Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Received from Quercus Books and Netgalley for honest read and review.
Brilliant second book in series.looking forward to conclusion.

I finally got around to reading it. Not sure what took me so long. I don't feel it's quite as good as the first one, but it's still an enjoyable story, and I still love Tomas Piety.

It was interesting to see what happened after he got control of the city and what happened with his wife. The characters really come alive in the book.

I honestly can't wait to read the next one.

Tomas Piety has been many things: soldier, priest, gangster...and spy. As Tomas's power grows, the nobility better watch their backs, in this dark and gritty epic fantasy series.

As the second instalment of the War for the Rose Thorne series, Priest of Lies continues to weave a tale of change as a result of power. Consisting of a gripping story-line, an intimate understanding of the characters involved, and an intense action, this novel was one that kept the reader rapt with intrigue. McLean has effectively offered a narration in his main character that was entertaining and refreshing in an already saturated market. Walking the metaphorical edge of anti-hero's in the genre, by breathing innate flaws into Thomas, McLean has successfully delivered a relate-able piece.

Priest of Lies picks up a couple of months after Priest of Bones finished and straight away we are drawn back in. This time round there is more political intrigue, just as much violence and fantastic character development. If you liked Priest of Bones you will love Priest of Lies.

I'm happy to say that all the compliments were correct! I got confused a bit at first with all the characters since it had been a while since I read book 1 but I got back into it very quickly.

I love books with political intrigue mixed with gangs so the fact that most of the book involved political intrigue was a great plus for me. (The gorgeous cover is also a plus).

My only issue was the many names were I got confused at first but then everything came back so it was all good.

4.5 stars!

The second instalment in the War for the Rose Throne series is as gritty and gory as its predecessor, but for me this read as a better, more well-structured book. I liked the first book but in Priest of Lies the series arc really seemed to get going. Thomas Piety is an interesting character and his pov is compelling. His character arc travels into an exploration of whether power truly does corrupt and it’s fascinating. Bloody Anne is still my favourite character but many others are well drawn and engaging. I like how the author also examines the effects of war on mental health. No one is magically cured of what is effectively PTSD, which I appreciate. I also applaud the authors depiction of a decidedly anti-hero character who is still generally respectful to women and those weaker than himself (assuming they aren’t attacking him of course!) Too many authors use rape and wife-beating as short hand for ‘this is a bad guy’. (which is offensive to female readers because what you’re saying is that we’re just props for male characters. And is also very lazy writing. McLean thankfully has taken steps not to fall into this trap, which puts him well ahead of many other authors.) In conclusion and avoiding spoilers, this is an excellent follow up that exceeds expectations set by the first book. Highly recommend.

Fabulous Book. A great step up from the first instalment. Peter McClean absolutely knocks it out the park with his strength of voice in his writing. Huge recommend!

After enjoying Priest of Bones, I moved quickly to the next book, wanting to advance while the characters and plot were fresh in my mind. There are a lot of characters and I didn’t want the normal confusion of having to remember who was who.

Priest of Lies takes a different approach: character centred than driven by the violence and tension of the plot. There are still moments that made you squirm due to the graphic descriptions and the language is still explicit, but I either grew used to the writing style, or it’s not as extreme.

Tomas faces new and greater challenges in the second book. He’s claimed his streets and everyone knows who runs both the Stink and the Wheels. But that’s not enough – not for his new wife, who is determined to drive their enemy from the city, no matter what it takes.

Being a street boss isn’t enough. Tomas must travel to the city of Dannsburg, the capital; a place rich in unpleasant people, lies and schemes. The threat there is even greater – society. Ailsa wants him to be known and no one denies a Queen’s Man anything, especially not when you are also married to them.

A large portion of the book is Tomas attempting to adapt, hating it but knowing he doesn’t have a choice. While this does give the book a slower pace than the first, the tension is still high; knives on the street are less dangerous than Dannsburg society. Tomas is still a businessman though, and he soon makes his mark in the only way he knows.

