Theft of Swords (The Riyria Revelations, #1-2)

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Theft of Swords (The Riyria Revelations #1-2)

by Michael J. Sullivan (Goodreads Author)

4.18 of 5 stars 4.18 · rating details · 5,973 ratings · 667 reviews

Royce Melborn, a skilled thief, and his mercenary partner, Hadrian Blackwater, make a profitable living carrying out dangerous assignments for conspiring nobles-until they are hired to pilfer a famed sword. What appears to be just a simple job finds them framed for the murder of the king and trapped in a conspiracy that uncovers a plot far greater than the mere overthrow o...more

ebook, 692 pages

Published November 23rd 2011 by Orbit (first published November 14th 2011)

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Sep 28, 2012 Seak (Bryce L.) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-review, 2011, fantasy

Theft of Swords is an omnibus of the first two books in the Riyria Reveleations, The Crown Conspiracy and Avempartha. It's also somewhat the story of an independently published author turned major publishing success as is nicely explained here by Iceberg Ink.

I have to first confess that this is exactly the type of story I love, so pardon my overlooking of any of the faults.

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Theft of Swords is that it's "traditional" fantasy. It deals with good...more

63 likes · like · see review

Mar 07, 2013 Jonathan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: want, personal-favourites, favourite-series, fantasy

This is a brilliant piece of storytelling that any fantasy or action/adventure lover should go and read this. However before I divulge more information in that manner I would like to raise a few points. My first point being about fantasy in general while my second point will be about cliché and storytelling.

Fantasy as a genre in many ways was formed with The Lord of the Rings and then shortly afterwards, as much as people dismiss it, The Sword of Shannara. Subsequent books appeared such as The ...more

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Dec 04, 2012 Klymene marked it as to-read · review of another edition

I'll probably read this one just because there are two super hot guys on the cover. *covers her face, ashamedly* and because they are thieves. That's just... wow

And then look. There aren't any girls in the picture. Major plus. Just saying.

They have that preview thing on the side now and I'm just dying. Don't bother me more than necessary. I wonder what their names are?

I haven't even read the book yet and I'm in love. If I had a top ten hottest guys from books list, it would include Hatori from...more

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Aug 20, 2011 Emily Ward rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, own, kindle

I'm loving this book so far! I'm happy there's so much left :D

8/14: finished book one, the Crown Conspiracy. Awesome!

8/18: Finished. Wow, great books. I'll write a longer review later, but I'm going to buy Nyphron Rising RIGHT NOW. Sleep? Pah!

8/20:
I was lucky enough to snag this ARC. This book was actually originally two books: The Crown Conspiracy and Avempartha. They were self-published along with a couple other books in the Riyria Revelations, and the series was recently picked up by Orbit B...more I'm loving this book so far! I'm happy there's so much left :D

8/14: finished book one, the Crown Conspiracy. Awesome!

8/18: Finished. Wow, great books. I'll write a longer review later, but I'm going to buy Nyphron Rising RIGHT NOW. Sleep? Pah!

8/20:
I was lucky enough to snag this ARC. This book was actually originally two books: The Crown Conspiracy and Avempartha. They were self-published along with a couple other books in the Riyria Revelations, and the series was recently picked up by Orbit Books. Theft of Swords will be released the end of November, but if you just can't wait after reading my review, you can still get the ebook versions of the first five books on Amazon.com until 8/31/11.

The Riyria Revelations starts with two thieves. Not common thieves, Royce and Hadrian work for nobles, occasionally double-crossing them. They take jobs that pay well, and they've worked up some notoriety as Riyria. They take a job that sounds almost too easy to steal a sword in the castle, but they find out it's a trap. Soon, they're arrested for the murder of the king. The princess hires them to kidnap her brother, thinking she'll save him from the same fate as her father. The story goes from there, following all kinds of twists and turns. The heroes of the story search out a wizard who's been in prison for a thousand years, battle a creature conjured by elves, and witness the church begin building an empire.

This book is a great read. The story is immensely interesting. The author obviously put a lot of time into world building: histories, religions, heroes of old, magic. At times, it was hard for me to keep up with everything. There were a few info dumps along the way, but once I sorted out who was what and why it was important, I just moved on. All in all, it's an adventure story with some political intrigue, but magic becomes a big part of the story halfway through The Crown Conspiracy. I think it's Lord of the Rings meets Pirates of the Caribbean.

I really enjoyed the characters. There's a big cast, and the author finds a way to connect them all. Some of them have so much personality. I loved Myron; he was so funny. Hadrian is my favorite, though, and I can't wait to learn more about his past. I'm not used to such a distant POV, but maybe that's because I don't read high fantasy too often. I felt like, aside from the occasional internal monologue, we rarely knew what the characters were thinking or feeling. We usually saw their emotions through their actions. It sort of takes from the story, but at the same time, there are so many secrets and lies, it leaves the reader guessing. You don't know who to trust!

There were a few times when I didn't want to put this book down. The day I finished it, I spent pretty much all afternoon and evening reading. I finished it around midnight! It was a good way to spend my birthday. I got online and bought Nyphron Rising right away because I wasn't sure if I was going to be lucky enough to score another ARC and because I wanted to support the author. I love how the series has overarching plot issues, but each novel deals with a certain conflict.

