An excellent escape into a unique, beautiful fantasy world. I will be keeping my eye on Myke Cole and reading the nest in the series! Will be purchasing and recommending.

Myke deftly weaves his military experience even into his fantasy works. Also, as a commander, he was a mentor to many female service people and it shows. He handles female characters with a deft touch and makes them strong and tough without resorting to the leather and stilettos stereotypes of a fever-pitched adolescent. I always look forward to his books.

This was a really great take on more than one well-worn fantasy trope; the medieval setting, the fiesty (if a teeny bit dim, in this case) female protagonist, the religious oppression. It raises itself above the norm in a number of ways (most of them not that subtle) - steampunk style technology, lesbian leanings, and some truly horrendous violence, respectively. It's gripping and well-written, if you like this sort of thing, and took some narrative turns that I really wasn't expecting. A nice opening to a trilogy that I hope will be marketed as a single book at some point, so I can buy a hard-copy. Definitely recommended to fantasy fans.

I received a digital ARC of this book from Netgalley.

Myke Cole's work was a great surprise to me when I picked up the first Shadow Ops novel. Cole served in the armed forces, so he brings a sharp, unsentimental eye to warfare and its costs. While the Shadow Ops series was modern urban fantasy, his new novella series, The Sacred Throne, is second world, grimdark fantasy. But it's just as deftly handled, with the depth of characterization and the real sense of complicated, messy choices that humans make.

Heloise is a young woman living a confined existence with her family in a small town. The world they live in is controlled by religious zealots, and any act of magic is punishable by death, since it can open portals to hell. Unfortunately, Heloise was not built to live timidly in an unjust world. She has a temper, and can't bear to see her loved ones threatened. She's also in love with her best friend, Besina, who's engaged to be married. When Heloise and her father refuse to stand by as a nearby village is slaughtered, they bring the wrath of the authorities down on their town.

This is another of the Tor.com novellas, which means it can easily be read in a sitting. If you like grimdark fantasy, strong female characters, or any of Myke Cole's other work, give this a shot.

Cole has a gift for sci-fi, and this book shows that more than ever. Would recommend.

I am a big fan of Myke Cole. That being said, I would not recommend this book as a place to start trying him out. I found the book less engrossing than his other work.

This is a very short book which in a typical epic fantasy would serve as an introduction to the characters, after which the 800 page book would continue with the meat of the story. It's essentially an origin story for Heloise, and shows how she ends up with a suit of magically driven armor. I don't think this is a spoiler because the very title of the book is "The Armored Saint" and Heloise is shown in armor on the cover. Unfortunately, this led to me being impatient with the story throughout the book. I knew that the armor would end up with Heloise, and waiting for this to happen frustrated me.

The other thing that frustrated me was Heloise herself. She just didn't read like a girl who had grown up in a repressive authoritarian society. She couldn't keep quiet when she was supposed to and she had no self-discipline whatsoever. I think the self-discipline issue was the bigger one for me. For a good part of the book, Heloise is supposed to be in hiding. However, even after seeing her neighboring village razed and burned, she doesn't take it seriously and complains about being bored and not being able to see her parents (who are being hidden elsewhere). It did not make sense.

The world itself was interesting to me. It had the "evil religious soldiers who oppress villagers" trope, but there was more to it than that. The people in the book (except for Heloise) acted something like medieval peasants actually might be.

As I said, in a bigger book this would be an introduction, and one that went on too long at that. I'm on the fence about wanting to read more, both because of the pacing and because I don't really care for Heloise. Although maybe she'll grow up a bit in the next book. I'm willing to give it another chance.

A superbly well-crafted gritty story with memorable characters, tight pacing and vivid prose in just over 200 pages, The Armored Saint is one of the best novellas I've ever read.

200 pages are not exactly short by any standard for literary fiction. In fantasy, however, where stories are told in a secondary world complete with its own lore and history, social and political structure, it does not provide a lot of ground to deliver a complete and balanced narrative. One that sufficiently addresses the necessary aspects of fantasy storytelling of worldbuilding, character development and plot execution. The Armored Saint has all these and with great effect too; and while it is mainly for the reasons above that I am awarding such a high rating for the book, the tale itself is captivating.

