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Avempartha (The Riyria Revelations #2)

by Michael J. Sullivan (Goodreads Author)

4.22 of 5 stars 4.22 · rating details · 1,724 ratings · 170 reviews

THE SECRET IS IN THE TOWER. THE PROBLEM IS THE BEAST. THE ANSWER IS TWO THIEVES.
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 ag...more

Paperback, 331 pages

Published April 1st 2009 by Ridan Publishing (first published 2009)

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Apr 09, 2012 Jim rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, sword-sorcery

March 2012: Reading the book this time & in order. It was good on a re-read, better in order.

Feb 2009: I have the ARC pdf to review. It was a really good, fun read. It should have been a quick one, but reading a pdf just isn't that easy for me. I can't wait to sit down with the first book & hope the next one is done soon.

Yes, I read the 2d book first & still enjoyed it. That's surprising. The second book stands just fine alone, makes me want to read the first & the one that come...more March 2012: Reading the book this time & in order. It was good on a re-read, better in order.

Feb 2009: I have the ARC pdf to review. It was a really good, fun read. It should have been a quick one, but reading a pdf just isn't that easy for me. I can't wait to sit down with the first book & hope the next one is done soon.

Yes, I read the 2d book first & still enjoyed it. That's surprising. The second book stands just fine alone, makes me want to read the first & the one that comes after it, though. It wrapped up at a good point, in a logical manner, yet I know there's a lot more story to be told. This book does reference the first many times & Michael hands out just enough information so that I don't feel I'm in the dark, but if I had read the first, I wouldn't feel like I was re-reading a lot either. He spaces it out & let's me know what I need to know, as I need to know it. Very well done.

It's a medieval setting in a fantasy world. The powerful church is at odds with the nobility in a realistic fashion. The peasants are being squashed by both to some extent, but their importance as a group is recognized, too. Our heroes are specially gifted in logical ways, but not overpoweringly strong, which I liked. The story was just complex enough to provide a lot of tension without being overly complex. There were enough characters, fleshed out well enough, but not too many. Names were pronounceable!!! That's something I really appreciate these days.

I had a few issues with the woods & woodworking that is described, but I doubt anyone who isn't really into trees & old-time woodworking would notice it. I understand these were fixed from the ARC version, anyway. Animals were described pretty well. At least no bowman was sticking his bow into the horse's girth, as Jordan did. They weren't ridden as if they were cars, either.

It was just a well balanced, fun read. OK, I said it before, but it is worth repeating. This isn't a novel that is heavy on philosophy, but an entertaining read to relax with. Practically perfect!(less)

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Mar 08, 2009 Jeanna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

So, I got an ARC copy of this book from the author's wife (and let me just say I was proud of myself for ignoring the typos that get edited out before publication; being an editor is sometimes a curse). It's the second book in the series of six (curses! I broke my rule of only reading completed series again!), and I’ve now finished the first one as well. I wanted to know if they really could go out of order without being a problem, and overall it was fine. There was obviously some backstory refe...more

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Apr 23, 2009 Chris rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: signed-editions

For the first half of this book, I was a little disappointed. That's not to say I didn't enjoy it - it was great to be reunited with old friends such as Hadrian, Royce, Arista, and good (or is he evil?) ole Esrahaddon. The new developments with the church of Nyphron and their schemes, plus Arista's new assignment to serve as ambassador were all nice to read about. But it just didn't have the heart pacing action I'd come to expect after reading The Crown Conspiracy.

But talk about calm before the...more

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Feb 18, 2009 Liviu rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009_release_read, genre-fantasy, read_2009, review_fbc, t1_recommended_2009

Excellent followup to The Crown Conspiracy. Though followup may not be the right word, since The Crown Conspiracy was essentially a standalone with hints of the larger picture, while Avempartha goes straight into the deeper issues of Mr. Sullivan's richly imagined universe.

After a superb re-acquittance with Royce and Hadrian in the first several pages, the novel actually continues more as a series opening with a lot of build-up in the first half, while the second half is just superb non-stop...more

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Mar 17, 2009 Robin rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone

Shelves: fantasy, favorites, fun-read, recommend

So it's been a long while since the last time I read this book and a lot has been added since then because my husband added some seeds into it as he was working on books 3 - 6. I really like the way it came out. The first chapter is completly reworked - The original first chapter was thrown away completly and the new first chapter is probably my favorite of all the chapters in the series - which is like - I'm not sure maybe 70 chapters?

