Rise of Empire, Vol. 2 (Riyria Revelations) [Paperback]

Michael J. Sullivan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 14, 2011 | Series: Riyria Revelations (Book 2)

A puppet is crowned. The true heir remains hidden. A rogue's secret could could change everything.

War has come to Melengar and once more Royce and Hadrian are hired to make a desperate gamble and form an alliance with the Nationalists who are fighting the Imperialists in the south. But Royce has plans of his own and uses this opportunity to discover if an ancient wizard is using Riyria as pawns in his own bid for power. To find the truth, he must unravel the secret of Hadrian's past--what he discovers may end their friendship and break Riyria in two.

And so continues the second volume of treachery and adventure, sword fighting and magic, myth and legend.

When author Michael J. Sullivan self-published the first books of his Riyria Revelations, they rapidly became ebook bestsellers. Now, Orbit is pleased to present the complete series for the first time in bookstores everywhere.

BOOKS IN THE RIYRIA REVELATIONS

• Theft of Swords (contains: The Crown Conspiracy & Avempartha)
• Rise of Empire   (contains: Nyphron Rising & The Emerald Storm)
• Heir of Novron   (contains: Wintertide & Percepliquis)

BOOKS IN THE RIYRIA CHRONICLES

• The Crown Tower (coming Aug 2013)
• The Rose and the Thorn (coming Sep 2013)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Every time I finish a book in this series it makes me want the next one instantly...Michael Sullivan shows that he isn't just a one book wonder, or that his other novels were random hits. His Riyria Revelations series is taking shape very nicely, and it'll be amazing to watch where he takes the other novels after this because with each novel there is a new surprise or approach to his writing." -- Fantasy Book Critic

"A delightful, entertaining and page-turning read that reminds us just how enjoyable, and how good - the Riyria Revelations series is. A must-buy for all fantasy lovers." -- The Founding Fields

"Readers of fast paced adventure stories will enjoy the Riyria Revelations and readers of high fantasy will enjoy the direction the series overall takes.  These books however have been some of my favorites from this year and I'd recommend them to any genre fan, sans specifics." -- Reading Realms

"As much as I enjoyed "Theft of Swords," "Rise of Empire" is even better, bringing new dimensions to the story." -- The Royal Library

"Four novels/two omnibii into The Riyria Revelations and I'm gaining an understanding of why Mr. Sullivan acquired such a devoted fanbase over the past few years when these were small press books - he crafts a story that appeals to many of the hallmarks that make Epic Fantasy popular." -  sffworld

From the Author

In many ways, the The Riyria Revelations is the story of two rogues who become unlikely heroes as they find themselves in the midst of the political shifts in the world in which they live.  For myself, who knows the arc of the entire series, I've always considered the series to have four main protagonists: two men and two women.  

The women in Riyria take a little longer to get to center stage, but the reader is rewarded with living through the events that shape them into what they will become...strong characters who stand toe-to-toe with their male counterparts. Much of their transformation comes in Rise of Empire and it was very rewarding to see the butterflies that emerge from the cocoons of this book in the final installment, Heir of Novron. 

That's not to say that Royce and Hadrian don't have their own trials and tribulations.  The middle books are an interesting time in the friendship of Riyria.  Hadrian's growing frustration with his profession has left him melancholy and desirous of a new vocation.  As independent as Royce likes to portray himself, losing Hadrian will be his only tether to a civilized life, and he is haunted by his old rival Merrick Marius and ties to a past he would like to forget. 

Middle books are tricky things...the wonder of the world (as shown in the first books) has worn off, and the exciting conclusion is far in the distance.  How then, to make a middle book gripping and entertaining?  For me, it was using the middle books to expand beyond Royce and Hadrian and give the readers a peek into the broader implications of the events and how the world of Elan is evolving.  Also, I held back key details about our duos past, exposing their histories a bit at a time, so much of this book explores the roots of both of these fascinating men.

