Heir of Novron: Riyria Revelations, Volume 3
Reviews (171)
Fantastic From Start to Finish
How many of you have read a series and loved everything about it only to get to the last book and be completely disappointed? *raises hand* So many time that has happened to me, especially when I’ve read books back to back and I get to the end an stuff from the last book doesn’t even fit in with stuff from the first book…I mean it does fit if you’ve had a drink or three and look at it while standing on your head while trying to balance a set of plates with you feet. But, not on a normal Tuesday. Well have no fear….this is exactly the opposite of that. First, lets just say that the revelations at the end of book 6 totally fall in line with all the revelations made along the way. How did Michael J. Sullivan accomplish this you might ask? Well I’ll tell you young grasshopper. He didn’t publish any of the books until the entire thing was complete. That’s right! He had the luxury of editing stuff throughout to make it perfect and it was. There were so many great characters and moment throughout the entire series that I don’t think I can pick just one. I loved the bromance: Hadrian and Royce make the perfect bromantic couple ever. They are totally in my top 3 of all time for sure. *** “You can’t kill Myron, Royce,” Hadrian said, rapidly pulling the monk away as if he had found a child playing with a wild bear. “It would be like killing a puppy.” *** Best philosophical monk ever: Myron had some amazing words of wisdom for our heroes in their most desperate hours. *** “A beautiful day might bring disaster, while a day that begins trapped inside an ancient toom, might be the best one of your life. If you don't abandon hope on pleasent days, why do so on those that begin poorly?” *** Strong female characters There isn’t a single girl just waiting for prince charming to come along. They are all strong independant flawed and beautiful. *** Awe begot respect; respect begot confidence; confidence begot courage, and she needed her people to be brave. She needed them to cast aside their doubts even in the face of a terrible growing shadow. She needed them to believe in the wisdom of a young woman even when faced with annihilation. *** There is a god walking among men seeking redemption - we find out who he is and I was a bit surprised….but I shouldn’t have been looking back on everything. And there is just enough romance that my shippy heart was happy - if you know me at all you know I love to find a couple to root for and I found a few in this series. Enough to keep all the girl parts of my satisfied. Finally the Author had me with his dedication *** “This book is entirely dedicated to my wife, Robin Sullivan. Some have asked how it is I write such strong women without resorting to putting swords in their hands. It is because of her. She is Arista. She is Thrace. She is Modina. She is Amilia. And she is my Gwen. This series has been a tribute to her. This is your book, Robin. *** I don’t want to say much more because I loved how this all turned out. There were all the moments I look for in a book I love. -moments to make you laugh -moments that squeeze your heart -moments that you cheer -moments that you dred -and finally that moment when you see it all to the end and feel like you want to jump back to page 1 of book 1 and start all over again. This is one of the most underrated fantasy series I’ve read. If you like any of the things I list above you should read this as soon as possible.
Derivative but Excellent
Really a 3.5, but marked up for being one of the rippingest escapist page-turners I've ever read. I don't see much of lasting value in here: it is not a cultural critique, the prose is not especially worthy, and it certainly is not a novel of ideas like Bakker, nor imaginative like Sanderson, nor both like Islington, nor is it a novel of great and original insight into the human condition like Heinlein at his best. It's a generic medieval fantasy of thieves which plays all the tropes straight, and plays them like Leif Ove Andsnes. That being said, Sullivan succeeded in creating such a ripping pace packed with twists - the last 500 pages of this book read like the climax followed by a 20-page denouement - that I'd feel wrong giving it much less. Even though a few twists are predictable (Nilnev = Venlin), the sheer quantity of them is fit to purpose. The first fiction book that's kept me up late since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows back when I was 19 or 20.
