Tower Lord

Raven's Shadow, Book 2

By: Anthony Ryan

Narrated by: Steven Brand

Length: 24 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

Vaelin Al Sorna, warrior of the Sixth Order, called Darkblade, called Hope Killer. The greatest warrior of his day, and witness to the greatest defeat of his nation: King Janus' vision of a Greater Unified Realm drowned in the blood of brave men fighting for a cause Vaelin alone knows was forged from a lie. Sick at heart, he comes home, determined to kill no more. Named Tower Lord of the Northern Reaches by King Janus's grateful heir, he can perhaps find peace in a colder, more remote land far from the intrigues of a troubled Realm.

But those gifted with the blood-song are never destined to live a quiet life. Many died in King Janus' wars, but many survived, and Vaelin is a target, not just for those seeking revenge but for those who know what he can do. The Faith has been sundered, and many have no doubt who their leader should be. The new King is weak, but his sister is strong. The blood-song is powerful, rich in warning and guidance in times of trouble, but is only a fraction of the power available to others who understand more of its mysteries. Something moves against the Realm, something that commands mighty forces, and Vaelin will find to his great regret that when faced with annihilation, even the most reluctant hand must eventually draw a sword.

©2014 Anthony Ryan (P)2014 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“[Tower Lord] begins to realize the imagination and coherency of Tolkien, while remaining true to the heart and soul of the author. The Raven’s Shadow series is one of the best new series out there, challenging all the existing big-names to sit up and take notice, or be left behind.” (Fantasy Book Review)

“[Ryan has] proven himself as an author who can write a very diverse and convincing cast of characters...A wonderful follow-up.” (The Bibliosanctum)

Fantastic Story

This is truly a fantastic story! I have found myself completely enthralled by it! The narration was much better than the first book! I didn't have any trouble discerning who was speaking.

One of the top 3 of the best epic fantasy series

If you could sum up Tower Lord in three words, what would they be?

This series rules

What other book might you compare Tower Lord to and why?

Maybe a combo of "game of thrones" and "warded man".

What does Steven Brand bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Like all good narrators,he makes the audiobook a movie in your mind.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The entire story hit the mark.

Any additional comments?

If you love epic fantasy,then this series is a no brainer! If anyone does not like this series,then they have no buisiness buying a epic fantasy novel.

Ryan exceeds expectations!

Any additional comments?

The book picks up where we left off in bloodsong. I like the fact that his heroes are based on their complex mix of honor and integrity. Ending wasn't surprising, but it was a the worst part. I won't give it away, but it is a trope of the comic books.

The middle is really good

Would you listen to Tower Lord again? Why?

Only the middle sections

If you’ve listened to books by Anthony Ryan before, how does this one compare?

The beginning was disjointed and did not carryforward well from book 1. The ending stopped in mid thought.

What about Steven Brand’s performance did you like?

Performance was very good.

Action, Intrigue. Magic. Loss. Triumph.

The second book of the Raven's Shadow series continues the masterful weave of Blood Song. Intrigue is increased as well as your understanding of Vaelin's ability. Ends with a mystery. Can't wait to start Queen of Fire!

Great book

In some ways this book was far better then the former one but still I found it lacking the spark of greatness which the first had. Loved some parts while some where a bit boring but all in all I enjoyed it very much

Love this series

I read this before but wanted to read it again before starting the third book. I think it helps to refresh because so many things happen in this book. I love the characters and how they change throughout the story. Lots of action, great story line, a little tragedy and a little romance. This is an excellent series and I'm so excited to start the next book!

Awesome continuation of the series!

Steven Brand is a wonderful story teller bringing Anthony Ryan's woven tail to life. Tower Lord is an expected cliffhanger leaving you no choice but to dive into the final book without delay.

I need to give this another listen!

I truly loved the first book in this series.
This following installment in the group, was a hard listen.
I am not sure if it was just me & the timing in which I chose to dive into this book but it not as easy a listen.
I am not a literature major but I appreciate character development & depth of story, yet this story seemed.
Again , this is probably due to my short attention span.

This is great

The excellence of this story really snuck up on me. Ryan is so good at setting up and executing Moments. After the tenth or fifteenth Moment happened, I was gradually like 'wait a minute, this storytelling is wonderful!' And then you realize that it just keeps happening.

I love Brand's narration. It captures the intensity and interiority of the story in the midst of the many dramatic events unfolding.