Book of the Ancestor Series by Mark Lawrence Review
Red Sister by Mark Lawrence
Published April 4th 2017 by Ace
Hardcover, 469 pages
At the Convent of Sweet Mercy young girls are raised to be killers. In a few the old bloods show, gifting talents rarely seen since the tribes beached their ships on Abeth. Sweet Mercy hones its novices’ skills to deadly effect: it takes ten years to educate a Red Sister in the ways of blade and fist.But even the mistresses of sword and shadow don’t truly understand what they have purchased when Nona Grey is brought to their halls as a bloodstained child of eight, falsely accused of murder: guilty of worse.
Grey Sister by Mark Lawrence
Published April 3rd 2018 by Ace Books
Hardcover, 415 pages
In Mystic Class Nona Grey begins to learn the secrets of the universe. But so often, knowing the truth just makes 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, entailing a life of prayer and service.
Holy Sister by Mark Lawrence
Published April 9th 2019 by Berkley
Hardcover, 353 pages
The ice is advancing, the Corridor narrowing, and the empire is under siege from the Scithrowl in the east and the Durns in the west. Everywhere, the emperor’s armies are in retreat. Nona faces the final challenges that must be overcome if she is to become a full sister in the order of her choice. But it seems unlikely that Nona and her friends will have time to earn a nun’s habit before war is on their doorstep.
Book of the Ancestor Series Review
Mark Lawrence’s Book of the Ancestor trilogy features an exciting world to escape to blending elements of fantasy and science fiction and follows the story of a young girl who enters a convent of assassin nuns where religion, combat, and magic are taught.
The premise of these books completely captured my attention and I couldn’t wait to devour this series where the cast of characters are warrior nuns.
Book One: Red Sister
The main character, Nona Grey, begins the trilogy in Red Sister as a fierce, young, nine-year-old falsely accused of murder, who finds herself saved from the gallows by Abbess Glass and adopted as a novice into the Convent of Sweet Mercy.
Mark Lawrence creates female characters with a depth and integrity that I haven’t come across before.
Nona’s story is exceptionally well written and Lawrence writes her emotional and physical journey, unlike few heroines. Each character is nuanced, multifaceted, and life-like. Their hopes and desires, fears and weaknesses are all brilliantly portrayed.
I never imagined nuns could be so fierce, devoted to their religious beliefs while balancing it out with a warrior’s way.
“IT IS IMPORTANT, when killing a nun, to ensure that you bring an army of sufficient size. For Sister Thorn of the Sweet Mercy Convent Lano Tacsis brought two hundred men.”
The first book introduces readers not only to a cast of fascinating characters but an exciting fantasy world with touches of sci-fi.
In a world whose sun is slowly dying and a “moon” which is the only thing keeping a strip of land along its equator from freezing, Lawrence slowly reveals a planet that has been visited by an ancient race of others. Questions arise about these visitors and the secret shiphearts they brought with them.
The four original tribes that came to Abeth are the Gerant who grow very large, the Hunska who move with great speed, the Marjal who can shadow weave, and the Quantal who can access the raw power of the Path and manipulate threads that create reality.
The world of Abeth has a long history and Lawrence tantalizes readers throughout the series with clues of its people’s origins.
Lawrence leaves clues and hints about these visitors to Abeth whose blood even now shows up in the current population bestowing unique powers. Clues that play a pivotal part in the series.
This is Nona Grey’s world, and her story in Red Sister opens readers to an icy world dying and the fierce warrior nuns who train young girls to harness their unique abilities; where religion, magic and dagger are equal.
Betrayal and loss follow in Nona’s footsteps while a cunning villain infiltrates Sweet Mercy, setting off a rippled effect that will have dire consequences throughout the series.
Book Two: Grey Sister
The second book in the Book of the Ancestor series, Grey Sister, continues Nona’s journey. The story has a strong focus on Nona and her fellow novices continuing their education at Sweet Mercy.
Grey Sister emphasizes the training of espionage, stealth, and potion work known as a Sister of Discretion.
Each sister has a specialty that she teaches and as in Red Sister, we saw the beginnings of these teachings. Now in Grey Sister, readers are treated to darker work of poisons, shadow weaving, and path work. Tests, betrayals, and quests are all to be had.
“Those novices are my friends and I would die for them. I would face a terror for them that I haven’t the courage to stand against on my own behalf.”
Grey Sister also lets readers see an even bigger look into the maneuverings of Abbess Glass and just how far her reach in the empire is with her added perspective.
She is really a brilliant tactician and is one of my favorite characters. Her mind is like a constantly moving chessboard, each piece carefully strategized.
This becomes increasingly evident as a new enemy, the Inquisition, arrives at Sweet Mercy threatening all and looking for heresy among its sisters and novices.
“In any game of bets and forfeit the bluff was always of more importance than whatever might be written in the cards held tight against your chest.”
A good portion of the story also involves Nona and her friends exploring the caves underneath the convent.
Like an archaeologist, they are trying to sift through clues about the mysterious shiphearts and their powers as well as the mysterious Ark rumored to be under the emperor’s palace.
“She had lost a shadow, lost two friends, and gained a devil.”
The Corridors are closing in and war is brewing on all fronts. The world beyond Sweet Mercy is falling and Nona and her friends will face enemies within their ranks and those beyond.
I don’t want to go into more detail as the reveals and discoveries continue including a mysterious group of people called the Missing and devilish creatures found in the ice are introduced in greater detail.
Book Three: Holy Sister
Holy Sister is the third and final, epic volume in the Book of Ancestor series. Emotional, twisty, political, action-filled, reveals, mounting-danger, friendship, betrayal, the question of the use of power in its many forms, religious thoughtfulness, and one young girl’s journey who came from the gallows only to rise up into something spectacular—make this series, and this concluding volume one of my favorite coming-of-age stories.
“But that was never the heart of Sweet Mercy. The shipheart wasn’t the foundation of the convent. It was always the faith. Always the notion that all men and women are our brothers and our sisters. And that faith doesn’t end with borders. It doesn’t care about heresies used to divide us, or whether you speak your prayers to a white star, or to the fields and forests and stones.”
Told from two timelines, both from Nona’s perspective, Lawrence builds tension steadily to a crescendo, weaving present and past timelines for an epic finale.
The theme of friendship is carried on throughout this series, and with this being the concluding book, there are many moments of emotional ups and downs.
Lawrence writes Nona’s story like any true hero, with all the heartbreak and wonder she experiences throughout her journey. We see the effects of friendships and relationships among the sisters and Nona, and we feel each as well.
The world of Abeth and its history, the Missing, and the shiphearts and Arks all play a great part in the Book of Ancestor’s ending.
As the empire is threatened by the Scithrowl in the east and the Durns in the west, war is coming to Sweet Mercy’s steps. How the shiphearts, Arks, and the Missing are players in this battle is cleverly revealed by Lawrence, and once again Nona and her fellow sister will be challenged like never before.
An amazing series with strong female characterization is featured in a dying world of ice and fantasy and sci-fi elements are combined for an epic read. The ending is perfect with revelations and plot twists. Highly recommended.