After 20 years I have a new favorite series and Michael J
I have been reading for pleasure since the early 1980s and I have not been paid or given any incentive for this review. I have confirmed purchase of each of these books on Amazon for my Kindle Paperwhite and I am writing this review for all of the Riyria novels and will post this for each. Please see the authors’ notes for reading order of this series but this review is based on reading in chronological order: The Crown Tower (The Riyria Chronicles) The Rose and the Thorn (The Riyria Chronicles) The Death of Dulgath (The Riyria Chronicles) Theft of Swords (Riyria Revelations) Rise of Empire (Riyria Revelations) Heir of Novron (Riyria Revelations) Author Michael J. Sullivan has a gift. After 20 years I have a new favorite series and Michael J. Sullivan has another dedicated reader and fan. This series, and the writing style, takes me back to the old school days of Robert E. Howard in way… Each book stands on its own. It is a very clear story/adventure that starts and concludes in a single volume so it can be read one at a time or binged all at once. The thing that differentiates it is that the series, in its entirety, is also a single epic adventure that starts in The Crown Tower and concludes in Heir of Novron. So taken individually each book is excellent and as a complete epic it more than satisfies. Like others have stated as well I was sad to read the end of it simply knowing that this particular tale was ending while at the same time that ending had enough adventure, emotion, humanity, and twists and turns that I was also happy to read the final pages. As an example the end of Glen Cook’s The Black Company ended poetically and perfectly so too does the story of Riyria. What I took away from this series was a story following the two main characters, Hadrian and Royce, and was about humanity, morality, pain and loss, redemption, family and brotherhood. The two main protagonists and nearly opposite sides of the same coin but that coin is an old tarnished, beaten, and used coin with its faces faded from the wear of life in a medieval fantasy world. There is no typical heroes journey, no larger than life heroics, no immortality of characters that often plagues the genre. These are characters who are nuanced and believable, so much so that some have complained it is not realistic that the two protagonists would be together at all. To any who thought that I say just read on… there is no mystical fate forcing them together or any overused fantasy tropes, there is just strong character design and development, written by an author with a gift for bringing his imagination to the printed page. The author starts the seeds of the story in the first book and nothing is wasted or filler. Small scenes in one book, with characters you may or may not think to ever see again, but can have an impact further down the road. This is like real life. If you help someone on the street or donating to charity, you may just be doing something that will change the world someday. You will meet an excellent cast of secondary and supporting characters who may come and go in the story but while they are there they are real characters and create real moments in time. Whether you see the impact or the characters again I will not say anything to spoil the story but as far as the characters development and the story itself Michael J. Sullivan did not waste your time with stand-in or generic stereotypical filler roles. The individual stories each touched upon different adventures… breaking into an impregnable tower, a high seas adventure, a dungeon crawl, etc, giving each book its own unique feel and never a retread. This works well with the overall storyline for the entire series as well and in the end the payoff is well worth your time and money spent. In regards to reading order, the author suggests publishing order, and I can understand why, but I hate prequels. I do not like knowing where the end is before I read something, so I read in chronological order and I am glad that I did. Seeing the beginning gave me, personally, a better feel for where the characters came from to where they were when the final volume concluded. I am sure these books can be enjoyed either order so use your personal preference when choosing. I cannot rate these books in any kind of order of enjoyment because overall I have come to look at it as one volume or one story. There were no weak books or weak stories to my taste so I will not try to critique it down to arbitrary ratings based on personal preferences… you cannot judge the arts technically… only how they impact you and your enjoyment. Give this series a try if you are looking for something a little different from the glut of current fantasy out there today.
I will start this off by...
I will start this off by saying that Wintertide, which is book five, left me feeling like the previous books in the series but had an ending that left my jaw dropped. However Percepliquis, which is book six and the finale, WAS A MASTERPIECE! Percepliquis was everything that I wanted from a story and so much more. I can finally appreciate what Michael J. Sullivan was trying to do because of how wonderfully executed that final book was. It collectively utilized the world and the characters so harmoniously that the story just flowed so seamlessly. I adored all the character arcs so much to the point where I was audibly gasping and squealing at some of the turning points and reveals and happy endings. The part that made me cheer and smile the most was one word and that was Mercy, and that is all I will say on that! I was just so pleased with this book and if this is what Michael J. Sullivan can continue to do for me then I am so eager to continue with his catalogues of books.
