As I was reading, I couldn't help but wonder where I had seen characters with similar characteristics before. Not necessarily physical, but personality. All you Salvatore fans are going to scream "NO" but I think that Hadrian and Royce have some similar characteristics to Jaraxle and Entreri in The Sellswords trilogy. Hear me out people.

Hadrian is a bit like Jaraxle, a thief, a rogue, likes a good fight, but has quite the witty sense of humor. Hadrian's not as devious or evil as Jaraxle, but I said similar.

Royce reminds me of Entreri--dark, never smiling, bad mood almost all the time, quiet/silent. However, there is one notable exception. He has the capability for love. This point can be argued (Entreri was able to find love), but the comparison can be reached.

Do you all think that there are other characters that Hadrian and Royce can be compared to in fantasy/sci-fi lit?

That's an interesting comparison, Kathy.....

When I read it, I thought of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser

I think you will find comparisons everywhere. I think the mix of two guys, working together, where one complements the other is a very good and tried recipe. Don't get me wrong, not everyone can pull it off ( Ed Greenwood series The Kingless Land comes to mind...ouch...and yes, it's about four characters but it starts with the duo) but in this case, I like it.

I'm definetly not very well read in the fantasy genre. When I first met them the first things that came to mind are "Butch and Sundance". The thing I REALLY find funny is from time to time I'll read a review or talk to someone who mentions Hadrian as Royce's sidekick. I totally don't see them that way. I definetly see them as equals and each obviously gets something out of their partnership. The following is not "spoiler information" but just my impression of them...I think theirs is a bond that goes back a long way from many trials where they have had to rely on each other and were never let down.

Robin wrote: "I'm definetly not very well read in the fantasy genre. When I first met them the first things that came to mind are "Butch and Sundance". The thing I REALLY find funny is from time to time I'll re..."

Yep that's one thing I agree. I always think of them as equals. There is an unspoken respect for each other there that is easy to grasp.

I definitely pictured them as equals, but that they came from different backgrounds. I am so intrigued by these two characters....I love the mystery that surrounds them. There are so many thoughts swirling in my head about who they "really" are.

I also instantly thought of Butch and Sundance, and as Henry says, the 'bromance' is a tried and true recipe. These two men are very much equals, and their skills each complement the other's.

KristenR wrote: "There are so many thoughts swirling in my head about who they "really" are"

This is all I could think about too - who are they really, what's their past, and where will their future lead? It's obvious that there's something more to the two characters, but I'm not sure what, and that's a great feeling! (Though I'm more sure about their backgrounds since reading the sequel, none of which I'll divulge here.) I can't wait to read the next book to find out more!

I also thought of other partnerships, but found theirs to be unique. They're both intelligent, which isn't always the case in such partnerships. There is a bit of Fritz Leiber's mix. One is certainly more physical than the other. Neither seems to really know the other's past, but they trust & accept each other at a very deep level. Thieves that keep their money pooled like that? Very much Robin Hood types.

It seemed pretty obvious to me (maybe incorrectly) from hints that Royce is at least part elf - less than half, I think. From the way he reacts to the scene at the inn, I'd say he's had a love or family member treated quite badly in the past. I think he's mostly passed for full human & avoided direct prejudice, though. He seems to like most people too much to have suffered directly at their hands. He doesn't seem to have enough consistent hate in him. I can see him being a thief easily, though.

Hadrian is too good a swordsman to be just a thief. The way he fought the top blade in the nation, even with a sword that he hated, showed he was way too good. His excuse for not killing him was OK, but a bit hollow. There was an underlying honor there - he saved him for a more fitting end.

He knew the counter to a supposedly uncounterable attack, too. Didn't we read that the Pickering family was so close to unbeatable in battle because they knew some of the old style of fighting of the emperor's guard? What does that make Hadrian? He seems to know more.

Back to the Robin Hood theme, I get the feeling that Hadrian is a true knight errant. The way Royce & Hadrian can't decide what to do with their money or really seem to have much use for it says they have an honor & integrity way beyond what they should. Leiber, Howard & Wagner's heroes always spent everything they got - usually in the fleshpots. These two don't seem to have those weaknesses. Instead, they have a lot of empathy for others & use their money & favors way more responsibly than a pair of rogues should, but they're drifting.

They're not rogues. Their pasts must contain something more. They're marking time & know it, somehow. I'm looking forward to finding out more.

When we first meet them, through that girl's eyes (I'm not around my copy of the book to check names, I apologize), she suggests that Royce is kind of scary. I expected to find out more about that, but it didn't seem to carry through the rest of the book. Was this just because it was a sheltered girl's impressions, or did other readers think there was something darker in his personality?

I thought there was definitely a much greater streak of ruthlessness to Royce. Once you were on his "friends or allies" list, he was a steady and reliable companion, but if you weren't he seemed fine to let you twist in the wind. The only exception, really, was halfbreed elves. He has a soft spot for them, and an extra helping of mean for their tormentors.

I think that Hadrian was well and consistently written within the book, but I had trouble reconciling him with the off-camera history of the pair. He's too altruistic, and probably would have gotten them killed already. If the strength of his altruistic streak has recently increased, leading them to their current straits, that was not clearly communicated by the author. (Most noble schemes are going to stick it to the peasants one way or another. I have a hard time envisioning the Hadrian of CC or Av making a living facilitating those things.)

Eric wrote: "I think that Hadrian was well and consistently written within the book, but I had trouble reconciling him with the off-camera history of the pair. He's too altruistic..."

To me, Hadrian was the nice guy who makes a living doing whatever he has to, and when he's comfortable with money he lives to give back to the people who can't afford his services. Almost like charity.

Jim wrote: "It seemed pretty obvious to me (maybe incorrectly) from hints that Royce is at least part elf - less than half, I think. From the way he reacts to the scene at the inn, I'd say he's had a love or family member treated quite badly in the past. "

I didn't even think of that. When I was reading the section at the inn, I thought that Royce had been tormented and bullied by people in his past, since he was an orphan (or so we are told). I didn't put it together that he might be part elf. Good thought!

I think that Hadrian and Royce are just comfortable in their surroundings ("maybe we could be fisherman... Nah.") as is, although their work is dangerous. They remind me of football players contemplating their retirement to an extent.