The Martyr, second book in The Covenant of Steel trilogy, is fantastic! The actions of battles and personal confrontations along with the intrigues of the religious sects and royal court make for a exciting, fast paced story. While swept along with the anointed lady's crusade, Alwyn learns the origins of The Book and is told a truth he tries to deny.

The Martyr is the second book in the Covenant of Steel trilogy and as the first one The Pariah, it is full of action, intrigue and magic.
The book picks up where book one ended and Alwayn Scribe is still at Lady Evadine's side as her advisor and protector.

I found the first half of the book to be a little slow for me but then it picked up and it was really good.
Anthony Ryan knows how to write good characters and good battle scenes. The Martyr is medium -paced , adventurous, dark and tense.

I will defiitely be reading book three The Traitor to find out how Alwyn's story continues.

4.5 stars!

Absolutely fantastic!

I enjoyed this sequel more than its predecessor. This book/ series has one of the best religious/political intrigue that I have read in SFF. This book in particular has a very compelling religious fanaticsm plot which is so very complex in its mechanisms but feels so grounded in reality.

There's a number of siege/action sequences in the book which was done so well. Add to it, fantastic characters with morally grey intentions and some obscure magic, and you have got a book which is almost unputdownable.

Can't wait to read The Traitor and see how everything wraps up!

This was a satisfying and brutal sequel to The Pariah, although I will say that I didn't enjoy it as much as the first book. This is just down to personal preference however, and not the plot or writing. This second book is very battle heavy, with a vast portion given over to the fighting of a war. Whilst this is very visceral, I preferred the sections that dealt with the political aftermath. I also really appreciated the expansion of the world of the Caerith and continue to find their people utterly intriguing. The character development of Alwyn was fascinating and the introduction of some new characters was well received too. Overall, this was an enjoyable read and definitely has me hankering for the third installment.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Sometimes you start the second book in a series and think there is no way it could be more dramatic, more captivating, more adrenaline pumping than the first book...and then along comes the Martyr.

The Covenant might be of steel, but with Anthony Ryan you know it will be pay for with blood.

As we once again follow Alwyn, the Scribe, as he journeys to help Evadine, the Risen Martyr, Ryan thrust us back into this war torn world and the deadly politics that occupy it.
Ryan builds the tension throughout this book excellently, as the deadly schemes are teased apart by Alwyn, perhaps too little to late at times, as the King sends Evadine to put down a rebellion in a suicide mission.
The characters are all so wonderfully fleshed out in their personalities and their flaws that they feel fully realised and 3 dimensional. It doesn't matter if they are the hero or the villain, a minor or a major player, Ryan paints every face with the skill of an artist.

The worldbuilding is so realistic and intense that you could almost believe that any of these medieval locations are real world places, not those of a fantasy realm. The dirt of the country villages, the high, weathered stone of the castle keeps, everything transforms this book out of the commonplace and into a plane of the purest of imagination.
This worldbuilding is harsh at times though, Ryan's great skill, aside from characters, is his ability to make a battle come alive and grab you from the page. The seiges in this book and the battles that are fought, well they might as well have come from the clearest, most jaw-dropping accounts of any major middle-ages historian. We see the military genius of Alwyn in his campaigning, but, he is still able to be outsmarted. People can outstep him and trick him, and this is just a way Ryan ensures that his character is real! To err is to human!

If you're a fan of Machiavellion subterfuge, of grim and gritty battles in a truly excellently written historical fantasy setting, and of twisting of magic and religious mystery...well then this book is so much for you it's unbelievable.

The Martyr is the next instalment in Anthony Ryan’s epic Covenant of Steel trilogy and if you loved The Pariah the brilliance continues.

