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Peter McLean
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Priest of Gallows (War for the Rose Throne Book 3) Kindle Edition

by Peter McLean (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 out of 5 stars 726 ratings

Gangster, soldier, priest. Queen's Man. Governor.

'If you haven't yet picked up this riveting and unique series, I highly recommend you do' Fantasy Book Critic

Tomas Piety has everything he ever wanted. In public he's a wealthy, highly respected businessman, happily married to a beautiful woman and governor of his home city of Ellinburg. In private, he's no longer a gang lord, head of the Pious Men, but one of the Queen's Men, invisible and officially non-existent, working in secret to protect his country.

The queen's sudden death sees him summoned him back to the capital - where he discovers his boss, Dieter Vogel, Provost Marshal of the Queen's Men, is busy tightening his stranglehold on the country.

Just as he once fought for his Pious Men, Tomas must now bend all his wit and hard-won wisdom to protect his queen - even when he can't always tell if he's on the right side.

Tomas has started to ask himself, what is the price of power? And more importantly, is it one he is willing to pay?

'If you like your fantasy with a side of dark and gritty, you won't want to miss this' CHRISTINA HENRY, bestselling author of The Girl in Red on Priest of Lies

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  1. Book 3 of 5
    War for the Rose Throne
  2. Print length
    407 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Arcadia
  5. Accessibility
    Learn more
  6. Publication date
    May 27, 2021
  7. File size
    5.6 MB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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There are 5 books in this series.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Stunning. Best book of the year by a spear length and then some―ANNA SMITH SPARK, author of Empires of Dust, on PRIEST OF GALLOWS

Mclean writes fantasy that feels slick, modern, and pulls few punches. Pacey writing lends subtle weight to the gritty themes explored as The War for the Rose Throne gathers ever more speed―ED MCDONALD, bestselling author of the RAVEN'S MARK series on on PRIEST OF GALLOWS

A brilliant story . . . that's full of invention, surprise and MacLean's knack for complex, morally grey characters―TRACK OF WORDS on PRIEST OF GALLOWS

If you like your fantasy with a side of dark and gritty, you won't want to miss this―CHRISTINA HENRY, bestselling author of The Girl in Red on PRIEST OF LIES

Utterly unputdownable―TRACK OF WORDS on PRIEST OF GALLOWS in 'Best SFF of 2021'

A brilliant world―GRIMDARK MAGAZINE on PRIEST OF GALLOWS

This series rocks!―FANTASY BOOK CRITIC on PRIEST OF GALLOWS

The first two books in this series were a great deal of fun so I had high hopes for book three. I'm glad to report that I was not at all disappointed. I'm beyond pleased to note that we are not quite done with the adventures of Tomas Piety and the rest of the Pious Men yet. Highly recommended―THE ELOQUENT PAGE on PRIEST OF GALLOWS

An enigma. It manages to be light and dark, clean but dirty, harsh but fair, full of love and equally full of death. It's an awesome story, one that grabs you from the first line and doesn't let go until the finale when it slams you to the ground―FANTASY HIVE on PRIEST OF LIES

The politics of The Godfather meets the grit of Gangs of New York . . . a dark, dirty, foul-mouthed triumph of grimdark gangster heist novels. If Locke Lamora (Scott Lynch) had a bigger, uglier, more violent brother, his name would be Tomas Piety. Amid the violence and the stink of the Ellinburg, though, there's camaraderie and trust, concern for the wellbeing of the poor and a rusty sort of honour among thieves―ANNA STEPHENS, bestselling author of the Godblind trilogy, on PRIEST OF BONES

Priest of Lies is pretty damn exceptional . . . the ending is stunning . . . an author who is on top of his game―GRIMDARK MAGAZINE on PRIEST OF LIES

A hell of a good time, and serves up a damn fine cliffhanger―FANTASY BOOK REVIEW

Clever storytelling and beautifully immersive prose. Priest of Liesdigs deeper and hits harder, getting darker by the chapter, with astonishing surprises around each and every corner. I'm really looking forward to seeing what blood-soaked mischief Tomas gets into next. If you haven't yet picked up this riveting and unique series, I highly recommend you do―FANTASY BOOK CRITIC on PRIEST OF LIES

Managing to be exciting, narratively taut and a commentary on the terrible things war and violence do to people is no mean feat, but Peter McLean manages it with Priest of Bones. I wish I had written this

―R.J. BARKER, bestselling author of Blood of Assassins, on PRIEST OF BONES

Let me just tell you that Peter McLean knows how to fucking write!―PARSECS AND PARCHMENT

This is the best entry into the series yet and I couldn't put it down―FANFIADDICT

I can't remember the last time I read such a consistently good series as The War for the Rose Throne. Characterization in these books is phenomenal―GEEK DAD

A powerful and moving urban fantasy that I found myself completely immersed in―MUSE’S BOOK JOURNAL

About the Author

Peter McLean was born in London and went to school in the shadow of Norwich Cathedral, where he spent most of his time making up stories. He grew up alternating dingy nightclubs with studying martial arts and practical magic before settling to a career in corporate IT. The noir urban fantasy Burned Man series was followed by the highly acclaimed grimdark fantasy quartet, starting with Priest of Bones,Priest of Lies and Priest of Gallows. The final book about Tomas Piety will be Priest of Crowns.

