[Review] 'Nyphron Rising' by Michael J. Sullivan

Title: Nyphron Rising
Writer: Michael J. Sullivan
Pages: 362
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Standalone/Series: Third in The Riyria Revelations
Publisher: Ridan Publishing

A PUPPET IS CROWNED.THE TRUE HEIR REMAINS HIDDEN. A ROGUE'S SECRET COULD CHANGE EVERYTHING.

War has come to Melengar. To save her kingdom, Princess Arista runs a desperate gamble when she defies her brother and hires Royce and Hadrian for a dangerous mission. As the power of the Nyphron Empire grows, so does Royce's suspicion that the wizard Esrahaddon is using the thieves as pawns in his own game. To find the truth, he must unravel the secret of Hadrian's past...what he discovers could change the future for all of Elan.

Where ‘The Crown Conspiracy’ and ‘Avempartha’ read as standalones ‘Nyphron Rising’ would be a great deal of a challenge, if the reader has not invested the time and resources to read the first two installments in the Riyria Revelations. Events are tied and the actions along with the consequences they spawn will shape the course for the characters in the upcoming installment, which I am oh-so-anticipating to read. As the natural halfway-point for this six volumes series, ‘Nyphron Rising’ is a middle book and as such its major storylines do not resolve, instead set the stage for the culmination in the soon to follow novels in the series.

To further back up my claim the storylines do not seek a way to collide into each other and run neck to neck with any visible connection. On one hand we follow the coronation of Thrace as Empress and the resurrection of the Empire, now that the heir has presumably been found. However, the reader’s shown the heart of the Empire and its true face, which is not something pretty. As far as I grasp it, the very first incarnation of the Empire served to the well-being and the unity of its subjects against the dangers that were the other races in the past. This incarnation is more about greed and the ambition of cunning with their schemes to own, to have, to restore and rule what they think is entitled to them. The clergy it would seem is not so innocent or pure, especially master Machiavellian character, bishop Saldur, now pronounced as regent to the Empire. To emphasize how cold-hearted the men running the Empire are, we witness the de-humanizing treatment Thrace, now named Modina, receives. It was an interesting inside look into the relationship between Amilia and Modina, given the fact that the Empress suffers from detachment from the real world and is practically mute.

The other storyline is more dynamic and action packed, following princess Arista as she tries to prove her worth to her brother and her usefulness to Melegar, which is now at war with the Empire and not doing an admirable job, due to the lack of support from other kingdoms. The manner she chooses to do that is by hiring the Riyria and go on an almost suicide mission to strike a treaty with the nationalists. On the outside the storyline provides dealings with dubious characters, they face betrayal and they get caught in an uprising, organized and executed by Arista herself in Ratibor. However, on the inside this is a profound character study and development. It seems to be the heart of ‘Nyphron Rising’ as we see key characters learn more about themselves and solve dilemmas.

The biggest surprise was the focus on Arista’s development from spoiled royalty to an actual human individual, who is touch with the people and not separated by ranks and hierarchy. At first it was tedious to read her narrative, because I dislike such characters, but her development after Sullivan pushed her hard outside her comfort zone was one to behold. One could say she has become a woman in her own right and a witch in the more capable and resourceful sense, although there is some slight foreshadowing that he might wrestle with desire and temptation to use her powers to full extent. In the mean time Hadrian and Royce have some issues to work out as well. Hadrian suffers from depression and existential crisis, trying to find his vocation or at least something honorable to pursue, while Royce has hesitations, whether or not to leave his friend pursue his destiny. The rocky terrain their partnership endures through a new angle to look at the characters and that paired with the mission to track down the true heir to the Empire and decipher the games of the ancient wizard Esrahaddon makes ‘Nyphron Rising’ an interesting read.

Verdict: [B+] Despite the intrigue, the mystery and the ancient secrets that piece together a larger and impressive in itself picture, ‘Nyphron Rising’ didn’t quite do it for me. In comparison to the first two installments it pales a bit, but I can justify that with the natural need to have a book that prepares the chess board for the upcoming game in the world of Elan. Nevertheless, Michael J. Sullivan has carved his name in the genre and I am only sorry that he is seriously under-read.

[Review] 'Avempartha' by Michael J. Sullivan

Title: Avempartha
Writer: Michael J. Sullivan
Pages: 344
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Standalone/Series: Second in The Riyria Revelations
Publisher: Ridan Publishing

When a destitute young woman hires two thieves to help save her remote village from nocturnal attacks, they are drawn into the schemes of the wizard Esrahaddon. While Royce struggles to breech the secrets of an ancient elven tower, Hadrian attempts to rally the villagers to defend themselves against an unseen killer. What begins with the simple theft of a sword places the two thieves at the center of a firestorm — that could change the future of Elan.