Anyway I recalled this book being my least favorite of the...more

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Sep 20, 2012 Allison rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, wizards, thieves, blades-arrows-duels

This wasn't quite as fun as the first one, as it's taken a turn for the darker. It's still very enjoyable, but it feels more like a warm-up for the next book - which I think I'm going to have to start right away. Much is left hanging at the end, and my curiosity is piqued!

There's more magic here than in the first, more tantalizing hints about the elves, and more involvement with dwarves and wizards, all of which made me happy. I am glad the main focus was with the thieves again, but with enough...more

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May 12, 2009 Jon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, fantasy, signed, read-in-my-40s, ebooks, nook-lendme

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 3.5 stars

Good pacing and good action throughout this second episode of the Riyria Revelations series. A trimmed down cast of characters with a few guest stars rounded out the adventure. I missed Myron, my favorite character from The Crown Conspiracy. The most character development occurred among the guest stars, particularly Thrace and Theron of Dhalgren. Hadrian and Esrahaddon revealed more of themselves. I learned more about Royce, but Arista faded to two dimensions.

Hadrian and Royce rescue a...more 3.5 stars

Good pacing and good action throughout this second episode of the Riyria Revelations series. A trimmed down cast of characters with a few guest stars rounded out the adventure. I missed Myron, my favorite character from The Crown Conspiracy. The most character development occurred among the guest stars, particularly Thrace and Theron of Dhalgren. Hadrian and Esrahaddon revealed more of themselves. I learned more about Royce, but Arista faded to two dimensions.

Hadrian and Royce rescue a girl, Thrace, from robbery and worse. She left her small village, Dhalgren, searching for the two thieves to hire them to steal a sword. Thrace relates the horrific circumstances visited upon Dhalgren, which is under attack by an unknown invisible beast that snatches victims from their homes on an almost nightly basis. Surprisingly, Royce accepts the job, but refuses the money, and shocks Hadrian with his acceptance. A mysterious elvin tower, Avempartha, houses the sword, and the challenges to reach the tower seem insurmountable.

Arriving in Dhalgren, Hadrian and Royce are reunited with the fugitive wizard Esrahaddon. Esra (as he's affectionately referred to by the villagers) has his own agenda for gaining access to Avempartha, and he needs Royce to accomplish his goals.

Meanwhile, Arista accepts an appointment to Ambassador from her brother, King Alric, to the province where Dhalgren resides. The local king rebuffs Arista's overtures, but she isn't given time to process her failure. The bishop she's travelling with rushes her off to Dhalgren, where the Church plans to stage a contest of mythic proportions. Sentinel Guy, second-in-command to the patriarch of the Church of Nyphon, announces to the gathered knights and nobles that whosoever slays the beast will be Heir to the Empire. Let the slaughter of not-so-innocent contestants begin!

The plot leaked more clues concerning the Church's agenda. The casualness towards the loss of life bordered on the callous, but never reached the level of terror I thought I should feel from the characters. I just wasn't convinced, except perhaps in the Church's abuse of power and ability to manipulate.

The book suffered from a prevalence of passive voice and run-on sentences. Several times these obstacles stopped me dead in my tracks.

The climax was thrilling, exciting and left just enough unanswered question to tease me towards the next episode.

If you enjoyed the first episode, you will not be disappointed by this followup installment. (less)

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Apr 28, 2009 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

It had been some time since I read the fantasy genre. In March I stumbled across The Crown Conspiracy, the first book in the series. I first noticed it in the Giveaway section. It sounded so interesting and seemed so well received by other readers that my curiosity was piqued.

