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  • The Pariah

  • Written by: Anthony Ryan
  • Narrated by: Steven Brand
  • Length: 19 hrs and 57 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (127 ratings)

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The Pariah cover art

The Pariah

Written by: Anthony Ryan
Narrated by: Steven Brand
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Publisher's Summary

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

The Pariah begins a new epic-fantasy series of action, intrigue, and magic from Anthony Ryan, a master storyteller who has taken the fantasy world by storm.

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?

"This makes a rich treat for George R.R. Martin fans." (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

For more from Anthony Ryan, check out Raven's Shadow trilogy: Blood Song, Tower Lord, Queen of Fire; Raven's Blade duology: The Wolf's Call, The Black Song; The Draconis Memoria trilogy: The Waking Fire, The Legion of Flame, The Empire of Ashes.

©2021 Anthony Ryan (P)2021 Orbit

What listeners say about The Pariah

Average Customer Ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Middle of the road fantasy

Meh. Compelling enough in its world building but otherwise underwhelming. Plot twists flagged well ahead of happening so no surprises. Good religion construction. Glad it is over. Pedestrian narration.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Please let this get the attention it deserves.

Fantastic. I got baited by that really cool cover art and to my shame expected some universally average revenge story. I got soooo much more. The MC is well written. He shows intelligence through action and dialogue not just pompous expository and boring self reflection. Religion is a major subject in this book and is tackled quite respectfully compared to other books nowadays where all priests are corrupt lil boy touchers and the MC is usually a sarcastic atheist. Kind of hard to get a handle on the world scale and political powers through audio form, character names that dont pop up frequently are easily forgotten. MIght be more enjoyable in text form for me personally. Looking forward to the next book.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Another excellent story

I have enjoyed every Anthony Ryan audio book and this one is no exception. I look forward to the next

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

Excellent story with turns you can’t predict!

Great story! Just a hint of magic - ideal for those who prefer a ‘low-magic’ fantasy setting.
Narrator Steven Brand - comes across a bit monotone at first. But his vocal performance grows on you - and his ability to orally navigate some rather dense writing proves him a pro!
Thoroughly enjoyed it.

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2 people found this helpful

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

Really about 4.3 (ish) stars.

This was a welcome find. Definitely worth the purchase. I found the beginning of the book a little overly reminiscent of Mark Lawrence’s Jorg Ancrath and his road brothers. Though that is always welcome material generally speaking.
The book lagged in parts. Like many books I think it could’ve been condensed down to about a third of its size in aid of a more clear and fast moving plot.
Narration was a little forced and monotone, but still good. I’d wish for better character voices and a little more distinction between described events, and speech.
Nitpicking aside- this was a good book and I’m going to buy the next in the series.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Good action

Good start to a series, I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Dark Fantasy, with strong characters.

Ill keep it simple, this is dark fantasy so there are gray area decisions but the antihero MC tries to do his best most of the time morally. Stronger religious component in the later half.

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2 people found this helpful

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

I wasn't sure

I wasn't sure at first if I liked this book or not. The narrator was initially annoying because he has a weird accent for where I live. But everything grew on me. I liked the story even if it lacked a bit of a back bone. Usually I can picture the places and the characters in my mind, a little less with this one. Also, some of the story just felt rushed to me and other parts I found less interesting seemed to linger on.

Despite the negative words, I enjoyed this audio book. I also enjoyed the narration (I increased the speed, maybe that helped). I guess my expectations were too high.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Absolutely fantastic

I loved this. I couldn’t put it down. Full of vivid characters, fantastic prose, and a fantasy world on the more moderate side - no wizards or dragons, but witches and “saintly” blessings, and unique, compelling cultures. Top-notch fantasy with effortless worldbuilding.
I’m a lifelong fan of Ryan, now.

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3 people found this helpful

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

Great listen

Like all Anthony Ryan and Steven Brand collaborations this audiobook is a work of art. The storytelling and narrative of this fictional world is as alluring as any true story of knights and thieves.

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1 person found this helpful