Website
No Second Troy - A short story that is available in the Broken Empire Omnibus
Road Brothers - A short story collection that has 10 stories all set in The Broken Empire world.
Gunlaw (2015) A Standalone book that is serially released on Wattpad
Blood of the Red - A standalone books that is serially released on Wattpad
Poetry[edit]
Sea Song - A free poem that is available on his Website
Stumble - A free poem that is available on his Website
Blue - A free poem that is available on his Website
Shouting for the Echo - A free poem that is available on his Website
High,Cold,Silent,Alone - A free poem that is available on his Website
References[edit]
Jump up ^ http://www.gemmellaward.com/profiles/blogs/gemmell-awards-2014-the-winners
Jump up ^ "Guest Blog: Mark Lawrence, Author of PRINCE OF THORNS". Clarion Foundation. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
Jump up ^ "Redundant". Retrieved 4 December 2015.
Jump up ^ "Mark Lawrence on Goodreads". Goodreads. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
Jump up ^ "The Best Fantasy Releases of 2011". Barnes & Nobles. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
Jump up ^ "Best Fantasy 2012 -- Goodreads Choice Awards". Goodreads. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
Jump up ^ http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/t5/Explorations-The-BN-SciFi-and/The-Best-Fantasy-Releases-of-2012/ba-p/1427085[permanent dead link]
Jump up ^ "Red Sister trilogy acquired by Voyager". Retrieved 4 December 2015.
Jump up ^ "Grimdark Magazine #1". Retrieved 27 January 2017.
External links[edit]
Mark Lawrence Homepage
Personal Blog
Mark Lawrence Goodreads Page
The Unofficial Website of Mark Lawrence
Interview with Isaac Hooke
Interview with Shadowlocked
Grimdark Magazine interviews Mark Lawrence
Categories: 1966 birthsLiving people21st-century American novelists21st-century British novelistsAmerican male novelistsBritish male writers
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11/12/2017 General OneFile - Saved Articles
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Print Marked Items
Red Sister
Lynnanne Pearson
Booklist.
113.15 (Apr. 1, 2017): p31.
COPYRIGHT 2017 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
Red Sister.
By Mark Lawrence.
Apr. 2017. 480p. Ace, $27 (9781101988855).
Trying to save her friend from the violent son of a local lord, Nona Grey lands both of them in jail, sentenced to hang.
Her friend is executed, while Nona is rescued at the last moment by Abbess Glass, the nun in charge of the Sweet
Mercy Convent. Sweet Mercy instructs girls in the ways of the Ancestor and prepares them to take their holy orders.
More than prayers, these nuns teach the girls deadly combat, poisons, and the mystical path. Nona gradually makes
friends and hones her own mystical abilities. Even though Glass rescued her, Nona is far from safe. The local lord is
determined she be punished, while malicious forces in the church and the empire conspire against the sisters.
Lawrence, in the first volume in a new trilogy, creates a fierce, vulnerable, and dangerous heroine in Nona. His
secondary characters are equally well-developed. The convent itself is a mix of Hogwarts, Xavier's School for Gifted
Youngsters, and the Princess Academy. Great characters and strong world building combined with bloody action scenes
will have fantasy readers clamoring for book two.--Lynnanne Pearson
YA: A winning heroine and the appeal of a magical school will likely make this a hit with YA fantasy readers. RV.
YA RECOMMENDATIONS
* Young adult recommendations for adult, audio, and reference titles reviewed In this issue have been contributed by
the Booklist staff and by reviewers Michael Cart, Laura Chanoux, John Charles, Carol Haggas, Kristine Huntley,
Bethany Latham, Colleen Mondor, and Louisa Whitfield-Smith.
* Adult titles recommended for teens are marked with the following symbols: YA, for books of general YA interest;
YA/C, for books with particular curriculum value; YA/S, for books that will appeal most to teens with a special interest
in a specific subject; and YA/M, for books best suited to mature teens.
Pearson, Lynnanne
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Pearson, Lynnanne. "Red Sister." Booklist, 1 Apr. 2017, p. 31. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA491487895&it=r&asid=f1ceb9a31e069b0ca36cfd219c920134.
Accessed 12 Nov. 2017.
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Red Sister: The Ancestor, Book 1
Publishers Weekly.
264.10 (Mar. 6, 2017): p45.
COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Red Sister: The Ancestor, Book 1
Mark Lawrence. Ace, $27 (480p) ISBN 978-1-101988-85-5
Lawrence (the Broken Empire trilogy) grips readers from the opening sentence--"It is important, when killing a nun, to
ensure that you bring an army of sufficient size"--of this successful fantasy series launch. The prologue setting up a
battle between a Martial Sister and a force of 200 men ends just before the first blow is struck. The main narrative is a
lengthy flashback recounting the story of Nona Grey, a young girl who was given to a childtaker; she's introduced
moments from being hanged for attempting to kill a powerful noble who was hurting a friend of hers. Her life is spared
through the intervention of Abbess Glass, who takes Nona to the Sweet Mercy Convent and puts her through rigorous
training. The contours of the plot will feel familiar to genre fans--a young orphan, possessed of special gifts, receiving
lessons in a cloistered community on how to realize her potential--but Lawrence makes it seem fresh through evocative
prose and three-dimensional characterizations. Agent: Ian Drury, Shell Land Associates. (Apr.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Red Sister: The Ancestor, Book 1." Publishers Weekly, 6 Mar. 2017, p. 45. General OneFile,
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Accessed 12 Nov. 2017.
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Science fiction/fantasy
Megan M. McArdle and Kristi Chadwick
Library Journal.
142.3 (Feb. 15, 2017): p66.
COPYRIGHT 2017 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution
permitted.
http://www.libraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
IN FANTASY, there is usually magic in the world, but authors take various approaches to establish how pervasive the
wizardry is and who knows about it. In epic fantasy, paranormal power might be a regular part of the characters' daily
lives such as found in Lois McMaster Bujold's world of the Five Gods, revisited this month in Penric and the Shaman.
Other stories pivot on secret supernatural knowledge, including those influenced by the ever-popular mythos created by
H.P. Lovecraft, two examples of which we get with Caitlin R. Kiernan's Agents of Dreamland and Ruthanna Emrys's
Winter Tide.
Urban fantasy is more likely to have the magic shared with only a few, like the Tufa of Alex Bledsoe's Gather Her
Round: A Novel of the Tufa, or the agents of the Arcadia Project in Mishell Baker's Phantom Pains. And the moment
when hidden powers are made public is the focus of Kim Harrison's The Turn, the prequel to her "Hollows" series.
Underground or out in the open, alchemy is part of what makes fantasy a wonderful winter escape.--MM
CHECK THESE OUT
* Baker, Mishell. Phantom Pains. Saga: S. & S. (Arcadia Project, Bk. 2). Mar. 2017. 416p. ISBN 9781481480178.
$29.99; pap. ISBN 9781481451925. $15.99; ebk. ISBN 9781481451932. FANTASY
Four months ago, Millie Roper, a brain-damaged double amputee with borderline personality disorder, left the Arcadia
Project, which oversees relations between Hollywood and the fairy world, after her partner Teo was killed by a fey
countess. Now working for Valmont Studios, she is brought back to the scene of the crime by her former boss, Caryl,
where she is confronted by Teo's ghost. Even more shocking to Millie is Caryl's insistence that ghosts don't exist.
