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  • A Pilgrimage of Swords

A Pilgrimage of Swords

The Seven Swords #1 / 8
by Anthony Ryan
A Pilgrimage of Swords (The Seven Swords #1) by Anthony Ryan
⧗ 8.66 / 3
123456789110

Dust jacket illustration by Didier Graffet.

ENTER THE EXECRATION,

WHERE THE DAMNED AND THE DESPERATE

COME TO PRAY TO THE MAD GOD...

It is two hundred years since the deity known as the Absolved went mad and destroyed the Kingdom of Alnachim, transforming it into the Execration, a blasted wasteland filled with nameless terrors. For decades, desperate souls have made pilgrimage to the centre of this cursed land to seek the Mad God’s favour, their fate always unknown.

Now a veteran warrior known only as Pilgrim, armed with a fabled blade inhabited by the soul of a taunting demon, must join with six others to make the last journey to the heart of the Execration. Allied with a youthful priest, a beast-charmer, a duplicitous scholar, an effete actor and two exiled lovers, Pilgrim must survive madness, malevolent spirits, unnatural monsters and the ever-present risk of treachery, all so that the Mad God might hear his prayer and, perhaps, grant redemption. But can sins such as his ever be forgiven?

Set in a world where demons and gods walk the earth, A Pilgrimage of Swords is a dark and exciting fantasy adventure from the New York Times bestselling author of the Raven’s Shadow and Draconis Memoria trilogies.

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FantasyEpic FantasyHigh Fantasy
Release date: September 30, 2019

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Anthony Ryan

Anthony Ryan

Anthony Ryan’s name has become synonymous with epic fantasy that doesn’t just create worlds, but breathes life into them. Known for his intricate storytelling and deeply complex characters, Ryan’s works resonate with readers who crave more than just escapism—they want a story that challenges their perceptions and stays with them long after the final page.

Born in 1970 in Scotland, Ryan’s path to becoming a full-time writer was far from conventional. He worked in the British Civil Service for many years, but his passion for storytelling was never far from the surface. It wasn’t until 2011, when he self-published his debut novel Blood Song, that Ryan’s writing career truly began to take off. The book quickly found an enthusiastic audience, and its success led to a three-book deal with Penguin Books just a year later, marking the beginning of his rise in the fantasy world.

Read more ...

The Raven’s Shadow series, starting with Blood Song, introduced readers to Vaelin Al Sorna, a warrior monk caught between the brutality of war and his own moral compass. The book’s gripping action, morally gray characters, and deep exploration of power, sacrifice, and destiny quickly earned it a loyal fanbase. Ryan’s ability to blend high-stakes drama with introspective character development became a hallmark of his writing style.

But Ryan isn’t just a one-series wonder. His Draconis Memoria trilogy takes a bold leap into the realm of epic fantasy with a touch of steampunk and high adventure, tackling themes of colonialism, exploitation, and the politics of power. In The Seven Swords and The Covenant of Steel, Ryan continues to demonstrate his range, delving into new mythologies and exploring how personal choices shape the course of history.

Throughout his career, Ryan’s stories have remained grounded in the human experience, no matter how fantastical the setting. His writing doesn’t just focus on the grand battles or the magic that shapes his worlds, but on the emotional and ethical struggles of those caught in the midst of them. Readers come for the dragons and the duels, but they stay for the journey of characters like Vaelin, whose internal conflicts often mirror the external ones he faces.

Ryan’s works are not just celebrated for their epic scope, but for the emotional weight they carry. Whether he’s writing about the blood-soaked fields of a battlefield or the delicate politics of an empire, his books resonate with readers who appreciate both action and depth. With a growing catalog of novels and a steadily expanding fanbase, Anthony Ryan is a name to watch in the realm of fantasy, where he continues to push boundaries and craft tales that explore the true cost of heroism.

The Seven Swords

The Seven Swords consists of seven books and series is set to expand with the upcoming release of one more book. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.

A Pilgrimage of Swords (The Seven Swords #1)
⧗ 8.66 / 3
The Kraken's Tooth (The Seven Swords #2)
Unrated
City of Songs (The Seven Swords #3)
⧗ 8.50 / 2
To Blackfyre Keep (The Seven Swords #4)
⧗ 9.00 / 2
Across the Sorrow Sea (The Seven Swords #5)
⧗ 8.26 / 4
The Road of Storms (The Seven Swords #6)
⧗ 8.00 / 1
The Infernus Gate (The Seven Swords #7)
Unrated
The Seven Swords Book 8 (The Seven Swords #8)
⧗ 8.00 / 1


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