Rick Crocker asked Michael J. Sullivan:

I am new to your novels. After finishing Age of Empyre would you suggest reading Elyria Chronicles or revelations next?

Michael J. Sullivan Hey Rick. Thanks for reading! My recommendation is to take the Riyria books in "order of publication" - so that would mean: Theft of Swords | Rise of Empire | Heir of Novron | The Crown Tower | The Rose and the Thorn | The Death of Dulgath | The Disappearance of Winter's Daughter.

There are a few reasons for this.

1. It exposes the characters in the way I had always intended. The entire series was written before I published the first book so I rolled out the backstory of various characters across the entire narrative (rather than front-loading everything in book #1. This lets you get introduced to them in the way I had always planned.

2. The Revelations is a completed series and Chronicles are more "standalone tales."

3. It's a better "value" -- the publisher who released Revelations (which is six books long) put them out in three, 2-book omnibus editions. So you actually get two books for the price of one.

4. When reading Chronicles there are little "winks and nods" for people in the know (who have read Revelations). Nothing that will affect the plot (if you haven't read the other series), but just little Easter eggs that are fun to find.

5. Revelations has more "ties" to Legends in that various historical figures are mentioned. That said, history is written by the victors and you'll be able to see through the various lies about the past (since you have seen the events first hand).

I hope that helps, and happy reading!

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