Okay, I'm going to go read Nyphron Rising. Pre-order your copy of Theft of Swords now! (less)

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Apr 07, 2013 Jocelyn rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: supersize-monster, favorites, needs-review, unforgettably-awesome, oooh-what-a-ride

I've been trying to write a review for the past few days but can't pop out anything but just a few paragraphs for fuck knows why. Perhaps it's the trouble I have with writing positive reviews, especially 5-star ones. So I'm just going to write what I found the most memorable in this book, and hope recording such an observation will kick my mind enough to eventually write the review.

Anyway, I don't know if I missed anything, but Theft of Swords to me is like a book that looks at all the common pr...more

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Feb 25, 2013 Ron rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, fantasy, maps

This is complicated. This first volume of "The Riyria Revelations" contains two "books" previously published individually (and independently) both of which I read in 2009. I'm rounding down as explained in my review of those books three years ago.

I re-read parts, just because it's so much fun, especially the relationship between Royce and Hadrian.

Second full reading: How did I miss the first time through that Royce and Arista are with Asrahaddon when he screes the identity of the true Heir and G...more

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Jan 30, 2012 Anachronist rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was originally self-published in two parts, entitled The Crown Conspiracy and Avempartha.

Royce Melborn, a skilled thief-for-hire, and his mercenary partner, Hadrian Blackwater, make a profitable living carrying out dangerous assignments for conspiring nobles, often double-crossing them in the meantime. One day, however, they accept a deceptively easy and too-profitable-to-be-true job. All they have to do is to pilfer a famed sword, preventing a death of an innocent man. Their earnings...more This book was originally self-published in two parts, entitled The Crown Conspiracy and Avempartha.

Royce Melborn, a skilled thief-for-hire, and his mercenary partner, Hadrian Blackwater, make a profitable living carrying out dangerous assignments for conspiring nobles, often double-crossing them in the meantime. One day, however, they accept a deceptively easy and too-profitable-to-be-true job. All they have to do is to pilfer a famed sword, preventing a death of an innocent man. Their earnings will assure them a comfortable winter. Well, nothing is as dangerous as a good deal in the form of a good dead especially offered at very short notice. Soon enough they find themselves in royal dungeons, framed for the murder of the king and trapped in a conspiracy that uncovers a plot far greater than the mere overthrow of a small dynasty of a tiny kingdom.

Can a self-serving thief and an idealistic swordsman survive long enough to unravel the first part of an ancient mystery that has toppled kings and destroyed empires in order to keep a secret too terrible for the world to know? And so begins the first tale of treachery and adventure, sword fighting and magic, myth and legend

What I liked:

First let me tell you that this novel was constructed like a solid bit of good architecture - the right proportions, accents laid out properly, the right number of characters, everything in perfect order. Small wonder I couldn't stop reading it till the very end. The plot progressed smoothly and was quite engaging, the world building was original and interesting, mentioning magicians, elves, half-elves and dwarves. I loved the cast of secondary characters, especially Princess Arista, Alric, her younger brother and the heir apparent, Myron, a monk librarian with eidetic memory and of course my lovely pearl of a baddie, Archibald Ballentyne - young, handsome, rich, full of himself and... a total jerk! Well done!

What's more commendable the author avoided several traps which often plague such stories. When a princess is saved, her saviour doesn't fall in love with her (thanks goodness!) and she doesn't fall in love with him. When a young, spoilt and rather dumb prince is made a king he, surprisingly, tries to be a good monarch and he actually manages that with a little help of his friends. No insta-love, no unbelievable happy ending!

The comic relief came in the form of Myron who had lived a completely secluded monastery life since he was four and then, all of a sudden, was forced out of his shell to explore the world and its wonders. I enjoyed every scene with him!

What I didn't like:

I found the two main protagonists, Hadrian and Royce, a bit too two-dimensional. Hadrian is Mr. Social Skills and Mr. Muscle (no pun intended lol!) Royce is Mr. Break-and-Enter and Mr. Strategist. All good and clear but too schematic. I must add that their amazing lack of cynicism was also sometimes too obvious to swallow. Ok, Royce at least tried to be sensible, while Hadrian...he often acts like a noble knight in a shiny armour, riding that spotless white horse which doesn't exist. You can say I am jaded but here I missed some dark fantasy grit. Real thieves and thugs are far more mercenary and cruel, far less influenced by those "woe me, pity me" stories. Well., maybe it will make more sense in the next installment - I do hope for more character development as it was definitely hinted here!

My last quibble - there were some small info-dumps in this novel which almost, ALMOST made me bored. Fortunately the author managed to keep them relatively short. What's more, the knowledge was put to use soon afterwards so it made sense after a while.

Final verdict:

There is nothing like a decent fantasy book to soothe your nerves and make you happy after a long day of hard work. Yes, I will continue to read this series and I recommend it to every fantasy fan. It is entertaining, it is well-written and it doesn't contain graphic violence.(less)

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Jan 22, 2012 Andy Angel rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Only just started this and already the characters feel like old friends. Well written and promising to be a phenominal series.

13/12/11
Just finished 'The Crown Conspiracy' (book 1 of 2 in this volume) and thoroughly enjoyed it. If David Eddings had written the Three Musketeers and thrown in a bit of Indiana Jones this is what the result would have been.
Two theives are set up for the murder of the king, but these are no ordinary theives, these are the stuff of legend and we set off on a story of a...more

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Jan 25, 2013 Doug rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

http://wildersbookreview.blogspot.co....

