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The Riyria Revelations #1-6
The Riyria Revelations
This boxed set includes bestselling author Michael J. Sullivan's complete Riyria Revelations, an epic tale of treachery and adventure, sword fighting and magic, myth and legend.
Royce Melborn, a skilled thief, and his mercenary partner, Hadrian Blackwater, make a profitable living carrying out dangerous assignments for conspiring nobles - until they become the unwitting scapegoats in a plot to murder the king. Sentenced to death, their only hope is to unravel an ancient mystery before it's too late.
The Riyria RevelationsTheft of SwordsRise of EmpireHeir of Novron
For more from Michael J. Sullivan, check out:
The Riyria ChroniclesThe Crown TowerThe Rose and the Thorn
Royce Melborn, a skilled thief, and his mercenary partner, Hadrian Blackwater, make a profitable living carrying out dangerous assignments for conspiring nobles - until they become the unwitting scapegoats in a plot to murder the king. Sentenced to death, their only hope is to unravel an ancient mystery before it's too late.
The Riyria RevelationsTheft of SwordsRise of EmpireHeir of Novron
For more from Michael J. Sullivan, check out:
The Riyria ChroniclesThe Crown TowerThe Rose and the Thorn
2480 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2017
14 people are currently reading
1171 people want to read
About the author
Michael J. Sullivan
95 books95.7k followersWe are extending the dates for the Holiday Sale. Click the image to shop (a) Out of print hardcovers just $10 each (b) Soon to be out of print hardcovers and (c) Deluxe boxsets with savings up to $80 off.
I'm a New York Times, USA Today, and Washington Post bestselling author with 9 Goodreads Choice Award Nominations and 6 Amazon Editor's Picks.
My current released books:
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —— — — — — — —
Coming to Kickstarter in April 2026
New short stories by: Brandon Sanderson • J.A. Andrews • Bradley P. Beaulieu • Carol Berg • Peter V. Brett • Terry Brooks • Jim Butcher • Delilah S. Dawson • Matt Dinniman • Kate Elliott • Kevin Hearne • Jessica Day George • Lev Grossman • Nancy Kress • Mark Lawrence • Scott Lynch • Jonathan Maberry •Seanan McQuire • Brandon Mull • Peter Orullian • Christopher Paolini • Kat Richardson • Christopher Ruocchio • Anthony Ryan • R.A. Salvatore • Scott Sigler • Shawn Speakman • Michael J. Sullivan • Carrie Vaughn • Brent Weeks • Tad Williams • Janny Wurts
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —— — — — — — —
Indie Author: A documentary for those wo dare to dream is now FREE on YOUTUBE!
It features myself, Andy Wier, Will Wight, Travis Baldree, and many more.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —— — — — — — —
I first opened the door to my imagination with typewriter keys while playing hide and seek and finding a black behemoth when I just ten years old. Serious writing started in my twenties, but after more than a decade trying to publish (and getting nowhere), I quit altogether. I returned to writing in 2004, and published my first novel with a small press in 2008. If you had told me that I'd be a New York Times Bestselling author, have 85+ novels translated into 13 languages, and sold more than 2 million copies, I never would have believed you!
I'm a New York Times, USA Today, and Washington Post bestselling author with 9 Goodreads Choice Award Nominations and 6 Amazon Editor's Picks.
My current released books:
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —— — — — — — —
Coming to Kickstarter in April 2026
New short stories by: Brandon Sanderson • J.A. Andrews • Bradley P. Beaulieu • Carol Berg • Peter V. Brett • Terry Brooks • Jim Butcher • Delilah S. Dawson • Matt Dinniman • Kate Elliott • Kevin Hearne • Jessica Day George • Lev Grossman • Nancy Kress • Mark Lawrence • Scott Lynch • Jonathan Maberry •Seanan McQuire • Brandon Mull • Peter Orullian • Christopher Paolini • Kat Richardson • Christopher Ruocchio • Anthony Ryan • R.A. Salvatore • Scott Sigler • Shawn Speakman • Michael J. Sullivan • Carrie Vaughn • Brent Weeks • Tad Williams • Janny Wurts
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —— — — — — — —
Indie Author: A documentary for those wo dare to dream is now FREE on YOUTUBE!
It features myself, Andy Wier, Will Wight, Travis Baldree, and many more.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —— — — — — — —
I first opened the door to my imagination with typewriter keys while playing hide and seek and finding a black behemoth when I just ten years old. Serious writing started in my twenties, but after more than a decade trying to publish (and getting nowhere), I quit altogether. I returned to writing in 2004, and published my first novel with a small press in 2008. If you had told me that I'd be a New York Times Bestselling author, have 85+ novels translated into 13 languages, and sold more than 2 million copies, I never would have believed you!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
July 31, 2020
Fantasy literature, especially High Fantasy is a well worn genre of entertainment and frankly, an overused and abused one. There are literally countless Fantasy books and series out there, with only a very select few that rise to the top of the pack, via word of mouth, reputation and unparalleled quality. Fantasy is similar to Horror or Westerns in that there is SO MUCH of it available you can fall down a hole of mediocre books, films and/or TV shows and kind of forget why you started consuming it in the first place. Periodically though, a book, film or TV show will come along and really blow you away - reminding you what that particular genre looks like in its purest form.
