Red Sister (Book of the Ancestor)

Lawrences new series has a lot of interesting concepts running around inside it - but still maintains a lot of the style that made his shattered empire books so enjoyable. Where that world was broken, its inhabitants not sure of exactly what happened, this world knows that its dying - not with a bang, but a whimper. The characters are a little inscrutable. I think Lawrence writes better in the first person, and that makes his protagonists more sympathetic, despite their deep flaws. But I'll certainly be looking forward to the next book. This one was mostly setup, and it did that well.

A joyless book lacking the interesting characters of The Broken Empire and the joyful wit and comedy of The Red Queens War. Lawrence took every grimdark cliché, amped up the blood to 11, but left out the realism; creating a superhero pre-pubescent murder fantasy lacking any emotional punch, stretching the believability of the characters beyond all plausibility.
I good story places compelling characters in compelling situations. Red Sister committed the biggest sin, it bored me. So much so that I would make up excuses to avoid returning to it, spending my reading time reading articles or just browsing the internet. The only thing that kept me going was the fact that I paid 12.99 for the damn ebook and that everybody that also didn’t like it said that the last 20% picked up. It does a bit but not enough to make it through the slog of following a 9 year old going through a nonsensical ninja nun school.
I recommend waiting for this one to drop to 1.99 before picking it up.

I thought this would be a book that would be hard to put down, but after a while I was waiting and waiting for the ACTION. Its mainly about a little girl that has the same superpower as wolverine, and has other speed abilities who is taken to a convent after some stuff happens at a type of fight club for kids. Well it just drones on and on about the convent and I was DESPERATE for it to move on and get to the point. I never finished it because I was just tired of the same old same old being repeated in slightly different ways. *UPDATE* I did finally finish it and yeah it sucked, pretty obvious ending and just very lack luster.
The main character was not as bad ass as I had hoped and to a certain point she wasn't even that special. I couldn't really get into it, when you have to force yourself to read you know it's not good.
Personally I didn't care for it. REALLY disappointed. I thought that the book would start out with her life, how she got to the convent and then she would go out and we would read her many adventures of being a bad ass killer nun. NOPE it's mainly about her convent life with TINY little pieces of "action" and the "future" thrown in. UGH I was tired of being teased. Needless to say I won't read the sequels.

*review may contain mild spoilers*

ARC provided by Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.

“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.”

This story surrounds a young girl, given away by her mother and village after a frightful night. Yet, even being given away, our young protagonist, Nona, proves that there will always be room in your heart to love. The children that are given away to be sold are worth as much as what is in their blood. There are four tribes in this world, and the purer the blood you have, or the more tribes you have in your blood, makes your worth incredibly more valuable.

“What good is holy if it watches my friend die –not because she did something wrong but because her blood wasn’t good enough?”

Four Tribes that the people in this world can descend from:
➽ Gerant - Great size and strength.
➽ Hunska - Quick speed.
➽ Marjal - The ability to tap into lesser magic.
➽ Quantal - The ability to walk the Path and work greater magic.

Nona is sold and has a lot of potential because of her blood, but after Nona is found guilty of a very violent crime, she is sentenced to death. That is, until she is stolen and taken to Sweet Mercy's Convent for young girls, because her blood and potential should not be wasted. Unfortunately, Nona is harboring secrets that are constantly making her question her worth, no matter what's in her blood.

“That’s my secret and my shame. I’m Nona Grey, war is in my veins, and the screams of my enemies are music to me.”

Four Classes in the Convent for the novices to learn as a group:
➽ Red Class - Ages 9-12 typically.
➽ Grey Class - Ages 13-14 typically.
➽ Mystic Class - Ages 15-16 typically.
➽ Holy Class - Ages 17-19 typically.

In ten years, Nona will be educated and taught everything she needs to know in the ways of blade and fist while becoming a Red Sister, but there are going to be many hurdles in her way. This book spans only three of those years, but we already get to see the political, power, and religious problems that will not be ignored or easily fought.

Four Paths for the novices to take once they become nuns:
➽ Bride of the Ancestor, Holy Sister - Honors the Ancestors and keeps the faith.
➽ Martial Sister, Red Sister - Warriors skilled in armed and unarmed combat.
➽ Sister of Discretion, Grey Sister - Masters of stealth and potions with shadow work.
➽ Mystic Sister, Holy Witch - Walks the Path and manipulates threads.

“The hardest lesson I ever learned was that every bad thing you see a friend do to someone else they will someday do to you.”

This story puts such a heavy emphasis on friendship and the importance of believing in others even when you've been hurt in the past. Friendship truly is the constant theme of this story, and how beautiful and cruel it can be. Trust is something we should never give willingly, but it can reap so many beautiful things if you choose to put your trust in the right person.

“Truth is an ax. Without judgment it’s swung in great circles, wounding everybody”

Four girls whose paths cross regardless of what they wanted:
➽ Nona - Our sweet cinnamon roll protagonist.
➽ Arabella - From royal blood.
➽ Clera - Father/family in great financial trouble.
➽ Zole - From the Ice Tribes and the ward of a very powerful woman.

No one is truly all good; everyone comes with failures and faults. Good people can do terrible things just as easily as bad people can perform righteous miracles. Believing in someone else can be a great treasure or a horrible curse, but believing the bad or the good of yourself can be catastrophic.

And the writing, oh the writing. This writing is slow and meticulous and meaningful. It's different and unique and reflective on things going on in today's world. It's mesmerizing and lyrical and completely unforgettable. I honestly feel like I could have highlighted this whole book! I will definitely be rereading some of these quotes for the rest of my life.

For me, this story has seeped its way into my body and embedded itself into my heart. I was unable to put it down, and I still am so invested in Nona's character. Nona is the best character I've read about in years. If there was a way for me to put myself into this story, I would and I would fight by her very side because I believe in her that much.

“A juggler once came to my village. He was my first friend.”

This is a story about a chosen one, but it is done in such a perfect way that you are left constantly questioning what is true and what is false. This isn't your typical chosen one cliché in the slightest. The prophecy in this book is unlike any other you've read, and the battle for the truth is such a treat to read about.

“It says that the Ark will open when the four tribes demand it with one voice.”

And I mean, ultimately this is a story about magical warrior nuns fighting a war from many different sides! How much more do I need to say to sell you?

Okay, let's talk for a minute about *holds breath and pauses for dramatic effect* SCHOOL SETTINGS! Most people, like me, in their mid to late twenties, grew up with Harry Potter which has bewitched all of us to absolutely love and devour books set in boarding school settings. All the different nuns, with all their different specialties, were so reminiscent of Harry Potter, too, that I couldn't help but become addicted to reading this. (Side note: Apple/Mistress Shade is everything I wish Snape was in a Potions Master, and she filled my heart with so much happiness.)

This story also beautifully features lesbians. In fact, I do not believe we even see a hetero relationship in this book. There are two nuns in this book, who are teachers and obviously together, which no one ever shames or questions, but treats the relationship how it should be treated: as normal. There is also a good discussion on being young and having feelings that you aren't sure are "correct" since the feelings are not of the 'norm" of society. One of the other younger girls in the Convent is discovering she is gay, and the transition of her realization is somewhat painful, but so very important. It is never stated that Nona is gay herself, but I truly feel like she is, and I am so excited for that development that could grow, you have no idea. Let the record state that all I want in my life are lesbians in my high fantasy novels and this portion of the story made me completely biased. Also, thank you Mark Lawrence for making a Convent, for only women and girls, have lesbians, because many other authors would have skipped the obvious and made everyone straight.

“Your death has not been waiting for your arrival at the appointed hour: it has, for all the years of your life, been racing towards you with the fierce velocity of time’s arrow. It cannot be evaded, it cannot be bargained with, deflected or placated.”

Overall and needless to say, I loved this. It was so immersive and so all-encompassing. I never wanted to put this book down, and all I want now is the second book. The characters are on a whole other level, the writing is nothing short of phenomenal, and the story is so very captivating and addicting. This book will easily make my "top books of 2017" list. Please, do yourself a favor and pick up this amazing book on April 4th, 2017.

“There is, in the act of destruction, a beauty which we try to deny, and a joy which we cannot. Children build to knock down, and though we may grow around it, that need runs in us, deeper than our blood.”

*The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.*

Nona isn’t your typical hero, she isn’t an orphan but she doesn’t come from a happy home. After losing her Father her Mother abandon’s her and a nine-year old Nona ends up at the Convent of Sweet Mercy. This isn’t somewhere that normally takes in waifs and strays. There is a fee for girls to go here it’s somewhere the richer families of Abeth send their daughters, and the fee is not something Nona can pay, but the Abbess seems to have her own reasons for taking Nona in, reasons she isn’t sharing with anyone, especially not Nona.

Most novels which start when our hero is a child finish when our hero is an adult, we skip over them growing up and boom they do their heroic deed in their adult form. This is not the case here. Nona is a child hero. She is a child fighter, a child warrior. The oldest we see her is about 11/12 but don’t be fooled into thinking this is a childs book or even a young adult novel.

Nona, has moments where she shows her young age, and these moments are refreshing and made me giggle and remember that I was reading a story with someone who was young, who should be innocent, but wasn’t. Then she would jump straight back to being her grown self. Her life experiences have shaped her to being so much older than her years. She was tenacious and loyal but she had a terrible temper which risked getting her in trouble.

The convent and it’s training is harsh but not unfair. I never felt like the girls were being treated unfairly, that the Nuns were bullying them or that the girls were at risk. But they were toughening the girls up, making warriors out of them. The work they were doing had an end game and sometimes the girls may get hurt. In our world what they were doing would definitely seem cruel but they don’t live in our world and their world is cruel!

Nona isn’t afraid to stand up for what she deems is right, even if that means going up against powerful people. She is willing to fight for what she believes is right, and does to the detriment of her own safety. This leads to Nona’s final battle which is excruciating to read, I honestly didn’t see how she was going to make it through, even though I knew this was the beginning of a new series I couldn’t see a way out. Oh and I forgot to mention she has a Wolverine style power. Yeah! So, I ended up spending the last hundred pages or so with my breath held, toes clenched, and grinding my teeth, there was just so much tension. And no, I’m not going to tell you how it ended!

Red Sister is a stunning piece of literature. I was swept away by this novel, the intricately woven narrative which wastes no time starting at page one and keeping you entwined until the final word. I highly recommend this not only to fans of fantasy but to people looking for a novel that is going to dig deep into their soul and grasp their heart tight.

A huge thanks to Mark Lawrence and Harper Voyager for the eARC of this book in return for my honest review.

I won't place this as a full DNF, just a respite until I'm in the mood to at least reach 20% and then decide. If the book picks up, I'll likely up this review.

Now, Mark is considered to be an excellent writer, and given Red Sister is the only book that I have at least tried, I would be more than glad to try one of his stories when I both have the cash and the time (both of which I have in very short supply for now).

I wanted to read Red Sister for quite a long time because everyone says it's a great book. Grimdark isn't my favored fantasy genre, but I do read it from time to time simply because it has so many fans and books to choose from.

The world setting in a dying world is rather interesting. The only other fantasy book that I have read where the world is crumbling from a dying red sun is my favorite Narnia Book where Queen Jadis comes from and somehow sneaks into a nascent Narnia. Given Red Sister caters to a much older audience, the world is relatively overpopulated and society very bleak in regards to selling unwanted children away. Indentured slavery is not only socially acceptable, but even a means to a better life. In my opinion, this was the highlight of the book even though I only got a few glimpses in the short span of story I read. I think the story about the child slave trader was the huge bright light because it was so interesting. If Red Sister had been more about the slave trade than ninja nun school, I would have easily ignored the things I disliked and been more willing to continue.

Alas, I couldn't get into the story. The writing seemed very complex, and while flowery writing to describe the desolate landscape in sufficient does to feel the world is good, it becomes an issue with me when I start skimming paragraphs out of boredom. The scenes for example, where Nona learns how to copy the juggler's tricks seemed to drag on far too long. I just felt like the book was too much of an unpolished draft, and not a full-fledged edited book from a major publisher's house. A good editor could have sliced some of the filler and the book could have been much better in my biased opinion.

Nona seemed like an okay protagonist, but nothing stellar. Not someone I could really root for in the first few chapters. The problem wasn't from any fault of hers, more like I was getting confused with the story far too many times and had to return to prior pages... more times than I can count and try to understand what was going on. So, did the nobleman fighter dude try to rape Nona's blond friend Saida or not? Was he just trying to slap her around in the private room? Or was Nona's reaction when she screamed for help just a disturbance from her muddled mind and he never did anything wrong? It could be really hard for me to tell (mainly because I haven't gotten farther into the book to see for myself if Nona's mind is completely there or not). I don't mind scenes where mentally unstable characters see things in a thwarted way if things are explained further, but Saida's fate confused me. So, the nun wasn't out there to save her afterall? But they accepted that preppy noble girl into ninja school, right? I just think the things that confused me about Saida was because of unpolished editing more than anything.

The cast of characters was just a blur to me. Too many nun teachers introduced at the same time and they were all the same. Stringent, strict and pretty much that was it. No mysticism about their religious sect or personas at all. It drew me away from the story, sadly.

At 96% positive reviews, it seems like there was something about this book that for some reason was unable to draw me in. And I think I have to be an honest reviewer and accept defeat. I have decided to put this book aside and give my spare attention to other books.