Robuster
I hate coming to the end of a fabulous series. It is like saying goodbye to old friends. This has been a very good set of stories. Well crafted , told with art and passion. It had enough twist and turns to keep the reader engaged. I like both the protagonists and the ever changing side kicks. The hook and the escapes was good. Very entertaining. Here is what keeps this from being an outstanding series. The Villain. Through out this whole series we readers needed a heinous Villain. The Author keeps the real Villain hid and substitutes a variety of henchmen. While entertaining it lacks the punch this series needed to put it over. In this genre of storytelling the Villain makes or breaks the story. The Villain must be worthy of his hatred , the vileness that the readers must feel as we move from storyline to storyline. I really wanted to hate Merrick , Saldur , or any of the other dozen henchmen put forth. The Author just couldn’t quite get me there. Then here at the end , the real Villain breaks from the shadows and for a brief period he almost rises to the occasion. Almost. I hope his next efforts will be as well done as these have been. I wish him luck
An incredible ending to a great series
I started with the Riyria Chronicles. Because it was taking too long for the next one to be published, I started reading the Riyria Revelations. While a good series, it did not truly grab me until the very last book. The author once said that he wrote the series together as a layered story. The series seemed pretty straightforward until the last book where all the plots, even those seemingly random and disconnected, intersected in a masterful web of storytelling. There were twists that the reader could see coming, and then crazy twists that I failed to see, but in retrospect were very well integrated into the book. The characters are what made this series so enjoyable for me. You follow them through their ups and downs, as the kingdoms slowly descend into madness despite their best efforts and small victories. It is a great example of what fantasy can be.
I'm so terribly sad it's over...
I was exhausted after this book. Emotionally and physically. I read nonstop over the weekend to finish the Riyria Revelations, averaging 4 hours of sleep, forgetting to eat. I wasn’t done though. As soon as I finished the Revelations series, I picked up the Chronicles. Reviews for those will have to be next week. Anyways... What an ending. I called it. My suspicion of who the heir was by the end of Rise of Empire was right. Yay me. I shamefully admit that I skimmed and even skipped certain sections. If anyone has read my other reviews, they’ll know I’m a 100% devoted to Royce’s character. That means I can’t really be bothered with other story lines. It’s a reading habit that I absolutely despise. Luckily, I can count on one hand the number of characters that have done this to me. As I said before, sure there are characters in books that I love... adore, even. But few ensnare me as Royce did. Kvothe is one. Sorna another. None more than Raistlin. But Royce came in only second to Raistlin, who I don’t think can ever be topped, in my humble opinion. You’ll notice that all these are characters who start from the bottom and try to overcome all the hell they’ve been through. I love those characters. They make me feel strong. They give me hope. They make me take a step back and not be so judgmental of others. They remind me not to focus on the bad stuff I’ve been through, cause I didn’t have anything nearly as horrible as them. Sure, they’re fictional, but isn’t there truth in fiction? My biggest beef with the beginning of this book is there wasn’t enough Royce and Hadrian time. I needed them to spend more time together. Even if I wasn’t as addicted to Royce, the other parts were extremely slow. I cried in this book. And I like to cry in a book. I like to be moved. I could cry right now remembering why I cried. That’s powerful stuff. I’ve already read both of the Chronicle books, and I agree with Sullivan that reading them in the order he published is a good idea (Revelations before the Chronicle). I think it keeps things just a bit more mysterious. I, however (in perhaps a year or so), plan to read them in chronological order. And I plan to not skim this time. I know the ending, so I can slow down. Furthermore, I believe Sullivan added tiny tidbits here and there that would be jewels to find, now I know what to look for. I think it’d be fun. Oh, and Mr. Sullivan, if you read this, I’d absolutely love a book that follows Royce throughout his childhood up until he meets Hadrian. And I’d love love love more stories of Hadrian and Royce doing some exciting jobs. Their banter and interaction is great. So to conclude, this series has shot up to my favorite top five and I’m a huge fan of Sullivan.
A fantastic end to a fantastic series
In Wintertide, we get the conclusion of what I'll call the "local" plot that has been building over the last three books. The Church is preparing to consolidate its power by marrying the puppet Empress to its chosen regent and by executing Arista and Degan Gaunt, the leader of the Nationalists and the heir of Novron. It's up to Royce and Hadrian to stop all of that. In Percepliquis, everything comes together from the previous five books as our heroes literally face the end of the world with the invasion of the immortal elves from the east. Royce, Hadrian, Arista, and Alric must first find the eponymous city of Percepliquis, retrieve the Horn of Glyindora, and return before the elves arrive, or else mankind will be obliterated. This is a quest-type book similar in structure to The Emerald Storm and Robin Hobb's Assassin's Quest, but thankfully, there are still plenty of twists and turns even this late in the game. Overall, The Riyria Revelations is a fantastic fantasy series full of memorable characters and a well-developed world.
