Drumindor

The Riyria Chronicles #5

by Michael J. Sullivan

 
HE PLANNED TO OBLITERATE AN ENTIRE CITY. HE THOUGHT NO ONE COULD STAND IN HIS WAY. BUT HE HADN'T HEARD OF RIYRIA.

When a master-craftsmen dwarf is fired, he threatens retaliation. The rogues-for-hire known as Riyria are commissioned to find and stop him. Traveling to the paradise resort of Tur Del Fur, the two are granted a lavish allowance that, along with the easy job, promises to turn the trip into a vacation. Everything would have been perfect except that the disgruntled employee’s last name is Berling and the target of his wrath is the legendary towers of Drumindor.

It's been more than five years since the last adventure with Royce Melborn (a cynical ex-assassin) and Hadrian Blackwater (an idealistic ex-mercenary), a pair whose bonds of friendship are bound with blood. This is the 20th novel based in the world of Elan, the 5th in the Riyria Chronicle series, and the eleventh starring Royce and Hadrian tale.

Genres: Fantasy, Audiobook, Fiction, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Adventure, Adult

528 pages, Leather Bound

First published March 15, 2024

About the author

We are extending the dates for the Holiday Sale. Click the image to shop (a) Out of print hardcovers just $10 each (b) Soon to be out of print hardcovers and (c) Deluxe boxsets with savings up to $80 off.



I'm a New York Times, USA Today, and Washington Post bestselling author with 9 Goodreads Choice Award Nominations and 6 Amazon Editor's Picks.

My current released books:

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Coming to Kickstarter in April 2026

New short stories by: Brandon Sanderson • J.A. Andrews • Bradley P. Beaulieu • Carol Berg • Peter V. Brett • Terry Brooks • Jim Butcher • Delilah S. Dawson • Matt Dinniman • Kate Elliott • Kevin Hearne • Jessica Day George • Lev Grossman • Nancy Kress • Mark Lawrence • Scott Lynch • Jonathan Maberry •Seanan McQuire • Brandon Mull • Peter Orullian • Christopher Paolini • Kat Richardson • Christopher Ruocchio • Anthony Ryan • R.A. Salvatore • Scott Sigler • Shawn Speakman • Michael J. Sullivan • Carrie Vaughn • Brent Weeks • Tad Williams • Janny Wurts
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Indie Author: A documentary for those wo dare to dream is now FREE on YOUTUBE!

It features myself, Andy Wier, Will Wight, Travis Baldree, and many more.
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I first opened the door to my imagination with typewriter keys while playing hide and seek and finding a black behemoth when I just ten years old. Serious writing started in my twenties, but after more than a decade trying to publish (and getting nowhere), I quit altogether. I returned to writing in 2004, and published my first novel with a small press in 2008. If you had told me that I'd be a New York Times Bestselling author, have 85+ novels translated into 13 languages, and sold more than 2 million copies, I never would have believed you!

Reviews

[Michael]

As most know, I don't review my own books...but I do use the "review space" to keep you updated. So here we go.

04/24/25 - It's been about a month since the books bought directly through us starteed hitting people's hands, and I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has said how beautiful they turned out. I couldn't agree more! The printer has done an amazing job and the high end finishes of the deluxe edition (hubbed spines, gilded edges, 4-color endsheets, multi-color foil stamps) has made it a prized possession. The matching books for Chronciles 1 - 4 are still on the press, but I'm as excited as a kid at Christmas for them to get here.

03/24/25 - The books have arrived and shipping has begun. We have about 2,500 orders to filfill so bear with us while we work thorough the backorders. If you haven't purchased your copy, you can do so from this link

01/30/24 - Just realized the date on the Drumindor Kickstarter banner was wrong! I've updated it now - but the launch will be 2/13/2024 and NOT 3/13/2024 - as was displayed previously. Sorry for the confusion.

01/24/24 - The Kickstarter for Drumindor will launch 2/13/2024 @ 12:00 noon (EST). If you click the image below, you will be sent tot he pre-launch page where you can sign up for an email to be sent to remind you when it's live.



We will be offering the following:

• $10 - ebook
• $28 - regular hardcover (which will match the Riyria Revelation & Riyria Chronicle hardcovers
• $75 - faux-leather hardcover (which will match new Riyria Chronicle hardcovers

11/03/23 - For those who don't mind a lot of grammar issues. Robin has started posting ROUGH DRAFT chapters of Drumindor on Royal Road. One chapter per day - chapter 3 going up in about 4 hours.

