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clarkso6's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
5.0
This follows 2 companions (thieves) as they go on adventures/hired jobs. The cast of characters they met along the way is intertwined throughout the book. The interactions between them are funny, caring and well thought out.
This is part of a series and I'm excited to read the next ones!
This is part of a series and I'm excited to read the next ones!
ladylarson's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent read.
Anyone who has read the Witcher books will most likely enjoy this series. It's more lite hearted than that particular set of books but the high fantasy themes and realistic characters keep you engaged till the very last page.
Anyone who has read the Witcher books will most likely enjoy this series. It's more lite hearted than that particular set of books but the high fantasy themes and realistic characters keep you engaged till the very last page.
calbowen's review against another edition
5.0
I am enjoying these stories with Royce and Hadrian - and I know that by the clues left behind that there is much more to these men than is presented - what makes these fun is that there is definitely an overarching storyline here, but the storyline of each book is complete, with snippets of character arc - this is quite well done - my biggest question would be did Mr Sullivan have their whole future planned out prior to setting ink to paper or if their lives unfolded in each tale as they are for us - also, the supporting cast gets a big smile for what they add to the mixture and I am enjoying this series immensely - this is not your standard fair of fantasy, so reader beware, if you like dry and detailed laden prose with little action, this is not for you - this is only for those who enjoy a good story with actual twists and turns and characters that are not invincible and very human(like) then, by all means, begin your journey with the Riyria now - you will not regret this series
kayay's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.25
evafantasy's review against another edition
4.0
⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was a fun read! The classic fantasy vibes are on point.
This was a fun read! The classic fantasy vibes are on point.
nedge's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
taliesinhall's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
4.0
if only there was a bit less fantasy racism, i never enjoy that in a book.
timinbc's review against another edition
2.0
The author admits he's not coming to fantasy down the traditional path of workshops etc. He says he hasn't read the Fafhrd & Grey Mouser series; pity, it would have helped make this book better. Sullivan also says he wrote this for his 13-year-old daughter, and that shows.
It may be a great book for 13-year-old daughters, but I am a 60+ man who has read a lot of fantasy, and to me this one just feels tired. It just doesn't bring anything new to the table.
+1 for having a magician who is limited. And Magnus has possibilities.
-1 for Royce & Hadrian, both warriors of the usual impossibly capabilities - supernaturally-good fighters and at the same time brilliant planners and able to sell sunscreen to a fish.
There is a fairly important female character, Arista, but she swings between clever and foolish and downright Machiavellian. I'll reserve judgement on her until later books, because I remember that when my daughter was 13 she was all of those things. Bernice is right out of Bedknobs & Broomsticks, the hookers-with-hearts-of-gold are of the whatever-my-hero-needs variety, and Thrace is - sigh - plucky. Probably 13, too. Indeed, the plucky-young-lady plot moves this book firmly into the YA section, which might be where this book would fit better anyway.
Others have already noted the characters' names, as if Sullivan dumped his entire library on the floor and opened a book at random for each new name. Vince. Aritsa. A mercenary named Blackwater, nudge nudge wink wink. I expected the next two characters to be Slartibarfast and Calvin.
I will allow the rapier-vs-whatever part, because apparently early rapiers were not as light and thrust-only as they are now. Others have noted the dwarf hammering a cold sword, and the action scenes that are just "they approached each other, and in a moment one lay dead."
Others have already noted the jumble of politics, and the Church folks whose only purpose is to go "nyah-ha, ain't we des-PIC-able, hee hee?" except for a moment of derp in "let's have a contest that kills off a lot of our best warriors"
And the plot that brings so many key players together at the right time and place. Sigh.
And, as in all fantasy books, we meet ten people who claim to be the Best Swordsman In The World, unaware that the guy the reader is following is actually #1, i.e. The Dread Pirate Roberts. Can we please have a book in which the heroes are only fairly smart and only fairly good with their weapons, but prevail anyway?
I might have gone three stars until the end, when we learn that
Most of this is excusable in a YA book. And acceptable as one of a reader's first few fantasies. But after some Avram Davidson or John Myers Myers or Lois M Bujold or Scott Lynch or Guy Gavriel Kay or the more recent masters of the 500,000-word 12-book series, this is second-tier work. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
I hope Sullivan reads those other authors, writes another book or series, and works with a tough editor to make it a GOOD book. I think he's capable of it.