The world of The Sacred Throne is oppressive despite having a history of a saviour of all mankind, The Emperor who sacrificed his life in defeating the demons who arrived on this plane through portals; portals from the eyes of those who practised wizardry. The Writ is the sacred text by which the people of the land live by and enforced through the tyrannical rule of The Order who hunts down anyone whom they deem as a wizard with zealous fanaticism. To further highlight the level of obeisance expected, villagers are named by the nature of their trade instead of having a family name of their own. The author managed to weave all this exposition into the narrative in a manner which felt natural and effortless, a feat which I find quite marvellous given the length of the book.

The story grabbed me from the very first chapter, through a scene that is full of tension and yet feels personal through the eyes of sixteen-year-old Heloise Factor. The plot is pretty much a coming-of-age story and is straightforward. It is its execution that lends the narrative a most engaging tone that keeps the pages turning. By keeping the plot simple, and the locality narrow, the author is then able to expand upon the characterization of Heloise, her relationship with her father, her friendship with Clodio, and the ‘unnatural' love she felt for a close female friend.

The concept of love transcending definition and gender was beautifully described, giving the story a spark of hope amidst the dark brutality and injustices represented by The Order and their strict administration of the Writ.

Myke Cole also clearly has the ability to write action scenes that convey suspense that is palpable. The concluding climax in The Armored Saint is brutal, intense and poignant, albeit not entirely unpredictable.

I am wholly impressed with this novella and look forward to its continuation, The Queen of Crows.

This is a unique read, a medieval science fiction coming-of-age story. It's not my usual read, but the various elements of the story were handled well and I especially liked the development of the secret-teen-crush side plot. My only issue is the abrupt, cliffhanger ending that cut the story short. I am sure there will be a sequel, but it would have made this book stronger to tie up more of the loose ends.

This was a short but immensely powerful book with a hard hitting story. It constantly questions the nature of right and wrong, never providing any answers but shining an unforgiving and insistent light on these issues. It's also a story about identity and becoming who you really are, which is what Helouise, the sixteen year old MC, does, discovering what she truly believes and who she truly loves, even when that puts her on the outside of societal norms. On top of which it was just a thumping good story.

Well this book left me with conflicted emotions. I liked the main character Heloise, she is a brave woman who is very naive at the beginning. She is also confused, having witnessed an horrific massacre and wondering if magic is evil or the order themselves are evil. Then she falls in love with her best friend and that worsens things.
I enjoyed the book and wasn't expecting things to get so bloody in the last pages. I'll would be interested in reading the next book but only cause I want to know why magic has such consequences

I had a hard time figuring out where this book was going, and it seemed to take forever to get there sadly. Maybe it was just me but I didn't enjoy it.

I've literally been waiting to read this book for...three years? Maybe even four. Myke Cole was talking about working on it at Boskone one year, and his excitement about the story was contagious. I could tell it would be a book that meant something. And boy, it was worth the wait.

The front cover of The Armored Saint bears a quote from epic fantasy author Robin Hobb:

"Ruthless and heart-wrenching."

To be honest, a book has never been summed up so succinctly. This book is brutal. Author Myke Cole has pulled no punches. This is a book about people making decisions and choices, and then having to take the consequences for them. And sometimes, those consequences aren't good. But what makes this book stand out is that the main character TAKES responsibility for those consequences. And when that character is a sixteen year old girl, who starts the story acting like any sixteen year old and then becomes a hero, it makes a reader think. Especially in these days of political and social strife in our country, maybe we could do more. Maybe instead of avoiding things, we can face them head on, like Heloise does in this book.

This is one of those books where nothing is as it seems. Who is the enemy? By the end, I still was reeling with some of the twists. Who is right? Who is wrong? We learn who is wrong in the book, and by the end, I still wasn't sure who was right. This makes me want to read the sequel all the more.