Will I come back sometime and continue this book? I am more than happy to at least reach the 20% point and then decide. However, while I am known for returning to books I have paused, I am the type of reader that knows within the first few chapters whether a book is a delight to read versus a chore. Sadly, the fact that I found the stories of the slave trader and the mysterious fate of the crippled seer girl to be far more interesting than Nona's stint at the convent means that giving the book a second try will likely end in a failure. But don't shy away from this book due to my experience, perhaps you will love it.

Firstly, I'm a big fan of Mark Lawrence and absolutely love his prose. I also appreciate his mix of sci-fi and fantasy in a believable and utterly new way. He tends to be great with pacing - good dialogue/action mix. Wonderful first-person internal dialogue. That said, this is Lawrence's third series and each has had a very different feel.

You'll find many comparisons out there on "what this book is like." Therein lies the problem. It is too much like other books and not nearly as good. The pacing was particularly a problem as a huge middle portion is taken up by redundant fighting training and fighting matches. I did the audiobook and often found myself zoning out and come back 15 minutes later to there still be fighting but some new fight. There was also much effort put into character and friendship development, and it simply didn't work for me. I didn't care about any of the characters and they felt mostly one-dimensional.

There is also an issue with dialogue in this book. Nona, being an 8-10 year old should not speak in the exact same way as adults. And this is especially true since she is supposed to be a peasant. In fact, I found no distinction in voice of any of the characters, especially when they are telling stories.

The book also suffers from the late reveals. The book comes into its own at the last 20% when we hit wonderful prose, exciting action, and finally found out a lot more about this world/magic, twists, etc. The world building should have been revealed much earlier to hold the readers' attention. Finally Nona and others become interesting. That said, given the epilogue that shows the future is still stuck in that boring convent, not sure I can bring myself to read the next.

Let me just air my shame right now, this is my very first title by Mark Lawrence. Yes, I know. I am just now popping the Lawrence cherry. There will be no comparisons to previous work. I am actually thankful for this embarrassing fact (although I was about 100 pages when I immediately ran out and bought the entire Broken Empire series) <– Spoiler, this book is flipping good! As I excitedly dove into this 400 page beauty, I discovered the an unbiased approach was going to work in my favor because this is going to be a tough review minus any previous conceptions or comparisons.

♦

“It is important, when killing a nun, to ensure that you bring an army of sufficient skill.”

The sun is dying and in a world encapsulated and limited by ice. One young girl has been bought and sold. Nona Grey has been labeled a monster and cast aside. When she finds herself staring through the noose of her finality, rescue comes in the unlikely form of a nun.

Taken to the Convent of Sweet Mercy, she begins the arduous task of training and transformation. She is to become a Red Sister. Devoting her life to the Ancestor, she enters a journey of self discovery and metamorphosis that will challenge her to face her inner demons head on and learn to hone the very skills that have terrified and haunted her throughout her short existence.

But why have the nuns chosen to spare Nona and take her in? Why is she still sought after? During her transition and time at the convent, Nona Grey will uncover answers and a world she never knew existed. Is she prepared to accept her fate and fight?

“The Path had filled her and in doing so had woken her to the understanding that for all her life she had been hollow. It turned her flesh to gold, her mind to crystal. She wanted more. Even as the power of it terrified her and she felt her body shaking beyond her control, she wanted more.”

Instead of concentrating on the plot of a story you should be reading, I want to discuss the elements to make this worth the time of any fantasy fan. Red Sister is a slower but steady and rewarding read. At times I felt mentally tapped after pouring through the pages, but in the greatest of ways. I was heavily invested and there is a lot to digest. Nona Grey is complex and consuming. She is delivered to us as so much more than one could expect to comprehend at 8 years old. Her sheer rawness and brutality draw you in immediately, refusing to release. Walking in her footsteps, we soon realize that the fact that she is a child is often lost because she instantly becomes so much more.

This is a highly character driven account that presents a tale of the fight for survival through an amazing ensemble of individuals and lavish world construction. Lawrence has created a cast of children, Sisters and adversaries that manage to deliver on the grandest of scales. While the gore and action are very much present, I found all emotions being fully accessed and tapped into to create a truly unique and provoking experience.

The plot manages to go beyond engaging as I found myself almost exhausted at times. I was completely immersed and committed to Nona and her personal battle. And it did feel very personal. There are many things occurring within the Convent and out, but Nona’s internal struggle is a pilgrimage.

“Those that burn short burn bright. The shortest lives can cast the longest shadows.”

The world that Lawrence has constructed is elegant. The fluid transition of flawless narration between past memories and the present solidify this beautiful composition, adding a real sense of depth and vastness that I have come to expect from true epic fantasies. An innovative magical system is set in place that is not only refined and well thought out, but captivating while carefully avoiding any unnecessary complexities.

I found myself in great admiration of the Lawrence’s ability to develop an amazingly strong yet imperfect world of female protagonists. The writing carries throughout each page with such ease, almost poetic at times, inviting your further. For all of the bleakness and dark, there is an amount of sophistication and poise present that make this a deeply gratifying and beautiful read.

“A single flame in the dark. A single note hanging in an empty place. A single sparkle upon a wind-rippled lake.”

Well polished and seductive, this is a story best left for the reader to discover and devour on their own accord. Red Sister tempts with many promises and delivers and caters to even the greatest of expectations. A gripping, yet open conclusion has left me yearning for more. I have fallen for Nona Grey in the most spectacular of ways.

*I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for this opportunity. The above review is my own, unbiased opinion.

While reading Red Sister, I could not help but realize that this story would appeal to fans of Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers and Nevernight by Jay Kristoff. There are similarities in this story to both of these books. Do not misunderstand though, this novel is its own animal. If I had to narrow down what I felt the similarities were it would be that this story has members of a religious order that trains the candidates to become fighters and learn the art of poisons etc. similar to the characters in Grave Mercy and Nevernight. The main character Nona also reminds me of the main character from Nevernight. Nona is not without feeling but everything is black and white with her. She processes things on a different level than most people.

The world development of Abeth was just so creative. The planet has been encased in ice with only a small portion called the corridor that is inhabitable. While imagining this world I imagined Earth encased in two mile high ice everywhere with the exception of a long strip that followed the equator. Loved that! Within this corridor is where all the action happens. Imagine that the entire population was squeezed in such a small place. There would always be fighting between clans just due to over population.

Nona’s story is a bit misleading at the start. Her story is told between past and present time transitions and when she shares stories they are sometimes false. You don’t know that her story was untrue until later on when she explains the falsehood but when you do get the full story it is amazing! What I did know from the start was that she was given up by her tribe to the child collector for free. Usually this act is one in which the child collector pays for the child. He buys the children that parents are willing to sell for money and that he believes may show signs of ancient blood lines. Showing a strong bloodline from one of the ancient tribes is usually a good indicator of one’s fighting prowess and in a civilization that is barbaric that is a good thing.

On Abeth the people descended from four tribes. These tribes were the Gerant (large in size), Hunska (very fast), Marjal (able to tap into lesser magic), and Quantal (can do greater magic). The closer the person is to full blood the greater their abilities. Once bought these children are then sold to respective buyers who are looking for certain bloodlines. Nona was sold to a man who kept the children until they either showed their full potential or he re-sold them. His purpose for the children were to be used as prize fighters. It is there that Nona’s life was shattered and she began on a new path.

We meet Nona as a little girl who literally has a noose around her neck. If it was not for the quick thinking and deceptive ways of Abbess Glass she wouldn’t have a story to tell. Nona was taken to the Convent of Sweet Mercy and this is where a majority of the story takes place. This might be a turn off to some readers as a large portion of this story is training and the changes that the characters go through. Such as friendships, betrayals, angst, teacher-student relationships and dealing with the past. A whole plethora a life experiences.

The story follows ten years of Nona’s life and of the other characters that live at the convent as well. At the start, all the backstories are surface level. As the story goes on the characters develop layers and it quickly becomes a very satisfying read. Do not mistake this for an easy read though. There are scenes that are without mercy and compassion and just downright cruel. In this world though, there is very little room for such things. The story-telling is vivid, engaging and hits you on an emotional level. It makes for a truly amazing platform for a series to build on. The ending is powerful and quite a cliffhanger. You will not be disappointed in Red Sister!

This review is based on a complimentary book I received from NetGalley. It is an honest and voluntary review. The complimentary receipt of it in no way affected my review or rating.

RED SISTER by Mark Lawrence intrigued me, and I was thirsty for a dark fantasy featuring a kicking heroine. This was my first experience with Lawerence and I quickly found myself wanting to savor this character driven tale with its dying world and magic. Fans of GRAVE MERCY and the Fair Assassin’s series will find themselves slipping quickly into this world.

It will be difficult to do this tale justice and I am going to deliberately be vague. This world and its characters are best left for the reader to discover.

We meet our protagonist, eight-year-old Nona Gray as she awaits the hangman for killing a man three times her size. Fate steps in and Nonna is saved when, Abbess Glass, the manager of the Sweet Mercy Convent offers her the chance to train as a Novice. Nona is a hunska, and you will learn more about this ability and others at the school. This magical school trains young woman on the path, blades, poison, physical combat and more. The magical elements are brilliant from what each girl possessed to what she can achieve.

I loved attended the Convent. If magical schools thrill you from lessons to boorish teachers, you will devour RED SISTER. Most of the setting takes place within its walls. From spells to training I was enthralled not only by the skills, but the worldbuilding, hierocracy, and political maneuvering that Lawerence developed within this world. A lot of what we learn is threaded throughout the tale, from lessons to conversations. Thus avoiding the need for information dumps, and while not entirely understood the magical elements hint at more to come.

The world is on the verge of collapse, and their civilization has been pushed into this tiny corridor whose fate is dependent on the moon, which we are told keeps the ice that covers the remaining world at bay. Lawerence revealed a brutal world where the church and rulers have power. There are layers of plots as we devel into the social hierarchy, meet indentured humans, and learn that the blade rules.

Written in third-person, this tale can be dark and brutal at times, but Nona and other characters offer balance as they pull the reader into their daily life. Prophies, villains, and uncertainty had me flipping the pages and eager to learn more. Lawrence cleverly added in flashbacks concerning Nona, and I thought they were well placed.

Wow where to start? I am kinda at a loss for words. That might be because it is 7:15 am and I was reading for the last 6 hours straight and I am exhausted. But I think it’s more likely that my brain just can’t contain all of the awesome that I read in that 6 hour stretch.

Well I guess I will start like I always do with the Tactile and visual parts of the review. I love the cover It is a great visual description of the book without giving anything away. Plus it’s just some damn good art.
“I have been too young to know, and I have been too old to care. It’s in that oh so narrow slice between that memories are made. So enjoy it.” – Sister Pan

I love Marks writing because on a almost subconscious level there is a meter or tempo to it. It’s not like a rhyming poem or anything, and it’s really hard to put a finger on what “it” is. I think “it” is the sentence structure its self. He writes like a great Orator speaks. The cadence of the words pulling you in to his stories almost hypnotically. It has taken me reading 7 books by Mr. Lawrence to actually come to that conclusion. I am probably wrong and its just a compulsion spell.. And while I am not accusing him of witchcraft or sorcery, per se. His prose has definitely cast its spell on me.

You would not believe the amount of times that I have read a series by an author then read their new series, and it felt like…. well like the same books almost. At the very least, many authors fall in to old speech patterns using new mouths. I have actually thought about this way too much in the past, and I came up with an explanation for it. The characters from the old books are in the FBI’s (Fictional Body Importation) Protagonist Protection Program. (Rolls right off the tongue doesn’t it?) Their names have been changed for their own safety and they have been moved to a new world to start over. But just like Steve Martin in My Blue Heaven they soon get up to their old tricks again.
n Mark’s first two trilogies he managed to make the protagonists so completely different from each other I was amazed. And Yes he did it again with Red Sister. I know I know, the protagonist in this book starts out as a 7 or 8 year old girl and yes it takes place on a completely different world. So it sounds like it would be easy to make them unique. But even the Narrative flow in Red Sister was different from the Broken Empire books. While still having the Orator’s Tempo I talked about before. It really did amaze me.
“But be warned, young Nona: a book is as dangerous as any journey you might take. The person who closes the back cover may not be the one that opened the front one.” – Sister Kettle

Ok Like I just mentioned, Red Sister takes place on a completely new world. New to us that is. Its actually so old it is dying, really in fact it is the Sun that is dying. Causing the slow formation of a Ice Planet like Hoth from StarWars. The only glacier free area of the planet is a 50 mile wide strip that goes all the way around the planet. I Picture it just like Beggar’s Canyon back home. Only wider obviously.

And the only Reason that 50 miles is still open is because of a moon…… “That’s no moon kid” That’s a focus lens! Every night it gathers the light from the dying sun focusing it in to a single beam that sweeps over the area with enough heat to keep the glacier from closing in on them. If that’s not bad enough, the “moon” is in a decaying orbit and will soon return to the planet and then the ice will close on the people like a giant trash compactor.. “C-3PO come in C-3PO where are you C-3PO OH where could he be?” Sorry can you tell I went and saw Rogue One again today?

