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The Book That Broke the World by Mark Lawrence – a Review

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The Book That Broke the World by Mark Lawrence – a Review

 

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Description:
We fight for the people we love. We fight for the ideas we want to be true.

Evar and Livira stand side by side and yet far beyond each other’s reach. Evar is forced to flee the library, driven before an implacable foe. Livira, trapped in a ghost world, has to recover her book if she’s to return to her life. While Evar’s journey leads him outside into the vastness of a world he’s never seen, Livira’s destination lies deep inside her own writing, where she must wrestle with her stories in order to reclaim the volume in which they were written.

And all the while, the library quietly weaves thread to thread, bringing the scattered elements of Livira’s old life – friends and foe alike – back together beneath new skies.

Long ago, a lie was told, and with the passing years it has grown and spread, a small push leading to a chain of desperate consequences. Now, as one edifice topples into the next with ever-growing violence, it threatens to break the world. The secret war that defines the library has chosen its champions and set them on the board. The time has come when they must fight for what they believe, or lose everything.

The Library Trilogy is about many things: adventure, discovery, and romance, but it’s also a love letter to books and the places where they live. The focus is on one vast and timeless library, but the love expands to encompass smaller more personal collections, and bookshops of all shades too.

 

 

Review:

The Book That Broke the World by Mark Lawrence is the 2nd book in his The Library Trilogy. The Library Trilogy revolves around the Athenaeum, the legendary timeless library, such as; adventure, discovery, romance; also who controls access to knowledge or if information should be revealed.  The first half of the book was slow, with not a lot happening; however, the last half perked up a lot. It was a journey across various dimensions along the way. Though there were many characters in the book, the leads still revolved around Livira and Evar. 

Livira, who is a librarian, is now trying to find her way home to her family, as well find Evar again.  The relationship between Livira and Evan began in the first book, with both feeling love between them, but fear they will lose connections to each other in this multiversal time jump fantasy. Livera is also trying to find a book she wrote, which could possibly be a true threat to the library’s existence.  Evar, who was trapped with his adopted siblings for a very long time, being raised by the Assistant and Soldier.  He is determined to find Livira, and together with Evar’s sister, Clovis, who was an amazing and tough warrior, and his brother, as they manage to move forward; meeting up with other people in the huge library, with different walls. 

There were a number of new characters that played a part in this story.   Celcha, was born into slavery with her brother Hellet, as they both were part of a dig, finding lost books. A librarian manages to save them, and take both of them with her as they head into the Library world. Celcha was very good, as she was intelligent, tough, unyielding, and willing to fight. Hellet manages to create something that could destroy the library.  I really liked Arpix, who is a librarian, who also tutored Livira, and found himself falling for Clovis; with her being protective of him. Yute, deputy head librarian, also returns closer to the end.  I loved Wentworth (huge cat, who can find anyone), who was a terrific addition to the book.

I do not want to give spoilers, because you need to concentrate on what is happening, as we get closer to the end. This is a difficult review to write, as the whole concept was about books to reveal secrets, knowledge, freedom, as noted previously, as noted previously, the first half of the book was very slow.  The last half was exciting, with everyone coming together to make decisions on what to do.  The time will come when they will all decide if they will fight for what they believe or loose it all.

The Book That Broke the World was a different kind of fantasy, set in a huge immense library, with many chambers, with those who were trapped inside. The library had its own mechanism, with protectors of history, and the power of knowledge from those special books. The overall theme is knowledge, power, responsibility and war.  The Book that Broke the World was a complex and intriguing story line that was well written by Mark Lawrence. However, I will note that I have loved a number of series by Lawrence, and this book continues to be bit slow for most of the first half, but it was an exciting end.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

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The Book That Wouldn’t Burn by Mark Lawrence – a Review

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The Book That Wouldn’t Burn by Mark Lawrence – a Review

 

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Description:
A boy has lived his whole life trapped within a vast library, older than empires and larger than cities.

A girl has spent hers in a tiny settlement out on the Dust where nightmares stalk and no one goes.

The world has never even noticed them. That’s about to change.

Their stories spiral around each other, across worlds and time. This is a tale of truth and lies and hearts, and the blurring of one into another. A journey on which knowledge erodes certainty, and on which, though the pen may be mightier than the sword, blood will be spilled and cities burned.

