Review- Red Sister by Mark Lawrence

I'm a huge fan of Mark Lawrence, and Red Sister is my favorite of his books so far! It tells the story of Nona Reeve (eventually Nona Grey), a girl saved at the eleventh hour from execution. Nona is
taken to the Convent of Sweet Mercy, where girls are trained to be killers. That's right: warrior nuns, espionage nuns, poisoner nuns, and nuns who command elements of the supernatural. The story is set on a planet orbiting a dying sun, almost completely encrusted in ice save a narrow band between the ice walls where the remnants of humankind survive.

The book invites inevitable comparisons to the Kingkiller Chronicle or the Harry Potter series for its "school" setting, but Lawrence successfully puts his own mark on the familiar trope. The result is a book that's accessible to mature YA readers but wholly satisfying to an adult audience. There is so much I loved about this book: the characters, the setting, the hand-to-hand combat, the intrigue, mystery, betrayal, and surprising twists. The story comes to a satisfying resolution of the main arc, but leaves the reader eager for the next in the series. Oh, and the epilogue made my head spin.

Though nowhere near as grimdark as Lawrence's Broken Empire series, the book is dark in tone, with a few mature elements. There's some gritty violence, particularly graphic in the final showdown. There's also one scene of animal abuse (by a villain) which serves the story, but might be upsetting for some. If you fall into that category, go ahead and give this terrific book a chance, and when you see the scene coming (you'll know what's about to happen) just assume the worst and skip a few pages.

Red Sister is the beginning of a fantastic new series. I can't wait for book two, and am crossing my fingers for a television series!

Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence

A truly dark, gritty fantasy! Book 1 of the Broken Empire trilogy.

Synopsis:
Before the thorns taught me their sharp lessons and bled weakness from me I had but one brother, and I loved him well. But those days are gone and what is left of them lies in my mother's tomb. Now I have many brothers, quick with knife and sword, and as evil as you please. We ride this broken empire and loot its corpse. They say these are violent times, the end of days when the dead roam and monsters haunt the night. All that's true enough, but there's something worse out there, in the dark. Much worse.

From being a privileged royal child, raised by a loving mother, Jorg Ancrath has become the Prince of Thorns, a charming, immoral boy leading a grim band of outlaws in a series of raids and atrocities. The world is in chaos: violence is rife, nightmares everywhere. Jorg has the ability to master the living and the dead, but there is still one thing that puts a chill in him. Returning to his father's castle Jorg must confront horrors from his childhood and carve himself a future with all hands turned against him.

Mark Lawrence's debut novel tells a tale of blood and treachery, magic and brotherhood and paints a compelling and brutal, and sometimes beautiful, picture of an exceptional boy on his journey toward manhood and the throne.

My Thoughts:
I stumbled across this book while looking for a beach read, and I'm so glad I found it! Prince of Thorns drew me in from the outset. The main character, Jorg, is... not a nice guy. He's an anti-hero, and he and his band of rogues are hardened criminals and commit terrible depredations from the get-go. Like many great characters, though, Jorg has many facets, some admirable qualities, and a slowly-unfolding back-story that helps you understand how he became the (very young) man he is today. Though some people might be turned off by such a seemingly nasty piece of work, I couldn't wait to find out how Mark Lawrence was going to make me root for this character. I won't tell you how he did it; only that he succeeded. Lawrence utilizes twin narratives: some chapters deal with the present-day story, while others tell Jorg's "origin story." The two stories complement one another and build to a satisfying climax. Highly recommended, though not for the faint of heart.

Buy it on Google Play