Seeing Tomas out of his depth develops his character. He is out of his comfort zone, away from his crew, and you see he is still determined for justice in his own way. He’ll bluff if necessary, fight if needed, but protect those he considers family, whatever the cost.

Ailsa was confusing in the first book, but an unlikable character in the second, distant and cold throughout the majority of the book. Members of Tomas’ crew step up and prove their worth: Anne can run the Pious Men without Tomas if needed; Billy is growing up and learning what it takes to be a man; Jochan falls prey to the battle shock and Cutter has more depth to him than anyone guessed.

These developments make the book enjoyable – it’s easier to connect to the characters this time. There is still violence – a threat must be dealt with, after all – and a scene that literally made me squirm. While I was immersed, the ending felt it dragged: for me, it climaxed at an early scene, which undermined some of the final confrontations and made the ending feel slow.

As with the first, this is not a book for those who are sensitive to violence/explicit language. But if you prefer darker fantasy, this is a story of loyalty and how far someone is prepared to go. An enjoyable read and I look forward to more.

Priest of Lies is the second book in the series War for the Rose Throne. An ex-soldier wanting to turn his back on war. What chance does he have? Thomas Piety is up against the wall again. Ellinburg is not looking too grand notably from the explosion which occurred at the end of Priest of bones. He only wants to keep his people safe.
His authority and standing has grown but he feels he is no match for the nobility. Now married in name only he has entered their world and he finds it hard to be something he is not. Thomas is more comfortable fighting with a sword in hand rather than fencing with words and intrigue.
The plot moves from Ellinburg to Dannsburg where the Queen resides and back again, trouble and strife always close by. Interesting characters who interact well together in a tough camaraderie within a well described world. It’s not over yet.

Excellent. Even better than his first in the series.
Character development etc spot on. Realisation of the world described particularly well executed ! More please.

Tomas is our narrator, and we get to hear the story by his voice. And that’s a unique thing because the voice is really peculiar, is really his voice and that’s one of the things that I have appreciated more. But that’s not the only one. Because we have a cast of amazing characters. And the great thing is that all of them are really complex, every one of them has a voice and a distinct personality. And that makes things harder for the reader and for the writer both. For the writer because this is a lot of work, and he did a great job. Yay! And for the reader, because more the characters are complex and complete, and harder it is to have an opinion on them. Or strong affection. Mind me, there are some of them that I love without doubts, like Tomas and Billy (and we get to see more of him around. I loved it!) and there are some that are in a sort of grey area, because I am fascinated by them (and I am speaking about Cutter, for example) but we don’t see more of them around (even if we get more of Cutter around and I was… wow!), or because they have some interesting quality but… would they be loyal or not? And here I am speaking about Fat Luka. I like him and I enjoy him, but I don’t trust him too much. I always fear that he would betray Tomas in the end. And I don’t know why. And then we came to one of the most complex characters: Ailsa.
In the first book, I didn’t like her so much. And it’s not that in this second book I like her more. But she’s more human, more complex, and in becoming more “human” it’s more difficult to despise her or to hate her. Even if she’s not the “good guy” here. She may not be the really bad one, but the good one? I don’t think so. But… what can we say? The right man for the right job! And it’s the same for all the characters. All of them reveal some deep truth or some more depth to them, and so you learn something new about them, and you have to reassess them, to think more and change your ideas. And I enjoyed it a lot!

But we have some other great things going on there! We have more intrigues, more twists, and we get to see Tomas out of his comfort zone. A good part of this story is set in another city, one in which he is not the big guy he is at home, but he is just a Father, and the husband of a lady, an important one at that, but nothing else. And I founded fascinating to see how he would get the gist of things. How he adapted himself, and manage to keep up with everything that is happening around him. It’s true that he’s not always on top of the things, and that he has some difficulties, and he did some missteps, but he managed to not be intimidated and to be true to himself and to his men. Because he takes hard on his responsibility, and I loved this thing.

