Michael J. Sullivan

Michael J Sullivan, MD, Facs

One of fantasy s finest next-generation storytellers continues to break new ground. Michael J. Sullivan s trailblazing career began with the breakout success of his Riyria series: full-bodied, spellbinding fantasy adventures whose imaginative scope and sympathetic characters won a devoted readership and comparisons to fantasy masters Brandon Sanderson, Scott Lynch, and J.R.R. Tolkien himself. Now Age of Myth inaugurates an original five-book series. Since time immemorial, humans have worshipped the gods they call Fhrey, truly a race apart: invincible in battle, masters of magic, and seemingly immortal. But when a god falls to a human blade, the balance of power between humans and those they thought were gods changes forever. Now only a few stand between humankind and annihilation: Raithe, reluctant to embrace his destiny as the God Killer; Suri, a young seer burdened by signs of impending doom; and Persephone, who must overcome personal tragedy to lead her people. The Age of Myth is over. The time of rebellion has begun. Praise for Michael J. Sullivan Hair-raising escapes, flashy sword fights, and faithful friendship complete the formula for good old-fashioned escapist fun. Publishers Weekly, on Theft of Swords Filled with adventure and clever dialog and featuring a pair of not-quite-heroes whose loyalties to each other provide them with their greatest strength, this epic fantasy showcases the arrival of a master storyteller. Library Journal, on Theft of Swords With less gore and a smaller cast of characters than George R. R. Martin s Song of Ice and Fire but equally satisfying, Sullivan s epic fantasy will be gaining fans at exponential rates. Library Journal, on The Rose and the Thorn From the Hardcover edition."

Book One of the Legends of the First Empire

Age of Myth

Sade A

So you're looking for a kick ass Fantasy book to read, you stumble on MJS, you see the glowing reviews, the blurb is catchy it's got a 4 point rating on your beloved book site. You think to yourself, well damn i'm good and probably follow up with this:

cos the book gods know we've been lead astray by high book ratings before, but this will surely be good.

You're excited, pumped. You strap on for what you swear will be beyond an enjoyable read -i'm talking blow you out of the water, leave you reeling, what to do with your life now that you're done reading kind of read. You're expecting to be regaled with a prose so stunning, the book gods will have to tear you away from this series. 
Alas:


I think i could forgive how totally scattered the whole plot was but see the prose? Nah! That was bad. 
i mean why are words like cute, ma'am in this book? Step up the descriptions, how are they so meh!!
why am i having sentences like: with a round head, full bossom, and ample hips, she looked much like a skirted snowman". Really snowmen?? really??
Descriptions that were vague:"...From the knee down {name redacted} leg was covered in blood" please which leg?
"A hand grabbed her wrist. she felt fingers latch on". WHY?????
All in all i did not feel the prose in this book was worth listing this as an epic fantasy. Quite frankly felt like i was reading a middle grade fantasy novel.


  However

there were some pretty OMG parts that had me going whaaaaatttttttttt??? and also betrayal is afoot (Have to see how that plays out) and the Door?? what's behind the freaking door!!
So while this wasn't worth the 4 point average in my opinion, i'm maybe hopeful that book 2 will be somewhat better and the characters will have a bit more sense.

"A new series set in the world of the Riyria Chronicles. In the land of the Rhune, trees can tell the future and the gods are beyond reproach. But when Raithe's father is slain, he does the unthinkable--he kills a god. From this act, rises the legend of the God Killer, the seeds of a rebellion, and the question of whether the gods are really immortal after all"--

Danny Engström

Melody Izard

Kind of a Mighty Python load of knight-like characters and some gods who aren't as all that as they think. Not sure if I'll keep on with the series.

Sheila Goicea

This full review can be viewed on my blog at: shesgoingbookcrazy.com

  
    “Power doesn't equal worth. Wisdom is a far greater virtue.”
  

With a text this meaty, it is intimidating to even contemplate where I should shine my thoughts. 

The Legends of the First Empire take place 3,000 years prior to The Riyria Revelations. One does not need to read The Riyrira Revelations before picking up this series. I, for one, have yet to read them, and didn't know what to expect going into this new series for the author. 