10/06/23 - Robin has been experimenting on Royal Road (a web-serial site), and it's been going well. She recently posted Book #3 and Book #4 of The Riyria Chronicles for free,and it is ranking #57 on the best-ranked list. It was also on the Rising Stars list recently, but has since fallen off. Anyway, she thought "why not keep going" with this experiment and post Drumindor's first draft chapters up there as well - so we're going to do just that. If you want to be notified when they are live, you can sign-up here and you can choose to be notified via phone or email.

09/22/23 - Robin is 1/2 way through the alpha-read. So far so good, no major changes found to date - something new - as most of the time she has several! Maybe I'm getting better at this whole "writing" thing.

06/12/23 - It's officially done! I did write that last chapter and gave the full book a "once over" - so I'm finished. Don't get too excited though, there is still a lot to do including Robin's alpha read, the beta read, copy editing, layout, and the gamma read. But at least the "big stuff" is taken care of

05/02/23 - I've just about finished the first draft of Drumindor a few weeks ago. I think I'll still be adding one more chapter, but I want to wait until I do a full re-read before writing it.

08/09/22 - Just thought I'd do an update on how the writing is going. I'm happy with how everything is coming out. It's MUCH different than some of my other books, and I think that is a good thing. the "boys" are having a lot of "fun," and I'm enjoying tagging along with them. I'm about at 60,000 words and halfway through at the moment.

05/01/22 - And so it begins! After several months of mulling over the story and finding where it should go, I'm now officially writing Drumindor. It's good to be back with Royce and Hadrian again.

05/08/21 - So, it's been a while since last I've updated people on Drumindor, so today is a good day to change that. Fall and winter are my "big writing time" and I anticipate I'll start penning this around early September. Until it is done (and Robin has "signed off" on it) I won't post a publication date for it. But a Riyria book usually takes me about 5 - 6 months to write. So, that gives you a "rough guess" and the best information I have at this time.

12/01/18 - Okay, so it's time to start getting some feedback...do people want me to write this book? Or do they think the time has come for Royce and Hadrian to take a bow and leave the stage. Add a comment below with your "More Please" or "Time to Hit the Road" vote.

01/09/18 - Created the Goodreads page. The title alone should be enough to let Riyria Relation fans know what's coming. If you've not read them then I can tell you this book will have, Royce, Hadrian, dwarves, and a very tall and very complicated tower ;-)

[Anna [Bran. San. Stan] · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 heart-warming stars! For 600 pages, I just reveled in the feeling of having Royce and Hadrian back, my favorite character duo ever. It’s been so long since book 4, and as much fun as re-reads and GraphicAudio productions are, embarking on a new adventure was nothing short of wonderful; like, seriously, my heart was overflowing with happiness seeing our Riyria boys back at it with their hilarious banter. (“I hate being drunk.” “I can see why. You’re lousy at it.”) Much like Robin, MJS’s wife, I have the biggest crush on Hadrian and I was positively giddy to see him again.

And as an added treat, Gwen, the “fearless-former-prostitute-turned-madam-and-successful-businesswoman” whom I love dearly for her kindness and strength and general badassery, is along for that adventure. I was very surprised to realize, though, that in the four years she and Royce have known one another, they hadn’t even kissed, and that both are actually very insecure about the other’s feelings, even prone to misreading the situation. And in typical Hadrian fashion, he very aptly calls Royce out on it:

“How can you be so perceptive and intelligent about most things, but so dim-witted about this? You’re like a man unable to find the sun because that bright light in the sky is blinding him.”

Did I mention I love Hadrian? Anyway, I was happy to note that some quickly resolved misunderstandings are very satisfyingly followed by some progress in the romantic department. I smiled like the biggest goof, at least according to my SO, when things finally seemed to go smoothly.

We are also shown what Tur Del Fur, our setting here, looks like (like a tropical paradise) and the descriptions of that “new” location were marvelous, fraught with fantastical observations. I now really want to experience a night in a danthum, with exotic entertainment and a decadent ambiance. And no, a danthum is decidedly not a mere tavern.

Of course, setting up Tur Del Fur as this magical, beautiful place, at least at first glance, makes it all the more horrible to consider its possible destruction by a re-awakened volcano – which incidentally is why Royce and Hadrian are in Tur: they are to stop the nefarious plans of a disgruntled employee, a dwarf who wants to sabotage Drumindor, his former place of employment. This potential act of sabotage could lead to the outbreak of the volcano, out of which the two towers of Drumindor had been constructed, destroying the city and making the region uninhabitable again.

But that’s not the only problem that needs solving. There’s also the matter of this mysterious book, which we’ve already seen in The Death of Dulgath and The Disappearance of Winter’s Daughter, that everyone wants and that someone’s already killed for. And as you might expect, Hadrian and Royce are thought to have stolen it, which is not totally unreasonable since they’ve stolen it before. But why is everyone after this book and what makes it so special?