I ordered it directly from the author and read it immediately. It was wonderful. Exciting story, great characters, I couldn't ask for more from a fantasy story. I was pleased to see Avempartha was scheduled for release in...more

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Apr 05, 2009 Danielle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009-read, fantasy, picks

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The Good: Just about everything. From pacing to details to plot, this is a solid read. There was one instance with Hadrian where I thought it was a little too easy to see what was going to happen. The book makes a point of saying he’s wearing a necklace several times, and we know he’s the best with a sword; then we’re told that the old bodyguard for the Heir of Novron was given such an amulet from Esrahaddon. It won’t be entirely told until the next book, so it’s possible the author is just real...more The Good: Just about everything. From pacing to details to plot, this is a solid read. There was one instance with Hadrian where I thought it was a little too easy to see what was going to happen. The book makes a point of saying he’s wearing a necklace several times, and we know he’s the best with a sword; then we’re told that the old bodyguard for the Heir of Novron was given such an amulet from Esrahaddon. It won’t be entirely told until the next book, so it’s possible the author is just really great at misleading, but…

There was a similar instance with Royce, talking about his excellent eye sight and hearing, but that one completely blew past me unnoticed and I didn’t realize until later when the author hit me over the head with his lineage. Score one for Mr. Sullivan!

The Gilarabrywn (which is thankfully phonetically pronounced by a character in the book so that I didn’t have to keep stumbling over it) reminded me of Trogdor from HSR. He’s a serpent with wings and two legs (though, sadly, no arm), and burninates the countryside, peasants, and thatched-roof cottages. Oh, and he only comes in the niiiiiiiiiiiiight.

I also thought including a local play in the called "The Crown Conspiracy" that was based upon the events in the first book in the series was a clever idea. It makes the world a little more real. I mean, if something huge happened like the events in TCC, you'd certainly expect there to be tales and plays. Nice little addition that just added to the believability of the world.

The Bad: Well, one thing’s for certain, Mr. Sullivan doesn’t have any problems injuring/killing off characters! I finally started to like Theron: dead. I absolutely fell in love with the Mauvin and Fanen: one dead, one injured. Not necessarily a “bad”, but I really liked Fanen. *shakes fist*

The Ugly: Arista. OMG, Arista. I got a little tired of her whining and jumping to wrong conclusions. “Oh noes, I don’t want a suitor! And I wish this slightly-devious hand-maid would leave me alone! Waaa!” But at least her being upset at (and having countless inner dialogs about) Sauly eventually went somewhere when she had to choose between helping Sauly (boo!) or helping Esrahaddon (yays!). I think this peeved me because I wasn’t given a truly compelling reason to doubt Esrahaddon. He’s somewhat sneaky and has his own secret reasons, but all-in-all I think he’s looking out for the good of humanity. It took Arista a long time to come to that conclusion. Of course, if she jumped right into helping Esrahaddon without compunction, I probably would be complaining about that.

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Robin What a great review I'm so glad you liked it. I'm actually surprised you picked up on the thing with Hadrian -- Did you notice there was a mention in...more
Apr 07, 2009 04:17am

Danielle Robin wrote: "I'm actually surprised you picked up on the thing with Hadrian -- Did you notice there was a mention in book one?"

I actually did notice...more
updated Apr 07, 2009 10:40am

Jul 12, 2009 KristenR rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, kindle

I am really enjoying this series!!!

I said this about The Crown Conspiracy, but it's true...it's very light and fun, but the characters are very well drawn out (I liked the confirmation I got on the theories I had while reading the first book). I enjoyed the deepening of the themes/plot that were introduced in the first book, and definitely liked that there wasn't a maddening cliffhanger.

Can't wait to read the next installment!

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Sep 28, 2012 Night Fury rated it 4 of 5 stars

It's not the book that will win the 'Bestest-est Book Of The Year' Award - and yet, it is a brilliant, fantastic, mind-blowing, on fire kinda book. The kind of book you can devour again and again and NEVER cease experiencing the up-and-down roll of emotions while embarking on the legendary adventures of the 'Riyria' - that means two in elfish...

When you combine sheer wit with fiery hearts, (well, sort of), unique characters with mountain-shaking tenacity, and death-defying feats thrown at you th...more

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Apr 16, 2009 Elise rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shortly following the events of The Crown Conspiracy, thieves Royce and Hadrian are called upon once again, this time to stop a beast from terrorizing a village. Like last time however, what appears to be a simple task, is not so simple. The sequel, Avempartha, far surpasses the first book on many levels. Character development is more improved upon and they all have more of a depth to them. You learn more about their background history, as well as the history of Elan. This information is all tol...more

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Dec 27, 2010 Colleen rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: action-adventure, fantasy, sword-and-sorcery, group-read

2.5

When I read the first book in this series, I wasn't impressed. I found the characters one-dimensional, the action to be lacking, and some of the situations to be absurd. As such, I wasn't really looking forward to continuing with the series, but this came up as a group-read, and I got a free ebook copy, so I thought I'd give it a go.

