Review: Rise of Empire by Michael J. Sullivan

Title: Rise of Empire
Author: Michael J. Sullivan
Series: The Riyria Revelations #3-4
Genre: High Fantasy
Publisher: Orbit
Publication Date: December 14, 2011
Edition: 802 pages, Kindle Edition
Source: Library
Purchase: Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | BAM | Bookshop | Powell's | Thriftbooks

 

 

Synopsis:

   The adventure continues as Royce and Hadrian aid the struggling kingdom of Melengar as it alone stands in defiance against the newly formed empire. War approaches and a desperate gamble behind enemy lines is their only chance at forming an alliance with the Nationalists to the south.
   But Royce has plans of his own as he uses this opportunity to discover if an ancient wizard is using Riyria as pawns in his own bid for power. To find the truth, Royce must unravel Hadrian's hidden past. What he discovers will lead them to the end of the known world, on a journey rife with treachery and intrigue.

Rise of Empire was originally published as: Nyphron Rising and The Emerald Storm.

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Writing a review for this book feels harder than writing the review for the first one. A lot happens in this book, shocking reveals, unexpected deaths, and lots of magic. 

The character who gets the most character growth is Arista. Sure, Royce is lightening up, but Arista was never sure of herself, and in this book she's really coming to terms with what she can really do and who she is deep down. 

I am really sad for Thrace. What this new Empire has done to her, breaking her down so they can control her. And even Amilia, while kind, still treats her like she's a fragile minded child. She doesn't seem to really respect Thrace/Modina as a person or thinks she has any kind of agency. I do on some level understand that Amilia is just very protective, but I'd like her to see that she is starting to be like everybody else around Modina, and not see the value she has as a person. I am very interested to read where her story ends up, and I hope it's a happy ending. 

 

Hadrian, he's been one of my least favorite characters in this book. He's been, for lack of a better word, whiny. I understand that he's trying to find his purpose and is feeling a lot of guilt, but at the same time my guy... find a better outlet than being melodramatic about it. I like that Royce does call him out a bit on it, so I know it was "on purpose". I can only assume that the purpose will make sense by the end of the series.

 

Speaking of Royce, at first at the start of the first book, I didn't really like him all that much. But he might be my favorite character now. He is the most complex, and the more interesting since his back story is still mostly a mystery to me. I guess I'll find out what I want to know about him when I get around to reading the other Riyira series and when I finish this series.

 

I know that I read Legends of the First Empire first, and I've heard people who've already read all the books in The World of Elan say that there are spoilers if you don't read them in publication order. And while the small things like who the Gods really are is something that's not a mystery to me, who the heir is leaves me at a loss. I can't help but feel that who I think the heir is, might be a fake out. Knowing that I do from the epilogue at the end of Age of Empire, it just feels too convenient. Or maybe I have been spoiled for who the Heir is, and I'm in denial about who I think it is. Although I'm pretty sure I can guess who this "Patriarch" is.

 

 I am fairly nervous about how this series will end. I know how it starts, but I have no idea how it will end since this aren't any books out that take place after the events of this series. Everything takes place before.