Although reluctant to deal with the Project again, she agrees to recount her experience to agents at the national
headquarters. But during her visit, an agent is murdered and Caryl is implicated in the crime. Millie knows that Caryl is
innocent, but the Project expects swift--and severe-justice to be served. Millie must not only save Caryl from an awful
fate but also discover the culprit behind a plot to destroy both worlds. VERDICT This follow-up to Borderline keeps
the emotional punches from Baker's resilient protagonist coming. Millie's disabilities are not hindrances; they enhance
her thoughts and actions. Readers invested in the first book won't be disappointed.--KC
Bledsoe, Alex. Gather Her Round: A Novel of the Tufa. Tor. Mar. 2017. 320p. ISBN 9780765383341. $27.99; ebk.
ISBN 9781466891555. FANTASY
Kera Rogers, a young woman of the mysterious Tufa, disappears while hiking the woods of Cloud County. It appears
she was attacked by an unusually large wild boar, but things are never simple when they involve the Tufa, descendants
of otherworldly fae beings. Kera's boyfriend Duncan mourns her death, but he is also consumed by jealousy when he
discovers she had another lover. While local hunters look for the boar, Duncan seeks revenge. VERDICT The latest
entry (after Chapel of Ease) in this marvelous series combines human drama with just a touch of otherworldly magic.
The split nature of the Tufa community is further explored, but Bledsoe never reduces the two sides to basic good vs.
evil, as he allows his characters to make their own choices.--MM
Bujold, Lois McMaster. Penric and the Shaman. Subterranean. Feb. 2017. 216p. ISBN 9781596068155. $25. ebk.
available. FANTASY
Lord Penric has joined the Bastard's Order, studying and marking time as a sorcerer in the court of the PrincessArchdivine.
Locator Oswyl arrives, looking for a wizard to find the shaman Inglis, who is accused of killing his best
friend. Released from his service to the princess and accompanied by his demon, Desdemona, Penric travels with
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Oswyl into the mountains where he is forced to use his still-burgeoning powers when they are confronted with
unexpected magic and spirits in capturing Inglis. VERDICT Set in the world of "The Five Gods" (The Curse if
Challion; Paladin of Souls; The Hallowed Hunt), Bujold's novella takes series fans back to a well-known realm in an
exciting new adventure. The varied voices, especially between Pen and Desdemona, add a fun slant to a serious tale.--
KC
Danker, Sean. Free Space. Ace: Berkley. (Admiral, Bk. 2). May 2017.320p. ISBN 9780451475800. pap. $16; ebk.
ISBN 9780698197268. SF
Having impersonated a prince, fended off numerous assassination attempts, and prevented a war, the Admiral is ready
for a weekend away with Tessa Salmagard, an Evagardian lady. Although dinner goes off without a hitch, pirates
boarding their shuttle and kidnapping him as slave labor to be traded as another commodity was not part of the plan.
But the Admiral has been underestimated before, and his date is an Imperial Service--trained soldier. Yet he soon
realizes that the situation may be much more complicated. While Salmagard races to catch up with him, time is running
out for the Admiral. VERDICT The sequel to Admiral brings back Danker's intriguing characters in a deep dive into
intergalactic politics and power. Another strong entry in military sf.--KC
Emrys, Ruthanna. Winter Tide. Tor.com. (Innsmouth Legacy, Bk. 1). Apr. 2017. 368p. ISBN 9780765390905. $25.99;
ebk. ISBN 9780765390912. FANTASY
The raid that destroyed the community of Innsmouth in the late 1920s leaves Aphra Marsh and her brother Caleb the
last of their people on dry land; the rest had died after being forced into desert internment camps during World War II.
The Marshes are descendents of the Deep Ones, a branch of humanity who left land to dwell in the oceans. They had
also worshipped the Elders, such as Cthulhu and Shub-Niggurath, and Aphra is trying to keep up her magical and
spiritual studies despite having no ancestors to help her. In 1949, she leaves the home she has made in San Francisco to
go to Miskatonic University at the request of an FBI agent who believes the Russians have learned some of the secrets
of her people and will use them in the looming Cold War. VERDICT While this debut is sure to be of interest to fans of
H.P. Lovecraft, even those unfamiliar with the mythos should enjoy the combination of Cold War paranoia and horror.
The pacing is slow, but the characters are winning, especially Aphra as she battles alienation from her own culture.--
MM
Harrison, Kim. The Turn: The Hollows Begins with Death. Gallery. (Hollows). Feb. 2017. 448p. ISBN
9781501108716. $26.99; ebk. ISBN 9781501108846. FANTASY
Those familiar with Harrison's "Hollows" series know that the supernatural community came out of the proverbial
closet owing to a worldwide pandemic that killed millions of humans. The story of how that crisis kicked off in the
1960s is told here. Ambitious elf geneticist Trisk, who is trying to get respect from her male counterparts, takes a
position in a human-run lab, hiding her true nature as she develops a virus that she hopes will one day save her people.
Her plans go awry when longtime rival Trent "Kal" Kalamack shows up at her lab, intending to discredit her work.
Fans will clamor for this prequel and will enjoy the cameos from some series regulars, including demon Aliagarept.
They should be prepared for some sluggish pacing, however, and a heroine who makes some frustratingly bad choices.
VERDICT Even with these drawbacks, it will leave longtime readers with an immediate desire to reread the main
series.--MM
Kiernan, Caitlin R. Agents of Dreamland. Tor.com. Mar. 2017. 128p. ISBN 9780765394323. pap. $11.99; ebk. ISBN
9780765394316. HORROR
Two rival intelligence agents meet in a diner in Winslow, AZ, to exchange information. One of the agents, known only
as the Signalman, is haunted by horrors witnessed at the compound of a cult that was awaiting the arrival of elder gods
from a Lovecraftian realm. Gathering acolytes by the shores of the Salton Sea, the cult leader targeted those like young
Chloe from Los Angeles, promising them a new world. VERDICT There is no writer more skilled at conveying
horrifying images in gorgeous language than Kiernan (The Drowning Girl). Here she combines remote locations,
mysterious secret agents (one of whom seems unbounded by the laws of time), zombie fungus, tarot card prophecies,
and satellites at the edges of our solar system into one compact novella.--MM
* Lawrence, Mark. Red Sister. Ace: Berkley. (Book of the Ancestor, Bk. 1). Apr. 2017.480p. ISBN 9781101988855.
$27; ebk. ISBN 9781101988862. FANTASY
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Nine-year-old Nona Grey, accused of murder, is headed for the gallows when she is purchased by the abbess of Sweet
Mercy and taken into a convent that raises young women to become trained killers. For ten years, girls are taught the
ways of sword and shadow, and for many, the old blood of the ancestors eventually rises to the surface in the form of
magical gifts that enhance their fighting skills. When Nona arrives, she finds a new future, a new family, and some new
enemies. But her brief previous history in the world attracts the attention of powerful families, dangerous foes, and
even the emperor himself. As external politics and internal conflicts within the church seep into the convent's isolated
world, Nona will be forced to confront and embrace the darkness inside her, and no one will ever be the same.
VERDICT In this stunning, action-filled series launch, Lawrence ("Broken Empire" trilogy) establishes a fantastic
world in which religion and politics are dark and sharp as swords, with magic and might held in the hands of wonderful
and dangerous women. Impatient George R.R. Martin's fans will find this a pleasing alternative until the next
installment in his "A Song of Ice and Fire" saga arrives.--KC
McDonald, Ian. Luna: Wolf Moon. Tor. (Luna, Bk. 2). Apr. 2017.400p. ISBN 9780765375537. $27.99; ebk. ISBN
9781466847644. SF
After the downfall of the Corta family at the end of Luna: New Moon, the balance of power on the moon is in flux.