This is a story of right and wrong, of love and family, of the blossoming of young love and rejection, of loss and sacrifice. Is it grimdark? Well... in much of the grimdark I've read, the main character has a skewed sense of right and wrong, at least in some way. That's not the case with this book--Heloise IS a sympathetic heroine who is on the righteous path. But descriptions in this book are graphic and not for the faint of heart. While the heroine is sixteen, I wouldn't classify this as a young adult book in general, though mature teens might be fine with it. My fifteen year old son wouldn't be ready to read it, but when I was his age, I would have been. It really just depends on the teen.

The story isn't all grim, though. There are funny moments, and heart-warming moments. There is an enchanted mouse, and a caring family. There are friends, and villagers that mostly support one another. Myke Cole uses these to make a fine balance, and while your heart hurts because you care about the characters, you go on reading and hoping for them because he's made you care.

One theme of the book, the one I found most interesting and fresh, was the questioning of authority. Power corrupts, but a corrupt leadership isn't always wrong in all ways. This book left a LOT of unanswered questions in this regard, but it's interesting to explore some of the ideas presented.

All in all, I highly recommend this book. It's short and is a pretty quick read, but leaves a long lasting impression and gives you a lot to think about. I feel like I've only just stepped into the world of this story, and very much want to read more. When is book two coming out?

I would like to thank Netgalley for an ARC of The Armored Saint by Myke Cole. The book is available for purchase starting today, February 20, 2018.

Overall, I liked the concept of this book, wizards opening a portal to hell. For the first part of the book though, I started to think that the wizards were the good guys that received a bad rap from the Order. And I was starting to get a little annoyed with the plot. And then things started happening. Twitch, the magical mouse was introduced. The main character, Heloise, stumbles onto robotic armor, which is interesting considering the medieval setting. Meanwhile, Heloise pines away for her female best friend. No one knows about these feelings except for her friend Cludio. Cludio, who also happens to be a wizard, shares some wonderful advice with Heloise about being gay. The positive message about homosexuality makes this book a wonderful suggestion for gay teen readers. I also think readers who like grim fantasy like the Prince of Thrones would enjoy this book.

The Armored Saint by Myke Cole was a fun, action packed introduction to what promises to be a dynamic and entertaining series. The author effortlessly immersed the reader into the way of his world and the natural order of things. It was quite refreshing not to be inundated and bogged down by dry chunks of world building while being introduced to Cole's super cast of awesome characters.

That being said, the main character, sixteen year old Heloise, really got under my skin a few times. Her reactive behavior was so ridiculously irresponsible throughout the entire first half of the story, that it literally led to her family, her best friend, and her entire village to face MULTIPLE life or death confrontations with a pretty frightening Order of killer priests. The apparent cause of which seemed to be that "body" of hers...it made most of her decisions almost unconsciously at times, instead of her head.

Umm...yeah...

I mean, she is brave, powering through her paralyzing fear at times. Kudos. She has a beautiful heart and is genuinely a good person. Awesome. And, as a matter of fact, she does kick it into high gear when it counts. Stellar. But, in all seriousness, Girl, zip it until you learn how to read a room.

I like that Heloise is about to embark on a journey that will allow her to learn more about herself, and right now she absolutely represents someone capable of loving and fighting for what she believes in. A much needed challenger for the oppressed and the marginalized. So I'm looking forward to her development as her story progresses.

All in all this was a pretty good read and it really doesn't take a wizard to see the potential in this series for all the awesome things yet to come!

3.5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This new fantasy series starts out with a setting that appears to be one thing but turns on its head by the end. Heloise questions the way things are done and why the Church controls their lives so much. When at first glance in the story it seems the Church is cruel and capricious the reader does find out just why the Church fights demons and keeps life so regimented in that fight. A good start to the series and with the ending it had I can’t wait to get the next book.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Upon witnessing the horrors wrought by the Order, the oppressive ruling authority, village girl Heloise begins to fight back in any way that she can. Author Myke Cole pivots from his usual military fantasy genre to deliver a solid first installment in a new epic fantasy trilogy.