Theft of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan is an omnibus which contains the first two books (‘The Crown Conspiracy’ and ‘Avempartha’) in his series – ‘The Riyria Revelations’. And going by Theft of Swords alone – it really is very good. Very good. They follow two thieves - Royce and Hadrian, who are well known across the world of Elan as the greatest thieves in existence (Riyria). In the first book Royce and Hadrian are hired to steal a sword from a royal cast...more http://wildersbookreview.blogspot.co....

Theft of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan is an omnibus which contains the first two books (‘The Crown Conspiracy’ and ‘Avempartha’) in his series – ‘The Riyria Revelations’. And going by Theft of Swords alone – it really is very good. Very good. They follow two thieves - Royce and Hadrian, who are well known across the world of Elan as the greatest thieves in existence (Riyria). In the first book Royce and Hadrian are hired to steal a sword from a royal castle and along the way they get accidentally framed for the murder of a king. Thus begins an epic journey which packs a huge punch even at its fairly low page count. Sullivan manages to keep the story moving at a brisk pace, cramming in plot revelations and excellent character development just as much as the major ‘epics’ of fantasy fiction which include novels that stand at 3 times the length.

The second book in the omnibus, ‘Avempartha’ builds on the first book and has some really fresh twists on the classic ‘Sword and Sorcery’ tales we are all so used to. To go into any more detail about what Avempartha contains would be a bit too spoilery. Suffice to say that it takes what is introduced in book 1 and turns it on its head.

By far the best thing about these books however, is the characters. Kings and princesses, dwarfs and monks – all of them defy conventions and become fully three dimensional characters that transcend your initial opinions on them.

It has a full cast of supporting characters that really bring the book to life. But to review Theft of Swords and not bring up the partnership of Royce and Hadrian would be doing the book a disservice. Seriously – read this book just to see what the author has created in these two guys. The dialogue is up there with Joe Abercrombie and Scott Lynch. The characterisation of the two is akin to George R R Martin at times. Regardless of where the series goes in the end, I genuinely hope that we see as many possible stories with Royce and Hadrian as possible. They really are that good.

Michael J. Sullivan seems to be trying to bring fantasy back to its roots – away from the grim reality of ‘A Game of Thrones’ and the rest of the modern breed of fantasy authors. But to say it’s a light-hearted affair is not true. Theft of Swords does contain its share of dark moments, and judging where the book ends I can only see things becoming worse before they get better in regards to the plot.

However, no book is truly perfect. For every moment of genius in the character dialogue and development it seems as if we lose a little on the world building side of things. Although I have only read Theft of Swords I still find it hard to connect with each area of the world and get a full sense of its history. I don’t quite feel as though the characters inhabit a living, breathing world which lives on around them; though Avempartha does go some way towards developing this a little more. By all accounts the following books in the series start to fill in the gaps – so I will have to wait and see on this front.

Theft of Swords is something old and warming to read. But at the exact same time it feels fresh and exciting. In Royce and Hadrian, Michael J. Sullivan has created a pair of characters that the reader can feel excited about joining again and again. I relish every new scene with either of them. Both together are even better.

If you want an exciting new fantasy that brings with it some twists on old conventions and some genuinely brilliant new characters, do yourself a huge favour and read Theft of Swords.

Now, bring on Book 2 – Rise of Empires.
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Nov 11, 2012 Tom Kepler rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

On a Goodreads online discussion, author Michael J. Sullivan said about his books: "They are designed to be just enjoyable romps with a couple of likable main characters."

Either Sullivan is too self-effacing, or he underestimates the power of well-written books that are enjoyable romps with a couple of likable main characters.

Theft of Swords is the first of the fantasy Riyria trilogy, Theft of Swords, Rise of Empire, and Heir of Novron, published by Orbit Books. Sullivan originally published th...more

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Jan 17, 2012 Melissa Hayden rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Mystery, Adventure, and Epic. If you like these three things in a book, this is the read for you. There are Kings, thieves, wizards, monks dwarves, and elves…Then you have Murder, lost magic, history, religion, politics, and rivalry.

Many times the starts of a new book and world have me slightly lost until I figure out the pieces, Michael Sullivan has made the beginning easier on me and I LOVE it. The book starts right out with the deception and conniving of the Noble world that introduces you to...more Mystery, Adventure, and Epic. If you like these three things in a book, this is the read for you. There are Kings, thieves, wizards, monks dwarves, and elves…Then you have Murder, lost magic, history, religion, politics, and rivalry.

Many times the starts of a new book and world have me slightly lost until I figure out the pieces, Michael Sullivan has made the beginning easier on me and I LOVE it. The book starts right out with the deception and conniving of the Noble world that introduces you to the characters and their wit along with a new world gently, yet pecks your interest through action. Most of the Noble world looks to help themselves to better holdings; this leaves a job opening for Royce Melborn and Hadrian Blackwater to do what they do best… steal.

By 55 pages the main characters have fallen into the course of hot water. By 155 pages you have touched on the history and details, starting to see a bigger picture of the mystery along with much more details of the history and happenings of the world.

One rule Royce and Hadrian live by is to not take a last minute job, as the need to do their research. However, Hadrian whom has a big heart and seems to be pulled to do good deeds agrees to a last minute, simple job of removing a valued sword from an empty room. This job goes awry, when there is no sword and something else, or should I say someone else…

On their way to the gallows, as the prince believes they should be killed, the princess devises a plan. The story takes up with the men needing to escape taking and protect the young, new king.

