Another well told tale, picking up Alwyn's story right where it left off in The Pariah, but it's just a bit pale in comparison to the first.. The first half of the book is like a guide to siege warfare, first as defenders and then as attackers. In neither scenario did anything feel dire, from the lofty perspective of confidant and advisor to the Anointed Lady, Evadine, though plenty of death was had by the foot soldiers. I would have said that the religious crusade aspect felt unbelievable, with tens of thousands of poor peasants abandoning their homes and farms to join Evadine's army, even having no skills or weapons. But then I recall the US 2016 presidential election, and am reminded that I fully fail to comprehend the psychology of at least 50% of people. After the sieges, Alwyn and the story fall off a cliff, into a land populated with a tribal people descending from a more advanced civilization, who have magic. Alwyn convalesces, learns the language, befriends a hunter, and ups his sword fighting to mastery level with instruction from one of the primary foes from the sieges. This seems like a peaceful interlude, and eventually leads to uncovering a bit more of the mystery of the sack witch's book that tells the tale of Alwyn's life.. Finally, back to Evadine, who seems increasingly power hungry, and the full out civil war they were trying to avoid all along. The expert storytelling carries the book, and I did find it engaging, if not quite as emotionally compelling as the first, which was more about the prevailing of an unlikely but likable underdog. I'll be watching for the third, I'm interested to see where this goes.

Anthony Ryan consistently delivers a fantastic story, and this is no exception.

The Martyr begins to fill in some of the promise of a larger story line that we saw glimpses of in The Pariah. The stakes are continuously getting raised as the series moves along and with the hints of the future that Alwyn is receiving combined with the hints delivered through his narrative style I can not wait for the big pay off at the end of the series.

Alwyn is just a fun character. Morally gray at best, regularly does "the right thing" because it's the right thing but at the same time does not hesitate to cross the line. Watching all of this develop as his own concept of who he is, as related by his future self, has been enjoyable so far.

The world isn't super fleshed out, but I believe this is because the story is a pure narrative so we only get what our character sees/knows. The characters aren't necessarily relatable, but they are captivating. The story fits in around the world and characters to leave you satisfied but wanting more.

Overall this falls into a category of books I will certainly recommend to friends and eagerly anticipate future installments in the series.

The Martyr by Anthony Ryan- Following events in The Pariah, Comes the second installment in Anthony Ryan's Covenant of Steel series. I've read the first book(Excellent!) and the Seven Swords books recently(Also Great!) and was looking forward to this release. I wasn't disappointed! Lots of action, intrigue and twists make this a welcome addition to any fantasy library. Thanks to Orbit Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

I would like to thank NetGalley and Orbit Books for granting me access to a digital advance review copy of The Martyr by Anthony Ryan. My review is honest and my opinions are my own.

A continuation from the point we left off with The Pariah, this sequel is once more told by Alwyn Scribe now among the trusted advisors of the Risen Martyr, as the Anointed Lady Evadine Couravel is now known. The followers are heading to war and most of this book is set during the battles and sieges that constitute the war.

“We live for the Lady! We fight for the Lady! We die for the Lady!”

Alwyn loyally follows her, gradually rising through the ranks as his loyalty is rewarded. He keeps to himself the secret of her having being brought back to life in the first book by the Caerith Sack Witch. It wasn’t a miracle after all and his dreams are now haunted by the vile Erchel:

“Erchel’s eyes slid towards me, a knowing smile playing over his lips. “The chainsman was not the only one cursed to hear the voices of the dead.” Seeing the fearful bafflement on my face, his smile blossomed to a laugh. “Do you really think you’re merely dreaming me, Alwyn?””

The Martyr is an epic tale set in a many layered medieval world of religion and politics with multiple weird and wonderful characters - some of whom are truly horrible. There is plenty of bloodthirsty action and the level of detail during the siege shows just how much research has gone into this series. Anthony Ryan is a wonderful storyteller and his narrator, Alwyn Scribe keeps the narrative flowing masterfully. There is barely any magic in this series, it being an attribute of the mysterious Caerith people alone. I would have liked less war and more of the Caerith and in particular the mysterious Sack Witch, so called for the sack she wears over her head. My favourite part of the book was Alwyn’s time amongst the Caerith and his friendship with Lilat the huntress, who went some way to replace Toria from The Pariah - but Toria’s attitude and feistiness were still sorely missed.

The Martyr is a worthy sequel to The Pariah and I recommend it for anyone who enjoyed that first book in the Covenant of Steel series.

Bottom line...I absolutely love Anthony Ryan's books!

The 2nd novel of a Alwyn Scribe, an unlikely hero not only because of his outlaw background, but simply put....he has no magic, he has no hidden skillset, that just has to be brought to the surface, hes not even the chosen one, he's a fromer outlaw and a churl who's experiences, luck and adventures eventually make him captain of The living Martyr's covenant army. This makes him and the story more believable and real, bringing Alwyn and other characters to life.

Ryans succinct and precise writing brings characters to life, with descriptions that bring you directly to the locations he writes about.

There is royal, and political intrigue, with some twists to momenntarily keep you off your toes. Even a little magic and mysticism thrown in via the sack witch.

If your a fan of Gemmel, military fantasy, or just Ryan himself, you will surely enjoy this novel in his series.

Wow, what a great book! I enjoyed Anthony Ryan's The Pariah and had been looking forward to the next book in the series. The 2nd book exceeded my already high expectations. If you enjoy fantasy books, you should give this one a try. (Highly recommend you read The Pariah before reading this book).

Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing an early copy for me to read and review.

Incredible! This is fantasy at its best! Anthony Ryan some how made his second book better than the first. He is a gem of his generation and I am enthralled of his work

Thanks to Netgalley.com and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for a review.

This is the second book of this trilogy regaling the life of Alwyn Scribe. It follows in a simple timeline after The Pariah, advancing the story of the main character. Anthony Ryan has done a wonderful job (again) of creating an epic story and taking the readers on a fantastical journey. Most of this story reminds me of the Arthurian days of legend, where religion and politics fought for control of the country, with large battles against a Duke, or Earl, that did not agree with whatever policy. Ryan does a great job of describing these issues from the viewpoint of our main character, though at this point in the tale he is higher ranking than most.

Ryan has done a wonderful job of worldbuilding. Much of the lands he writes about is easily created in my mind, as well as characters, places and events. I enjoy the lack of reliance upon, the little availability/use of "magic", and how it is used/practiced. The battles were well described, though somewhat slowed down the story for me. Though, looking back, I see how some of it is required for the pacement of this part of the story.

Characters were well developed, and believable for the most part. From zealots, to beggars, the range of personalities, of side characters, or others of minimal interaction, add insight to the growth and developement of the story, as well as the main character. Overall was easy to read and understand, though some concepts maybe above the heads of the teen crowd.

Anthony Ryan is simply one of the top 5 active fantasy writers in the genre in my opinion. With every successive series his prose, world-building, and characterization bump up another level. In this continuation of the story that began with The Pariah, Ryan ups the stakes quite considerably and puts all of your darlings in extreme peril. Some of the best magic I've ever come across. This one may very well be his best series yet, but I will wait for the final entry to make that declaration. But regardless, you should definitely be reading Anthony Ryan if you claim to love exceptional fantasy. A more through write-up will be forthcoming on the blog.

Awesome sequel! As epic as it can be! Strong storyline, amazing cast of characters, lot of action, outstanding worldbuilding level. Just great! A must read for fantasy readers!