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4.52 AVERAGE
4.52 AVERAGE
An epic to match the infamous character, ESRAHADDON unpacks a very complex history of an even more complex character. Nothing is simple and the reader is taken on many adventures through the years until finally reaching the heart rending ending.
The story begins with a young boy named Esra who is revealed to have dangerous and incredible power from a young age. He is forced from his home and discovers the massive world outside of his small town, and as the years progress, discovers all the chaos and burdens that come with such power.
Esra is the perfect character for the audience to follow. From the beginning, he is someone readers can sympathize with, since he is just a kid looking to do right by his family and understand his place in the world. From there, his growth is natural and I completely believed his motives and choices. The entire cast was colorful and unique. Every character had a distinct voice and important role in this saga.
And saga is the perfect word to describe ESRAHADDON. Though this was the longest book Michael J. Sullivan has ever written to date, it always felt fresh. There was always something exciting going on and it felt like multiple books in one, all leading to the same place at the end of the day.
The world building is organic and beautiful as ever. There are many references that long time fans will recognize and appreciate, though some locations and terms were visited with fresh eyes. Readers who have never experienced Sullivan's work will find themselves immersed in a truly magical world.
As always, the writing is fantastic. Everything is beautifully constructed, and there are more than a few exchanges that will have you laughing out loud. This levity is needed because when Sullivan decides to pull on your heart strings, you definitely feel the pain.
I've been a fan of this man's work for years and I can confidently say that he is better than ever. I loved ESRAHADDON and think that all fans of epic high fantasy will find something to enjoy within its pages.
The story begins with a young boy named Esra who is revealed to have dangerous and incredible power from a young age. He is forced from his home and discovers the massive world outside of his small town, and as the years progress, discovers all the chaos and burdens that come with such power.
Esra is the perfect character for the audience to follow. From the beginning, he is someone readers can sympathize with, since he is just a kid looking to do right by his family and understand his place in the world. From there, his growth is natural and I completely believed his motives and choices. The entire cast was colorful and unique. Every character had a distinct voice and important role in this saga.
And saga is the perfect word to describe ESRAHADDON. Though this was the longest book Michael J. Sullivan has ever written to date, it always felt fresh. There was always something exciting going on and it felt like multiple books in one, all leading to the same place at the end of the day.
The world building is organic and beautiful as ever. There are many references that long time fans will recognize and appreciate, though some locations and terms were visited with fresh eyes. Readers who have never experienced Sullivan's work will find themselves immersed in a truly magical world.
As always, the writing is fantastic. Everything is beautifully constructed, and there are more than a few exchanges that will have you laughing out loud. This levity is needed because when Sullivan decides to pull on your heart strings, you definitely feel the pain.
I've been a fan of this man's work for years and I can confidently say that he is better than ever. I loved ESRAHADDON and think that all fans of epic high fantasy will find something to enjoy within its pages.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow! This book went so many places and directions, all the while tying back to previous books. I certainly didn’t expect things to go the way they did but I’m very glad to have gone on the journey!
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
fast-paced
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
MJS never disappoints. He ALWAYS leaves room for just a little more story.
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
4.5/5
*I received an ARC in hopes of my honest review*
Context: Esrahaddon is the third book of the Rise and Fall series; however, it functions well enough as a standalone story. I have read the first two Riyiria Revelations books, but none of Sullivan's other works in the world. I sensed a lot of in-universe connections I didn’t fully appreciate, and some I certainly could, but overall, it worked as a standalone.
Esrahaddon is a quintessential epic fantasy that is reminiscent of a grittier, modern Lord of The Rings story. Given the massive page count and demands of telling the tale of one of Elan's most mysterious characters. Esrahaddon demanded an epic origin story, and this tale delivered.
Praise:
I expected a sweeping tale of Esrahaddon's many adventures spanning hundreds of years, but Sullivan instead opted to give a snapshot of his early life (edit: which I should have expected, realizing the timeline of his imprisonment), which was, ultimately, the most important part of it. This was an excellent decision, and Sullivan justifies the length of the novel with a complex tale that provides sufficient plot and character development. The book rarely lulls and remains consistently engaging, avoiding traditional pitfalls of epic fantasies by skipping over travel time and quickly resolving miscommunications, which is a massive boon. Esrahaddon is exceptionally well-paced. Indeed, Sullivan packs so much plot into the novel that it feels as if Esrahaddon could have been a trilogy, but was instead condensed into a book.
