Theft of Swords

Riyria Revelations, Volume 1

By: Michael J. Sullivan

Narrated by: Tim Gerard Reynolds

Length: 22 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Nominee, Fantasy, 2013

Acclaimed author Michael J. Sullivan created instant best sellers with his spellbinding Riyria Revelations series. This first volume introduces Royce Melborn and Hadrian Blackwater, two enterprising thieves who end up running for their lives when they’re framed for the death of the king. Trapped in a conspiracy bigger than they can imagine, their only hope is unraveling an ancient mystery - before it’s too late.

Theft of Swords contains The Crown Conspiracy and Avempartha, books 1 and 2 of Riyria Revelations.

©2011 Michael J. Sullivan (P)2012 Recorded Books, LLC

Solid foundation for an epic tale.

Riyria Revelations has all of the elements for a classic epic fantasy. A thief and a warrior with far more talents and abilities than any others in their profession, both with a legacy that is yet to be fully revealed are deeply entwined with the politics of Empire Building, dogmatic clerics, an the rebirth of magic. Men Elves and Dwarves and reside in this world with other races. The church of mankind seeks to reestablish the human empire under their control. Many human kings are in opposition of this and the other races of this world might make their feelings known. This is a fast-paced story with good characters and I look forward to reading the other volumes.

Not as good as the Dresden Files, but still good!

I'm a huge fan of sci-fi/fantasy books, none moreso than the Dresden Files (if you haven't read them and enjoyed this book, they're a must). And while this series hasn't been THAT good, it has been well worth the purchase! I am looking forward to the author releasing the rest of the Age of Myth prequel series on Audible!

Action/Adventure Tale that Grows into Epic Fantasy

The Riyria Revelations series begins as enjoyable if not light adventure fantasy, but grows into much more. The story initially centers on a pair of elite thieves for hire who are renowned for doing the impossible. Following one ill advised job their lives become much more complicated as they're swept into the middle of an ancient struggle for the fate of humanity. As the story progresses you are introduced to more characters and a complex intriguing world emerges.

Michael J. Sullivan has a real talent for feeding you a lot of detail mixed in with action so you don't feel burdened by the number of names or individual histories. While the characters and world are well developed at no point did I have to study the story to make sure I didn't miss anything(ie GRRM). There are no long winded descriptions or data dumps but at the end you realize how much you've learned about the history of the world.

The author strikes a nice balance between moral ambiguity and an overall sense of right and wrong. While no one would claim that a pair of professional thieves are model citizens it's clear that they are good people when it really counts. In fact it's somewhat refreshing to read a fantasy series that doesn't center on backstabbing politics. There are evil characters and betrayals of course, but this isn't one of those stories where you feel conflicted rooting for the main characters. You really feel as though you get to know the cast of characters and grow to love many of them.

If I have to admit some criticisms it would be based on a few of the romantic elements. While he does a great job with some of the character's relationships(ie Royce/Gwen), some of the series' early love interests seemed a little forced. I found this improved as the the story goes on so don't worry.

These books are so much fun they feel much shorter than they really are. Be careful, the hours fly by as you listen. Do yourself a favor and give it a listen. I think any fan of fantasy will really fall into these books.

What A Wonderful Adventure.

Any additional comments?

A Delightful listen. Some of the best character development I've seen in years. You quickly come to love Royce and Hadrian and the bad guys are easy to despise. While those caught in circumstances were ... well ... interesting people and played their parts in character.
Tim Gerard Reynolds does a fabulous job of catching the character nuances, with just enough voice inflection and variation to help differentiate between the characters without distracting from the story.
I liked that you could sometimes surmise what lay beyond the next corner. Sometimes - and then only just before turning the corner. Even when one does anticipate what is going to happen, Sullivan still makes it fun, exciting, thought provoking.
I like books that make me smile or that make me say, "Oooh". Royce and Hadrian kept me doing the former while the yarn itself increased the latter.Case in point: Royce's wit is defined very early in the book with this response to Alenda, "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I say your father? I meant the other marquis, the one with the appreciative daughter." And Tim Reynolds makes it sting. "Ouch!" I found myself talking back to this audiobook quite often.
All in all, a wonderful adventure. Absolutely Wonderful!!

one of my most enjoyable reads

What did you love best about Theft of Swords?

It's sense of humor while telling a very interesting story. Not filled with all the sex and profanity, so many of today's books have.