 

 

Review:

The Book That Wouldn’t Burn by Mark Lawrence is the first book in his new The Library Trilogy. Lawrence creates a series revolving around a library, with a record for every book and places they are ruled to live; filled with knowledge, as well as truths and lies.

This story follows two main characters, a young girl, Livera, who lived in the Dust, and soldiers saved her and other young children’s after an attack by Sabbers (enemies); a young man, Evar, trapped in an isolated huge chamber within an ancient library that has many chambers.

As the years pass, Livera, who is fiery and passionate, constantly asks questions to increase her knowledge, as she finds books that allow her to learn more about the library. Livera, coming from the dust, is not respected by many on the council, as well as the king, but her amazing abilities that she has discovered, allows her to find things no one else can.  Evar is the calm one between his brother and sister, who are more violent than him.  During his constant traveling to find a way out, he meets a young girl (livera), whom they spent time together, and when a few years pass, he runs into her again. That seems to be the pattern, with Evar meeting up with Livera every few years, and now she is around 20.  Together they will explore all facets of the library and the various chambers.  We know that Livera and Evar became close, even with the many missing years, but together they were able to explore so much of the library, trying to find a way out.  Malar was one of the great characters, as he was the soldier to saved Livera, and over the years, he became her protector when necessary.  There were many very good characters between Livera and her friends, as well as Evar and his family.

This is a difficult review to write, as the whole concept was about books to reveal secrets, knowledge, freedom, and the first half of the book was very slow.  It does pick up in the latter part of the story, though a lot did remain somewhat confusing, but many things do fall into place closer to the end. 

The Book That Wouldn’t Burn was a different kind of fantasy, set in a huge immense library, with many chambers, with those who were trapped inside. The library had its own mechanism, with protectors of history, and the power of knowledge from those special books. The overall theme is knowledge, power, responsibility and war.  The Book that Wouldn’t Burn was a complex and intriguing story line that was well written by Mark Lawrence. However, I will note that I have loved a number of series by Lawrence, and this book was a bit slow for a big part of the book, but it was an exciting end. 

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

 

 

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The Girl and The Moon by Mark Lawrence – a Review

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The Girl and The Moon by Mark Lawrence – a Review

 

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Description:
The fate of the world hangs from the Moon

The green world overwhelms all of Yaz’s expectations. Everything seems different but some things remain the same: her old enemies are still bent on her destruction.

The Corridor abounds with plenty and unsuspected danger. To stand a chance against the eyeless priest, Eular, and the god-like city-mind, Seus, Yaz will need to learn fast and make new friends.

The Convent of Sweet Mercy, like the Corridor itself, is packed with peril and opportunity. Yaz needs the nuns’ help – but first they want to execute her.

The fate of everyone squeezed between the Corridor’s vast walls, and ultimately the fate of those labouring to survive out on ice itself, hangs from the moon, and the battle to save the moon centres on the Ark of the Missing, buried beneath the emperor’s palace. Everyone wants Yaz to be the key that will open the Ark – the one the wise have sought for generations. But sometimes wanting isn’t enough.

 

 

Review:

The Girl and The Moon by Mark Lawrence is the 3rd and final book in The Book of Ice trilogy.  I loved Lawrence’s Book of Ancestor series, and did enjoy the first two books of Book of the Ice series. This was a very good conclusion to this series, though as previously noted in the last book, I did have some mixed feelings.

The Girl and the Moon picks up where the last book ended, with the evil priest Eular, pushing to decapitate the heads of Yaz and her friends, since he deems them as enemies. The Abbess of Sweet Mercy Convent insists based on the laws of the Ancestor, that they be thrown into the water to drown. Of course, the Abbess and the nuns have secretly set for them to survive, with the evil priest satisfied after a period of time.   

Yaz and Quina stay at the convent to learn more and train from these nuns, teaching them many gifts along the way, while Mali, Thurin and Erris go on another trek.  We do get POV’s of Yaz, Mali and Thurin, which gives us hints of what is to come (past and present).    Yaz is determined to find the shipheart and the stars to help open the Ark, and stop the false god from taking control.  Yaz is throughout the book, constantly hunted by so many forces that are out to destroy her, with so much action that threatens her and her friends lives.  Having been brought up in the ice lands, seeing only bitter cold, ice, snow, they are shocked to see the Greenlands, filled with greenery, plants, and lots of food.

