The Disappearance of Winter's Daughter

By: Michael J. Sullivan

Narrated by: Michael J. Sullivan, Tim Gerard Reynolds

Length: 13 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's Summary

"The pairing of Reynolds's narration with Sullivan's multilayered storytelling is outstanding." — AudioFile Magazine

A daughter vanishes. Two rogues are paid a fortune to find her. It isn't enough.

When Gabriel Winter's daughter mysteriously disappears and is presumed dead, the wealthy whiskey baron seeks revenge. Having lived in Colnora during the infamous Year of Fear, he hires the one man he knows can deliver a bloody retribution — the notorious Duster.

Ride with Royce and Hadrian as the cynical ex-assassin and idealistic ex-mercenary travel to a mysterious old-world city filled with nobles claiming descent from imperial aristocracy. Riyria's job appears easy: discover what happened to the missing duchess and, if she lives, bring her home...if not, punish those responsible. But nothing is simple in the crowded, narrow, mist-filled streets of Rochelle, where more than one ancient legend lurks.

©2017 Michael J. Sullivan (P)2017 Audible, Inc.

Critic Reviews

"Fans will rejoice in Tim Gerard Reynolds's return to narrate the latest adult fantasy featuring professional thieves Hadrian and Royce. The pairing of Reynolds's narration with Sullivan's multilayered storytelling is outstanding. Reynolds's sense of the heroes' personalities makes the bantering dialogue a joy to hear and enhances the tale's humor and emotional depths." (AudioFile)

By Mar! A brilliant addition to my favorite Chronicle

I had feared that with the release of the Origin series (Legends of the First Empire), Mr. Sullivan would no longer reach back/forward to share more of the adventures of the most colorful, humorous and intriguing duo since Holmes & Watson. I can appreciate how Hadrian and Royce have bounced around in MJS’s head for so long, and am thankful for it. Please keep the Chronicles coming, for Maribor’s sake.

Each time I am treated to a new story, I find I must go back and re-listen to the series; sometimes in order of release, others in chronological order. I will do the same this time, adding the Legends into the queue. The epics are so well thought out and true, likely owing to the fact that all 6 Revelations were written before the first was published, that each re-listening only brings more and more detail forward. There are no loose ends; there are no “chance” encounters. Each story reveals something from the one before. The opening scene of Royce & Hadrian in Disappearance of Winter’s Daughter reminded me of how I felt at the beginning of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. After so many years to be instantly transported back to Tatooine.
That same sense of nostalgia, happy to be with these beloved characters again. Here in Winter’s Daughter, we see Royce struggle with his own cynical world view, his worth and lovability, and reconciling it as a necessary yang which allows Hadrian’s Pollyanna yin to exist. It’s such a lovely part of the story, surrounded by action, danger, missteps and unforgettable Riyria banter. (Seriously, only Royce Melborne could talk about eating unicorns with a straight face). And it goes without saying that Tim Gerard Reynolds is to Riyria what Luke Daniels is to the Iron Druid, or Jim Dale to Harry Potter; he has brought a distinct voice to these characters which is now inseparable from Riyria itself. There can be no other.

If you are just joining Riyria, I believe the best experience is to read in the order by which they were released, that is, first with the Revelations, then the Chronicles. I believe knowing the fate of the story only lends more depth to its beginnings. And be prepared to find a new favorite series.

If you are an old fan of Colnora, Riyria and the world of Avron, dive right in. The story is a delight, the setting is filled with new interesting characters, and the boys? As always, bickering, debating, finding new ways to horrify the other, and still coming to grips with the reality that, for better or worse, they are in it together to the end.

23 of 23 people found this review helpful

This is Entertainment! Dilly Dilly!

The author dedicated this book to the Ryira, Royce and Adriene. He explains himself in the preface. For me, every novel the Ryira, elvin word meaning the two, are in is like welcoming two old friends. Listening to this latest novel is better than any movie sequel from any franchise. Make no mistake, Michael J Sullivan has created one of the best series in any genre.

Tim Gerard Reynolds delivers the perfect narration, capturing the wit, wisdom and irony that fill every page. This is one remarkable story. Reynolds does it justice.

Though it’s genre is fantasy, lovers of mystery, thrillers, drama and romance will all be satisfied. It is one of those rare novels where every page builds on the other.

I am forced to write this review on my iPhone, so forgive its brevity and any misspellings. What I want to leave you with is that whether this is your first novel of the Ryira or not, it is a story for the ages.

31 of 33 people found this review helpful

Another brilliant story by Michael J Sullivan

This was yet another perfect pairing of brilliant storytelling and masterful performance. I can't think of a better pairing of writer and performer than Sullivan and Reynold.
The world that Michael J Sullivan has created in the Riyria stories is so alive and vibrant. The characters are so well developed and really have a life of their own. Sullivan has written the story but he has done such an amazing job of it that I believe Royce and Hadrian are living and breathing somewhere.
I highly recommend buying this book and all the other books in this series. I love that each book can be read independently of the others, other than the original trilogy. Each story is fully developed and complete. This is another perfect fantasy adventure appropriate for all audiences, parental discretion always advised.

9 of 9 people found this review helpful

A wonderful adventure!