This book carries on from where The Pariah left us, Alwyn Scribe is still in the service of Lady Evandine and more important to her than ever. Evandine’s cult like following now as the Risen Martyr makes her a threat to King Tomas and such her and her company are sent to quash a brewing rebellion in Alundia, with limited resources, a crumbling forte for protection, effectively a suicide mission. What follows is huge battles, sieges, mor history of Caerith magic, new characters and the ever brewing threat of Evandine’s power.
Pacing on this book won’t be for everyone, the battle scenes take up a significant chunk of the book and I’m not complaining because they’re written so brilliantly, real (genius) thought has gone into strategy, weapons, etc and you feel it all, it’s bloody, it’s menacing and it’s clever - and when you recover from Alwyn and crew defending their lives, you have a seige!! The issue, for me, was the Caerith magic sections which really changed the pace, which would be fine but it’s such a switch in adrenaline and, like the battle, does go on for a long time, perhaps too long! While this book has magic elements, my brain files it more as historical than fantasy, maybe that’s on me but the focus on magic didn’t quite do it for me.
Evandine does not know she was saved by the Sack Witch (who we learn more about) and as such now views herself (as do her followers) as the Risen Martyr. As the book goes on, you can see that belief start to consume Evandine and witness the threat of the unwavering obsession in her followers. But Alwyn too falls more under her spell.

Alwyn is still an interesting character with complex morals and a brilliant mind. I do really like Evandine too, you can sense the dark direction of her character, and ultimately she will find out the true over her her miraculous recovery, but I’m also a sucker for a woman in armour riding out to face an army set to kill her. She’s a badass and to be honest I’d probably swear my life to her too.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review. While the size of these books can look daunting, they’re actually incredibly easy to get into, with great and complex characters, clever well thought out plots and developments, graphic, epic battles and I can’t wait for more.

Book two of the Covenant of Steel series starts off right where The Pariah left off. Alwyn feels more fleshed out in who he is becoming after the events in The Pariah and is now a soldier for the risen Martyr, Evadine. The initial part of the book is quite slow but not without fantastic world building and visceral battle scenes. This doesn’t have the middle book filler syndrome at all and is brilliant to the end. It reminded me of the writing of the The Name of the Wind with its plentiful mystery … but with battles. Looking forward to finishing this trilogy.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read in advance in exchange for an honest review.

As expected with Anthony Ryan! A great sequel and addition to the series! ryan's writing style and storytelling are good!

Received arc from Little Brown Book Group UK and Netgalley for honest read and review,this is my review only.
I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in the series. The Pariah, and I dove into this one expecting the same. I just didn't find it as good as the first, don't know if it is the calm before the storm, but I felt it missed something.
I hope that the third book grabs me and pulls me in,hopefully to a conclusion.

Thanks to Orbit Books and NetGalley for ARC copy.

A slow burner, further broadening a world where different peoples, Church and states vie for power and influence, all with an undercurrent of magic and deeper intrigue.

Our reluctant hero Alwyn Scribe continues to demonstrate his astute strategic thinking, forensic understanding of truth and weakness, and rye acceptance of his own failings. He has thrown in his lot with the Risen Martyr Evadine Courlain, and becomes increasingly vital to her future success.

Events unfold unhurriedly, with political plots and subterfuge given space to breathe. Alwyn remains a fascinating but frustrating character with further hints provided as to his fateful importance. His facility for plotting is supplemented with swordplay and languages, and as the narrator his sense of jeopardy is therefore diminished.

The culture of the Caerith is described more fully in this novel, and the plot is woven forward and backwards in time with intimations regarding Alwyn’s destiny, alongside a future ‘scourge.’

The time taken to provide heft and weave to Alwyn’s life and world reminds me of elements of Tad Williams’s Shadowmarch, with the outbreaks of violence and magic mindful of Joe Abercrombie.

Overall the book is a compelling addition to the series, but more as way of a long-winded appetiser to a richer meal

2.5 stars

The Martyr is the sequel to The Pariah and whilst I really enjoyed book 1 I was left a little disappointed by this one. We continue to follow Alwyn the Scribe on his adventures as he and the risen Martyr Evadine get sent by the King to pursue peace across the kingdom and ensure the loyalty of the dukes.

I think the main reason I didn't enjoy this book as much as book 1 was Alwyn as a character. In book 1 he had such a cheeky, charming, loveable vibe but in this book he literally just felt like generic fantasy dude bro no78. I'm not sure if it is because he is older in this book but he just seemed a completely different character from book 1.

I also felt like 90% of this book was battles about things I didn't really care about. My favourite bit was when Alwyn ends up in the care of the Caelish people and befriends a young warrior called Lilat but this was quite a minor part of the book. Other than that dynamic there wasn't really any relationship between two characters in the book that I really cared about - even Alwyn and Evadine's interactions felt so surface level. (Also I missed Toria :'( )

I also felt like book 1 had a lot of interesting themes around religion, religious fervour and fanaticism but this book didn't really add anything new or interesting to those themes despite there being so much potential. It was sacrificed in place of battle scenes and action, which if that is your preference you will probably really like this book however I much prefer interesting philosophical and religious themes to action.