Final Thoughts

It is not only a great story, but beautifully written as well. I loved the ending but at the same time I wish I hadn’t gotten to it yet. It was by no means a small book but I read it in three sittings, and that only made me want more.

Mark Lawrence has been the author of my choices for book of the year for the last 2 years in a row. Red Sister was the first book I finished this year but it is possible he might get my vote a third time. Red Sister gets a Outstanding recommendation with 5 stars out of 5

While I could get through the book, I felt that it had some fairly significant problems.

Lets start with the things that I liked.
1. Really great setting. The idea behind the geography and climate situation in the book was really interesting and made you think about the possible implications. That alone makes me want to read the rest of the story just to see how it it affects the plot later on.
2. Nora's backstory is sufficiently horrific that she is incredibly sympathetic from the start. You really come to grasp how amoral the society is by the fact that what is described is even possible. The poverty and suffering in the world are immense, but not to over the top as to become unbelievable. You are really rooting for Nora to be successful.
3. A few really strong side characters. The one I am most impressed by is Glass, as she is intelligent and competent, while for most of the book you really do believe that she has good intentions.

The bad.
1. The poor pacing really ruined the book for me and contributed to most of the other things I didn't like about the book.
2. Bland side characters. I read the whole book over two days and by the end I doubt I couldn't tell half of the side characters apart by personality. There were too many of them and most of them had interchangeable personalities. This was also true of most of the teachers. This constantly knocked me out of the story when we came back to a side character and had to remember who they are, why they matter, and why I should care. (Spoiler: they aren't world remember, they don't matter, and you shouldn't care). The author didn't take the time in the book to let the side characters shine because, once again, there are too many.
3. Too many flashbacks and served dubious purposes. The book takes far to long to get going because of the constant flashbacks. They are not all bad... in fact some are great. However, the number could have easily been cut in half. The author could have then dedicated more pages to side characters!
4. I think it is telling that the author put the appendix at the beginning... because you will need it. I like having it there for reference, but I feel like it is mandatory reading if you want to keep track of what is going on.
5. The language used throughout the book is overly and unnecessarily complex. I found it distracting, but this is probably more of a taste thing. I prefer to not notice the language at all because I am so entranced with the story.

Nona Grey is about to be hung! She has attempted to murder an upper-class lord who deserves the slit throat he gets but will never forgive his attempted assassin. Rescued by a nun, Nona is taken to the Convent of Sweet Mercy, a misnomer if there were ever one. The convent includes a variety of young girls and women who are being trained in multiple facets of war. Nona will spend three years preparing to graduate as a warrior. For most of the novel, the reader is never quite sure who a precise enemy is. We know that the Convent is located in a very cold, hard area where stone, cliffs and frozen rivers are the norm.
So Nona begins to trust her classmates – somewhat as one is never sure who is friend or foe here as the competition is fierce for victory. She is taught the crafts of sword fighting, poisoning, wrestling, physical battle, reading and writing, and the path to serenity or “The Path,” as it is known. It sounds like a martial arts academy based on spiritual principles but with no room for weakness or giving in. The goal is success, no matter how violent, cruel or deadly.
It initially is debatable whether Nona is “The Chosen One” foreseen in a prophecy believed by the Sisters at the Convent. There are various categories of humans who hold a secret skill in one form of battle. Nona must learn to conquer the weaknesses she carries that prevent her from doing better, most of all her temper. Yet that same temper will enable her to win her first competition against a relative of an upper class enemy. How to control that gift and use it to its maximum effect is the challenge!
The last few chapters of this superb story will leave you breathless as Nona confronts evil incarnate.
I don’t normally go for novels that are very violent but this one had a “ninja-like” quality that hooked me completely! Looking forward to the next novel in the series! Think most readers will as well!

I mean, smashing opening line. ‘It is important, when killing a nun, to ensure that you bring an army of sufficient size.’

Nona is young. Assessed for powers by the child-taker she is sold from her village as no one wants to keep her there as she’s always been known to be odd and not fit in. Gifted talents exist through certain clans but they need to be caught young, and with her abilities to fight she is soon sold to another, and then sent to be hanged through a series of unfortunate events.

To go with epic opening lines, a chapter opens with ‘no child truly believes they will be hanged,’ which is true as it’s here that Nona is instead saved and taken to be a nun at Sweet Mercy’s Convent for Young Girls, where they are raised to be killers depending on their specific gift. Some, like Nona, are Red Sisters – meant for fighting. It’s here she makes friendships and learns the ache that can come with them, she’s put to trial and protected like she has never witnessed before in her short life… but probably most importantly, she gets three square meals a day, and the food is the best she’s ever had.

The first thing that stands out with this book is the world building being centred around climate change, and it would be excellent for a book study to happen between this series and that of Glenda Larke’s Watergivers trilogy – though instead of lacking for water, in this world there is ice almost everywhere, and it’s thick, leaving only a small corridor of usable land left for the inhabitants, who are now firmly packed together.

The second is that we see the adult and ‘old’ characters as a huge central focus, almost main characters of the book, and integral, in a way we don’t often see. There are various mentions of what they did or what happened when they were children. Those who are now known under titles are referred to by names they used to be known by – either as a sign of friendship, or as a nasty dig that the speakers holds no respect for their current position. And it’s refreshing to see them humanised where they’re not just there to be plot points and elements of power or control – we get such a feel for who they are personally, and what they’ve been through growing up.

Overall this is an excellent book – it’s rough and their world is a hard place to be part of – the powerful still control what they want by money, and Nona almost loses her life for that countless times, all over a little man’s pride. The magic system, the world building – it has the detail of Sanderson’s series such as Mistborn and yet somehow easier to flow into. I’m writing this review halfway through the book so I don’t give too much away, and I can basically say read it! And that I’m going to go do the same right now.

Red Sister by Mark Lawrence
Fantasy - April 4th, 2017
4 1/2 stars

Red Sister is an enthralling new, dark, fantasy series with a courageous heroine with a unique heritage.

Nona Grey is a young girl that looks different that the rest of the inhabitants of the small village she lived in. Because of her looks she was reviled as a witch by the superstitions folk who treated her shabbily. An outcast, she has no friends until a traveling juggler comes and teaches he some of his tricks and then fills her world with death and violence. Taken from her home she is sold, then stolen by the Abbess from the Convent of Sweet Mercy.

Here Nona starts a new journey as a novice. She is taught the deadly skills that will hone her into a killing machine. Along with her other novices she finally find a real home that appears to appreciate her but Nona must be prepared to face her fears and the treachery of someone she thought she could trust.

This magical world has a depth that will keep readers wanting to know more about the world Nona lives in. As an ignorant villager when she arrives at the Abbey she is able to explore the bigger world and the dangers within it. The four different tribes of the old blood are fascinating. Each has a skill that can gives almost supernatural powers. The Convent looks for those with these abilities to put in service to the Ancestor and protect their world. A world of cunning power plays and deep intrigue that pull poor Nona and pushes her into a world that she does not fully understand. As it appears that Nona may have inherited some of the old blood which may give her special skills. Because of this, the Convent wants to keep and train her. But Nona doesn’t want to be different because in her experience, being different makes her stand out and hated. What she doesn’t realize is that she must stand out and hone her gifts if she want to succeed and save herself and her new found friends.

Nona is a plucky and sympathetic character. She is wary of others for she has always been betrayed but also seems to hunger for friends and a home. Her sometimes misplaced loyalty and self sacrifice make her noble and a bit too naive. Often Nona’s quick trust made me cringe as I knew her decisions (although well meaning) were misplaced and might bite her back. There were several times her lack of self preservation despite warnings from the other Sisters made me want her to snap her out of it and open her eyes. Nona definitely develops in the story and has to deal with some tough growing pains. I can’t wait to read more about the different tribes and how they related to the characters. Plus a wiser and tougher Nona who is coming into her own is bound to be a thrilling adventure.

Magical heritage and a young, naive heroine make for a break out new series.

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club

After reading and loving Nevernight by Jay Kristoff, I decided it was time to take a stab at the other assassin book release that was garnering lots of attention. I had been putting this one off because I didn’t care for one of the author’s other books, but I finally took the plunge.

And I’m glad that I did!

A great audiobook investment, I devoured this story and couldn’t wait for moments when I was able to listen to the story, so I found myself grabbing my physical copy to read ahead several times.

Not so much an assassin novel as a coming of age story. I loved reading about Nona’s physical, mental, and spiritual growth as she developed. The relationships and personalities presented here were refreshing and pulled on my heartstrings. There were plenty of twists and reveals to keep the story interesting and compelling as well as plenty of internal points of reflection.

I can’t really remember any major negatives, but I was expecting something slightly different based off the description. That’s probably about it.

Can’t wait to dig into the sequel soon!

Well, we’re reaching the end of the year and I’m so glad that this was one of my holiday reads. I listened to the audiobook for this one and straight away I can tell you that I will also be picking up the hardcover because this was a story filled with wonderful details that I’d like to go back and really examine thoroughly. As always, I do my best to remain spoiler-free so I’ll be skimming over and/or not delving into some of the characters and overarching plot.

To set the tone as it means to go on, we begin with young Nona, an 8 year old girl who is about to face the hangman’s noose. She stands accused of murder, and is snatched from certain death by the Abbess of the Sisters of Sweet Mercy Convent. Our setting is a harsh, frozen and unforgiving world – the people are forced to live in a narrow corridor hemmed in by ice, where the dying sun’s rays are reflected by the moon to provide just enough light and warmth to live. I haven’t read a great deal in the dying earth genre, but this was something that piqued my interest early on.

The story starts out slow and deliberate, so the immediate strength of the book lies with Nona. She is a strong-willed and defiant little girl who juts her chin out at a world that has treated her cruelly, but who also loves easily and fiercely. To a lonely child like Nona, friendship is without a doubt the most valuable commodity and Lawrence does an admirable job of showing us why. She is deeply relatable and her fears and motivations ring true. This is something that is personally important to me, and hits close to home. The poverty-stricken child who is plucked from obscurity is a well worn trope in fantasy, however many writers don’t delve too deeply into how this influences their mental state and behavior going forward. Having grown up poor myself, Nona’s continuing food anxiety and tendency to cling for dear life to those who show her kindness were just two ways in which she struck a chord with me. That she is also struggling with powers she doesn’t understand and trying to find her place in the world is just the icing on an already complex and delicious character.

The magical school aspect of the novel is pretty fun despite the grim and violent outside world, and the chemistry/hierarchy of the students is believable. The secondary characters have clear voices, personalities and motivations of their own and I grew fond of quite a few of them over the course of their classes. The magic system seems to grow more and more complex the more we learn about it, but in a way that is clearly planned and never used in a way that I thought cheap, or a bit of a cop-out (which is something I see way too often). We learn about the roles of various Sisters: Holy Sisters maintain the faith and are the most common, Red Sisters are the warrior class, Grey Sisters are a sort of sneaky, Rogue-y type and then there’s a class of Mystic Sisters who can manipulate the threads that connect everything. Which type of Nun you are depends in part upon the type of blood you carry, which I’m not going to go into here because honestly the whole concept of the clans and their history is fascinating and better discovered by reading the book. There are both kind and harsh teachers, and we’re drip-fed some tantalizing bits of information about the world through their lessons.

Lawrence juxtaposes some pretty harrowing flashbacks with present-day scenes and does so in a manner that both horrifies and gives the reader a breather when it’s needed. That’s not to say that all the present-day scenes are sunshine and sweetness – they are frequently stomach-clenching in their intensity. We’re also treated to a few flash-forwards throughout the novel, the content of which are agonizingly good and lead to a conclusion that left me open-mouthed and staring at the wall for a few minutes. He also has a real flair for writing drama and quotable, eyebrow-raising moments of wisdom.

As to criticisms, I find that I don’t have anything much to say. One thing I noticed with the audiobook were occasional mispronounced words, which threw me off now and then. But obviously, this isn’t a criticism of the writing. Those amongst you who list animal abuse as a deal-breaker will find one scene to be very difficult to read as it’s pretty upsetting – however, it’s only one scene, it serves a purpose instead of being gratuitous and I’d suggest skimming it rather than avoiding the book.

Those who typically don’t care for Dystopian fare may be surprised and delighted with what they find here – personally I was dreading the Dystopian/Dying Earth bingo square and had three false starts on it with various books that I couldn’t get into, but this turned out to be one of my top 10 reads of 2017. It’s going to be a very long wait for Grey Sister. ?

I received a free E Arc from Netgalley.

Red Sister by Mark Lawrence is a stunning book - I can't deny that - initially I wanted to hold with a four star review but I've changed it to a five star because it is that good, and while I have reservations about it from my view point of a fan of his two previous trilogies (completely unrelated to this book - although the previous two are related to each other (remember that when you finish reading this book)), that's hardly the fault of this book.

Where to begin - Mark Lawrence never starts a book with endless world building - neither does he stick it down your throat about two or three chapters in - in fact he is elusive to it being almost frustrating about the visions he has in his head. This is a compliment. World building - so beloved of all fantasy authors (so it seems) often gives me a bit of a headache because it is so tediously done. Honestly, I'm not that interested in how magic systems work/religious sects organise themselves - if the story works and its believable then I'm happy. (Lawrence does provide a detailed explanation of all of this at the very beginning - but it's not part of the text of the story and because I love surprises, I didn't read it and still haven't, it made me think he finds world building in the main text as tedious as I do and decided to get it over and done with in one foul-swoop).