And last, but not least, we have two other points: the ending and the general atmosphere. The ending was just perfect. So perfect that I was laughing out loud, even if it’s not a funny thing, and it’s really easy to see how things would move downhill for here (and sure, we can hope that the author shows some pity and won’t do worse in the next book, but… it seems unlikely) but it was just the perfect way to end this story, that I was amused, even if I am fearing what would happen next. And believe me, I am scared!
And for the atmosphere… things keep going darker and darker while the reading proceeds, Thomas is a hard man, but he is not cruel. But such are the times we live in, as someone can say and he has to be the right man for the right job. And so here we are, spectators in a story that became darker with every page turned. And I am not complaining, I was expecting it, and I knew perfectly well what to expect from this reading (even if I would be immensely happy to see that the author will show us some mercy in the next book because I really like Tomas!).

At the end of the book, there was an interview with the author and I enjoyed it, it was interesting and it made me even more curious to read the next one (and scared… a lot!). I need the sequel right now!

5 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2019/07/02/priest-of-lies-war-for-the-rose-throne-2-by-peter-mclean-priestoflies/
I am loving this series. It’s everything good that I hope for when I pick up a book. The storyline has clearly been well plotted. The strong foundations established in the first book are really well utilised and built upon here. The characters are really coming to life and I find myself absolutely fascinated about what will come next. On top of that we get to explore more of this world and that, coupled with wonderful pacing, made this a totally gripping read.

Once again the Prince of the People, Tomas Piety, priest, soldier, gangster, liar?, narrates his tale. Piety has a very compelling way of telling his story. He’s not a charmer precisely but he has enough self confidence to allow him to be refreshingly frank and this openness makes him a flawed but much more likable, or understandable character. He certainly manages to get himself in a fix but it all feels really plausible – like his hands are tied and his choices limited.

Tomas has rebuilt his empire, he’s doing well, in fact if the measure of a man was judged by the weight of gold in their coffers then Tomas could be standing ten feet tall. Of course, there is a but. His marriage is a sham. A cover for the intrigue carried out by Tomas’s wife, Ailsa, in the name of the Queen’s Men and in fact Tomas finds it difficult himself to forgive his wife for the carnage wrought by her plotting at the end of the first book. On top of this the scheming continues. Tomas has achieved his goals, he’s won back his turf, and so the Pious Men can’t help but wonder why they’re trying to expand into other territory when this involves increased risk to the remaining gang members. Basically, the Queen’s Men – in the form of Tomas’s wife are not yet finished. War is looming and the only way to keep the fighting and carnage at bay is to stop the infiltration of the enemy at the door and this time around that involves a detour to the capital.

I thoroughly enjoyed this little jaunt. It added an extra layer. In Dannsburg Tomas is very much out of his depth. His reputation doesn’t extend this far and he finds himself, instead of a big fish in a little pond he’s a little fish in a big pond where political sharks are circling and getting ready for the kill. This was such a great change of tack. The capital is very different to Ellinburg and the nobles’ disdain and casual indifference towards Tomas, his provincial accent and the small threat he poses to them is like a wake up call. Tomas finds himself very much in need of Ailsa’s calm head and careful counsel although he does occasionally resort to brute force. Even so, Tomas has to be careful, just like everyone else in the capital. Speak out too loudly and you will simply disappear overnight. The trip certainly gives Tomas a new found respect for his wife.

In terms of the characters the author really takes the opportunity to beef them up. Of course, some characters have more page time than others – particularly once Tomas leaves Ellinburg for the capital but, even with the change in place I still felt like I had the opportunity to know everyone a little better. I can’t deny that my favourites are Billy the Boy and Bloody Anne and I confess that the attachment I feel towards them is a little worrying – you just never know these days whether your favourite characters will survive or do something hideously treacherous and turn everything on its head .

The world building. I get a great sense of place with this series. I think when I reviewed Priest of Bones I mentioned that the place feels almost Dickensian. The twisty streets, dark alleys and abject poverty of The Stink sharply contrasting with the wealth and opulence of the nobles, especially in Dannsburg. Small surprise that some of the action has a French Revolution type feel when the poorest members of society finally snap. I love the easy way that the place simply springs into the mind’s eye.