Then we read Avempartha, the second half. I thought it was going one direction, but was very pleased with it went a different way. The beginning seemed a little slower, but realized in the end I was getting a lot of character details I needed to come to my speculations. These details help me in trying to figure out the bigger picture with the lingering thoughts I have. It is worth it. So after being framed for murder, what do you do? Go looking for the man who sent you in the first place.

I enjoyed this book very much! I love the humor in the book, the characters sarcasm and jokes.
We also learn more of the 2 main men in Avempartha. And a new mission that just might have a guiding hand behind it… I look forward to reading more of Royce, Hadrian, Esrahaddon (yes I have not mentioned this name till now.) and Myron.

After reading through the whole book I realized there is much more going on in the underlining of the book than I realized while reading. My mind just raveled at the many possibilities and questions. Wonderful fantasy read!
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Jul 04, 2012 Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-challenge, favorites

I love this story! Michael J. Sullivan is now on my favorite author list. This is the first book I have read by this author and I must say that I was very pleasantly surprised by how well written and imaginative it is. It caught me from the start and it was difficult to put down! There was no skipping ahead to gloss over boring long descriptive paragraphs (which I have a tendency to do when the reading is laborious)! It is a very well written, fast paced read.

Hadrian and Royce are funny, believ...more

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Apr 16, 2013 Shelley rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

From the beginning I liked his 2 main characters. They have an interesting partnership- they don't know anything about each other's past, yet they exhibit total trust and loyalty to one another. That is the one thing I would like to know more about- their pasts,(which the author is revealing very slowly in small bits) and how they met and started working together. The story is interesting an unfolding at a nice pace. I like it!

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Jul 01, 2012 Robert Aldrich rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I just closed the cover on the final page of “Theft of Swords” and had to come and update my status for the book.

I really, really liked the two stories within this book. Elements are clearly classical fantasy story-telling, but Michael Sullivan added his own twists to make them interesting.

For me, the characters really made the whole reading experience worthwhile. All of them were well portrayed. Michael did something I really liked with the characters - instead of the reader finding out a grea...more

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Aug 08, 2012 Martina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

First of all - I have no idea who are those guys on the cover. I listened to audiobook so I saw the cover after and I must say, my Hadrian and Royce are cooler.

The book is very well written. I really like those simple but clever jokes Sulliven puts there, my favorite is the "revelation" of Royce's past - if you don't know by this point, your loss. There was lots of unexpected for me (but I could probably expected if I wanted to think about it). In the first book I really liked the characters an...more

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Jan 04, 2012 Ritesh rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Read about it on the internet

Shelves: epic-fantasy, fantasy, reviewing

Posted here: http://riteshkala.wordpress.com/

The Riyria Revelations follows the exploits of a unique couple of friends. They are unique in the sense, that one of them is a talented thief while the other is a former mercenary adept at warfare. They are famous (or notorious, as the case may be) for taking on the toughest jobs, which no one else will touch, and succeeding at them. Both the books in the Theft of Swords omnibus have such jobs as the starting point. Their reputation of being invincibl...more Posted here: http://riteshkala.wordpress.com/

The Riyria Revelations follows the exploits of a unique couple of friends. They are unique in the sense, that one of them is a talented thief while the other is a former mercenary adept at warfare. They are famous (or notorious, as the case may be) for taking on the toughest jobs, which no one else will touch, and succeeding at them. Both the books in the Theft of Swords omnibus have such jobs as the starting point. Their reputation of being invincible has been carefully developed by the author. It really seems that this reputation is well-deserved as we see them getting out of impossibly difficult situations with skill and a lot of luck.

Both the books have an amazing adventure, which in itself would make a great story. But, what improves both of them further is the numerous threads which start off from the stories and paint a picture of the direction in which the series will run. In the first book, Royce and Hadrian take a job and step into a trap. They end up getting blamed for the king’s assassination, but somehow escape. This is where their adventure begins which takes them on a journey which ends right back where they started. In the second book, they go to help a young girl save her father from a monster. This again takes them on an adventure where a lot of the characters from the previous book return and they finally end up defeating the monster with their friends’ help.

There are quite a few points I love about the books. One is that even though Royce and Hadrian are on the ‘wrong’ side, being thieves, they always end up doing the right thing, to a great extent due to Hadrian’s conscience. Another great thing is all the fight sequences in the books. Swordplay can be extremely difficult to get right, and an author can end up describing too much or too little of it. But, here Michael Sullivan gets the balance just right and these are a pleasure to read. Hadrian’s skill shines through in oodles of grace and talent. But by far the best thing about the book is the relationship of Hadrian and Royce. I really liked the banter they have and the jabs they keep taking at each other which makes them immensely likable. They both complement each other beautifully and together they make a really scary duo against whom few could stand a chance. Their relationship has been nurtured and developed over years of knowing and trusting each other. They both share a will to survive and a murky past. The mystery behind their pasts has been kept rigorously under wraps, and this is one revelation that could really charge up the series.

Personally, I believe that Orbit has got it absolutely right in creating this omnibus. As a standalone story, the first book, ‘The Crown Conspiracy’ is very interesting but does little to introduce the reader to the story arc of the series. Although the main characters get defined here, there isn’t enough there to judge what role they will play in the series, or how important they will be. The first book, to me seemed more like a preamble to the series, as some of the main characters in the series get introduced in the second book of this omnibus. Also, there are not many fantasy elements in this book and it reads more like an adventure.