What follows is an amazing and compelling story with so much detail, resolutions, twists and turns throughout the relentless ride to the climax.  We continue to learn more about the other clans, including the Missing, Black Rock, Sweet Mercy Nuns and the evil God, Seuss, not to mention adding new friends (novices).

The Girl and the Moon was an exciting non-stop action filled story, but my mixed feelings are based on the so many details, which got confusing at times, especially with the constant changes, as well as enemies.   What I did love about the story was Yaz, who was a fantastic heroine, and all her fabulous friends that were loyal to her, and we got to see so much of them. 

This is a difficult review to do, since there is so much that happens from start to finish, and to tell too much more would be spoilers.  As I had noted previously, this series was a fantasy in a different kind of world that is beyond normal.  The cruel conditions, the dangerous people, the constant battles and the need to survive keeps us engrossed into this story.  The last 1/3 of the book was an amazing and tense climax that was a great finale for this series.  If you enjoy fantasy, you can never go wrong with Mark Lawrence.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

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The Girl and the Mountain by Mark Lawrence – Review & Giveaway

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The Girl and the Mountain by Mark Lawrence – Review & Giveaway

 

 

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Description:
On the planet Abeth there is only the ice. And the Black Rock.

For generations the priests of the Black Rock have reached out from their mountain to steer the fate of the ice tribes. With their Hidden God, their magic and their iron, the priests’ rule has never been questioned. But when ice triber Yaz challenged their authority, she was torn away from the only life she had ever known, and forced to find a new path for herself.

Yaz has lost her friends and found her enemies. She has a mountain to climb, and even if she can break the Hidden God’s power, her dream of a green world lies impossibly far to the south, across a vast emptiness of ice. Before the journey can even start, she has to find out what happened to the ones she loves and save those that can be saved.

Abeth holds its secrets close, but the stars shine brighter for Yaz and she means to unlock the truth.

 

 

Review:

The Girl and The Mountain by Mark Lawrence is the 2nd book his Book of the Ice series. I loved Lawrence’s Book of Ancestor series, and did enjoy the first book of Book of the Ice series, The Girl and the Stars. Though I did enjoy much of this 2nd book, I did have some mixed feelings. 

The Girl and the Mountain picks up where the first book left off, with our heroine, Yaz waking up back on the ice, Abeth, with the evil priests imprisoning her and determined to change her to their rule and the Hidden God.  With some of her friends having risen to the top, in a short time she is rescued and despite meeting the evil Hidden God, and learning the truths, she will go to find the sea and the land of green.  With Quell and Zeen deciding to stay behind in their homes on the ice, Yaz, Maya, Erris, Quina and Thurin go on their way to a wild, dark, dangerous trek, with so many dangerous creatures and evil to battle all along the way.  They learn more about the other clans, including the Missing, the evil Gods, etc; and meet new friends, such as Mali and Zox. 

This was an exciting non-stop action filled story, but my mixed feelings are based on the so many details, which got confusing at times, especially with a lot of changes in the lands and evil beings. Everyone was trying be a step ahead of the enemies, who were constantly trying to kill them, with Yaz being pulled away from her friends a lot.    What I did love about the story was Yaz being a great heroine, and her fabulous friends that we spend a lot of time with.

This is a difficult review to do, since there is so much that happens from start to finish, and to tell too much more would be spoilers.  As I had noted previously, The Girl and the Mountain was a fantasy in a different kind of world that is beyond normal.  The cruel conditions, the dangerous people, the constant battles and the need to survive keeps us engrossed into this story.  I will say there is sort of a cliffhanger at the end.  If you enjoy fantasy, you can never go wrong with Mark Lawrence. I suggest you read The Girl and the Mountain.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

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The Girl and the Stars by Mark Lawrence – a Review

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The Girl and the Stars by Mark Lawrence – a Review

 

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Description:
In the ice, east of the Black Rock, there is a hole into which broken children are thrown.

On Abeth the vastness of the ice holds no room for individuals. Survival together is barely possible. No one survives alone.

To resist the cold, to endure the months of night when even the air itself begins to freeze, requires a special breed. Variation is dangerous, difference is fatal. And Yaz is not the same.

Yaz is torn from the only life she’s ever known, away from her family, from the boy she thought she would spend her days with, and has to carve out a new path for herself in a world whose existence she never suspected. A world full of difference and mystery and danger.

