Age of Myth

There were a few slow bits, but overall it's exactly what I've come to expect fro, Sullivan - a wonderful, huge read that brings us more and more of the fantastic world he has created. I somewhat wish that I had waited for the release of the NEXT book before reading this one, though, because I just want more!

★★★½ out of 5 via spikegelato.com/2016/06/28/review-age-of-myth/

It was thought to be impossible for man to kill the god-like Fhrey. When one Fhrey is killed by a lesser Rhune, potential war between the two races begins to brew. Meanwhile, a Rhune township named Dahl Rhen struggles with leadership upheaval, political maneuvering, and a menacing bear that threatens to rip their limbs and lives to shreds.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

To be honest, this novel only caught my eye because of its wonderful cover image. I have not read Michael J. Sullivan's other Riyria novels, but this Riyria prequel and series starter seemed like a good place to begin. What's admirable about this novel is that it tells a tight, self-contained story while also leaving enough loose threads to carry over into the subsequent sequels. Age of Myth feels like a quest in The Witcher video game series in the style of The Hobbit. Although dealing with the politics of racial inequality and the end of the world, the tale is lighter in tone than most other comparable fantasy series that trend towards the grimdark.

Sullivan positions his characters on far reaching parts of the map before their interests, fates, and motivations become intertwined. While the characters are apart, the story feels disjointed and lacking direction, but once these characters are thrust together things begin to click into place. The characters that Sullivan has placed in this world feel a bit hollow and underdeveloped, with the exception being Suri, the mystic girl who seems able to speak to trees, spirits, and her trusty wolf Minna. Suri is a fascinating and peculiar character who lights up every page that she graces. Suri's presence and Sullivan's knack for humor are a saving grace for a novel that I was not totally taken with at the outset. Buoyed by a strong third act filled with twists and monumental confrontations, the Age of Myth tells a satisfying tale that I would be interested in revisiting in the future–either in its sequel, Age of Swords, or Sullivan's other Riyria novels.

Takes a long time to present a plot, there is waaaaaayyyyy to much character development. Something in the following lines:

‘And Raithe found out the man who killed his father. The sun was bright, and he remembered when he was a child of a sunny day like this. He went out to play with his friends, John and Anne. But not Joseph. Oh no, he did not like Joseph. They played until... [skip 3 pages for the plot to continue]'

My complaint is the same as Wheel of Time. The whole book in 3 pages would be an bellow average book in this case though. I tried to give this a chance because I like this style of story.

Other things that bothered me was the stereotyped villain and hero. The hero is faced with world annihilation, and he is the only one capable to save it. But he doesn't want to, because he doesn't believe in fate, don't like violence, and would rather go to a quiet place to start a family and teach his son better. Well, I hate to break it to him but, ‘a quit place' is still inside the world.

The villain is the typical ‘I'm more powerful then everybody else, so they should bend to my will. I will kill anyone who disagrees with me'.

Read 11:02/16:55 65%