The opening was very good, and showed a lot of promise. Unfortunately, the story didn't quite keep to the promise of the opening, but it was still better and more...more

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Feb 25, 2013 Ron rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, maps

See Second reading comments:

Not even as good as The Crown Conspiracy, though Avempartha advances the greater story. Not content with saving a kingdom, he's set about resurrecting an empire and maybe (in future books) saving the human race.

What's not to like? First, he stole his elves (and dwarves), almost verbatim, from J. R. R. Tolkien. Second, his evil, conspiring church is so commonplace that's almost as if he stole it, too. Neither showed much imagination. Contrast this with Rothfuss' create...more

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Aug 11, 2012 Vespertine rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, favorites, reviewed

This book confirmed one thing : this series is definitely AMAZING ! It's not that this book is better than the first one, but the plot thickens and now you can see the different plot lines and mysteries in place for the outcome. I really admire the author's skill to weave a "simple" story (a mission for our two heroes) into something politically epic and captivating. It's also thrilling to see the same characters evolve and interact in those books and to get more and more attached to them. And y...more

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Feb 03, 2013 Haralambi Markov rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

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 ti...more 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.
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Aug 26, 2012 Brandon Zarzyczny rated it 5 of 5 stars

I think I might have liked the debut book of the series a little better, but this book is great in its own right. This book has less of the political intrigue and mystery of the first, but does have a bit more adventuring flare. I love how each book could be a standalone novel, while at the same time advancing the story arc of the series. My main complaint about this book would be that there isn't a very strong villain. The church doesn't provide too much of a threat, and the dragon (I forget th...more I think I might have liked the debut book of the series a little better, but this book is great in its own right. This book has less of the political intrigue and mystery of the first, but does have a bit more adventuring flare. I love how each book could be a standalone novel, while at the same time advancing the story arc of the series. My main complaint about this book would be that there isn't a very strong villain. The church doesn't provide too much of a threat, and the dragon (I forget the actual name of the creature) is relatively stupid/animalistic even though it starts talking near the end. Maybe it's just me, but I generally prefer more powerful/intelligent/conniving villains. The dragon is pretty cool in this story, but I didn't love how it was immune to any attacks except for a certain sword (its kriptonite) which would dispel it after any penetration. The author thoroughly explained why it was like this, but it still slightly annoyed me. It was also never explained why/how it escaped its prison in Avempartha after almost a millennium of being trapped (although I guess the characters would have no way of knowing). Also, I hate it when in a book/movie the characters discover some important secret, but it isn't revealed to the reader/viewer at the time. The author decided to do this at the end of the book in regards to who the Heir of the Emperor is, along with his guard (though he does provide a very strong hint for who the latter is).

Despite the few flaws listed above, in general I loved the book and can't wait to read the next one (I just downloaded it to my kindle). This isn't heavy epic fantasy which I usually tend to read, but Sullivan's books prove to be a very welcome vacation. When I think of author comparisons, this series is very similar to Raymond E. Feist's books. The books themselves are shorter, the writing is concise, and the world building (while still very strong) is less than other epic fantasy stories. The action isn't gory or too descriptive (unlike Joe Abercrombie/Terry Goodkind/RA Salvatore whom are 3 of my other favorites) while still getting the point across and providing a strong sense of action. The vocabulary isn't vulgar and there isn't any sex. The story is very strong with great interesting characters and political intrigue with a spattering of religious overtones (currently less than Feist, but I don't know what will happen in later books). There is also even an incredibly old sorcerer that drives along the story (although the hand-less version of this story's wizard isn't as powerful now). The one thing that Sullivan does better is that each of his books has a beginning middle and end, while Feist tends to tell stories in trilogies.

I've definitely found a new favorite author to follow, and I know what books I'll be reading for the next couple weeks. :)

My Rating: 8.75/10 (less)

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Feb 24, 2010 Melissa Hayden rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

When I started reading the book I had thought it was going one direction, but was very pleased when it went a different direction. I had thought in the beginning the book was moving a little slow, but now realize I was getting a lot of character details which 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 in the end of the book. In all these details are worth it and needed in the end.