The second book in the omnibus, ‘Avempartha’ does more to introduce the reader to the series. It is here that the real story begins to get developed and readers start getting a sense of where the story is heading. All the fantasy elements shine through and the huge history behind the world becomes apparent. I have to say, the author refrains in overwhelming the readers with a history lesson and just enough information is given out, so that the events taking place currently can be put into perspective. We can see glimpses of how all the diverse characters with such diverse backgrounds such as a princess, a thief, a mercenary and a poor girl living in the middle of nowhere come together.

All the traditional fantasy races of elves, dwarves and wizards make an appearance in the books. As usual dwarves are highly talented at stone work, elves have their magic and really long lives, and wizards are the masters of all things magical. All the fantasy elements start to become apparent in Avempartha as the book has a number of fantasy creatures, has magic in it, we come to see some of the characters in a new light and finally get to understand how the story might progress. By the end of the second book we can hazard a guess about who will be playing crucial roles in the coming books. I can see both Arista and Thrace being a strong part of the next books. It was after I finished reading Avempartha that my mind started putting together my version of the coming story. There are a lot of amazing supporting characters in the series, but they are just too many to name, though Esrahaddon, the wizard and Myron should get a definite mention here.

The world created by the author is extremely diverse, detailed and complex. There are a large number of small and big empires all jostling for their space in the world with each following a different political system. This is where the detail of the world really shines. There are empires ruled by kings, democracies, those administered by the church and some which have no ‘government’ at all. They all do have a common history and were once part of an empire which controlled the entire world.

There are no good or bad guys in the books in the traditional sense, which may seem completely wrong to the die-hard fantasy fans. There is no evil mastermind against whom the world is rallying. No doubt, there are a lot of grey characters, and they do a lot of ‘bad’ things. But their motivations may not be all bad (atleast at this point it seems so. Of course, I do not have enough information to judge a character based on these two books alone). There is always a doubt whether to put a character in the in the ‘good’ or ‘bad’ category. I don’t think this will be cleared till the series actually ends.

It is by conscious effort that I am refraining from discussing the plots of the two books too much. All I can say is that this is a mighty fine introduction to the series. I can’t wait to get to the next book. This book does a great job at getting the readers interested in the series. With such beautiful writing and clearly defined characters, there isn’t much here that I do not love. This is definitely in five-star category and I just hope the other books, which I still have to read, are just as good.(less)

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Feb 21, 2012 Meg rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

Review of Theft of Swords

I won the fifth and sixth books of the series in a Goodreads giveaway, and the author very kindly provided me with the earlier books so I would not have to start in the middle.

And I am quite glad he did.

The basic premise of the first book in Theft of Swords is that the two main characters, Royce and Hadrian, get framed for a murder and inadvertently end up going on a grand adventure, which I feel fine telling you because it's in the description. Actually, that is probabl...more

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Dec 10, 2011 edifanob rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: my-books, 2011-reads

DONE! I finished Theft of Swords.

What a great and entertaining read. A story with twists and turns and loveable characters.

If you are looking for an extraordinary good traditional epic fantasy then read
the Riyria Revelations series.

Review will follow when I have finished the omnibus.

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Mar 22, 2012 Riki rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: best-of-the-best

***THE ONE SENTENCE REVIEW***
Classical FUNtasy for the modern audience at its best.

***WHAT IT'S ABOUT***
This book actually contains two stories in one. The first story is titled "The Crown Conspiracy", and it's about a couple of thieves being framed for the murder of a king. The second story is called "Avempartha", taking place 2 years after the first story, and it's about a tiny village whose residents are being picked off by a beast in the night.

***WHAT I THINK OF IT***
Look, anyone can dwindle...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, thieves, favorites

I can't even lie, when I'd finished The Crown Conspiracy, I wasn't sure I was too keen on spending the money on the volume of the Riyria Revelations. However, I was pretty pleased to discover that Crown Conspiracy was the weakest of the two books within Theft of Swords. Avempartha definitely caught my attention again, and I was chomping at the bit to get my hands on Rise of Empire at the first available opportunity.

The writing and story telling in The Crown Conspiracy were not quite as polished...more

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Jan 05, 2012 Stefan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, www-fantasyliterature-com-review

The first thing you should know about Theft of Swords is that it’s not a fine dining experience. This book is not the literary equivalent of going to a fancy restaurant and getting one of those huge plates that are mostly empty except for a tiny stalk of asparagus artfully drizzled with a delicate sauce. Instead, it’s more like sitting down hungry and getting a big, tasty burger you can just grab and sink your teeth into. (Vegetarians, please substitute for the vegetarian equivalent of a big, ta...more The first thing you should know about Theft of Swords is that it’s not a fine dining experience. This book is not the literary equivalent of going to a fancy restaurant and getting one of those huge plates that are mostly empty except for a tiny stalk of asparagus artfully drizzled with a delicate sauce. Instead, it’s more like sitting down hungry and getting a big, tasty burger you can just grab and sink your teeth into. (Vegetarians, please substitute for the vegetarian equivalent of a big, tasty burger. I’ve been trying to think of one, and I can’t. A veggie burger just doesn’t feel the same.) In other words, this book is straightforward. It’s huge. It’s low on subtlety but high on enjoyment. It is (and I fully realize this is not proper Literary Theory terminology) juicy. At this point I think I’ve stretched the food metaphor about as far as it’s going to go.