Fantasy's kissing cousin Science Fiction is similar in this way. Recently I had the pleasure of reading a series called The Expanse which did for SciFi exactly what the Riyria books have done for High Fantasy. They reminded me exactly why I fell in love with the genre originally. Without treading close to spoilers, here's why that's the case.
These books use the conventions of Fantasy and even what could be considered cliches... but in such a way that they are elevated to a supreme and shining state of being that reveals most other works in this genre for what they are: pale imitations of the real thing. Yes, there are Elves and Dwarves and sword-wielding Knights on secret missions. Yes there is magic and palace intrigue, political machinations and back-stabbing of the figurative and literal sort. There are plot twists, surprise reveals, deep characterizations, plus complex micro AND macro relationships abounding. But none of these are handled in they way you are probably used to. They are both better and more fulfilling than 98% of all Fantasy I have ever read. The Riyria books deserve to be on the highest shelf of Literary Fantasy Fandom. They are THAT GOOD.
It all starts with the relationship between our partner protagonists, Hadrian and Royce, but it continues with each character introduced, from the main cast to throwaway characters. In fact, while journeying in this world you never quite know which is which. However all the characters are fully formed and a joy to read. From the baddest of the baddies to the best of the heroes, everyone involved is interesting and I haven't been bored once. Sullivan does tend to 'back load' his stories but that doesn't mean they drag. It just means that when you get to the final 50 pages or so of one of these books, hold on to your dust-jacket... because the hits just keep on coming. This guy knows how to write a rollicking good tale. He has a deft hand at plotting and you can really tell that he enjoys the setup just as much as the payoff.
It's an absolute joy to finish a really great book and know that you have a whole series of great books ahead of you. Michael Sullivan has crafted a complete story arc stretching over the entire series that ties together beautifully. You can start reading the first book knowing that the whole thing is going somewhere specific and that you are in very capable hands. One of the deadliest sins that Fantasy commits is starting off amazing and then just kind of wandering off in random directions, never fulfilling its initial promise. Most Fantasy fans have had the experience of getting four books deep into a 15 book series and realizing that the author has already given up. You don't have to worry about that with Riyria. This is a pretty rare quality for multi book series in ANY genre so if you are looking to get lost in a cohesive, fully-formed world and stay there for a while, this is your series.
Probably the biggest compliment I could give any author is the accolade of making me feel like their characters are actual real people, and their world is a real place that the author is peeking into and reporting on. That's how these characters and this world come across... fully realized and infinitely detailed to the point that it's just an astounding feat of creative writing on the part of Michael Sullivan. You get the feeling you could approach him and ask any question you wanted about the most obscure character in these books and he would have the perfect answer ready. Since these characters feel so real and the flow of the story feels so natural, it makes the twists and turns just that much more thrilling and entertaining.
So to sum up here even if you aren't a big fan of Fantasy you should really read these books. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about them, except that at some point they end. You should especially read them if you have grown tired of Fantasy and/or feel that the genre has gotten stale. By the third or fourth chapter of the first book, you will get that warm, fuzzy feeling and be really happy you picked them up.
Fantasy's kissing cousin Science Fiction is similar in this way. Recently I had the pleasure of reading a series called The Expanse which did for SciFi exactly what the Riyria books have done for High Fantasy. They reminded me exactly why I fell in love with the genre originally. Without treading close to spoilers, here's why that's the case.
These books use the conventions of Fantasy and even what could be considered cliches... but in such a way that they are elevated to a supreme and shining state of being that reveals most other works in this genre for what they are: pale imitations of the real thing. Yes, there are Elves and Dwarves and sword-wielding Knights on secret missions. Yes there is magic and palace intrigue, political machinations and back-stabbing of the figurative and literal sort. There are plot twists, surprise reveals, deep characterizations, plus complex micro AND macro relationships abounding. But none of these are handled in they way you are probably used to. They are both better and more fulfilling than 98% of all Fantasy I have ever read. The Riyria books deserve to be on the highest shelf of Literary Fantasy Fandom. They are THAT GOOD.