All in all, this book is exactly what I needed: the perfect combination of an exciting adventure and a comfort story with a lighter tone for what have been some rainy days. While Drumindor is a self-contained story, I loved that it is also part of a larger tale, leaving you to enjoy the bigger implications if you’re familiar with this world. I especially enjoyed that it had lower stakes than, say, the Riyria Revelations; it made for some relaxing reading without having to worry too much. It speaks to MJS’s talent that this story works so well even if you know how it ends – at least if you’ve read the Revelations. I cannot recommend this book, this series, this author enough to all fans of fantasy.

NOTE 1: Robin confirmed that there will likely be three more Chronicles books (eight total) which will be used to hopefully help set up a new Elan series called The Cycle! I can’t tell you how excited I am about this!

NOTE 2: At present, there are GraphicAudio productions for the first four books of the Chronicles, for Revelations, and for Legends of the First Empire. All of them are fantastic!

Edit 2025: Now there is also a Graphic Audio adaptation, which is also wonderful. Highly recommend it.

______________________
Are you new to MJS’s books? Continue reading here; if not, feel free to skip this part.

If you’re interested in delving into Royce and Hadrian’s adventures, I don’t recommend starting with this book. You’ll rob yourself of the great opportunity to experience a wonderful series in its entirety. The Crown Tower (first book of the Riyria Chronicles), is where Royce and Hadrian meet; in Theft of Swords (first book of the Riyria Revelations), they already work together. The former series comprises stand-alones, with some overlap, whereas the latter has one magnificent overarching story, that’s going to blow you away. Technically, you can either start with either series but I would recommend starting with the Revelations!

If you have not had enough of the world of Elan, there are two more series to read and love; one of which is Legends of the First Empire, which will also help you understand all references here, but it’s by no means a must. And don’t feel overwhelmed – you don’t have to read all those books!

I hope my chronological overview below will help you figure out the complex world and history of Elan. But don’t base you reading order on it – Robin recommends the publication order to get the most out of these books:

1 Riyria Revelations
2 Riyria Chronicles #1 & #2
3 Legends of the First Empire
4 Riyria Chronicles #3 & #4
5 Rise and Fall
6 Riyria Chronicles #5


Chronological order of series set in the Elan world:

1. Legends of the First Empire (3000 years in the past) [published 2016-2020]
1.1 Age of Myth – 5 stars
1.2 Age of Swords – 4.25 stars
1.3 Age of War – 5 stars
1.4 Age of Legend – 4.75 stars
1.5 Age of Death – 5 stars
1.6 Age of Empyre – 5 stars

2. The Rise and Fall [published 2021-2023]
2.1 Nolyn – set 850 years after 1. Legends
of the First Empire – 5 stars
2.2 Farilane – set 1000 years after 2.1 Nolyn – 5 stars
2.3 Esrahaddon – set 200 years after Farilane and 1,000 years before the Riyria Chronicles – 5 stars

3. THE RIYRIA CHRONICLES (ten years prior to Revelations) [published 2013-TBD]
3.1 The Crown Tower – 5 stars
3.2 The Rose and the Thorn – 5 stars
3.3 The Death of Dulgath – 4.5 stars
3.4 The Disappearance of Winter’s Daughter – 4.5 stars
3.5 DRUMINDOR – 5 stars

4 Riyria Revelations [published 2008-2011]
4.1 Theft of Swords: The Crown Conspiracy – updated to 4.25 stars
4.2 Theft of Swords: Avempartha – 4.5 stars
4.3 Rise of Empire: Nyphron Rising – 5 stars
4.4 Rise of Empire: The Emerald Storm – 4.5 stars
4.5 Heir of Novron: Wintertide – 5 stars
4.6 Heir of Novron: Percepliquis – 5 stars

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) · Rating 2 out of 5]

First, a question: is the average rating for this book some kind of joke? An early April Fools’ prank perhaps? I mean, it’s either this or I didn’t read the same book as other reviewers did. Hey, maybe I read the Korean edition back to front and upside down! That must be it. How else would you explain that everyone and their third cousin twice removed are raving about the book? Thank fish my reading buddies Karen and Dominique feel the same way as I do about this installment otherwise I’d be questioning what’s left of my sanity right now.



Anyhoo and stuff, this disaster of a book, where to start? At the beginning I guess, when the Kickstarter project went sideways and the release of the book got delayed and delayed and delayed and delayed...and backers ended up getting the book about two days before the official release (vs. a few months, as we were promised) 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️. Okay, let's be positive about this, at least this delay gave me ample time to finish Sullivan's Legends of the Yawn First Empire before going back to Riyria. Right. That was time well spent indeed.



