Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Tomas Piety, recently made a priest, returns from the war with his war-damaged brother, Jochan, and the surviving members of his squad, hoping to return to his old life as a gang boss of the Pious Men who rule the area known as the Stink in Ellinburg. But all is not is as he left it. Foreign infiltrators have moved in and Tomas, his second, Bloody Anne, Jochan and the rest of the gang have to fight for every inch of territory, every brothel, every gambling den in a battle which becomes more and more political. Despite this being a high body-count book and despite Tomas professing that he doesn’t care about people, the characters manage to be way more sympathetic than you might expect. When Tomas runs a protection racket, he follows through with the protection. His customers get what they pay for. His people of the Stink are HIS people and he’s going to make sure they have what they need. If the foreign infiltrators are threatening his city, he’s going to have to do something about that, aided and abetted by the new barmaid, who has connections to the fearsome Queen’s Men. I read this because of a Goodreads review, and I’m so glad I did. I found it thoroughly engrossing. Highly recommended.

Received from quercus and Netgalley for honest read and review.
Really enjoyable first book in the series,looking forward to book 2.

I've wanted to read one of this author's books for ages, only to see that it was archived before I even saw that I had been approved for it so I actually never got to the book.

I'm sorry for not being able to review it, I'm just sorting out my ratio as I don't want this to negatively impact my ratio. If I buy this book in the future, I will make sure to come back to this and review it properly.

I'm not overly familiar with the fantasy sub-genre of grimdark so I'm not really in a position to judge how representative this book is of its type. In terms of my opinion of it I have to say I wasn't that impressed. There was a lot of repetition in the first person narrative that at first I put down to the idiosyncrasies of the character but as it went on I was less sure. The MC was incredibly one-dimensional and not particularly likeable. The dialogue, plot, character development, and the general quality of the writing seemed amateurish to me. The violence, indiscriminate murder, and endless bloodshedding soon became tedious, even cartoonist, in its OTTness and, despite the almost constant and somewhat frenetic action, I found the whole thing a little empty of point and a bit boring to boot. Needless to say, grimdark is not the genre for me.

You know you’re behind on reading when you get around to a book – and the sequel gets released. After some re-planning, I dived into Priest of Bones eagerly.

I have to admit; I wasn’t certain on the first chapter. You are introduced to the characters as the main protagonist executes one of his men for attempted rape. The language is explicit, but in a way that you notice – it doesn’t flow in the dialogue but draws attention to itself. It was jarring and I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy the book.

But this isn’t the first time where the opening is extreme to set the scene, the tone and let you know this isn’t going to be an easy ride. The language settles after the first chapter; it’s still explicit, but it becomes part of the characters and the dialogue and you stop noticing. It’s not there for the sake of it but becomes part of the men, their struggles and just how they speak.

You also warm to the characters. Tomas Piety is the least likely man you would think of being a priest, but war changes people and needs must: it gets him to where he needs to be. He is a gang-boss, a businessman running his streets with the threat of violence.

Early on in the book, however, you realise Tomas is, in fact, a good man. He genuinely cares for the people on his streets and won’t sit by and watch them go hungry or be without work. His methods might not be the best for rectifying these problems, but money isn’t the only thing that drives him.

With foreigners taking over his city and threatening war, Tomas and his crew try to claim back what is theirs, through manipulation and bloodshed if needs be. But while Tomas leads his men, his decisions aren’t his own; the crown has an interest on who has control and Tomas has to follow orders, whether he likes it or not.

I loved Tomas as a character: he’s flawed, he’s haunted and he is determined, whatever it takes. His brother – Jochan – is dangerous but ultimately follows his brother, knowing it’s for the best. Tomas’ second, Bloody Anne, is a complicated woman with a tragic past and she, too, will stand by Tomas.

There are a number of interesting characters: Billy the Boy with his powerful magic; Fat Luca with his unwavering loyalty while there is silver in his pocket; Cutter with a hidden past and a skill-set to be reckoned with. And Aelisa, a Queen’s Man with influence and power hidden behind a barmaid’s smile.