The books tell a comple...more When I started reading the book I had thought it was going one direction, but was very pleased when it went a different direction. I had thought in the beginning the book was moving a little slow, but now realize I was getting a lot of character details which 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 in the end of the book. In all these details are worth it and needed in the end.

The books tell a complete story in themselves so could be read alone. But, to get the full epic feel of the books and what the series is truely driving at I would read them in order from book one, The Crown Conspiracy. I had thoughts on the characters and of the under laying epic story. Some of these have been answered and some suspicion has been added.

You meet up with the characters you started to get to know in The Crown Conspiracy; Royce, Hadrian, Princess Arista, King Alric, Mauvin Pickering, Fanen Pickering, and even a few other characters ~ some were a hope of mine to see again and some were a surprise.

I enjoyed the humor in the book, the characters sarcasm and jokes with each other. Although, I do have to say reading the first book will help in seeing the humor and irony in the jokes.

So, after being framed to take blame for the murder of the King then clearing your name, what would you do? Go looking for the man who sent you in on the fake mission in the first place and have your revenge... right? That is where Royce and Hadrian are. The book starts when they find this man a few winters after book one. While in Colnora you start to get some history on Royce and Hadrian, to learn more of these characters. Also, while in Colnora there is a beautiful young farm girl, Thrace, throwing their names around looking for them. Royce and Hadrian find her being robbed and passing out from lack of food. Royce and Hadrian save her to find that she wants to hire them for a job. A difficult job of breaking into a locked tower to steal a sword.

You maybe asking how a poor, innocent farm girl would know to ask for them here in this city, in which they are not welcome. Well, Esrahaddon is back and guiding people around again.

The cover of this book is a very good depiction of a scene in the book. If you look closely you may see the beast in which is the center of why Thrace has come looking for Royce and Hadrian. But unknown to Thrace there is much, much more going on here than to her visible eye. You are going to have to read the book to see where it will lead you.(less)

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Feb 21, 2010 Todd Fonseca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Avempartha – A Strong Follow-up to The Crown Conspiracy
Rating: 4.5 of 5
Author: Michael Sullivan
Available: Paperback, Kindle

In order to save her village from the unseen beast that nightly has taken the lives of so many including her brother and mother, a young woman named Thrace sets out to find help. Hearing of two brave and cunning thieves whose reputations have spread throughout the land, she finds herself in danger from the lowlife elements of the larger towns. After saving her life, Hadrian...more Avempartha – A Strong Follow-up to The Crown Conspiracy
Rating: 4.5 of 5
Author: Michael Sullivan
Available: Paperback, Kindle

In order to save her village from the unseen beast that nightly has taken the lives of so many including her brother and mother, a young woman named Thrace sets out to find help. Hearing of two brave and cunning thieves whose reputations have spread throughout the land, she finds herself in danger from the lowlife elements of the larger towns. After saving her life, Hadrian and Royce take on the assignment to save her father and her village. But what they find is something that normal weapons and men cannot kill. And suddenly the once peaceful village is overrun with knights in a kill or be killed Church sanctioned contest that seeks to find the emperor that will unite the land.

Many of the great characters which were so skillfully developed in The Crown Conspiracy are back in Michael Sullivan’s sophomore effort Avempartha. This book is a little different from the first. In Crown, what drove the story for me was the unknown of who were in fact the good guys and the bad guys, who was behind the king’s murder and why, along with the ingenious ways Hadrian and Royce frequently escaped impossible situations. Avempartha, on the other hand, builds suspense around if and how the beast terrorizing the village can be beaten and the mystery regarding a seemingly unreachable ancient and powerful Elven tower that holds the answers to this and many other questions.

Also returning in this book is the ancient and once powerful wizard Esrahaddon who seems at the center of events causing the thieves to wonder if somehow they are all being manipulated in some master plan only known by the wizard. It is clear to both of them, there is a lot more going on than what the wizard is telling them. The question is, what is he hiding and why?

Having read the next book in the series, Nyphron Rising, the world building and background elements introduced during this book take on adding flavor and meaning which is why I’m rating it 4.5 versus a 4. One should note, that both Crown and Avempartha can be read on their own each being complete offerings with very satisfactory conclusions. Together, however, along with Nyphron Rising, one immediately sees a rich tapestry being woven across the series which continues to build the suspense and intrigue of what is to come. This is a series not to be missed.
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Jan 17, 2010 Cheryl rated it 4 of 5 stars

Skilled thief, Royce Melborn and his good friend and mercenary, Hadrian Blackwater are back. After barely escaping from Essendon Castle, Royce and Hadrian have had enough excitement for a while. They were set up by the wizard, Esrahaddon.