The book was released at long last and here I was, all aflutter and stuff. Finally, I was going back to Riyria! Finally, it was time for some scrumptious Royce & Hadrian shenanigans! And so I started reading the book. I didn't go quite as planned.



Issues, issues, so many issues...

First, the premise: Royce, Hadrian & half of Medford friends vacationing in a seaside resort? I mean, Riyria on holiday? Seriously? This has to be one of the most ridiculous ideas ever. The first half of the book reads like promotional material paid for by the city of Tur Del Fur. Said city being weirdly reminiscent of Santorini. The perfect setting for an epic fantasy story if you ask me 🙄.

Second, the boredom and pointless blabbering. Those Royce & Hadrian shenanigans I was so eager to read about? They start at the 60% mark. And to make things worse, they're the most decaf, diet, gluten and dairy-free Riyria adventures ever. Yay.

Third, the romantic crap. Oh my shrimp, the romantic crap! Manufactured drama aplenty + miscommunication tropes galore + Royce aka the EMO love-sick puppy + Gwen aka Miss Non-Stop Pity Party = are you bloody shrimping kidding me, Mr Sullivan?!

Fourth, everyone acts out of character. Then again maybe they all had personality transplants after the previous installment was published. Yeah, that's probably it.

Fifth, did someone even edit this book?! We've got typos! We've got missing words! We've got grammar mistakes! We've got a character name spelled wrong! We've got missing punctuation! We've got 200 pages too many! Yay!



But hey, it’s not ALL bad. I mean, at least there are severed heads. And I did like the Easter eggs Sullivan sprinkled throughout the book. When they were consistent with other installments in this universe that is. (Spoiler for Age of Empyre) How the shrimp did Bran—Roan’s son—become Brin’s protégé when she died BEFORE he was born? Does not compute and stuff. See, when I tell you that there are positive things to be said about this book!



• Book 1: The Crown Tower ★★★★
• Book 2: The Rose and the Thorn ★★★★
• Book 2.5: The Jester ★★★★
• Book 2.6: Professional Integrity ★★★★
• Book 3: The Death of Dulgath ★★★★
• Book 4: The Disappearance of Winter's Daughter ★★★★★



[Pre-review nonsense]

To think I couldn't wait to FINALLY finish Legends of the Yawn First Empire so I could FINALLY read this one!

To think I imagined Royce and Hadrian's latest adventures would be one of my favorite reads of the year!

To think I bloody backed Sullivan's Epic Fiasco of a Kickstarter project for the book!

All that for what? To be disappointed as fish AND bored to death by the worst installment in this series to date.

I am NOT amused.



➽ Review to come and stuff.



[September 2024]

Bloody shrimping hell of the stinking fish, it's finally here!!!!!!!!

[Chuck Gilpin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't even care that this book isn't even written. it'll be epic I guarantee it

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a copy editor for this book, which makes it hard to rate, so I’m going with 4.5.

It’s been quite a while since we had a new Royce and Hadrian adventure, so we were all having withdrawals. Most of the book is more cozy fantasy—somewhat unusual for our heroes. But by the end, they have to deal with Something Very Bad That Will Destroy the World™.

In this volume, Riyria gets a cushy job that doubles as a vacation to tropical Tur Del For. Gwen and Professor Arcadia and Albert come along. One of the key plots is Royce trying to figure out what to do with himself upon falling for Gwen. It’s pretty funny.





The other involves inadvertantly tangling with mythical forces that are trying to destroy the world—something Riyria has a hard time avoiding but is always up for the task. Because they’re awesome. If you have read Legends, you will know a lot more about the situation than Royce and Hadrian. They are never fully aware of what they’re dealing with.





As usual, it’s characterization where Michael really shines as a writer. It’s natural for the most hard-hearted of readers to cheer for the heroes and worry about their fate while detesting the villains. There are tie-ins to Farilane and Esrahaddon in particular, though the book can be read as a standalone. But you’ll get a lot more out of it after reading the other series and other Riyria books.

Language: Mild
Sexual Content: mild innuendo
Violence/Gore: threats
Harm to Animals: None
Harm to Children: None
Other (Triggers): extortion/loan sharks/corruption; grief, regret; bigotry in various forms

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

More, please! As long as you continue to think of Royce and Hadrian as sitting down with old friends, we will all follow the conversation! Thank you for this placeholder!