The main cast of characters is charming and dynamic. Esrahaddon himself is entertaining and believable as a younger, witty, chaotic version of himself with an underlying darkness that makes him a fascinating protagonist. The goblins are fun, Jerish has an excellent arc, and the Nevrik is surprisingly likeable (if a little unbelievable as a 9 year old).
The twists and plot points are all done well and clearly with a grand, overarching view of the world that becomes increasingly relevant as the book progresses. However, Sullivan never loses sight of his characters, and plot never comes at the cost of character development. The final two hundred pages were stunning.
Critiques:
*minor spoilers follow*
-While I appreciate the maturity of the Elinya romance (the 'less exciting' choice), she was generally far less interesting than Rappaport (which, I suppose, was part of the point). Nevertheless, I felt that Rappaport's character was mostly wasted, and regardless of romance, more could've been done with her.
-While Sullivan's prose is generally good, a handful of sections and references stand out. Occasionally, a switch to the present tense or the use of modern phrases (ex. 'crap' or referring to dogs as 'man's best friend') took me out of the story.
-The elves were, to be frank, boring. Perhaps it's because so much of their story was cut, but their chapters were the only major lull in the story's pacing. Maybe it was their late introduction, but I had trouble keeping track of any elven characters save Ulin.
Overall, Esrahaddon is an excellent fantasy novel with only minor pitfalls and is well worth a read at whatever point you are at in Sullivan's Elan saga-new, old, or somewhere in between. I look forward to reading Heir of Novron and the rest of The Rise and Fall and the Riyiria Chronicles.
*I received an ARC in hopes of my honest review*
Context: Esrahaddon is the third book of the Rise and Fall series; however, it functions well enough as a standalone story. I have read the first two Riyiria Revelations books, but none of Sullivan's other works in the world. I sensed a lot of in-universe connections I didn’t fully appreciate, and some I certainly could, but overall, it worked as a standalone.
Esrahaddon is a quintessential epic fantasy that is reminiscent of a grittier, modern Lord of The Rings story. Given the massive page count and demands of telling the tale of one of Elan's most mysterious characters. Esrahaddon demanded an epic origin story, and this tale delivered.
Praise:
I expected a sweeping tale of Esrahaddon's many adventures spanning hundreds of years, but Sullivan instead opted to give a snapshot of his early life (edit: which I should have expected, realizing the timeline of his imprisonment), which was, ultimately, the most important part of it. This was an excellent decision, and Sullivan justifies the length of the novel with a complex tale that provides sufficient plot and character development. The book rarely lulls and remains consistently engaging, avoiding traditional pitfalls of epic fantasies by skipping over travel time and quickly resolving miscommunications, which is a massive boon. Esrahaddon is exceptionally well-paced. Indeed, Sullivan packs so much plot into the novel that it feels as if Esrahaddon could have been a trilogy, but was instead condensed into a book.
The main cast of characters is charming and dynamic. Esrahaddon himself is entertaining and believable as a younger, witty, chaotic version of himself with an underlying darkness that makes him a fascinating protagonist. The goblins are fun, Jerish has an excellent arc, and the Nevrik is surprisingly likeable (if a little unbelievable as a 9 year old).
The twists and plot points are all done well and clearly with a grand, overarching view of the world that becomes increasingly relevant as the book progresses. However, Sullivan never loses sight of his characters, and plot never comes at the cost of character development. The final two hundred pages were stunning.
Critiques:
*minor spoilers follow*
-While I appreciate the maturity of the Elinya romance (the 'less exciting' choice), she was generally far less interesting than Rappaport (which, I suppose, was part of the point). Nevertheless, I felt that Rappaport's character was mostly wasted, and regardless of romance, more could've been done with her.
-While Sullivan's prose is generally good, a handful of sections and references stand out. Occasionally, a switch to the present tense or the use of modern phrases (ex. 'crap' or referring to dogs as 'man's best friend') took me out of the story.
-The elves were, to be frank, boring. Perhaps it's because so much of their story was cut, but their chapters were the only major lull in the story's pacing. Maybe it was their late introduction, but I had trouble keeping track of any elven characters save Ulin.
Overall, Esrahaddon is an excellent fantasy novel with only minor pitfalls and is well worth a read at whatever point you are at in Sullivan's Elan saga-new, old, or somewhere in between. I look forward to reading Heir of Novron and the rest of The Rise and Fall and the Riyiria Chronicles.