The plot is fast-paced, intense and violent. There’s fights, skirmishes and politics all mixed together and the underlying concern that Tomas is in over his head and won’t be able to get his crew through unscathed. For a violent character, you feel for Tomas and want him to come out on top of the problems.

An engaging and gripping read – I’m looking forward to the second.

Tomas Piety, army priest and criminal lord, is heading home after a long war with a band of loyal soldiers to find his empire is in tatters. Turning from a war, to fighting on his home turf, Tomas must band his men together and reclaim his mantle and title.

This deals with some very dark topics, from childhood sexual abuse, PTSD and beyond. Some of the imagery is pretty graphic, and sometimes leaned on the side of the gratuitous, but for the most part I thought it’s handled well. It doesn’t try to gloss over the brutality of war and it’s aftermath. Nothing is swept under the carpet, and everyone is a little ‘less’ than before. I liked that it didn’t try and show everything in a positive light. It felt more realistic, and gritty.

I also liked the descriptions and overall feel of the novel. It feels ‘dirty’, which I know might sound odd, but I could almost smell the smoky, dirty air filled with dust and grime. It’s atmospheric, the writing very well crafted, and provides a perfect setting for the underworld to live in and this story to be told. The pace is also reasonably well done too, with enough action (if you include lots of drinking and raping to be ‘action’) to keep the reader interested.

My main issue here was my inability to really feel anything towards any of the characters. Because this is a first person perspective, we’re limited in terms of who we experience this story with. In this case, it’s all Tomas’s point of view and he’s just not that engaging. To me, he’s a very stereotypical gangster crime lord. There’s not really much diversion from this, and he’s just rather predictable. The secondary characters are more interesting and diverse, especially Bloody Anne, but we unfortunately don’t see enough of them and they’re not really developed enough to carry the story.

The plot itself is also quite predictable, and obvious, with a very narrowed and limited amount of world building and explanation about the magical system in place. When combined with a character I just couldn’t bond with, this made it a struggle to read. I just ended up feeling rather apathetic about it all.

Gritty, very darkly themed novel with a light touching of magic that might appeal to those who love a criminal underworld and their lords.

Priest of Bones seemed to scream 'I am perfect for you', but, surprisingly, it did not work for me. At all.
The writing was fine and the worldbuilding pretty impressive. But I was not invested in the story and could not connect with a single character.
I'm fairly sure that it was an 'it's not you, it's me' case and that grimdark fantasy loves could appreciate it.

By crikey I enjoyed this book! It tells the story of Tomas Piety, a priest returning to his home after a war and re-establishing himself in the town he left behind. Some have remarked that there are shades of the Godfather here, and I get that, but for me the closest comparison I could make would be the excellent Peaky Blinders. The characters in this book are not good men, but they are wonderfully compelling and the plot moves at a pace that makes it impossible to put down. What I really loved was the interplay between Thomas, Bloody Anne, and the other members of his crew and the depth of characterisation on show here is particularly impressive, given that there are quite a few characters and each is given at least some depth. The world is dark and gritty but feels very authentic and wholly believable. Yes, this is a fantasy, but there are only small touches of 'magic' with the majority of action very much ground in the horrible things people will do to each other. All in all, I found this a thoroughly enjoyable read and a fabulous introduction to what I hope will become a truly great series.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I received this via netgalley with some interest having already heard about it. I have to say I wasn’t disappointed. The main character is quite a complex character who has returned from war with a bunch of his comrades to where he came from. Far from the war being over it feels more like he is drawn back into it as if it was beginning again.
What a grim world we find ourselves in. Thomas Piety is undeniably a soldier, sometimes Priest but not afraid to get his hands dirty to protect his friends and those he loves. The lines between right and wrong become a little grey. This is easy to see when there is honour among thieves and treachery and betrayal by those expected to uphold the law..
Excellent storytelling and world building. The narrative illustrates everything abhorrent about violence and bloodshed and we are introduced to realistically believable chapters along with a fast paced plot. Interested to see how this enfolds.