[Hamad · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Crown Tower ★★★★
The Rose & the Thorn ★★★★
The Death of Dulgath ★★★★ 1/4
The Disappearance of Winter’s Daughter ★★★ 3/4
Drumindor ★★★★

It’s been a hot minute -seven years- since Book 4 was released. So, I’ll admit I was a bit nervous going into this one. By the time I finished the previous installment, I had started to feel like some of the original spark was fading.

Thankfully, this book brought that familiar Royce and Hadrian magic back. The plot was engaging, the world-building as rich as ever, and the prose just as strong. If the final book maintains this level of quality, I’ll be more than happy to see the series through to the end.

[TS Chan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I missed Hadrian and Royce incredibly. To once again partake in so much more character development and the evolution of my favourite duo of all-time into the Riyria that we first met in Riyria Revelations was just so enjoyable and cosy.

There're also a lot of references from prior books, forming the larger tapestry and underpinnings of the lore of Elan, which made this an even more compelling read.

No matter how you spin it, Sullivan has delivered yet another wonderful tale of friendship and redemption.

[Karen ⚜Mess⚜ · Rating 1 out of 5]

KICKSTARTER is live! I'm backing Sullivan with a pledge for a digital copy. Wipe away this bad memory.

Me looking at all the 5 stars. I just don't get it.



I was more forgiving with The Legends of the First Empire because it was not Riyria. For Novron's Sake, Sullivan turned my Riyria boys into a Romantasy. And not a very good one!



To top it off, that Kickstarter was a shitshow. It was all Robin's fault too.

[Claudia]

As much as I loved Royce and Hadrian in the previous books, for me they overstayed their welcome. Same old recipe stretched to make another book. Maybe I got tired of this universe as of now. Who knows, perhaps I'll pick it up some other time and like it.

Anyway, DNF @ 38%.

[Karin (book_scent) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

[Kali · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book reads like a movie that got stuck in developmental hell for too long.

I started this with low expectations. Mostly I wanted to spend time with Royce and Hadrian again even if the story isn't all that. And after reading about how the book came to be in the first place, expectations were certainly low... yet here we are.

The plot should be interesting. In theory. We have the main plot, the subplot that is connected to the main one (which is a more mystical/mysterious one), and various other smaller character related plotlines that are all interconnected. But it's such a mess.

It's in the way everything develops where you can see Sullivan might have spent too much time with plot of this one. The conflicts that come up in the first half, during the meandering section of the book, are unimaginative, boring, with the most lazy resolutions. Miscommunications, jealousy, dumb shenanigans where the characters feel as if written by a fan.

Throughout the whole book we're told how the characters feel, what they feel, what they think, and that's already on top of the author over explaining things for no reason. Infodumps happen via one person explaining (thing) to another person. It's repetitive, it's lazy. And the more the book goes on, the worse it gets - in the latter half there a few moments where characters are speculating some pretty interesting things concerning unknown, mysterious elements that we encounter. But they're not speculations so much as the truth of the matter, another form of infodumping. It's so frustrating.

Any time something interesting is happening, it’s gets ruined by one or more of the problems listed in the above two paragraphs. The historical elements that were brought up were interesting but… yeah I have nothing positive to say.

The main antagonist has sort of unclear motivations (going back and forth between wanting revenge and wanting to prove his love, but then also disregarding his wife????).

The way women are written, specifically in the first 30%, is horrible for no real reason - they get insulted, shamed, objectified. Gwen gets compared to a child multiple times:
- 'Gwen didn’t answer. Instead, she smiled at the melting magpie between them like a little girl with a secret. Something had happened — an event massive enough to reduce the-fearless-former-prostitute-turned-madam- and-successful-businesswoman into a bashful child.'
- 'In that instant, Gwen returned to herself. Gone was the timid child playing dress-up, and back was the formidable woman in comfortable shoes kicking up her feet.'
- 'She had changed the direction of fate; […] And like a child who had broken a plate, Gwen worried about the consequences.'

which I find to be in truly poor taste , particularly because it's directed at GWEN she also cries so much. Why?

Millie's plotline is more than stupid. After two conversations with this almost random girl, Hadrian being told by Gwen to "remember, she's not the one". I can't take it seriously. The way Sullivan has Hadrian interact with women (in all books) makes me dislike the character at times. Such as:
- 'Millificent was absolutely not a typical woman, but as it turned out, Miss LeDeye wasn’t all that much older than a girl. She had seemed mature and worldly on stage, but up close he guessed she was no more than seventeen. The dress, the makeup, that voice, and the dark all conspired to hide the child behind sophisticated curtains. But when she moved those hips and rolled her shoulders, Hadrian conceded that no — Miss LeDeye was not a child.'