Overall I had a really good time with this in fact I think it exceeded my expectations by surpassing the first. It still has that raw brutality and doesn’t shy away from bad language and violence but it is by no means as dark as some of the grimdark books I’ve read.

Incredibly entertaining, a great narrative voice and an ending that makes me anxious to pick up the next book in series. This is a tale of an ambitious character, a slightly jaded world weary guy who’s successes only help to push him in a direction that doesn’t seem to make him happy. The more wealth, power and respect that Tomas achieves the further away it pushes him from those he really cares about. Be careful what you wish for I suppose.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

Following on quite closely from the events of Priest of Bones, the first third of the book focuses on what happens next in Ellinburg. Tomas is once again the narrator of this story, and his voice comes through strongly – rough, brutally honest, vicious, manipulative yet strangely honourable – as though he’s speaking directly to the reader. With his city changing around him and becoming increasingly dangerous, Tomas has to try and balance the vicious back and forth of gang warfare with the concerns of the bigger picture that he’s slowly coming to understand, but can’t fully explain to even his closest companions. When he’s then taken away from what he knows and introduced to the veiled threats and dangers of Dannsburg society, leaving behind Bloody Anne, Billy the Boy, his troubled brother Jochan and most of the Pious Men, he finds himself challenged to see his life and his home city in a new light.

It’s a good move on McLean’s part, broadening both Tomas’ and the series’ horizons by continuing to explore Ellinburg and also starting to reveal more of the wider world in which the series is set. If at first it feels like this is more of the same – and considering these characters that’s absolutely a good thing – once events move to Dannsburg the pace starts to pick up, the stakes rise and the tension really begins to develop. There’s a fascinating conflict here between Tomas’ role as a businessman (read: gangster) and the responsibilities that comes with, and the demands of the Queen’s Men, and his identity is challenged as his relationships with those he cares about are threatened. On the one hand he’s forging stronger ties with both the strange youngster Billy and his wife-in-name-only Ailsa, but on the other hand the growing pressures of his secretive, uncomfortable agenda are drawing him away from the Pious Men.

Running beneath the surface throughout the book is the painful presence of battle shock and the lingering effects of war, a constant reminder of not just what has been escaped but also what might yet happen and what’s at stake. For fans of Priest of Bones, while there’s lots to enjoy here with the development of the overarching plot and the exploration of this intriguing world, the main draw is surely the opportunity to spend more time with these characters and watch them continue to develop. For all the action and excitement – and it’s apocalyptically violent in places – this is primarily a character-driven story dealing with nuanced characters forced to change by the uncompromising nature of their grim lives. As compelling and gripping as the first book, this is a powerful continuation of what’s turning into a brilliant series with its own unique voice.

I loved Priest of Bones, it wasn't love at first read but the kind of love that deepens reading the novel.
This mean I had high expectations about Priest of Lies and I can say they were all met.
This book starts slowly, we're back in Ellinburg and what's going on seems business usual, a sort of follow up to the events of Priest of Bones. Something happens but it was like waiting for the big fireworks and there were just some minor events.
Then there's a moment when you reach the turning point, the pace quickens and you're enthralled by what's happening because the big fireworks are there and you cannot stop reading and want to know what's next.
There's quite a lot of character development in this book: we see Thomas changing as well as the other characters we already met. We are meeting new characters, new scenery and different way of living.
The world building is expanding, we learn more about religion, magic system, lifestyle. It's still at a minimum compared to other books but it's there and it's amazing.
The style writing is simple and complex at the same time. The book is told by Thomas and I couldn't help loving his voice and his look at things.
It's hard to explain such an amazing reading experience. I spent three days in another world, I rooted for some characters, despised others, sometimes I was horrified and sometime laughed out loud.
As far as I'm concerned there's a single issue: I will have to wait one year for the next installment. All the rest was engrossing, entertaining and enthralling.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Quercus Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Please note, Priest of Lies is the second book in an on-going series. If you haven’t read the first book in the War for the Rose Throne, Priest of Bones, then what follows will likely contain some minor spoilers. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. I don’t want to have to send the Pious Men round to sort you out!