You will find Peter Mclean on Twitter (@PeteMC66), on Facebook (@PeterMcLeanAuthor) and at his website, https://talonwraith.com.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08LB55TP9
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Arcadia
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 27, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 5.6 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 407 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1529411324
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 3 of 5 ‏ : ‎ War for the Rose Throne
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 726 ratings

About the author

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Peter McLean

Peter McLean

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Peter McLean was born near London in 1972, the son of a bank manager and an English teacher. He went to school in the shadow of Norwich Cathedral where he spent most of his time making up stories.

He has since grown up a bit, if not a lot, and spent 25 years working in corporate IT. He is married to Diane and is still making up stories.

He is the author of the War for the Rose Throne series, beginning with Priest of Bones, and is represented by Jennie Goloboy at DMLA.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
726 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book to be a fantastic third installment in the series, with one noting it was planned over three volumes. They appreciate the well-developed characters, with one review highlighting how they maintain their personalities and flaws throughout. The book features plenty of bloody action and political intrigue, while the writing style receives positive feedback. Customers find the story interesting, with one review mentioning how it immerses readers in the world of Ellinburg.

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19 customers mention "Storyline"15 positive4 negative

Customers enjoy the storyline of this book, describing it as a fantastic third installment in the series, with one customer noting its interesting twists and turns.

"...The world building in this dark series is exquisite. If you don’t like brutal, bloody scenes it’s NOT the series for you...." Read more

"...Great series, but none of these ideas are his. It’s a medieval retelling of a great show. It’s great because the source material is great." Read more

"...I am happy to report that this book maintained the level of excellence that I have come to expect from this series...." Read more

"Continues the story well, ups the stakes quite a lot...." Read more

9 customers mention "Enjoyment"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable, with one describing it as a gritty read, and another recommending it to sword and swordplay fantasy fans.

"...A gripping, gritty read. I adore Peter McLean’s writing style...." Read more

"This was so good! I went into this book with high expectations since it was one of my most anticipated reads of the year...." Read more

"...All in all, a great book." Read more

"I really enjoyed this book...." Read more

7 customers mention "Character development"7 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with one noting how the characters keep their personalities and flaws intact, while another particularly loves the character of Bloody Anne.

"...this book a try because it has the perfect combination of action, great characters, political maneuvering, and bloody violence to keep things very,..." Read more

"...I appreciate that McLean is good at keeping us rooting for the characters while keeping their personalities and flaws intact...." Read more

"Well written and engaging characters but a slog of a plot line...." Read more

"...The story grows & shifts, as do the characters. I love the character of Bloody Anne & how McClean creates strong, realistic female characters." Read more

5 customers mention "Violence level"5 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the violence level in the book, with one customer highlighting its plenty of bloody action and political intrigue, while another describes it as a grimdark badass tale.

"...I am excitedly waiting for the gripping conclusion to this brutal and bloody tale." Read more

"...fantasy need to give this book a try because it has the perfect combination of action, great characters, political maneuvering, and bloody violence..." Read more

"...-The main character started book one as an interesting, grimdark badass, but his worst quality now is a tendency to swear at the end of each chapter...." Read more

"...Priest of Gallows is action packed, has lots of political intrigue, and it's dark and intense...." Read more

5 customers mention "Writing style"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, with one mentioning that it is told in first person by the main character Tomas Piety.

"...Told in first person by main character Tomas Piety, you get an close up perspective of Piety’s experiences, thoughts, fears and decision making..." Read more

"These are fantastic books. Peter McLean is a brilliant writer who has brought to life a wonderful narrator in Tomas Piety...." Read more

"Well written and engaging characters but a slog of a plot line...." Read more

"...there wasn’t a lot of good to be found in the book, other then good writing. I hope things change for the better in the next installment...." Read more

4 customers mention "Interest"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book very interesting, with one customer noting how immersive the world-building is.

