Raven's Shadow Books

The first in the “powerful” (SFFWorld.com) New York Times bestselling fantasy series. Vaelin Al Sorna was only a child of ten when his father left him at the iron gate of the Sixth Order to be trained and hardened to the austere, celibate and dangerous life of a warrior of the Faith. He has no family now save the Order. Vaelin’s father was Battle Lord to King Janus, ruler of the Unified Realm—and Vaelin’s rage at being deprived of his birthright knows no bounds. Even his cherished memories of his mother are soon challenged by what he learns within the Order. But one truth overpowers all the rest: Vaelin Al Sorna is destined for a future he has yet to comprehend. A future that will alter not only the Realm but the world.

In Blood Song , Anthony Ryan introduced readers to “a fascinating world of conflicting religions and the wars fought in the name of those faiths” ( Library Journal ). Now Ryan’s epic tale continues as Vaelin Al Sorna discovers that there is no escape from the call of destiny… “The blood-song rose with an unexpected tune, a warm hum mingling recognition with an impression of safety. He had a sense it was welcoming him home.” Vaelin Al Sorna, warrior of the Sixth Order, called Darkblade, called Hope Killer. The greatest warrior of his day, and witness to the greatest defeat of his nation: King Janus’s vision of a Greater Unified Realm drowned in the blood of brave men fighting for a cause Vaelin alone knows was forged from a lie. Sick at heart, he comes home, determined to kill no more. Named Tower Lord of the Northern Reaches by King Janus’s grateful heir, he can perhaps find peace in a colder, more remote land far from the intrigues of a troubled Realm. But those gifted with the blood-song are never destined to live a quiet life. Many died in King Janus’s wars, but many survived, and Vaelin is a target, not just for those seeking revenge but for those who know what he can do. The Faith has been sundered, and many have no doubt who their leader should be. The new King is weak, but his sister is strong. The blood-song is powerful, rich in warning and guidance in times of trouble, but is only a fraction of the power available to others who understand more of its mysteries. Something moves against the Realm, something that commands mighty forces, and Vaelin will find to his great regret that when faced with annihilation, even the most reluctant hand must eventually draw a sword.

In the thrilling conclusion to the “deftly and originally executed” ( Booklist) New York Times bestselling trilogy, Vaelin Al Sorna must help his Queen reclaim her Realm. Only his enemy has a dangerous new collaborator, one with powers darker than Vaelin has ever encountered… “The Ally is there, but only ever as a shadow, unexplained catastrophe or murder committed at the behest of a dark vengeful spirit. Sorting truth from myth is often a fruitless task.” After fighting back from the brink of death, Queen Lyrna is determined to repel the invading Volarian army and regain the independence of the Unified Realm. Except, to accomplish her goals, she must do more than rally her loyal supporters. She must align herself with forces she once found repugnant—those who possess the strange and varied gifts of the Dark—and take the war to her enemy’s doorstep. Victory rests on the shoulders of Vaelin Al Sorna, now named Battle Lord of the Realm. However, his path is riddled with difficulties. For the Volarian enemy has a new weapon on their side, one that Vaelin must destroy if the Realm is to prevail—a mysterious Ally with the ability to grant unnaturally long life to her servants. And defeating one who cannot be killed is a nearly impossible feat, especially when Vaelin’s blood-song, the mystical power which has made him the epic fighter he is, has gone ominously silent…

Author's Note - The following story takes place in the same world as my novel Blood Song, the first volume in the Raven’s Shadow trilogy. I wrote it because I wanted to more fully explore characters who appear in Blood Song and the sequels Tower Lord and Queen of Fire. Readers familiar with my work are sure to recognise a certain pale-eyed, raspy voiced Sword Master of the Sixth Order and those curious as to the origins of the Tower Lord of the Southern Shore will find answers here. The tale takes place at the mid-point of the timeline described in Blood Song, a time when King Janus, with typical ruthlessness, is in the process of fully consolidating his grip on the Unified Realm. 'The Lord Collector by Anthony Ryan: a grim introduction to our protagonist, Jehrid, leader of an Excise Guard unit (think a kind of investigative military) to kick this story off. Jehrid is tasked by his Tower Lord with working with Brother Sollis of the Sixth Order and two others with finding a passenger from a month-old shipwreck. But Jehrid has another agenda: vengeance. A story told with standard Anthony Ryan style. Enjoyable, violent, somber at times and galloping like a horse at others.' - Adrian Collins, Grimdark Magazine

Legendary warrior King Tavurek marshals his mercenary army to combat a mighty Volarian host led by a man known to history as the Spear-point. In the blood-bath that follows, there can be only one victor. The final battle between the city state of Kethia and the Volarian Empire, as told by Imperial Chronicler Lord Verniers, is an event shrouded in many secrets and, some say, wrought by servants of the Dark.

“The Faith requires all we have.”New York Times bestselling author Anthony Ryan returns to the Raven’s Shadow world in this prequel novella set ten years before the events in Blood Song. For decades the brothers of the Sixth Order have fought a savage war against the Lonak clans amidst the frozen peaks of their Dominion. When word reaches the north of a fresh outbreak of the dreaded Red Hand, Brother Sollis, the finest swordsman in the Order, leads a small band to a long-abandoned castle in search of a potential cure but discovers a far greater threat lurking in the mountains.Enemies become allies as Sollis leads an increasingly desperate fight against an inhuman enemy steeped in the power of the Dark. Praise for the Raven’s Shadow series:‘Ryan hits all the high notes of epic fantasy - a gritty setting, ancient magics, ruthless intrigue, divided loyalties, and bloody action.’ - PUBLISHERS WEEKLY.‘A new master storyteller has hit the scene.’ - MICHAEL J. SULLIVAN, AUTHOR OF THE RIYRIA REVELATIONS.‘Anthony Ryan is David Gemmell’s natural successor and epic fantasy’s best British talent.’ - FANTASY BOOK CRITIC.

The Unified Realm in the reign of King Lakril, known to history as the book burner - an impoverished realm brought to the brink of destruction by Lakril’s paranoid tyranny. Kestra Saero, once the most deadly assassin to serve the Seventh Order of the Faith, is tempted back to the fold by an irresistible mission: kill the book burner. Driven by a deep desire for retribution but distrustful of her new comrades, Kestra must infiltrate a royal palace transformed into a carnival of horrors and slay the monster that lurks at its heart. But killing a king could never be an easy matter… Set a century before the events in the Raven’s Shadow trilogy, The Book Burner’s Fall is a thrilling tale of dark magic and bloody vengeance. Praise for the Raven’s Shadow series: ‘Ryan hits all the high notes of epic fantasy - a gritty setting, ancient magics, ruthless intrigue, divided loyalties, and bloody action.’ - PUBLISHERS WEEKLY. ‘A new master storyteller has hit the scene.’ - MICHAEL J. SULLIVAN, AUTHOR OF THE RIYRIA REVELATIONS. ‘Anthony Ryan is David Gemmell’s natural successor and epic fantasy’s best British talent.’ - FANTASY BOOK CRITIC.