Mark Lawrence: Grey Sister (Review)

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.

Second novel in the brilliant new series from the bestselling author of PRINCE OF THORNS.

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

I LOVE this series, Mark Lawrence is one of the most exciting writers in the fantasy genre. Yet when i started this book i worried if he could reach the heady heights of Red Sister, and for a little while at the start of the book i felt that worry coming to fruition, the book while containing the wonderfully vivid and imagined world and characters of Red sister, seemed to be just a continuation of nun training, with a little angst over the death of a friend…. I worried, what was going on? was this book two doldrums, a filler?…. but then the threads of the beginning of this book started to come together the angst and training made sense, Nona’s enemies and the church’s enemies start to coalesce, The big players in the SIS start to show their hands.

Grey Sister took flight and soared after about 50 pages, my doubts were washed away, what was left was breathless breakneck writing of the highest quality. I don’t want to drop any spoilers, so excuse some of the vagueness…. but by now some of the novices have some truly astounding abilities it would be very simple for Mark Lawrence to have them carve up whole armies, he manages to neutralise those abilities with cunning, guile and astounding twists, pitting the girls against some truly terrifying opponents, he introduces some new beings that leave you guessing all the way through and i believe we will understand more in the next book, we have a league of assassins, we have regal plots, the inquisition, the whole world teeters on the edge….. and at the center of the storm is Nona.

The last part of this book is so beguiling and breathtaking that i was actually holding my breath, the run away finale so completely absorbing that i was shattered when i had finished reading, and my copy has creases where i was gripping the book so hard.

Grey Sister better than its Red predecessor?… hell yes! I’ve never been so tired and so captivated in a fantasy book.

BUY THIS BOOK

(Parm)

Series

Broken Empire
1. Prince of Thorns (2011)
2. King of Thorns (2012)
3. Emperor of Thorns (2013)
Mark Lawrence 2-Book Bundle (omnibus) (2013)
The Complete Broken Empire Trilogy (omnibus) (2014)
The Secret (2015)
The Broken Empire (omnibus) (2016)
Road Brothers (2017)