I was impressed with how swiftly Cole orients the reader into a brand new world, a very important factor for a book of this size. I was immediately aware of the customs, religions, societal hierarchies, and just how high the stakes are.

My biggest issue was with the characterization of Heloise, the main character. She has a heart of gold but displays some incredibly poor decision making abilities. Most of the action in this novel is the direct result of Heloise acting recklessly. Hopefully this flaw gives her plenty of room to develop into the hero that she seems destined to become.

Overall, The Armored Saint is a fun, quick read that packs a lot in without feeling overstuffed. I plan to continue with this trilogy and see how it all plays out!

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.

"Fear's a deadly thing, Heloise. It can drain a person of all their strength, make them weak before their enemies. That's how we were until you showed us different. But we see now, and we are not afraid anymore..."

Heloise, a young village girl, is just that at first; fearful. In the first few pages, Heloise is privy to the horrors of the Order. The Order, an organization bent on maintaining a wizard-free world, leaves terror in its wake. With the opening scene, I was expecting more horrors to follow, and in that regard I was only mildly disappointed. While the tone of the first few pages faded a little as the story progressed, there were other happenings that were almost, ALMOST, up to the same standard. I would have liked a little more action in the same vein as the beginning of the story to really boost the dark tone.

I really like the genre mash-up of sorts that was happening. The novel exhibited pieces of the steampunk, horror, and fantasy genres which made for a very interesting mix. I can’t say that I’ve read too many books that have done that successfully, and this book was almost, if not, there.

I thought Heloise was a great character. She really evolved as the story progressed, and I liked who she was by the end. I appreciated her loyalty to her family and friends, and her “romantic” relationship. I felt that her growth, in regards to her romantic feelings, was handled tactfully and realistically. I did feel as if Heloise acted a little TOO young for how old she was supposed to be, particularly at the beginning of the novel. If that aspect of the story were to be tightened up a little, then I think Heloise would be a truly stellar character.

Overall this was a strong novel. With a feel tweaks, I truly feel that this could be a top-notch read.

P.S. I totally got a Fallout 4 type feel with the whole armor aspect. I can’t say I didn’t like that my mind was making that connection :D

I received an ARC from NetGalley. I attempt to avoid spoilers in my review. This is a character centered story with surprising twists and turns and realistic attention to both physical violence and emotional upset. I found it hard to read at times during scenes of graphic violence, which was not gratuitous but portrayed unflinchingly.

The Armored Saint is a page turner - I found myself reading it compulsively. I'd say it's a bit of an origin story, and a good one. The focus is on the characters, particularly the protagonist Heloise. No shifting points of view here, just Heloise and her difficult coming of age. We see the world through Heloise's eyes - her family and friends and home village are the center of it. Those eyes are questioning though as they take in the armed men of the Order who enforce the theocratic rule of a distant Emperor, whose first rule is you will not suffer a wizard to live. It's a rule all believe has dire consequences if unfollowed, for the actions of wizards allow actual Devils, vanquished by the Emperor in the distant past, to return to the world. A cost of enforcement is the Order riding roughshod over villages such as Heloise's in their zeal to uphold their mission. The story is set in a fantasy world but the author doesn't indulge in a lot of world-building. The story is very much centered on Heloise, with the occasional reference to players, places or events in the larger world (which one assumes may become more significant in future volumes).

I hadn't read anything by Myke Cole before and I will say, this is not an author who plays gently with his characters. The story gets quite intense at times, with both unnerving graphic violence and painful emotional trauma taking place. The stakes feel both real and high throughout the story, and for me the story took some unexpected turns. I would say the setting is low magic for fantasy, with even a touch of proto-steampunk thrown in. Heloise is a compelling and sympathetic protagonist, and I think most readers will find themselves eager to see the rest of her journey unfold.

