A Tide of Black Sails by Anthony Ryan

Book Review

Elloise Hopkins

In the Outer Isles, in the village of Buht Hardta, Ruhlin the Quiet sees a ship approaching. He recognises its sigil, yet the imagery points downwards, not up. Inverted, and nothing he has seen before. It will not be long before Ruhlin discovers that this ship does not come with friendly news. So begins a journey of self-discovery for the young Fire-Blood.

Thera of the Blackspear, Ascarlian’s Vellihr of Justice, has a very specific message to deliver from the Sister Queens. A message that the Veilwald of the Skor Geld, Kolsyg Ehflud, will not be keen to hear. His spoils will be returned, and the Dreadaxe will find a new owner. Thera has one more duty to fulfil – to deliver Ehflud’s only daughter to the queens. She will discover there is more to his child than meets the eye.

Felnir, captain of the longship Sea Hawk and disgraced younger brother of Thera,  sails the Liar Sea with his brother and lover faithful at his side, determined to find glory and a release from his previous downfall. Felnir desires nothing more than a new name, one that will strike Redtooth from the lips of those who despise him, including his sister, and he is determined to succeed at any price.

A Tide of Black Steel takes place in the same world as Ryan’s Covenant of Steel trilogy, and fans will not be sad to hear that we do get a little glimmer of Alwyn Scribe in this new book, though the action takes place decades later. This first book in the Age of Wrath series delivers a tale of warriors and the search for glory, set against a harsh, Norse-inspired landscape of cold seas and unforgiving lands. Battle scenes and betrayals come aplenty, and of course, the rising and clashing of faiths.

Several characters share the point of view role, and through their eyes, the reader begins to understand the power wielded by the Sister Queens and those who hold positions of power around the various islands. The narrative tracks those who follow the faith and the discovery of those who are rising up against it, bringing havoc and destruction in their wake.

As we have come to expect from this author, the worldbuilding and characterisation are formidable, solidifying this world and the stories of those who inhabit it. Ehflud’s daughter proves to be a fascinating supporting character in Thera’s narrative, and along with Ruhlin, promises much unfolding of magics and mysteries as the series continues. A solid series opener that brings to life the brutal civilisation it is modelled on.