It all starts with the relationship between our partner protagonists, Hadrian and Royce, but it continues with each character introduced, from the main cast to throwaway characters. In fact, while journeying in this world you never quite know which is which. However all the characters are fully formed and a joy to read. From the baddest of the baddies to the best of the heroes, everyone involved is interesting and I haven't been bored once. Sullivan does tend to 'back load' his stories but that doesn't mean they drag. It just means that when you get to the final 50 pages or so of one of these books, hold on to your dust-jacket... because the hits just keep on coming. This guy knows how to write a rollicking good tale. He has a deft hand at plotting and you can really tell that he enjoys the setup just as much as the payoff.
It's an absolute joy to finish a really great book and know that you have a whole series of great books ahead of you. Michael Sullivan has crafted a complete story arc stretching over the entire series that ties together beautifully. You can start reading the first book knowing that the whole thing is going somewhere specific and that you are in very capable hands. One of the deadliest sins that Fantasy commits is starting off amazing and then just kind of wandering off in random directions, never fulfilling its initial promise. Most Fantasy fans have had the experience of getting four books deep into a 15 book series and realizing that the author has already given up. You don't have to worry about that with Riyria. This is a pretty rare quality for multi book series in ANY genre so if you are looking to get lost in a cohesive, fully-formed world and stay there for a while, this is your series.
Probably the biggest compliment I could give any author is the accolade of making me feel like their characters are actual real people, and their world is a real place that the author is peeking into and reporting on. That's how these characters and this world come across... fully realized and infinitely detailed to the point that it's just an astounding feat of creative writing on the part of Michael Sullivan. You get the feeling you could approach him and ask any question you wanted about the most obscure character in these books and he would have the perfect answer ready. Since these characters feel so real and the flow of the story feels so natural, it makes the twists and turns just that much more thrilling and entertaining.
So to sum up here even if you aren't a big fan of Fantasy you should really read these books. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about them, except that at some point they end. You should especially read them if you have grown tired of Fantasy and/or feel that the genre has gotten stale. By the third or fourth chapter of the first book, you will get that warm, fuzzy feeling and be really happy you picked them up.
May 5, 2019
Dieses schreckliche Gefühl wenn eine mega gute Reihe zu Ende geht. Irgendwann möchte ich unbedingt wieder zurück in die Welt um Hadrian und Royce nochmal auf ihren Weg zu begleiten. Ich habe gelacht, ich habe geweint, ich habe gebangt und alles empfunden was ein Buch einen empfinden lassen kann.
Aber wie sagt man wo sich ein Buch schließt öffnet sich ein anderes .... oder so 😂?
Jedenfalls eine klare Empfehlung!!
Aber wie sagt man wo sich ein Buch schließt öffnet sich ein anderes .... oder so 😂?
Jedenfalls eine klare Empfehlung!!
May 1, 2025
4.5 stars Overall Great Classic High Fantasy Books!
August 25, 2022
(Vague Spoilers) The hype for this series is legend, and though it was all of the fun that hype had promised, I did not quite find it to be the tippy-top-tier Fantasy I’d imagined. Still darn good though.
THE GOOD
Royce & Hadrian, Sittin’ in Debris, A-M-U-S-I-N-G: One of the main selling points for this series is the Royce and Hadrian relationship. They are opposites, and basically brothers from another mother, with Hadrian providing some comic relief. I often see comparisons to Locke & Jean from Lies of Locke Lamora, though I don’t feel this is an entirely apples to apples comparison. The Locke & Jean relationship is leaned into a bit harder than in Riyria Revelations, and Locke and Jean are just funnier. That being said, Royce and Hadrian are an amusing duo, even if they turn out to be nowhere near as hyper competent as when they are first introduced. If anything, they bumbled into success after having most of their world destroyed by the end of the series.
Sans Sausage Fest: After my recent reading featured women as plot devices and not actual characters, it was nice having fully developed and interesting female characters in the forms of Arista and Thrace. I honestly found them both more interesting than the “stars” of the show (Royce and Hadrian) and enjoyed both of their journeys.
Uncomplicated Chronicle: I enjoyed the easy-reading quality of this series. Sometimes I just get tired of being dropped into a Fantasy setting vastly different than our own world and having to struggle to figure out what’s going on. This series is easy to follow and even at its darkest it’s pretty light fare. This is a good pallet cleansing series between heavier reads.
Pacing Perfection: Much of the charm of this series for me is the near perfect pacing. There were some slow spots, but they were few and far between. This series was consistently a page-turner for me, which is relatively uncommon in a sprawling Fantasy series.
THE NOT-SO-GOOD
Lacking Locke Laughs: Because I’d seen this series mentioned so often in conjunction with Lies of Locke Lamora, I came in expecting humor along the same lines. The Locke Lamora books are filled with laugh-out-loud moments, whereas I found Ryria to be more amusing than LOL funny. Kind of like reading the Charlie Brown comic strip. It’s not often funny, but it does make you smile fondly. I did walk away with a lot of fondness for these characters, but I could have used a smidge more humor.
