After a 100 pages, I have decided to put this aside for now. Nothing much was happening and I was just not interested to read what would happen next because everything was too dull and boring. I might revisit this when I'm in the right frame of mind because I do feel the story has the potential to take an interesting turn but it's a DNF for now.

A twisting, turning, high adventure tale that took me on an emotional roller coaster ride. Just when you think everyone is safe … the author rips out your heart and stomps on it a few times for good measure.

I love a good bandit/thieves trope. This does not disappoint .Alwyn is a very likable character and I definitely found myself cheering for him throughout every hardship. I was able to feel his emotion as he struggled with trying to stay alive, live up to his oath, and protect the few he cared for.

This book has it all-

Adventure
Betrayal
Murder
Unexpected Twists

Do not go into this too lightly.. this is not a quick and easy read. It is worth the read and very entertaining.

Anthony Ryan is one of those authors who should be mentioned among the greats of fantasy writers. Everybody talks about Sanderson, Rothfuss, and Erikson, but for my money, this guy is better than all of them. This first book in Anthony Ryan's latest fantasy offering may be his best yet. Thrilling action, awesome magic, and political intrigue that compels and makes the reader swoon. Yep, give me more of this and soon. Another excellent book from a master of epic fantasy. Full review will be posted on the blog as soon as possible (or as soon as I can gather my thoughts).

4.75/5

The Pariah by Anthony Ryan is a beautiful and brutal tale with some of the finest written action/battle sequences I've ever read. Suffice to say it was a brilliant first entry in The Covenant of Steel series

First of all huge thanks to the author and publishers for accepting my request in Netgalley and it goes without saying that this review is my unbiased opinion.

Quick Summary: The Pariah, first entry in the The Covenant of Steel series follows the story of Alwyn Scribe, an outlaw of sharp wit and deadly skills as he suffers a devastating betrayal and sets on a journey of vengeance.

WHAT WORKED FOR ME IN THIS BOOK:

Action/Battle sequences: All of the action sequences and Battle sequences in this book are vividly detailed and brutally depicted. It was so AWESOME to read and made me wish the battle sequences never ended. It was on par with John Gwynne's works which are my favourite by the way. It was by far, the strongest aspects of this book

The writing: Anthony Ryan's prose were magnificent to say the least. Even some lengthy dialogues between the characters didn't felt boring because of his prose and it made a one fine reading experience.

Alwyn Scribe: Alwyn is a very well writen character with depth and flaws. He's sharp and brilliant but also naive enough to get manipulated at times. His realistic thoughts and actions were intriguing to read and makes him one of the well rounded character.

Mysteries, Reveals and Prophecies: Even though the author established the world fairly well, some of the aspects of this world were left to wonder. I believe it was the author's intention and it actually worked well for me as it gave a mysterious feel to it. Prophecies played huge part in this book especially in the later half. I'm a sucker for prophecies playing out so it was definitely fun time for me.
And the twists, betrayals and reveals in this book are really well written, it gave the much needed impact for the story and I honestly didn't see those coming.

WHAT DIDN'T WORKED FOR ME IN THIS BOOK:

The Pariah had a really good start with a day in the life of Alwyn as an outlaw but after the first 100 pages or I started feel like the story is a bit dragging till The battle at Traitor's field which occurs at about 300 page mark. I understand that it is required of the story for character building but still it felt too long.

I also found some conversation between characters and some monologues were bit too long for my taste. But it didn't affect the overall quality of the book. it's just a minor nitpick.

FINAL WORD:
The Pariah by Anthony Ryan did what 4 other books couldn't. It got me out of my reading slump. It was that good and It's quality is almost equal to that of Blood Song IMO

I love Anthony Ryan but haven't been able to get into all of his stories in the past. I was a little nervous that he's starting a new series, but I loved this book! Now I'm caught up in the cycle of eagerly anticipating the next entry in the series. Definitely worth a read.

Anthony Ryan is one of the best and one of my must read author! This one was on my radar for a while and I jump right into it as soon as I got it. It was as good if not better as I was expecting it. Great "hero", awesome action, the world is amazing the plot is also very solid and, this is one of Ryan strongest point, the goal, the stake are so high and so engaging that he can turn a massive fantasy book, into a very fast page-turner. Just read it!!

