Theft of Swords, Vol. 1(Riyria Revelations) (The Riyria Revelations, 1) - Softcover

J. Sullivan, Michael

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0316187747 ISBN 13: 9780316187749

Publisher: Orbit, 2011

Synopsis

Royce Melborn, a skilled thief, and his mercenary partner, Hadrian Blackwater, make a profitable living carrying out dangerous assignments for conspiring nobles-until they are hired to pilfer a famed sword. What appears to be just a simple job finds them framed for the murder of the king and trapped in a conspiracy that uncovers a plot far greater than the mere overthrow of a tiny kingdom.

Can a self-serving thief and an idealistic swordsman survive long enough to unravel the first part of an ancient mystery that has toppled kings and destroyed empires?

And so begins the first tale 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.

Theft of Swords was originally published as: The Crown Conspiracy and Avempartha.

BOOKS IN THE RIYRIA REVELATIONS
Theft of Swords (The Crown Conspiracy & Avempartha)
Rise of Empire (Nyphron Rising & The Emerald Storm)
Heir of Novron (Wintertide & Percepliquis)

About this title

From the Author:

I've always enjoyed television series that had a continuing story arc told through individual episodes. My favorites were Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Babylon 5. Having mysteries unfold a bit at a time kept me engrossed and I couldn't wait to see where the creators were going to take me. This was a major goal of mine when writing The Riyria Revelations and I hope you will enjoy your journey.

The tale had actually banged around in my head for over fifteen years in one form or another. I kept adding characters and plot lines until I had, at least to me, a compelling story with likeable characters. Because of the complexity of the plot in the overarching story, it was imperative that I wrote all of the books before releasing the first one. While I don't recommend this technique to other writers, it allowed me the opportunity to weave threads in previous books as I fully developed later ones.

While I'm on that subject, one of the most rewarding aspects of this series is the numerous "Easter eggs" that I've hidden along the way. There are small things that, upon first reading, you'll not consider as having any significance. For those that re-read the series, where all the pieces have been put into place, hopefully you'll see incidents or dialog in a whole new light. In retrospect, these clues should appear obvious, and if I've done my job properly they will remain buried until the proper time. In this respect, I hope the book will be a lot like the movie The Sixth Sense.

The Riyria Revelations, especially in the beginning, is little more than fun, fast-paced fantasy. As the series progresses, I think you'll see more depth both in the world of Elan and the characters. This was a purposeful decision and a dangerous one. It means that by design the first book is the weakest of the set, but enables me to end it with a resounding bang. This technique may mean that some will stop after reading the first book, assuming I have little talent. They may not feel "connected" to the characters because there was not enough for them to latch onto. All I can say is that I feel the reward of incremental discovery outweighed my alternatives. If after completing the entire story, you feel I lack ability, at least I'll know you came to the conclusion having all the facts on which to judge me.

The last thing I'd like to say about this series is that I wrote it for pure enjoyment--both for you and myself. First and foremost it was meant to entertain. My goal was to write a book that I would like to read, to be with friends that I wanted to spend time with and go on an adventure filled with surprises and some heartfelt moments. While I wrote the books for adults, I kept it free of foul language, sex, and graphic violence so that it could be enjoyed by people of all ages.This series is reminiscent of the fantasies I read as a youth and wasn't meant as any kind of commentary on current trends in modern fantasy. Yes, it incorporates archetypes and familiar themes, but hopefully they are used in a way that will make them feel fresh. What I was striving for was to create a series that felt as familiar and comfortable as your favorite pair of shoes. Hopefully there are people out there with similar tastes, and if you are one of them, I predict you'll enjoy the journey very much.
Michael

From the Inside Flap:

Works by Michael J. Sullivan NOVELS The Riyria Revelations Series

• Theft of Swords (2011 - contains The Crown Conspiracy & Avempartha)
• Rise of Empire (2011 - contains Nyphron Rising & The Emerald Storm)
• Heir of Novron (2012 - contains Wintertide & Percepliquis)

The Riyria Chronicles Series

• The Crown Tower (2013)
• The Rose and the Thorn (2013)

Standalone Novels

• Hollow World (coming April 15, 2014)
• Antithesis (release date to be determined)
• A Burden to the Earth (release date to be determined)

SHORT STORIES (Sold Individually)

• The Viscount and the Witch (2011 - Riyria Chronicles)
• Greener Grass (2012 - Dystopian Science Fiction)
• The Jester (2014 - Riyria Chronicles)

ANTHOLOGIES

• The End--Visions of Apocalypse: Burning Alexandria (2012)
• Unfettered: The Jester (2013)
• Triumph Over Tragedy: An Anthology for the Victims of Hurricane Sandy: Traditions (2013)
• Help Fund My Robot Army: New and Improved Monkey Paw (2014)

About this edition

• Publisher: Orbit
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0316187747
• ISBN 13: 9780316187749
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 704