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chelseaj91 's review for:
The Rose and the Thorn
by Michael J. Sullivan
The Rose and the Thorn is the second book in Michael J. Sullivan's Riyria Chronicles. The series serves as a prequel to his series The Riyria Revelations.
Taking place a year after the events in The Crown Tower. Royce and Hadrian have been working together the entire time, slowly getting to know each other and pulling assorted small jobs. The two of them are still vastly different in their outlooks--Royce thinks that anyone and everyone is out to get you no matter what so you should strike first and Hadrian is still ready to give people the benefit of the doubt. That being said, each has somehow managed to rub off just a little on the other--Hadrian isn't quite as naive although he still is willing to trust everyone and Royce is slowly starting to understand that killing everyone isn't necessarily the only option. They've decided to head back to Medford to visit with Gwen and the girls of Medford House (although mostly Gwen). When they return to Medford, they're shocked when Gwen refuses to see them. She's doing it in an attempt to save their lives, but she's going to learn just what lengths the two will go to in order to protect those they care about.
Hadrian, Royce and Gwen may be the biggest stars of this book, there is so much more going on. We get to meet Viscount Albert Winslow--a noble without land, the royal family of Medford--King Amrath, Queen Ann, Prince Alric and Princess Arista, the Pickerings, Bishop Saldur, Percy Braga--newly appointed Chancellor who's related to the King through marriage, Lord High Constable Simon Exeter--a man with designs on the throne and Reuben Hilfred--a boy with no title who's destined to be a knight but looked down upon by other because he doesn't come from money and his father wasn't married to his mother. Throughout the story, some of Royce's history comes to light; Reuben pines for a young woman he can never have and he fights to prove that he's actually worth something; Gwen fights to keep Medford House up and running in between being worried about Royce and Hadrian and one of her girls who's gone missing.
Sullivan does a good job of managing to give each character their own unique personality, rounding them off with their own history, problems, hopes and dreams, fears in and amongst also managing to weave the various plot lines seamlessly.
We even get more of Hadrian and Royce's camaraderie, which has developed in the time they've been together and still continues to grow. I can't wait to see what trouble the two manage to get into next ;)
If you haven't read The Crown Tower, I recommend starting there as some of the back story in this book could leave readers slightly confused if this is your first foray into Riyria.
Taking place a year after the events in The Crown Tower. Royce and Hadrian have been working together the entire time, slowly getting to know each other and pulling assorted small jobs. The two of them are still vastly different in their outlooks--Royce thinks that anyone and everyone is out to get you no matter what so you should strike first and Hadrian is still ready to give people the benefit of the doubt. That being said, each has somehow managed to rub off just a little on the other--Hadrian isn't quite as naive although he still is willing to trust everyone and Royce is slowly starting to understand that killing everyone isn't necessarily the only option. They've decided to head back to Medford to visit with Gwen and the girls of Medford House (although mostly Gwen). When they return to Medford, they're shocked when Gwen refuses to see them. She's doing it in an attempt to save their lives, but she's going to learn just what lengths the two will go to in order to protect those they care about.
Hadrian, Royce and Gwen may be the biggest stars of this book, there is so much more going on. We get to meet Viscount Albert Winslow--a noble without land, the royal family of Medford--King Amrath, Queen Ann, Prince Alric and Princess Arista, the Pickerings, Bishop Saldur, Percy Braga--newly appointed Chancellor who's related to the King through marriage, Lord High Constable Simon Exeter--a man with designs on the throne and Reuben Hilfred--a boy with no title who's destined to be a knight but looked down upon by other because he doesn't come from money and his father wasn't married to his mother. Throughout the story, some of Royce's history comes to light; Reuben pines for a young woman he can never have and he fights to prove that he's actually worth something; Gwen fights to keep Medford House up and running in between being worried about Royce and Hadrian and one of her girls who's gone missing.
Sullivan does a good job of managing to give each character their own unique personality, rounding them off with their own history, problems, hopes and dreams, fears in and amongst also managing to weave the various plot lines seamlessly.
We even get more of Hadrian and Royce's camaraderie, which has developed in the time they've been together and still continues to grow. I can't wait to see what trouble the two manage to get into next ;)
If you haven't read The Crown Tower, I recommend starting there as some of the back story in this book could leave readers slightly confused if this is your first foray into Riyria.