Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Grey Sister
    Grey Sister
    Grey Sister
    Audiobook15 hours

    Grey Sister

    Written by Mark Lawrence

    Narrated by Heather O'Neill

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    The second novel in a brilliant fantasy series from the international bestselling author of Prince of Thorns. Behind its walls, the Convent of Sweet Mercy has trained young girls to hone their skills for centuries. In Mystic Class, Novice Nona Grey has begun to learn the secrets of the universe. But so often even the deepest truths just make our choices harder. Before she leaves the convent, Nona must choose which order to dedicate herself to--and whether her path will lead to a life of prayer and service or one of the blade and the fist. All that stands between her and these choices are the pride of a thwarted assassin, the designs of a would-be empress wielding the Inquisition like a knife, and the vengeance of the empire's richest lord. As the world narrows around her, and her enemies attack her through the system she is sworn to, Nona must find her own path despite the competing pulls of friendship, revenge, ambition, and loyalty. And in all this only one thing is certain: there will be blood.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateApr 3, 2018
    ISBN9781501994258
    Grey Sister
    Author

    Mark Lawrence

    Mark Lawrence is married with four children, one of whom is severely disabled. His day job is as a research scientist focused on various rather intractable problems in the field of artificial intelligence. Between work and caring for his disabled child, Mark spends his time writing, playing computer games, tending an allotment, brewing beer, and avoiding DIY.

    More audiobooks from Mark Lawrence

    Related to Grey Sister

    Titles in the series (2)

    View More
    View More

    Related audiobooks

    Fantasy For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      ‘Black Sun’ Weaves Fantastic Worlds In Faraway Lands

      Dec 21, 2020

      An ambitious fantasy series is packed with vibrant characters and political intrigue – and isn't stuck in the classic Eurocentric setting, either.

      3 min read

    • Article

      5 New Fantasy Novels Invigorate Old Tropes

      May 18, 2023

      Spell books, dragons, mermaids, fairies and a magic circus all take on new life in the pages of these five enchanting tales hitting shelves in May and June.

      5 min read

    • Article

      Strange Encounters

      Dec 16, 2021

      Strange Encounters
      5 min read

    • Article

      10 Literary Witches To Hex Trump

      Mar 24, 2017

      In case you hadn’t heard, witches across America—including Lana Del Rey—are uniting to take down Trump via a binding spell, which calls on the spirits to keep the President from doing harm (it already seems to be working). Covens, communities, and so

      5 min read

    • Article

      3 Young Adult Novels To Help You Out Of Hibernation

      Apr 9, 2019

      It's getting too nice to stay inside, but when you venture out into the sunshine, be sure to take a good book with you. And if young adult fiction is your favorite, we've got three great spring reads.

      3 min read

    • Article

      The Number of Hair

      Jun 1, 2020

      The Number of Hair
      12 min read

    • Article

      An Enchantment Of Lore

      Jan 5, 2022

      Sirens, Selkies and Ghost Ships Dee Dee Chainey & Willow Winsham Batsford 2021 Hb, 192pp, £12.99, ISBN 9781849946599 Wild Gods, World Trees and Werewolves Dee Dee Chainey & Willow Winsham Batsford 2021 Hb, 192pp, £12.99, ISBN 9781849946872 Dee Dee Ch

      4 min read

    • Article

      Sword Catcher

      Oct 4, 2023

      Sword Catcher
      3 min read

    • Article

      'Unkindness Of Ghosts' Transposes The Plantation's Cruelty To The Stars

      Oct 6, 2017

      Rivers Solomon's novel is set on a giant generation ship, on an interstellar voyage of centuries, divided between the wealthy, light-skinned upper-deckers and the oppressed, laboring lower-deckers.

      3 min read

    • Article

      Pennyblade

      Feb 23, 2022

      RELEASED 15 MARCH 384 pages | Paperback/ebook Author JL Worrad Publisher Titan Books This epic fantasy adventure serves up a fresh take on elves, here called the commrach, who live in a rigid, if decadent, island community far from the human mainland

      1 min read

    • Article

      Big Business, Books And Atom Bombs

      Apr 21, 2023

      Unshackled by Jeff van Rooyen (Bookstorm, R290) The soccer, music, movies and pavement gambling of Van Rooyen’s 1950s childhood in Alexandra and Riverlea, Johannesburg, are quite vividly sketched in this autobiography. The difference for Van Rooyen w