People are weak, and the poorer and more oppressed they are, the weaker they become–until they can’t take it anymore. And when they rise up…may the gods help their oppressors.

When Tomas Piety returned from the war, he just wanted to rebuild his empire of crime with his gang of Pious Men. But his past as a spy for the Queen’s Men drew him back in and brought him more power than he ever imagined.

Now, with half of his city in ashes and the Queen’s Men at his back, the webs of political intrigue stretch out from the capital to pull Tomas in. Dannsburg is calling.

In Dannsburg the nobility fight with words, not blades, but the results are every bit as bloody. In this pit of beasts, Tomas must decide once and for all whether he is truly the people’s champion…or just a priest of lies.

When it comes to the second novel in any series there is also that frisson of trepidation. You know the feeling; you’ve read book one and it’s gotten under your skin. You want to know what is going to happen to the characters. If book one has succeeded in doing its job, there should be tantalising questions still left to be answered. I’d imagine this could easily be an author’s worst nightmare, it has the potential to be the literary equivalent of that difficult second album. No such worries in this instance, however. Priest of Lies is the stellar sequel to Priest of Bones and I relished every word. Tomas Piety and his Pious Men have returned, and blood will flow.

Tomas remains a rock-solid presence at the heart of all the action. Driven by his own moral code, he dispenses his brutal brand of justice wherever he sees fit. The city of Ellinburg is still a battle ground and Tomas is willing to do anything to ensure he remains on top. At first glance you could be forgiven for thinking this gang boss is just a violent sociopath, but he is far more complex than that. Tomas is a fighter, the blades on each hip testify to that, but years as a solider and an innate devilish cunning make him the sort of man others are will follow. He is a keen strategist with skill at out-thinking his opponents. Peter McLean has a real gift when it comes to his characters. Tomas Piety is a wonderful amalgam of Ronnie and Reggie Kray, Scarface, Tommy Shelby and Richard Sharpe.

The other standout character is Tomas’ brother, Jochan. The mental scars of prolonged military action run deep and have left him damaged. Being part of a street gang is probably not the best option for someone suffering from such psychological trauma, but there is little choice in the matter. The Pious Men will always be part of Ellinburg and the Piety’s will always be part of the Pious Men. When the fugue of war descends on Jochan the connection between action and consequence are hopelessly broken. He becomes something primal, driven by a bloodlust that cannot be contained. This is a man who as barely managing to control his actions, his sanity teetering on the brink. I think Tomas sees a lot of himself in Jochan and knows he is not far from suffering in the same way himself. The siblings’ fractious relationship is compelling stuff. Mark my words, there is going to be a reckoning between the brothers at some point. Events are certainly heading in that direction. I have little doubt that whatever happens it is going to be bloody and violent. At least I hope so.

The narrative in this novel expands significantly on its predecessor. Part of the plot moves the action from Ellinburg to Dannsburg, the nation’s capital. Tomas is initially on the backfoot, polite society is not something he has ever experienced. Needless to say, the great and good are just as cutthroat as any gang boss and our hero quickly finds his feet. Turns out the Piety charm leaves a distinct impression wherever it goes. There is a real sense that the stakes have been raised. The actions of Tomas and his crew are going to have far larger implications than they ever assumed.

Don’t be fooled into thinking Priest of Bones is just a fantastical crime tale, Peter McLean’s writing touches upon a multitude of topics. The human cost of conflict, the nature of family and comradeship and society’s attitude towards veterans are all explored. It’s always impressive when an author manages to add depth like this to a story.

