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

Another great unknown

I found this series through a good reads book club. As the price was small I thought I would give it a shot. I'm so glad I did. I Read the entire series non stop an found a new favorite. About six months later I joined audible and again the first book price was super low an a it was a great read I thought I'd give it listen. I loved it again. It Is a great story with fantasy, politics, war, and hero's and villains. For me it was a fast paced fun read that got better with each book. I've discovered several low priced fantastic books but this was one of the best.

I absolutely love this book

What did you love best about Theft of Swords?

I loved everything about this book. I spent way too many nights listening to this book for hours by clicking the 30 minutes sleep timer over and over again.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Adrian and Royce are both my favorite characters. I think it would be difficult to have a story without them together.

Pleasantly surprised.

Decent narration, decent writing, decent story, lovable characters.

Having recently struggled with other books with incompatible writing styles, poor narration, or weak stories, I was pleasantly surprised to listen to Theft of Swords. I found Sullivan's writing style easy and approachable and the narrator decently portrayed characters. However, the greatest gift was the characters. I couldn't help but attach to characters, root for my favorites and boo the bad-guys. The story was intriguing and less cliche than other fantasy and the untold back-story seems rich and believable (as believable as fantasy goes).

However, there is one small disappointment with the book/story. I'm a little worn-out with the Tolkien-esque concept of dwarves and elves. Elves and dwarves don't get along. Ok, that's a bit worn-out by now. Also, dwarves are "diggers" and "crafters" while elves are "elegant" and "sophisticated." I get it, I understand what Sullivan et al are trying to do, but I'd like this trope to be shaken up a bit.

But, I got past this annoyance, and easily. There's something to be said for sticking to a comfortable norm. So, I enjoyed the story, characters, writing style and narration. I'll definitely pick up another Sullivan book on Audible.

Why do I need to sleep?

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely! From the first 15 minutes I was hooked. The only reason I didn't finish this book in one day was the need for sleep.

Any additional comments?

The dialog between characters is fantastic. I really care what happens to the people in this book and can't wait to listen to the rest of the series.

What "A Game of Thrones" Should Have Been.

Michael J. Sullivan just went to the top of my list. Sanderson, Weeks move over there's a new player in town...

Here are some reviews that I strongly agree with:


"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." --- Speculative Fiction Junkie

"A whirlwind of twists, earth-shattering surprises and deadly betrayal." --- Literary Magic

"Hair-raising escapes, flashy sword fights, and faithful friendship complete the formula for good old-fashioned escapist fun." – Publishers Weekly

"This epic fantasy showcases the arrival of a master storyteller." -- Library Journal

An epic adventure fantasy of tolkienesque quality with unforgettable characters. I felt a loss anytime someone was killed off in the story and I missed them, I haven't felt that way reading a story in a long time. Lord of the Rings perhaps?

Royce and Hadrian are probably my two favorite fantasy characters of all time and the other characters are more interesting then I could have ever imagined. I can't recommend this trilogy enough

Great series

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I have already recommended it.

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

I would rather compare it to the television series Rome from HBO. It's a buddy story. Royce and Hadrian are brothers in arms who have each other's back. They're black hat heroes looking for a payday but end up changing the course of history.

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

The narrator did an excellent job. Different voices for every character, and he was consistent throughout the series.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I had many emotional reactions to this series. I laughed, I cried, I got angry, I felt vengeful. One scene that choked me up was when Hadrian is talking to Thrace's father as he "sharpens his weapon". All the hopes and dreams he had for his son and grandson. I felt his hopelessness and pent up rage. I was alone in the car listening and I just lost it. I put on my sunglasses and let the tears flow.

Any additional comments?

Books 1 and 3 were the best. 2 wasn't bad, but it was the weakest of the series. I'm going to miss Royce and Hadrian. The author and the narrator brought those characters to life for me.

New convert. Hooked from the beginning.

Where does Theft of Swords rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

one of the top--Right up there with Ilona Andrews Kate Daniels series for grab you conversation and storyline and perfect fit of voice reader.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Royce of course. His witty reparte. And he has skills- none are social of course, but then I tamed wild kittens as a child too.

Which character – as performed by Tim Gerard Reynolds – was your favorite?

Royce is wonderfully read as tongue in cheek smarmy and scathing, in turns. But he does Hadrian dead-on in a wonderfully cheery, friendly optimistic voice that is the perfect offset for Royce's dark sarcastic pessimistic viewpoint.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me immediately purchase the rest of the series and the next one and I read them straight through in five days! I HAD to know what happened!!

Any additional comments?

This series was recommended by amazon a long time ago, but I wasn't in the "mood" to start something new then. Now I am kicking myself. This story took over my life for a time and stories rarely do that. They make you want to declare them to everyone you know-- and a few you don't.

A Refreshing Surprise

I think I picked this one up when it was on a sale, not sure I'd like it. I'm now half way through the second in the series. It is well written and balances character/plot/action all pretty well.

loved it

I really loved reading the Riyria series. When I discovered the audio books for it I was unsure of how well the narrator could grab my attention. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the narrator did a great job giving each character their own voice.

Characters you will become attached to.

I held off on writing any reviews until I listened to the entire trilogy, so many of my comments are a collection of observations of all three books (without spoilers!).

While Michael J. Sullivan's Riyria Revelations doesn't contain as grand of a world as Tolkien, the intrigue of Martin or the magic of Jordan, he does create characters that you grow to love and root for. Many of the characters are flawed in some fashion, but you are given glimpses into their past providing you with an understanding of their behavior and each grows throughout the trilogy. The story is fast paced, creative, and often magical. I have only one complaint regarding something explained towards the end, but I am unable to explain further without providing a spoiler. I highly recommend this series and may have even developed a crush on Hadrian Blackwater.

The prequels - Riyria Chronicles - are also worth a listen!