      2 min read

    • Article

      Letters

      Oct 7, 2021

      Nigel Watson reported on the suggestion that the ancient aliens thesis was inherently racist because it refused to acknowledge the ability of people of colour to construct impressive edifices [FT409:32]. Now, while I don’t deny that some aficionados

      9 min read

    • Article

      Book Club

      Feb 10, 2021

      Book Club
      1 min read

    • Article

      The Stiperstones

      Jan 26, 2024

      The Stiperstones
      3 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Grey Sister

    4.5/5

    297 ratings17 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 1/5
      This title won't download or stream, shows error. please fix.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 2/5
      These books are dark and contain a lot of torture bloodshed and murder.
    • 4/5
      It is predictable but I like the characters and the storyline is interesting.
    • 5/5
      A wonderful melange of swords and science. Lots of great adventure here.
    • 5/5
      4,5 stars

      - I loved the characters. Some of them I loved to hate. Keot I loved despite myself.
      - The writing is great, but in all honesty my simple brain prefers simpler prose.
      - Much like the first book, Grey Sister didn't exactly make me feel a lot of things beside excitement. (But more than Red Sister.)

      I'm tempted to get Holy Sister on Kindle and just finish the series straight away, but I think I'll wait for the audiobook that should be out by the end of the month.
    • 5/5
      Absolutely brilliant. I wish it were longer so I could have enjoyed it for another day.
    • 5/5
      One of the things I like most about this series is that the protagonist, Nona Grey, is not the Chosen One. In fact, she's the Shield to the Chosen One, sort of a guard, with her own powers and strengths. Also, a devil, Keot. She's about fifteen now, working her way up through the Sister's hierarchy. She has friends and a lot of enemies. We finally get to meet Sherzad, the chief villain who's also behind the rest of Nona's foes. The last third of the book was so exciting that I powered through to see what happens next. It's a bit of a conundrum as the author has also written some chapters throughout the series that show Nona as older, so I know she survives (at least until then), but his writing still manages to make me doubt that she and her friends will get out of the really bad situations they get into. One of the things I love about Mr. Lawrence's work is how he sneaks some science and technology in as the basis to his fantasy worlds. It's somewhat unique, I think, to fantasy books. This series takes place on Abeth, a planet with a dying sun that reminds me of Darkover, the planet that's the setting of Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover books. I read those books a long time ago but the premise here is the same; different races have come to a planet and develop various powers as a result. Some of the same themes play out here. Oh, and did I mention that those Darkover books are some of my favs, so you can imagine how much I love this series.And now I'm on to Holy Sister, the conclusion to this marvelous series.
    • 5/5
      Story just keeps on getting stronger. Friendships you thought were gone and new friendships are a theme, Along with getting closer to the ice in more ways than one.
    • 5/5
      Better than Red Sister! it picks up two years later, with a useful prologue filling in the missing details. Nona has made it up a class along with Zole, who still doesn't speak much. However almost from the beginning Nona crosses swords with another novice who's political connections means she was always against Nona. Fortunately the author has greater plans than just the squabbling of another magic school story, and so Nona gets expelled and free from the confines of the convent she's able to start seeking her revenge against the powers that caused the death of her first friend. We also get greater insights into the political machinations of the Abbess Glass who has some storylines of her own, all converging on a magnificent epic showdown in the final third of the book. The ability of the various girls to survive ridiculous levels of damage and still keep fighting is somewhat unbelievable, but about the only drawback.I am hopeful that threads left partially exposed will be detailed in the final book- there is minimal foreshadowing of the final battle this time which is appreciated, and I'm most intrigued by the division between the Missing, the planet's prior inhabitants, and the artifacts from the Ancestors arrival. There is plenty of walking the fine line of grey between right and proper, with no easy answers, friends prepared to be brave in defense of others but also succumbing to petty revenge.
    • 4/5
      "There are many poisons that will induce madness but none perhaps quite so effective as love."

      The training swords are no longer wooden and the risks are even higher as Nona continues to train under the Sisters of Sweet Mercy. Scarred from her battle with Raymel, a devil has invaded her body, feeding off her anger and guilt. Every day is a battle over her emotions as the death of Hessa weighs heavily on Nona's shoulders. Blocked off from the site of Hessa's death by the Sisters, Nona explores the under caves determined to find another way in. What she will find when she revisits the site of Hessa's death will force her to flee the Convent of Sweet Mercy. Thrown back into the world, Nona must put her years of training with the Sisters to use as she becomes the hunted.