THE UGLY
Foreseeable Fantasy: I don’t really mind predictable stories. Honestly, most of the time I can predict what’s going to happen about 10% into any given story. I don’t mind, as long as the path they use to get there is entertaining. In this case, I pretty much knew what was going to happen at the end of book 6 from the beginning of book 1. Funny that a series with “Revelations” in the title would have plot twists that really weren’t revelations, since you could see them coming a mile away.
Yes, the journey was fun, so I was fine with it. But if a predictable plot is an issue for you, this may not be the series for you.
THE VERDICT
I’d give this series 4.75 stars if I could. It’s not quite in my top tier of favorite series, but it is still some of the best fun the genre has to offer. Highly recommend - just don't come in expecting Lies of Locke Lamora like I did. This series has it's own vibe, and I wish folks would stop comparing them. Ryria is it's own thing - and it's great fun.
THE GOOD
Royce & Hadrian, Sittin’ in Debris, A-M-U-S-I-N-G: One of the main selling points for this series is the Royce and Hadrian relationship. They are opposites, and basically brothers from another mother, with Hadrian providing some comic relief. I often see comparisons to Locke & Jean from Lies of Locke Lamora, though I don’t feel this is an entirely apples to apples comparison. The Locke & Jean relationship is leaned into a bit harder than in Riyria Revelations, and Locke and Jean are just funnier. That being said, Royce and Hadrian are an amusing duo, even if they turn out to be nowhere near as hyper competent as when they are first introduced. If anything, they bumbled into success after having most of their world destroyed by the end of the series.
Sans Sausage Fest: After my recent reading featured women as plot devices and not actual characters, it was nice having fully developed and interesting female characters in the forms of Arista and Thrace. I honestly found them both more interesting than the “stars” of the show (Royce and Hadrian) and enjoyed both of their journeys.
Uncomplicated Chronicle: I enjoyed the easy-reading quality of this series. Sometimes I just get tired of being dropped into a Fantasy setting vastly different than our own world and having to struggle to figure out what’s going on. This series is easy to follow and even at its darkest it’s pretty light fare. This is a good pallet cleansing series between heavier reads.
Pacing Perfection: Much of the charm of this series for me is the near perfect pacing. There were some slow spots, but they were few and far between. This series was consistently a page-turner for me, which is relatively uncommon in a sprawling Fantasy series.
THE NOT-SO-GOOD
Lacking Locke Laughs: Because I’d seen this series mentioned so often in conjunction with Lies of Locke Lamora, I came in expecting humor along the same lines. The Locke Lamora books are filled with laugh-out-loud moments, whereas I found Ryria to be more amusing than LOL funny. Kind of like reading the Charlie Brown comic strip. It’s not often funny, but it does make you smile fondly. I did walk away with a lot of fondness for these characters, but I could have used a smidge more humor.
THE UGLY
Foreseeable Fantasy: I don’t really mind predictable stories. Honestly, most of the time I can predict what’s going to happen about 10% into any given story. I don’t mind, as long as the path they use to get there is entertaining. In this case, I pretty much knew what was going to happen at the end of book 6 from the beginning of book 1. Funny that a series with “Revelations” in the title would have plot twists that really weren’t revelations, since you could see them coming a mile away.
Yes, the journey was fun, so I was fine with it. But if a predictable plot is an issue for you, this may not be the series for you.
THE VERDICT
I’d give this series 4.75 stars if I could. It’s not quite in my top tier of favorite series, but it is still some of the best fun the genre has to offer. Highly recommend - just don't come in expecting Lies of Locke Lamora like I did. This series has it's own vibe, and I wish folks would stop comparing them. Ryria is it's own thing - and it's great fun.
December 20, 2022
Otroligt spännande och fångade men också en del humoristiska inslag som gör hela läsupplevelse mycket bra. Det jag gillar så mycket med serier som den här är nog hur den får mig att glömma verkligheten och låtas bli uppslukad av boken och dess fantastiska värld, även om det kan vara lite ytligt och simpelt.
March 8, 2026
definitely some of the best fantasy written in the last few decades.
February 28, 2024
What a refreshing epic fantasy to read! So many of the fantasies written in the last 20 years spend so much time and effort trying to push a social agenda it completely eclipses a good story....the female protagonists rising up against her male counterparts and thousands of pages spent trying to prove her superiority. This is NOT that, thankfully. Rather, here, we have two "manly men" protagonists, fiercely loyal to one another in a beautiful bond of unlikely friendship. Their witty and humorous banter, born from their shared experiences and time together never failed to elicit a smile or chuckle, causing whomever happened to be near me while reading to ask what was so funny. Of course you can't possibly explain an inside joke that took thousands of pages to develop. The writing is beautiful; the characters are well-developed. You really REALLY love the good guys; you really REALLY hate the bad guys. Though the protagonists are thieves, they have a deep-seated desire to "do the right thing," help the helpless, defend the betrayed, fight against injustice, honor their word, if not from their own sense of decency then from their loyalty to the other. There is a theme of redemption and forgiveness for those who recognize their depravity and unworthiness. Very enjoyable read and sorrowful to reach the end. Though there are a few spots that get a little long and slow, I wouldn't hesitate to read the whole series again and again. There are so many unexpected plot twists and turns that reading again while knowing the outcome will surely be an entirely different experience.
