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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
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
The story can get pretty dark at times, but all the funny banter between the characters makes sure that it never gets overwhelming.
If you liked the Riyria books, you'll like this one as well.
If you liked the Riyria books, you'll like this one as well.
I’m at a complete loss for words. Michael J Sullivan is not just an author, he’s an ARTIST. This book was fantastic and I’m so keen to read the rest in the series.
I especially loved all the little hidden gems which have some kind of relation to things in the Riyria Revelations ;)
I especially loved all the little hidden gems which have some kind of relation to things in the Riyria Revelations ;)
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
If I could rate this book higher than 5, I would. Let me begin by saying if you like other books by [a:Michael J. Sullivan|2063919|Michael J. Sullivan|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1433443335p2/2063919.jpg], you will love this book. If you enjoy [a:Brandon Sanderson|38550|Brandon Sanderson|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1394044556p2/38550.jpg], you will love this book. If you love good strong fantasy with excellent worldbuilding and character development, you will love this book. If you don't enjoy great fantasy books, you may not enjoy this book (or his writing in general).
Before I go further, I want to make it clear that I received an electronic copy of this book in advance of publication. However, that in no way impacted my review (other than to give me bragging rights to my friends who enjoyed the Riyria Revelations). I didn't rub it in too badly, but let me just say that I'll be disappointed in any of them that don't read this book soon. If anything, getting an advance copy made me want to be more skeptical of this book just to show I was unbiased. This book passed that extra scrutiny. I loved every page.
Before I read this book, I really enjoyed Michael J Sullivan's writing. Now, I'm afraid to say that [a:Patrick Rothfuss|108424|Patrick Rothfuss|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1351307341p2/108424.jpg]'s reign as my favorite author might be at an end. I'm sorry Patrick. Please forgive me for saying that.
What did I like about this book? In a word? Everything.
The characters: From start to finish, they are well developed. They are believable. They are entertaining. They are fun. There are a multitude of characters in this book and somehow there are a remarkable number of them that are fleshed out. Yes, there are some background characters that I may not know what they ate for breakfast (but seriously, if you want that level of detail, read [a:George R.R. Martin|346732|George R.R. Martin|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1351944410p2/346732.jpg]). There is at least one "bad guy" that I wish was a bit more sympathetic and had slightly deeper motives, but that is really nitpicking and stretching.
The world: This is the same world as Riyria, but set 3,000 years earlier. It is absolutely not required to read the Riyria series to understand this book. Wow. What worldbuilding skills. From the beginning where we are dropped into an action scene to the end where the pace is rapid, the author delights in developing the world. And what a world it is! The world itself plays significant roles in the story of the book. As realtors state, location, location, location. And the locations of the players in this book matter. The players impact the locations in the book. As you may have heard, if you wish to understand someone, study their environment. This book does that.
The plot: Wow. From the beginning of the book to the end, I enjoyed the book. With some books that I enjoy, I frequently want to take a break. This book, I took breaks because I had to do so. I can see certain plot points that are being set up for resolution in future books. This is where Michael J Sulliva's writing style shines. If you don't know, he writes the entire series before publishing the first book. This way, he can go back and tweak book one when he realizes something isn't working in book three. Back to the plot, I can say by the end of the book, I could not read fast enough. I was begging my eyes to go faster (and I am not a slow reader).
Before I go further, I want to make it clear that I received an electronic copy of this book in advance of publication. However, that in no way impacted my review (other than to give me bragging rights to my friends who enjoyed the Riyria Revelations). I didn't rub it in too badly, but let me just say that I'll be disappointed in any of them that don't read this book soon. If anything, getting an advance copy made me want to be more skeptical of this book just to show I was unbiased. This book passed that extra scrutiny. I loved every page.
Before I read this book, I really enjoyed Michael J Sullivan's writing. Now, I'm afraid to say that [a:Patrick Rothfuss|108424|Patrick Rothfuss|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1351307341p2/108424.jpg]'s reign as my favorite author might be at an end. I'm sorry Patrick. Please forgive me for saying that.
What did I like about this book? In a word? Everything.
The characters: From start to finish, they are well developed. They are believable. They are entertaining. They are fun. There are a multitude of characters in this book and somehow there are a remarkable number of them that are fleshed out. Yes, there are some background characters that I may not know what they ate for breakfast (but seriously, if you want that level of detail, read [a:George R.R. Martin|346732|George R.R. Martin|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1351944410p2/346732.jpg]). There is at least one "bad guy" that I wish was a bit more sympathetic and had slightly deeper motives, but that is really nitpicking and stretching.
The world: This is the same world as Riyria, but set 3,000 years earlier. It is absolutely not required to read the Riyria series to understand this book. Wow. What worldbuilding skills. From the beginning where we are dropped into an action scene to the end where the pace is rapid, the author delights in developing the world. And what a world it is! The world itself plays significant roles in the story of the book. As realtors state, location, location, location. And the locations of the players in this book matter. The players impact the locations in the book. As you may have heard, if you wish to understand someone, study their environment. This book does that.
The plot: Wow. From the beginning of the book to the end, I enjoyed the book. With some books that I enjoy, I frequently want to take a break. This book, I took breaks because I had to do so. I can see certain plot points that are being set up for resolution in future books. This is where Michael J Sulliva's writing style shines. If you don't know, he writes the entire series before publishing the first book. This way, he can go back and tweak book one when he realizes something isn't working in book three. Back to the plot, I can say by the end of the book, I could not read fast enough. I was begging my eyes to go faster (and I am not a slow reader).
