Speculative Fiction Junkie

Michael J. Sullivan

Michael J. Sullivan's The Crown Conspiracy (review here) was one of the most pleasantly surprising books I've read so far this year. Eschewing the recent trends in fantasy toward the lengthy, gritty, and dark, the first book in the Riyria Revelations brought the genre back to its roots and contained far more traditional elements, like wizards, kings, dwarves, and elves. But far from being a clichéd Tolkien rip off, The Crown Conspiracy felt refreshingly original in some ways and is perhaps most properly viewed as a distillation of the fantasy genre into its best components: no unnecessarily complicated invented languages, no attempts to be extravagantly original at the expense of the story; just great characters, an original story, humor and drama in the appropriate measures, and just the right amount of worldbuilding. I was predictably excited about reading the sequel, Avempartha.

The book opens with a young woman tracking down Hadrian and Royce and imploring them to travel to her village to help slay the terror that has been killing off villagers one by one in the night. When they oblige, they find out that in order to accomplish their mission, they're going to have to get into the ancient Elven tower of Avempartha, which is no small task, to secure a uniquely effective weapon. As if this weren't enough, they soon have to contend with a host of visitors whose actions may have a significant effect on the future of Elan.

Avempartha is every bit as enjoyable as its predecessor was, and is in some respects even better. The primary reason for this is the extra dose of worldbuilding (and to a lesser extent political intrigue) Mr. Sullivan has included in this tale. We learn a lot more about the history of the land and of the relationship between humans and elves that has shaped the world of Elan. In addition to being interesting because of how it affects the story being told in the book, this also contributes a lot to the reader's interest in the series as a whole. It is this aspect that makes me truly anticipate the next book in the series, Nyphron Rising.

My only complaint about the book is a minor one and is almost identical to a small quibble I had with The Crown Conspiracy. Specifically, there is a moment where one of the characters defends himself in a way that implies that he has become a master swordsman in a relatively short period of time. Asking the reader to believe this is asking too much, but it's a small thing when measured against what Mr. Sullivan has accomplished in this book.

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. The Riyria Revelations prove that the fantasy genre is nowhere near exhausted and that there is as much treasure to be mined in its traditional forms as there are in the newer varieties.

Rating: 9/10

The True First

Avempartha was first published by Ridan Publishing in March of 2009.

[This review was based on a review copy]