4.75/5 stars! Anthony Ryan does it again. This is the third book in the "Covenant of Steel" series. What a finale! The betrayal in this story wrecked me and yet I couldn't stop reading it. The only detractor is that there are developments in this story that kind of invalidate parts of book 2. Watching Alwyn struggle with his feelings for Evadine was tear-jerking and the ending was wildly satisfactory.

I adore Anthony Ryan's books, they never cease to impress me. The Traitor is the epic conclusion to one of my favorite series and the growth of Ryan's writing is showing in this book.

The pacing was good but sometimes a bit heavy because of the battle scenes. The story is twisted and cruel, and while it was bloody, i felt entertained the whole time. I must say the ending felt a bit rushed but i really enjoyed this trilogy and i'm happy how it turned out at the end.

This was my first series from Anthony Ryan, and I'm really impressed. The medieval world he created, with each land and its people is extraordinary. The story is expertly written, twisted and completed. It's cruel and bloody, entertaining and thought-provoking. Perhaps the final volume is the best of the three books.

An epic conclusion to an outstanding series.

I have been a fan of Ryan's work since I first read Blood Song. He has come a long way as a writer, as the conclusion to this trilogy shows.

There are moments of genius prose, showing the dangers of the spoken and written word, charisma, and fanaticism.

The characters are nuanced, and you can't help but feel close to them, even as you see them making mistakes that lead to deadly consequences.

The pacing could be a bit heavy at times, especially with the sheer number of battle scenes, and the ending felt a bit rushed. At 80%, I remember wondering how it was going to end, as I felt that we weren't near the conclusion. However, I am incredibly happy with how it turned out, even if it did end with a bit of a cliffhanger and foreshadowing, setting up a potential new series.

I highly recommend this series.

This is an excellent series, a series about a man and how he got to be powerful from a very humble beginning.
There's betrayal, fanatism, love and an action packed and fast paced story that brings this story to an epic conclusion.
Anthony Ryan delivers a series which is epic but also featuring a world with more in common than we think.
Well done, highly recommended
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Traitor is the final book in Anthony Ryan’s epic fantasy trilogy Covenant of Steel. Sir Alwyn Scribe, confidant, spymaster and now lover to the Living Martyr Evadine Courlain, must contend with his growing realization that he has been blinded by love and devotion to Evadine. And the time has come for him to make a choice to fight for the woman he loves or to fight for what is right.

I thought The Traitor was the best entry in the trilogy. The book starts off at Alwyn’s highest as the companion to Evadine while she reaches for her new ambition of being the Ascendant Queen and drags him back low after he finally betrays her after having his eyes opened. One thing I would have liked to see though was for him to have decided to do so on his own rather than having had his hand forced to do so after that reveal.

It’s always a more compelling read to see characters struggle and grow. After his betrayal, he once again needs to gather new allies, now among all those he defeated while being Evadine’s agent. We see Alwyn forced use all the tools in his arsenal—his wit, street smarts, and drive to survive—to defeat the woman he had a hand in building up.

From personal struggles to epic battles, the book offers it all. I was invested in Alwyn’s personal journey, but not just him alone. Some supporting characters shined too in this one, despite never getting the spotlight. I do begrudge Anthony Ryan though for that one character’s death that truly pained me who deserved a better death than what they ultimately got.

The Traitor is a fantastic concluding chapter in the Covenant of Steel trilogy that brings Alwyn’s journey to close while leaving it open enough for more.

Thank you to Tor for providing me the arc in exchange for a review.

Following the first two books of the series, Alwyn realises he is completely wrapped around Evadine’s finger. Now he must decide between peace, deception, lies, and ruin. Where does his own beliefs and values fit in? Can they?

”To save all I must risk all. I must be queen, the Ascendant Queen. In me, Crown, commons and Covenant will be unified and the Second Scourge averted. Only then can this realm know peace."

"She was always mad. We just didn't see it. Or perhaps we were mad too and sanity dawned only when we beheld what she is."

Alwyn doesn’t embark upon such a difficult and taxing journey alone. He is joined by semi-loyal, questionably honourable, and a particularly humorous cast of characters.

Ryan’s characterisation of his protagonists has always captured my attention and taken him to a whole new level in the fantasy genre.

”Such a mass of contradictions you are. A cut-throat outlaw of savage reputation who can wield a quill as well as he can a blade. A man of great knowledge matched only by his facility for deceit. He has done the foulest deeds in service to a woman who's as mad as the most rabid bitch, yet he harbours concern for a little girl he once saved.”

The attention Ryan pays to the influence one can wield over people, and the power of words over weapons is one of the most engaging and clever ventures in upcoming fantasy! Despite, or perhaps enchanted by, Alwyn’s disbelief of martyrdom, he demonstrates how powerful both faith and belief can be.

”Words have power," I agreed with a shrug, "Especially when you write them down. As for lies, I learned long ago that you can only really sell them to a willingly gulled audience."

Ryan has such an alacrity in writing battle scenes. He is one of the few authors who manages to capture my attention for lengthy times, similar to John Gwynne. Expect gruesome descriptions, dark comedy, and gritty, bloody deaths.
However, I admittedly did find myself skimming as I am not too fond of battle heavy books. Especially when it comes to book three of wars done in the name of nobles, royalty, and religion.

Ryan twists fate and foreshadowing in such a masterful manner that I was left stunned with anticipation, regret, and shock. I keenly felt characters’s shame, guilt, and musings, putting me right alongside them in wondering what-ifs, should-they, and mayhaps.

I do feel like the ending was slightly a let down as it leaves you on a bit of a teaser, a bit of a cliffhanger. Not something you necessarily want at the end of a trilogy.
If you pay careful attention, you may see the patterns Ryan weaves with his other stories and books. Mayhap you’ll notice past histories, or future possibilities.
If anyone does figure out the nameless, please drop me a message!

If you enjoyed The Justice of Kings or the First Law trilogy, I would recommend this!