I do hope you will enjoy this next installment in the series.  As I mentioned in my Author's note from the first book, my intention was to escalate the tension, and deepen the mysteries with each book so by the end of this story you should be deeply invested in where the books are going.  I promise you a conclusion that will tie all the threads together and answer all the questions that Rise of Empire starts to expose.  Buckle up...it's going to be a wild ride!

Michael.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 816 pages
• Publisher: Orbit; 1 edition (December 14, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316187704
• ISBN-13: 978-0316187701
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1.5 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (138 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #17,312 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

After finding a manual typewriter in the basement of a friend's house, Michael inserted a blank piece of paper and typed: It was a dark and stormy night and a shot rang out. He was just eight years old at the time. But the desire to fill the blank page and see what doors the typewriter keys would unlock wouldn't let him go. For ten years Michael developed his craft by studying authors such as Stephen King, Ernest Hemingway, and John Steinbeck...just to name a few. During that time he wrote twelve novels, and after finding no traction in publishing, he quit and vowed never to write creatively again.

Michael discovered that never is a very long time, and he ended his hiatus from writing after a decade. The itch returned when he decided to create a series of books for his then thirteen-year-old daughter, who was struggling in school due to dyslexia.

Michael is one of the few authors who have successfully published through all three routes: small press, self, and big six. He has been named to io9's Most Successful Self-Published Sci-Fi and Fantasy Authors list as well as making #6 on EMG's 25 Self Published Authors to Watch. As of January 2013, he has sold more than 250,000 books, been translated to 14 languages, and has had books appear on more than 65 "best of" or "most anticipated" lists including:

* 2013 Audie Award Finalist for Theft of Swords
* Fantasy Book Review's top 6 (non-hyped) Anticipated Reads of 2013
* Fantasy Faction's Top 10 Anticipated Reads of 2013
* goodreads Choice Award Nominees for Fantasy in 2010 and 2012
* Audible's 2012 5-star The Best of Everything List
* Library Journal's 2011 Best Books for Fantasy/Sci-Fi
* Barnes & Noble Blog's Best Fantasy Releases of 2011
* Fantasy Book Critic's #1 Indie Fantasy for 2010

Today, Michael continues to fill blank pages and has several projects under development: Antithesis (modern fantasy) and The First Empire Series (traditional fantasy).

THE RIYRIA REVELATIONS (Omnibus Editions)
* Theft of Swords: contains The Crown Tower & Avempartha
* Rise of Empire: contains Nyphron Rising & The Emerald Storm
* Heir of Novron: contains Wintertide & Percepliquis

THE RIYRIA CHRONICLES
* The Crown Tower: coming Aug 6, 2013
* The Rose and the Thorn: coming Sep 17, 2013

STANDALONE NOVELS
* Hollow World: coming Jan 20, 2014
* Antithesis: release date to be determined
* Burden to the Earth: release date to b determined

ORIGINAL BOOKS OF THE RIYRIA REVELATIONS (out of print)
* The Crown Conspiracy
* Avempartha
* Nyphron Rising
* The Emerald Storm
* Wintertide
* Percepliquis

SHORT STORIES
* The Viscount and the Witch (Riyria Chronicles #1.5)
* Greener Grass (time-travel science fiction)

ANTHOLOGIES
* Triumph Over Tragedy (Traditions)
* The End - Visions of Apocalypse (Burning Alexandria)
* The Fantasy Faction Anthology (Autumn Mists) Mar 2013
* Unfettered (The Jester) May 2013

AWARDS & ACCOLADES
The Crown Tower (coming Aug 2013)
* 2013 Fantasy Book Review's Six (non-hyped) Most Anticipated Books
* 2013 Fantasy Faction's Top 10 Most Anticipated Books
* 2013 Ranting Dragon's 50 Fantasy and Sci-Fi Novels to Look Forward
* 2013 BestFantasyBooks.com's Most Anticipated Fantasy Reads
* 2013 Angels of Retribution's Most Anticipated Releases
* 2013 A Fantasy Reader's Eager Meter Nominee
* 2013 Draumr Kopa Fantasy Book Blog Waiting on Wednesday