Do you like Peaky Blinders? If so, you are going to love this one! I'm not even compairing Priest of Bones to a popular TV show the way it is often done for PR purposes (if someone mentions Game of Thrones again in this context, I swear to god...). No, the parallels are just so obvious, I feel stupid for not noticing them right from the beginning. Not that I believe the author to have directly taken ideas from another work, but what are the odds? Off the cuff, I remember the following, spoiler-free similarities:

• the protagonist is named... Tomas
• crime boss Tomas is leader of a gang in a vaguely historical, industrual city
• he has an emotionally unstable brother who likes to shout
• and an aunt who helps run the business
• everyone has PTSD from The War they just returned from
• Tomas is trying to retake and expand his underground enterprise
• the barmaid in his tavern is a spy

Now, this is on no account meant as critisim of this novel, especially not when I'm such a Peaky Blinders fan myself, but I had fun figuring out and jotting down the parallels, intentional or not. I actually found it unputdownable? Grimdark is one of my favourite subgenres of fantasy, and Priest of Bones definitely has that gritty, but also accordingly pragmatic writing. I especially enjoyed the interspersed bits of supernatural elements in the otherwise sober story, and the protagonist's interesting occupation as a war priest, although that role was admittedly never fully explored.

Which brings me to the drawbacks of the book, the neglected worldbuilding being a prominent one... A worldbuilding limited to the bare essentials. I just don't think that an obviously Western European fantasy setting with silimarly obvious, offstage equivalents of Scandinavia and India can be considered innovative. And even so, there wasn't any introduction to the culture this story is built around, making the city indeed feel like plain old Birmingham, except with a little magic. Something I dislike besides, and which kept happening in this book, is the trivialization of organized crime as long as it's done by the "good criminals". Hmm.

There is also the issue of the same sentences, statements and descriptions being repeated - sometimes as catchphrases, I'm aware, but surely other times inadvertently - not only in consecutive chapters, but partly even in consecutive paragraphs. As I did not read the final novel, I hope those errors (?) have been corrected during proofreading and were not put there on purpose. It's phrasing like this that disturbs my reading flow.

All in all, I might be a little to harsh with my rating, but, taking it all in, I can think of more groundbreaking grimdarks than this one. Regardless, I was entertained by this swift read, and would definitely read the sequels if given the chance, but I also hope for more in-depth exploration of this fantasy universe as the series continues.

Let’s begin from the most important thing: I loved this book and if you are in for a grimdark reading with a great narrator and some introspection in it, well wait no more! Stop reading here and go read the book!

There are so many reasons to like this book, that I may not even cover all of them here, but let’s try and write something sensible! First thing first, I like that this is a book about what happens next, in some ways. And I think I am becoming a fan of this kind of books, like Redemption’s Blade by Adrian Tchaikovsky, I really like to see what happens after all the things we usually see in fantasy books have happened. And so we have Tomas Piety who is coming home from the war with some of his men. The reign went to war and the war now is won (even if there is no big difference between the win and the loss, it seems) so the men, the few who survived it all, can go back home. But what would expect them there?
Tomas had a criminal empire before the war (ok, a small reign of crime would be more accurate) and he’s looking forward to going back to it, and he’s taking with him the men (and a woman) who fought with him and survived till the end. But the things aren’t as they were before, and so the Piety boys (because on the way back to home Tomas meet his little brother, Jochan, who is returning home with his men, too) come back to a city who is different and all their hard work from before the war is gone. They have to retake what was theirs and it won’t be an easy work!
So this is the first thing I loved. You see what happens when the heroes come back and the war it’s ended and done. And yes, mind me, the Pietys aren’t really heroes, but they are the right men for the right job (and if you have read the book, this one would ring a bell, wouldn’t it?), they served the reign, and now all they want is to go back to their lives. But life isn’t so easy, is it now?

