Michael J. Sullivan
Michael J. Sullivan's The Crown Conspiracy (review here) was one of the most pleasantly surprising books I've read so far this year. Eschewing the recent trends in fantasy toward the lengthy, gritty, and dark, the first book in the Riyria Revelations brought the genre back to its roots and contained far more traditional elements, like wizards, kings, dwarves, and elves. But far from being a clichéd Tolkien rip off, The Crown Conspiracy felt refreshingly original in some ways and is perhaps most properly viewed as a distillation of the fantasy genre into its best components: no unnecessarily complicated invented languages, no attempts to be extravagantly original at the expense of the story; just great characters, an original story, humor and drama in the appropriate measures, and just the right amount of worldbuilding. I was predictably excited about reading the sequel, Avempartha.
The book opens with a young woman tracking down Hadrian and Royce and imploring them to travel to her village to help slay the terror that has been killing off villagers one by one in the night. When they oblige, they find out that in order to accomplish their mission, they're going to have to get into the ancient Elven tower of Avempartha, which is no small task, to secure a uniquely effective weapon. As if this weren't enough, they soon have to contend with a host of visitors whose actions may have a significant effect on the future of Elan.
Avempartha is every bit as enjoyable as its predecessor was, and is in some respects even better. The primary reason for this is the extra dose of worldbuilding (and to a lesser extent political intrigue) Mr. Sullivan has included in this tale. We learn a lot more about the history of the land and of the relationship between humans and elves that has shaped the world of Elan. In addition to being interesting because of how it affects the story being told in the book, this also contributes a lot to the reader's interest in the series as a whole. It is this aspect that makes me truly anticipate the next book in the series, Nyphron Rising.
My only complaint about the book is a minor one and is almost identical to a small quibble I had with The Crown Conspiracy. Specifically, there is a moment where one of the characters defends himself in a way that implies that he has become a master swordsman in a relatively short period of time. Asking the reader to believe this is asking too much, but it's a small thing when measured against what Mr. Sullivan has accomplished in this book.
Mr. Sullivan continues to impress. In Royce and Hadrian he has created some of the best characters the genre has seen in some time, and in Avempartha he shows that he knows what to do with them. These books should be in every bookstore and I really hope that they are someday. The Riyria Revelations prove that the fantasy genre is nowhere near exhausted and that there is as much treasure to be mined in its traditional forms as there are in the newer varieties.
Rating: 9/10
The True First
Avempartha was first published by Ridan Publishing in March of 2009.
[This review was based on a review copy]
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17 comments:
I've heard a lot about these books over the past couple of months, and they sound wonderful. Thanks for the great review!
Thanks! These books ARE great! And they don't require a great time commitment either...
I like the sound of this book, as you said, the fantasy genre has gone to the "dark" aspect. Good to see a book bring back the traditional elements of fantasy.
Nice review!
I like gritty fantasy too, but it's nice to mix it up a bit too. I suggest acquiring a copy of the first book in the series, called "The Crown Conspiracy."
Ben
I think I am developing a phobia of fantasy trilogies. Do you think this might be a cure? Great review as always.
Colin, these books are the perfect remedy for the fantasy fatigued, if you ask me. They are short, to the point, and don't reinvent the wheel, but are nonetheless great reads. In other words, so long as you're not looking for something that is world shatteringly original, they're definitely worth reading. However, perhaps you could elaborate on your phobia before I give a final suggestion?
Thanks for pointing out a series that I hadn't yet encountered Ben, and from the sounds of it (both here and elsewhere), one that's worth putting a little higher up on the "to read" pile.
Definitely worth moving up the pile!
Symptoms include :-
Feeling of deep dissatisfaction after book one when it is clear there will be no resolution to any plot points.
Loss of memory of earlier characters particularly after 375 new characters are introduced in the first forty pages.
Eye strain from trying to read a map of the world at paperback size.
Mental tongue strain (believe me it's a real illness) caused by trying to pronounce a name that's clearly just a random collection of letters.
And finally loss of use of my arms caused by holding three 600 page tomes for days on end.
Well Doctor Ben what is the cure!
I think that these books are exactly what someone suffering from your condition requires!
nice review. I am definitely going to buy all 3 in this series, when book 3 comes out in early October. I should have read the first 2 already, I think, since they sound right up my alley.
Hope you like them Jeff C!
For those who want to check out this book without laying out any cash there is the first 100 pages for free online from:
http://www.michaelsullivan-author.com/Avempartha_Overview.html
Thanks for pointing that out Susan!
Just wanted to stop by and mention that Avempartha made it to round 2 of the Bookspot Central's annual tournamnet of books (A March Madness type of bracket where books face off one on one). So if you read Avempartha and liked it please go to http://tinyurl.com/yk9a9py and vote. And if you read it and also Finch by Jeff VanderMeer and liked Finch better ... forget I said anything ;-) -- just kidding - vote with your conscience.
Thanks very much for this tip, Ms. Parker. I'll head on over and check it out.
Avempartha has now made it to the FINALS of the BSC Tournament. The going was tough with wins against:
The Enchantment Emporium by Tanya Huff
Finch by Jeff VanderMeer
Boneshaker by Cherie Priest (Hugo Award Nominee)
Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey
Santa Olivia by Jacqueline Carey (New York Times Best Selling Author)
It is now in the final round against Palimpsest by Catherynne Valente (also a Hugo Award Nominee). It is doing reasonably well (losing 18 to 19) if you would like to vote (1 point just for voting, 2 points for saying why you liked the book). You can do so up to April 19th at 8:00 PM at this link:
http://www.bscreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=93&t=8044
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