While walking, Royce and Hadrian come upon a girl being robbed by a man. They rescue her. The girl is from the village of Dahlgren. She asks for Royce and Hadrian’s help. She tells them she will pay them. Her village is being attacked by a demon, who is a minio...more

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Dec 17, 2012 Dirk Grobbelaar rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

My wife commented on the fairly ambiguous nature of my review for The Crown Conspiracy. I did enjoy the book, hence the three star rating, but it didn't exactly blow me away.

Avempartha, on the other hand, comes a lot closer to doing just that. The very title of the novel intrigued me. I wasn't going to read the book quite yet, as I had some other ones lined up, but I was curious as to what the title referred to. Was it the name of a person? A city? An artifact?

A character that really annoyed me...more

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Feb 13, 2011 Lydia Presley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, fantasy, fiction

The thing I love most about Sullivan's writing is how accessible he makes the fantasy genre for those who may not have a lot of experience reading it. I'll admit, sometimes it's hard to find your way into the world, figure out the magic system and wrap your imagination around fantastic things ... but that's not the case in these Riyia stories.

Hadrian and Royce are back after a dashing adventure in The Crown Conspiracy, and this time they are aiding a seemingly helpless young woman to save her vi...more

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May 13, 2013 Mike (the Paladin) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Every now and then it happens that we find a book or a series of books that we really enjoy. That's very nice when it happens after a long run of mediocre..."meh" reads. That's what happened here. I like the first book in this "series" and I liked this one just as well.

(complete disclosure I'm reading these in a compilation volume that contains volumes 1 and 2.)

We are slowly learning about "Riyria" here and as we do so we get an exciting and enjoyable story of what's happening "currently". Thes...more

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Jan 15, 2012 Simon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Avempartha is a decent followup but it can no way compare to the first. This book just didn't have the "oomph" compared to the first and didn't quite have that magic to hold me over until the very last page. However, as with the first, the writing is excellent. The author truly has a gift in this field of work. While he can't be compared to other epic fantasy authors in the field, his easy writing and dialogue, although shallow at a few times, can still hold its own. The Riyria series consists o...more Avempartha is a decent followup but it can no way compare to the first. This book just didn't have the "oomph" compared to the first and didn't quite have that magic to hold me over until the very last page. However, as with the first, the writing is excellent. The author truly has a gift in this field of work. While he can't be compared to other epic fantasy authors in the field, his easy writing and dialogue, although shallow at a few times, can still hold its own. The Riyria series consists of six books with each being a stand alone story on its own (yet some major events carry over to the next).

In the first book, we were introduced to awesome characters such as Royce, Hadrian, Myron, and Prince Alric. Here, in Avempartha, the band is more or less split and we are introduced to Thrace Wood, a young girl who is desperately seeking the help of the two thieves to steal a sword hidden in a mysterious tower in hopes to defeat a creature laying waste on their tiny remote village. We are also introduced to other characters such as Thrace's father and other members of Dahlgreen village but sadly, many of them are flat and hardly interesting. We do get a little more insight into Saldur but nothing prominent enough to label him a major character yet. I was a little disappointed after reading that the original band has disbanded. Myron especially was an interesting character. However, Royce and Hadrian have instead teamed up with a special dwarf and it will be interesting to see how their relationship will progress in the future. The book also puts a heavy focus on Princess Arista. Let's just say she's not that interesting as well. In the first book, she had some intrigue in the beginning because you didn't know if she was evil or not but afterwards, her character just got stale. She just doesn't do anything exciting. With Eshrahaddon, I'm sure many readers are just patiently waiting to see just how powerful this wizard is. We do get a glimpse or that power here in Avempartha but I'm sure many are hoping for the wizard to return back to his glory days. Just exactly how is the question.