I’m going to round things off now. I know I could happily wax lyrical for another nine hundred words I enjoy this novel so much, but that would likely cut into your precious reading time. The key thing you need to take from this review – Priest of Lies is grimdark at its very best. Political conspiracies, gang warfare and some suitably visceral magic make for a hugely entertaining read. This series is just going from strength. Priest of Lies is available from 2nd July. I don’t think you could ask for more when it comes to a sequel. I liked Priest of Bones a whole lot but I LOVED Priest of Lies. The next book cannot come soon enough. Highly recommended.

My musical accompaniment is the soundtrack to Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate by Austin Wintory. It’s the ideal mix of haunting classical musical music and bawdy tavern tunes that captures to tone of the novel perfectly.

The second book in Peter McLean's grimdark fantasy War for the Rose Throne series continues on much as expected from Priest of Bones. In the first book, it was very much a case of Tomas Piety and his warriors, the 'Pious Men' returning from the wars to reconsolidate their power base in the city of Ellinburg that had been lost in his absence. He's had to make certain sacrifices and commit some heinous murders to do that, but Peter McLean's Ellinburg is a brutal world and you're not exactly going to appealing to the authorities to regain control over the drug and prostitution establishments in the city.

One of those necessary sacrifices to be made has been his marriage of convenience to Ailsa, a resourceful secret agent, a spy for the crown, a 'Queen's Man', with influential connections in Dannsburg. He has consequently had to be less involved in hands-on activities, since he is trying to give the appearance at least of a respectable businessman as well as a priest, although there is very little that is holy about Piety, and even the idea a thug like Piety having any kind of priestly duties beyond confessions (and there's a lot of people with plenty to confess) seems absurd. Piety's idea of tending his flock and extending his 'congregation' involves considerable amounts of bloody violence and Ailsa for one, wants him to extend that influence further.

It was starting to become apparent by the end of Book One that that this is about more than just a bunch of low-life gangs competing to carve up their area of the city. Ellinburg is becoming the centre of operations for foreign powers, the war in the city against the Northern Sons, a formidable group of warriors led by a dangerous thug called Bloodhands, in reality something of a proxy war against the Skanians. So soon after the last one, no-one has the appetite for a war and they can''t afford to let the hostilities break out a larger conflict. What was also apparent is that both sides are becoming more aware of magical powers can play if they can control those individuals with the gift of cunning.

For the first third of Priest of Lies, basically it's very much a continuation of Tomas Piety's mopping up operation, still consolidating his base in 'the Stink', still fighting battles to win more gangs over to the Pious men, relying on Billy the Boy's increasing facility with the magical powers to build a greater force. He's going to need it for the bigger picture that is developing - but developing slowly - in the struggle against the Skanians. It covers a lot of ground and similar ground to the first book and feels unpleasant and unnecessary. There's a change of scenery however in the second part of the book, Tomas and Ailsa visiting court in Dannsburg, where the ground rules are different, the workings and objectives of the Queen's Men a mystery, which means that Tomas is less sure of his ground and where the danger lies and he doesn't like that one bit.

The actions of Piety and his men are crude and violent, and the language, writing and plotting consequently also gives the appearance of being rather crude. The behaviour might be of a more supposedly refined order in the moneyed high society of Dannsburg nobility, but the underlying ugliness and brutality is still there, and potentially even more dangerous. McLean makes some attempt to develop the psychology in characters that initially appear one-dimensional, allowing the weight of their experiences, the toll of brutality and war on men to have realistic psychological and emotional impact as well as physical, but it's just a crude and superficial pretext for them to be even more mindlessly brutal; it's a brutal world and they've been brutalised, so what else can you expect?

Well, I had hoped that there might be an extension on the promise of Priest of Bones, but Priest of Lies still operates for the most part on the level of crude and dirty gang warfare, street brawls, brutalising enemies, reducing rivals to gore, with only the occasional twinge of conscience quickly shrugged off, and nothing to redeem the ugliness of it all. Tomas's reflection on the moral question of his failings can be summed up in his note that "Perhaps law and order is just another way of saying tyranny and oppression, but I wouldn't know. That was a philosophical question and I couldn't give a fuck about philosophy". By the conclusion McLean does lift the series up ready for the next stage, but even with further tantalising suggestions of a web of intrigue and spying, with a thuggish antihero like Tomas Piety at the centre there's little to assure that the series has the capacity or the will to develop and live up to its promise.