In Red Sister, Lawrence has envisaged something new, and also, eminently relatable. This is frustrating - when he does 'new' it's great but sometimes he falls back onto more conventional fantasy ideas and sometimes I want to beat him for being a little bit lazy, almost as though it's all been a bit too much and he's had to incorporate something into the text that is easy, and already 'known' by those who read fantasy. As such there are painful parts of the text which are too much like Harry Potter ( a lot too much like Harry Potter), and there are brilliant parts where his four 'races' - so different to elves, dwarves, orcs and dragons - speak for a level of imagination that few others can employ. The ending - so shocking to many in other reviews - was signposted a little along the way if you just looked - and the narrative - while brilliantly done - does tend to dwell on the day to day life of little more than a child at school.

There are flashes of that old Lawrence from his first two trilogies - the witty speech of Jalan and his self-obsessed nature - and the brutality of Jorg - but they are only flashes and I think that other fans of his work will be left feeling the same way I do - not hard done by - but surprised - like, constantly surprised - that he could have changed his style so much. I have hopes that Nona might become as foul mouthed as his first two main characters - but she's at a convent so I might be reaching a little too far.

This story will, however, win Lawrence a whole host of new fans - I don't know where they'll go from Red Sister, apart from onto the sequels, because I'm not totally convinced that they will appreciate Jorg and Jalan. Neither am I trying to imply that Lawrence has sold out for a bigger audience - the book is still brilliant - it is worth a read - it's an easy book to like and an even easier book to read - but, well ... just but really. It's weird to feel the way I do after a five star book - I think that really I was hoping for a little 'more' perhaps a book worthy of a 6/5!!

Red Sister is the first in the Book of the Ancestor series, by British author, Mark Lawrence. In the world of Abeth, Nona Grey is given to Giljohn, the child-taker, by the village that doesn’t want her. After some months travelling in a cage of children, she is purchased by Partnis Reeve, the Caltess fight-hall owner in the city of Verity. That each of these changes is a genuine step up from the last says much about her village. When she is about to be hung without trial, the Abbess Glass plucks her from the gallows, taking her to the Sweet Mercy Convent to be trained as a nun.

As a novice, Nona will undergo years of training, while her gifts and talents are assessed. The ultimate path she follows will depend on these, and if she is skilled in armed and unarmed combat, she may become a Martial Sister (Red Sister). But before Nona even arrives at Sweet Mercy, she seems to have stepped on some influential toes, toes of the rich and vengeful. More than one attempt is made to remove her and, as these are no sedate, non-violent nuns, quite a bit of bloodshed ensues.

Lawrence begins his tale with a prologue that entices the reader to read beyond the first book, reinforcing that halfway through with another intriguing piece. As the reader follows Nona’s journey, Lawrence seamlessly builds his fascinating world, throwing in twists and red herrings to keep the tale interesting, before building to a dramatic climax. He kindly includes at the beginning an author’s note that can be referred to for information about characters and their world. Fans will look forward to Book Two, Grey Sister. Clever and original.

Nona is about to be hanged as a killer when Abbess Glass intervenes, taking the nine-year-old girl away from prison to the comparative safety of the Convent of Sweet Mercy. As she is trained in the use of her gifts, Nona struggles to adapt to her new way of life, even as others plot to see her dead.

Told almost exclusively through Nona’s eyes, Red Sister takes place in a declining empire. One where the phrase “he who has the gold, makes the rules.” seems to prevail and where ancient bloodlines sometimes come to the fore, giving Nona and several of her new sisters speed, strength or magical abilities.

A lot of time is spent on Nona’s varying lessons, ranging from unarmed combat to spiritual enlightenment, and the way she gradually comes to befriend and open up to some of her classmates. A lot of this may seem familiar but it’s very well done, especially the gradual reveal, as Nona tells two different versions before finally confessing the truth of her past.

Despite the fact that the plot rarely leaves the convent, we still learn a surprising amount about the world outside it. Never in any great detail but there enough hints to keep us wanting more. There are mentions of demons, a world where the available land has shrunk between huge ice fields, buried starships; certainly more than enough to have me wanting to read the next instalment.

There’s plenty of blood and violence in this book so someone picking it up with the impression that since the main character is as young as she is, it must be for younger kids, would no doubt be in for a shock.

But fortunately the opening sentence, probably the best I’ve read this year, should make things clear pretty quickly.

A magnificent and bloody ride of survival, learning and intrigue through the eyes of a young girl.
Red sister was my first read form Mark Lawrence, not my only book from him but the first that I actually read so I can’t compare to those. It was a slower process than I would have liked which is partly because of the slow pace of the story and partly because I’m in the middle of a home renovation project so I couldn’t really find enough time to read. Anyway even so the plot starts out quite slowly just for the last couple of chapters worth every minute I spent on it. I really enjoyed this book and can recommend it to everybody who likes fantasy.
The world building is remarkable intricate, quite complex and imaginative. It’s really interesting how the little things connect and different layers of this world wove together. And I know that the story is a fantasy so basically/possibly the world is a make-believe one but thorough the whole story it felt for me like a post-apocalyptic Earth, where after the death of the sun scientist created a artificial moon which substitutes the some of the factions of the sun but all of this left an ice age like situation on Earth also the people kind of reversed back into the dark ages. I don’t know why but for some reason for me it felt like it based on the stories the characters told about the moon, the ice plates, the ark and even the shiphearts.
Other than the actual appearance of the planet the world building also consists of a magical, otherworldly element with the paths. This part of the world also really complex but this also left me confused because the way how this power works is explained, taught by the nuns but in a really obscured and sentimental fashion which didn’t help me to understand it.

Nona sighed. It was all very well Sister Pan making pretty speeches but it would be much more helpful if she would just tell them what they needed to know. If you understood something you should be able to explain it: if you didn’t understand it then you had no business teaching it. Either way, having the old woman spout poetry at them didn’t help at all.

So as I mentioned earlier the plot is quite slow burning but really interesting and keeps you glued to the pages from beginning to end. I also need to mention that it has a lot of bloody and brutal, here I mean broken and hurt little, some abused animals and such. So if you are sensitive about things like that then this book is not for you.
Practically the whole story is narrated by Nona but there are a couple of chapters that are not. These add a certain level of mystery to the story also first they confused me but later I realized that their purpose probably was to throw us off, to put a spin in the events. Why? Because they made me doubt everything I thought I figured out about the story and the characters. All in all they are a great addition to the structure of the book.
There are quite a few characters in the story and most of them play a really big part in it but the main character is still Nona. I absolutely loved her character, despite my reservations in the beginning regarding her age. She is a phenomenal, well fleshed out and astonishingly complex main character. She develops a lot during the plot. She is a fiery and a bit wild, a young girl who is not just lonely and mistrustful towards almost everybody but also trying to understand her newfound powers. She is really smart even so she can’t read and write in the beginning but she knows to ask the right questions. I just can’t get over how multilayer and amazingly built her personality is. She is really cunning and without meaning to she knows how to navigate the dangerous waters of intrigue. She learns really quickly. Also despite her wild and aggressive side she has a certain level of naiveté’s and innocence to herself. The way she believes in the power of friendship and the level headed way she handles betrayal it’s just adds another layer to her personality.
Then there is the gaggle of secondary characters. They all have a really definite and strong personality with a strong suggestion of their role in the story. All of the nuns and Nona class mates, too.
I really loved this book and really looking forward to the next one. Because in all honesty most of this story is confined within the wall of the convent and to the evolution of Nona yet I still think there is a bigger picture going on the background which didn’t get enough attention yet. This was a brilliant story.

Its been some time since I picked up a fantasy story, but I've been meaning to get back into it and I've wanted to try something by this author for some time. Red Sister is the launch of the Book of the Ancestor trilogy with a new to me narrator so it was all-systems go.

Red Sister is a good reminder of what I love best about this genre. It set up a fantastic elaborate world- a world that is dangerous, dark, mysterious, old, and desperate since their sun is dying and the polar ice is squeezing the people into a narrow inhabitable corridor. On this unique world, magic has its place as do the four magical races amongst distinct ethnic races who grapple for control. Magic users are part of the Ancestor religion, the ruler's training academies, but also in the fighter and entertainment groups. There is a class structure for magic and non-magic alike.

Onto this backdrop, the story of Nona unfolds. Nona is a great heroine though still a young girl when things begin. She's tough, stubborn, and vulnerable coming from a small peasant village and forced into the huge world outside the village when she is sold. Everything is new and she has to be tougher than ever. An early incident with a noble's evilly sadistic son sets a chain of events in motion just as that encounter leads her to become part of a training center convent for warrior sisters of the Ancestor religion.

Nona's time at the convent learning skills and magic use was fascinating. She is part of a larger sisterhood and her lonely soul craves this even while she must learn to fight and protect herself and what is important. I loved the inter-play among the novice girls and young women, with the older Sisters, and those intense experiences with the people outside the convent. This was a great balance of daily character-driven and skill learning scenes and action-suspense scenes to keep the reader fully engaged all the way.

Red Sister ends abruptly setting things up for what is to come in the next installment in the trilogy. My only niggle with this whole fabulous story was the framing story- the prologue and a few brief bits in the middle that are like spoilers because they give away the huge surprise twist that comes near the end. If you can, skip that prologue and that extra bit in the middle so you get to experience the full force of the twist.

I experienced Red Sister in audio CD version. It was my first occasion to listen to Heather O'Neill narrate. She was superb. Her voice could have been made for a huge fantasy saga-style read with all the cast, their accents, and the sweeping range of scenes and emotions. I will always hear her voice for Nona in my mind even if I don't get the rest of the trilogy in audio- though I plan to do that.

All in all, this was the opening gambit that enthralled and riveted me for several wonderful hours of storytelling finery. Mark Lawrence's writing and worldbuilding, characters and plotting were stellar. If you love fantasy, don't hesitate.

Red Sister: First Book of the Ancestor
CD - unabridged
Audio (16 discs)
Length: 19 hrs and 21 mins
Author: Mark Lawrence
Narrator/s: Heather O'Neil
Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
Release Date:04-04-17
Courtesy Audiobook Jukebox

“It is important, when killing a nun, to ensure you bring an arm of sufficient size.” When I saw this sentence listed as the first sentence of Red Sister by Mark Lawrence in a tweet, I requested the e-book through my local library system. I enjoyed the book so much, I requested the audiobook through Audiobook Jukebox to review. I am thrilled to report that the audiobook enhances the experience of reading the book.

Red Sister involves a wonderful character named Nona. The book starts with her as a young child, under ten years old, and tells her story for several years as she approaches adulthood. Nona is from a very poor family. She is sold to a man who buys children from rural poor families and sells them to various organizations or institutions in the capital city. Some are sold to churches and some to be trained as basically gladiators. The buyer is determined by their gifts. Nona is originally bought by a trainer to eventually fight in the ring. She is saved at the foot of the scaffold from hanging (read the book to see why) by the abbess of a Convent of Sweet Mercy. Nona’s exploration of why she was saved, who the nuns are and the mysteries of her world are fascinating and so intriguing I did not stop reading/listening until I had to.

This is one of the most amazing parts of Mr. Lawrence’s world building, the gifts. The world of Red Sister has four tribes. Each tribe originally had a gift of their own. One tribe was larger in body size. One was very fast. One could access minor magic. The last could access major magic and do what was called “walk the Path”. The world is divided by nobility and non-nobility. Nobility can be a matter of heritage or awarded by the emperor. May I just say thank you to Mr. Lawrence for putting his glossary and dramatis personae at the front of the book?

Oh, did I mention the moon is falling? The world is very much controlled by the moon. The entire land area is being trapped between two great ice areas. The ice areas are like huge glaziers with walls hundreds of feet high. The liveable area in between is call The Corridor. During certain phases of the moon, the nights get very warm, almost hot. There is still so much mystery at the end of the first book that I cannot wait for the next book.

Heather O'Neil does a very good job narrating Red Sister. I had only heard one other book narrated by her and frankly was not fond of it. Many years ago, my son and I listened to her narration of Cry of the Icemark by Stuart Hill. Neither of us cared for her narration of that book. Before I requested the audio version of Red Sister from Audiobook Jukebox, I listened to the sample and found I was enjoying it. Ms. O’Neil’s narration of Red Sister is very different from her earlier work on the Hill book. In Red Sister, she is clear. Her character voices are recognizable. Her accents are good. She does an excellent job conveying emotion. I highly recommend Red Sister audiobook, even if you have already read the book.

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Incredible world building combined with lively characters make this first book in the Book of the Ancestor series a treat to read.

Opening Sentence: It is important, when killing a nun, to ensure that you bring an army of sufficient size.

Excerpt: Yes

The Review:

Life has not been good to Nona Grey in her brief time on this earth. After being banished from her village and given to a child seller, Nona is sold to a man who trains fighters. While under his “care,” Nona attacks one of the fighters when she finds him hurting her friend, leaving him for dead. She is minutes from the hangman’s noose when her execution is unexpectedly stopped by the arrival of the Abbess of the Convent of Sweet Mercy. She declares that Nona is to become a student at the convent and sweeps her away. At the convent, Nona is to learn to hone her many talents to become a trained killer. Upon her first day, Nona learns of a prophecy about a Chosen One and finds herself at the center of it. Nona will have to learn how to tell friend from foe if she is ever going to learn the truth of the prophecy and make it out of the convent alive.