Just… no. (You can get a stroke reading that lmao)

And don't even get me started on Pickles...

All of this is making me question my recollection of both the Revelations and other books in the Chronicles.... surely they were not written like this? I remember them very fondly, they were a fun read. No great work of fiction, but fun.

Let it be known I didn't dnf out of love for these characters (and, yes, out of spite), and I hope this is the last book Sullivan writes with them. Just let it go.

[aria ✧ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve missed this series so much🥹 And apparently there will be 3 more books!! I can never say no to more Hadrian and Royce🥰

[Dexcell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic entry in the world of Riyria as always.

[Shaghayegh · Rating 5 out of 5]

با هر کتابی که می‌گذره علاقه‌ی من به هیدرین و رویس بیشتر و بیشتر می‌شه.
شدیدا دلم برای رایرا تنگ شده بود، و تو این روزا پرمشغله این دو تا دزد جذاب حسابی لبخند به لبم نشوندن 🤩

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was lovely to have another story with Hadrian and Royce. Can I just say how much I love everything Michael j. Sullivan writes?!? I literally had a few happy tears reading the forward to the book because I was so excited to read another thing by him. This, in the year where I'm rereading all of his books! I can't get enough.

[Elise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Last year, I completely fell in love with the Riyria Revelations series. I raced through the books, totally hooked by the amazing storylines, great characters, and that special feeling you get from really good fantasy books. So imagine how shocked I was when the newest Riyria Chronicles book came out and actually put me in a month-long reading slump.

2024 started with such promise in fantasy releases, I had my eyes on three big titles: Drumindor, Play of Shadows, and The Silverblood Promise. Sadly, only the Silverblood Promise delivered on its potential. The disappointment is hitting hard, haha!

Going back to Drumindor. There's just so much extra stuff in there, my copy was 460 pages, and honestly, they could've cut out 150 pages and the story would've been exactly the same. It feels like Sullivan wrote this just to make the fans happy since it had been so many years since the last book. That adventurous vibe that made the Revelations series so hard to put down? You barely see it until you're at the 60% mark, and even then, it's a watered down version of what we have come to expect of Royce and Hadrian.

The self-published nature of the book really shows in its editing. There was a grammar mistake that kept showing up, a character's name was spelled wrong, and at one point two sentences were just smashed together with no period between them. It's such a shame because there wasn't even a publisher rushing to get it out, they could've taken more time to fix these things.

The whole situation reminds me of Anne Rice's later Vampire Chronicles, when authors continue a series past its natural conclusion just to satisfy fan demand. Sometimes it's better to end on a high note than to keep going when the creative well has run dry.

I will continue the series, but I do hope future books will improve a smidge.

[Samir · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. As much as I loved being back in the company of my favorite duo, this felt like a watered down version of their exploits. Royce and Hadrian's dynamic and banter was the main reason I fell in love in the series and this book suffered from the lack of it. I don't know...it somehow felt off. Anyway, it still felt good to hang out with them so I'll probably start reading Revelations again.

[Keshnee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so exited for the planned cycle series, if all the Drumindor titbits are related to that I am hoping it means we will get more on Kyle and his ending (although if the tapestry in Drumindor is any indication of how it’s going to end, that’s beyond sad! But I have faith in Kyle!)

What I liked most about this book is the look into the past of the dwarves, I worried that because the second book of Brin was lost that an important part of their history was lost, but I am glad some of it survived into current day Elan, if not the whole truth. Brin really did Dwarves dirty! In all the stories they are in, they are always so helpful and important to the success of the quest, but yet even Royce continues to hate them all through the series.

Another great aspect was showing how Gwen’s foretelling’s work, and by showing how such a small thing can make such a big change, it makes you realise how narrow and difficult a road Kyle is travelling. And how people like Gwen can kick the apple cart just a little, how much worse an impact can someone like Trilos have, I mean the whole Riyria series all happened because of his meddling in the first place, that’s 1000s of years of consequences.

We also get to see some of Royce and Gwen’s relationship. I feel so sorry for Gwen, she has such a hard road ahead of her just because she chose to love the person fate chose for her. 😭

Hadrian on the other hand was too much, his depression and lack of interest in living is so not what I expected from him. I know he goes through cycles, but usually he is the upbeat character and Royce is the depressed one, it kinda felt swapped around in this book. I do wonder if he can be happy at this point, even if he finds his soul mate Obérons story suggests that people that seek a purpose greater than themselves and aren’t content never find contentment. This is true in real life as well, if you aren’t happy now, you never will be. Like my dad always says, “Today is the tomorrow you were worried about yesterday!