*I received a free advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review*



Priest of Bones was one of my favourite books of last year. I loved the narrative style, the dark tone and the simple yet thrilling storyline. The returning conscripts using their newly learned military tactics to take back their streets and run their gangland empires was a clever, honest and hard-hitting story. It really was "peaky blinders with swords".

The follow-up continues in that vein, the Pious Men gang have consolidated their hold in Ellinburg and are now at full-on gang war. However, as they returned from war, so does a large number of other former gangsters, and a number of new/revived gangs compete for territory.

The fantasy tone is still used here, despite being the mystical, noble pursuit we are used to. I seriously love Mclean's narrative voice, his action scenes and his overall pace of writing.

I was thrilled to see in the Q&A at the end of the book that I was right in thinking Ellinburg was based loosely on Edinburgh.

The feel of this book is very much a grim and nasty version of Terry Pratchett's Guards series, with characterisation and scene setting to rival Pratchett at his best.

A truly immersive compelling read that I loved from start to finish.

ARC provided by the publisher—Jo Fletcher Books—in exchange for an honest review.

An outstanding grimdark sequel. Feel free to consider me a huge fan of this low-fantasy series now.

At the moment, I honestly don’t know whether I should be happy or sad about the fact that I finished this book already. In less than two weeks, Priest of Lies will officially be published, and I’m truly glad that I have the privilege to read this book earlier than its publication, but oh my lord, I’m in dire need the next book NOW and I’m sad that it’s nowhere in sight yet! Priest of Lies, the second book in the War for the Rose Throne by Peter McLean, is a huge step up from its predecessor; that’s saying a lot because I had a terrific time reading Priest of Bones.

“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”
—Attributed to Abraham Lincoln

The story in Priest of Lies continues a few months from where Priest of Bones left off. The quote above was stamped in the front page of this novel and it pretty much described the overlying theme of the book and series itself. I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that this series has always been about Tomas’s ascension to power and how it gradually changes him. Priest of Lies was simply stunning on every aspect; zero dull moments, bloodier, gorier, intense, and more intimate. It’s not an exaggeration to say that I immensely enjoyed reading every page and I truly wish there were more pages to these series; it only took me five days in total to finish both books available in the series so far. Power corrupts, we’ve seen it happened in reality and fictions across all medium. The necessity and lack of power—whether it’s because of money, physical abilities, or knowledge—will always continue to determine where an individual fits into their respective hierarchy. What do you when you successfully accumulate power from nothing? What do you do when you’re in total control? Many gangster stories have applied these of kind of stories before, but there’s something that’s refreshing in this low-fantasy series that McLean penned; the rich and multi-layered narration in Tomas’s first-person perspective.

I can’t emphasize highly enough how much I loved reading Tomas’s distinctive narration; his voice really gets under my skin. Tomas isn’t a wordy character, he’s very efficient with his words but every action he did have weight beneath the surface. It was entertaining and refreshing to read; I found myself completely captivated. In the first book, I wasn’t 100% sure about Tomas being an anti-hero but there’s no shred of doubt that he belongs to be called one. It’s unfortunate that I can’t go into detail about this without going into spoiler territory, let’s just say some of Tomas’s actions made me feel conflicted—in a good way—about him and it seems like the fraction of me that was able to root for him was because I’m a spectator to his story; I doubt I could support some of his decisions as a leader if I were to serve beneath him. I loved reading the character development that McLean breathe into Tomas, this conflicted feeling about a character is an element I expected and loved out of grimdark and on this regard, McLean successfully delivered.

