Michael’s answer to “Will the The First Empire, when the last book of it is released, possibly spoil the amazing denouem…” > Likes and Comments

OK then, I guess I will need to be a bit more specific:
(SPOILERS for whoever hasn't read Riyria Revelations!)


The revelation of the real identity of the Patriarch, and hence the fact that he is "behind" a lot of what has been going on in the earlier books, as well as the invasion of Apeladorn by the elves and the reason for it - those were two very important plot twists in book #6 ("Percepliquis"). I was just wondering - if someone reads the First Empire books first, where they will obviously see the person the Patriarch used to be, and they'll also learn about the elves and their "arrangement" with the humans after the war, do you think that it will help that reader figure out things much earlier in the course of the Riyria Revelations? I mean, if that happens, then OK, the "figuring out" process in itself will bring some satisfaction too, I guess; but won't that eliminate the "wow" effect from some of those big revelations in "Percepliquis", if readers have already realized who the emperor is and what he and the elves are actually doing?

SPOILERS remain.....


As to the identity of the Patriarch, no, I don't see how anyone will be able to piece together a particular person they meet in the Legends books with that particular piece of information. Yes, when the Patriarch exposes himself as being Mawyndulë then they'll go - oh -- that guy in Legends is here as well? Wow. In other words, Mawyndulë will not be a patriarch at the end of the Legends books.

As for the invasion. Esrahaddon speaks of the ending of the Uli Vermar and that elves are prohibited from crossing the river until it ends...and that the time is now approaching, so that is information that both books speak about. So that particular cat is out of the bag in Revelations...although many people won't put the pieces together on a first read, but would definitely see the Easter egg on a re-read.Again, events in the end of Legends stops before the two races are separated.

So, on your two particular issues - no, there will be no spoilers. Now what I thought you talking about is the fact that Novron was an elf. THAT is a piece of information that people will have going into Revelations and it MAY make them suspect Royce as the heir more so than when it is assumed that the heir is human. But I think going in with that bit of information won't be a spoiler...but it will change how they feel, for instance, when the group is traveling through Percepliquis and all the statues and paintings are defaced. Does that make sense?

Ah, that makes it much clearer, thank you. :) I wasn't concerned about myself being spoiled, of course, as I have obviously read the Revelations (several times), but I was just being extra curious - e.g. whether one day I could recommend the First Empire series to people who haven't read the Riyria books...