Red Sister by Mark Lawrence – Review & Giveaway
Red Sister
Ancestor series – Book #1
by Mark Lawrence
Release Date: April 4, 2017
Amazon / B&N / Kobo / BAM / Book Depository
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
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.
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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