And then we have the narrator. I think that this is the best thing about this book! Tomas is the only narrator, and he’s writing his memories, or it seems so, with his own voice. He has a distinctive voice, he’s always him and you start to feel like you know him since forever, that you two are two old friends because his way of speaking is real and it’s characterized perfectly. He has a down to heart way of speaking, and you can really feel him tell the tale, and I know that I can’t make him justice, but trust me, the author did an amazing job with him!

And then we have the characters. They are great! We have this gang of different persons came together for the war and who now stay together because they don’t have anything else. And some of them are great: Jochan is not my favorite, really, but I liked him, sort of, and Bloody Anne, Cutter (I need to know more about him because I really like him, even if we don’t see a lot about him!), Fat Luka (even if I think that he can have some surprises for us in the next books) and Billy the Boy. This one has a ton of potentialities and I am really curious to see what would be done with him in the next books. And we have Tomas. He’s a magnificent character. He’s so complex and, at the same time, so down to heart, so relatable in a strange way, and even if he’s a criminal and a soldier and a priest, and a boss, and a lot of other things, he’s a good man at the core and we see how he really try to do good for his people. And that’s a thing that I appreciated immensely!

If I have to find something “negative” in this book, is that it’s a character-driven book, and even if this is exactly my kind of book, the plot is not the best ever. It’s not boring, and it’s also fast-paced and full of action, that’s true, but it seems like it lacks something. It’s not really a bad bad thing, because I prefer good characters over a good plot, to be honest, but if we have good characters and a good plot well… that’s just amazing, right?!
But mind me, it’s not that we have a bad plot here, or an uninteresting one, or boring or plain. Not at all! The plot is quite good, but to be a fastidious person it could have been better, and that’s why I didn’t give this book 5 solid stars.

Anyway, this book was great! And now I want the second one! Right now, please! I have great expectations from this series and I can tell you that I am already missing Tomas and his crew! And I have to confess that I have fallen in love with it right away: I read the dramatis personae and I knew that I would have loved it! It gets me hooked up from the first line, literally and kept my attention, and my heart, in a grip!

Peter McLean’s fourth novel, Priest of Bones is the first in a ‘grimdark fantasy’ series featuring crime lords, turf wars, secret police and the effects of PTSD on veteran ex-soldiers. Having survived the horrors of Abingon, Tomas Piety – once a ‘businessman’, now an army priest – returns to his home city of Ellinburg to retake his position, and his streets. What he finds there are businesses taken over in his absence, streets no longer safe for the people living in them, and a new war brewing that promises to be as dark and harrowing as the one he’s just returned from.

It’s told in the gritty first person perspective of Tomas Piety as he dispenses his own particular brand of ‘harsh justice’ and non-judgemental confession in equal measure. This is a character entirely prepared to let his swords do the talking where appropriate, and who has an instinctive understanding of how to make best use of the soldiers at his disposal, yet can also see and empathise with the damaging effects the war has had on his men. In other words he’s a complex and instantly engaging character, whose viewpoint makes for compelling reading in context of a story entirely deserving of its ‘grimdark’ moniker.

From breathtaking levels of violence and a head-on depiction of its aftermath, to some eyebrow-raisingly obscene language, it’s often brutal stuff but never feels gratuitous. It’s a dark, unpleasant setting so characters’ equally dark actions, responses and dialogue feel entirely appropriate, and make no mistake – characters are entirely at the core of the story. Tomas is the focus, but these characters and their world is enthralling from the get-go – loud, brash voices and personalities in a world painted in greys and splashes of blood. McLean slowly, carefully reveals their backstories as the plot develops, layering on depth and complexity and adding weight to the ongoing narrative.

There’s no doubt this is a grim and violent story, but it’s darkly satisfying to spend time with characters whose world is very much made up of shades of grey, to watch them do terrible things for understandable reasons, and to explore the city and its inhabitants as the stakes and complexities gradually rise. It’s a compulsively readable story that hooks you right away and keeps drawing you ever onwards, cleverly written and with a powerful, engaging tone of voice. If you like your fantasy on the dark and gritty side, light on magic and heavy on brutal, matter of fact violence, then this is an absolute must-read and promises to be the start of something very special.