To cite Bogart’s transcending-time line from Casablanca: ‘This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship’. I share the same sentiment towards the Riyria Revelations by Michael J. Sullivan. ‘The Crown Conspiracy’ opened my February reading with a bang and I conceived high expectations that ‘Avempartha’ would be just as good and hopefully even better. Perhaps there was slight hesitation on my part, caused by the chance that maybe the promise in book one remains a promise and that ‘Avempartha’ would suffer from the second child syndrome. But from the breathtaking cover [done by the author himself] to the last page, ‘Avempartha’ reached and surpassed all hopes and extinguished all fears.

Standing at 344 pages [according to Amazon; my edition has 321 or so] ‘Avempartha’ offers an adventurous two-day trip through the lands of Elan, escorted by your intrepid duo and their royal contacts. Despite being a second novel, ‘Avempartha’ can be read as a standalone with no discomfort on the reader’s part. It shares several similarities with ‘The Crown Conspiracy’ in the sense that both novels follow the model: heavy stage setting, followed by adrenaline packed resolution. Also the loose ties between the volumes contribute to the illusion that ‘Avempartha’ could be a series opener.

In ‘Avempartha’ we find our intrepid duo Hadrian Blackwater and Royce Melborn on a brand assignment in the village of Dahlgren. The storyline picks up in the trading center of Colnora, where a distressed Thrace hires Riyria for a deceptively simple task, which as the story gains momentum gains greater importance and a dangerous edge. For Dahlgren is a terrorized by a beast from the wars between the elves and the humans 900 years ago. The Gilarabrywn is pure, predatory magic and each night eats a member from the Dahlgren community, which is revealed to break an ancient human-elvish peace treaty. The second storyline follows princess Arista’s life as a newly appointed ambassador to the kingdom of Melegar, now under the rule of her brother Alric. Melegar is still unsettled and Arista’s new function and acclimatization to the events following the murder of father become complicated as she bears the stain of witchcraft. In the mean time the Church of Nyphron shows interest in her as a possible pawn in their schemes and Arista is left with a moral dilemma. Two different in nature storylines entwine into one as Arista and the Church of Nyphron arrive in Dahlgren along with a larger number of strong-bodied men, both common folk and nobility, for a contest, which leads to many deaths and destruction.

I was impressed at how effortlessly both plots flowed into the big resolution, which concluded the novel with a daring well-orchestrated finale. If you think that ‘The Crown Conspiracy’ has daring escapades, then you will be highly entertained to see the struggle between the Riyria, the Dahlgren community and the Nyphron Church all together against the Gilarabrywn, which apart from being a deadly beast is also cunning, malicious and scheming. Hadrian has to face his greatest combat adversary in the Gilarabrywn, while Royce has to pick his toughest lock, yet. The stakes are high, the adrenaline pumping and anticipation soaring. As a treat in the end of the book, the reader is fed juicy details about both Hadrian and Royce’s origins, which are left as seeds for further volumes. At the same time the intrigue is also taken one level higher with the Church of Nyphron’s plans to raise a puppet emperor. Bishop Saldur is the kind of villain I love to read about and to hate, really, but his schemes and masterful orchestrations give me goose bumps and have me wondering how well he has plotted his success.

I established that the story is brilliant, the cast endearing and engaging, but ‘Avempartha’ is a testament to world building and infusing setting with some divine breath. Apart from showing the reader the lives, the strife and the mentality of the royalty, Sullivan manages to give the common folk their due in ‘Avempartha’. Dahlgren has become an inviting village I would only hope to visit in my dreams with a modest accommodation, but with honest, welcoming community. The reader can feel the small village’s pulse. All of this is organic to the story’s fabric. Sullivan also manages to color of Elan through Esra’s recollection of the elves, the wars and the purpose of the mystical and inaccessible tower of Avempartha. All information comes at even intervals similar to tides and avoids becoming tedious info dumps, but instead a hook to keep the pages turning.

Verdict: [A+] Sullivan brings out the very best in the genres, dishes it out skillfully and with artistry in a compact book, which will ensure an unforgettable and infectious reading experience. I am beyond contempt with how the Riyria Revelations are turning out. Highly recommended.

[Review] 'The Crown Conspiracy' by Michael J. Sullivan

Title: The Crown Conspiracy
Writer: Michael J. Sullivan
Pages: 296
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Standalone/Series: First in The Riyria Revelations
Publisher: Ridan Publishing

There's no ancient evil to defeat, no orphan destined for greatness, just two guys in the wrong place at the wrong time...Royce Melborn, a skilled thief, and his mercenary partner, Hadrian Blackwater make a profitable living carrying out dangerous assignments for conspiring nobles until they become the unwitting scapegoats in a plot to murder the king. Sentenced to death, they have only one way out...and so begins this epic tale of treachery and adventure, sword fighting and magic, myth and legend.