      I do have to say there were a few moments I was confused in this book. The first few chapters with Nona introduced a cast of new characters in the Grey class and it took me a while to grasp the change of pace. The devil Keot, in particular, caught me by surprise and I thought I missed something from the previous book. I even went back through Mark's summary from Red Sister and the last few chapters, but no, he simply wasn't mentioned until book two.

      I do appreciate how Mark Lawrence included a summary of all the important parts from Red Sister. I feel like this should be something that should become a norm for authors. I love rereading my favorites, but sometimes you just don't have the time and want to jump right into the newest book in a series.

      I was surprised when Nona no longer became the only point of view the reader was allowed to follow. Sister Kettle takes front stage and has her own chapters in Grey Sister. Her path is dark, full of shadows and poisons. Seeing a Sister in action and being able to experience battle from Kettle's point of view was intense. Although I do have to admit towards the end, Nona and Kettle flip flop point of views mid-chapter a lot and it became a bit repetitive for me.

      I completely expected another book with Nona staying in the Convent to train in her new class, but I should have known it wouldn't be so simple. Mark Lawrence has a tendency to throw expectations out the window. With Nona on the run, the book reached a whole new level of tension. Between Keot trying to make Nona kill everyone and her desperate battles against would be assassins, there is barely a page left without blood and violence. It is nonstop action. Even the courtroom scenes aren't spared from it all.