I was hoping for more quests and travelling but alas
Feels like a precursor to something bigger rather than a story in itself but it has been a while since I've read a fantasy series.
Feels like a precursor to something bigger rather than a story in itself but it has been a while since I've read a fantasy series.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Overall I enjoyed this book. Felt it was a little slow to start, and things at times seemed a little too trope-y or predictable, but the story gradually won me over. I really enjoy the characters in this story- especially a certain young mystic and her wolf!
Really looking forward to the next in the series (which comes out relatively soon!)
Really looking forward to the next in the series (which comes out relatively soon!)
2022 Re-read: I think I appreciated this one a lot more the second time around, having read Nolyn & Farilane, I feel much closer to the characters and the story, despite being a setup for the rest of the series, manages to captivate and is able to stand on its own. 4.5 Stars!
---
Here's the thing, I started [b:Age of Myth|26863057|Age of Myth (The Legends of the First Empire, #1)|Michael J. Sullivan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1507307691l/26863057._SY75_.jpg|24657657] while [b:The Death of
Dulgath|24683898|The Death of Dulgath (The Riyria Chronicles, #3)|Michael J. Sullivan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1440823815l/24683898._SY75_.jpg|44301324] was still very fresh in my memory. Seeing how [b:Age of Myth|26863057|Age of Myth (The Legends of the First Empire, #1)|Michael J. Sullivan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1507307691l/26863057._SY75_.jpg|24657657] is set in the same universe, only 3000 years earlier than the events in The Riyria Revelations, I was fully expecting to experience more of the same magic that Royce & Adrian create (seriously, I can't get enough of those two).
Because of this, I was a bit disapointed at first, more than I had any right to be. [a:Michael J. Sullivan|2063919|Michael J. Sullivan|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1433443335p2/2063919.jpg] clearly stated that this was a completely new series with new characters and just the occasional hint / easter egg to tie the two series together.
Reading [b:Age of Myth|26863057|Age of Myth (The Legends of the First Empire, #1)|Michael J. Sullivan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1507307691l/26863057._SY75_.jpg|24657657], it's clear to me that this is the first part in an epic fantasy series. The build-up is expansive and the plot moves around rather slowly while all the pieces are set up. It does tend to ramp up a bit near the end, but you can already feel the epic scale that this series will represent and, in light of that, the ending is just a little underwhelming, as it just sets the stage for the actual story to begin.
Apart from that, [b:Age of Myth|26863057|Age of Myth (The Legends of the First Empire, #1)|Michael J. Sullivan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1507307691l/26863057._SY75_.jpg|24657657] offers multiple, strong characters, solid writing, a tangible world / athmosphere and multiple interweaving story lines, all of which, apart from the main storyline, are closed up nicely by the end of the book, without feeling forced.
All that aside, I enjoyed Age of Myth as a standalone novel, but I'm convinced that my feelings on this will change (for the better) once the entire series is published & read. It's a solid enough book on it's own, but knowing that there is so much more to come, makes me hungry for more and also a little dissapointed that I now have to wait 4 more years before the entire series will be out... 4 stars.
---
Here's the thing, I started [b:Age of Myth|26863057|Age of Myth (The Legends of the First Empire, #1)|Michael J. Sullivan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1507307691l/26863057._SY75_.jpg|24657657] while [b:The Death of
Dulgath|24683898|The Death of Dulgath (The Riyria Chronicles, #3)|Michael J. Sullivan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1440823815l/24683898._SY75_.jpg|44301324] was still very fresh in my memory. Seeing how [b:Age of Myth|26863057|Age of Myth (The Legends of the First Empire, #1)|Michael J. Sullivan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1507307691l/26863057._SY75_.jpg|24657657] is set in the same universe, only 3000 years earlier than the events in The Riyria Revelations, I was fully expecting to experience more of the same magic that Royce & Adrian create (seriously, I can't get enough of those two).
Because of this, I was a bit disapointed at first, more than I had any right to be. [a:Michael J. Sullivan|2063919|Michael J. Sullivan|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1433443335p2/2063919.jpg] clearly stated that this was a completely new series with new characters and just the occasional hint / easter egg to tie the two series together.
Reading [b:Age of Myth|26863057|Age of Myth (The Legends of the First Empire, #1)|Michael J. Sullivan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1507307691l/26863057._SY75_.jpg|24657657], it's clear to me that this is the first part in an epic fantasy series. The build-up is expansive and the plot moves around rather slowly while all the pieces are set up. It does tend to ramp up a bit near the end, but you can already feel the epic scale that this series will represent and, in light of that, the ending is just a little underwhelming, as it just sets the stage for the actual story to begin.
Apart from that, [b:Age of Myth|26863057|Age of Myth (The Legends of the First Empire, #1)|Michael J. Sullivan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1507307691l/26863057._SY75_.jpg|24657657] offers multiple, strong characters, solid writing, a tangible world / athmosphere and multiple interweaving story lines, all of which, apart from the main storyline, are closed up nicely by the end of the book, without feeling forced.
All that aside, I enjoyed Age of Myth as a standalone novel, but I'm convinced that my feelings on this will change (for the better) once the entire series is published & read. It's a solid enough book on it's own, but knowing that there is so much more to come, makes me hungry for more and also a little dissapointed that I now have to wait 4 more years before the entire series will be out... 4 stars.
dawno nie wyciągnęłam się w książkę tak bardzo jak w tą. Myślami ciągle do niej wracałam.