Let me start off by saying my description of the plot of this book really can’t do it justice. Never have I read a book that has such intricate, yet easy to understand, world building. I’m sure I did a pretty poor job of explaining things, but when reading the book, I never felt lost or confused. While a glossary of the world is provided at the beginning of the book, I never had to refer to it because Lawrence does a fabulous job of letting the world come alive and teach the readers how it works as they travel further into the book’s pages. I just cannot stress enough how fabulously this is done. It is a bloodthirsty world too. I mean, we’re talking about girls who haven’t even hit puberty learning how to become effective killers. I would often find myself forgetting just how young Nona is until she would do/say something that really just smacked me in the face with the truth that, despite her past, she is still just a kid. Lawrence does a great job of putting the reader in Nona’s shoes and making you feel connected to her.

There was really just one thing that kept this from being a five-star read for me. It starts to become glaringly obvious early on in the story what one of the plot twists is going to be towards the end. Maybe that was intentional, to highlight Nona’s naiveté. I’m not sure. But for me, it zapped away some of my enjoyment because I found myself just waiting for that moment to happen already. There wasn’t really any suspense.

Other than that predictability, this was a fantastic read. I was sucked in from the very first sentence, and by the time I finished, I didn’t want to leave the world Lawrence had created. I’m itching to find out what happens next. I guess while I wait anxiously for book two, I will have to content myself with reading other works by Lawrence. He definitely has a new fan in me!

Notable Scene:

Roads that led nowhere took them to people who had nothing. Giljohn never asked to buy a child. He’d pull up alongside any farm the grew more weeds and rocks than crop, places where calling the harvest “failed” would be over-generous, implying that it had made some sort of effort to succeed. In such places the tenant farmer might pause his plough or lay down his scythe to approach the wagon at his boundary wall.

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.

FTC Advisory: Ace/Penguin provided me with a copy of Red Sister. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

“It is important when killing a nun to ensure that you bring an army of sufficient size.”

If an opening line like that doesn’t reel you in, then I don’t know what will. That is how Red Sister, book one of the Book of the Ancestor series by Mark Lawrence begins.

From this stirring opening, we flash back to the main narrative which takes place at Sweet Mercy convent. Nona is saved from the end of a hangman’s noose by Abbess Glass. But Nona has made rich, powerful enemies and even if they dare not breach the walls of the convent, the danger they represent is always present. The Convent teaches girls to be deadly. Along with learning history and the religion of their world, the girls are taught hand-to-hand and weapon skills. They are taught how to make and hopefully how not to die from poisons. Some of the girls possess rare gifts, which also must be honed and trained.

Nona fears that her secrets are too terrible and that their discovery will cost her her friends. Friends have been rare enough in her life that she puts great stock in them and holds them precious, even as trust is harder to find. As Nona’s training progresses, she begins to have a better understanding of the world and an idea of her place in it. With her innate skills and the training she has received, the world is about to become even deadlier.

Mark Lawrence has written some of the best epic fantasy of the past decade. With Red Sister he embarks on a new series in a new world and he has topped himself once again. The characters are strong and vivid and his descriptions of scenes and events is both brutal and beautiful. The plot moves along briskly from beginning to end. Nona and the young novices of the convent are front and center, but the nuns who teach them are every bit as strongly written. I would read a whole book just about Abbess Glass. Lawrence brilliantly describes events, or portions of events, from Nona’s perspective. He returns to these events, viewing them from a different vantage point or offering more information that changes your interpretation of them until you are gasping with amazement.

The audio version of Red Sister is narrated by Heather O’Neill who does an amazing job with it. Her accents, intonation and pace perfectly complement the story. When a great narrator is paired with outstanding material as it is here, the experience is transcendent. This is an outstanding story and I can’t think of a better way to encounter it than through this audio version. This book is going to wind up on a lot of “best of” lists at the end of this year. The next book can’t come fast enough. Highly recommended.

I was fortunate to receive a copy of this audiobook from the publisher.

RED SISTER follows Nona Grey, a young girl accused of a heinous crime and sent away from her home. She ends up at the Convent of Sweet Mercy, where children with the right heritage are taught to be deadly killers and powerful mages. She finds more than just a place to live, she is truly challenged for the first time, she uncovers parts of her personality she never knew had and making friends closer than family But Nona’s considerable talents and violent past puts her in the middle of old power struggles within the church and the empire, and she makes quite a few enemies as well.

This book is one of my favorite sub-genres of fantasy, the coming of age and training of the main character. Most of RED SISTER is set entirely in the convent which seems likes it could get boring fast but ends up being utterly riveting. Nona is a great protagonist – she can be pretty intense at times which makes her both scarier and more vulnerable, she’s got an interesting backstory, and she reacts like a real person to the things that happen around her (unlike many fantasy characters). It is a pleasure to watch her slowly transform from a mistrustful and hurt young girl to the confident and formidable person that she is at the end.

The most unique thing about this book is the way it depicts female friendships. I can think of a bunch of different books that have great male friendships (Riyria’s Royce and Hadrian, the Gentemen Bastards’ Locke and Jean, to name a couple) but I really can’t think of many books that draw attention to women who are friends. RED SISTER doesn’t just focus on them, it makes them the core of the book – Nona’s friendships drive her to grow, provide a source of tension (without melodrama), and make for some pretty heartwarming moments. Yes, there’s a lot of intrigue and action, but none of it would matter if we didn’t care about these relationships so much.

I also really liked the world that this book was set in. It reminded me of N.K. Jemisin’s Broken Earth books – it’s a world that’s slowly dying, and the people living in it now that have access to technology but any understanding of how it all works has been lost for generations. So far, the state of the world hasn’t made much of an impact on Nona’s life, but I assume it will become more relevant in the next two books.

I really can’t wait for the next book, GREY SISTER, to come out! At least I haven’t read most of Mark Lawrence’s other work, so I have something to tide me over.

Novice Nona Grey finds difficult those which most people take for granted--family, friendship, affection, trust--and with good reason. How do I know? Well, through this exchange, for one--

"'Friend' can be a dangerous word," Nona said.

Clera laughed. "Friend? Really?"

"It is if you mean it." xxx Much of what people did, how they acted, confused Nona. But 'friend' she understood. A friend you would die for. Or kill for.

The above exchange shows me that Nona has limited experience with the cornerstones of human interaction. They are more precious for their rarity, making her hold tightly to each one when they occur. When she lets someone into her life, she holds them within her fierce circle of protection. She is a serious girl, likely a result of a difficult life thus far in her short years. Such complex simplicity, one that makes us root for her, sharing the basic human need for connection, to keep safe those we love, and be cherished in return.

We watch Nona navigate the perilous waters of adult situations she is ill-prepared for, necessity and determination her only weapons. We see her fail to avoid pitfalls, disaster, tragedy despite the best of intentions and effort, yet steadfast through it all. She is a survivor, a defender, and a creature of action. Life may bend or hurt her but will never break her. Further, she dances to the beat of her own drums--she speaks out when silence seems more prudent, charges when others retreat, demonstrates tenderness when ferocity is expected.

But Nona is not alone in her uniqueness. She is surrounded by a host of characters equally unpredictable and fascinating. The nuns charged with her education and training have individual personalities--some teach with the carrot, others with the stick. Her fellow novices--some friends, some not, and I'd be hard-pressed to sort them--distinguish themselves with clear stories and challenges of their own.

The RED SISTER world is almost primitive yet familiar in the dominance of power, the interplay of politics and religion, a society divided into classes. It is a magical world beyond the fact that it is a world imbued with magic. It isn't a world I desire to live in nor likely to survive, but it is one I eagerly inhabit through the safety of words on my tablet, read from the comfort of my bed, favorite snacks within reach. From my vantage point, I futilely warn Nona & Co. of impending danger and treachery, curse their foes, encourage their advances, mourn their losses, scream at the screen the many times they surprise, frustrate, rile me. Hey, a Mark Lawrence book is always an interactive one. If talking to books is wrong, then I don't want to be right.

RED SISTER is the first book in a new trilogy set in a new world with a new set of characters and a new conflict but with Mark Lawrence's trademark writing--insightful, lyrical, penetrating. He always seems to be directly speaking to me, about me. No, I'm not a nun or nun-in-training and the only thing I am capable of destroying is a pie. But Mr. Lawrence reflects on universal truths that nuns and non-nuns can relate to, using only the best of words wrangled and tamed in his singular style. The book has a life beyond the last period that punctuates its last word.

Ahoy there me mateys! I continue me streak of awesome readin’. Previously I had read some of the broken empire trilogy and wanted to read more of Mr. Lawrence’s work. Then I found out he had written a book about an assassin nun. Sign me up!

When we first meet our main character, Nona, she is eight years old and about to hang for a murder, which she committed. Abbess Glass, a nun from the Sisters of Sweet Mercy, intervenes and offers her a chance to survive if she trains at the convent. What did Glass see in this girl to save her?

Nona is a fantastic character and no ordinary eight year old. At times she seems almost a wise little adult and then something will happen that makes her seem very young indeed. I loved her for her intelligence, her loyalty, her viewpoint of the world, and above all her ideas of friendship. She certainly drives the novel but most of the secondary characters were wonderful as well. Particular favorites included Hessa, Abbess Glass, Sister Apple and Arabella.

The book is fascinating. As the author says on Goodreads, “almost all of the book happens within a 400 yard circle” at the convent where Nona is in school. However there are a series of flashbacks where ye are granted glimpses of Nona’s background and how she ended up being condemned to the noose. This book has prophecy, politics, magic, an awesome non-traditional school system, etc. Yet the book scrambles the ideas around and I couldn’t help being foiled again and again in my figgerins about where the plot was going. All I do know fer sure if that I want the next book!

Ladies and gentlemen, Mark Lawrence.

That is all.

Kidding, but not fully.

Compared to Mark's other works (Broken Empire and Red Queen's War trilogies), Red Sister stands completely on its own and casts its own shadow on the genre. Never have I been so infatuated with a character such as Nona Grey and more interested in a school's teachings than with the Convent of Sweet Mercy. She is such a complex, yet simple character and you are on for the ride of your life with her story.

Much like the Harry Potter series (sorry, have to go there), the first book of the Red Sister trilogy takes place in a 'school' environment, along with teachers that are either loved or loathed, classmates who become friends or enemies, and lessons that are learned or ignored. But unlike Hogwarts, the students of Sweet Mercy are taught how to kill, and oft times ruthlessly. But before the killing begins, there must be a solid foundation of understanding the powers that are hidden and waiting to unfolded.

Though most of the novel takes place in the Convent, there is some world-building to be had, mostly through flashbacks and journeys. A map would've been useful but I'm sure we will get a better taste of the world in the sequel(s). There is also a magic system in place that takes a little time getting used to as it is complex yet fresh and riveting.

'There is, in the act of destruction, a beauty which we try to deny, and a joy which we cannot. Children build to knock down, and though we may grow around it, that need runs in us, deeper than our blood.
Violence is the language of destruction, flesh so often the subject, fragile, easy to break beyond repair, precious: what else would we burn to make the world take note?
Your death has not been waiting for your arrival at the appointed hour: it has, for all the years of your life, been racing towards you with a fierce velocity of time's arrow. It cannot be evaded, it cannot be bargained with, deflected or placated. All that is given to you is the choice: meet it with open eyes and peace in your heart, go gentle to your reward. Or burn bright, take up arms, and fight the bitch.'

Quotes like this are why I love reading Mark's novels.
It's just, simply put, beautiful. His writing is exemplary, genius, and will have you constantly coming back for more. My favorite parts had to be the prologues and epilogue, as they give you just a subtle taste of what is to come. Mark's a tease but I'll deal with it while he continues to write wonderful novels.

Red Sister is a character-driven story focusing on Nona, a young girl who ends up at the Convent of Sweet Mercy, where young girls are trained to be killers. Nona is a fascinating character, and her development is extremely gradual, written in a way that makes it extra rewarding each and every time a new facet of her personality or attitude is revealed or developed. At times, I did feel somewhat distant from her, but in a way I feel that that reflects that distance that Nona places between herself and others. She is naive in regards to relationships with other people, but not naive in the sense of power, strength, and fighting, which made for a very interesting take on this character. Nona is, overall, an incredibly loyal person, and I love that. As independent as the girls in this book are, the themes of trust and friendship run extremely deep.

In regards to other characters: there are a lot of them. I will be completely honest and admit that I did mix up a few of them now and again--especially some of the lovely adult nuns. Their names were just too similar and not descriptive enough for me to keep them all straight. Regardless, I was still able to figure things out and enjoy the story.

There is also a lot of training in this book, so for those of you fantasy fans that love to read about the training aspect of assassins and magic and the like, this is perfect for you. If that's not your thing, then certain aspects of this book may drag a tiny bit for you--but to be completely honest, Lawrence's writing is so well-done that there is nothing mundane about these scenes. Red Sister is definitely a slower book that really depends on the build-up, and it took me a very long time to figure out what the real plot of this book was going to be, as the meat of the story doesn't really show up til more than halfway through.

