After finishing the outstanding ‘Book of the Ancestor’ Trilogy some time ago, I was itching to return to the universe that includes the bleak, terminally-ill world of Abeth, the Covenant of Mercy, and its Church of the Ancestor, featuring extremely martial, magically-enhanced nuns, including the intense and complicated protagonist Nona Grey.
Seminal science fiction/fantasy author Mark Lawrence created one of the most fascinating and compelling series out there, with ‘Book of the Ancestor’. Now, Lawrence has treated his readers to a book of three unique short stories about the formidable habit-wearing trained assassins, entitled ‘Tales of Abeth’.
For those who haven’t read ‘Book of the Ancestor’, my recommendation is that you delve into that first, prior to reading ‘Tales of Abeth’, to enhance your reading experience/comprehension, and not be spoiled for the main series.
Here’s a bit of background about said series:
As noted, Abeth is not a place that’s in the best of shape. A slender strait-like band of habitable land wraps around the planet, maintained by an artificial, refractive moon that channels the light from an expiring sun.
Another crucial aspect of the world: four distinct hereditary groups in Abeth, possessing specific traits and abilities, have over time commingled. The four groups and their attributes as as follows:
Hunska – possessing extreme speed.
Gerant – possessing extreme height, girth, and strength
Marjal – possessing abilities which permit use of rudimentary magic
Quantal – possessing more refined abilities permitting use of higher level magic
After a brutal upbringing, child fighter Nona is selected to be one of the elite warrior-nuns of the Covenant of Mercy. To succeed in her new role, Nona must undergo a decade of training that has the potential to be lethal to those who attempt it.
Nona’s blood carries a potent and highly desirable mix of the four genetic groups. But to achieve her full potential, she must continue to survive in the harsh world of unethical clergy, unscrupulous and dangerous aristocrats, and uncertain loyalties amongst her trainee colleagues.
The main series is filled with wonderfully complex characters, hidden motivations, spectacular combat scenes, and exploration of themes such as morality, camaraderie, altruism, faith, and mortality.
My favourite part of ‘Book of the Ancestor’ (besides the stunning, cinematic fight sequences) is how Lawrence adroitly fleshes out the imperfect, sometimes outright messy relationships between the novices between the novices and their mistresses, and amongst the mistresses themselves.
Yet I cannot speak about any Mark Lawrence work without mentioning the fantastic prose. It’s lyrical, yet direct and concise.
If, like me, you’ve come to expect all the above from reading ‘Book of the Ancestor’, you won’t be disappointed by ‘Tales of Abeth’, which has all the great hallmarks that made the main series so beloved.
Story One of ‘Tales of Abeth’, entitled: ‘The Devil You Know’ is a critical tie-in story, with relevant links and subtle reveals that have interdependence with several other series penned by Lawrence, particularly ‘The Book of Ice’. Moreover, it satisfyingly provides us with the corollary events of the ending clash in Book One of ‘Book of the Ancestor’, ‘Red Sister’.
The heroine in ‘The Devil You Know’ must balance her uncompromising adherence to protection of her friends, versus her own self-preservation, and keeping a threat at bay who could harm far more than only who she holds dear.
Of all the things to know about this story, all I will say is, the most important one is: ‘Keot’!
With the mention of that name, those who’ve read the main trilogy, should be immediately even more intrigued, excited and enthused to see what this story is all about.
Story Two, ‘Bound’, is one I’d suggest reading AFTER one has read Book Two ‘Book of the Ancestor’, ‘Grey Sister’, as the narrative events here precede Book Three of ‘Book of the Ancestor’, ‘Holy Sister.’ It brings an element of intrigue and romance that I adored to the story of the novices, with a splash of burgeoning magic referenced in the main series, that delighted me.
Story Three, ‘Thaw’, occurs post-‘Holy Sister’, and as you can imagine, was perhaps my favourite for providing a tantalizing glimpse of ‘what comes after’ for some of the surviving characters of the main series.
Overall, this book of short stories was exceptional and should be considered a must-read for ‘Book of the Ancestor’ fans.
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