Absolutely stunning conclusion to a wonderful fantasy series
I have had this book to read for a while. I really have enjoyed all of the previous books in this series. This book did an absolutely wonderful job tying up the series and I really enjoyed it. I actually read book 5, Wintertide, first and then read Book 6, Percepliquis, a bit later. They are reviewed below separately. Book 5: Wintertide The New Empire plans to celebrate its victory over the Nationalists with a Wintertide celebration. The celebration will include Modina's marriage and the execution of both Arista and Degan Gaunt (the suppose Heir of Novron). A lot major events happen in this book. Basically the Empire is finally starting to stabilize but the actual Heir of Novron is still a mystery. The biggest surprise in this book was Thrace/Modina finally starting to take some action towards the end of the book. With Modina silent most of the story the focus shifts to Lady Amilia, the poor kitchen girl who has been shoved into dangerous politics and forced to take on responsibilities she never imagined having. Amilia is a wonderful character and she carries the story well. She is tough and smart and has learned a lot, but she still makes some mistakes. It was fun to see Hadrian forced into the role of a knight competing in a tournament. He was definitely out of his comfort zone here. We get to learn a lot more about why Hadrian is who he is and that story focuses a lot on Hadrian too. Royce was in the story, but definitely wasn't the focus. Basically the plot between him and Gwen is developed some and you see him shifting away from Riyria and more towards a normal life. The plot is epic in porportions and while many questions are answered, there are still many questions to be answered in the final book Percepilquis. For example; Who is the Heir of Novron really? What is this mysterious horn that is supposed to stop a great darkness? What is this great darkness? This was actually a surprisingly short book considering how long these books normally are. Book 6: Percepliquis The Elves are matching on the Kingdom of men and destroying everything in their wake. The only hope is for Arista, Hadrian, and Royce is to journey to the ancient city of Perceliquis and find the Horn there. The Horn is supposed to be the way to defeat the Elves once and for all. This was a long, long, long book. However I enjoyed every minute of it. The book is split between Arista/Hadrian/Royce journeying to Percepliquis and Modina dealing with the Elven invasion. I absolutely loved Arista and crew's journey and adventure. There were so many wonderful discoveries and monster encounters. It made for a fun read. I love that Myron joined them on the journey, he adds a lot of wisdom and humor to the mix. Royce is still reeling from the events in the Wintertide. As expected he is depressed and a bit hard to deal with. Hadrian is trying to do his job protecting the Heir of Novron but is finding Degan Gaunt to be a hard man to deal with. Arista grows a lot in this book and a lot of the book is about her. She really comes into her own and starts to realize her own power and test her limits. She struggles a bit with the strong willed men in her group, but ends up finding a pretty good balance. Modina is amazing, her transformation to Empress is stunning (and sometimes a bit unbelievable). We rarely see glimpses of the young girl she was. There are a number of twists and turns at the end. A couple of surprises (one of which I saw coming). Things are tied up in a way that is neat and makes the reader feel happy and fulfilled. Overall this whole series has been absolutely wonderful. This series is right up there in my list of favorite fantasy series of all time. This is true fantasy and it is done well. There is adventure, intrigue, humor, and heartache. There are strong female and strong male characters. Everything is well balanced and it was just a joy to read. The books are long but they don't feel long when you are reading them. This whole series is highly, highly recommended to fantasy lovers.
Delightful, Highly Recommended Follow-up to its Predecessors!
Alas, I cannot rate this as high as its predecessors. I give it a flat 4.0. If you haven't read them, go back to Theft of Swords and Rise of Empire. I have reviewed them as well. If you've wrapped those up and are considering the next step, DIVE IN! Heir of Novron is packed with the same cunning and delightful adventures as the previous two novels. It's a highly entertaining read filled with characters you can't help but love. Despite having elements typical of fantasy (rival nations, epic wars, empires, elves, dwarves, goblins, etc.), these novels aren't ABOUT that. They're about how the adventures of two VERY unlikely companions who both love and loathe one another impact the world, largely by happenstance. Their sticky situations and close calls never get dull, and if you're like me you'll find yourself wanting to meet these guys and observe their antics in the real world. If only! (And thankfully not)! The series is filled with daring, cunning, adventure, twists, and turns, and this third novel is no exception! So why the four stars? Well, there are good chunks of this novel that seem rather bogged down by the religious aspect. I don't generally mind the use of religion in books, but it seemed to keep pounding itself into this one and it got to be a bit much, in my opinion. Despite that, it's a delightful read and I highly recommend it!
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