This was a solid introduction to this series with good writing and an interesting premise. However, this one didn't work for me personally. I wasn't invested in the characters or story, which meant that it dragged a little in places. This is very much the case of it's not you, it's me. If you enjoy grimdark fantasy then I think this is worth checking out.

https://lynns-books.com/2018/10/08/trail-of-lightning-the-sixth-world-1-by-rebecca-roanhorse/
4.5 of 5 stars
Priest of Bones. Where to begin. Well, I think saying that I had a really good time reading this book is probably the best sort of opener for any review. I won’t use the word fun because any story set in a grim and brutal world, where ruthless crime lords are battling for turf really can’t be described in such terms. So, not fun, but definitely entertaining and, with perfect pacing, a gripping read.

Already there are many comparisons out there for Priest of Bones – most commonly likening this to the Godfather – and to be honest definitely hold that in your mind if you’re going to pick this up but also keep in mind that this is set in a different world and time where swords and axes are the weapons of choice. I enjoyed this change of tack to be honest. This isn’t about a dark overlord trying to kill all humans and take over the world, it’s not about huge sweeping battles. This story brings the fighting to a street level and gives us protagonists that are more goodfella than knightly fellows.

So, as the story begins we make the introduction of one Tomas Piety. Returning from war with his ragtag band of soldiers and his Lieutenant Bloody Anne, Tomas hopes to keep his soldiers on as Pious men. Before Tomas was conscripted he was the head of the Pious Men, just one of the underworld gangs that run the streets of Ellinburg. Of course, Tomas has been away for some time, as have most of the crime lords that were once in charge of the streets, and things have changed, not least of all the businesses once owned by Tomas having been take over by others. Tomas is going to have to take swift and bloody action to reclaim what was once his. Of course, not everything is what it seems. Tomas may have lost his business interests but the other rival gangs are not at the heart of the takeover. It seems that the streets of Ellinburg are being slowly infiltrated by newcomers who have a secret agenda, one that involves Tomas being forced to undertake work on behalf of the Queen’s Men. Working for the Queen’s Men is tantamount to being a turncoat, if anybody finds out Tomas will be hung out to dry without any questions being asked. As you can imagine, between trying to reclaim his businesses, keeping his crew in order and spying for the Queen’s Men Tomas really is sitting pretty between a rock and a hard place.

With a couple of minor reservations I really enjoyed this one. I would plainly state that this is a book that doesn’t flinch away from the blood and guts or from the brutal scenes. It’s not pretty and it certainly isn’t Middle Earth(ish) so you might want to consider that before embarking on Tomas’s story. If you’ve read McLean’s Burned Man series you’ll be aware that his writing can be quite to the point, he doesn’t shy away from curse words or harshness. For the record I’m not trying to paint this as overly grimdark because I didn’t find this as gut churning as some books that I’ve read in the not too distant past. But, war is cruel and gangsters and crime lords are not renowned for their sweet and cuddly natures.

In terms of the characters. Tomas is our pov character but he quite generously shares information about the other characters in his crew. I enjoyed the way the back stories unfolded as part of the narrative and also with a degree of expectation that you would realise or understand the implied nature of things and reach the appropriate conclusion. There are no info dumps here rather the inclusion of material as and when necessary that helps to build things in a steady but unobtrusive fashion. Tomas is not necessarily a lovable character, he’s a gangster and a gang boss to boot. In his favour however he won’t put up with certain behaviour. He doesn’t condone drugs or rape and although he ‘taxes’ the people of Ellinburg he also wants to keep the place running smoothly and keep people fed and employed. Regardless of his criminal proclivities you could say he cares. He’s no Robin Hood but at the same time he’s not totally wicked or bereft of feeling. I wouldn’t say that I’ve totally warmed to him just yet and he’s not become a lovable rogue but I would say that he has a feeling of ‘better the devil you know’ and like moss, that will grow whether you want it to or not, I think he’s started to grow on me. I’m not going to give a breakdown of the other characters but I will give a shout out to the young boy called Billy – he fascinates me. I want more of his character without a doubt. I will even say please. Pretty please sir, I want some more.