While the Mackenzies engineered the defeat of their rivals in order to take over the lucrative helium trade, internal
rivalries keep them in chaos. The other powerful families will seek to take advantage of the power vacuum, but don't
count the Cortas out just yet. Lucas Corta attempts a return to Earth to recruit allies there, while the younger
generation, including Robson and Lucasinho, struggle to survive without being used as pawns. VERDICT This novel
should probably not be attempted without reading the first book, as McDonald has established a complex political
climate. The power blocks--the Aussie Mackenzies, Brazilian Cortas, or Chinese Suns--have kept certain aspects of
their Earth roots, and readers will encounter a variety of foreign language slang, which is aided by the included
glossary.--MM
McGuire, Seanan. Magic for Nothing: An Incryptid Novel. DAW. (InCryptid, 8k. 6). Mar. 2017.368p. ISBN
9780756410391. pap. $7.99; ebk. ISBN 9780698183544. FANTASY
Antimony Price, the youngest of her family of cryptozoologists, is still figuring out her life as she tries to contain her
new, secret incendiary power. After her older sister, Verity, basically declares war against their enemy, St. George of the
Covenant, on live television, Annie is asked by the family to travel to London and infiltrate the Covenant. She must
find out if the organization is taking Verity's declaration seriously and planning to respond in kind. This is a life-ordeath
mission; if the Covenant discovers who Annie is, if they realize that she wants to protect most of the Cryptids, if
they uncover her secret, they will certainly kill her--or worse. Because there is always a "worse." VERDICT The sixth
series outing (after Chaos Choreography) returns fans to the supernatural world of monsters, monster hunters, and Price
family issues. McGuire continues to keep the high energy and excitement in her frenetic action-filled stories, with loads
of humor and intriguing characters.--KC
* Neuvel, Sylvain. Waking Gods. Del Rey: Ballantine. (Themis Files, Bk. 2). Apr. 2017.336p. ISBN 9781101886724.
$28; ebk. ISBN 9781101886731. SF
The team that assembled the giant alien robot known as Themis in 2015's Sleeping Giants never really got answers
about who left the machine behind and why. They face a terrifying escalation of the mystery in this sequel as a new
robot lands in London. The new machine, even bigger than the colossal Themis, unleashes a violent attack on the city.
Worse, there are more robots landing at every major population center on the globe. The Themis team might be the
only hope for humanity's survival. Rose, the original discoverer of the first piece of Themis, has an especially
intriguing arc, questioning her very existence. VERDICT Darker than the first book, this entry maintains the effective
format of a compiled history of interviews, news items, and official journal entries. This series' thoughtful yet actionpacked
nature would make for a great film, and in fact, the rights were sold to Sony Pictures before the first volume
came out. [See Prepub Alert, 10/31/16.]--MM
Reynolds, Alastair. Revenger. Orbit: Hachette. Mar. 2017. 432p. ISBN 9780316555562. pap. $14.99; ebk. ISBN
9780316555630. SF
Sisters Adrana and Arafura Ness run away from a safe life, hoping to earn money to help their father. They've been
tested and found to have the rare ability to pick up the ghostly signals put out by alien skulls, so they are hired as bone
readers for the ship Monetta's Mourn. A good reader can not only pick up what is being sent to their ship but also
eavesdrop on other ships' messages. Captains like Rackamore of the Monetta use that hijacked information to help
them plan heists on the treasures locked away around the galaxy. But when their ship tangles with Bosa Sennan, the
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notorious pirate, Adrana and Arafura are separated and Fura vows revenge. VERDICT Reynolds (Slow Bullets) has
sketched in a galaxy littered with the relics of former civilizations (human and alien), with plenty left to the reader's
imagination, and room for a sequel. The space slang (air is "lungstuff") sometimes seems hokey, but the author marries
pirate adventures with a coming-of-age story in a way that should give it great crossover appeal for teens.--MM
Wolf, Deborah A. The Dragon's Legacy. Titan. (Dragon's Legacy, Bk. 1). Apr. 2017. 320p. ISBN 9781785651076.
$24.99; ebk. ISBN 9781785651090. FANTASY
The people of the Zeera, surrounded by fierce predators, with sparse resources and the few children bom to them, are
proud of their resilience; they train young women like Sulema to be Ja'Akari--warrior protectors of their desert home.
Sulema's celebration of her elevation to Ja'Akari is interrupted by visitors from the Dragon King in Atualon. The king's
men have been looking for her and her mother for years, as Sulema is the king's daughter and she is needed. This debut
packs a lot of worldbuilding into a series opener, introducing Sulema and the people of the Zeera as well as the court of
the Dragon King, a rival empire in neighboring Sindan. VERDICT Many elements typical of epic fantasy appear--
hidden heirs, sleeping dragons, spider cults--but Wolf does a good job of laying out her game board of rival powers and
setting the tone for what is sure to be an interesting new series.--MM
Wright, Suzanne. Blaze. Piatkus. (Dark in You, Bk. 2). Apr. 2017. 354p. ISBN 9780349413174. pap. $13.99; ebk.
ISBN 9780349413181. FANTASY
Harper Wallis should be happy: she has the man of her dreams, a business she loves, and close friends. Of course, her
friends are hellcats and imps, her man Knox is a possessive demon--just like her--and she is now co-Prime of a
powerful demon lair in Las Vegas. But when one of Knox's fellow demons goes rogue, kidnapping Harper's mom and
threatening Knox's life, Harper must save him, although Knox is determined to protect her. Adding to their troubles is
an upcoming celebration with a not-so-fun party planner and the realization that their partnership means the balance of
power has shifted. Harper has her hands full just trying to get along--and stay alive. VERDICT Wright's follow-up to
Burn is another action-filled romp of an urban fantasy with no shortage of humor or sex.--KC
COLLECTIONS & ANTHOLOGIES
Balaskovits, A.A. Magic for Unlucky Girls. Santa Fe Writer's Project. Apr. 2017. 226p. ISBN 9781939650665. pap.
$14.95; ebk. ISBN 9781939650689. FANTASY
A new bride is faced with her husband's mysterious locked door. Twin infants finally wake their mother from a century
of sleep. One woman finds that her prince adores her perfect hair, but abhors any other flaws. These 14 stories spins
new twists on familiar fairy-tale tropes with heroines who take control of their situations. The darkness that could
destroy them is vanquished through brains, beauty, and the light of their own souls. VERDICT Winner of the 2015
Santa Fe Literary Awards Program, Balaskovits's anthology breathes fresh life into classic fairy tales. Readers who
enjoy short fiction with a fantastical bent should pick up this award-winning book.--KC
Probert, John Llewellyn. The Lovecraft Squad: All Hallows Horror. Pegasus. Mar. 2017. 384p. ed. by Stephen Jones.
ISBN 9781681773339. $25.95; ebk. ISBN 9781681773872. HORROR
Created by acclaimed horror editor Jones, this first entry in a new trilogy takes H.P. Lovecraft's Elder Gods, most
notably Cthulhu, and makes them prominent figures in Dante Alighieri's poetic depiction of Hell and Purgatory from
The Divine Comedy. The story follows parapsychologists Bob Chambers and Karen Shepworth as they unravel the
mystery surrounding bones and scrolls uncovered outside the ancient All Hallows Church in Blackheath, London.
Locked in the church as part of an investigative team, they soon find themselves immersed in a world of unspeakable
horror and eldritch entities who wish to throw the world into darkness and create hell on Earth. VERDICT Smartly
combining Lovecraftian and classical mythologies, Probert (The House That Death Built) does an excellent job of
creating a suspenseful and often horrific atmosphere without indulging in gratuitous gore or violence. Still, some more
explicit depictions of hellish scenes make this title best suited for older teens and adults. Fans of Lovecraft and horror
should enjoy.--Matt Schirano, Univ. of Bridgeport Lib., CT
DEBUT OF THE MONTH
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* Donnelly, Lara Elena. Amberlough. Tor. Feb. 2017.400p. ISBN 9780765383815. $25.99; ebk. ISBN 9781466893412.
