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Priest of Bones
War for the Rose Throne: Book #1
Bookseller recommendation
“Sometimes an audio version really elevates a book. Such is the case with the War for the Rose Throne series that begins with The Priest of Bones. John Lee's narration is fantastic. It drives the story and the action so perfectly. The characters—male and female—are voiced so well and distinctly. The plot is filled with action and intrigue. There is fantasy (magic), but it's almost subtle and certainly secondary, though it packs a punch when it's revealed. This is one of those stories in which you're forced to root for a brutal gang leader and his band of cutthroats, and doing it is so much fun.”
Keith,
Bookie's
"The first in an unmissable series, Priest of Bones is a fresh and compelling take on grimdark fantasy. Mashing together soldiers, gangsters, magic and war into a heady mix that is a hulking big brother to The Lies of Locke Lamora."--Anna Stephens, author of Godblind
The war is over, and army priest Tomas Piety heads home with Sergeant Bloody Anne at his side. But things have changed while he was away: his crime empire has been stolen and the people of Ellinburg--his people--have run out of food and hope and places to hide. Tomas sets out to reclaim what was his with help from Anne, his brother, Jochan, and his new gang: the Pious Men. But when he finds himself dragged into a web of political intrigue once again, everything gets more complicated.
As the Pious Men fight shadowy foreign infiltrators in the back-street taverns, brothels, and gambling dens of Tomas's old life, it becomes clear:
The war is only just beginning.
PETER MCLEAN lives in the UK, where he studies martial arts and magic, and volunteers at a prison, teaching creative writing. He is the author of the Burned Man urban fantasy series.
Audiobook details
Reviews
Praise for Priest of Bones“A charismatic and very more-ish book with solid prose and a strong voice. Priest of Bones is a story of organised crime with shades of The Godfather. It sounds grim and dark...and it is...but our priest of bones is quite the humanitarian for a ruthless crime lord. With high tempo action it's just very fun to read.”—Mark Lawrence, author Red Sister
“I can safely say that this will be the book dark fantasy and grimdark fans will be raving about at the end of this year...[McLean] has presented a brilliant debut grimdark outing that is fascinating, gripping and has everything that I look for in a crime-focused novel.”—Fantasy Book Review
“McLean’s writing is punchy and fast-paced...Anyone itching to read a high-stakes story should pick up this delightful combination of medieval fantasy and crime drama.”—Publishers Weekly
“A pitch-perfect blend of fantasy and organized-crime sagas like Puzo’s The Godfather or Pileggi’s Wiseguy, this novel….is very, very hard to put down. Expect word of mouth support from fantasy fans to turn this one into a genre hit.”—Booklist
“Priest of Bones is sure to be among the favorite reads for grimdark fantasy fans this year.”—Grimdark Magazine
“An enjoyable read for lovers of small-scale fantasy, with a diverse cast of crooks. Priest of Bones can be effectively summarised as 'gangsters in fantasyville.' McLean manages to combine two of my most liked elements in fantasy – a quick moving plot, and characters with realistic relationships. Fans of Daniel Polansky’s Low Town books, Mark Lawrence's Prince of Thorns or dare I say Blackwing will find a number of similar themes put forward and I feel that’s the readership who will most appreciate this book.”—Ed McDonald, author of Blackwing
“Priest of Bones is a fresh and compelling take on grimdark fantasy and has done something I haven’t before seen in the genre. Mashing together soldiers, gangsters, magic and war into a heady mix that is a hulking big brother to The Lies of Locke Lamora, this is the first in an unmissable series.”—Anna Stephens, author of Godblind
“Priest of Bones is a fast paced fantasy filled with magic and combat, but with the intrigue and strategy of a crime thriller. McLean writes soldiers and their experience of returning from war like someone who has been there. There is excellent character development throughout; I'd follow the Piety brothers through any story.”—Michael Mammay, author of Planetside
“Managing to be exciting, narratively taut, and a commentary on the terrible things war and violence do to people is no mean feat, but Peter McLean manages it with Priest of Bones. I wish I had written this."—RJ Barker, author of Blood of Assassins
“Absolutely sensational...The prose is smooth and easy to follow, and that combined with a flowing story, an even pace and a rising tempo, result in one of those books that you could easily read in one go. All in all, Priest of Bones is Low Fantasy at its finest, and I wouldn't hesitate to call it the Fantasy Debut of the Year.”—Booknest
“If violence and planning, honor among thieves and treachery among lawmen, blood and profanity and spies and explosions are your thing, Priest of Bones is the book for you. Get it. Read it. Wait impatiently for the sequel.”—J.C. Nelson, author of The Reburialist Expand reviews