Some aspects of the magic ("the Path") were a bit confusing to me, but I'm not sure if that's just because I am easily confused with complicated magical fantasy stuff or if that is on purpose or if that is an issue with the book. I really honestly don't know, so I'm just going to leave it at that. I was still able to have a great time with this book, though, so it didn't impede the experience too much.

Overall, the world-building is fantastic and I am particularly excited to find out more about the magic, world, and characters as this trilogy continues. For these reasons, I have given Red Sister four stars!

A fare warning before you start reading this book. Once you take it, you will not be able to put it down. And it's quite a long book, so be prepared to shut the world out for a day or few. And I'm being serious. Say goodbye to eating, working, sleeping, even breathing is optional. All you'll want to do is read this book. Nothing else will matter.

And man, what a book. I really couldn't put the book down. If you haven't, pick it up and read it. This is actually the first Mark Lawrence book I've read. I own a few of them but they're all on my TBR list.

And I am in love. Marks' writing is incredible, gripping & few other things that I have no words for. Descriptions and attention to detail puts you right there as the story unfolds. And that is all you can ask for in a book. In words of W. Phelps, if you're reading to remember or to forget, pick up this book, you will not regret it.

The story is fluid and simple. Characters are introduced and developed in a way that you get to know each of them. And periodic looks into the future and time skips only add flavor and intrigue to the story. Keeps you second-guessing yourself as you try to figure out where the story is taking you. And you can't, or you don't really want to, cause the story is pure brilliance. Prepare for the sleepless nights cause they are coming. And the best thing about the book is it's number one in the series. Of the rest of his book are this good then I don't want to miss not reading a Mark Lawrence book, and neither should you

Red Sister
Red Sister, book 1 in Lawrence’s new Book of the Ancestor trilogy is amazing and a testament to his masterfully unique storytelling voice. Using his characteristic dark prose he’s made sure to dot all his beautifully violent world building i’s and cross all his mystical magical t’s eloquently locking together all the intricate story pieces. His noir-ish lead character(s) and amazing co-stars drive this fast-paced action packed start to another of his epic tales giving new meaning to Holy War. Nona is not his first child protagonist and like his first is an unapologetic combination of innocence and maturity garnering not only empathy from his audience but a bit of terrible awe as he takes Nona and her friends from wet behind the ear novices to full-fledged, licensed to kill, warrior nuns.

Abandoned by her mother, and sold by her village 9 year-old misfit Nona Gray eventually winds up in prison for the attempted murder of a despicable but noble bully. She escapes the hangman’s noose with the help of the Abbess of the Sweet Mercy Convent who takes her in as a novice with the intent to train her to become a fierce and deadly weapon to fight in the prophesied upcoming holy war.
Is the convent and the Abbess enough to keep her safe until she reaches the maturity and skill to fulfill it, or will the factions who want her dead succeed?

A girl who doesn't understand normal society or religion--but understands friendship.
Beautiful and piercing, with a pure simplicity that is absolutely stunning.

Masterfully written, achingly clear descriptions, multi-faceted characters.
Almost don't know how to describe it. Bloody, yes, in places but not dark. Instead, a blend of crimson and the crystal clarity of a drop of rain.

Difficult to put down, complex and intriguing. My only regret at its conclusion was that it was over--a regret soothed by the words on the cover "book 1."

Spans about 3-4 years of Nona's life (a novice Red Sister). They have four stages of training at the Convent: Red, Gray, Mystic, and Holy. After that, they can/may take on the title "Sister" as well as a new name. This book sees Nona from her entrance through her Red years and into (or through) the Gray.

The prologue and epilogue provide a sense of weight and distance, which provides a stunning, perfect contrast, with the intimacy of Nona's 3rd person limited view.

Doesn't have the "hard core" integrity that I usually look for but even amid the lies there was a striking sense of honesty. I will be watching for more.

*Warning: Not happy. Not funny. But strangely honest and beautiful.

Can I give this book 6 out of 5 stars?

Honestly this is probably the best book that I have read in years. I read Lawrence's The Broken Empire series, and while that was a bit hard to swallow at times because Jorg can be difficult to comprehend, this book blows that series out of the water.

Red Sister follows the story of a young girl who is sold to fighting pits because of something horrific that occurred in her home village. Here she tries to murder a noble fighter who hurt her only friend for which she is sentenced to die, only to be rescued by the Abbess of a special order of nuns. At their convent Nona learns how to, not only read, but also fight, mix poisons, walk the Path, meditate and most importantly trust people and learn how trust can betray you.

Lawrence's writing just keeps on getting better and better and his insight into the human psyche is so perceptive that at times I marveled just at the thought process of Nona. It was extremely interesting to see how Nona develops from this young girl who is scared of what she is, scared to trust herself, scared that others will shun her if they see her true self come into the realization that she can only be who she is, who she was born to be.

Not only do you have bad ass characters left, right and center in this book, but you also have an in-efing-credible world that Lawrence creates. Think Europa with a tiny sliver of farmable land, with a dying sun and a very special 'moon.' I won't say more because I do not want to spoil anything for readers. Needless to say, if you have read the Broken Empire series you will be expecting hidden objects/environments that, while familiar today, are completely alien to the people of Nona's world.

After reading about 46 % on my kindle - I decided that I need to purchase both the UK & the US hardcovers because this series, with just one book, has earned it's place near Lord of the Rings, A Song of Ice and Fire, The Stormlight Archive and The Wheel of Time.

Mr. Lawrence, please keep on writing! And thank you!

I cannot say I did not like it. However, it could have been so much better than it ended up being when I got to the end. Thus, just OK (3-stars). The first couple of chapter were kind of hard to read for me. I ultimately got into the swing of it. Kept checking the little summary of characters provided in the very beginning of the book.

I was disappointed having to sit through so many convent classes up to and beyond the middle of the book. The fight tournament was OK, but didn't do all that much for me. The ending when Nona took the bull by the horns and played leader was the high point for me during my read. However, it was just too little too late to win me over so I'd give the book higher than 3-stars.

Supposedly this book is number 1 of a trilogy. Cannot really imagine what books 2 and 3 will be about. The story line in this book could have been much better. Felt like it was kind of cobbled together. And few of the characters were really developed to my liking. I'm sure if they had been better developed then there would not have been a need for the summary of characters I mention herein above. At this time I'm not inclined to look for book 2 in this series. But since I didn't dislike this book I may find myself plucking book 2 from my public library's “new reads” shelves by chance? 3 stars!

This book has the best opening sentence of any book I've ever read. I won't write it again, as it appears in every review. And if you haven't read any other reivews, I don't want to spoil the pleasure of reading it for the first time and then digging right into the book. But, wow, what a great hook!

I thought the book was very good and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel. I did think the first half was stronger than the second. There were a couple of stretches where I felt like Lawrence was trying to write himself out of a hole, and it didn't always work for me. The conclusion, however, was pretty epic.

I'm a big Mark Lawrence fan. I love his writing and look forward to working my way through all of his novels. I might not have given this one five stars, but I still highly recommend it.

AHHH, were to start on this review? This is a hard book to review for me. A book I was long looking forward to, from my favorite author no less. Unfortunately it was a disappointment. Yes I said it, I still can’t believe it is so. I am not here to bash this book, it was not a bad book, in fact it is a pretty damn good book. I am sure it will be very popular and do very well. It was just not a book for me.

I can hear it now, so explain yourself Mr. MightyThorJRS. So I will try. The first 80% of this book or so was, well, boring for me. It was a struggle to make it through. A monotonous coming of age, Convent/training/studies, outcast/chosen one, type of beginning that had me questioning my will to continue. The cast of characters offered nothing in the way to help keep my attention. No one stood out or demanded I take notice. The world building is well done and the magic system is interesting. The book of course is well written, Mark Lawrence is too great for it not to be. It just did not work for me. The last 20% or so is absolutely fabulous. The action and story finally come to a head and there is somewhat of a payoff for slogging though all the boring in the beginning. Not enough to completely save the book for me, but definitely enough for me to be excited for the next installment. I am truly looking forward to the next book in this series, now that all the boring is out of the way (hopefully) the characters can get down to business.

In conclusion, like I said not a bad book by any means just not a book for me. Mark has written my favorite books and series. He is my favorite author, and will continue to be. This Book is not those books or series. It should not have to be compared to those. Mark has proven he is not afraid to go outside of what people might expect of him. He can’t be expected to stay in others comfort zones of what they think they want in a Mark Lawrence book. I hope me not loving this book does not hinder anyone from reading it. You should read it, form your own opinion. I am sure many will love it. Like I said to another huge Mark fan recently on social media, I will give it some time and reread this book, by the end of the series I will probably be shouting my love for this series. But for now, this book was not for me. Not every book is written for me, or my taste, and I am okay with that.

As you know if you have read my reviews before I am not about long reviews with synopsis and spoilers. I just give my opinion on my experience with this book and you can take it from there. Now on to the next book.

I think I will go with 3.5 stars, 3 for the first 80% and five for the last 20%. Does that average out? Ah well!

3.5/5 STARS - Mighty Thor JRS

A copy of this book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review

This isn't the kind of book I like at all, or so I thought. I like my epic-fantasy to be, well...Epic. One huge world, with tons of different countries, people, castles, and usually a massive magic system. Also, a quest. Always. This book had none of that. It's much smaller in scope, and it didn't take 3000 to 4000 pages for me to figure everything out. I dug this book! They may call themselves nuns, but these are some fierce women. Nona is one of the best female characters I've ever come across. That gal can fight. I honestly can't wait for the next two books in this trilogy. Thanks much to Netgalley, Mark Lawrence, and his publisher Harper Collins for allowing me to read this book. Yep, I'd recommend this book and author.

*****COPIED FROM MY GOODREADS REVIEW*****
1. Go buy and read this book right now. Full stop. 2. This is the most phenomenal work of fiction I've read in a long time. Full stop. 3. This is most certainly Mark Lawrence's crowning achievement to date, my favorite out of all the books he's written, and he was already one of my favorite writers.

Where to even start with this one is hard because it does so much so well. It is definitely a Mark Lawrence book, gritty, bloody, very real. It hides none of life's dirty underbelly, and delves pretty deeply into some masterful world building and the political intrigue of a dying planet and its handful of different peoples. There's a lot of exceptionally descriptive, fast-paced action all throughout, there's never a portion that feels slow or boring. For all that, it's ALSO a story that focuses heavily on themes of friendship, trust and the binds that bring people together and unite them. There's never any overly-lengthy info dumps, everything you need to know gets covered at a very deliberate, good pace over the course of the story. The magic system is fun and fairly complex, with enough ambiguity to keep it mysterious and leave more for the next books to deal with.

Definitely not gonna spoil anything, but the story is mainly focused around a convent of "nuns" (and I use nuns loosely) in a sort of "magical school" setting that are trained to become warriors/magic users/stealth experts or some combination thereof. No, I'm not going to compare it to Hogwarts. They have some similarities, but this book is entirely its own beast. It's still fun to visit all the classes and explore the grounds, meet the teachers and watch the characters forge relationships with new friends.

As should be obvious by the phrase convent of nuns, the school is only open to girls, and is naturally heavily female centered. This should not detract anyone from wanting to read this, the story never feels even slightly overly emasculate or the opposite, females acting overly masculine. Really strikes a perfect balance. While this book is FAR from romance-focused, there is some, and it's handled extremely tactfully, many kudos to Lawrence for that one. Definitely had to be one of the harder aspects of the writing process to explore a more non-traditional way for a bunch of adolescents to be brought up in a world with more traditional values still firmly planted in the fictional society. THIS book is the way progressive relationships need to be presented in fiction.

On a side note, the "technology" or artifacts in this world are intriguing as they remind me in some ways of Lawrence's other world's stuff. Maybe I've been reading too much Sanderson lately, but it'd be cool to see some of this stuff get connected.

The last thing I really feel the need to mention is how absolutely flawless the last portion of the book, climax and ending are. Just perfect. I don't even know how to express how good it is without spoiling it. The perfect mix of resolution and cliff-hanger. Just... GODS, this book is frustratingly good. The last time I ranted and raved this much about a book was The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man's Fear. Feels good to do it again. Go buy this book. This should be on every fantasy reader's shelf, period.

Reading this book for a second time and I'm enjoying this more than the first. Unbelievably, Lawrence's writing and story telling improves with each book he publishes and the Red Sister is no exception.

I cannot recommend this book enough. If you've read Lawrence before and like him, then READ this book.

If you've never read Lawrence before, READ this book and you won't be disappointed. Can it live up to the hype I've just given it? Maybe not - it's open to each persons likes and interpretations - but you're never going to know without first picking it up.

Though staggeringly different in tone and character, Nona is every bit as strong and compelling a character as Jorg of Ancrath or Jalen Kendall of Red March, and more likable than both.

For the last several years I have been reading as much fantasy and historical fiction as I can get my hands on. This is not epic fantasy, but it's the start of an epic journey that leaves you groaning at the wait for the next in series, the Gray Sister. Lawrence is at the very top of the game among the likes of George Martin, Jim Butcher, Brandon Sanderson, Robert Jordan, and Patrick Rothfuss.

His writing is eloquent, compelling, and just plain intelligent in a way that gives even the best in the genre a run for their money.

Short on time? The audible version narrarated by Heather O'Neil is fantastic.