‘The Crown Conspiracy’ has been in the review bloggers’ mouths for quite some time and it comes highly recommended from people, who have a sharpened sense for quality and spot gold, when they see it. I have to chime in the choir and sing some praise of my own. ‘The Crown Conspiracy’ distinguishes itself from the flock with a self-contained plot and major threads wrapped in the end of the story. Just shy from 300 pages, it offers a quick reading experience. All untypical traits for epic fantasy, which is more or less known for mammoth volumes as well as epic story arcs, secondary plots and cast of innumerous characters. ‘The Crown Conspiracy’ relies on a fast pace, dynamic situations, a tight, well groomed story and a limited number of character POVs. These choices eliminate pacing issues and confusion that may arise from abundance of characters and secondary plots. Simplicity here is a virtue.

However, being modest and restrained does not translate to a flat and underdeveloped book. On the contrary, ‘The Crown Conspiracy’ exemplifies a multidimensional and a well-crafted novel. I particularly enjoyed the secondary world of Elan, which is so Earth-like and yet so different from our own. As I stated earlier in my post about my first impressions, I loved the parallel between the Novronian Empire and the Roman Empire, but not in any recognizable historic sense. There is a loss of culture and degradation of the collective memory as secrets, knowledge and techniques fade to nothing in the troubled warring times, where the remnants of the empire fight each other to establish sovereign kingdoms. Magic, the Art, as a collective symbol of the era is also forgotten and shunned. What was once thriving now lays in decay. Again, not uncommon for this genre, but Sullivan builds his world with conviction and through his characters’ and narrative it transforms into an actual destination in the reader’s mind. When that transpires, I say, the author has done his job well.

On to the story itself, then. As stated in the title, there’s a conspiracy. The king of Melegar has been murdered and nobody has an idea, who the culprit is. My congratulations go to Sullivan for stretching the mystery as far as possible and keep me guessing for good, before he let the cat out of the bag himself. Sullivan provided several dastardly constructed red herrings and I alternated between princess Arista and her uncle Percy Braga. Could I trust the cultural stereotype that condemns all magic practinioners as vile and scheming characters, disguised as innocents, and accuse Arista? Or is the devoted and loyal Uncle Percy Braga ruled by greed and lust for power, thus deserving my pointing finger? Whatever my own suspcisons were the actual purpose behind this assassination is much more thrilling and complicated, which is the seed, the readers will see grow in the following installments.

Last, but not least I will discuss characterization, which paired with the solid worldbuilding made this book a page turner. Hadrian Blackwater and Royce Melborn are the mercenary duo to entertain you through this epic journey through Melegar and they do a splendid job at that as well. Hadrian is the good-hearted part in the team, while Royce is the designated sullen and brooding character. Both have mysterious pasts, but the author does not rush to reveal them just yet, since this book is more about Arista and Alric. The duo’s dynamics are handled with a careful hand, provide solid entertainment and it’s impossible not to become attached to both. It is a safe bet that there is an epic bromance to be found here that can be achieved only between fleshed out characters. There is much about Hadrian and Royce that keeps the reader wanting more. On several instances they have made noble gestures, which then have been explained with ulterior motives, thus staying true to their outlaw nature. This is the reason I believe that the characterization is top notch. The characters’ justification behind each action. Fifty pages in, and you will learn that not a single action by the key players is done without a clear concept and purpose.

Now, you probably believe that there is nothing wrong with this novel. I wish it was so, but as with all things man made, there are a few faults here and there, which in this case are based on my own personal preferences. I believe it clever to use Myron, the bookworm monk, as a device to fill in necessary chunks of information regarding the world, the religion and the history of the lands, but his help has been a bit too convenient. It felt to me at times [not all the time, mind you] that his sole purpose in the novel was to help speed the quest and offer opportunities, when a dead end pops up. Thankfully, his personal tragedy and background prevent him from being a cardboard copy and a device. I also did not like the spoilt crowned prince grow from pampered to a man, especially one fit to rule the kingdom. However, this is a trope I personally detest and no matter how well done [it has been formidably done here] I never take to it. Apart from these minor issues is nothing left to be pricky about. It is a bloody good book.

Verdict: [B+] ‘The Crown Conspiracy’ is different, which will certainly attract the long term fans, while at the same time, this is a great introductory novel for those, who wish to taste epic fantasy, but the usual hefty volumes discourage them. A light-spirited and exciting debut. I can only recommend this novel.