Age of Myth [Oct 8, 2018]

[Jenna, I'd be free if not for Temper & Edgewalker]

Starting Oct 8th.

[Silvana]

Thanks, Jenna! I'm in. Would be my first Sullivan book.

[C.P.]

It's a great place to start, Silvana!

[Silvana]

Good to know, thanks, C.P.

[Liam]

Silvana wrote: "Thanks, Jenna! I'm in. Would be my first Sullivan book."

Oh wow, I didn't realize its your first, Silvana! Riyria Revelations didn't catch your eye?

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I think it's just a case of overbooking... she was saying she was booked through September back in February, when we were reading World of the Five Gods... the monthly master buddy reading list is getting crazy...

[Barry]

I’m tempted. Have been wanting to read this since a while back.

[Silvana]

Iain wrote: "I think it's just a case of overbooking... she was saying she was booked through September back in February, when we were reading World of the Five Gods... the monthly master buddy reading list is ..."

Liam wrote: "Silvana wrote: "Thanks, Jenna! I'm in. Would be my first Sullivan book."

Oh wow, I didn't realize its your first, Silvana! Riyria Revelations didn't catch your eye?"

Yep, just like what Iain said. I am overbooked AND I only have this book already in my TBR (owned) shelf.

[Rose☆]

I'm in. I've owned this for a while and keep putting it off.

[Silvana]

Glad to have you with us, Rose!

[RuinEleint]

So very definitely utterly in.

[Rose☆]

Getting excited 😊

[Mel]

I'm in too! I recently read Revelations and the first three Chronicles. The last one briefly teased at the mythology and characters of this series, so I'll be excited to start it soon!

[RuinEleint]

I loved the Crown Tower audiobook. I might do this in audio as well.

[Morena]

I've been meaning to read this for a while, so I'm definitely in!

[Silvana]

Just read the introduction, interesting to find out that Sullivan finished the trilogy series before publishing the first book. I think it is a good approach.

[Mel]

Silvana wrote: "Just read the introduction, interesting to find out that Sullivan finished the trilogy before publishing the first book. I think it is a good approach."

I appreciate that approach as well; I know he did the same with Revelations. I also like how his books can be read as standalones as well. I've read first installments by other authors that didn't even cover everything in the blurb, cutting off in the middle of the action, which strikes me as dishonest.

[Silvana]

Chapter 3 is really funny. Malcolm the storyteller 😅

So far this book reminds me of Cornwell's The Last Kingdom.

[RuinEleint]

5 chapters done.

Firstly, I would like to just gush a bit at how greatly Sullivan has improved as an author.

I was not particularly impressed by the first Revelations. The writing and dialogue seemed stilted, the world half drawn, the characters tentative. But by the end of the trilogy, he had transformed, with complex plots, a deep world and appealing characters. Chronicles only added to this and I confess that the first Chronicles helped me to understand the Royce-Hadrian dynamic more than all of Revelations.

And now we have Age of Myth, and so far I have to say, this feels effortless. It is well-written - the narrative is smooth and cosy, you can get into the story and feel at home in it.

Now regarding the events(view spoiler)[ I really like the Raithe-Malcolm dynamic. Its funny and has a lot of potential.

Arion and her story hints at a much larger magical conundrum. I really liked how with a couple of sentences in her storyline Sullivan made clear how limited was human contact with elves.

Suri is intriguing but I am very interested by Persephone's character. I wonder if her role will be analogous to the role of the aristocrat's wife in Daniel Abraham's Dagger and Coin series (hide spoiler)]

[Silvana]

Good catch on Persephone, Arkadeb. I Unfortunately in chapter 12
(view spoiler)[Raithe just asked her to marry him? Like, what??? So out of the blue. (hide spoiler)]

And then there is also this weird thing in the same chapter when Persephone (view spoiler)[thinking about Moya and that Moya should just get married so she would stop being a flirt. It looked like slut shaming to me. (hide spoiler)]I am disappointed with Persephone.

[Silvana]

Chapter 16
Raithe is getting to my nerve again. (view spoiler)[when he thought about he did not want to kill Arion because he had nothing against the lady and "she was pretty". Oh my.

His random thoughts or statement about women's physical traits really bugged me. There was also a very random moment in chapter 9 when he told Persephone that he did not thing she was beautiful when they were talking about something else. (hide spoiler)] this guy is weird.

[Silvana]

I finished. It was a really easy read, and I did skimm some parts because I wanted to end it asap. Yeah, suffice to say this book is just an okay one for me. I might be jaded over epic fantasy and all their tropes and worldbuilding. I need more originality.

I wished the elven politics were explored further, with a more interesting villain. The one we had was too mwahaha evil, conniving councilor type for me.

[RuinEleint]

11 chapters done.

I have to say that I find Persephone a bit naive. After the scene in the lodge, did she not consider the political implications of her actions?

