The Martyr

By: Anthony Ryan

Narrated by: Steven Brand

Deadly feuds and ancient secrets spell war in the second novel of The Covenant of Steel, a new epic series of action, intrigue, and magic from a master storyteller who has taken the fantasy world by storm.

"Ryan again showcases his gift for epic fantasy in his excellent sequel to The Pariah . . . . Ryan's evocative prose enhances the suspenseful, intricate story . . . .This fires on all cylinders." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Times have changed for Alwyn Scribe. Once an outlaw, he’s now a spymaster and sworn protector of Lady Evadine Courlain, whose visions of a demonic apocalypse have earned her the fanatical devotion of the faithful.

Yet Evadine’s growing fame has put her at odds with both Crown and Covenant. As trouble brews in the kingdom, both seek to exploit her position for their own ends.

Sent to the Duchy of Alundia to put down a rebellion, Alwyn must rely on old instincts to fight for his new cause. Deadly feuds and ancient secrets are laid bare as war erupts, a war that will decide the fate of the Kingdom of Albermaine and, perhaps, prevent the coming of the prophesied Second Scourge.

"A gritty, heart-pounding tale of betrayal and bloody vengeance. I loved every single word." —John Gwynne on The Pariah

For more from Anthony Ryan, check out:
The Covenant of Steel
The Pariah
The Martyr

Raven's Shadow Trilogy
Blood Song
Tower Lord
Queen of Fire

Raven's Blade Duology
The Wolf's Call
The Black Song

The Draconis Memoria Trilogy
The Waking Fire
The Legion of Flame
The Empire of Ashes

Critic reviews

"Ryan again showcases his gift for epic fantasy in his excellent sequel to The Pariah . . . . Ryan’s evocative prose enhances the suspenseful, intricate story, and the cliffhanger ending will have fans counting the days until the next volume. This fires on all cylinders."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Gritty and well-drawn, this makes a rich treat for George R.R. Martin fans.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) on The Pariah

"A gritty, heart-pounding tale of betrayal and bloody vengeance. I loved every single word."—John Gwynne on The Pariah

"A master storyteller."—Mark Lawrence on The Pariah

“In The Pariah Ryan creates a wonderfully slow burn and a protagonist who resonates in spite of – or because of — his flaws. I loved wandering with Alwyn from one scrape to the next, and I’m ready for more.”—Django Wexler on The Pariah

"The Pariah is Anthony Ryan at his best. A fast-paced, brutal fantasy novel with larger than life characters and a plot full of intrigue and suspense. With bloody twists and turns aplenty, this novel is destined to become a favorite of the grimdark community."—Grimdark Magazine on The Pariah

"Fans of broadscale epic fantasy along the lines of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series and George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire novels should find this debut much to their liking."—Library Journal on Blood Song

"[Blood Song] certainly has it all: great coming-of-age tale, compelling character and a fast-paced plot. If [Ryan's] first book is any indication of things to come, then all fantasy readers should rejoice."—Michael J. Sullivan on Blood Song

"Ryan hits all the high notes of epic fantasy--a gritty setting, ancient magics, ruthless intrigue, divided loyalties and bloody action."—Publishers Weekly on Blood Song

"Readers who enjoy their fantasy fast and furious will find Ryan's latest to be an immensely satisfying, top-notch adventure fantasy."—Kirkus on Wolf's Call

Remarkable, a real achievement.

This is probably the best sequel Anthony Ryan has written, at least for me. It built on everything in book one, and extended the story perfectly and without stumble. Wow. You owe it to yourself to read this series, or better yet, listen to it, as Steven Brand says every name far better than I’d read them in my head, and delivers the lines with an authenticity to the prose that, as an American, I just can’t compete with.

I’m hooked

Just enjoy this story so much. I am eagerly awaiting the next in the series.

Starts out well, improves with every page

It is going to be agony waiting for the next installment. I know of very few writers who are as gifted and skilled in their prose storytelling, and fewer still who are capable of such masterful surprises in their world-building. A phenomenal writer and this series is just getting better and better (very much as his previous works have). The characters are brilliantly drawn and without repetition from series to series.

One of the things I like best in Ryan’s world, and character-building, is the way in which there is a hidden “understory” contained within both. His worlds are never what they seem initially to be, and his characters are never as simple as they seem.

Within the context of fantasy fiction, there are no more than 3 or 4 writers in the same class as Ryan. I envy anyone just now discovering his work. Read him and enjoy!

Great story

This story gives lots of twists and turns. I can’t wait to the hear the next book in this series.

Highly Entertaining Story

Anothony Ryan continues to pull me into his works and this series is no different, the characters and setting have helped me burn through the first two books of this trilogy in less than a month! Highly Recommended!