      I can't wait to read Holy Sister, but at the same time, I don't want Nona's story to end.
    • 5/5
      Compelling!I hung in every word, I was caged with the children sold by their parents, ran the path with Nona, sweated with Abbess Glass as the inquisitors took her for trial, and waited with baited breath as actions and plans came into being, at a cost and with little hope of survival.Nona as the scapegoat, is pursued by assassins and is the target of a vengeful wealthy family.Lawrence maintains the intensity and the raw untrammeled moments of terror brilliantly.A NetGalley ARC
    • 5/5
      Read the first book of a series, and it stands on its own. Read its sequel, and I'm constantly judging it against its predecessor. I'm happy to report that Grey Sister holds its own. While in Red Sister, most of the story was from Nona's point-of-view, now we get to know other characters better (Abbess Glass and Sister Kettle, especially), and the story grows beyond just Nona's experiences. And I really appreciated Lawrence starting the book with a refresher on the important points from Red Sister, as the reminder was useful!
    • 5/5
      4.5 stars. A strong follow-up to a strong first novel in the trilogy. I’m ready for book 3.
    • 5/5
      Mark Lawrence continues to get better and better with every new series. The Book of the Ancestor series may be his best yet. In book two, Grey Sister we return to Nona and the Convent of Sweet Mercy. Nona was sold into slavery and waiting for a hangman’s noose when she was rescued by Abbess Glass and sent to the Convent of Sweet Mercy to begin her training as a deadly nun in the first book, Red Sister. Now, several years later, Nona has continued to fill her potential as a “three blood” possessing skills of three of the tribes that came to this planet long ago. A planet covered in ice save for a narrow band around the middle that is warmed by an artificial moon that is slowly falling.Nona has become even more deadly, but she has powerful enemies inside and outside the convent. Nona feels deeply. Her feelings sometimes pull her in opposite directions as she wants both to protect her friends and take vengeance on those who have hurt her and her friends in the past. Nona has to navigate this delicate tightrope as she is manipulated, driven to flee and pursued away from the convent. She must confront enemies from her past and fight her way to freedom. One thing is certain when Nona is involved; the path forward will be bloody.Mark Lawrence has not only created another memorable character in Nona, but he has surrounded her with strong supporting characters, many of whom seem worthy of books of their own. Abbess Glass is a strong, fallible character who still manages to pull threads on a tapestry only she can see. We get to know Nona’s friend and classmate, Zole, a little better in this book. Nona’s enemies, including classmate Joeli, the powerful Raymel Tacsis, and the Emperor’s own sister, all have reasons to want Nona dead. These and many other characters are powerfully drawn and much more than two-dimensional characters.The world-building in this series is incredibly vivid and interesting. Lawrence describes his world organically, revealing it through the way it affects his characters lives, their history, their motives and their actions. If the indelible characters and the fascinating world weren’t enough, Lawrence adds in great action and battles enough to satisfy the most blood-thirsty, particularly the battle at the end. The action is made all the more tense by the strong connection he invites to his characters, both those you love and those you hate.Mark Lawrence is one of the top writers of fantasy in the business and Grey Sister displays all of his considerable talents. The series is a must-read for anyone who loves epic fantasy or just anyone who loves strong, character-driven stories. I can’t wait for the next volume in this series.The audiobook is narrated by Heather O’Neill who was nominated for an Audie for her work on Red Sister and is equally outstanding narrating this book. The cast of characters, from young girls, nuns of various ages, courtly individuals and peasants are all captured with equal facility by O’Neill. Her narration easily helps you picture the distinct individuals speaking and her pacing reflects and enhances both the physical action and the emotional turmoil of each scene. An outstanding performance and one that makes audio my preferred method of reading this series.Highly recommended.I was provided a copy of this audiobook by the publisher.
    • 4/5
      I got a review copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review."It is important, when killing a nun, to ensure that you bring an army of sufficient size. For Sister Thorn of the Sweet Mercy Convent Lano Tacsis brought two hundred men."That is the first line in Red Sister, and the line that made me fall in love with Mark Lawrence's book. Just like in Red Sister his writing is beautiful, almost poetic. Every word is chosen meticulously.The story continues to be dark, but it's also beautiful and filled with themes of friendship and loyalty and how to battle and overcome your inner demons. Grey Sister starts roughly two years after the final chapters of Red Sister.Nona is a terrific character, well developed, hot-headed, filled with energy and wit. She's damaged, but fiery and passionate, and she fights for what she believes in. She's often unpredictable, but intelligent and one of my favourite fantasy protagonists despite her young age.Red Sister mainly focused on Nona, here we also get to see the story from the point of view of Abbess Glass, who is the leader of the convent, and through the point of view of Sister Kettle. Throughout the book, the side characters feel more fleshed out than they were in Red Sister.The world is complex and intriguing and Mark Lawrence expands the story behind it quite a bit. It's a dying world, ice is closing in on the people living there, from all sides and there's not much more than a corridor left. There's a lot of political intrigue in this, something I always enjoy in fantasy books.I highly recommend Red and Grey Sister to all fantasy fans.
    • 3/5
      I had really liked the first book and I didn’t hesitate to pick this up but it was a slow read. The beginning and the end was interesting but nothing really happened in between. Or felt like it. And I think my favorite character was Keot which is not good since he was a murderous psychopath. I hate to say it but I was bored for quite a bit of it. I think I might have liked it better if I could have read it in longer stretches. Or not. Mark Lawrence is a hit or miss for me. I loved the broken empire trilogy but couldn’t get into his second series. This one, I’ll finish the series but I hope the next one is better than this one.
    • 5/5
      Grey Sister is the Second Book of the Ancestor by Mark Lawrence. The story brings us back to Sweet Mercy Convent two years after the spectacular events of Red Sister. Recently graduated to Mystic class, Nona Grey's life has resumed the relative normalcy of classes. Haunted by Hessa's death and her need to take revenge, Nona works to contain her emotions while she continues her education. Her plans to take the Red are interrupted with the Convent finds itself the target of the Inquisition and everyone's futures in question.Firstly, big thanks to the author for including a short "what went on before" with the highlights from book one before the story. It was incredibly helpful and I learned something I didn't pick up on when I read Red Sister. I wish more authors would do this for their series.The story follows a similar structure to the first book in that we get a sneak peek into Nona's future before continuing on her journey of how she gets there. Since we were already introduced to Nona's past in the previous book there are no more flashbacks which helps the story move along at a good pace. What's different this time around is we get a second point of view character with Abbess Glass. The Abbess is a master strategist and manipulator who, while not always knowing exactly how things will end, sees ways to set plans into motion that no one else expects. I liked this a lot as it provides nice counterbalance to Nona's more straightforward view of the world. The secondary characters are also given a chance to grow and the bonds of friendship tighten. As before, friendship is a big theme in the book.I continue to be impressed at the world building. Abeth is such a unique idea and it's even more apparent the world is dying. As the sun continues to fail the ice inevitably creeps inward which causes the habitable parts of land to narrow. This is starting to strain the populace, the effects of which can be felt even at Sweet Mercy. Hinted at in the first book, it is fairly obvious that control over the moon and the ancient technology that was brought with the original settlers to this world will be important in the third installment if the planet and it's inhabitants are to survive. Combined with the abilities each of the four races brings and the magic of the Path I enjoy the touch of scifi with this mostly fantasy world. I am highly curious if we'll get to see anything that's under the ice or if the answers will all be found in the habitable regions. Halfway through events take a surprising that turn that flips everything upside down. From this point on the book became very hard to put down! The action scenes are intense and so cinematic that I wish I could see them on the big screen some day. It all leads to one impossible climax that left me breathless and wanting more. Now the long wait for the final book starts.