I am very intrigued by Grin the Bear now. Hopefully we get more.

(view spoiler)[ Nyphron vs Raithe was excellent to read about. Curious about Nyphron's character arc and how it will relate to Raithe (hide spoiler)]

[Mel]

I'm waiting for my order to arrive, so I may be a couple days late getting to this one. I hope you all don't finish before I get a chance to start!

[Mel]

Silvana wrote: "I finished. It was a really easy read, and I did skimm some parts because I wanted to end it asap. Yeah, suffice to say this book is just an okay one for me. I might be jaded over epic fantasy and ..."

Silvana, sorry this one fell a bit flat for you. Although I haven't started, based on Sullivan's other books I can see what you may mean.

I actually remember when starting the first book in Revelations, being a bit skeptical about the character tropes that were reinforced rather than subverted. What you see is what you get. Bandits are conveniently scarred, disreputable figures are missing teeth, and barmaids sport the requisite plunging necklines. Not that relying on visual shorthand isn't useful and doesn't have its place. But especially after the unique sci-fi worldbuilding of Binti for example, I found it took a bit of getting used to re-acclimate to a straight-up fantasy.

[Silvana]

Arkadeb wrote: "11 chapters done.

I have to say that I find Persephone a bit naive. After the scene in the lodge, did she not consider the political implications of her actions?

I am very intrigued by Grin the B..."

On the spoiler:
(view spoiler)[I found the Galantians (?) rather incompetent since their leader could be defeated by Raithe. And they were supposed to be the ELITE squad of the WARRIOR tribe. Either that their reputation was bulls or that Raithe was a super warrior despite his most challenging opponents thus far were his jerk brothers. (hide spoiler)]

[Silvana]

Melissa wrote: "Silvana wrote: "I finished. It was a really easy read, and I did skimm some parts because I wanted to end it asap. Yeah, suffice to say this book is just an okay one for me. I might be jaded over e..."

Thanks, Melissa for the elaboration! Yeah... The jetlag after reading imaginative, bizarre, unique worldbuilding - like NK Jemisin and China Mieville's works - was very apparent. And unfortunately those are my staple in the last two years. Recently I also read another epic fantasy and had to groan constantly about the farmboy/chosen one trope, super long travel, weapon of power, and other traditional elements.

[Mel]

Silvana wrote: "Melissa wrote: "Silvana wrote: "I finished. It was a really easy read, and I did skimm some parts because I wanted to end it asap. Yeah, suffice to say this book is just an okay one for me. I might..."

Sometimes it just depends on your mood. I've also had the experience of coming back to the fantasy genre and feeling comforting familiarity. The "hero bonding with a dragon hatchling" trope is also well-used, but I nestled right into His Majesty's Dragon with an indulgent fondness for it.

[Silvana]

Melissa wrote: "Silvana wrote: "Melissa wrote: "Silvana wrote: "I finished. It was a really easy read, and I did skimm some parts because I wanted to end it asap. Yeah, suffice to say this book is just an okay one..."

I love Temeraire series too!

You're obviously correct, mood can play a role too. I remember liking the first Magician book (Feist) - I think it's the Magician: Apprentice - and was fond of the old-school fantasy storyline there....before my enthusiasm got destroyed by the Magician: Master, but that's another story.

[RuinEleint]

19 chapters done.

Is Grendel a bit (view spoiler)[ delusional in his ambition? He really does think it will all be very easy when most likely he will trigger a civil war. (hide spoiler)]

In the village I continue to be frustrated by how Persephone fails to see (view spoiler)[ how her actions totally delegitimise Connagher's leadership. How she expects to have any cooperation with him is beyond me (hide spoiler)]

@Silvana (view spoiler)[ I agree that Nyphron lost a bit too easily, but Sibek seems to be setting things right again (hide spoiler)]

I also love Suri, especially her (view spoiler)[ interactions with Arion (hide spoiler)]

[Silvana]

Haha, yeah, Persephone was not as smart/savvy/experienced as she thought. She is no Daniel Abraham's Clara.

[RuinEleint]

Finished.

This book should have been names "How Persephone got her world rocked"

Seriously though. I felt that this book was basically about Persephone. There were lots of other cool characters and stuff but mostly everything revolved around her.
(view spoiler)[ She had to come to terms with being a widow, with understanding that the power dynamic of the village was never what she thought it was, that her husband was never the man she thought him to be, that people she trusted were actually out to get her. She had to come to terms with the idea that she was a leader. I feel that this is the heart of the book (hide spoiler)]

I love Suri in all her innocence and brilliance. (view spoiler)[ I especially loved how she was totally nonchalantly a practitioner of the Art and knew how to block the Art. (hide spoiler)]

I loved the bit with Nyphron at the end. Wonder where that will go.