Book Review - PRIEST OF LIES by Peter McLean

(Title: Priest of Lies / Author: Peter McLean / Publisher: Ace Books / Publication Date: July 2, 2019)


PRIEST OF LIES begins a few months or so after the events of book one Priest of Bones.  Crime boss, agitator, and military priest, Tomas Piety spends his days consolidating his power in Ellinburg, with the help of his crew of battle-hardened miscreants called The Pious Men.  With such colorful names as Fat Luka, Bloody Anne (my personal favorite), and Black Billy, the Pious Men are a force to be reckoned with when it comes to the daily running of things in the nearly lawless streets of the city.

The opening chapters reveal a threat brewing from the west of Ellinburg in the form of a rival gang known as The Northern Sons.  There are whispers that the Sons may be being backed by the dreaded Skanians who attempted a bloody takeover of Tomas and the Pious Men's holdings in the city almost a year earlier.  

Things have changed a bit for Piety as he finds himself husband to a new wife Ailsa.  Ailsa doesn't exactly hold him in high esteem and the feeling is somewhat mutual on his end.  Despite that, she has deep connections to the Queen and Piety knows that to keep running his businesses without government interference he must keep his marriage on cordial terms.

As tensions grow in the city and small pockets of garrisons begin coming home from the war, it is increasingly clear that a potential power struggle is on the horizon and Tomas must recruit as many of the returning groups as he can to stave off any threat to his money-making enterprise.  Piety simply cannot abide losing what he has fought and bled so hard to build. Fattening up the membership numbers of The Pious Men seems to be the only viable solution.

As all of this is happening Tomas and Ailsa embark on a trip to her home town of Dannsburg to pay a visit to her affluent parents, among other things.  Dannsburg, unlike Ellinburg, is a prosperous and thriving city of some renown.  It is also the seat of power where nobles and politicians make many decisions that effect various parts of the realm, including Piety's troubled city of Ellinburg.

It doesn't take long for Tomas to realize that he is a fish out of water among the nobles and their political squabbling.  But when he soon finds himself caught in the middle of a serious incident that may just get him into trouble with the mayor of Ellinburg, Tomas must utilize every one of the weapons at his disposal, both natural and unnatural.   And he needs to do it quickly, for looming is the specter of his city becoming a bulging powder keg in his absence that may very well be about to explode.

PRIEST OF LIES is book number two of Peter McLean's War for the Rose Throne series and I enjoyed it a hell of a lot.  Where the first book was a cacophony of flying fists, thunderous battles, and violent bloodshed, this book is a slight departure in style, focusing more on political intrigue and deception.  

This isn't a bad thing though.  In fact, it was quite refreshing to get to slow down a bit after the breakneck pace of Priest of Bones.  I appreciated seeing McLean stretch his writing legs, creating some of the most superbly crisp dialogue between the many different characters.  I'm not saying it's a walk through the daisies by any means, but there's a definite stylistic change in PRIEST OF LIES, and it works brilliantly in my opinion.

What hasn't changed is Tomas Piety and his audaciousness, brashness, and sarcastically biting humor.  Piety is one of my favorite characters in any current Fantasy series.  I found myself cringing when someone stoked his violent natural instincts but also laughing out loud as he is fired off one of his classic quips to a hated enemy.  The guy can make you go through so many emotions at once as a reader, yet you always feel yourself hoping that he wins in the end.

I thoroughly devoured this book and was left a little deflated when I realized that I won't have another Pious Men book to read for at least another year.  Peter McLean has delivered a rousing tale of Grimdark Fantasy that puts him right up there in the same category as Joe Abercrombie and Mark Lawrence.  If you are looking for a book and series that will move you in much the same way as those giants of the genre, then Peter McLean has something wonderful in store for you with this series, and it's every bit as good if not better.

PRIEST OF LIES isn't available for purchase until July 2nd, but you can pre-order it on Amazon right now.  I highly recommend doing so.  While you are waiting for this one, pick up the first book in the series Priest of Bones and get started on this amazing series as soon as possible.  You won't regret a minute of the wild ride you are about to take!

(My Rating: 9.5/10)