The setting could in fact be almost out of a Dicken’s novel. It’s got that seedy dark underworld feel that some of Dicken’s stories had. The streets feel ramshackle and grubby, people live in extreme poverty and there is a definite feeling of patience wearing thin. I wouldn’t say that the world building is really strong here but I don’t mean that negatively. I had enough to have a feel for the place and I think there’s plenty of room for growth in future books – I’m assuming there are more due but I’m not sure how many at this point

In terms of criticisms I don’t have anything significant. I felt that at the start of the book Tomas repeated himself a little when he was talking about members of his crew – particularly in terms of their loyalty (or not). It’s only a small thing and whilst it didn’t really bother me I was aware of it which in turn made me wonder if it was foreshadowing of things yet to come. I also haven’t really become strongly attached to the characters. They haven’t quite jumped off the page for me just yet but I do like Billy, well, I find him very intriguing, and Tomas is also starting to starting to grow on me as I mentioned above.

Overall, I found Priest of Bones a strong, entertaining read. In a nutshell and simply put – I enjoyed it. The plot develops really well, there’s a sense of ever growing threat and the pacing is absolutely spot on. I cannot fault the writing or the way that I was hooked to the page waiting to see what would happen next. I very much look forward to the next book.

I would just say a quick word about potential triggers, this book is definitely not a YA read and contains violence and language.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

👏 absolutely fantastic! Can’t wait for the book 2. This is a gorgeous new entry into low-magic grimdark genre!

5 ⭐️ all the way

This was an excellent read. I couldn't put it down.

I loved Tomas. I loved his simple way of telling his story. I don't usually love first person, but the writing of this one was such that it sucked you into the story. I was completely immersed the entire time.

The characters were well written. I enjoyed getting to know them through Tomas' eyes as he listened to their confessions in his role as priest.

I keep writing things and deleting them as I don't feel that it does the book justice or that I can accurately portray Tomas without giving away spoilers. Suffice to say, that this book is well worth the time, and I am already desperate to see what happens next.

A special thank you to the publisher for emailing me the book, as it was archived before I had a chance to download it. I'm so very happy you did.

Just get it. Get it and read this book. Wow.

I think they call this grimdark or dark fantasy... fantasy/noir... Well, whatever it is called, you should get and read this book. A mob fantasy set in the aftermath of a war, the soldiers who lived have now returned home... and it's gonna get messy. In this case Tomas Piety used to be a mob boss, he once controlled the Stink. He's survived the war, has come home and he wants his streets back.

This is the best of mob crime, the best of dark fantasy, the best kind of story. There is a taste of magic, overwhelming buckets of blood filling the streets and the impossibility of family values (both the kind you have to accept and they kind you make). Every character is gritty and real, well fleshed out and inventive. The streets of Ellinburg take on a life of their own. The city is its own character from the Stink to the Wheels to the "high society" of Ellinburg. War might be over, but in the streets of Ellinburg its only just beginning. Clashes between mobs, the cops and unknown invaders from another shore make this is a gritty tale of murder, family and revenge. I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait for the next installment. A terrific read.

The war is far from over.

If you loved The Godfather you will love this book.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review



3.5 stars



I really wanted to like this one more than I did - especially since I got the impression that this will be a series that flourishes as it grows. Part of the problem is me. I love subplots - if an author can manage it, the more supporting subplots that come together cleverly to support a satisfying ending the better. This is a very linear story. That in itself might not have been a deal breaker but I felt only the most transient of connections with the main character.



Thomas Piety - gang leader of the Pious men in Elleron - is returning from three years of brutal and bloody war, to which he, his brother and many others were conscripted. He returns home to find that all of his businesses have been taken by rivals. The story goes on to tell how he, his band of retainers he picked up from the war, his brother and his aunt, go about taking back his territory. There's some mild altercation with another gang (I say mild because it really is the most direct type of conflict - I guess when all you've got is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail?) and a further complication in appearance of a 'Queen's Man' who is blackmailing/ using Thomas to accomplish an undisclosed agenda.



