The Priest

** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Reviewed for Divine Magazine

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The Priest (The Chronicles of Riftland #2) by Rowan MacAllister
★★★★★
213 Pages
POV: 3rd person, dual POV


The Priest is an excellent companion and follow-up to The Wanderer. Full of fascinating fantasy world-building, engaging characters, and a new plot twist to the overall arc, it was everything I could have hoped for from a sequel. I can't wait for the next installment.

The Chronicles of the Riftlands is a true series-arc. Like a puzzle made up of distinct, individual images, each book adds a new layer, another piece to the puzzle, and another image to add to the whole. In Book 1, we learned the story of Lyuc and his history with the Riftlands. We learned about the Anchor Stones, the Voloci and the Brotherhood of Rassa, who are the pain priests.

What we learned in Book 1 has been added to, twisted slightly, and explored further in this installment. The Brotherhood are not just pain priests but so much more. And our MC Tas is part of that. Through him, we see someone with unmeasured faith have that faith shattered and broken by a revelation beyond his understanding. Through him, we see another side to the story, and explore all that is possible with the Anchor Stones.

As a main character, Tas was endearing, engaging and sweet. A troubled priest questioning his holy orders, his purpose in life, despite having followed it blindly until now. Then Girik enters the story – a larger than life man who doesn't fit in, who has experienced the pain priests cruelty before, with a mother who is dying and needs him to endure once again. These two are brought together in unusual circumstances – Tas, the priest who must cause pain to charge his Anchor Stone, and Girik the willing Offering, to endure that pain in return for the safety of his village. With a Spawn on the loose nearby, Tas must recharge his stone through Girik's pain and fear, to vanquish the Spawn. But his new doubts stop him from being able to follow through, and it's only Girik's stubbornness that forces them to find another way. Another...intimate...way, that starts off some sizzling chemistry between them.

I loved the progression of Tas and Girik's relationship. It wasn't a slow-burn, since they were intimate before they even knew each other, for the purpose of the pain, but the emotional side was a definite slow-burn that was adorable to watch. The way they supported each other, throughout, and went on a true journey of discovery together kept me reading page after page. Their story only took up 50% of the book, and then Lyuc and Yan returned at 57% to take things up a notch.

It was brilliant to see Yan and Lyuc (and, of course, Bryn) back again. They were just as great as I remember from book 1. With the added new characters, and the faithful hound Bayor, I'm very much looking forward to the next book in the series. I'm excited to see what the Barbarians will be like.

There was action, adventure, romance...I couldn't have asked for more. The Priest is a historical fantasy yarn with all the power of Lyuc's magic and all the gentleness of Yan's nature. Put them together and there's no way you can be disappointed.

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Favourite Quotes

“You make a lovely melody together...for humans,” Singer opined.
“Shut up or I'm putting you back in the box.”

Brother Tasnerek is one of the Thirty-six stone bearers. He’s facing a crisis of faith, and he doesn’t know how to face the next ritual he has to perform for the next hunt.
Girik is an outsider in his village, but he agrees to be the offering of the next ritual if the village will take care of his sick mother.
Tas and Girik have nothing in common at first, until Tas fails the ritual and Girik helps him to find a better solution to save the village. But when the spawn missed killing them, and a curious mage appears out of nowhere to help them, Tas and Girik will have to face the truth about their life, their future, and their feelings.
The Priest by Rowan McAllister is book 2 in the Chronicles of the Riftlands. It can be read as a standalone.
I adored The Wanderer, book 1 of this series, and I was happy to read this sequel.
Tas is a young priest, the youngest in his position. After discovering some proof against his brotherhood and how they lost themselves in greed and power, Tas has a crisis. A crisis of his faith in his brotherhood, a crisis of his life and his purpose. He tries to hide at first, but when he must face Girik in the ritual for the hunt, Tas loses his nerve and confides about his doubt. I liked Tas. He was really lost between what he believed and the truth, but when he couldn’t deny it anymore, he tried to do what was the best to protect the innocent and Girik.
Girik is an outsider among his village. People think of him as a simpleton, but Girik doesn’t care. He doesn’t care about what people think of him, he only cares about his mother, and he’s ready to do everything to make sure she’s well taken care of. She’s dying, and that’s why Girik accepts being the offering, but when he realises that Tas couldn’t perform the ritual, Girik tries to help him. I adored Girik. He’s smart, brave, fierce with a kind heart. He’s smarter than what people think. He didn’t hesitate to face a spawn to save Tas. I adored him.
The story and the plot were good, a little bit slow at the beginning, but it made sense at the end. The author takes the time to explain all the context about Tas’ stone, the brotherhood and most importantly, the immediate connection between Girik and Tas. The MCs were well developed. I was happy to see Lyuc, Ian, and Brin. They’re part of this adventure, and they help Tas and Girik to accept their destiny.
This book can be read at a standalone, but it’s better to read the series in order. Indeed, there’s a thread between each book, and it will be easier to understand all the background of this amazing universe.
I can’t wait to read the next book, the end of The Priest announces more in the future for this misfit band, and more revelations will come.
It’s 4 stars for them.