Perhaps most refreshing is the lack of explicit language, sexual content, or gruesome violence that so plagues modern fantasy. I'll definitely be looking for more from such a great storyteller.
Perhaps most refreshing is the lack of explicit language, sexual content, or gruesome violence that so plagues modern fantasy. I'll definitely be looking for more from such a great storyteller.
May 29, 2021
I love this trilogy and Suggest it to anyone looking to read a book that will keep them entertained from page 1 to the end. This trilogy will make you want more from this author Michael J. Sullivan if this is the first you have read from him. And there is so much more. I strongly suggest you keep reading you will love all the stories and the adventure they will take your mind on!!!
January 22, 2023
Hands down one of the best epic fantasy series I have ever read. The ending of the third book was everything I could have hoped for and more. The world building and character development was impeccable. Also I highly recommend the dramatized audio book, they aren’t kidding when they say it’s a movie in your mind. I went back and forth between listening and reading and it was incredible.
March 4, 2021
I wanted to review all of the books in Riyria Revelations series wholesale.
Firstly I would like to explain why do I read the fantasy genre at all. I read it to escape the real world. I read it for the same reason that children love their bedtime stories: to ease the every day suffering and problems and to forget the real hardships of life. This is why I rate these books so high as well.
For years now the fantasy become nearly a mirror of the world with a slew of virtuous characters, great people being abused and loosing everything and everyone. Yes, they have the depth and they have inner dialogue that resonates with the readers because the readers in real world understand hardship and understand that nearly nothing in life comes easy and that the good people suffer often more than the bad ones.
The readers understand that nothing is really simple and that the sacrifices they make every day may not pay off at all and at the end the world is gray and life is hard and then we all die. Gone is the fantasy of old in which the hero wins and bad guys lose. Today the honorable fantasy heros lose and the conniving smart villans win just because this is what often happens in the real life. The trope of the "good guys win the day " is replaced by the trope of "bad guys win cause they are more ruthless".
I know that the Riyria Revelations is no great literature but it has something that is sadly lacking in other contemporary fantasy: the good guys win. The honor wins. The conniving bad guys are not complicated and are the villans of old trope. The good deeds are rewarded, not punished and the conniving evil is not rewarded in any way.
Another thing that these books avoid, is killing off the beloved characters that I grew to like and sympathize with. They are victorious because of their honor and because of the goodness of their hearts and the determination to do the right thing aka virtue. In the contemporary fantasy genre that almost never happens anymore.
This is why I gave my 4 stars to the entire set and decided to write a review that I usually don't do.These books made me laugh and made me cry, made me hope and simply made me happy.
This is why I read them all, even though they are, as I said not a great literary feat. They are marred by editing errors, bad grammar in spots. They are simplistic in parts and not deep by any means. These problems are why I gave it only 4 stars, the books could do with more editing.
They are simple and a fast read but they break a contemporary trope of the bleak and gritty in which the bad guys if not win outright, make the good guys forget their honor out of necessity in order to have a chance at all, and this is what Riyria avoids. The honorable and virtuous stay honorable and virtuous and prevail because of it.
In the real world villans win because they are willing to do so by all means necessary and their goals justify the means. They also don't think of themselves as villans and this is all reflected in the majority of the contemporary fantasy. To be honest I'm a bit sick of it.
Firstly I would like to explain why do I read the fantasy genre at all. I read it to escape the real world. I read it for the same reason that children love their bedtime stories: to ease the every day suffering and problems and to forget the real hardships of life. This is why I rate these books so high as well.
For years now the fantasy become nearly a mirror of the world with a slew of virtuous characters, great people being abused and loosing everything and everyone. Yes, they have the depth and they have inner dialogue that resonates with the readers because the readers in real world understand hardship and understand that nearly nothing in life comes easy and that the good people suffer often more than the bad ones.
The readers understand that nothing is really simple and that the sacrifices they make every day may not pay off at all and at the end the world is gray and life is hard and then we all die. Gone is the fantasy of old in which the hero wins and bad guys lose. Today the honorable fantasy heros lose and the conniving smart villans win just because this is what often happens in the real life. The trope of the "good guys win the day " is replaced by the trope of "bad guys win cause they are more ruthless".