There is a lot to like in this book. For one thing, it's one of the most female friendly Grimdark novels I've ever read. Bloody Anne, a perpetually grumpy lesbian who's a mean hand with a blade, is Thomas' second. Unusual in a book that's clearly designed predominantly for a male audience. Rape is not only not a given, but is actively opposed by Thomas himself - to the point where he kills one of his own men over it in the first act. Ditto woman beating (unless obviously they're trying to kill you - he protects the weak is what I'm getting at.) There is middle aged and fat (not shaming, reclaiming) Aunt Elaid - a veteran of a previous war, a ferocious harridan with a missing eye and a war wounded leg that has never recovered. Said Aunt picks out a much younger 'toy boy' from amongst the Pious Men. The...I'll tentatively call her the love interest, Ailsa, is also an older woman (40 -45) and is considered no less competent or desirable because of it. And there's Rosie, not your average prostitute with a heart of gold but someone clearly cleverer and more competent than many of rank and file of the Pious Men despite her 'bottom bitch' status.



And actually I really like the idea of this book; it's as if Mark Lawrence woke up one day and thought 'I think I'll write Peaky Blinders MY way', and took a brief detour through The Gentlemen Bastard series before sitting down with a pot of tar black coffee and his laptop. I quite like the 'gangs in fantasy and grimdark' trope that's happening right now.



Also, either the author cares about presenting diverse representation in fiction or has listened to enough readers saying they want it. The characters are from various ethnic backgrounds and classes. While Bloody Anne is the only on screen representation of the LGBTQ+ community, she is an excellent character and other characters are mentioned as being queer. Plus her character development and her backstory stop her ever being token in any way. It's clear that none of the Pious Men have come back from the war quite right. I like the fact that the McLean has portrayed what is essentially PTSD differently in different characters. Nor does he mention it once to create tension and then forget about it until it's required for more convenient conflict. It's threaded through everything the characters do and it really works. In fact the undertone of the ravages of war on everyone is deftly handled.



So why didn't I like it as much as I should have done? Aside from being too linear for my taste, it was a bit ploddy pace wise. I never really felt that anyone was in jeopardy. Obviously you can go too far the other way and I get just as annoyed when characters aren't given a significant win, but I never thought for a moment that the Pious Men wouldn't win every single encounter. And then Thomas himself loses agency as the book goes on. He's being directed by a Queen's Man but it gets to the point where it doesn't feel like he's having much say in events. I kept expecting him to do something really clever and it never happened. The rest was personal taste. I have been spoiled by Abercrombie and Lawrence with witty and close to the knuckle prose and sparkling dialogue. I just didn't get that here. There was a lot of repetition too - notably 'I can't let that pass'. It wasn't enough of a witty sound bite to be included so much and it wasn't invisible enough a phrase to be used as much as it was, IMO.



Final verdict: it was solid read. I'd love to read the next book because certain things - Billy the Boy's backstory, Sir Eland's back story etc - have been kept back and I do want to know what happens next. I also suspect the next book will be even better. This one didn't quite gel with me.

t’s a dangerous thing, to choose the lesser of two evils.

The war is over, and army priest Tomas Piety finally heads home with Lieutenant Bloody Anne at his side. When he arrives in the Stink, Tomas finds that his empire of crime has been stolen from him while at war. With his gang of Pious Men, Tomas will do whatever it takes to reclaim his businesses. But when he finds himself dragged into a web of political intrigue once again, and is forced to work in secret for the sinister Queen’s Men, everything gets more complicated.

When loyalties stretch to the breaking point and violence only leads to violence, when people have run out of food, and hope, and places to hide, do not be surprised if they have also run out of mercy. As the Pious Men fight shadowy foreign infiltrators in the backstreet taverns and gambling dens of Tomas’ old life it becomes clear; the war is not over.

It is only just beginning.