A girl who doesn't understand normal society or religion--but understands friendship.
Beautiful and piercing, with a pure simplicity that is absolutely stunning.

Masterfully written, achingly clear descriptions, multi-faceted characters.
Almost don't know how to describe it. Bloody, yes, in places but not dark. Instead, a blend of crimson and the crystal clarity of a drop of rain.

Difficult to put down, complex and intriguing. My only regret at its conclusion was that it was over--a regret soothed by the words on the cover "book 1."

Spans about 3-4 years of Nona's life (a novice Red Sister). They have four stages of training at the Convent: Red, Gray, Mystic, and Holy. After that, they can/may take on the title "Sister" as well as a new name. This book sees Nona from her entrance through her Red years and into (or through) the Gray.

The prologue and epilogue provide a sense of weight and distance, which provides a stunning, perfect contrast, with the intimacy of Nona's 3rd person limited view.

Doesn't have the "hard core" integrity that I usually look for but even amid the lies there was a striking sense of honesty. I will be watching for more.

*Warning: Not happy. Not funny. But strangely honest and beautiful.

Can I give this book 6 out of 5 stars?

Honestly this is probably the best book that I have read in years. I read Lawrence's The Broken Empire series, and while that was a bit hard to swallow at times because Jorg can be difficult to comprehend, this book blows that series out of the water.

Red Sister follows the story of a young girl who is sold to fighting pits because of something horrific that occurred in her home village. Here she tries to murder a noble fighter who hurt her only friend for which she is sentenced to die, only to be rescued by the Abbess of a special order of nuns. At their convent Nona learns how to, not only read, but also fight, mix poisons, walk the Path, meditate and most importantly trust people and learn how trust can betray you.

Lawrence's writing just keeps on getting better and better and his insight into the human psyche is so perceptive that at times I marveled just at the thought process of Nona. It was extremely interesting to see how Nona develops from this young girl who is scared of what she is, scared to trust herself, scared that others will shun her if they see her true self come into the realization that she can only be who she is, who she was born to be.

Not only do you have bad ass characters left, right and center in this book, but you also have an in-efing-credible world that Lawrence creates. Think Europa with a tiny sliver of farmable land, with a dying sun and a very special 'moon.' I won't say more because I do not want to spoil anything for readers. Needless to say, if you have read the Broken Empire series you will be expecting hidden objects/environments that, while familiar today, are completely alien to the people of Nona's world.

After reading about 46 % on my kindle - I decided that I need to purchase both the UK & the US hardcovers because this series, with just one book, has earned it's place near Lord of the Rings, A Song of Ice and Fire, The Stormlight Archive and The Wheel of Time.

Mr. Lawrence, please keep on writing! And thank you!

I cannot say I did not like it. However, it could have been so much better than it ended up being when I got to the end. Thus, just OK (3-stars). The first couple of chapter were kind of hard to read for me. I ultimately got into the swing of it. Kept checking the little summary of characters provided in the very beginning of the book.

I was disappointed having to sit through so many convent classes up to and beyond the middle of the book. The fight tournament was OK, but didn't do all that much for me. The ending when Nona took the bull by the horns and played leader was the high point for me during my read. However, it was just too little too late to win me over so I'd give the book higher than 3-stars.

Supposedly this book is number 1 of a trilogy. Cannot really imagine what books 2 and 3 will be about. The story line in this book could have been much better. Felt like it was kind of cobbled together. And few of the characters were really developed to my liking. I'm sure if they had been better developed then there would not have been a need for the summary of characters I mention herein above. At this time I'm not inclined to look for book 2 in this series. But since I didn't dislike this book I may find myself plucking book 2 from my public library's “new reads” shelves by chance? 3 stars!

This book has the best opening sentence of any book I've ever read. I won't write it again, as it appears in every review. And if you haven't read any other reivews, I don't want to spoil the pleasure of reading it for the first time and then digging right into the book. But, wow, what a great hook!

I thought the book was very good and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel. I did think the first half was stronger than the second. There were a couple of stretches where I felt like Lawrence was trying to write himself out of a hole, and it didn't always work for me. The conclusion, however, was pretty epic.

I'm a big Mark Lawrence fan. I love his writing and look forward to working my way through all of his novels. I might not have given this one five stars, but I still highly recommend it.

AHHH, were to start on this review? This is a hard book to review for me. A book I was long looking forward to, from my favorite author no less. Unfortunately it was a disappointment. Yes I said it, I still can’t believe it is so. I am not here to bash this book, it was not a bad book, in fact it is a pretty damn good book. I am sure it will be very popular and do very well. It was just not a book for me.

I can hear it now, so explain yourself Mr. MightyThorJRS. So I will try. The first 80% of this book or so was, well, boring for me. It was a struggle to make it through. A monotonous coming of age, Convent/training/studies, outcast/chosen one, type of beginning that had me questioning my will to continue. The cast of characters offered nothing in the way to help keep my attention. No one stood out or demanded I take notice. The world building is well done and the magic system is interesting. The book of course is well written, Mark Lawrence is too great for it not to be. It just did not work for me. The last 20% or so is absolutely fabulous. The action and story finally come to a head and there is somewhat of a payoff for slogging though all the boring in the beginning. Not enough to completely save the book for me, but definitely enough for me to be excited for the next installment. I am truly looking forward to the next book in this series, now that all the boring is out of the way (hopefully) the characters can get down to business.

In conclusion, like I said not a bad book by any means just not a book for me. Mark has written my favorite books and series. He is my favorite author, and will continue to be. This Book is not those books or series. It should not have to be compared to those. Mark has proven he is not afraid to go outside of what people might expect of him. He can’t be expected to stay in others comfort zones of what they think they want in a Mark Lawrence book. I hope me not loving this book does not hinder anyone from reading it. You should read it, form your own opinion. I am sure many will love it. Like I said to another huge Mark fan recently on social media, I will give it some time and reread this book, by the end of the series I will probably be shouting my love for this series. But for now, this book was not for me. Not every book is written for me, or my taste, and I am okay with that.

As you know if you have read my reviews before I am not about long reviews with synopsis and spoilers. I just give my opinion on my experience with this book and you can take it from there. Now on to the next book.

I think I will go with 3.5 stars, 3 for the first 80% and five for the last 20%. Does that average out? Ah well!

3.5/5 STARS - Mighty Thor JRS

A copy of this book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review

This isn't the kind of book I like at all, or so I thought. I like my epic-fantasy to be, well...Epic. One huge world, with tons of different countries, people, castles, and usually a massive magic system. Also, a quest. Always. This book had none of that. It's much smaller in scope, and it didn't take 3000 to 4000 pages for me to figure everything out. I dug this book! They may call themselves nuns, but these are some fierce women. Nona is one of the best female characters I've ever come across. That gal can fight. I honestly can't wait for the next two books in this trilogy. Thanks much to Netgalley, Mark Lawrence, and his publisher Harper Collins for allowing me to read this book. Yep, I'd recommend this book and author.

*****COPIED FROM MY GOODREADS REVIEW*****
1. Go buy and read this book right now. Full stop. 2. This is the most phenomenal work of fiction I've read in a long time. Full stop. 3. This is most certainly Mark Lawrence's crowning achievement to date, my favorite out of all the books he's written, and he was already one of my favorite writers.

Where to even start with this one is hard because it does so much so well. It is definitely a Mark Lawrence book, gritty, bloody, very real. It hides none of life's dirty underbelly, and delves pretty deeply into some masterful world building and the political intrigue of a dying planet and its handful of different peoples. There's a lot of exceptionally descriptive, fast-paced action all throughout, there's never a portion that feels slow or boring. For all that, it's ALSO a story that focuses heavily on themes of friendship, trust and the binds that bring people together and unite them. There's never any overly-lengthy info dumps, everything you need to know gets covered at a very deliberate, good pace over the course of the story. The magic system is fun and fairly complex, with enough ambiguity to keep it mysterious and leave more for the next books to deal with.

Definitely not gonna spoil anything, but the story is mainly focused around a convent of "nuns" (and I use nuns loosely) in a sort of "magical school" setting that are trained to become warriors/magic users/stealth experts or some combination thereof. No, I'm not going to compare it to Hogwarts. They have some similarities, but this book is entirely its own beast. It's still fun to visit all the classes and explore the grounds, meet the teachers and watch the characters forge relationships with new friends.

As should be obvious by the phrase convent of nuns, the school is only open to girls, and is naturally heavily female centered. This should not detract anyone from wanting to read this, the story never feels even slightly overly emasculate or the opposite, females acting overly masculine. Really strikes a perfect balance. While this book is FAR from romance-focused, there is some, and it's handled extremely tactfully, many kudos to Lawrence for that one. Definitely had to be one of the harder aspects of the writing process to explore a more non-traditional way for a bunch of adolescents to be brought up in a world with more traditional values still firmly planted in the fictional society. THIS book is the way progressive relationships need to be presented in fiction.

On a side note, the "technology" or artifacts in this world are intriguing as they remind me in some ways of Lawrence's other world's stuff. Maybe I've been reading too much Sanderson lately, but it'd be cool to see some of this stuff get connected.

The last thing I really feel the need to mention is how absolutely flawless the last portion of the book, climax and ending are. Just perfect. I don't even know how to express how good it is without spoiling it. The perfect mix of resolution and cliff-hanger. Just... GODS, this book is frustratingly good. The last time I ranted and raved this much about a book was The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man's Fear. Feels good to do it again. Go buy this book. This should be on every fantasy reader's shelf, period.

Reading this book for a second time and I'm enjoying this more than the first. Unbelievably, Lawrence's writing and story telling improves with each book he publishes and the Red Sister is no exception.

I cannot recommend this book enough. If you've read Lawrence before and like him, then READ this book.

If you've never read Lawrence before, READ this book and you won't be disappointed. Can it live up to the hype I've just given it? Maybe not - it's open to each persons likes and interpretations - but you're never going to know without first picking it up.

Though staggeringly different in tone and character, Nona is every bit as strong and compelling a character as Jorg of Ancrath or Jalen Kendall of Red March, and more likable than both.

For the last several years I have been reading as much fantasy and historical fiction as I can get my hands on. This is not epic fantasy, but it's the start of an epic journey that leaves you groaning at the wait for the next in series, the Gray Sister. Lawrence is at the very top of the game among the likes of George Martin, Jim Butcher, Brandon Sanderson, Robert Jordan, and Patrick Rothfuss.

His writing is eloquent, compelling, and just plain intelligent in a way that gives even the best in the genre a run for their money.

Short on time? The audible version narrarated by Heather O'Neil is fantastic.

There are so many good things to say about this book. When I started listening to the audiobook in January, I kept thinking to myself, 'man, this is exactly what I want in a fantasy novel right now,' and that's a feeling I haven't had while reading in a long time.

Maybe all that I want to be happy is a deep narrative voice in a slightly omniscient POV.

Which is exactly what this book has, while managing to retain and foster a fierce connection with the novel's protagonist, Nona.

The world building in this book is as rich as cake. It's also so fully realized that it seemed tangible sometimes - aided, I'm sure, by Heather O'Neil's brilliant narration.

The book begins and is punctuated by tantalizing fragments of the characters' future, and at the end of the book when all the pieces fall together... it's a great moment.

A choice about the book that was interesting and could have been disastrous was that almost all characters, certainly all prominent characters, were women and girls.

I mean, most of the action does take place in a unisex convent (albeit a mystical, boarding school for assassins in training convent, but other authors would have made that reach and shoehorned someone in. And the book would have been decidedly less.

Because while it could have been a disastrous choice, it wasn't.

The character development and attention to detail, not only among the novices but among the adult nuns was, well, astonishingly well developed.

And I was delighted by how women loving women relationships were treated - discussed more or less openly among the girls, and a very strong, very sweet relationship between two of the nuns plays a part in the story.

Also exciting to me is that Nona canonically has crushes on boys and girls. I'm shipping her with one of the other novices - if you read the book it'll be pretty obvious who - but even if that doesn't go anywhere in future books, it was so refreshing to see it on the page.

Because this is a review and I'm really supposed to give a balanced opinion, I'll admit that I did have one or two nit picky issues with the book. Mainly that the pacing in the middle seemed a bit loose to me, and I did get bogged down for about a week. Thinking back, what threw me may have been the way an older character, who had been appearing pretty regularly was phased out (for narrative reasons, I think), and some new, antagonist characters were introduced.

The other thing I noted was that while I loved the rich writing style, there were a few lines scattered throughout the book where I remember thinking that without Heather O'Neil's help, they'd fall pretty flat.

I want to say something here about Nona and unlikeable girl protagonists. I'm still kind of formulating my thoughts on the subject and the trope as a whole, so bear with me if I seem a little incoherent (I mean, you made it this far, right?)

It's an interesting concept that I don't think has reached its full potential, and that I don't like 99% of the time. Because I'm my experience, 99% of the time the girl protagonist is not fully realized and her actions are written either specifically for the sake of making her unlikeable, or for the sake of moving the plot forward. It doesn't read like good writing because the characters themselves don't have a reason for their actions. At least, not one that I can understand.

I wouldn't consider Nona to be a traditionally likeable character but I identified with her, and I was on her side almost instantly. And I think it's because I understood every decision that she made.

Maybe there's a fine line between unlikeable and unsympathetic, and for me the first is forgivable and the second isn't, but Red Sister found that line and walked it perfectly.