I know that the Riyria Revelations is no great literature but it has something that is sadly lacking in other contemporary fantasy: the good guys win. The honor wins. The conniving bad guys are not complicated and are the villans of old trope. The good deeds are rewarded, not punished and the conniving evil is not rewarded in any way.
Another thing that these books avoid, is killing off the beloved characters that I grew to like and sympathize with. They are victorious because of their honor and because of the goodness of their hearts and the determination to do the right thing aka virtue. In the contemporary fantasy genre that almost never happens anymore.
This is why I gave my 4 stars to the entire set and decided to write a review that I usually don't do.These books made me laugh and made me cry, made me hope and simply made me happy.
This is why I read them all, even though they are, as I said not a great literary feat. They are marred by editing errors, bad grammar in spots. They are simplistic in parts and not deep by any means. These problems are why I gave it only 4 stars, the books could do with more editing.
They are simple and a fast read but they break a contemporary trope of the bleak and gritty in which the bad guys if not win outright, make the good guys forget their honor out of necessity in order to have a chance at all, and this is what Riyria avoids. The honorable and virtuous stay honorable and virtuous and prevail because of it.
In the real world villans win because they are willing to do so by all means necessary and their goals justify the means. They also don't think of themselves as villans and this is all reflected in the majority of the contemporary fantasy. To be honest I'm a bit sick of it.
Read
July 29, 2020While I enjoy a good fantasy novel, I am often leery to read one without a specific recommendation due to the prolific violence, language, and sexual content many contain within. I first became aware of Michael J. Sullivan’s Riyria Revelations series when I noticed it constantly mentioned on various top literary lists. Next, I read an interview discussing the origins of his series and his desire to write books all ages could enjoy without the deterrent of content restrictions. Intrigued, I began reading the first book and quickly ordered the rest before I’d even gotten halfway through.
Originally self-published as six books, Orbit picked up the series and republished them as three separate volumes: Theft of Swords, Rise of Empire, and Heir of Novron. They follow the adventures of two thieves who unwillingly become entangled in political conspiracies when they are framed for the murder of the king. Each book consecutively builds upon the series as the plots begin interweaving and developing in twists and turns. And while there is magic, it is not the center of the story as is seen in many fantasy novels. It adds to the story rather than defines it.
The Riyria Revelations are written with the perfect balance between humor and action. They are perfect for any reader who loves fantasy or simply a fun, action-filled plot. For other readers who wish to branch out of their normal reading interests and explore the fantasy genre, this is an excellent place to start.
For more information on the author and books visit: http://riyria.blogspot.com/p/about.html
Review by Andover Public Library Staff
Originally self-published as six books, Orbit picked up the series and republished them as three separate volumes: Theft of Swords, Rise of Empire, and Heir of Novron. They follow the adventures of two thieves who unwillingly become entangled in political conspiracies when they are framed for the murder of the king. Each book consecutively builds upon the series as the plots begin interweaving and developing in twists and turns. And while there is magic, it is not the center of the story as is seen in many fantasy novels. It adds to the story rather than defines it.
The Riyria Revelations are written with the perfect balance between humor and action. They are perfect for any reader who loves fantasy or simply a fun, action-filled plot. For other readers who wish to branch out of their normal reading interests and explore the fantasy genre, this is an excellent place to start.
For more information on the author and books visit: http://riyria.blogspot.com/p/about.html
Review by Andover Public Library Staff
September 29, 2023
Eine Epische Reise voller Witz und Weisheit - "Riyria: Die gesamte Saga" von Michael J. Sullivan
"Riyria: Die gesamte Saga" von Michael J. Sullivan ist eine beeindruckende Buchreihe, die ich bereits in Teilen als Hörbuch genossen hatte. Die Faszination, die von den Hörbüchern ausging, veranlasste mich dazu, der kompletten Saga nicht widerstehen zu können. Ich wurde nicht enttäuscht.
Das Lesen dieser Reihe war eine wahre Freude. Es war unglaublich mitanzusehen, wie die Charaktere im Verlauf der Geschichten wuchsen und sich veränderten. Die Entwicklung war so lebendig und authentisch, dass ich das Buch kaum aus der Hand legen konnte.
Ein besonderes Highlight der Reihe ist der versteckte Witz, der sich in den Seiten verbirgt. Mehrmals brachten mich die humorvollen Passagen zum Schmunzeln und sogar zum Lachen. Dieser subtile Humor fügte eine zusätzliche Ebene hinzu, die das Lesen zu einem wahren Vergnügen machte.
Darüber hinaus steckt "Riyria: Die gesamte Saga" voller Weisheit. Die Botschaften und Lehren, die zwischen den Zeilen versteckt sind, regten zum Nachdenken an und gaben der Geschichte eine tiefere Bedeutung.