Yaz learns that Abeth is older and stranger than she had ever imagined. She learns that her weaknesses are another kind of strength. And she learns to challenge the cruel arithmetic of survival that has always governed her people.

Only when it’s darkest you can see the stars.

 

 

Review:

The Girl and the Stars by Mark Lawrence is the 1st book in his fantasy Book of Ice series. I have become a big fan of Mark Lawrence after I read and loved his Book of Ancestor series.  I did enjoy The Girl and the Stars, and though it was a good story, I felt this was totally a different kind of read, even if it does take place in the same world as Book of Ancestor. 

We meet Yaz, our heroine, at the start, as the clans, who live in a brutal cold ice-covered world, have to attend every few years a gathering run by the priest regulator.  Yaz fears that she will die, as the priests will push away the children who they consider broken (no ability, disabled, too small or big, etc) into a large hole in the ice never to be seen again.  To Yaz’s shock, the priest keeps her and pushes her younger brother down the black hole; she throws herself down the gap to try and save him. This was an amazing and shocking start that kept us enthralled, as Yaz lands in the dark, and is immediately attacked by a giant monster.  As she tries to run, she is helped by strangers who come to her rescue.

We get to meet many of the survivors (young and older) who live in the ‘Missing’ cities below.  Yaz will join with Arka (who has lived there for 20 years) and her team, who have to survive the dangers, such as Gerant (large beings), Tainted, Hunters (vicious creatures).    I really liked many of the secondary characters Lawrence created, such as Thurin, Erris, Arka, Maya, Quell, and even the bad ones such as Theus and Pome.

What follows is a nonstop action filled story, with everyone trying be a step ahead of the enemies, who are constantly trying to get them to join their team or kill them.  Yaz is determined to find her brother at any cost.  She is pulled away from her group many times along the way, and in doing so, learns about the powers she has with the stars, that will help her and her friends survive.   I loved Yaz, as she became such a great heroine, especially using her stars to guide her. 

The Girl and the Stars was a fantasy in a different kind of world that is beyond normal.  The cruel conditions, the dangerous people, the constant battles and the need to survive keeps us engrossed into this story. To tell too much more would be spoilers, as you really need to read this to understand all the factions involved.  I will say there is sort of a cliffhanger at the end.  If you enjoy fantasy, you can never go wrong with Mark Lawrence. I suggest you read The Girl and the Stars.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Holy Sister by Mark Lawrence – Review & Giveaway

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Holy Sister by Mark Lawrence – Review & Giveaway

 

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Description:
They came against her as a child. Now they face the woman.

The ice is advancing, the Corridor narrowing, and the empire is under siege from the Scithrowl in the east and the Durns in the west. Everywhere, the emperor’s armies are in retreat.

Nona faces the final challenges that must be overcome if she is to become a full sister in the order of her choice. But it seems unlikely that Nona and her friends will have time to earn a nun’s habit before war is on their doorstep.

Even a warrior like Nona cannot hope to turn the tide of war.

The shiphearts offer strength that she might use to protect those she loves, but it’s a power that corrupts. A final battle is coming in which she will be torn between friends, unable to save them all. A battle in which her own demons will try to unmake her.

A battle in which hearts will be broken, lovers lost, thrones burned.

 

 

Review:

Holy Sister by Mark Lawrence is the 3rd and final book in his Book of the Ancestor series.  Nona Grey continues as our young powerful heroine, and many of the wonderful characters we loved in the first two books are back.  Once again, Mark Lawrence gives us another fantastic story line, with non-stop intense mind-boggling action packed thriller throughout the book, and bringing a satisfying conclusion to this series.

In Holy Sister, Nona Grey, our wonderful heroine, is the center focus of the story, which for more than half of the book is split between two timeframes- present day and three years earlier.  Personally I wasn’t crazy about the going back and forth between the two narratives early on, but by the time the storyline became mostly the present day, all the pieces fell into place and we could see why what happened three years (soon after the end of Gray Sister) before was important to fully understand.

Nona Grey over the period of three books has definitely become one of the best heroines, especially in a fantasy world.  With war on the horizon, Nona steps in fight a losing battle, but fight she does, and her powerful ability to use those she is close to as her fighting tool was simply magnificent.  Nona was a child when this all started back in Red Sister, when she was saved by Abbess Glass and joined the convent; as the years pass, friendships are made and lost; Nona becomes their savior in a horrific devastating battle that had us holding our breath to see who will survive. 

