'I was born for killing - the gods made me to ruin'. At the Convent of Sweet Mercy girls are raised to be killers. Some have inherited old bloods, which bestow upon them special talents. Sweet Mercy hones it's novices' skills with care: it takes ten years to educate a Red Sister in the deadly arts of blade and fist. But even the mistresses of sword and shadow don't fully understand what they have purchased when Nona Grey is brought to their halls as a child of eight, accused of murder but guilty of worse. In her short life, Nona has made powerful enemies, and despite the security and isolation of the convent, her violent past will one day find her out. Nona must face her demons and become a deadly assassin if she is to survive... - Publishers description.
The Book of the AncestorSeries
This series plunges readers into a realm where young girls are forged into deadly warriors within the confines of a strict convent. Follow their arduous journey from novices to elite assassins, navigating treacherous political landscapes and confronting formidable mystical threats. It masterfully explores themes of sisterhood, loyalty, and the resilience of the human spirit against overwhelming odds. Prepare for visceral action sequences and profound emotional connections forged in the crucible of survival.



Recommended Reading Order
- 1
- 2
Grey Sister
- 416 pages
- 15 hours of reading
The second novel in a brilliant fantasy trilogy 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.
- 3
Nona Grey's story reaches its shattering conclusion in the third instalment of Book of the Ancestor. THEY CAME AGAINST HER AS A CHILD. NOW THEY FACE THE WOMAN. The ice is advancing, the Corridor narrowing, and the empire is under siege from the Scithrowl in the east and the Durns in the west. Everywhere, the emperor's armies are in retreat. Nona faces the final challenges that must be overcome if she is to become a full sister in the order of her choice. But it seems unlikely that Nona and her friends will have time to earn a nun's habit before war is on their doorstep. Even a warrior like Nona cannot hope to turn the tide of war. The shiphearts offer strength that she might use to protect those she loves, but it's a power that corrupts. A final battle is coming in which she will be torn between friends, unable to save them all. A battle in which her own demons will try to unmake her. A battle in which hearts will be broken, lovers lost, thrones burned. HOLY SISTER completes the Book of the Ancestor trilogy that began with RED SISTER and GREY SISTER. A ground-breaking series, it has established Mark Lawrence as one of the most exciting new voices in modern speculative fiction