Ich kann diese Buchreihe uneingeschränkt jedem Jugendlichen und Erwachsenen empfehlen. Die epische Reise, die Michael J. Sullivan hier geschaffen hat, ist ein beeindruckendes Meisterwerk, das sowohl Unterhaltung als auch Erkenntnis bietet.
"Riyria: Die gesamte Saga" von Michael J. Sullivan ist eine beeindruckende Buchreihe, die ich bereits in Teilen als Hörbuch genossen hatte. Die Faszination, die von den Hörbüchern ausging, veranlasste mich dazu, der kompletten Saga nicht widerstehen zu können. Ich wurde nicht enttäuscht.
Das Lesen dieser Reihe war eine wahre Freude. Es war unglaublich mitanzusehen, wie die Charaktere im Verlauf der Geschichten wuchsen und sich veränderten. Die Entwicklung war so lebendig und authentisch, dass ich das Buch kaum aus der Hand legen konnte.
Ein besonderes Highlight der Reihe ist der versteckte Witz, der sich in den Seiten verbirgt. Mehrmals brachten mich die humorvollen Passagen zum Schmunzeln und sogar zum Lachen. Dieser subtile Humor fügte eine zusätzliche Ebene hinzu, die das Lesen zu einem wahren Vergnügen machte.
Darüber hinaus steckt "Riyria: Die gesamte Saga" voller Weisheit. Die Botschaften und Lehren, die zwischen den Zeilen versteckt sind, regten zum Nachdenken an und gaben der Geschichte eine tiefere Bedeutung.
Ich kann diese Buchreihe uneingeschränkt jedem Jugendlichen und Erwachsenen empfehlen. Die epische Reise, die Michael J. Sullivan hier geschaffen hat, ist ein beeindruckendes Meisterwerk, das sowohl Unterhaltung als auch Erkenntnis bietet.
July 24, 2023
I bought this boxed set on a recommendation and was so excited to read it. But I was grossly disappointed. The psychic distance from the characters is so far that I found I didn't really care about any of them. The first half of the first book picked up pace and Alric turned out to be the only character I liked. But the second half of the book doesn't even read like the same book. I don't understand why this wasn't split into more books. And how can a big publisher like Orbit really think these characters are fun/relatable? I've read indie books far, FAR superior to this. I couldn't even finish the first book. I just didn't care about anyone or what was happening...
So why three stars instead of fewer? The only redeeming quality of the book is the banter between the two thieves (even if the reveal about Royce is so predictable). The witty banter and Alric were the only enjoyable parts. I just couldn't make myself finish reading only for that. I want to feel connected to the world and the characters. It just didn't happen at all here. Honestly, if I could return them, I would.
So why three stars instead of fewer? The only redeeming quality of the book is the banter between the two thieves (even if the reveal about Royce is so predictable). The witty banter and Alric were the only enjoyable parts. I just couldn't make myself finish reading only for that. I want to feel connected to the world and the characters. It just didn't happen at all here. Honestly, if I could return them, I would.
January 15, 2024
Book rating is a subjective thing, however, I cannot give anything else than 5* to this series simply because of the joy I had when turning these pages.
I’ve gulped the whole series in a single week during the Christmas holidays. That nearly lost feeling when you cannot put down a book even when it’s well past midnight.
It started as a it-feels-good fun ride adventure in a fantasy world, but later matured into an epic scale interconnected story arc with lovable characters I’ve got attached to.
Even though it has a nod to the classical high fantasy, the twist and turns of the plot are modern, as is the language: deliberately simple and straight-forward. Traditional fantasy world with familiar elements of men, elves, dwarves and dragons; even though elves resemble Sapkowski rather than Tolkien.
Overall exciting, warm hearted, light and fast paced, Michael J Sullivan reignited my love of reading again, so for that I am immensely grateful.
I’ve gulped the whole series in a single week during the Christmas holidays. That nearly lost feeling when you cannot put down a book even when it’s well past midnight.
It started as a it-feels-good fun ride adventure in a fantasy world, but later matured into an epic scale interconnected story arc with lovable characters I’ve got attached to.
Even though it has a nod to the classical high fantasy, the twist and turns of the plot are modern, as is the language: deliberately simple and straight-forward. Traditional fantasy world with familiar elements of men, elves, dwarves and dragons; even though elves resemble Sapkowski rather than Tolkien.
Overall exciting, warm hearted, light and fast paced, Michael J Sullivan reignited my love of reading again, so for that I am immensely grateful.
January 12, 2020
I just finished my new favorite book series. The Riyria Revelations are amazing and I am crying that I am finished and there is no more to read. I love the world building, the characters and the ending. I can see why Michael J. Sullivan doesn’t want to make any books that continue after the ending. Loose ends tied up. Questions answered. As close to a perfect ending as I can see. I have already read the Riyria Chronicles 1 - 4 and can’t wait for the next one. Royce and Hadrian are definitely my new book boyfriends. I would start the Age of series but alas, real life gets in the way and I must wait a little longer to go down that road. This series is a must have for any fantasy lovers collection.