FANTASY
The Federated States of Gedda is a loosely connected group of four nation-states, but the tide is turning politically. The
socially conservative One State Party, also known as the Ospies, is creeping its way into power. In a still-resistant
Amberlough City (think Weimar Republic Berlin), Cyril DePaul works as a spy. But when he is outed during a mission
against the Ospies, he either must collaborate with them or face execution. His decision to construct an elaborate
deception endangers Aristide Makricossta, Cyril's outspoken lover and the flamboyant emcee of the Bumble Bee
Cabaret, who is also a successful smuggler. Thrown into the mix is Cordelia Lehane, a dancer at the Bumble Bee and
Ari's runner. The three risk being taken down by the corrupt police, the crooked government, or their own actions.
VERDICT Donnelly's striking debut brings a complex world of politics, espionage, and cabaret life to full vision. The
emotional journeys of the characters as they struggle to survive in a society under siege by dark forces will strike a
chord with readers as they race to the story's conclusion--KC
"QUOTABLE "For a moment, it seems to him like something is trailing behind her, as if the coming night has tangled
itself about her shoulders, has snagged in her short black hair and won't let go."--Caitlin R. Kiernan, Agents of
Dreamland
SERIES LINEUP
Beaulieu, Bradley P. With Blood upon the Sand. DAW. (Song of Shattered Sands, Bk. 2). Feb. 2017. 672p. ISBN
9780756409746. $26; ebk. ISBN 9780698152397. FANTASY
In this follow-up to Twelve Kings in Shamkhai, Blood Maiden Ceda serves the Kings, training to be a warrior while
dealing with the truth she has learned about the enslaved asirim.--MM
Schwab, V.E. A Conjuring of Light. Tor. (Shades of Magic, Bk. 3). Feb. 2017. 624p. ISBN 9780765387462. $25.99;
ebk. ISBN 9780765387486. FANTASY
Fans of the series that began with A Darker Shade of Magic and continued with A Gathering of Shadows will be eager
to read this concluding volume. Still unknown are details on how this excellent story of four magical Londons will
wrap up, but count this columnist in!--MM
Wallace, Matt. Idle Ingredients. Tor.com. (Sin du Jour, Bk. 4). Feb. 2017. 192p. ISBN 9780765390035. pap. $15.99;
ebk. ISBN 9780765390028. FANTASY
The team at Sin du Jour, a catering service that works with the supernatural community, is back after Pride's Spell. This
time out, the men are taken down by a threat from within.--MM
Wendig, Chuck, Empire's End. Del Rey: Ballantine. (Star Wars: Aftermath, Bk. 3). Feb. 2017. 432p. ISBN
9781101966969. $28.99; ebk. ISBN 9781101966976. SF
Wendig kicked off a new era in Star Wars novels with Aftermath, followed by Aftermath: Life Debt. Now he concludes
this trilogy, set after the events of the film Revenge of the Jedi.--MM
Megan M. McArdle is a Collection Specialist at the Library of Congress, National Library Service for the Blind and
Physically Handicapped. Kristi Chadwick is Advisor for the Massachusetts Library System. In addition to being a 2013
LJ Reviewer of the Year and 2014 Mover & Shaker, she was also a finalist judge for the 2015 LJ SELF-e Award in
Fantasy
Caption: Sequel stars: stories of ghosts, robot invasions
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
McArdle, Megan M., and Kristi Chadwick. "Science fiction/fantasy." Library Journal, 15 Feb. 2017, p. 66+. General
OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA481649051&it=r&asid=eacdcd0329c54c211516d4ef5d0c9dca.
Accessed 12 Nov. 2017.
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The Wheel of Osheim
Heather McCammond-Watts
Booklist.
112.19-20 (June 1, 2016): p70.
COPYRIGHT 2016 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
The Wheel of Osheim. By Mark Lawrence. June 2016. 432p. Ace, $27 (9780425268827).
Escaping from the grips of Hell requires a mixture of grit and cunning, both of which Prince Jal has in abundance. This
final adventure in the Red Queen's War has our reluctant and tarnished anti-hero coming into his own power as a selfserving
scoundrel, yes, but his unyielding survival instincts and his contempt for traditional tropes makes us root for
him all the same. Snorri, meanwhile, is desperately trying to save his family from the macabre underworld with raw
emotion and a killer battle axe sharpened for the corpse armies. The plot is vivid and intriguing, and the breakneck
action will keep fans engrossed in this compulsive fantasy about the end of all things and humanity's worst imaginings
come to bitter life in a broken world. The villains are nauseating and malevolent, and the fallible heroes spike their
witty banter with colorful language and a terrific bromance. Loki's magical key can unlock any door, but Lawrence
unlocks this captivating story and brings it to a terrifying and stunning conclusion that will surely please fans. --
Heather McCammond-Watts
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
McCammond-Watts, Heather. "The Wheel of Osheim." Booklist, 1 June 2016, p. 70. General OneFile,
go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA456094227&it=r&asid=8a6549c05ccafab30a7545409acb0fd4.
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Prince of Fools
David Pitt
Booklist.
110.18 (May 15, 2014): p29.
COPYRIGHT 2014 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
Prince of Fools. By Mark Lawrence. June 20l4.368p. Ace, $26.95 (9780425268780).
Set in the world of Lawrence's Broken Empire trilogy but rather lighter in tone, this is the story of Prince Jalan
Kendeth, grandson of the Red Queen, self-confessed coward, dedicated ladies' man, and devout shirker of anything
remotely resembling responsibility. After a plot to kill him goes awry, Jalan winds up on the run, paired up with a
Norseman whose warrior skills are matched by his keen intelligence, to discover the truth about an army of the undead
that threatens to destroy the realm. This is the first installment of a projected trilogy, set more or less concurrently with
the Broken Empire trilogy; it's not quite an outright comedy, but it comes very close. Jalan is a great character--he's a
Falstaffian ne erdo-well, and he's content to remain that way--and the story is as richly told as the earlier trilogy: the
author makes this place, a post-cataclysm earth of the far future, feel as real as any place you've ever visited. For fans
of the Broken Empire series and readers who enjoy a good, epic-sized fantasy story (readers of, say, George R. R.
Martin), this is a must-read.--David Pitt
Pitt, David
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Pitt, David. "Prince of Fools." Booklist, 15 May 2014, p. 29. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA371841532&it=r&asid=9729cc8d5ffc03cbfbff42c21d2523fc.
Accessed 12 Nov. 2017.
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Prince of Fools
Publishers Weekly.
261.15 (Apr. 14, 2014): p38.
COPYRIGHT 2014 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Prince of Fools
Mark Lawrence. Ace, $26.95 (368p) ISBN 9780-425-26878-0
A not-so-heroic prince is trapped in a deadly mission that could decide the fate of the kingdom in this trilogy opener set
in Lawrence's alt-European Broken Empire world. Prince Jalan Kendeth, 10th in line for the throne and a self-described
coward, has few life ambitions beyond drinking, gambling, and wenching. But the Dead King is raising a vast army
that threatens Jalan's home of Red March. Jalan's grandmother, the Red Queen, has a secret weapon: a mysterious
sorceress called the Silent Sister. Jalan knows the Silent Sister is capable of horrors, but that knowledge doesn't protect
him when he and enslaved Norse warrior Snorri ver Snagson are caught in one of her spells. Bound by magic, the two
men become unlikely traveling companions. Shrewd Jalan and honorable Snorri make a marvelous team, lightening a
very dark story with wry humor. The brisk adventure and black magic will leave readers eager for the next chapter in
the series. (June)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Prince of Fools." Publishers Weekly, 14 Apr. 2014, p. 38+. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA365458171&it=r&asid=a3832977067b90355986a36c8f84fe0a.