The next thing to know about this book is that it’s, well, actually two books. (Like a two patty burger! Sorry. I’m really done now.) Theft of Swords is an omnibus containing The Crown Conspiracy and Avempartha, the first two books in Michael J. Sullivan’s RIYRIA REVELATIONS. If you follow fantasy blogs at all, you’re probably familiar with how this omnibus came to be. (And if you happen to write a fantasy blog you’re definitely aware, thanks to the vigorous “leave no stone unturned” guerrilla marketing campaign that’s partly responsible for making this series such a big success.) In a nutshell: these books were originally self-published. They became such a big indie success that Orbit has now picked up the series. Orbit is re-releasing the original six books in a set of three omnibus editions: Theft of Swords, Rise of Empire, and Heir of Novron.

The two novels contained in Theft of Swords have been reviewed so many times that it’s probably not necessary to go into a huge amount of detail. Their main characters are the thief Royce Melborn and the warrior Hadrian Blackwater, best friends who are both immensely skilled at what they do. They make a living taking on various assignments for nobles (often playing one noble against the other for double the profit) until one job gets them unwillingly involved in a far-reaching plot that affects the royal family of a kingdom and, eventually, the future of the entire world of Elan. As the plot evolves and thickens, you learn more about the structure and history of Elan, including multiple races (humans, elves, goblins, dwarves), deities, and political affiliations.

The two fantasy novels in Theft of Swords are extremely entertaining. There’s lots of action, flashes of humor, and some surprisingly (for a fluffy action fantasy novel) emotional moments. The characters are (at this point at least) paper-thin, but they’re mostly likable and the heroes are easy to root for. There’s simply not a dull moment to be found here. The fantasy world occasionally feels like a composite of familiar elements, but there are also hints that some more original pieces are waiting in the wings. Michael J. Sullivan is great at breaking down the world and its history into manageable chunks so they don’t overshadow the adventure, but if you take a step back and put all those pieces together, you can see that there’s more complexity here than you’d initially expect. The books don’t exactly brim with originality, but they’re so much sheer fun that it’s easy to get swept along.

One noticeable difference between the two novels in this omnibus, at least for a first time reader like myself, is that The Crown Conspiracy seems much more of a standalone story than Avempartha. It introduces the characters and the world, but its plot feels self-contained, whereas Avempartha seems to be the start of a longer story arc. The Crown Conspiracy also feels much more lighthearted. Which reminds me of a somewhat related topic: I suggest taking a break between the two books. The first book has a lot of forward momentum, and everything slams to a halt at the start of book two because it’s, well, a whole new novel. You can avoid the feeling that the plot suddenly moves at a creep rather than a gallop by picking up something else to cleanse your palate (which is officially my final food-related metaphor for this review.)

For people who have read the original books, there are a few differences between those and the ones found in this omnibus, including a new opening section for the first book, a glossary in the back, and a list of countries, deities, and political parties in the front. However, unless you’re a collector, I don’t think it’s necessary to get the omnibus if you have the original editions.

I’m giving this one 3.5 stars, which for me means “between good and excellent.” This rating isn’t based on gorgeous prose, or deep characterization, or striking originality. It’s simply based on sheer, plain fun. This book reminded me of how much fun I had when I first discovered fantasy, *mumble* years ago. It reminded me of reading the original DRAGONLANCE trilogies, or even David Eddings’ BELGARIAD and MALLOREON series: I just kept turning pages until there weren’t any pages left to turn, without worrying about (or even being aware of) things like originality and depth. Much like those titles, Theft of Swords seems to straddle the line between YA and regular fiction, which might also make it a good series to get younger readers into fantasy. I had a blast with this book, even if I occasionally had to force myself to put away my mental red pencil so I could just enjoy the ride. If you’re in the mood for some straightforward, old-fashioned adventure fantasy, and you haven’t had the chance to check out the RIYRIA REVELATIONS yet, pick up a copy of Theft of Swords.

(This review also appeared at www.fantasyliterature.com on 1/5/2012.)(less)

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Jul 17, 2012 Blake rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So, I'll start off by stating that I "won" this book through GoodReads after entering the drawing I saw posted in the Sword and Laser (via Geek & Sundry, thanks Felicia Day!). I must admit, I had rather low expectations for the book. I did not read any reviews or look up any other information about it on purpose (I wanted to give it a fair shake without any preconceived bias).

When the book arrived, my expectations sank simply due to the the cover (the figures on the cover are live shot in co...more

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May 15, 2013 Katina French rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I think I'm a little in love with Riyria. Not in a weird, "Twilight moms" kind of way (although I'm sure both Hadrian and Royce are "totally hawt" or whatever the current trying-too-hard hip terminology might be.) I mean I'm in love with this kind of story. I love the swashbuckling action. I love the banter, even if it gets a little anachronistic. Then again, I loved the "Taming of the Shrew" episode of Moonlighting, and I'm pretty sure Bill Shakespeare didn't include a cover of The Rascals "Goo...more

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Sep 13, 2012 Mathias Cavanaugh rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In Royce and Hadrian, Michael Sullivan creates a memorable pair of thieves who get a little too greedy at times and enter into a journey that will span what is a fairly classic story arc.