I will say Anthony Ryan's prose is excellent and that is probably what compelled me to keep reading rather than just DNF'ing. It is very relaxing to read (even when bad things are happening) and the story and text flow nicely - even if I wasn't all that interested in what was happening.

Rating: 3.5 stars

This is shaping up to be a very solid fantasy series.

That being said, if you’re not interested in reading about the politics of religious institutions, or about siege warfare, then you might be a little bored in sections of this book. It’s definitely a bit of a slow-burn (like the first book in the series) and parts of the book definitely drag a little.

However, Alwyn is an engaging narrator, and the ending of the book definitely left me looking forward to the third book in this series!

The Martyr is the second book in Anthony Ryan’s Covenant of Steel trilogy and picks straight up from where its predecessor ended. Thankfully, the author includes a detailed recap of book 1, so there’s no need to re-read that first to refresh your memory.

All in all a highly enjoyable read, but I do have a few minor quibbles. The pacing is somewhat uneven – the first 50 of the book centres around a single siege/battle and the plot only really moves forward from that point onwards. There are also a *lot* of battle scenes in the book which perhaps will not be to the taste of all. They’re consistently well-written though and, indeed, the quality of Anthony Ryan’s writing is superb throughout. Alwyn Scribe remains a compelling central character and I’m intrigued at the direction in which Anthony Ryan takes him here. Roll on book three.

If you liked The Pariah, you’ll adore this. Recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publishers, Orbit Books, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First off, there's no need to reread the first book. The author has included a very detailed summary in the form of a letter written by someone who is reporting on Alwyn's autobiography, which I thought was very clever.

Just like the first book, this really worked for me. This is mostly because Alwyn is a very compelling character, and we've been getting hints that there is so much more to him than we initially think. I was really hoping to find out more in the second installment, and it did not disappoint. Where The Martyr has Alwyn moving through different settings and companions, this book has him mostly by Evadine's side. This also means that a lot of this book has to do with war, battles, and sieges. I personally thought it was a bit too much. By the time I was 50% in, not much else had happened, and it was starting to get tedious. Fortunately, the author did switch it up in the second half, which was a lot more interesting to me, and really makes me eager for the last book. I love the direction it ended up taking and can't wait to see how the story ends.

This one of the best fantasy series of these years and this book is even better than the The Pariah.
There's a lot of action, battles, but also politic and the game of the powerful.
Great world building and storytelling, the character development is brilliant and i'm wondering about their character arc.
I loved it and thoroughly enjoyed this story.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The second book in the author’s new trilogy (?). The first book established Alwyn Scribe as a character, ex outlaw, with a passion for history, who becomes part of a religious army The Covenant Company, being led by the charismatic and serene Evadine.
Now, in the second book, Alywn is a trusted advisor although the reader is never quite sure where his loyalties lie and what his true agenda is. The company is being used in a political and religious war and there are questions about which is the true faith and what Alwyn’s role might be.
Anthony Ryan is an author of some great books, this is a diversion from his norm. He is a kind of successor to the late and great David Gemmell, but this is not about iconic heroic types it is about the strength/stupidity of faith. Yep, plenty of meaty battles and interesting characters (plenty of interesting females ones interestingly) but the challenge here for readers is to understand agendas and the direction of travel.
Maybe not quite up to the standards of previous books but the author always produces interesting and engaging fantasy.

Once again we follow Alwyn – known as ‘The Scribe’ through a war torn kingdom. No longer an illiterate bandit, he’s fighting for and with Evadine, a beautiful woman who claims to be a ‘Risen Martyr’.

Due to events that transpired in the previous book, Alwyn doesn’t believe this claim, but is bound to Evadine nonetheless.

And so, with the newly empowered Evadine at his side, Alwyn tries his best to protect her from those who would use her popularity and Martyr status – and those who would kill her for it.

I won’t give any more of the plot away.

What I want to talk about is the writing – this is a masterpiece in how to build tension. We have several battles in the book, but it’s the words between them that build the story. Subtle changes to status, new lessons and new realisations heighten everything.

