• The Pariah

  • The Covenant of Steel, Book 1
  • By: Anthony Ryan
  • Narrated by: Steven Brand
  • Length: 19 hrs and 57 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (107 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
The Pariah  By  cover art

The Pariah

By: Anthony Ryan
Narrated by: Steven Brand
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $18.15

Buy for $18.15

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

When the task is a killing, be quick and make sure of it.

Torment is an indulgence.

Save it for only the most deserving.

Born into the troubled kingdom of Albermaine, Alwyn Scribe is raised as an outlaw. Quick of wit and deft with a blade, Alwyn is content with the freedom of the woods and the comradeship of his fellow thieves. But an act of betrayal sets him on a new path - one of blood and vengeance, which eventually leads him to a soldier's life in the king's army.

Fighting under the command of Lady Evadine Courlain, a noblewoman beset by visions of a demonic apocalypse, Alwyn must survive war and the deadly intrigues of the nobility if he hopes to claim his vengeance. But as dark forces, both human and arcane, gather to oppose Evadine's rise, Alwyn faces a choice: can he be a warrior, or will he always be an outlaw?

The Pariah begins a dark and bloody new fantasy epic from New York Times best-selling author Anthony Ryan, whose books have sold more than a million copies worldwide.

©2021 Anthony Ryan (P)2021 Hachette Audio UK

Critic reviews

"A master storyteller." (Mark Lawrence)

"A gritty, heart-pounding tale of betrayal and bloody vengeance. I loved every single word." (John Gwynne)

"The Pariah is Anthony Ryan at his best. A fast-paced, brutal fantasy novel with larger-than-life characters and a plot full of intrigue and suspense." (Grimdark Magazine)

What listeners say about The Pariah

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    57
  • 4 Stars
    35
  • 3 Stars
    12
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    65
  • 4 Stars
    14
  • 3 Stars
    12
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    2
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    54
  • 4 Stars
    27
  • 3 Stars
    10
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

very good

very good book can't way to see jow it will go on and what will happen to the characters

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing book

Amazing stuff. The story follows flawed but likable and smart rogue on his way to redeem himself and it kept me on the edge till the very end. This book is one of those cases where you feel sad when you finish it. That is how good the quality of writing and narration are. Highly recommended.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing story sadly undercut by monotone reading.

Although I loved the voice of narrator, I can't help but think it was too monotone. The cadence of speaking was sometimes too fast for the situation, some characters lacked emotions. Still the story was amazing and I'm happy to give another chance to the narrator.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Internering story however…

The firat thing I reacted to is the amount of gore and lengthy descriptions of how people are killed messily. This feels unnecessary to me, the plot and story is well above average without this addition. I don’t generally mind characters swearing, but I prefer a little more ingenuity than constantly and often using the f word. Historically this is also a rather modern swear so it makes no sense to me and, again, spoils rather than helps the novel. I really like the characters, plot and intrigue though and will buy the next book in the series - but I hope Ryan stays away from more in-depth descriptions of what war is like in a pike wall, for this description seems very very unrealistic to me.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Best fantasy since Abercrombie

If you like Joe Abercrombie, give this a try, honestly - you'll be glad you did.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!