You know, taking what they need to buy a loaf of bread to feed their family.

“Why do you have to make everything so difficult? They’re probably not bad people-just poor. I was truly excited at the 10% mark and was completely invested in the duo’s exploits and the possibilities that could present themselves in the novel. Theft of Swords has an excellent opening segment, with a gang of amateur thieves choosing the wrong marks, which then leads into one of my favourite fantasy adventure story setups. “Two hundred gold tenents to slip a sword out an open window-you don’t find that suspicious?” Royce asked with a tone of amazed disbelief. I enjoyed having certain mysteries around Royce unravel gradually as I read on. He is much more cynical and critical than his colleague and he holds his cards close to his chest. His partner is Royce Melborn, an extremely talented thief who is a master of stealth and comfortable walking in the shadows. Trust me, a man who carries three swords knows how to use them. Hadrian Blackwater is a charismatic and genuinely good-natured warrior who carries three swords. Riyria is made up of two legendary and infamous rogues who take on seemingly impossible heists and requests, normally for nobles who can afford their services to “embarrass a rival, to hurt an ex-lover, or to increase their standing in the strange and twisted world of high-stakes politics.” The duo aren’t affiliated with any guilds, monarchs, or political factions, so can tread where other thieves would be unable to operate, with their unique and tailored set of skills. Theft of Swords follows the adventures of Riyria. Read here for more information about Michael J.

I’m noting the above details as I read 25% of this novel before realising that I was reading the books in the suggested order. The Riyria Chronicles are prelude adventures that follow the same two protagonists. To readers new to Sullivan’s work, Theft of Swords and The Riyria Revelations is what the author recommends reading first. These were originally released individually by Sullivan on a self-published basis and were combined into this excellent package by Orbit in 2011. In fact, it contains two stories from The Riyria Revelations: The Crown Conspiracy and Avempartha. Sullivan’s Theft of Swords is the most I’ve enjoyed the first entry in a fantasy series for a long time.

Age of swords michael j sullivan