There were times when I thought, "Is this a Monty Python epic fantasy pilot? Seriously, though. The interactions, especially in the beginning were so...bizarrely funny! I've experienced a few laughs in epic fantasy novels, but not as much as in  Age of Myth.

However entertaining it was, not much actually happens in this book. There is so much dialogue, (necessary, but definitely excessive,) that fill the massive gaps between any semblance of action. The ending ramps up tremendously compared with the rest of the plot.

The plot is broken down between a few main characters' point of views. From the beginning, it follows the stories of Raithe, Persephone, and Suri, until the plot slowly intertwines their journeys. Each of these characters come from very different backgrounds, and have key roles to play in the .

Raithe, a young man who is traveling with his father, defy the law to trespass into lands off limit to men. There, they meet one of the Fhrey, the god-like beings men have worshiped, who threaten the pair. From their tussle, the Rhunes (humans) discover that the gods aren't as immortal as everyone thought. 

Suri, a young and eccentric mystic, interprets a foreboding message that tells of the doom for the entire world. Instructed by her mentor, she seeks out the Chieftain of clan Rhen to warn them of the vision. 

Persephone the wife of her town's Chieftain's, receives the message that Suri delivers. Her husband, absent at the time of Suri's arrival, is out hunting a bear that has been haunting the town. Persephone, eager to do something about Suri's vision, sets out with Suri and her befriended wolf, Minna, on an adventure that will turn their reality upside down.

As in all epic fantasies, the plot becomes thick in the end, revealing that our characters are more involved in each other's lives than they realize. Persephone was by far my favorite character. Unafraid to set up to the figurative plate, to take charge and not be afraid of action, she takes her people's lives into her own hands.

I'm curious to see where this story will lead in the next installment,  Age of Swords, as the story of these characters develops even further.

Vulargity: Some.
Sexual content: Nothing graphic, but there is some discussion upon the topic.
Violence: Quite a bit, including a bear attack.  

3.5 stars.

Sunyi Dean

Competent and enjoyable - written in that modern language which is all the rage (tbf, it's better than pseudo tolkien speech and perhaps easier than inventing your own syntactic variations). 

A little lacking in depth and heavy handed on the moral issues (by which I mean laboured, rather than the issues themselves being unworthy' they were perfectly valid as concepts).

Jenna Kathleen

I've been having a really hard time deciding what to write in this review. I absolutely loved the book, but every time I think about it, I can't help but compare it to Riyria.

It's natural, I think, to compare the two. First, of course, both series are by the same author, but being in the same world makes it hard to set aside Riyria when talking about Legends. Because they are in the same world, the early history of Elan that is told in this series is referenced, often incorrectly, in Riyria. There are just so many wonderful Easter eggs for readers of both series that while it's not necessary to read Riyria before this series, I would highly recommend it. You understand all of the references from this series, not to mention that Riyria already has a published conclusion. It's also just a fantastic series.

I must admit that while I liked Raithe, he wasn't on the same level as Hadrian or Royce. He still has plenty of time to develop as a character, but Hadrian and Royce are a special duo who are really hard to top. 

The characters I loved even more than some characters in Riyria were Persephone and Suri. Sullivan has a gift for writing female characters than some authors really haven't been able to do. He understands that his female characters are simply people. Rather than making them flat, one-dimensional supporting characters or all-powerful, can-do-no-wrong protagonists who are completely unrealistic, he brings his female characters to life and he isn't afraid to explore their thoughts and feelings or give them pivotal roles. 

I read this as an audiobook (my first one!) and the narration was also fantastic. It gave me a great first impression of listening to books and Tim Gerard Reynolds truly brought Age of Myth to life.

Nickie Mohler

Humans always thought that the Fhrey were immortal. They are gods after all. When one of the Fhrey is killed by a mortal man, it changes everything. A war between the gods and humans is imminent. Even though they aren't immortal, the Fhrey still possess magic. Do the humans stand a chance? This was a really good book. I had not read any books by this author before, and was pleasantly surprised. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

Age of Myth Book One of the Legends of the First Empire

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