We see the story through Alwyn’s point of view, but he’s so bound by Evadine that he does things for her he knows he shouldn’t. And as he helps her, his own star grows. Kings and traitors alike notice Alwyn. His gift for detecting lies makes him an invaluable asset – and that also makes for an interesting part of the story. Power struggles are within as well as without.

In terms of setting – this feels like a real mix of Joan of Arc, Robin Hood and a period of British history known as ‘The Anarchy’ – alongside a Black Plague like ‘Second Scourge’ that is on the way. The set up for book 3 is incredible – and I’m really excited to see where the story goes.

There are many new characters to meet. My favourites were Lilat and Lord Roulgarth – and this is something else that Anthony Ryan excels at. Characterisation. He can very quickly draw a character that is both believable and intriguing. So much so that characters from The Pariah (who don’t appear in The Martyr) are still vivid in my mind.

I found myself thinking of this book often. Alwyn’s voice is very close. We know every thought. Every hidden desire. Every lie.

The ending was quite the cliffhanger too.

I don’t know how I’m going to wait for book 3 to be released.

Martyr by Anthony Ryan
The Martyr is the second book in Anthony Ryan’s brilliant Covenant of Steel series. It is told in the first person, which gives an immersive reading experience. The story is narrated by Alwyn Scribe as he rises up from an outlaw in book one The Pariah. In Martyr, Alwyn is now a spymaster and the sworn protector of Lady Evadine Courlain. Lady Evadine, whose visions of a demonic apocalypse have earned her the fanatical devotion of the faithful. Yet times have changed and Evadine's growing fame puts her at odds with both Crown and Covenant. Alwyn is sent to Alundia to put down a rebellion, Alwyn relies on his old outlaw instincts to fight for his cause. In a world where religion and politics are constantly at war with each other.

The story is riveting and flows from start to finish, maintaining a steady pace. The writing is well balanced and exciting, and the characters emerge in all their complexity. The narrative is wholly absorbing and although this is a long novel, it is so immersive the pages just fly by! The world-building is fantastic and what you would expect from Ryan based on his previous fantasy stories. Alwyn's flaws are many and Ryan doesn't shy away from exposing us to his flaws, yet for all Alwyn's moral shades of grey, he is such a likeable character. There is also a huge cast of secondary characters that are engaging and help to move the story along.

The Martyr is dark, brutal, entertaining, and a fantastic reading experience. The set-up for the final book is going to be explosive, I can't wait! I would like to thank both NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me with a free e-book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

It has been a while since I read the first book; I couldn't remember much of book 1. Luckily there is a handy refresher at the start of the book.
Our hero, Alywn, awakens just after the end of book one. The story continues without a break, though I can't say the same for Alywns injuries. Fighting a Knight has changed Alywn; pain from the battle haunts his journeys. In some ways, Alywn is a darker anti-hero than before.

The fallout and consequences of book one determine the path of book 2. The royal family plot Lady Evadine's destruction. Covenant company travels to the Duchy of Alundia, ordered on a suicide mission. The Royals mean to get rid of the company, their deaths justifying a war. What follows during the first half of the book is siege warfare. Excellent writing and vivid battles captivated and enchanted me. I'll stop there to avoid spoilers.

Book two is different. I think many of us love his first books because of the hero's journey. In the Pariah, we saw Alywns journey. A child grows from humble origins into a warrior. There was constant growth.

Much like the empire strikes back, Book 2 has a different purpose, growing the world and seeding the story with roots of new plots. Although I like the book, the first half has little character growth. It's mainly an extended battle sequence. Great for me since I enjoy action sequences. I like the Martyr. It's as good as book 1, and I'm looking forwards to the final part of the trilogy. Recommended and worth buying.

My thanks to the Author publisher's and NetGalley for providing me with a Kindle version of this book to read and honestly review.
Master at work.
Asolute quality entertainment, the writing is everything you have come to expect from this brilliant Author. Atmospheric clever descriptive imaginative intelligent totally engaging from first to last page. Terrific action scenes with palpable tension that makes the reader feel part of the plot. Brilliant characters throughout how does he keep track of them all. This is the second book of this superb series, but includes a brief catch up at the start, but would work as a standalone story anyway, and the ending suggests there is more of Alwyn the Scribe to come I for one would certainly hope so, the sooner the better.
Completely and totally recommended.