The second half of this book was filled with so much action, all told through Nona’s eyes, which Lawrence killed us with so many emotions throughout, such as fear, tension, worry, anger, heartbreak and the sense of love Nona and girls had for each other, or the respect for the nuns who trained them.

I truly loved Nona, who had to endure so much and even when she was on her last legs, she forced herself to push her magical ability beyond endurance to help those she loved. It was simply amazing to watch what she could do, and what a wonderful fantastic heroine Lawrence created.  No question, I will miss Nona Grey.  I also loved many of the secondary characters, such as Ara, Zole, Clera, Sister Kettle, and Abbess Glass, to name a few.  Abbess Glass turns out to play such an important part of this trilogy from Red Sister to Holy Sister, as we learn more about her long range visions, and her planning, especially with Nona and Zole.  There were a number of surprises as we began to see the results.

The last half of the book was an intense, harrowing , destructive adventure that left me holding my  breath as Nona , the girls & nuns faced so many dangerous, mind-boggling  & death defying situations that also brought about much heartbreak.  To tell too much more would be major spoilers, but trust me when I say this is a must read.   Holy Sister was a fantastic conclusion to a wonderful trilogy.  Bravo to Mark Lawrence for giving us a wonderful series, with a marvelous heroine.  If you enjoy fantasy, in this unique intriguing world, with a fabulous heroine and other wonderful characters, you must read the Book of the Ancestor series.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

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Grey Sister by Mark Lawrence – a Review

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Grey Sister by Mark Lawrence – a Review

 

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Description:
In Mystic Class Nona Grey begins to learn the secrets of the universe. But so often even the deepest truths just make our choices harder. Before she leaves the Convent of Sweet Mercy Nona must choose her path and take the red of a Martial Sister, the grey of a Sister of Discretion, the blue of a Mystic Sister or the simple black of a Bride of the Ancestor and a life of prayer and service.

All that stands between her and these choices are the pride of a thwarted assassin, the ambition of a would-be empress wielding the Inquisition like a blade, and the vengeance of the empire’s richest lord.

As the world narrows around her, and her enemies attack her through the system she has sworn to, Nona must find her own path despite the competing pull of friendship, revenge, ambition, and loyalty.

And in all this only one thing is certain.
.
There will be blood.

 

 

Review:

Grey Sister by Mark Lawrence is the 2nd book in his wonderful Book of the Ancestor series. In Grey Sister, Nona Grey continues as our young powerful heroine, and most of the wonderful characters we loved in the first book are back.  Once again, Mark Lawrence gives us another fantastic story line, with continued world building and an intense mind-boggling action packed thriller throughout the book. 

Two years have passed since we left off with Nona killing Raymel Tascis, and saving the Sweet Mercy convent.   But since she killed Tascis, Nona inherited a devil inside her, which makes life difficult.

Nona is now in Mystic Class, learning the next of 4 paths, which is described very well in the description (the red of a Martial Sister, the grey of a Sister of Discretion, the blue of a Mystic Sister or the  black of a Bride of the Ancestor – life of prayer and service). Nona misses her friends in the Red, especially with some of the snobbish girls in Mystic, who look down on her.   Jolei is the leader of the Mystic group, and she makes it known that she is will do anything to get Nona out. The beginning concentrates on Nona having to fend off the attacks from the Mystic group, with her Red sisters trying to help her.  Just when Nona manages to be one step ahead, her quest to find information on those behind the death of Hessa (first book) and the stolen shipheart; she makes a mistake that will bring dire consequences.

Nona will have to run to save her life, and travels back to where it all began.  While Nona is on the run, Abbess Glass is also in dire straits, as she is being threatened by the inquisitor, who plan to torture and remove her from her position.   Sister Kettle, is also missing, as she decides to find Nona and try to help her.  What follows is an amazing, violent, intense, dark & action packed adventure that will put all of their lives in danger from a corrupt empress, who controls those in power.

Nona is such a fantastic heroine, and I absolutely love her loyal friends, especially Ara, and her new powerful friend, Zole.  Nona suffers so much, yet her powers grow, as she continues to learn how to use what she has been taught.  Sisters Glass and Kettle have much bigger and important roles in Grey Sister.  Lawrence also gives us some terrible villains, besides Joeli, Tascis father and son, the inquisitor, and the empress.  You cannot help but hate them all, as we root for Nona and friends to defeat them.