All in all, this was the best epic fantasy I've read in a long time.

(Disclaimer: I received this free book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

There is so much in Red Sister that it's terribly challenging to write this review. How can I sum up a 500 page novel that delivers fantastic lore and stories, a wonderful writing technique, and a main character that you would fight behind? I loved Nona from the beginning. She's powerful, but not stupid, reckless, but not arrogant. Red Sister treats you to a tale of learning as Nona not only comes into her own as a fighter, but as she starts to realize all the moving pieces beside her.

What an exceptionally well-written book!

I have been a fan of Mark Lawrence's writing ever since he came out with PRINCE OF THORNS. A brilliant, smart, witty writer who took me on a wild ride. I recommended PRINCE OF THORNS to serious fantasy readers

RED SISTER shows that Lawrence's writing is maturing. He was able to craft a tale in this book that brought out more depth of character and character interaction than I had seen in the past. This was a story where I cared deeply for the protagonist(s) and the world they live in - versus simply going along for the ride.

I would highly recommend RED SISTER to anyone who loves fantasy or simply wants to read a well-crafted story where flawed characters build relationships, grow, and still kick some serious tail.

The book was enjoyable with characters that were compelling and complete. It was fun to follow along and as I got closer to the end I found myself wishing it woud some how extend itself.

My only gripe is a protagonist that is that cause of all her problems. Literallly, the story would have only be a quarter of the lenght if the main character would just talk to someone in charge (she had plenty of elders on her side). You have to remember that the main character is only 9. This is the reason I can forgive some of the authors cheap plot movement with a 9 year olds poor decisions.

Warning: This book is going to leave you with severe withdrawal symptoms, but good news is Mark Lawrence is a prolific author and delivers the next books in the series like clockwork, judging from his established track record.

Red Sister completely blew my mind, bringing back the magic school environment I missed from Harry Potter and Kingkiller so much, with a kick and some serious action. It’s not only the magic but the teachers with all kinds of different personalities, friendships, bullies, assassination plots, mysteries, friends sneaking out and cooking up mischief, the whole package. But it’s dark, much darker than any book with magic schools.

Now, I’m a big fan of Mark Lawrence and I’ve read all of his books, but this one is quite different. It’s very much Mark’s style, but written in third person and I think that’s one major element making it different from the others which were all in first person. There is the amazing prose of Mark Lawrence, if you are not familiar with his previous work, let me give you an example from Red Sister:

"She left nothing but an echo of her lantern light, soon consumed by a night so ancient that it never truly left such places."

And another:

"I have been too young to know, and I have been too old to care. It’s in that oh so narrow slice between that memories are made. So enjoy it."

And my favorite of them all:

"A long blade, thin, carrying a slight curve, its edge cruel enough to cut silence and make it scream."

Now if those won’t make you hit that buy button, I don’t know what will! For those who are not familiar, this is the typical Mark Lawrence prose. So beautiful, poetic and magical.

The story is heavily character driven, as Mark Lawrence’s other books, but with an awesome magic system to boot.

The main character, Nona, is the best female lead I have read in the fantasy genre along with Mara from the Empire trilogy. If you love Arya Stark, you will definitely love Nona. Even if you are no fan of Arya Stark, you will still love Nona, cause she is a no-nonsense girl, the kind of character everyone can root for.

Another thing worth mentioning is the friendships between the girls, something that was missing in the Harry Potter books and pretty much every fantasy book I have read except for the Wheel of Time. Friendships, loyalty and betrayal in Red Sister is so realistic, it took me back to the middle school and high school years.

Nona starts off as the bullied outcast but she turns out to be a serious badass who doesn’t take BS from anyone. She had no friends but one until she got sold to a child trader by her mother and village folk, and she values friendship a great deal. I found her reflections on friendship, and her relationship with her closest friends Clera and Hessa quite touching.

Hessa is disabled, left with a withered leg after an infectious disease. She is such a sweetheart and a smart cookie, also incredibly heroic, which made her one of my favorite supporting characters.

One thing I loved about Red Sister was how even the minor characters were fleshed out so well. The teachers all have their distinct personalities, and some of them reminded me of teachers I had in school back in the days of my youth. The classes were great fun to read, but my favorite was the martial training parts.

The magic system is quite original and intriguing as I mentioned. The migrants who populated this world had four tribes with different kinds of traits, and those of them with magic could wield the different sorts of magic powers depending on their bloodline. The tribes had to intermarry and mix their blood to survive the harsh conditions of this alien world. Children showing the traits of more than one bloodline are highly prized by the people who train them as fighters, assassins, battle nuns and what have you.

Another thing I loved was how Nona’s mysterious backstory slowly unfolded along with the mysteries of the strange world Abeth. The curiosity kept me turning the pages well into the wee hours. Last few chapters of the book are outstanding with superb action and plot twists.

Abeth is an alien world, but the characters being so realistic makes you forget that at times. It has its own rules, strange laws of nature, a dying sun and a falling moon, and is covered with glaciers except for the fifty mile corridor at its equator. There are mysterious remnants of an older and seemingly extinct civilization, I suspect we might find out more about it in the next book.

The fight scenes are quite original, though I can’t say much cause it would be a spoiler, but as someone who is easily bored of typical fighting scenes, I loved these since they are from a completely different perspective. Kind of like the special effects in movies, but the book version, which is something very difficult to do in writing. I think that was one of the things where you realize what a master wordsmith Mark Lawrence is.

Another thing I absolutely love about Red Sister is the lack of irritating love triangle cliches and the forced romance plots you see in the overwhelming majority of YA books and coming of age storylines. No sir, no romance here, and no love triangles. These girls literally kick arse left and right and have serious things to worry about, and Red Sister gets the big bonus points from me for the awesome political intrigue with the female villains having motivations stemming from political ambitions not involving shallow romance drama.

There is another kickass thing here which I can’t mention cause it would be a spoiler, but it should suffice to say I enjoyed reading -with a huge grin in my face- how Mark Lawrence upended some of the most annoying coming-of-age cliches and showed the real girl power here.

My other favorite supporting character was Abbess Glass, who is a snarky and sharp-witted middle aged female character. This sort of character is so rare in fantasy -at least the books I’ve read so far. She reminded me of Olenna Tyrell from A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones and queen Alica Kendeth from Red Queen’s War, she’s awesome like them. I have a feeling she will do serious damage in the next book.

And the ending… Gods above, what an ending that was! I really, really hope this series becomes a mainstream hit and they make movies or TV series of it, cause this story with its superb action scenes would be so great to see on the screen.

I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a superb fantasy novel featuring amazing characters -especially female characters!- an awesome magic system, great plot twists, killer action, political intrigue, sans the annoying love triangles and tired cliches. Such a great book with a fresh new perspective and impressive depth.

I really don’t have time to re-read books with my rather massive TBR, but I put this in my re-read list cause it’s the special kind of great. I have to thank Mark Lawrence for bringing back my youth with such a mind-blowing magnificent story.

Luckily I have such a massive TBR, or else it would be painful to wait for the next book, which I know will be even better judging from Mark’s established track record.

I was hoping that the follow-up to Wheel of Osheim would be engaging, witty, and imaginative, like the first two books in the Red Queen's War. Unfortunately, this is just a bare bones, straightforward YA novel with some extra gore tossed into the mix. And I am not slighting YA novels since they're some of my favorites.

It almost felt like a mashup of early Harry Potter and Mistborn, but less compelling. I understand the main character is very young, and all of her friends are in the throes of prepubescent/adolescent turmoil, but there's only so much of that tepid drama I can take after having lived through it myself—minus the being sold as a child, assassination attempts, magic, and nuns.

The characters are predictable, as is the plot. It's obvious who will end up being x or doing y. There's decent pacing overall, which is the only thing that kept me moving through it. I'm glad that Lawrence approached a predominantly female perspective in this book, but it could have used some more oomph to bring those flat characters to life. Better dialogue would help. Or more history of the actual world which they inhabit. The next book may turn out better as this was just laying the groundwork for their teenage/adult years.

One part that cracked me up near the end: let's all have a lengthy discussion about 4 or 5 different topics before we're about to die. Yes? Sounds good. Faint, come back, faint—oh, you're all still alive?

I wanted to thank the author when I finally put the book down. I had forgotten how good a fantasy novel could be. From now on, I will be reading everything he writes.
The world was detailed, lush, and complete. The writing was good enough to make me want to jump in the book and deal with the villains personally. Mark Lawrence has earned a place on the shelf next to Anne McCaffery, .and Mercedes Lackey. I rarely add books to my actual bookshelves anymore, I just don't have room for anything less than exceptional.

This is easily the best book I've read this year. I devoured it, spending every free moment I could get, reading it.
It is definitely not for the faint of heart, it is a DARK fantasy. And do NOT mistake this book for a YA book due to the age of the characters in the book, this is no YA book.
From beginning to end this book is everything awesome. It opens action-packed and dramatic and ends the same. The writing and world building are excellent. The more I learned about the world and magic system, the more excited I got to explore it further in the next book. I eagerly await book two.

I loved it. I enjoyed it tremendously. I didn't want it to end and I savoured every minute of it. That's the sign of a great book right there. Wish there were more like this or like the Stormlight Archives or the Lightbringer series. It's a great coming of age story and for once the protagonist is a bad-ass female. I can't wait to receive Grey Sister to inmerse myself once again in such an awesome world and characterization. It's gripping (you don't want to put it down).

This is one of those books that just grabs you and won't let you go.

It's a truly epic dark fantasy - violent and knife-sharp.

Nona was wonderful I didn't just love her...I wanted to be her! And while the book is long at almost 500 pages, it's so fast paced that you're done before you know it - it certainly ends before you want it to! This was a two sitting read for me.

This is the first in a series and I truly with the other books were available now. I'd buy them all in a heartbeat.

*ARC provided via Net Galley

I simply couldn't put this one down. I found it engrossing from start to finish. The writing is so descriptive, it paints rich images better than any movie. It's character driven so well, you live the part with the main character. The action is superb, if bloody at times. It has something of a Harry Potter feel at times, but in a far more adult way. I can't wait to read the next one. Thoroughly gripping!

I loved this book as much as I have all of Mark Lawrence's works. I love the mix of fantasy and sci-fi in the setting. Everything really works and I love how he lays out the world as the story progresses. The characters are striking and unique and the plot pulls the reader through the story at a fast pace. Really enjoyed the book, and actually read the sequel before I took the time to write this review.

After reading all of Mark Lawrence's previous books, I thought this book started out a little bit rough in that it was hard to follow. After the first couple of chapters, I was really drawn in to the Story of Nona and her friends in the wagon and later on her sisters in the convent. I wasn't sure how Mr. Lawrence would write a female lead, but I thought it worked out beautifully. I was kind of missing his original world, but I soon grew to enjoy this one just as much and maybe more. Although there is cruelty, it was not quite as violent as his previous works. The
characters are original and it's fun to see them develop and I can't wait for the next book.

I don’t know what happens to good writers. They seem to fall in love with their prose, world and characters and forget that plot is important too. The story has to go somewhere and in a reasonable amount of time. This is a well written book, but not enough to take me on a meandering journey to nowhere.

I’m sure older people who read books in a time when plot wasn’t bothered with will like this book, but the younger generation needs more immediate gratification.

There are so many authors out there who write a good book or two, and then seem to just slack off. Mark is exactly the opposite. I have loved everyone of his books, and this one is by far the best yet.
The characters are deep and multifaceted. No,,one is a simple stereotype. The motives are believable, the logic sound, and the world dark in a way that so few fantasy authors are ever able to capture. I cannot recommend this enough. I can't wait for more.

This is a great action/thriller with complex relatable characters. I enjoyed the action and watching the characters grow.. I was less thrilled with the level of violence in this book, but that's me.

I can't understand the negative reviews by folks who have read and liked his other stuff. Mark is a brilliant writer and amazingly insightful. Many passages sound almost like poetry. I decided to listen to this one as an audio book instead of reading it and just finished it. I am struggling not to start it again and listen again. If you are capable of following a female protagonist I can't see how anyone wouldn't love this book. It's just brilliant.

I've never written a review before...ever. My husband and I share an account so he probably has, but I never have before. That being said, this book was too good not to write a review. If you are a fan of King Killer Chronicles you will most likely enjoy this book. It was suspenseful and I am anxiously awaiting Mr. Lawrence's next book in this series.

He's done it again. Each book better than the last. This one started out slow and built up at a nice relaxed pace but when things started to happen... Wow. Great stuff. Can't wait for more Nona Grey. Thank you Mark!

I've never written a review before...ever. My husband and I share an account so he probably has, but I never have before. That being said, this book was too good not to write a review. If you are a fan of King Killer Chronicles you will most likely enjoy this book. It was suspenseful and I am anxiously awaiting Mr. Lawrence's next book in this series.

An absolutely wonderful read, as can be expected of anything written by Mark Lawrence. That said, Red Sister is most definitely not a clone of any of his previous books and instead has a whole different theme and air about it that sets it apart. Very enjoyable characters, very well written, interested plot. 5/5

He's done it again. Each book better than the last. This one started out slow and built up at a nice relaxed pace but when things started to happen... Wow. Great stuff. Can't wait for more Nona Grey. Thank you Mark!