Accessed 12 Nov. 2017.
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Emperor of Thorns
The Bookwatch.
(Oct. 2013):
COPYRIGHT 2013 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/bw/index.htm
Full Text:
Emperor of Thorns
Mark Lawrence
Ace Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor
New York, NY 10014
9780425256855, $25.95, www.penguin.com
Emperor of Thorns is Book Three of 'The Broken Empire' series and concludes the trilogy for prior readers who will
relish the final story of a king facing the end of his empire. Jorg, main protagonist of prior books, is now twenty and
High King of Seven Nations. While he hasn't gotten revenge against his father, he's determined to rule as emperor, and
has uncovered the last dangerous lost technology of the land which could change and destroy the world. His
confrontation with the Dead King in a battle for power introduces him to an unexpected enemy in an unexpected place
in this engrossing, satisfying conclusion to an epic fantasy series, highly recommended for any prior reader.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Emperor of Thorns." The Bookwatch, Oct. 2013. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA346929160&it=r&asid=886c57481d18fbb75c50a45d90c0bdc9.
Accessed 12 Nov. 2017.
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King of Thorns
California Bookwatch.
(Oct. 2012):
COPYRIGHT 2012 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
Full Text:
King of Thorns
Mark Lawrence
Ace Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor
New York, NY 10014
9781937007478, $25.95, www.penguin.com
KING OF THORNS is Book Two of 'The Broken Empire' series and tells of one King Jorg, a man haunted by the ghost
of a young boy, a mysterious copper box, and by his family. He's filled with rage and a thirst for revenge for atrocities
committed against him as a child--and in this quest for revenge against his father he has amassed an army. Jorg still
feels he can't win--but his discovery of some magic tools may give him an edge in a coming battle in this fine science
fiction drama.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"King of Thorns." California Bookwatch, Oct. 2012. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA309589189&it=r&asid=26fe6475fb4bc8c3ca244c703c36155e.
Accessed 12 Nov. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A309589189
11/12/2017 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1510529584855 13/14
Prince of Thorns
California Bookwatch.
(Nov. 2011):
COPYRIGHT 2011 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
Full Text:
Prince of Thorns
Mark Lawrence
Ace Books
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780441020324, $25.95, www.penguin.com
PRINCE OF THORNS represents Book One of The Broken Empire and provides a top fantasy perfect for collections
seeing interest in the genre. It offers the setting of a country without an emperor, divided by many factions and many
evil forces. Gang leader Jorg leads one of these groups--but he is, in fact, a prince--and his companions wouldn't follow
him if they knew. Now it's time for him to reclaim his father's inheritance--only to discover that dark forces beyond his
experience will affect his possible rule and his country. Swift action makes for an involving story!
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Prince of Thorns." California Bookwatch, Nov. 2011. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA272740516&it=r&asid=c2785e4fcc035e4602b25c7a30481a64.
Accessed 12 Nov. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A272740516
11/12/2017 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1510529584855 14/14
Prince of Thorns: Broken Empire, Book 1
Publishers Weekly.
258.24 (June 13, 2011): p34.
COPYRIGHT 2011 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Prince of Thorns: Broken Empire, Book 1
Mark Lawrence. Ace, $25.95 (336p) ISBN 978-0-441-02032-4
This morbidly gripping, gritty fantasy tale is not for the squeamish. Prince Jorg was 10 years old when Count Renar's
soldiers hung him on a hook-briar while his mother and brother were murdered. Vicious and desperate for revenge, he
joined a bandit gang. Four years later, he's their leader and determined to end a multigenerational war by resurrecting
the old empire and becoming emperor. Jorg is the epitome of the antihero, killing not just in battle but whenever he
feels the need to set an example. Only toward the end of the book does a startling revelation focus his violence on
clearly deserving targets. But Jorg is a product of his world, no worse than any other power there, and Lawrence
increasingly makes readers believe that Jorg may indeed be able to use small savageries to end the ongoing greater
ones. (Aug.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Prince of Thorns: Broken Empire, Book 1." Publishers Weekly, 13 June 2011, p. 34+. General OneFile,
go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA259379179&it=r&asid=f712659f1f333d6bb3f6311bdb661656.
Accessed 12 Nov. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A259379179
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BOOK REVIEWS
New Perspectives and Deadly Nuns: Mark Lawrence’s Red Sister
Laura M. Hughes
Fri Apr 7, 2017 1:00pm 6 comments 3 Favorites [+]
Mark Lawrence’s latest novel, Red Sister, is a dramatic departure from the “grimdark” trilogies for which he’s most widely known. The first in a brand-new series, Red Sister introduces us to a different world and whole new cast of characters. But before we discuss its merits, let’s get the inevitable comparisons with Lawrence’s existing work out of the way…
Without giving too much away, Red Sister weaves together three distinct timelines. The main part of the story follows protagonist Nona’s time at the Sweet Mercy convent, beginning with her arrival at the convent and focusing on her education, her developing relationships with her peers and mentors, and her martial training. Think Harry Potter meets Blood Song, but with an all-female cast. The second thread gradually reveals Nona’s past—from the unspoken incident in her childhood village, to the months spent in a slaver’s cage—and the third thread takes place a few years further on from the first, framing the rest of the story like a much more exciting version of Kote’s narrative in The Kingkiller Chronicle.
Readers familiar with Lawrence’s previous books (The Broken Empire, The Red Queen’s War) will likely either love or hate his use of alternating timelines; either way, Red Sister is a fine example of the trademark Lawrence non-linear narrative. The author wields flashbacks (and flash-forwards) with wicked skill, and I can say without hesitation that Nona’s tale surpasses even King of Thorns in the seamless inclusion of gasp-out-loud plot twists and edge-of-your-seat perspective shifts.
So: Red Sister shares obvious stylistic similarities with The Broken Empire and The Red Queen’s War. But that, my friends, is where the similarities end.
Nobody likes change. At least, not at first. I myself—a keen admirer of Mark Lawrence since 2013—felt leery about this new world, these new characters. How, I asked myself, could Nona Grey’s tale possibly match up to those of her predecessors? Jorg Ancrath and Jalan Kendeth both leave behind big, bloody shoes to fill, after all.
Yes, fans of Lawrence’s writing will be accustomed to a very specific kind of protagonist: namely, a witty, self-centred young male. And when readers learned that the stars of Red Sister would be almost exclusively female, apprehension fluttered through a sizable portion of Lawrence’s fan base as they asked themselves: what if this decision to write an all-female cast was no more than a middle finger aimed directly at feminist critics of his other books? What if this new protagonist—this “Nona”– turned out to simply be a gender-flipped version of Jorg or Jalan—a pale imitation, rather than a unique individual?
It is important, when killing a nun, to ensure that you bring an army of sufficient size. For Sister Thorn of the Sweet Mercy convent Lano Tacsis brought two hundred men.
I believe most of us were reassured, if not by Red Sister’s first line, then certainly by its second. I for one knew I HAD to read more about this woman—a bloody nun, no less—who is apparently so badass that it requires an entire army just to challenge her.