What other book might you compare Theft of Swords to and why?

None of the other books I've listened to recently.

What about Tim Gerard Reynolds’s performance did you like?

His voices seemed to fit the people.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Takes you back to the days of movies like Errol Flynn;'s Robin Hood.

A fun if not original listen.

As I read Theft Of Swords, I got into the book pretty quickly, and the story continued to move along at a good pace. I began to realize though, that there was nothing really new or original going on. The fantasy world is nothing special, featuring kings and queens, princes and princesses, and your usual array of nobles and church leaders. There is a wizard who hints of magic not much used in the story. And of course, your main characters must be bad guys with soft hearts, or a child born of poverty who grows to become hero of the world. In the case of Theft Of Swords, the heroes are the former, thieves who are famous for their ability to steal anything, and are also dangerous enough to scare anyone who might want to stop them.

With this said, I still found myself enjoying the book despite it’s short comings. Though there weren’t any wow moments in the book, it didn’t take long to become comfortable with the main characters Royce and Hadrian. It’s like going on vacation to a new place, and when you get there you realize the attractions aren’t much different than where you usually vacation. But you decide since you are there, you are going to enjoy attractions anyway. This book is much like that, a familiar setting, easy to like heroes, and a fun if not original listen.

The narrator is kind of like the book itself, he’s good, but not great. It took me a bit to get used to his reading, but once I did, all was good.

Overall, I’d say this book is worth a listen, especially with the added value of getting two books for the price of one. I wish Audible would bundle more series like this. Maybe even three books for two credits for trilogies and such. I liked the second book better then the first, as the story seemed to improve as it went along. This is a good easy listen for those who are waiting for the release of the next installment of another series. I’m sure I will listen to the next book in the series to see if it continues to improve.

Awesome book!

Good book. It has everything you want in a story, it has stuff, it has things, and it has thinga ma jiggys. What more can a man ask for?

good ole swashbuckling fun!

if your looking for a innovative plot, this is not the book for you. However, despite the evil church doing, unlikely heroes saving the day. and a dwarf - this is quite good. Full of elven references and stellar character development.

Delightful swashbuckling cleverly voiced

What did you love best about Theft of Swords?

This is a wonderful tale of swashbuckling heroes in the style of the Three Musketeers. Our amiable rogues have the standard sorts of adventures with narrow escapes from death, encounters with ancient sorcery, encounters with beautiful women, and the every present trope of a prophecy nearing fulfillment. Yet, even though you know how it's all going to end, it's great fun!

What did you like best about this story?

The light hearted humor and fast paced adventure.

What does Tim Gerard Reynolds bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Reynolds is a splendid reader! His character voices are spot on, and his expressions had me laughing so hard that I had to pull of the road while driving.

Exactly what heroic fantasy should be

When I'm in the mood for heroic fantasy, I want the story to be about strong, good characters who overcome adversity with power, wit, and style. I escape into their world because I am feeling so powerless in mine. I want my protagonist(s) to win, and win big, no matter what the odds, and I want them to do it with integrity. I want to live vicariously through them precisely because that is not how the real world always works. I don't need or want complexity, nuance, or a lot of internal conflict. Riyria Revelations absolutely delivers on all fronts.

Royce and Hadrian are near perfect heroes of the genre. Royce is the shrewd and untouchable shadow, while Hadrian is the unstoppable and irrepressibly optimistic juggernaut. Their banter is highly entertaining, and while their exploits are over the top ridiculous and fun, you never really doubt that these guys are going to make it. You can't help but root for these abashed heroes, whether the action is thick or they're just trading jibes over dinner.

The stories are absolute yarns, really just excuses for Royce and Hadrian to do outrageous things. And that's perfect since the focus is on the characters. The world building is effective, but not as deeply fleshed out as some of the giants of the genre, particularly given the length of the books. Side character development can seem a bit superficial, but again, you don't mind because these side roles are just props to help move the story of our heroes along. If the author wasn't so good at writing dialogue, and the narrator less of a master of performance, then I think the story's pace might feel a little uneven, but again, you don't notice because the characters' portrayal is so strong, and that's exactly what you were looking for when picking up a book like this.

Overall, I was very pleasantly surprised at how much I liked the first volume. This kind of read is a guilty pleasure, but it's well worth it, particularly if your goal is to find a comfortable, fun place to escape, and to do it with the kind of companions you'd be glad to hang around.