The Riyria Revelations
* 2013 Rule The Waves Top 10 Tuesdays
* 2012 Confessions of an Avid Reader Top 12 (#2)
* 2009 Dark Wolf Fantasy Reviews Top 10 Books

Heir of Novon / Wintertide & Percepliquis
* 2012 SFWorld's Top 10 Favorite Books (Percepliquis)
* 2012 goodreads Choice Award Nominee (Percepliquis)
* 2012 Audible's August Customer Favorites (Heir of Novron)
* 2012 Bookworm Blues Top 10 (#4) (Percepliquis)
* 2012 Founding Field's Best Books (Percepliquis)
* 2012 Angels of Retribution's Best of the Best Part 1 (Heir of Novron)
* 2012 Patrick's Book Awards (#10) (Heir of Novron)
* 2012 Bane of King's Best Novels of First Half of 2012 (Percepliquis)
* 2012 GoddessCarlie Top 5: #2 (Heir of Novron)
* 2012 MathiasCavanaugh Top 10 Books (#4) (Heir of Novron)
* 2012 Angels of Retribution's Reading Award for February ( Percepliquis)
* 2012 Fantasy Book Critic's Top 5 Anticipated Releases for Q1 (Heir of Novron)
* 2012 Civilian Reader's 6 Most Anticipated Reads for January (Heir of Novron)
* 2012 Staffer's Review's Books I Most Want to Read in Early 2012 (Heir of Novron)
* 2010 Fantasy Book Critic #1 Indie Fantasy (Wintertide)
* 2010 Fantasy Book Critic Top 25 Novels (Wintertide)
* 2010 Fantasy Book Critic: Cindy's Anticipated Reads List (Wintertide)
* 2010 Fantasy Book Critic Top Independent Novels (Wintertide)
* 2010 Fantasy Book Critic Top 5 Novels of Second Half of 2010 (Wintertide)

Rise of Empire / Nyphron Rising & The Emerald Storm
* 2012 Mathias Cavanaugh Top 10 Books (#3) (Rise of Empire)
* 2012 Timothy C. Ward Top 10 Reads (#8) (Rise of Empire)
* 2012 Patrick's Book Awards (#9) (Rise of Empire)
* 2011 Civilian Reader's 6 Most Anticipated Reads for Dec (Rise of Empire)
* 2010 goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Fantasy (The Emerald Storm)
* 2010 Fantasy Book Critic #1 Indie Fantasy (The Emerald Storm)
* 2010 Fantasy Book Critic Top 25 Novels for (The Emerald Storm)
* 2010 Fantasy Book Critic: Cindy's Anticipated Reads List (The Emerald Storm)
* 2010 Fantasy Book Critic Top Independent Novels (The Emerald Storm)
* 2010 Fantasy Book Critic Top 12 Novels as of First Quarter (The Emerald Storm)
* 2010 Foreword Magazine Book of the Year Finalist (Nyphron Rising)