So who is Sister Thorn? Who is her aggressor, and what’s his beef? What kind of world is this, in which killing nuns is a) acceptable, and b) a military action? Well, to answer these questions would be spoiling it. What I can tell you is that Nona Grey is a compelling, sympathetic protagonist who eventually kicks arse in the most believable yet satisfying ways.
Arse-kicking aside, it’s Nona’s journey that is truly captivating. Lawrence beautifully captures the nuances of Nona’s personality, so that her character unfolds along with her gradually changing perspective—which is no mean feat considering that Red Sister is Lawrence’s first full-length foray into third person. And as she learns more about the world, so too is her narrative laced with a poignant series of brutal observations and uncomfortable truths.
A man driving a wagonload of children in a cage doesn’t have to state his business. A farmer whose flesh lies sunken around his bones, and whose eyes are the colour of hunger, doesn’t have to explain himself if he walks up to such a man. Hunger lies beneath all of our ugliest transactions.
Above all, Nona’s perspective is jaded, yet wryly positive. This is a young woman who tries desperately to see the best in people—in her friends, especially—even when the worst is staring her right in the face; a young woman who remains hopeful, despite having been thoroughly kicked around by the frozen world she inhabits.
To begin with, Red Sister is disorienting. Readers old and new are confronted at the start by an entirely new perspective, a whole bunch of unfamiliar characters, and a somewhat confusing double-prologue. Furthermore, this is Lawrence’s first full-length work of spec fic that is not set within the Broken Empire.
The main thing you need to know about Nona’s world is that it’s bloody cold, and bloody brutal. On a planet where every habitable area is gradually succumbing to encroaching ice from both poles, the warring kingdoms are confined to the Corridor: a narrowing strip of land between the ice, where peasants scratch a living from the frozen soil and nuns live in isolated cloisters, guarding their own mysterious and much-coveted sources of heat.
In contrast with the travelogue-style adventures of Jorg and Jalan, much of Nona’s tale takes place within the Sweet Mercy convent. Here, she learns the subtle arts of poisoning, self-defence, and—most importantly—trusting her own instincts. Nona’s band of sisters are also developed in a nicely understated way, and they all play off one another in entertaining ways.
Add to all this Red Sister’s eminent quotability, and you’ll easily see why I had such a whale of a time posting Goodreads updates whilst reading it. Quips and bits of canny wisdom arise far more naturally here than they did from the nihilistic observations of Jorg, or the chuckle-provoking but occasionally forced witticisms of Jalan—yet another way in which Lawrence has evolved as a writer.
Words are steps along a path: the important thing is to get where you’re going. You can play by all manner of rules, step-on-a-crack-break-your-back, but you’ll get there quicker if you pick the most certain route.
While the princes of both Thorns and Fools did indeed break all manner of literary rules, you could argue that they took the longest route to get to where they were going—that Jorg’s philosophising and Jalan’s repartee were obstacles in the journey. Red Sister has a much subtler, “grown-up” tone; one which I’ve only ever seen Lawrence exhibit in The Wheel of Osheim (the concluding volume of his most recent completed trilogy). This bodes well indeed for his future work.
A book is as dangerous as any journey you might take. The person who closes the back cover may not be the same one that opened the front one.
Sister Kettle’s words are apt indeed. Like I said: nobody likes change. At least, not at first. But in this case, the switch in style, setting and substance from the Broken Empire to the Book of the Ancestor is perhaps the best thing Mark Lawrence has ever done.
Back in 2011, critic Liz Bourke declared Mark Lawrence’s writing to be problematic in her review of Prince of Thorns, not least because his debut novel was what you might call a “sausage fest.”
Despite these not inaccurate criticisms (which, believe me, Bourke is far from the only reader to have voiced), I—and many others—have spent the last few years eagerly devouring the regular instalments (one per year!) of fresh, sausage-y goodness.
But for those who remain unenamoured (or unfamiliar) with Lawrence’s work to date, Red Sister is the perfect point at which to become (re)acquainted… and this time, there isn’t a sausage in sight.
I suspect it’s going to be impossible for Lawrence to escape the notoriety that’s surrounded him since the release of Prince of Thorns. I’m also fairly certain that he wouldn’t want to; the bloke’s sold more than a million(!) books, after all. (No such thing as bad publicity, and all that.)
But with Red Sister being such a different project, you can understand why Harper Voyager have elected to make it look strikingly dissimilar from his previous books. In order to make Lawrence’s departure from the Broken Empire world abundantly clear, the publishers have switched from using the services of artist Jason Chan (with whom Lawrence has won double at the David Gemmell Legend Awards—twice!!) and instead chosen Heike Schuessler as the series’ new UK cover designer.
So while the US cover retains that gritty yet epic focus on the central character, the UK cover is almost mind-bogglingly different. As you can imagine, the cover reveal has been met mixed reception, with long-time fans expressing disappointment over the drastic change in style.
But as Lawrence himself has pointed out,
It’s a tricky business. They wanted to signal that this is a whole new offering, not just another installment of the world and stories begun in The Broken Empire and The Red Queen’s War. They wanted to invite in new readers who were perhaps put off by the piles of corpses &/or forest of blades emblazoning the front of my previous work.
Whether you love or hate this new look, I’m urging you to read what’s between the covers before you judge. Red Sister contains familiar and much-lauded stylistic features of Lawrence’s writing, while dealing with brand-new characters and themes in an entirely original setting.
Readers who’ve enjoyed Lawrence’s earlier novels will also love Red Sister.
Readers who have never encountered the Broken Empire series should set it aside for the time being and instead dive straight into Red Sister.
And as for readers who disliked either Jorg or Jalan, let me assure you: Nona Grey would kick both their arses, and turn Jorg’s Road Brothers into bacon for her breakfast.
Red Sister (Book of the Ancestor #1) is available from Ace Books in the US and Harper Voyager in the UK.
Laura M. Hughes exists beneath the grey, pigeon-filled skies of northern England where she reads and writes for Fantasy-Faction and Tor.com. When she isn’t absorbed in playing Dragon Age or working on her first novel, you’re most likely to find her trying to convince unsuspecting bystanders to read The Malazan Book of the Fallen. Hughes encourages like-minded folk to seek her out on Twitter @halfstrungharp and to check out her horror/fantasy novelette, Danse Macabre, on Amazon.
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6 Comments
skip to newest
1. kid_greg
Fri Apr 7, 2017 1:15pm Favorite This
Reading this now, and I couldn’t agree more with your review.
2. ghostforms
Fri Apr 7, 2017 9:55pm Favorite This
I cannot be the only one here who called their Grandma this, could I?
Or at least the only person here who called their Grandma this and happens to love the writing of a one Mr. Lawrence and fully intends to read this but will have to do some mental calisthenics to keeps these Nona’s separate and in their respective worlds.
3. scaredicat
Sun Apr 9, 2017 9:01pm Favorite This
Oh now, that was a good book!!! There is very nice world-building that reveals itself organically as the story progresses. And, of course, Mr. Lawrence’s beautiful prose. The main character is sympathetic, though flawed.
I abandoned the Broken Empire trilogy because I disliked the main character in the first book, so this was a pleasant surprise.
4. Craig Houghton
Wed Apr 19, 2017 8:56am Favorite This
Red Sister is definitely the best book I’ve read in a year and a half, up there with my favorite titles from Sanderson, Rothfuss, LeGuin, and Hobbs.
5. Sebastian
Fri May 26, 2017 7:07pm Favorite This
I have to disagree with you mate,Nona would likely beat Jorg in a fair fight, but when it comes to Red Jorg its never a fair fight. The simple fact is that no matter how skilled, brutal, or cunning you think you are, Jorg always has plans within schemes within plots ready for you and if all else fails, Fexler Brews is there to save the day.Jorg Ancrath is not a human being, he is an unstoppable force of nature, who was only killed upon his own wishes.
