Thursday 14 September 2017

Red Sister - Mark Lawrence

"I was born for killing – the gods made me to ruin"

At the Convent of Sweet Mercy young girls are raised to be killers. In a few the old bloods show, gifting talents rarely seen since the tribes beached their ships on Abeth. Sweet Mercy hones its novices’ skills to deadly effect: it takes ten years to educate a Red Sister in the ways of blade and fist.

But even the mistresses of sword and shadow don’t truly understand what they have purchased when Nona Grey is brought to their halls as a bloodstained child of eight, falsely accused of murder: guilty of worse.

Stolen from the shadow of the noose, Nona is sought by powerful enemies, and for good reason. Despite the security and isolation of the convent her secret and violent past will find her out. Beneath a dying sun that shines upon a crumbling empire, Nona Grey must come to terms with her demons and learn to become a deadly assassin if she is to survive…

My thoughts:
First, I so did not like another book I tried by him. I read a few pages, the main character, a lad of 14 brutally rapes a girl and I was all wtf. Yes it was grimdark, yes he is not a hero. But no, I do not want to read about a rapist going around raping and killing. F that.

SO you can see why I hesitated giving him another go. But hey, I have been burned before and tried again. And I am glad I did.

Nona ends up in a convent where they make assassins, spies, or just the regular sort of nun who prays. She is obviously made for the martial part as we meet her when she is about to be hanged for murder...at 8. Instead she is whisked away and gets to live (of course things are not that easy, someone plots revenge). We then follow her for a bit, she grows, she learns, she makes friends.

Around her a world is crumbling. I did wish it had been even more fleshed out. I just love a good world. But maybe it is made to be vague (and yes we do get lots of info but hey I want to feel it, oh and maps! I love those.) What we have is a planet where the people got to from the stars. But why is the tech gone? What  is the shiphearts under the convent for an instance? Oh and where there 4 different sort of aliens that arrived? Cos one race was big and strong. One race was fast. One had magic and the 4th I forget. That does not sound like the same race...but then again they can have children together so they must be the same. Also why is the moon falling down? So many things to ponder.

Conclusion:
There is action, there is blood, there is poison and from blood she rises. I read it fast...as fast you can read when I only read when she is asleep. And I want more.

Cover
Eh, it makes me think of Soviet, like she is some red sister growing up in Siberia, in a gulag

Hardcover, 500 pages
Published April 6th 2017 by Harper Voyager (first published April 4th 2017)
Book of the Ancestor #1
Fantasy
Library

31 comments:

  1. Intriguing.
    Thanks for the review.

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  2. I always have a hard time giving an author a second chance after I didn't like a book by the author, but I've been pleasantly surprised. I'm glad it worked for you and this sounds really good. I agree with you about the cover.

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    1. I am so glad I did, and he is not the first fantasy author I have tried and then tried again

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  3. Like you, I practically gave up on this author for those same reasons so I'm a bit reluctant to give him another chance. I'm glad you ended up moderately enjoying it.

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    1. I say try again, this is nothing like that one

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  4. Great review Blodeuedd I agree and ps I love his other series too. He's a very dark fantasy writer and none of his heroes are "good" but he's a fantastic author. He's also the father and main caregiver of his extremely disabled daughter. And in case you want to know what I thought here's a link to my review and my interview with Mark -http://thereadingfrenzy.blogspot.com/2017/04/giveaway-interview-with-mark-lawrence.html#more

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    1. Oh cool, I did not know you had had him over :)

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  5. That sounds interesting. I haven't read this author.

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  6. interesting, but the world sounds like it needs building. Dark fantasy not sure I read

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  7. You are so right about the cover!

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  8. I guess it's good you gave him another chance since you liked this one so much.

    For What It's Worth

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  9. Ehh on the cover and it sounds okay but not amazing

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  10. Wait... aliens? I'm so confused. The title makes the book sound creepy and ominous.

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    1. It's...I do not know. It's like his other series that was set in our world, but in the future and it was all medieval

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  11. Yeah where's the tech? I do like a good from the stars story tho. I've heard his stuff can be pretty dark.

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  12. Yay, I'm glad to hear this one worked so much better for you. It is very different from the Jorg trilogy and less disgusting, so I had a feeling you'd like it more :)

    ~Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum

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    1. You know me well :D I guess I am just not a grimdark gal

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  13. This was my first outing with his books, but I loved it. I'm definitely onboard for book two. And yes, I am so curious about all the things that were brought up and not explained yet.

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    1. I do hope we learn more about the things buried

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  14. I actually liked his other series. Haven't started this one yet. Good thing you gave him another chance ;)

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  15. I am glad that this book worked out better thant the other one you read did.

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