Theft of Swords / The Crown Conspiracy Avempartha
* 2013 Audie Award Finalist (Theft of Swords)
* 2012 Audible's 5-star The Best of Everything (Theft of Swords)
* 2012 Audible's Best of 2012 Editor's Picks (Theft of Swords)
* 2012 Audible's 5-star Sci-fi & Fantasy (Theft of Swords)
* 2012 WordTipping Top 3 Favorite Reads (Theft of Swords)
* 2012 Angels of Retribution's Best of the Best Part 2 (Theft of Swords - audio)
* 2012 MathiasCavanaugh Top 10 Books (#7) (Theft of Swords)
* 2012 BattleHymns Books of the Year: Honorable Mention (Theft of Swords)
* 2012 AudioBookaneers Favorite Listens, Runner up (Theft of Swords)
* 2012 Patrick's Book Awards (#10) (Theft of Swords)
* 2011 Library Journal's Best Books for Fantasy/Sci-Fi (Theft of Swords)
* 2011 Civilian Reader's 5 Most Anticipated Reads for Nov (Theft of Swords)
* 2011 Black Gate Noteworthy Fantasy Debuts (Theft of Swords)
* 2011 Library Journal's Fantasy/Sci-Fi Debut For September (Theft of Swords)
* 2011 Dribble of Ink's Favorite Novels (Theft of Swords)
* 2011 Drying Ink's Best Epic Fantasy (Theft of Swords)
* 2011 Graeme's Fantasy Book Review Favourite (Theft of Swords)
* 2011 Only the Best Science Fiction and Fantasy's Top 10 (#2) (Theft of Swords)
* 2011 Best Fantasy Releases by Barnes and Noble Blog (Theft of Swords)
* 2011 Lost Entwive's Top Ten Underrated Books (The Crown Conspiracy)
* 2010 Iceberg Ink Award Best Read (Avempartha)
* 2010 Foreword Magazine Book of the Year Finalist (Avempartha)
* 2010 Only the Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Top 10 Read (The Crown Conspiracy)
* 2010 Bookworm Blues Overall Best Reads of 2010 (Avempartha)
* 2009 Winner of Book Spot Central's Fantasy Tournament of Books (Avempartha)
* 2009 Speculative Fiction Junkie's Top 5 Close Contender(The Crown Conspiracy)
* 2009 National Indie Book Award Finalist (The Crown Conspiracy)
* 2008 ReaderViews Annual Literary Award Finalist (The Crown Conspiracy)
* 2007 Foreword Magazine Book of the Year Finalist (The Crown Conspiracy)

CONTACT INFORMATION
Riyria Blog: www.riyria.com
Hollow World Blog: www.hollowworldnovel.wordpress.com
First Empire Series Blog: www.firstempireseries.com
Twitter: @author_sullivan
Facebook: www.facebook.com/riyria & www.facebook.com/michael.james.sullivan

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#25 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Action & Adventure

#41 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy

#66 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Action & Adventure

#76 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy

#25 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Action & Adventure

#41 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy

#66 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Action & Adventure

#76 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Characters Deeper, Story More Complex, And All In All Fantastic December 14, 2011

By Books31

Format:Paperback

Rise of Empire is amazing .

While the first two books (found in Theft of Swords) were fantastic books, they felt much more like stand alones that happened to contain the same group of characters. Now in books 3 and 4 of the series, Sullivan turns this fantastic series into a continuous series.

Readers finally learn more about the heir, we are introduced to new characters that play huge new roles (such as Modina, Amilia, Merrick and Wyatt). And older characters get to play bigger and more important storylines (especially Arista and Saulder).

That said my favorite new aspect of the books is the introduction to Royce and Hadrian's pasts. Readers will get to visit the towns these two each grew up from, discover the source of Hadrian's amazing fighting skills, and even see who put Royce in prison. Each of the two characters are much more flushed out, and we really get to see what makes each of them tick. They are tested in ways we never saw in the previous two books and I have to say they will be tested further in the last installments.

Of course I also loved Arista's growth and discovery. Arista goes from becoming a smart yet pampered princess to something altogether more. She becomes a real character that readers will sympathize with. Fans of the series will root for as she defies the odds and feel sorrow for as the people in her life die around her. Through Arista readers are also finally introduced to magic. As her powers grow, so does her importance in the story, and lets just say she's darn important by the end of book 4.