I didn’t really review this book, but I did enjoy it, and it creates more questions than answers, but in a good way. I feel like I need a re-read or the newer books in the series, I struggled to remember details about the legends series or winters daughter, but I remembered enough for this story.

[Christian · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I finally finished Drumidor, the fact that it took me almost a full month to read a Royce and Hadrian adventure doesn’t bode well.

I was deeply unhappy about the number of people that were crammed into this adventure. Ryiria is taking a new job in Tur del Fur and the party traveling there doesn’t only consist of Royce and Hadrian, but also Gwen de Lancie, Albert Winslow (why?) and Arcadius for some reason. It was my impression from revelations that they hadn’t had much contact with Arcadius since the events of the crown tower. For good measure Pickles is making a recurring entry, only to have to fake his death AGAIN.

Hadrian is sobbing for most of the plot.
Royce is irritated by his feelings for Gwen and her presence on this trip.

That natural banter and dynamic between the two thieves is almost entirely lost or suppressed by the amount of players.
There are plot points picked up from Death in Dulgath as well as the disappearance of winter’s daughter. And For the moment they didn’t feel as if they belonged organically to this story.

There were large parts in the final third in the story that felt good and right, but it was a slog to get there.

It pains me to say it, but this is not a novel I intend to revisit soon.

2nd read through or better said first listen to the audiobook, TGR remains excellent, I do warm more to the earlier story, but the b plot being Casablanca is less fondly noticed by me than Robin.

[Noelle Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

More please! Hadrian and Royce are my favorite characters out of any book I've read. The two of them together are amazing and I'll always be thrilled to see another come up! Not only a continuation of chronicles, but I'd love to see how Royce continues after where we left him in the original series, especially with a better understanding of that position that derives from reading the Age of Legends.

[Terry Rudge · Rating 3 out of 5]

I absolutely love MJS and the Riyria chaps, so couldn't wait to jump back in!

Drumindor clearly wasn't written to blow your mind with plot twists or jaw-dropping revelations. It’s not that kind of book. This is full-on cosy fantasy territory, and really it’s slice-of-life with swords.

I had a lukewarm time with it, and certainly wont be a book that lives long in the memory.

The only real highlight, was getting to spend more time with Royce and Hadrian. Their banter, loyalty, and quiet moments of reflection are the heart of what we wanted, and we did occasionally get that.

That said, there are so many bloated sections, none more so than the whole Royce and Gwen thing....The, will-they-won’t-they, dragged like a cart with a broken wheel. Overdone, melodramatic, and it really sucked the pace out of the book. I found myself desperate to get past those bits and inpatiently wanting to get back to the bromance! Hadrian being a golden retriever and Royce pretending he doesn’t care but obviously does.

I couldn't really understand why he decimated the amazing character that is Gwen and turned her into a really weak female character, crying every chapter, the exact opposite of what she's been in every other book. I also had issues with Hadrian instantly falling in love, that just wasn't his character from before

Tim Gerard Reynolds, as always, delivers an excellent performance.

For die hard fans of the series the Easter eggs are good, there are little nods and winks to past books.

Would I have liked a bit more bite to the story, Yes!! A touch more danger or urgency and a better plot would have made this a better read for me. But taken for what it is - a warm, low-stakes reunion with two of fantasy’s most beloved partners-in-crime, it’s [a generous!] Three! stars.

[gree.books •♡✿⊹ ࣪ ˖♡• · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐ 4.25

some really really good Royce & Hadrian action, and we get so much Royce x Gwen!! what I love about this book compared to the previous two installments in the series is that the POVs remain mostly within the character group that we all know and love. I know I've said that I feel like this series has drawn out because the stakes arte ultimately low - you already know how everything ends because of the main series - but I still really enjoyed Drumindor. my second favorite book in The Riyria Chronicles 💗

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun romp with a favorite pair of miscreants known as Riyria. Hired to prevent dwarf damage they are engaged in a vacation atmosphere with all expenses paid. Humorous sub-plots with an evil who cannot die....or seems not to.

A mysterious diary. Intriguing villains and even an throw back to Jabba The Hutt; a man so large he cannot probably walk.

Sullivan has good fun with this sequel. More to come? Who knows.

[Moraa · Rating 5 out of 5]

love, laughs, and world-ending stakes — what more could you want?