The Armored Saint is a book that I’ve seen advertised and reviewed on a fair few blogs now. It has had a heck of a lot of praise being thrown its way. So I was delighted when my wish request was accepted on Netgalley a few weeks back.

The Armored Saint isn’t a long book, something which, in this day an age of epic fantasy or epic space opera novels is a rarity. A welcome rarity. I think too many authors try to pad out their books to make their page count bigger. Myke Cole doesn’t attempt that with this, he just tells a tale of repression and bravery as it should be told. No five page depictions of a meal or seven line descriptions of a particular shade of colour. Just good old-fashioned story-telling.

Right from the word go I felt myself hooked. Heloise’s tale is one of oppression. Oppression by the religious order that want everyone to live, think and love just who and what they are told. Which is a problem for our plucky young teenage heroine. She wants to think what she wants, live as she pleases and, most importantly to her, love who she pleases, regardless of gender.

For those of you who, like myself, don’t like a lot of romance in their books, please don’t be put off by this. Heloise’s sexuality is a driving force behind her motivations and actions but there honestly isn’t much in the way of true romance. Without what little there is, The Armored Saint quite simply wouldn’t be the Armored Saint. It quite literally makes it the great read that it is.

The Armored Saint is, at its core, a story of one young girl doing what countless thousands of people are too afraid to do: embrace her sexuality and stand up against an all-powerful religious order of zealots who use their God-Emperor’s name to gain power for themselves.

This is a truly well-written and enjoyably addictive tale filled with zealotry, sorcery, war-machines and good old-fashioned community/family values. It is, however, not a perfect one. Some things stand out like a sore thumb as being a little too unbelievable. I am fully aware of the power of adrenaline and how the body can push through pain barriers in times of great need. But some of the feats near the end of the book kind of had me shaking my head and rolling my eyes. But, that’s what you have to expect in fantasy, I suppose. You have to suspend your disbelief and believe that anything is possible.

That slight moment of head-shaking and eye-rolling didn’t take away my enjoyment of Cole’s work, it simply made me feel that it perhaps didn’t warrant the full five stars. It is still one of the better books I have read in quite some time. Better than most in both writing skill and story-telling.

I can’t wait for the sequel (Queen of Crows) but due to the fact that this book isn’t out yet, the sequel is a fair way off. So wait I shall. I just hope that the author doesn’t take the parts that had me shaking my head and rolling my eyes to new extremes in book two.

First things first: I want to thank Tor Publishing for providing an ARC of The Armored Saint for review on my blog (FanFiAddict.Wordpress.com). Second, I want to thank Myke Cole for writing such an emotionally charged, ruthless novella that left me wanting more.

The Armored Saint is classified as a novella, though at around 60,000 words (approx 200 pages), it needs to be taken as a short novel. It can be read in a matter of hours, depending on your reading speed and time allowance; and honestly, this is one that needs to be devoured in 1-2 sittings.

From the very beginning, you will become enamored with Heloise and her village’s struggle with The Order. The Order is a group of religious tyrants who look to uphold the sacred word of The Writ, meaning they are to rid the world of wizards that are believed to have the ability to summon demons from hell through portals in their eyes. Heloise, in her sixteen year old naivety, stokes the fire/stirs the pot with a group of these fanatics and puts her family in grave danger. Low and behold, The Order is just the least of their worries.

The Armored Saint is character driven story. It is about love, loss, and searching through your feelings to find your true self. It is about bravery overcoming fear and growing into adulthood before you are truly ready. You will come to love Heloise and all that she stands for; and yes, you’ll even agree with the litany of dumb decisions she makes. Cole has built a world here that I want to be able to explore more of, as we are only given a tiny glimpse into its vast expanse, but what he has provided is like that first tiny bite into your favorite dessert – just a taste. I also expect he will divulge more information on the hierarchy of The Order and its creation, or at least why The Order believes itself to be the last hope.

The Armored Saint is just the first in a trilogy of short novels and I cannot wait to see what The Queen of Crows gives us come Oct. 2018. I cannot recommend it enough, so make sure you pre-order and mark February 20th on your calendars!