January 29, 2025
Overall I’d give this 4 stars, but only because the first book is a 5, the second a 4, and the third a 3. It’s a very slow series, very focused on worldbuilding with the reader having a bird’s eye view of the whole chessboard. The only qualm I have is that the third book solves the main conflict from the first two books halfway through, and spends the remaining 250 pages focused on rebuilding and expanding the lore.
The characters are funny and down to earth to me, but don’t expect any spice and only vague romance. The author has a ton of stuff published in this universe, so if you’re looking to get invested I’d dive right in with this series first.
The characters are funny and down to earth to me, but don’t expect any spice and only vague romance. The author has a ton of stuff published in this universe, so if you’re looking to get invested I’d dive right in with this series first.
August 24, 2023
Love both Riyria series but I found a consistency error that bugged me. Royce was taught to write while in prison according to the Revelations but at the beginning of the Chronicles it says he learned to read and write from Arcadias after he got of prison, and then later on in the Chronicles it says he learned to read and write before he went to prison while in the Black Diamond.
A little thing, but there are a few of those kinds of things in the books that are annoying or confusing.
A little thing, but there are a few of those kinds of things in the books that are annoying or confusing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 19, 2019
A really nice series.
It's kind of a "buddy movie", but in books.
The relationship between the two main characters are my favorite part about this series and in my opinion its strong point.
The worldbuilding is not that interesting, the story ok, but I really love the characters.
It's also a feel good book.
It's kind of a "buddy movie", but in books.
The relationship between the two main characters are my favorite part about this series and in my opinion its strong point.
The worldbuilding is not that interesting, the story ok, but I really love the characters.
It's also a feel good book.
December 7, 2020
What happens when a rogue and a warrior make their own adventuring party? This series, apparently. Witty dialogue and complex religious politics sinks you straight into a world seething with intrigue, magic, a surprising amount of xenophobia, and love of all kinds. Start for the fun, finish to see a world changed forever.
December 18, 2020
Ended up reading these out of sequence and started with the First Empire series. I guess that's like watching Start Wars episode I first, albeit this was a far better series. I loved the characters, found myself audibly laughing at the humor, and definitely staying up later than intended reading through the evening.
December 17, 2023
Having started this year with Legends of the First Empire, I wasnt expecting to jumonback into this world but then discoved this series set in Elan. I was really happy that this didn't and lived up to any expectations I had.
The way this series ties into the Legends series is fantastic.
One thing I've noticed with M J Sullivan is that he knows how to wrap up a story 👌🏾
The way this series ties into the Legends series is fantastic.
One thing I've noticed with M J Sullivan is that he knows how to wrap up a story 👌🏾
February 17, 2021
I don't buy physical copies of books anymore unless I really truly love a series. I have bought 6 copies of Theft of Swords. I have given away each copy to share my love of this series. I bought this edition with the promise to myself not to give it away.
August 3, 2021
This was such a fun series to read!!! I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the development of them. I loved all the twits and turns in the story and how it all kept tying together throughout the volumes. A wonderful series!!!
November 14, 2021
By the 3rd book I was in love. Crying, cheering, wanting to join their "gang". Great books set in a totally different world that's reminiscent of medieval Earth. Peasants, knights, royalty - with a hint of magic.
January 25, 2022
I really love this series. The two main characters could not be more different and that adds greatly to the story. And their Adventures and their ways of handling the situation take the books captivating. There are some minor false as I see it but overall I think this is well worth reading.
July 3, 2022
This book is outstanding. If you're in the mood for epic fantasy with incredible characters, brilliant world creation , this is it. It's only got 4 stars because I save 5 for life changing. Highly recommend.
September 3, 2022
Struggling through this series. Have not enjoyed it nearly as much as I did the Age of Myth series. (Technically a prequel series?) Also. How do you even say Riyria. It's one of those words that I just skip over when reading. But it's probably pounced in a really cool way. Let us know Michael!
July 14, 2023
Good series, worth your time. And the other trilogy with Royce and Hadrian.
Gets somewhat empire y towards the end, not so good as Epic Fantasy though.
But still, I enjoyed the buddy fantasy tales.
Gets somewhat empire y towards the end, not so good as Epic Fantasy though.
But still, I enjoyed the buddy fantasy tales.
February 13, 2024
Wonderful series that is gripping and enchanting. It has something for everyone, from romance to mystery (even a little horror). I loved this series, and I'd buy the books if I could afford them, just to read them again and again. So. Much. Fun.
April 1, 2026
I loved this story! I was worried that I didn’t have the margins to remember all the people and places, but the author made it easy to remember and follow the details! I couldn’t put this down and was delighted by some of the requests and turns.
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