The story opens in excellent fashion. However the first half does tend to start slogging along. You have to fight through to the second half where it picks up. But Royce and Hadrian make the slow points more than bearable

The story does suffer somewhat from huge boulders of backstory just dropped into the plot, i...more

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Jun 17, 2012 Bre rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It's really good so far! (Even though I picked it based on the guys on the cover. Okay, I admit it! I judge books by covers...)This time, I was right. The cover gets lots of comments/wistful and curious stares when I read it in public. I think that's a good thing?? I'll update when I've actually finished it, but halfway through and enjoying. :)
UPDATE: OK, well, I'm a little mad at goodreads because I spent a while writing a thoughtful review for this book after finishing, only to have it gobbled...more It's really good so far! (Even though I picked it based on the guys on the cover. Okay, I admit it! I judge books by covers...)This time, I was right. The cover gets lots of comments/wistful and curious stares when I read it in public. I think that's a good thing?? I'll update when I've actually finished it, but halfway through and enjoying. :)
UPDATE: OK, well, I'm a little mad at goodreads because I spent a while writing a thoughtful review for this book after finishing, only to have it gobbled up into the netherworlds of cyber space. I'm honestly not sure if my clunky computer is responsible or if goodreads just had a little internal fart, so I'm not going to complain.
So, I think Theft of Swords was a good effort, especially for a first novel. Here is my list of good and bad.
GOOD
-Bromance between Hadrian and Royce. Everybody loves a good bromance, especially between besties!
-Fastpaced
-For a book that's over 600 pages, it didn't feel like it. That's a pretty amazing feat.
-Action
-Swordfighting action. Just lots of action in general!
-No dull spots, or spots where characters sit around doing nothing
-No long, historical rambles
-No ten page descriptions of what a place looks like
-No romance
-YES, this is a GOOD thing. There is such a thing as BAD romance. No romance is better than bad.
-Nothing too gory
-I don't mind a bit of gore(Stephen King's my favorite author!)But I can really do without severed heads.
Not So Good to Sort of Bad
Okay, there was a couple critiques I have. One had to do with the writing style. I feel like I'm being a total hypocrite cause I said how I liked the fast pace. But, you know, I really like something to THINK about more. I'd rather chew over something the author says that's deep. And while the book keeps moving, nothing made me think too hard, or really stood out as incredible.
Also, I had a little bit of a beef with the wizard Eshrahardon when he started doing backwards Yoda speak. Sort of annoyed me. I also think some of the characters, such as Thrace, could be a bit more developed.
OK, now I've done another long review XD Done. 4 stars with just a couple issues. (less)

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May 18, 2012 Tuolivia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, sci-fi-fantasy

I was apprehensive off the bat because I hadn't read the author's work before. I'm the type of person who cautiously reads new authors and books, understanding that I may not like the story or the way the author writes and all the while fervently hoping that I'm in for an amazing experience.

What I discovered was a wonderfully engaging story with characters that I simply adore.

I classify my sci-fi and fantasy into two categories, dark and light. This may seem a bit odd but I've discovered that...more

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Aug 22, 2012 Melie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a great book. Well written, captivating, funny. I think that Sullivan's prowess really shines in the description of the heroes' interactions and actions. And of course, in the dialogues, which are so witty and funny. I rarely laugh reading books, but there were a couple of scenes that I was literally laughing loudly all by myself. The descriptions slightly lag when he turns to immobile scenes, like caves, rooms, or people's appearances, but there were but a handful of those in the entire...more

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May 07, 2012 Abhinav rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shadowhawk reviews the first volume in the Riyria Revelations series by Michael J. Sullivan, collecting together the novels The Crown Conspiracy and Avempartha.

"High fantasy at its best, Michael J. Sullivan creates a very compelling world filled with lovable archetypes and a healthy dose of mystery." ~The Founding Fields.

Note: The review is broken down into two parts: the first half is for The Crown Conspiracy, the first novel of the series, and the second is for Avempartha, the sequel.

I am quit...more

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Dec 22, 2011 Fantasist rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: speculative-fiction, 2011

Introduction: I have known about this series for a time now because of Fantasy Book Critic i.e.Liviu’s excellent reviews of the books, and had been planning on reading the books. So when the author’s publicist sent us a review copy, Theft of Swords jumped to the top of my reading list. Theft of Swords published by Orbit Books is actually an omnibus consisting of two novels (The Crown Conspiracy &Avempartha) previously published separately by indie publisher,Aspirations Media Inc. The books a...more Introduction: I have known about this series for a time now because of Fantasy Book Critic i.e.Liviu’s excellent reviews of the books, and had been planning on reading the books. So when the author’s publicist sent us a review copy, Theft of Swords jumped to the top of my reading list. Theft of Swords published by Orbit Books is actually an omnibus consisting of two novels (The Crown Conspiracy &Avempartha) previously published separately by indie publisher,Aspirations Media Inc. The books are written to work as standalone volumes but have an overall broader storyline which losely joins them together to form a series called The Riyria Revelations.

