Age of War (The Legends of the First Empire #3)

I’m a big fan of MJS, but he needs to locate his lost man card. I understand the en trende thing to do is make women the strong warriors while the men all become beta weaklings. Unfortunately, as with SO MANY novels these days, that apparently has to involve NO romance and a whole lot of boring conversation. I know it’s not PC to say this, but I like strong bad ass men who know how to rescue a damsel. Call me ol fashioned, but, BRING BACK THE MEN! BRING BACK THE MEN!

First two books in the series the characters maintained their personalities and were very interesting. The dark transformation of Persephone was just atrocious to read. For a person that owes everything to Raithe, her treatment of him was just utterly horrible in this book, all for a silly reason that she needs to separate herself for the sake of her tribe. Are you kidding me? She has been leading her tribe since day one with Raithe at her side. Man this book was like the titanic. Sullivan just gets too defensive when his readers try to alert him to bad writing, he has an excuse for everything. Why does Seph treat Raithe so terrible at his gravesight? Well its because she is the anger stage of grief he says lol. Like that helps and erases just terrible writing. Oh boy series did have promise. Next books will feature Persephone who everyone know hates and no Raithe, just greaaaaaaaaat can’t wait , actually we can and will pass

I just love this whole series so far, and what a reminder! To do this book justice and remind myself of the story so far, I went back and read the first two books, Age of of Myth and Age of Swords before leaping into this latest tome. It was an engrossing binge-fest to add Age of War to the mix as the storyline became deeper and darker and even more fascinating. Im not entirely sure I can separate the stories from between the three books now, since reading them so quickly back to back, but happily, Age of War plunges right back into the midst of the story with one of my favorite characters, Suri, as she waits for Arion to awaken, and she and Michael J. Sullivan hit the ground running and never let up.

Sullivan pulls off what is one of my favorite styles of writing, where the story just keeps getting twistier and mystery stacks upon mystery as the story unfolds to be a much larger mythology than it seemed at the beginning of the tale. Sullivans writing improves with each book, as does his plotting. While there are a few too-telegraphed reveals, thats a minor quibble when so many strands of the tapestry are coming together on so many story levels in such a satisfying way.

While there are many important characters, each is fleshed out well, except where the needs of the mystery intervene, and the world-building is comprehensive, immersive, and believable. There are many strong female characters in this book: Suri is an incredibly powerful Rhune mystic, Roan is a Asperger-y inventor, Moya is a fierce warrior, Persephone is a chieftains wife whos united the Rhune tribes beneath her as keenig, Arion is a Fhrey/elf mystic and Suris mentor who has changed sides and now defends the Rhune against the Fhrey, Brin is the keenigs Keeper of Ways whos reinvented writing, and Padera is a grouchy old Rhune healer who has hidden motivation for her treatment of a young crippled character. Well, I could go on, plus add in the male characters, but Ill only mention a few. Raithe continues with honor in this book, while Nyphron provides even more mystery, and a certain someone who shows up in a garden in other places is revealed to be even more mysterious. Im also questioning if a certain Fhrey lady is who she seems to be.

Overall, an excellent read, Id say incredibly fun, except this book is so dark at times it left me alternately spent and crying at those spots. And yet, through the bleak darkness, there was always a reason to continue, a reason to have hope. In the end, I was left very pleased with how the story was fleshing out and yet also just so ready to plunge into the next book. Cant wait to read it! Carry on, Mr. Sullivan; were waiting! Highly recommended.

I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

First, I consider myself primarily a SF reader, not a reader of fantasy. Fearful that I was overreacting to an outstanding read, I just reviewed a couple of lists of the all-time best fantasy novels and series. While not familiar with over half the list, I have read and enjoyed many stories on the list including all of the biggest blockbusters and most highly regarded stories. The entire set of stories by Michael Sullivan set in this fantasy world is excellent, and this book is, in my opinion, superior to any other single book in the fantasy genre. Not everything in the earlier stories is without defect, but with this book Sullivan takes his place among the best fantasy writers of all time.
There is always differences in opinions among readership of any story. This tale rubs some wrong because the cast of protagonists are largely female. I have read critiques about the story just before this one, that the author gives too much credit to heroic women characters. In my opinion, that is male chauvinism run amok. Regardless of your perspective, this tale is destined to take its presence alongside the conclusion of the Harry Potter Series and “The Lord of the RIngs” as one of the best fantasy tales ever told. To my own perspective it exceeds both.
If you are new to this Author, do not start here. Do not even start with the first book in this series. Begin with “The Crown Tower” Book one of the Riyria Chronicles. Proceed from that to the Riyria Revelations series. Once you have that background, then begin this series “The Legends of the First Empire.” Do this, not because you can’t start with this series and enjoy the stories, or even possibly start with this book and enjoy it as a standalone, but because the backstory revealed in the earlier series adds so much depth to the reading of this book. It sounds odd to be referring to the tales of what comes chronologically later as backstory, but trust me, you will be grateful to start at the beginning of the storytelling and proceed to read the books in the order they were written.
It is certain that there will be at least another book in the series, but the story could conclude here without any sense of deprivation. This book presents the clash between the combined forces of man confronting the might of the elves and their mastery of magic. As in the first two books in this series, it tells the story from the perspective of a cast of characters that evolve and develop in unexpected and satisfying directions. It shows heroism in varied forms without placing the characters on shiny pedestals. Like T.H. White’s King Arthur, these heroes hurt, bleed, and sacrifice and strive to confront an imperfect world with humanly-flawed idealism and compassion. In short, these protagonists all possess souls. What a treasure to read.

I am trying not to give spoilers, sorry if any slip through.

I have loved Michael J Sullivan’s series since I picked up Theft of Swords in 2009. I can see how through each of his beautifully crafted characters he talks directly to me with different messages and morals.

Age of War feels like an evolution in Sullivan’s writing and the second half of the book played my heartstrings like a fiddle, especially the story of Raithe.

An excellent story, with a less than happy ending, and one I can’t recommend highly enough.

It would help newcomers to read the Riyra Revelations, Age of Myth and Age of Swords first though.

For long time fans, I think the references to ‘Fall the Wall’ and the Eulogic song have some key messages. I won’t say more.

Galaxyaudiobook Member Benefit

- Able to comment

- List watched audiobooks

- List favorite audiobooks

- Bookmark will only available for Galaxyaudiobook member