It may be a great book for 13-year-old daughters, but I am a 60+ man who has read a lot of fantasy, and to me this one just feels tired. It just doesn't bring anything new to the table.
+1 for having a magician who is limited. And Magnus has possibilities.
-1 for Royce & Hadrian, both warriors of the usual impossibly capabilities - supernaturally-good fighters and at the same time brilliant planners and able to sell sunscreen to a fish.
There is a fairly important female character, Arista, but she swings between clever and foolish and downright Machiavellian. I'll reserve judgement on her until later books, because I remember that when my daughter was 13 she was all of those things. Bernice is right out of Bedknobs & Broomsticks, the hookers-with-hearts-of-gold are of the whatever-my-hero-needs variety, and Thrace is - sigh - plucky. Probably 13, too. Indeed, the plucky-young-lady plot moves this book firmly into the YA section, which might be where this book would fit better anyway.
Others have already noted the characters' names, as if Sullivan dumped his entire library on the floor and opened a book at random for each new name. Vince. Aritsa. A mercenary named Blackwater, nudge nudge wink wink. I expected the next two characters to be Slartibarfast and Calvin.
I will allow the rapier-vs-whatever part, because apparently early rapiers were not as light and thrust-only as they are now. Others have noted the dwarf hammering a cold sword, and the action scenes that are just "they approached each other, and in a moment one lay dead."
Others have already noted the jumble of politics, and the Church folks whose only purpose is to go "nyah-ha, ain't we des-PIC-able, hee hee?" except for a moment of derp in "let's have a contest that kills off a lot of our best warriors"
And the plot that brings so many key players together at the right time and place. Sigh.
And, as in all fantasy books, we meet ten people who claim to be the Best Swordsman In The World, unaware that the guy the reader is following is actually #1, i.e. The Dread Pirate Roberts. Can we please have a book in which the heroes are only fairly smart and only fairly good with their weapons, but prevail anyway?
I might have gone three stars until the end, when we learn that
Spoiler
Thrace is the heir, and Royce has what is obviously One of Those Amulets. Of course. Neither of those could possibly have been anywhere else on the planet.Most of this is excusable in a YA book. And acceptable as one of a reader's first few fantasies. But after some Avram Davidson or John Myers Myers or Lois M Bujold or Scott Lynch or Guy Gavriel Kay or the more recent masters of the 500,000-word 12-book series, this is second-tier work. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
I hope Sullivan reads those other authors, writes another book or series, and works with a tough editor to make it a GOOD book. I think he's capable of it.
rainjrop's review against another edition
I nearly immediately noticed parallels with the Nightrunner series, having just blasted through it. However, this novel paled in comparison in every single way. The characters are forgettable, there's no sense of mystery or anticipation, the plot plods along through fantasy cliches, and the exposition and history dumps are painful at best and eye-glazing the rest of the time.
There were some good set ups that could've have been exciting...but they just weren't. My eyes stumbled through a haze of mediocrity. Even when I thought, "Oh, this is where the plot gets going!" it never felt "going." Just flat. I think these instances or plot maneuvers fell victim to the incredibly bland and somewhat clunky prose. There's plain, and then there's this, whatever it is. I'm having a hard time explaining why it turned me off so much and so quickly. The Nightrunner series is made up of pretty typical fantasy adventures, but the fairly straightforward writing style, which could be considered terse at times, still manages to weave magical and compelling tales with complexity and mystery.
There were some good set ups that could've have been exciting...but they just weren't. My eyes stumbled through a haze of mediocrity. Even when I thought, "Oh, this is where the plot gets going!" it never felt "going." Just flat. I think these instances or plot maneuvers fell victim to the incredibly bland and somewhat clunky prose. There's plain, and then there's this, whatever it is. I'm having a hard time explaining why it turned me off so much and so quickly. The Nightrunner series is made up of pretty typical fantasy adventures, but the fairly straightforward writing style, which could be considered terse at times, still manages to weave magical and compelling tales with complexity and mystery.
bunte_socke's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75