"...I adore Peter McLean’s writing style. It sucks me in quickly, immersing me in Ellinburg, the Capital, the streets, the palace, upper and lower town..." Read more

"...political maneuvering, and bloody violence to keep things very, very interesting...." Read more

"...The story he tells keep the reader focused, interested, and intrigued as to what will happen next. I love his writing style...." Read more

"Big fan of the entire series. The world is immersive and each character is unique and interesting. Can’t wait for the next one" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Ms. Laurie J. Bell
    5.0 out of 5 stars A must read series!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Once again Peter McLean has knocked it so far out of the park it’s gonna take years to find the ball. If you like Grimdark in general (or just GOT) then you MUST get onto this series. Priest of Gallows is the third book in this four book series (The War for the Rose Throne) and boy it’s a doozy. Told in first person by main character Tomas Piety, you get an close up perspective of Piety’s experiences, thoughts, fears and decision making process. Book two left us with Piety now the governor of Ellinburg having given Bloody Anne control of the Pious Boys. This ex-soldier and ex-mob boss’s life seems to be moving up. As with anything in this world designed by the incredible mind of Peter McLean what seems to be and what is are totally different prospects.

    It seems that every decision, every step taken by Tomas Piety is just one step further into trouble.

    He is summoned by the head of the Queen’s Men to the Capital. It necessitates another change in fortune. He must hand over his governorship and take only his most trusted with him. The summons worries him and with good reason. The Queen’s Men are spies and assassins for the Queen. So what happens to them if the Queen dies? Piety is soon embroiled is espionage of the highest order. Even the secrets have secrets in the Capital. And the Queen’s Men are at the top of the food chain. Still, everyone answers to someone. And Piety must be careful who he trusts. He is a soldier – he knows how to follow orders – and here he is but the Blade, but the Capital is rumbling. Politics, Deceit, Truth, Betrayal and Ruin lie at every turn. And the war Piety would never see return is right around the corner. How well he plays the game will show where his loyalties lie and whether he and his closest allies will survive the coming storm.

    The world building in this dark series is exquisite. If you don’t like brutal, bloody scenes it’s NOT the series for you. But if you love the dark, gritty brutality of Game of Thrones then this is the series for you.

    The reality of mob mentality is brutal and cruel within the capital. And Priest of Gallows really explores how little it truly takes to turn a populous into a deadly mob. Ellinburg, and Piety’s Pious Men are a holiday by comparison.

    If you have read the previous two books, I thoroughly recommend getting this one as soon as it is out at the end of May. A gripping, gritty read. I adore Peter McLean’s writing style. It sucks me in quickly, immersing me in Ellinburg, the Capital, the streets, the palace, upper and lower town and everywhere in between. His characterization is top notch. From Bloody Anne’s endless loyalty, to Ailsa’s lies, to Beast’s trust, to Vogel’s machinations, to Billy’s inherent danger and love and the Princess’s madness. The political games played are as horrible as you would expect, the power grabs fast and brutal and layered. You don’t really know who to trust and the storm is coming.

    I am excitedly waiting for the gripping conclusion to this brutal and bloody tale.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Max W. Sorrelle 3
    4.0 out of 5 stars Love this series, but…..
    Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I love this series. I’ve read all three and I’ll finish out the series with #4. But this guy is plagiarizing Peaky Blinders like nobody’s business. I thought the similarity was obvious from the beginning and because I love that show, it was great. But, it’s really getting to the point now where this author is just changing some names, the order of events and putting swords in people’s hands instead of guns. Great series, but none of these ideas are his. It’s a medieval retelling of a great show. It’s great because the source material is great.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Carole Wooten
    5.0 out of 5 stars Splendid!
    Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This was so good! I went into this book with high expectations since it was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I am happy to report that this book maintained the level of excellence that I have come to expect from this series. I honestly cannot understand how this series isn’t more popular than it currently is. I really think that all fans of dark fantasy need to give this book a try because it has the perfect combination of action, great characters, political maneuvering, and bloody violence to keep things very, very interesting.

    This book picks up shortly after the events of the previous installment so I would definitely recommend that this series be read in order. Tomas Piety has been serving as Governor of Ellinburg. He has handed the reins of his gang, the Pious Men, to his second in command, Bloody Anne, while he serves his role as a member of the Queen’s Men. A note from Dannsburg telling him that the Queen is dead and he is needed. He gathers his closest men and starts his journey. He is not ready for everything he is about to encounter when he arrives at the House of Law.

    This book is told from Tomas’s point of view and I love the way that he is able to navigate even the most difficult situations. He is a tough man but he has his limits and lines that he will not cross. This is a brutal story and not for the faint of heart. It was eye opening to realize just how deeply the corruption in this realm extends and to learn just who really holds the power. This was a book that I found almost impossible to set aside and couldn’t wait to see how Tomas and his crew would be able to navigate the difficult situation that they found themselves in.