“You didn’t hit women, not unless they were armed and they were trying to kill you. You didn’t hit whores, and you most definitely didn’t hit your own fucking wife. Anyone who needed that explained to him wasn’t someone I knew how to talk to in a civil fashion. Vengeance is mine, sayeth Our Lady, and I am Her priest.”


But that’s me speaking exclusively about Tomas. This book and series aren’t merely about him but how the changes in his role and dominance affected his surroundings. Honestly speaking, Tomas has always been a great character since the first book, and although I’m genuinely satisfied by how much Tomas developed as a character, what made me even amazed was how well-written and well-fleshed out the side characters were. Although I had a fantastic time reading Priest of Bones, there seemed to be only three characters—Tomas himself, Bloody Anne, and Billy the Boy—that received my utmost interest. McLean did a spectacular job in Priest of Lies by making sure that the other side characters have more spotlights; I found this to be awesome because Tomas was the sole narrator of the story and yet I can’t help but feel like I have come to understand each character’s personality through his narration; seeing the camaraderie of the Pious Men tested were emotionally gripping.

“Each of us here, man or woman, is a Pious man. That’s a bond between us, a bond either of blood or of trust and comradeship forged in the fires of war. That’s not a thing to be taken lightly. We’re family, and we’re comrades, and we stand by each other until the very last breath. That’s what it means, to be a Pious an. That’s how this fucking works. Does anyone disagree on that?”


Before I close my review, I also would like to say I’m seriously impressed by how well written were the effects of the battle-shocks that the characters have. None of the characters are ‘okay’, that has been displayed throughout the series so far. They may have won the previous war before returning to Ellinburg but the experience and horrors of war they’ve accumulated has taken a toll on them, and it’s even more evident here. I personally think that this helps a lot in invoking feelings towards every single character and why they acted the way they did. The action scenes were spread economically throughout the book; all of them felt incredibly cinematic and vivid. The decimation of men in the name of order, power, and harsh justice was brutal. However, no bloody/gory scene ever felt done merely for shock value. For example, The Rite of the Betrayer scene was bloody as fuck but beneath the crimson scene, the deadly and dangerous implication behind the Rite was also exposed to the readers.

“Everyone has a lever that moves them, and everyone has their weakness too. If you can’t find the lever to move someone, then you find the weakness, and you take hold of it, and you squeeze until they break.”


Exhilarating, continuously riveting, and magnificent; it’s very easy for me to shout to the world that Priest of Lies is one of the most engrossing grimdark books I’ve read up to date. I need more out of this series and I need it as soon as possible. There’s only one book left in the trilogy and I definitely can't wait to see how it all concludes. Considering that my rating for the series so far matched what I rated the first two books in The First Law trilogy and Manifest Delusions by Michael R. Fletcher, War for the Rose Throne has a promising potential to become one of my favorite grimdark trilogies of all time.

Official release date: July 2nd, 2019

You can pre-order the book from: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Book Depository (Free shipping)

The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions

OMG Peter McLean has done it again. Another masterpiece of grimdark fantasy that is a mix of The Godfather, Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings.
Book two is about secrets and lies. Those we tell and those told to us.
It is also about the power games that come with both secrets and lies. It's violent and bloodthirsty and brilliant. When you have had no power all of your life then get all the power you can dream of.... what do you become?
Thomas Piety is now the Prince of his territory and unwillingly involved in a deadly spy game to prevent a war. Piety understands power and what it is to have none. He has had a taste and desires more in order to protect his people: The Pious Men, the gangs sworn loyalty to him and the people on the streets - his people, the ones who rely on him to keep them and their streets safe...
But at what cost? But what will it do to him if he gets the power he desires? And what will it do to those left behind?
Its a dark reminder of what war does to people, the soldiers in the war and the officers making the decisions that send those people to war. Of those left behind and of those who come back. Its about how people adjust or fail to adjust to life after battle. And about family. The ones we have and the ones we make.
Trust and lies and secrets revealed. Power corrupts - absolutely. And it's coming for Piety.
A brilliant book two. I highly recommend the series.