Story wise, Avempartha takes a major turn from The Crown Conspiracy. Whereas in the first book had the characters traveling from unique destination to destination, here in Avempartha they are rooted down in the remote village of Dahlgreen. While there is nothing wrong with this approach, I thought the author could have used Hadrian and Royce in a better way. They're suppose to be thieves but I somehow didn't really get that picture here. Readers who skipped The Crown Conspiracy will also have trouble realizing that fact about them. Although at first I thought the whole thing about slaying a beast with a magical sword was kind of cheap, things do get a bit more interesting once Eshrahaddon entered the picture. While Avempartha can be considered a stand-alone story in its own right, there are still some pieces that fit together in the overall Riyria series. For example, the two surprises you'll find in the later half of the book concerning Royce and Hadrian sets things rolling for future books of the series.

I like the author's writing style, especially how he plays out the fight scenes. He doesn't drag them on for too long and he doesn't really try anything too flashy or fancy. Everything seems just right for me. Although I have made it clear here that many of the characters are pretty stale, I still haven't found myself sighing or skipping pages whenever the story reverts back to Princess Arista. Many readers will no doubt find the author's writing ability a bit shallow but I think it actually works well with this series. I don't ever think the author intended for the Riyria series to be of epic proportions. What I believe he meant it to be is a short and fun read for readers of all genres. One of the things I mentioned in the first book was the lack of history details concerning both Royce and Hadrian. Here in Avempartha, the author goes into a bit more detail with Royce's past. We'll have to wait for Hadrian's turn.

While I am slightly ever so disappointed with Avempartha, I still believe this is a great fantasy series and I will not stop until I have read all six books. While each book is a stand-alone, I still want the author to at least explain a bit more about Riyria. He does mention what the word means but we don't actually know much else about it. Hadrian and Royce are a team but we don't know exactly how it is they ended up together and decided to do what they do. No matter the case though, you can bet I'll be devouring the next book as soon as I publish this review.(less)

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Dec 19, 2009 Aarti rated it 4 of 5 stars

It is very difficult to write a plot summary for a book that is in the middle of a series, and even harder to then review the book without giving away spoilers, but here goes.

Avempartha is the second in the Riyria Revelations series. One thing I noticed immediately is that most characters in his books use modern language, not the somewhat higher-brow or slightly archaic English usually found in epic fantasy novels. However, once you get used to that, it's easy to stay with the rhythm. I was comp...more

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Dec 18, 2011 Sam rated it 4 of 5 stars

Theft of Swords: Volume 1 of the Riyria Revelations

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Avempartha

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 breach the secrets of an ancient elven tower, Hadrian attempts to rally the villagers to defend themselves against the unseen killer. What begins with the simple theft of a sword places the two thieves at the center of a firesto...more

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Apr 06, 2009 Eric rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of Lackey, Brooks, and other straightforward fantasy.

Shelves: ebooks, fantasy, kindle

Like this book's predecessor, this was a very enjoyable read with several weaknesses.

The book has two primary story lines. The first is a rather straight-forward "save the village" tale. A young woman hires Our Heroes to help her father retrieve the special weapon with which to protect her village from the Terrible Monster.

The other storyline is a political/mystery story. The Church is looking for the long lost heir to the Empire, and has been shown to be ruthless in its objectives.

The two story...more

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Oct 26, 2010 Adam Franklin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Rarely do I find a second book in the series that "holds up" to the first especially when I really like the first one. Avempartha certainly exceeded the high expectations I had after reading The Crown Conspiracy.

Royce and Hadrian continue to be the best part of these books,though the wizard Esrahaddon is fascinating to me and I'm not sure whether he is "good or bad" in any case he certainly has his "own agenda" and seems to have no quams about using others to reach his goals.

There are many memor...more

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May 28, 2011 Marc rated it 2 of 5 stars

I didn't particularly like the first book in this series. I liked the two thieves and that was about it. But people told me to give the series another chance because it gets better. So I did. I am looking for a good long fantasy series that I haven't read. That said, I actually enjoyed this one less than the previous book. The first book had interesting supporting characters that don't play much of a role here except for one whom I didn't like.

As before, I liked reading about Royce and Hadrian....more

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Mar 01, 2011 Mikaela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: epic-fantasy

The book:
Avemparta by Michael J Sullivan

The Particulars: Epic Fantasy, Ridan publishing, available both in print and e-book

Why was it in my TBR? I had heard about him, and when they offered it for free in November or so, I took the chance.

The Review:

The blurb:
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...more

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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

More about Michael J. Sullivan...

Books by Michael J. Sullivan

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

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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Avempartha (The Riyria Revelations #2)

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