The Martyr

• Author: Anthony Ryan
• Genre: Fantasy
• Publication Date: July 10, 2023  
• Publisher: Orbit
• Series: The Covenant of Steel #2

Thank you to Orbit and Angela Man for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

CONTENT WARNING: gore, violence, blood, castration, suicide, death of children

Times have changed for Alwyn Scribe. Once an outlaw, he’s now a spymaster and sworn protector of Lady Evadine Courlain, whose visions of a demonic apocalypse have earned her the fanatical devotion of the faithful. 

Yet Evadine’s growing fame has put her at odds with both Crown and Covenant. As trouble brews in the kingdom, both seek to exploit her position for their own ends.

Sent to the Duchy of Alundia to put down a rebellion, Alwyn must rely on old instincts to fight for his new cause. Deadly feuds and ancient secrets are laid bare as war erupts, a war that will decide the fate of the Kingdom of Albermaine and, perhaps, prevent the coming of the prophesied Second Scourge.

I was thrilled to start this book, especially after finishing the last one. However, I had to wait a bit between books, and was pleasantly surprised to discover that the author thoughtfully put in a recap of the events of the previous book, which won him extra points from me, not that he needed any to start with. 

This story picks up right where the last one left off, with Alwyn by Lady Evadine’s side as her protector and spymaster. However, his role shifts in this story, from soldier to outlaw to leader to student, and he has to reevaluate his life and decide what is important to him. 

I liked this book more than the first book, mainly because it really delves into Alwyn’s character development, and allows us to learn more about what is going on in the outside world. While Evadine seems to be growing herself a rabidly fanatical cult, the Crown is convinced that she is a fraud, putting them directly at odds. King Tomas sends her and her company to put down a rebellion in Alundia, but it is a mission he doesn’t expect them to return from. 

The pace is a bit slower in this story, but it gives Ryan room to really develop the characters further, not just Alwyn, but the side characters—some old and some new. I have to say that with the introduction of Lilat, I may just have found my new favorite side character. 

Overall, this is a fantastic addition to the series, and it kept me hooked from start to finish. It’s the kind of book that makes me itchy to start the next book immediately, even if I can’t quite fit it into my reading schedule just yet. But Ryan is a powerhouse talent in epic fantasy, and this is a series not to miss.