RTC

[Kelley C · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Sullivan’s Riyria books so very much, but this one didn’t quite stand up to others in his series. In these prequel books, Sullivan always walks a fine line of crafting a stand-alone story while also dropping references to past and future events within his greater epic saga. But I think this one wasn’t as balanced and had too many references to other stories in the series to be fully enjoyed as a stand-alone book, which is why I’m taking stars off. Additionally, while I felt the book started strong - and there were even several times I laughed out loud at the great character dialogue - the story seemed to slow down as the book went on and I didn’t enjoy it quite as much (though I still enjoyed it). Part of the problem is probably baked into the cake so to speak: since this is a prequel, we know that Hadrian and Royce must survive, and that does take away a good amount of the anticipation toward the end when the plot should be at its climax. So overall, a solid book but not quite as good for me as I had hoped.

[Geert De Vooght · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of Michael J. Sullivan, but this is not his best Riyria Chronicle, I'm afraid.

The book reads more like a travel brochure for the city of Tur del Fur than a fun and exciting Royce and Hadrian romp. I read somewhere that the author intended this book as some sort of 'vacation outing' for the Riyria band but the story never picks up any semblance of speed or suspense and even the climax in the titular Drumindor towers feels rather tepid.

Too bad, but I'm still looking forward to Sullivan's new series 'The Cycle' (which will also be the last series written in the Elan universe).

[Dragana · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s been seven years since I last hung out with Royce and Hadrian… too many, if you ask me. 😅 Michael J. Sullivan opens the book with a thoughtful prologue explaining the long gap between releases, and I really appreciated the care he put into it—plus the glimmer of hope that this isn’t the final chapter in the series. 🙏

After all that time, it took me a few pages to reorient myself and remember the characters, but once we arrived in a new town with a new mystery for our deadly duo to solve, I was right back in it. 🔍🗡️

To be honest, I remembered this series as being faster-paced and a bit more lighthearted. Maybe that's just nostalgia playing tricks on me, or maybe I've changed as a reader. 🤷‍♀️ Either way, this installment felt a bit slower—but still delivered some great character moments and plenty of that rich world-building I loved before.

The towns and scenery were described so beautifully, they gave me strong Robert Jordan vibes with all the magnificent buildings and details. And can we talk about the illustrations in this edition? 😍 They were the perfect touch to spark my imagination and add that extra layer of awe.

Rating: 4 stars. While the pace wasn’t as I remembered, the journey was still worth it.

Here’s hoping I won’t have to wait another seven years for the next book! 🤞

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Drumindor just did not work for me. Simply because the book is about the rogues-for-hire duo that is Riyria going on holiday. Yeah, it is an odd concept for an epic fantasy story.
Drumindor is a story/event in the lives of Hadrian and Royce that is mentioned and alluded to countless times throughout the other books. (Oh yeah, this is the fifth book in a prequel series and also the 20th book in a larger universe set in the world of Elan.) And the fact that the events of Drumindor, in which a dwarf attempts to use the volcanic capabilities of the historic fortress to destroy a city, is relegated behind two romance plots and a larger focus on the "holiday" aspect of the story is a bit disappointing. It felt more like an afterthought and the character/antagonist Gravis (the aforementioned dwarf) was quite one-note.
The fact that this story is a prequel is also a problem, because the main romance between Royce and Gwen which takes up so much of the page-count, is one that we have not only already seen the end of, but also experienced so much of the good that they share together. So, the constant misunderstanding/miscommunication tropes that occurred between them grew rather tedious. I know many people would have loved to read their first kiss, (which was a very good scene) but the framework that surrounded good scenes like this took away from the experience rather than made it better.
The fact that the novel is not focused on the epic fantasy elements also means that this book should not have an epic fantasy page-count. For the content within the book, it ended up perhaps a hundred pages too long.

But I did enjoy many aspects, Royce and Hadrian are as good a partnership as ever and, when they were allowed to do interesting things, the book shone. The underlying plot of the machinations of greater forces was, as always, interesting, but somewhat confusing to someone who hasn't read one of Michael's books in a year or two. The world-building was great, I loved the city of Tur Del Fur.

[Dimitris Kopsidas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reading this book made me feel a bit upset. This felt like it was written by a different author. The tone was so different from the previous books in the series. The first half felt like a romcom sitcom in a fantasy setting. Constant attempts at humor (not enough of them landing for me) accompanied by a romance suplot aimed at teenagers. Then in the second half the wheels of the main plot started to turn, but this also was so generic and predictable that it felt exhausting by the end.
The author's wife explains that the book was written as a gift for her, who needed one more adventure from the duo and she describes the final result as a "cozy, slice-of-life fantasy". That would be a fair description, but why does the blurb of the book describe it as another adventure with high stakes, typical of the series? I feel as a reader a bit deceived.
In the end, no matter the genre of the book, this was not an interesting story, the romace aspect of it made me cringe and it hurts the legacy of the, very good up to this book, RIyria Chronicles series.

4.8/10