Of course while that's all well and good, other things to keep in mind are that this book is chalk full of great action scenes, as Hadrian and Royce battle everything from mythical monsters, to religious soldiers, to goblins.... All in all this book is fantastic. Sullivan has created quality characters who deepen the story, filled it with non-stop action, and thrown in a good deal of mystery and deception, to the degree that readers themselves wont know what will happen next. All in all a great book and I can't wait for the last in the series. Read more ›

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars And the complexities begin November 28, 2011

By Kyle Goehner

Format:Paperback

I strongly suggest reading the first two parts of the series, together in the book, "Theft of Swords" prior to starting this. Here the talented author adds depth to the plot, and to the characters, one did not expect during the first book and a half. The situations that arise are interesting, seem realistic, and always end with the reader wanting to know what happens next. Some characters you genuinely care about emerge, and as the story evolves, it gives your mind ample space to make guesses and try to predict action. And you do make guesses, for two reasons: the first is that the story is just plain inventive and interesting. The second is that you have attachments to several characters and their fate feels important to you. I recommend "Rise of Empire" strongly and can't wait to read the final two parts of the series.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Favorite Series in our Family!!! December 22, 2011

By The Book Runner TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Michael Sullivan's Rise of Empire is a compelling story. It resumes after about a year has passed from its prequel's finish, Theft of Swords. Business has been good for the Riyria; the assassins are now professionally employed by the new King Alric. However, foreboding is a constant taste in the air. The new empire is absorbing the entire land, threatening to assimilate Alric's tiny kingdom Melengar. His sister Arista is failing as ambassador to form any alliances willing to withstand the young empress. Yet the vivacious and sacrificial Thrace from the previous adventure who slew the monster and became empress is recognizable to no one. Catatonic with grief and abuse, she is a pawn of the archbishop who uses her name to further his own insatiable desire for power. On the smaller scale, Hadrian is dissatisfied with life, feeling like he should be doing something worthwhile. Royce knows Hadrian's true destiny yet, for ambivalent feelings, cannot bring himself to share it with his friend. Princess Arista is herself feeling like a failure at life, and when her brother decides to replace her as ambassador with a man, she steals away from the castle, enlists the Riyria for one last job, and sets out on a harrowing adventure to find help for her kingdom.

The book is an absolutely thrilling read. The complexity of the plot is mind-blowing, a mixture of castle intrigue and court politics, barbarian threats, relationship secrets, self-interests, and manipulated PR. The characters are a kaleidoscope of vibrant personalities; the quirky friendship between Royce and Hadrian especially is entertaining and endearing and gives the reader time to catch a breath after all the heart-stopping adventure.... It's a beautiful story about carrying on after grief, striving to do something bigger than oneself, and being there for a friend, no matter what. I absolutely cannot wait until the third book comes out and am sure my siblings and I will as voraciously devour that one as we did with the first two.

Would I/Did I buy it? Yes
Would I read it again? Yes
Would I recommend it to friends? Yes Read more ›

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I love these books, but this was a bait & switch December 15, 2011

By Brian Andreas

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I've been reading this series one book at a time, so when I reached the fifth book over a year ago, with 'Percepliquis' still to follow, I just thought it was a matter of being patient. But time passes & with it memory, so when I found out a new book had been released, I snapped it up. Turns out it was two of the earlier books repackaged by the publisher, Hatchette. It was not at all clear.

So, I'm still eagerly awaiting the last book in the series. If you haven't read any of this series, dive in. If you, like me, have been following it all along, stay away from the repackaged versions with the intriguing new names.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars A fun series September 6, 2012

By Ryan F.

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I really enjoyed these two books along with the first volume (Theft of Swords). My honest review would give both 3.5 stars, but since I can't do that I gave 4 to the first and 3 to this one to balance them out.

The plot gains complexity throughout these two books. It starts a little slow with "Nyphron Rising", but truly builds and peaks with "The Emerald Storm". The storyline is addictive and I enjoyed where the author takes us. It's well thought out and always moving forward. My biggest problem with the series so far is the dialog. It seems forced and cliche a lot of the time. I find when certain characters are talking, I get taken completely out of the book. Ignoring that aspect, I find the story very fun.

I am amazed by the 5 star reviews that this series gets. 5 stars should be reserved for the best books ever. Are you really going to rate Rise of Empire and The Grapes of Wrath as equals? Come on now.