Theft of Swords - Softcover

Michael J. Sullivan

Softcover

ISBN 10: 035650106X ISBN 13: 9780356501062

Publisher: Orbit, 2011

Synopsis

*** Amazon #1 Kindle Best Seller: Epic Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Sword & Sorcery, Men's Adventure ***

They killed the king. They pinned it on two men. They chose poorly.
There's no ancient evil to defeat or orphan destined for greatness, just unlikely heroes and classic adventure. Royce Melborn, a skilled thief, and his mercenary partner, Hadrian Blackwater, are running for their lives when they're framed for the murder of the king. Trapped in a conspiracy that goes beyond the overthrow of a tiny kingdom, their only hope is unraveling an ancient mystery before it's too late.

This is the first book in the original series, The Riyria Revelations, from best-selling author Michael J. Sullivan. It takes place ten years after the events of The Riyria Chronicles and the two series can be read in either chronological order or order of publication, although the author suggests reading in publication order.

Publication Order

• Theft of Swords (Riyria Revelations #1 & #2): contains The Crown Conspiracy & Avempartha
• Rise of Empire   (Riyria Revelations #3 & #4): contains Nyphron Rising & The Emerald Storm
• Heir of Novron  (Riyria Revelations #5 & #6): contains Wintertide & Percepliquis
• The Crown Tower (Riyria Chronicles #1)
• The Rose and the Thorn (Riyria Chronicles #2)

Chronological Order

• The Crown Tower (Riyria Chronicles #1)
• The Rose and the Thorn (Riyria Chronicles #2)
• Theft of Swords (Riyria Revelations #1 & #2): contains The Crown Conspiracy & Avempartha
• Rise of Empire   (Riyria Revelations #3 & #4): contains Nyphron Rising & The Emerald Storm
• Heir of Novron  (Riyria Revelations #5 & #6): contains Wintertide & Percepliquis

Other Books by Michael J. Sullivan

• Hollow World (coming April 2014)
• Antithesis (release date pending)
• A Burden to the Earth (release date pending)

Lists and Award Nominations

• 2013 Audie Award Finalist
• 2012 Shadowhawk's Shade Best of the Best
• 2012 Audible's 5-star The Best of Everything
• 2012 MathiasCavanaugh Top 10 Books
• 2012 AudioBookaneers Favorite Listens, Runner up 
• 2012 Audible's Best of 2012 Editor's Picks 
• 2011 Library Journal's Best Books for Fantasy/Sci-Fi
• 2011 Only the Best Science Fiction and Fantasy's Top 10
• 2011 Best Fantasy Releases by Barnes and Noble Blog

Contact Information

• Twitter: @author_sullivan
• Website: michaelsullivan-author.com
• Facebook (author): facebook.com/michael.james.sullivan
• Facebook (series): facebook.com/riyria
• email: michael.sullivan.dc@gmail.com

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 fast-paced light 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: 035650106X
• ISBN 13: 9780356501062
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 664