Age of Swords out on Amazon

[Alexa]

Age of Swords, the second book of The Legends of The First Empire, by Michael J. Sullivan is available on Amazon since July 25th. I've ordered that book since April and because of a stupid delivery service, I'm still waiting for it. The guy made me wait for delivery yesterday, but didn't show up.

Anyway, I read the first 5 chapters in advance and I can't wait to read the rest of it.

Anyone else read the first book, Age of Myth yet ?

 

[Lucien21]

I read Age of Myth last year and thought it ...

Age of Myth - Michael J Sullivan

First in a six book series. Legends of the first Empire.

I havn't read any of Sullivans other series so i'm not sure how it fits in, except for the fact that it is set in the same world but 3000 years before the other books.

This novel did a good job of setting the scene. It is a small twist on the norm with humans (Rhunes), Elves (Fhrey) and Dwarfs (Dhereg), but doesnt stray far from the norm. At the start the Fhrey are set up as being God like while the humans are seen as primitives living in wooden huts and belonging to small clans until an incident starts something that is going to lead to war. You can see how it is going to play out, but it does give a decent look at it from both sides as it introduces Fhrey and Rhune characters and how they come to know more about each other.

The books does a good job of setting it all up and introduces us to a bunch of great characters. This is certainly lite-fantasy, it's not Game of Thrones gritty. There is some humour and it's fast paced with some unexpected turns. It is slow burning the bigger picture at the moment with a lot of this book being about internal clan characters and dealing with a monster bear that plagues the locals. It does jump to Fhrey society and shows a little about how they live and their own internal issues which will probably be more prevalent as the series progresses.

I enjoyed this quite a bit and while it doesnt break far from fantasy tropes it's well written and fun to read.

 

[Alexa]

Some of you may be offended, but I'm not a fan of George R R Martin and his Game of Thrones. I read it just because everybody else seemed to like it. I've even watched a few episodes from the series, but this just not my cup of tea.

Age of Myth was my first book from Sullivan't collection, followed by The Riyria Chronicles and The Riyria Revelations. I love all of them, in different degrees.

Once I finished reading Age of Myth, my only dissapointement was: *Where the hell is the 2nd volume ? I want to buy it right away.* Imagine my stupefaction when I realised I had to wait for another year. And a few more days until I get my hands on my Age of Swords copy. The 3rd volume, Age of War is available for pre-order on Amazon, scheduled for February 2018.

For those who didn't read anything else besides Age of Myth, this novel could be seen like one among the others. Nevertheless, for those who read the novels from the series mentionned above, this book is like a window into the past. You just cannot read it and not remember what happens with prince Mawyndulë and Nyphron 3000 years later. And you fall instantly in love with rogue Instarya Fhrey Sebek and Tekchin and hear their swords movements in those of Hadrian Blackwater back into the future. Names like Nidwalden River and Avempartha are sacred places and you expect at every turn of the page seeing Esra young and powerful and stupid.

I still expect some surprises in Age of Swords as the past has its way to trick your memory and history is never what it seems to be.

 

[night_wrtr]

This will be the next book I read after I finish some writing. Looking forward to it and also the next Riyria novel.

 

[Alexa]

I got finally my copy 10 minutes ago. It was a long wait since last summer.

Next Riyria chronicles is due only for December.