The last half of the book upped the ante that left you holding your breath as Nona, Ara, Kettle, Glass, Rego faced danger & death defying situations.  They will also learn more about Nona, and her abilities as they struggle to survive. What a fantastic climax to a wonderful story.  There was an epilogue that has us waiting with bated breath for the next book in this series.   If you enjoy a well written fantasy, in a unique intriguing world, with a fabulous heroine and other wonderful characters, you must read Grey Sister.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Red Sister by Mark Lawrence – Review & Giveaway

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Red Sister by Mark Lawrence – Review & Giveaway

 

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Red Sister
Ancestor series – Book #1
by Mark Lawrence
Release Date: April 4, 2017

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Description:
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…

 

Review:

Red Sister by Mark Lawrence is the first book in his new Ancestor series. When I started this book, I wasn’t sure what to expect, since some of the new fantasy books that I have read recently have been ok.  I am happy to say, I loved Red Sister. Wow, what a fantastic story line, equally fantastic characters and wonderful world building. 

In Red Sister, Nona Reeve is our young heroine, but there are a number of young girls that play major parts in this story.  The story starts with 8 year old Nona facing execution in the gallows, only to have a nun save her.  The Abbess Glass, who runs the Sweet Mercy Convent, manages to whisk Nona away and brings her to her convent, which is filled with young girls, who are novices in training.  Nona, who is a peasant, is at first uncomfortable surrounded by those who come from families, who can afford the Convent fees.  Why is Nona brought there, as she has no family and is still being sought out for murder?

The Nuns in the convent all have strange and magical abilities, and in each class the girls are trained how to use those abilities, such as weapons (knives, throwing stars), shadows, paths, poisons, spirituality, etc.   These trainings were unique, strange and very difficult; much time is spent on watching the girls learn from these nuns.  But early on, Nona will find two friends to trust, and eventually others will accept her, and they will form a wonderful group of friends.  I loved Nona, Ara, Clera and Hessa.  But the cloud over Nona’s head remains, as those who are determined to get Nona back to pay for her crime,(which was truly done in self defense), will stop at nothing to get her.  The Abbess will once again save her, at a horrible cost, but Nona, will have to find a way to use her untrained ability to win the battle.  We know that though she is saved, those villains will continue to haunt her for the rest of this story.

What follows is an intense, harrowing and exciting tale of a young girl, her friends and their growth to be more than they were destined to be; in a place where they are trained to become self sufficient, and learn to be deadly killers, if need be.  Nona will become a kick-ass heroine, who will need to use her anger to utilize some of her special Hunska blood that will help magically enhance her abilities.  Nona not only is tough, but her loyalty to her friends makes her special.  Some of the other girls will also learn from their training from their at times dark atmosphere, strange and tough teachers to be equally powerful.

The last half of the book upped the ante that left you holding your breath as Nona, and the girls faced danger & death defying situations.  They will also learn more about Nona, and her abilities as they struggle to survive. What a fantastic climax to a wonderful story.  There was an epilogue that has us waiting with bated breath for the next book in this series.   If you enjoy fantasy, in this unigue intriguing world, with a fabulous heroine and other wonderful characters, you must read Red Sister. 

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

About The Author

Mark Lawrence


Mark Lawrence was born in Champagne-Urbanan, Illinois, to British parents but moved to the UK at the age of one. He went back to the US after taking a PhD in mathematics at Imperial College to work on a variety of research projects including the ‘Star Wars’ missile defence programme. Returning to the UK, he has worked mainly on image processing and decision/reasoning theory. He says he never had any ambition to be a writer so was very surprised when a half-hearted attempt to find an agent turned into a global publishing deal overnight. His first trilogy, THE BROKEN EMPIRE, has been universally acclaimed as a ground-breaking work of fantasy. Following The Broken Empire comes the bestselling RED QUEEN’S WAR trilogy. The BOOK OF THE ANCESTOR trilogy, in an entirely new setting, commences with RED SISTER in 2017. Mark is married, with four children, and lives in Bristol.

 

 

Giveaway

Mark Lawrence’s publisher is graciously offering a Hardcover copy of RED SISTER to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe

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9.. Giveaway runs from April 7 to 11, 2017

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