6. Ben
Fri Jul 14, 2017 6:08pm Favorite This
I spent the entire book trying to figure out how it tied into the trilogy because some idiot told me it was a prequel.
Hands down best book I’ve read this year. Very apt review. I could understand the empire books having negative critics but Nona grey is an amazing protagonist. And the book nearly flawless. My only regret is there’s not more for nearly a year now.
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Home > Reviews > Mark Lawrence
Red Sister by Mark Lawrence
Red Sister book cover
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Rating
9.5/10
A master storyteller who can craft amazing worlds and fill them with awesome characters
A Recommended Book of the Month
Red Sister by Mark Lawrence is a new story in a new world by an author who is trying (and succeeding in my opinion) to stand out as one of the premier fantasy storytellers of the last few years. It is a story set in a world of great challenge, where the environment itself works against the people who rely on it, about a bunch of gifted individuals who can do great things when they work together. This is, yet again, a supremely accomplished story by Mr Lawrence which I will have no problems recommending to any reader of fantasy novels.
The story follows Nona, a young girl cast out by her family and village because there is something not quite right about her. Her agency is taken away from her as she bounces around from village to slave master to fighters guild to death row before finally being taken in by the sisters of the Sweet Mercy convent, who immediately see the potential that Nona possesses and pledge to make the most of it. Thus begins the story of a young girl, fighting not only to make the most of her potential, but fighting just to prove herself amongst a cohort of young girls who would love to see her fail.
Red Sister is a magical academy story. Young farm girl born into a situation where the world is against her finds out she has magic powers and is part of some great prophecy, which she can only fulfill by completing her magical training. Lawrence does plenty to differentiate his story from the standard fare of magical academy stories, but it’s still hard to think of this story as something other than Harry Potter meets Earthsea / Name of the Wind. There are a few stand out scenes, such as the scene with the candle or the first time Nona takes a few steps along the path, but the rest are just what you would expect from a magical academy story.
My favourite part of a Lawrence story are the characters, and for Red Sister it’s no different. Nona is fantastic, more serious like Jorg than free-wheeling like Jalan, but with so much personality that she can stand on her own as a big-hearted warrior without the need for comparison against other Lawrence characters. What I liked most where her relationships with her friends, and her relationships with her teachers - it felt far more realistic than other magical academy stories and made this book so much more readable. I think I would have preferred to experience Nona's story in first person like we did with Jorg and Jalan - I got everything I needed in terms of story but I missed the truly personal storytelling that Lawrence gave us in the Broken Empire novels. Also what I think was lacking was Lawrence's dry wit, something very present in Jorg and Jalan's stories but fleeting in Nona's story. If this story had been written by anyone else I probably wouldn't have noticed, but because it's a Lawrence story I was hanging out for more of his cutting insight than what was delivered. It’s a very small detail, but one that sticks out to me simply because of the calibre of the author.
In short, Mark Lawrence proves once again that he is a master storyteller who can craft amazing worlds and fill them with awesome characters. While I might have liked the Broken Empire stories more than Red Sister, this book is clearly superior to many of the fantasy stories that have come out in the last few years. I can't wait to read more of Nona's story - I have no idea where it's going but I'm desperate to find out.
Ryan Lawler, 9.5/10
I received an advanced copy of Red Sister from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I would like to announce my gratitude to Mark Lawrence, Ace and Berkley Publishing Group for this opportunity.
Throughout this narrative, we flaunt within the mind of and follow the actions of Nona. Our protagonist is a young girl who we are introduced to initially whilst she is awaiting execution via the gallows for killing a renowned pit-fighter. Luckily for Nona, it just so happens that Abbess Glass, who manages the Sweet Mercy Convent has taken such an interest in her hardships that she offers her the option of joining the nunnery as a Novice, thus escaping the impending death sentence. A large contingent of the interested parties are not particularly happy with this outcome. Perhaps the reason being that Nona did murder the son of one of the wealthiest and proudest men in the world. The repercussions of this singular act ripple throughout the tale.
Nona, a fiery but slightly damaged peasant with talents she doesn't truly understand then finds herself in the establishment where the Sisters of Sweet Mercy frequent. It is here where they train future nuns within certain art forms and most importantly, where all revere the Ancestor. Did I mention that these novices are trained to become some of the deadliest killers in the land for their Holy purposes?
"It is important, when killing a nun, to ensure that you bring an army of sufficient size. For Sister Thorn of the Sweet Mercy Convent Lano Tacsis brought two hundred men.
The nunnery is reminiscent of the magic schools such as those created within The Kingkiller Chronicles and A Wizard of Earthsea. Claustrophobic atmospheres, close friendships, harsh teachers, bizarre traditions, bullies and the ultimate shaping of the raw talents shown by Nona, and others; into what their potential will allow. Nona reminded me of Sonea from the Magician's Trilogy. They are similar with their poor upbringing, attending establishments of special education against the wishes of many influential individuals and also, whispers that they are some kind of "chosen one". This is a lot darker than Trudi Canavan's trilogy. The vein here is more sinister, despondent and Nona's past seems extremely more tortuous than Sonea's did.
A large percent of Red Sister is set within the convent. The trials and tribulations here, in some aspects, are similar to youth experienced by all young girls such as making friends, dealing with bullies and disliking teachers amongst other dramas. What isn't similar to our world is that the novices become trained in extreme fighting (using fists, knives and throwing stars), taught about poisons and other skills that readers would describe as magical. The convent also has what is known as the Blade Path, which is a timed assault course like activity which would put army endurance tests to shame. In addition to the antics at the convent, the nuns and novices travel elsewhere in this world should their studies find it befitting, such as training with other youths at The Academy. The escapades elsewhere mainly lead them to the capital city of Verity, however; I will not say much about the storyline when the sisters are "unleashed" from their habitual establishment. A highly intriguing aspect of this book was the ingeniously placed flashback sections regarding Nona's youth prior to being found guilty of murder. Examples include juggling lessons and her being abandoned by her family. Each flashback adds an extra layer to Nona's already intricate, complex and perhaps even notorious character.
In Lawrence's envisaged world, the moon is falling, there are two miles high fields of ice encompassing the majority of the globe leaving The Corridor where the action takes place and also, one of the finest "magic-systems" I have ever seen depicted in fantasy.
The "magic-system" is labyrinthine in its complexity. I used quotation marks with that phrase as to describe it as being as simplistic as that statement is underwhelming for what has been created. For precision, complexity and potential - the magics are potentially on par with the Warrens used in Malazan and Allomancy in Mistborn. At the moment, as stated, I would say they are on par, however; we have no idea of the full possibilities. We were given glimmers throughout of the extra powers certain characters witnessed without understanding and which they could learn when older to manipulate to their will. It is exciting. There is a good mix of John Woo: Stranglehold like slowdown of time, thought control, mind sharing, walking "The Path" to obtain phenomenal destructive power, Witcher-like tracking senses amongst other talents. The skills they have acquired depend on which of the four legendary Abeth tribes these novices descended from.
The fabrication of the abnormal powers seems confusing at first but I believe this is intentional. Nona is of course, in an educational environment and as she learns about the magic, possibilities, poisons and histories of the world, then we as readers learn it also. Our gaps in knowledge are filled as the tale progresses, with the necessary information as Nona learns herself; which equals heightened affinity to our protagonist because we are going through the same learning issues and symptoms.