Anthony Ryan did it again! I thought I really liked his Raven Shadow series but The Pharaoh brought it to a whole new level. Highly recommend to anyone who likes gritty high intensity stories. I need the sequel now!

The Pariah by Anthony Ryan, due to be released August 24, 2021, is that fantasy sword and magic novel that you’ve been waiting for all year. Even at 600 pages, it is a book that you will open and not want to put down even if it takes all night. And, yes, it is the start of a brand new series — so there is more to come in the future.

What succeeds so well is that the narrative voice is that of Alwyn Scribe, born into the troubled kingdom of Albermaine, but raised as an outlaw. For some reason, witches and martyrs place their faith in Alwyn though he does not know why.

This is a thick story, filled with a created fantasy world of swords and kingdoms that we only really get a glimpse of. Although there is a map in the beginning of the book and several pages filled with character names, they mean little before you start reading. Ryan does a terrific job of creating his fantasy world and leaving a lot of it shrouded in mystery.

The story begins with Alwyn as a teenage youth, a member of an outlaw band of misfits and pickpockets and robbers, sort of like Robin Hood’s merry band, but a bit meaner and more bawdy and at each other’s throats. You find out that Alwyn was an orphan born to a whore who died soon thereafter and who knows who his father could be. His only loyalty now is to the leader of the band of outlaws that he rides with.

The story takes us through Alwyn’s life as he suffers betrayals and backstabbers and vows his revenge. It is also rich with pageantry as major battles are fought. Ryan has furthermore filled his story with martyrs and Joan of Arc types leading their troops into battle because of their belief in scriptures. Interestingly, besides being a thief, an outlaw, and a warrior, Alwyn is a scribe and, when he glimpses the riches in a library, his eyes grow wide with amazement.

Rating: 9.25/10

Thanks to the publisher and author for an advance reading copy of The Pariah (The Covenant of Steel #1) for review consideration. This did not influence my thoughts or opinions.

The Pariah is a sharp, brutal tale and a brilliant introduction to the Covenant of Steel series. While the story itself is grim and bloody, Ryan’s prose and characterization are a beacon in the darkness. A remarkable story that I did not want to end.

Before killing a man, I always found it calming to regard the trees.

First lines such as this sell me so quickly on a read. Takes me back to Sam Hawke’s City of Lies (The Poison Wars #1):

I was seven years old the first time my uncle poisoned me.

It is unfortunate that I don’t come across nearly enough of those gripping lines, but I freaking live for them if they are out there.

So…

Per Dictonary.com, the term pariah means ‘an outcast, or any person or animal that is generally despised or avoided.

Well, our protagonist, Alwyn, certainly fits that bill. The odd thing is, even though his lifestyle conveys the ‘outcast’ persona, there is just something about him that is endearing to others. Endearing may be the wrong word, but there is just… I don’t know; something that keeps him alive and in the company of others. His cunningness seems to be the main hand he plays, but his ability to pick up new skills in a short amount of time (among other things) shows why he is continually “employed” as it were.

It is rare that I come across a character that I am so intrigued by and want to know so much more about. All praise goes to Ryan’s unquestionable ability to write, especially when it comes to characterization and setting. Every turn of the page had me completely immersed, combing through all the details to ensure I didn’t miss a beat. I definitely liken his writing to that of, say, a Mark Lawrence. There is just something so poetic in the words put to the page that tug on your emotions at a more sensory level.

The world-building is crisp and lends itself well as a backdrop to the storyline. Descriptive without being overshare, at least until you get into the thick of the battle scenes. I have come across some amazing fight scenes and battles over the few years since I started reading fantasy, ala Joe Abercrombie and John Gwynne as examples, but I have to say: Ryan definitely deserves to be in that same tier. I felt every draw, parry, riposte, you name it. When it came right down to the gritty, bloody thick of it, you felt like you were sitting in the front row of a Gallagher show (you know, except it was brains instead of watermelons)

If you are a fan of Ryan’s, you have probably already preordered this title. For those who aren’t familiar with his writing, I’d definitely recommend checking this one out if you enjoy some of the usual fantasy recommendations: George R. R. Martin, Bernard Cornwell, Mark Lawrence, or Michael J. Sullivan to name a few.