    I would highly recommend this series to others. I found this to be a fantastic read that kept me hooked from the start. This is definitely a darker story with plenty of bloody action and a whole crew of wonderful characters. I will definitely be reading more of Peter McLean’s work in the future.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great continuation of an underrated series
    Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Continues the story well, ups the stakes quite a lot. I feel like this book is setting up a lot of things for the final book, which will follow this one. This is a good thing, and the book does it well. The characters find themselves in situations with much bigger consequences than in the previous books. I appreciate that McLean is good at keeping us rooting for the characters while keeping their personalities and flaws intact. All in all, a great book.
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  • GCNBBAMF
    4.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding!
    Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I really enjoyed this book. It progressed to the storyline and added a layer of malice and low cunning to the grim dark of the Rose throne and the Queen's Men. Awesome book.
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  • Dan Roop
    5.0 out of 5 stars Set up for the finale!
    Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    These are fantastic books. Peter McLean is a brilliant writer who has brought to life a wonderful narrator in Tomas Piety. The story he tells keep the reader focused, interested, and intrigued as to what will happen next. I love his writing style. It just fits my reading style perfectly. I look forward to completing this story very soon - I cannot wait to see where he takes us!
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  • Amazon Customer
    3.0 out of 5 stars Pointless
    Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Well written and engaging characters but a slog of a plot line. Relentlessly dark and one note, please just stick one of the sisters in into Vogel already! He is obviously nuts and probably killed the Queen as well as almost everybody else not a Queens Man. The plot line for this book just went nowhere. The previous books were far superior in every way.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Peter Buckmaster
    5.0 out of 5 stars Binged this in under three days!
    Reviewed in Japan on October 24, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    IThere's a quote on the front cover by Mark Lawrence, saying it's very "more-ish" and I have to agree. Very much looking forward to the fourth and final book in this series.
    I've got a very strong voice in my head for Tomas Piety and this is maybe why I keep turning the pages - I feel like I'm in his shoes. at least in his thought processes. I feel like I know him quite well by now. And I believe this is down to Peter McLean's excellent handling of Tomas' narration. I felt the weariness in him; I understand the hopes he has for his family combined with the knowledge that his whole world is essentially a powder keg; and I sympathise with his situation, being stuck between a hard reality and a despicable Vogel.
    The last point there is where a lot of Grimdark really pulls the reader in. Tomas Piety has the same problems as certain characters in Abercrombie's First Law trilogy - no matter how hard you try to change things or escape, you can't. These people, Tomas included, are not particularly nice (he is a murderer) but by contrasting him with a greater evil, you sympathise with his predicament.
    The supporting cast are fantastic. Bloody Anne needs her own series (a prequel? during the war?), Billy becomes ever more important to the plot, and Ailsa remains impenetrable as to where her true loyalties lie and what motivates her.
    I'm fairly sure there'll be no happy ending overall, but I hope one or two characters will ride off into the sunset.
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  • Farhad Shawkat
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent writing and characters
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 9, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    The plot thickens, and the series gets better. And better. And better. I am absolutely loving this series now, and while I can’t compare it to Peaky Blinders (not having watched the tv show), it has evolved from what was essentially gang warfare with a bit of magic in book 1 to something much grander in scale. I’m glad the author didn’t end this in a trilogy, and there’s one more book to go in this quartet (I know there’s a fancier word for a four book series, but I don’t know what that word is).

    Thomas Piety, leader of the Pious Men, is by now well out of his depth, but is coping. Barely. His supporting cast is excellent, and the author Peter McLean has managed to flesh out each character extremely well, given the relatively small number of pages per book. We need more authors like him in the fantasy genre.

    Overall, if you’re in this deep, like Thomas Piety, you’ll keep going. You hardly need my recommendation, but I’ll give it anyway.
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  • Conrad Elander
    5.0 out of 5 stars Loving the series
    Reviewed in Canada on September 30, 2023
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    Really enjoying the characters and their development. Some are static but the main character slowly evolves as he gets to k ow himself better. Well done!
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  • Jennifer Eldridge
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book - Wonderful Series
    Reviewed in Australia on July 7, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This book kept the pace going. It had all the characters we've come to love (and hate).

    If you've enjoyed the first two books then this won't disappoint.
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  • Roy Scrivener
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 16, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    I've known the author for many years through his day job and never would have imagined this side of him.
    His books have nods to other series but are very much his own. I have loved reading about Pious and the Rose Crown
    Report

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