This book has scenes of macabre and harrowing happenings but it will then switch back to a pleasant scene in the Convent's dormitory where Nona, as a 9-year-old is gossiping about the happenings in the nunnery and also chatting to her fellow novices about families and friends as young children would. These scenes brought me metaphorically back down to Earth where I had to put the book down for a second and re-analyse that these girls were that young going through what would make many grown men weak at the bladder. It is a great juxtaposition and unifies Nona's relationship with important characters such as Ara, Hessa, Zole and Clera.
The finale of this story was utterly breathtaking. Nona is one of my favourite characters in fiction. Lawrence has created one of the most engaging fantasy worlds that my mind has allowed me to visit. At the finale, the second book is set up exceptionally well. It hit me yesterday that because I have an advanced copy of this, that I have to wait even longer for the second book. That is quite upsetting. When it is released officially I will buy this as it deserves a prime of place on my literal favourite bookshelf in my library. This tale was so extraordinary in my mind that I am questioning my previous ratings of other similar stories in this genre. So, note to authors; if I take a star or two off your rating then it is Mark Lawrence's fault, not mine.
James Tivendale, 9.4/10
This Red Sister book review was written by Ryan Lawler and James Tivendale
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All reviews for: Book of the Ancestor
Red Sister
Red Sister
Book of the Ancestor #1
9.5
At the Convent of Sweet Mercy young girls are raised to be killers. In a few the old bloods show, gifting talents rarely seen since the tribes beached their ships on Abeth....
Have you read Red Sister?
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Red Sister reader reviews
Keith from United States
9-stars
Really loved this book. First book I have read by Mark Lawrence and easy to see why so many people like his books. Red Sister had plenty of action to keep u riveted and waiting for more. Loved the idea of lethal nuns. The characters were well defined and easy imagine as being real people. The protagonist of this book was a different twist. Young farm girl with magical talents that left her not sure of who she really is. Hate to think I have to wait till 4/2018 for book two. Total thumbs up for Red Sister!!
2017-08-22
James from UK
9-stars
Excellent book, cannot recommend it enough. The reason it only had a 9 rating is that I thought some of the characters 'talents' weren't explained In enough detail, Yisht and her 'rock forging' for example. I was fully expecting another story set in the world of jorg and jalan and was pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be, if not a different world, then a different time to those two. I was thoroughly gripped by the story from beginning to end. The way he describes 'the path' makes you think you can concentrate and reach it yourself, The imagination of Lawrence is truly wondrous I look forward to the next instalment.
2017-05-03
9.2/10 from 3 reviews
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To find the Sword, unearth the Barrow. To unearth the Barrow, follow the Map. When a small crew of scoundrels, would-be heroes, deviants, and ruffians discover a map that t...
Age of Assassins
Age of Assassins
RJ Barker
8.5
Girton Club-Foot, apprentice to the land's best assassin, still has much to learn about the art of taking lives. But their latest mission tasks him and his master with ...
Where Loyalties Lie
Where Loyalties Lie
Rob J Hayes
8.5
Everybody knows Captain Drake Morass is only out for himself. As the fires of a dying city burn on a distant shore, Drake sees an opportunity to unite the other pirate Capt...
A Dance of Cloaks
A Dance of Cloaks
David Dalglish
8.0
The Underworld rules the city of Veldaren. Thieves, smugglers, assassins... they fear only one man. Thren Felhorn is the greatest assassin of his time. All the thieves'...
Rogues
Rogues
George RR Martin
7.5
A collection of twenty-one original stories by a list of contributors including a new A Game of Thrones story by George R. R. Martin. Follow along with the likes of Gillian...
The Scroll Thief
The Scroll Thief
RF Long
7.0
Malachy and his sister rely on his talents as a thief to survive the dangerous streets of Klathport, former capital of the once-great kingdom of Ithian. Stealing a few pape...
Shadow Chaser
Shadow Chaser
Alexey Pehov
6.9
Saddened because they have left one of their number in a grave in the wilderness, Harold and his companions continue their journey to the dreaded underground palace of Hrad...
Shadow series
Shadow series
Jon Sprunk
6.7
Treachery and corruption lurk at the end of every street, in the holy city of Othir. It's the perfect place for a freelance assassin with no loyalties and even fewer sc...
The Waking Fire
The Waking Fire
Anthony Ryan
6.0
For decades the lands of the Ironship Syndicate have been defended by the Blood-blessed - men and women able to channel the powers contained in the potent blood of wild dra...
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Books of the Month
A selection of books - old and new alike - that were a joy to read.
The Fifth Empire of Man cover image
The Fifth Empire of Man by Rob J Hayes
The Pirate Isles are united under Drake Morrass’ flag, but the war has only just begun. There’s still a long way to go before he’s able to call himself King, and traitors at every turn. The Five Kingdoms and Sarth have assembled a fleet of ships unlike any the world has ever seen and they intend to purge the Pirate Isles once a...
Deadhouse Landing
Deadhouse Landing
Ian C Esslemont
8.6
After the disappointments of Li Heng, Dancer and Kellanved wash up on a small insignificant island named Malaz. Immediately, of course, Kellanved plans to take it over. To ...
Age of Swords
Age of Swords
Michael J Sullivan
8.0
Raithe, the God Killer, may have started the rebellion by killing a Fhrey, but long-standing enmities dividing the Rhunes make it all but impossible to unite against the co...
A Time of Dread
A Time of Dread
John Gwynne
9.0
The Ben-Elim, a race of warrior angels, once vanquished a mighty demon horde. Now they rule the Banished lands. But their dominion is brutally enforced and their ancient en...
The Last Dog on Earth
The Last Dog on Earth
Adrian J Walker
9.0
Every dog has its day... And for Lineker, a happy go lucky mongrel from Peckham, the day the world ends is his: finally a chance to prove to his owner just how loyal he can...
The Shadow Crucible
The Shadow Crucible
TM Lakomy
9.3
Taking humanity back to their primordial beliefs and fears, Estella confronts Mikhail’s faith by revealing the true horror of the lucrative trade in human souls. All ...
The Dog Stars
The Dog Stars
Peter Heller
9.1
Hig, bereaved and traumatised after global disaster, has three things to live for - his dog Jasper, his aggressive but helpful neighbour, and his Cessna aeroplane. He's...
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Mark Lawrence interview
2011-11-25
About Mark Lawrence
Mark Lawrence
Mark Lawrence works as a novelist and a research scientist in the field of artificial intelligence. He has held secret level clearance with both US and UK governments....
More about Mark Lawrence...
Books by Mark Lawrence
Prince of Thorns
Prince of Thorns
Broken Empire: Book 1
9.0
King of Thorns
King of Thorns
Broken Empire: Book 2
9.7
Emperor of Thorns
Emperor of Thorns
Broken Empire: Book 3
9.8
Prince of Fools
Prince of Fools
Red Queen's War #1
9.4
The Liar\'s Key
The Liar's Key
Red Queen's War #2
9.5
The Wheel of Osheim
The Wheel of Osheim
Red Queen's War #3
9.9
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Chinese covers of The Lord of the Rings
Recommended fantasy trilogies
Vagrant and Name of the Wind audiobook cover montage
Recommended fantasy audiobooks
Following reviews
Lear's Daughters
Marjorie B Kellogg
Inheritance
Adrian G Hilder
A Tale of Time City
Diana Wynne Jones
Age of Myth
Michael J Sullivan
Borne
Jeff VanderMeer
Brother's Ruin
Emma Newman
Cold Counsel
Chris Sharp
Norse Mythology
Neil Gaiman
Blackwing
Ed McDonald
Danse Macabre
Laura M Hughes
Read a free preview of Red Sister by Mark Lawrence
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2011-11-25