What with the main character of this book being a priest, I figure I should probably begin with a confession. I’ve been binge watching the first three seasons on Peaky Blinders while on holiday. Along with that, I’ve also been reading Priest of Bones by Peter McLean. It turns out, the tv show and book are ideal partners.

Being a soldier in a war is going to leave a mark on anyone. Tomas Piety has returned home a changed man. He has had his fill of blood and violence. The only problem is the city where he lives is corrupt to the core. Ellinburgh, Old Reekie to the locals, is run by gangs and before he left for the war, Tomas was one of the biggest bosses. His gang, the Pious Men, controlled an area called The Stink with ruthless efficiency. Now, Tomas and his men are back, and much as he might wish to walk away from it, his old life is calling. Tomas is going to take back what once was his and if he needs to kill to do that, then so be it. Tomas Piety is a character of contrasts. On one hand you have the world-weary soldier, looking for nothing but a quiet life. On the other hand, he is also Tomas Piety, leader of the Pious Men, driven by the morally ambiguous code of the criminal classes. There is a constant battle going on within the man. How can he ever hope to be all things to all people? This inner turmoil makes for a fascinating protagonist.

Piety’s second in command is the aptly named Bloody Anne. As seasoned a soldier as her commander, she is tough as nails and more than a match for anyone. Once again, the author does a great job creating a multi layered character whose depths you only discover the further you read. There is no doubt that Anne is a loyal and tenacious warrior, but in her own way, she is just as damaged as everyone else.

The final standout character is Tomas’ brother, Jochan. In less skilled hands, Jochan could have easily become a caricature of a war veteran turned gang member. Instead, his character is also fully realised. He is far more than just a simple soldier. There is a history that has shaped Jochan’s attitudes. Those of you who are fans of Peaky Blinders may spot passing similarities between this book and the tv show, and I think it is fair to say that the Piety family and the Shelbys are cut from the same cloth. Jochan Piety and Arthur Shelby are certainly two peas from the same pod. I can see them sharing a beer or twelve in The Tanners Arms or The Garrison and getting on like a house on fire… or possibly trying to kill one another. The jury is still out to be honest. Neither man would admit to it, but both have been hopelessly traumatised by war. They are driven by pure rage and animal instinct. Violence and alcohol are the only fuel that allows either man to function. Where Priest of Bones excels over its televisual cousin is that we get far more insight with McLean’s characters. Their motivations and reactions are easier to appreciate due to the novel’s taut narrative. I guess that’s one area where books will always have the edge over tv.

The rest of the Pious Men are just as low born as their leaders, even if some might try to pretend otherwise. They come from the dirt and they all know they are likely destined to end up back there. Piety and co are proud of where they come from. You also pick up on that brotherhood and sense of easy camaraderie that only exists between people who have suffered and survived together.

I’ve always been a fan of the idea that a city has multiple faces. The thin veneer of civility and society is what we see in the daytime, but at night when there are dark deeds to be done the city shows us its other face. The Pious men exist in a world of rough gambling dens, rough pubs and even rougher brothels. In a certain light there is a delightfully grimy feeling to Ellinburgh, a brutal unashamed honesty to the streets. Excuse me as I get all misty eyed, reminds me of my hometown on a Saturday night.

I’ll admit to already being a big fan of Peter McLean’s previous novels. I’m reviewed them all on this very website. They are great, urban fantasy-flavoured fun but Priest of Bones feels like next level stuff. This novel marks a writer coming of age. I loved it all, it’s damned near perfect. McLean deftly explores the nature of war, loyalty, revenge and redemption, whilst crafting a truly engaging tale. Action, introspection, wicked sharp blades and copious amounts of cheap brandy are the order of the day. It turns out down and dirty crime novels with a razor-sharp fantastical edge are my new favourite thing.

Priest of Bones, the first book in The War for the Rose Throne, is published by Jo Fletcher Books and is available now. Priest of Lies is set to follow. I’ll be reading it as soon as I can get my grubby little mitts on a copy of it. Highly recommended.