Analysis: Theft of Swords is traditional fantasy in the sense that it uses many of the familiar tropes such character archetypes i.e. elves, dwarves, goblins and men; a medieval era type setting etc. But the author tries enough new things so that the plot remains fresh and engaging. First the pacing of the novel is very unlike most fantasy novels I’ve read. Events move so quickly in the first half of the novel that at first I found myself a little disconcerted, being used to lots of details relating to world building and character development. The first part doesn’t even try to do any of these things it just introduces the characters: Hadrian and Royce (who are likable from the very start) and a few others and the roller coaster ride of adventure and action begins.
Hadrian and Royce collectively called Riyria are hired on a job to steal a sword from the Royal Palace, the King is murdered and the thieves framed. So begins an adventure that takes them across the kingdom and into an ancient Prison maintained by the Church wherein lies captive the only sorcerer known to be living and considered to be extremely dangerous. This sorcerer known as Esrahaddon is also a very intriguing character but his role is larger in Avempartha than in The Crown Conspiracy. This fast paced action adventure driven storyline makes the first part a page turner and very enjoyable but it does have its setbacks. For one the world and the characters suffer from depth issues and the rich history alluded to is not explored. But to be just one must also consider the small page count of.... read the rest here (less)

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Apr 06, 2012 Chelsea rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, wizards-and-mages, stew-and-tunics, son-i-am-dissapoint, reviewed

Torn between 2 and 3 stars, opted with two. I wanted to love this book. I liked it well enough, but after all the hype, I was ultimately disappointed with it. This should have been right up my happy little alley. I should be drooling over the series. I'll still read the next books, but not with the fervor of The Doors of Stone or The Republic of Thieves...or if Lois McMaster Bujold writes more in the Chalion series.

I'll start with the pros:

The overarching plot of the Heir of Novron and the stri...more

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Michael It is difficult when expectations are high that it's often hard to live up to them. I'm sorry you didn't like the book as much as you had hoped but it...more It is difficult when expectations are high that it's often hard to live up to them. I'm sorry you didn't like the book as much as you had hoped but it seems like you did get "some enjoyment" out of it.

Myron is usually a favorite of many people - and for good reason. He does come back into the series but I saved him for books #5 and #6 and yes he goes through a tremendous amount of growth and the Myron that returns is not the same monk that we saw last. My wife was originally hesitant when I told her that. "Oh no you don't...I'll not have you changing MY Myron." But then she read the final books and he was elevated to an either greater love in heart. I think fans will like what he evolves into.

The gangs and the thieves guild get a lot of play throughout the series. I wrote this series all at once and so I worked hard to "sprinkle" bits and pieces in each one rahter than laying everything out in the beginning. It's a technique that can bite me in the butt...but ultimately I'm pleased with my decision.

I won't go into the "cons" as to do so will sound defensive. Nor would I try to talk you into continuing in the series as that would make no sense. I do want to offer a bit of my philosophy on the construction of the series just as a FYI.

I designed the books to deepen and escalate as they go so that the last book will be the best of the set. Paramount in my mind was to end the series with a bang and this, by definition makes the first book the weakest and there is a great deal I hold back so that characters and world building can develop overtime. I know that by doing so I'll lose some people, like you...who are disappointed with the first. To be honest I'm fine with that, and for people who "drop out early" I completely understand their reasons and support their decisions. For me I’ll rely on the reviews of the last book to determine whether I was ultimately successful as they will have all the facts and hopefully will realize that certain things were done for purposeful reasons.
In any case…I hope you had at least some enjoyment from the book and hope that whatever book you pick up next is more to your liking.(less)
Jan 06, 2012 05:57am

Carol *giggle*
Apr 08, 2012 01:24pm

Michael Aaron I just wrote almost exactly the same things in my review, then found you and Stefan had already said what I said...I don't know why I bother, really ;...more
Feb 04, 2013 12:32pm

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Fantasy Fanatics: Theft of Swords - Book 1 - Chapters 7-10	6	11	May 22, 2013 07:02am
Fantasy Fanatics: Theft of Swords - Book 1 - Chapters 4-6	7	11	May 22, 2013 06:50am
Fantasy Fanatics: Theft of Swords - Book 1 - Chapters 1-3	10	11	May 20, 2013 06:30am
Fantasy Fanatics: Theft of Swords - Book 2 - Chapters 5-9	3	10	May 20, 2013 06:29am
Fantasy Fanatics: Theft of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan (Spoilers)	12	21	May 20, 2013 06:24am
Fantasy Aficionados: Theft of Swords On Sale (50% off now just $4.99)	27	124	May 03, 2013 01:12pm
The Sword and Laser: Theft of Swords On Sale (50% off now just $4.99)	34	290	May 03, 2013 01:11pm

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About Michael J. Sullivan

After finding a manual typewriter in the basement of a friend's house, Michael inserted a blank piece of paper and typed: It was a dark and stormy night and a shot rang out. He was just eight years old at the time. But the desire to fill the blank page and see what doors the typewriter keys would unlock wouldn't let him go. For ten years Michael developed his craft by studying authors such as Step...more

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Books by Michael J. Sullivan

Rise of Empire (The Riyria Revelations, #3-4)

Heir of Novron (The Riyria Revelations, #5-6)

The Crown Conspiracy (The Riyria Revelations, #1)

Nyphron Rising (The Riyria Revelations, #3)

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Quotes from Theft of Swords

“Hadrian shook his head and sighed. “Why do you have to make everything so difficult? They’re probably not bad people—just poor. You know, taking what they need to buy a loaf of bread to feed their family. Can you begrudge them that? Winter is coming and times are hard.” He nodded his head in the direction of the thieves. “Right?”
“I ain’t got no family,” flat-nose replied. “I spend most of my coin on drink.”
“You’re not helping,” Hadrian said.” — 25 people liked it

“If this hast been done to language, I fear to know the fate of all else.” — 25 people liked it

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