A Pilgrimage of Swords

The Seven Swords, Book 1

By: Anthony Ryan

Narrated by: Steven Brand

Length: 3 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's Summary

Enter the Execration,

Where the Damned and the Desperate

Come to Pray to the Mad God....

It is 200 years since the deity known as the Absolved went mad and destroyed the Kingdom of Alnachim, transforming it into the Execration, a blasted wasteland filled with nameless terrors. For decades, desperate souls have made pilgrimage to the centre of this cursed land to seek the Mad God’s favour, their fate always unknown. 

Now a veteran warrior known only as Pilgrim, armed with a fabled blade inhabited by the soul of a taunting demon, must join with six others to make the last journey to the heart of the Execration. Allied with a youthful priest, a beast-charmer, a duplicitous scholar, an effete actor, and two exiled lovers, Pilgrim must survive madness, malevolent spirits, unnatural monsters, and the ever-present risk of treachery, all so that the Mad God might hear his prayer and, perhaps, grant redemption. But can sins such as his ever be forgiven? 

Set in a world where demons and gods walk the earth, A Pilgrimage of Swords is a dark and exciting fantasy adventure from the New York Times best-selling author of the Raven’s Shadow and Draconis Memoria trilogies.

©2019 Anthony Ryan (P)2020 Audible, Inc.

Slow start, exciting finish

Given how short the overall length is, it was more than 1/3 into the story before I felt I had a tenuous grasp on the characters alone, and the whole thing seems to be developing a backstory to launch into some more lengthy quests.

It picks up though, and by the halfway point I didn't want to put it down. Seems like it'll be the start of a new series, but even as a short one-off it's worth the listen.

As usual, Anthony Rand gives us a glimpse at a believable yet fantastic world and his characters have a (generally somewhat brooding) depth to them.

Hoping this is the beginning of a new series!

Anthony Ryan...the man can write. And Steven Brand? Well he can speak! They’re a very good combo & I sincerely hope this is the kick-off to a new series for both scribe & thespian.

Just awesome, quick, with substance. Book 2 please

I really enjoyed the Fantasy Quest nature of this book. It started quick, before you know it, there's a group of strangers who have sacrificed much to get to this point. They will be led by a priest, to seek out the Mad God, with an expectation that only one person shall be granted a wish. They travel through a land changed, with the unnatural taking many forms.

It moves along to a satisfying end, an ending that filled me up. Although it was short, at no point did I feel like things were being rushed. Imaginative and refreshing, I'm glad I finally started it, and an even more excited to start, The Krakens Tooth, which is book 2.

Has to be said that the covers of this series have become some of my favorite fantasy covers. Great job by Steven Brand, brought the characters to life and will be more aware of books that he has narrated before.