I get so excited when I see a new book from Sullivan and this lived up to all my expectations. Reynolds truly transforms the story with how he reads it, it made me look forward to my daily commute.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Not the best Riyria story

I have absolutely loved the previous riyria stories and have re-"read" them all multiple times. And while I enjoy hearing more of Royce and Hadrian tails, this story fell flat for me. Although it explains some of their history the plot never really went anywhere and was rather predictable. Also, I am not sure what happened while recording was going but one moment Tim Gerard Reynolds would sound like he was right there, or more like that you were right there, and then it would sound like he was really far away. Anyways, to summarize, this was not the best performance or story from the world of Riyria.

20 of 23 people found this review helpful

Edits/corrections were distracting

Really enjoyed the story and I love the narrator, however... corrections made to the original narration sounded “off” and each time one occurred I felt like it pulled me out of the story.

Would’ve loved a more seamless melding of original and corrective recordings.

They were infrequent, but still a detracting presence for me.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

An Excellent addition to the Riyria Chronicles

Michael J Sullivan is the finest of story tellers.
He knows his main characters to a fault, describing their best & worst attributes.
He also has a talent for developing interesting secondary characters.
The Disappearance of Winters Daughters was the best novel I've read this year. No pun intended. The only problem is waiting 12 months for the next novel in the series.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

I can't get enough of this series.

The narrator is so perfect for these books. Filled with humor and spirit... Love these books.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Start with Theft of Swords - then get all the books.

Always masterful in his story weaving, this tale is no less a treat than the others with the perfectly complimentary and yet opposing characters of Royce and Hadrian - probably my all time favorite in this book genre. I will say the narrator (also one of my favorites) seemed a bit off - the audio was patchy and on occasion I wasn't sure which of the characters was talking - a rarity with this exceptional narrator.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Polka dots!!

I rarely write reviews, however, this mans brilliance in story telling and humor deserves such.

The characters interaction is perfection on a level I cannot describe in my merger words. The hints into character development are unparalleled. And the humor is extraordinary!! “Do you hear something boy?” Is all I can say.

Mr. Sullivan you sir are an exceptional writer.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

buy it.

Okay so I'm supposed to listen to my audio books as I'm driving to and from work, to pass time stuck in traffic, but I find myself sitting in my car at my offices car park, stealing 5 minutes extra and the same again when I get home! incredible characters, wonderfully engaging. Get it now !

*******************************and i have listen to all The Riyria Chronicles books and i love them all.******************

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

More cinematic than the others

This was the first Royce and Hadrian instalment which fell a bit into the ‘movie’ type of book: predictable dialogues, big action scenes, etc. It was still very enjoyable, however, and I’m still a big fan of the series. Will read the next one eagerly.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Series getting worse with every book

What disappointed you about The Disappearance of Winter's Daughter?

I really enjoyed the Revelations, but with every book, the Cronicles are getting worse. The main storyline is uninventive and predictable, the interplay between the characters reaches boaring levels of repetition. To much focus on the characters, not enough on the main story.

What will your next listen be?

Something completely different, Stuart McBride, maybe

What three words best describe Michael J. Sullivan and Tim Gerard Reynolds ’s performance?

Getting worse

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Disappearance of Winter's Daughter?

The end is like a candle blowing out...

Any additional comments?

Please stop!!

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

Each a Tale of Bloody Carnage and Daring-do

Every tale tells a story and each story is just another page in the Books that are the Library's of the lives of Royce Melbourne and Hadrian Blackwater.

1 of 2 people found this review helpful

Good, but overlong

I'm a big fan of the Riyria series and I truly love the characters. And the story is actually a good one, but...
It would be perfect as a short story or a short novel, but dragged on into a complete book it is definitely overlong. When you long for some action the author goes into philosophical speculations, repeating what was already described in detail many times before.
Since this story is set chronologically somewhere in the middle of the series, a few years after Hadrian and Royce first met, it means the readers are supposed to know who and what the characters are and why the act the way they do. A lot (too many to my taste) of flashbacks from the past (which we already know well about from the other books) do not contribute to characters development but rather break the pace of the story and constantly set us back. Some of these moments as well as philosophical speculations towards the second part of the book really made me want to rewind forward.
Overall, in my opinion, it would be more fair to make it a short story instead of stretching it out artificially into a full-sized book.
Spoiler alert (not really, but just in case)! The characters (even Hadrian) seem to be completely untouched by horrific events. Any normal person would be terrified/outrageous at seeing what's going on. Ok, Royce is what he is, he may remain aloof and untouched, but Hadrian, the good one, continues to calmly eat, talk a lot and joke, almost indifferent to the current events, more disturbed and aggrieved by his flashbacking past than by what's actually going on. Actually, the terrifying events/murders are presented as something ordinary that doesn't deserve any special attention or interference - the main characters just mind their own business.
No matter what, the book is still good and enjoyable. The humor was also good at times.
Tim Gerard Reynolds is great as always.

1 of 2 people found this review helpful

another excellent Ryira tale

another great book from Michael J Sullivan the man just never let's you down

loved it

1 of 2 people found this review helpful

Great characters<br />

I like the interplay between the lead characters. Having read others in this series, it matches the quality of others, enjoy.

1 of 2 people found this review helpful

Great book.

Really does not disappoint, great back and forth with the characters and a gripping story.

1 of 2 people found this review helpful

I love it!

Seriously, I love it. Hadrian and Royce are probably two of my favourite protagonists. Need more ASAP!!

1 of 2 people found this review helpful