Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

The library just got this in for ebook today and I landed 2nd on the waitlist. Therefore I cannot give a specific date but if anybody has the flexibility I'll should come due 2-4 weeks from now.

The book open with a waitlist of 17 people so I was fortunate to be in so early. I did recommend it 6 months before it's release which played into my high ranking.

I received my copy a couple of days ago and since I have some books to finish first, I don't mind waiting for you.

Will definitely be joining if I can get through my other BR's as well

I might as well ☺

Sweet. Thank you all for your flexibility.

Update, whoever had the number one slot bailed out so I'm at worst 18 days out on this. Likely is 10.

My book came due so I'm going to start tomorrow. Sorry for the short notice but this came due much faster than I thought it would and I'll be finishing the last book I'm currently reading tonight.

Tomorrow it is then.

I'm only on chapter nine, so I'm in too

Sarah wrote: "I'm only on chapter nine, so I'm in too"

Samir wrote: "Tomorrow it is then."

Sweet

I just finished so I'll chat with you guys.

Jenna wrote: "I just finished so I'll chat with you guys."

Cool.

Chapter one

(view spoiler)[
Not to come off as brash or conceited but I have a great memory. I have to say after more than a year since the last book I really struggled at the outset to place all the characters and what their roles were in book one.

Sullivan did a good job or reminding us without going a complete download of book one, especially all at once, which is a pet peeve of mine when authors do that. By the end of chapter one I remembered the main points of the characters.

Liked the depiction of the storm, the dwarves and their interactions. I especially liked the touch of Arion correcting the dwarves on the pronunciation of Elf as Ylfe and the meaning of Dherg being vile mole.
(hide spoiler)]

Age of Myth character synopsis from wiki. I had a hard time remembering who everybody was.

Raithe - A skilled warrior from the Rhune clan Dureya. After his father Herkimer is killed by the Fhrey Shegon, Raithe becomes known as the God Killer.

Malcolm - A former Fhrey slave from Alon Rhist. He aides Raithe in killing Shegon by throwing a rock at the Fhrey's head. Afterwards, Malcolm joins Raithe in fleeing the wrath of the Fhrey.

Mawyndulë - The prince of the Fhrey and a Miralyith. He is the son of Fane Lothian and his grandmother was Fane Fenelyus, the first Miralyith and practitioner of The Art.

Arion - A Fhrey Miralyith and tutor to Prince Mawyndulë. She is tasked with bringing the God Killer to justice and in the process ends up aiding Raithe and the other Rhunes. She was a favorite student of the former Fane Fenelyus who gave Arion the nickname Cenzlyor.

Persephone - The widow of the recently deceased Dahl Rhen chieftain Regland and Second Chair. [11] After the death of her husband she becomes the target of assassination by the new chieftain. With the help of Raithe and Malcolm, Persephone survives the attempts and manages against all odds to help her clan survive an attack from a Miralyith.

Nyphron - Son of Zephyron and leader of the Galantians who are famed for legendary exploits of valor and bravery. [12] He aids the people of Dahl Rhen against other Fhrey.

Suri - A young mystic raised and mentored by Tura, an ancient mystic who lived in the Crescent Forest near Dahl Rhen. Suri came to Dahl Rhen to warn of a coming storm and is always accompanied by a white wolf named Minna.

Minna - A wolf and Suri's best friend. Minna is fiercely protective of Suri.

Chapter 1.

(view spoiler)[I also liked the introduction of the dwarves and eager to find out more about them and their runes which are obviously a good way to deal with Fhrey's powers. (hide spoiler)]

I read this in June, so I'll try and follow along with the discussion.

Chapter 2

(view spoiler)[
Interesting chapter with the giants. It seemed a bit disjointed though almost like the author just wanted them introduced early. I found the writing a bit choppy in this chapter which is unusual for Sullivan.
(hide spoiler)]

I'm at chapter 9 and very much enjoying it so far.
Please tell me I'm not the only one that gets excited when something, someone or somewhere the comes up in Riyria comes up?

Samir wrote: "Chapter 1.

[spoilers removed]"

I liked that too.

Scott wrote: "Chapter 2..."

I kind of thought so too. Glad it isn't just me.

I'm glad it wasn't just me as well Sarah.

Chapter 3

(view spoiler)[
That was the first chapter where things started to flow and I hit a rhythm. I forgot that in book one Nyphron was a bit duplicitous and not the saint many thought him to be by the time or Riyeria. I think that was a smart choice by Sully.
(hide spoiler)]

Scott wrote: "I'm glad it wasn't just me as well Sarah.

Chapter 3"

(view spoiler)[After reading the Riyria books (which I read after these), I'm really curious to see how everything progresses with Nyphron. Definitely different than what they think he was at that time. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 4

(view spoiler)[
When we did the what makes up your favorite fantasy books thread I said one element was not just having magic but making me feel it. I really liked the musical and vibrations overtone to the chapter.

I also liked the show don't tell in Arion's lesson. I thought wow talk about enabling the egomaniacs telling them from the start nobody can understand. He followed it up with Nyphron's comments which normally I'd call superfluous but in the context it was presented it worked.
(hide spoiler)]

C.P. wrote: "Scott wrote: "I'm glad it wasn't just me as well Sarah.

Chapter 3"

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[
Personally I'm hoping he doesn't change. That his mystique was legend and that he was flawed like everybody else and his propaganda machine built it up over the years.
(hide spoiler)]

Scott wrote: "C.P. wrote: "Scott wrote: "I'm glad it wasn't just me as well Sarah.

Chapter 3"

[spoilers removed]""

(view spoiler)[I don't think he will change. At least not for the better. (hide spoiler)]

C.P. wrote: "Scott wrote: "C.P. wrote: "Scott wrote: "I'm glad it wasn't just me as well Sarah.

Chapter 3"

[spoilers removed]""

[spoilers removed]"

I agree.

Through chapter 7

(view spoiler)[
I like a lot of his descriptions and personal interactions but really not a lot has happened to this point. I did enjoy Mawyndulë at court a lot. He's an evil little shit already never mind by Riyeria time.
(hide spoiler)]

Scott wrote: "Through chapter 7..."

Mawyndulë just makes me irrationally angry.

Edited to add: spoiler involves Riyria Revelations as well as Legends. Should have mentioned that at first, sorry.
(view spoiler)[ Maybe its because I know it is a couple thousand years before this self centered, egotistical jerk gets his and that makes me crazy? Knowing what happens to him and who is responsible only helps that anger a little bit. (hide spoiler)]

Scott wrote: "Through chapter 7..."

I'm on chapter 28, so I'll join in as well.

I agree that it was slow in the beginning. I felt like the story for the main characters didn't really get going until about half way through.

I too, have enjoyed the chapters about Mawyndulë.
(view spoiler)[I'm very curious to see how his story evolves given what we've learned about him in Revelations. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 11

(view spoiler)[ I let out a sound that was an odd mix of a squeak and squeal with the name the kid gave. Are we seeing the origins of the Teshlor Knights here?
I love every time something "familiar" from Revelations shows up or when we see the origins of something. Makes it so much more interesting.
Also, I like the kid. A lot.
Raithe needed one of "his own" to give him a stern talking to.
(hide spoiler)]

Re: Sarah's spoiler. (view spoiler)[I know now that I need a reread of Riyria. I don't even remember Mawyndule in that, specifically. As I read this series, I'm more and more wanting that reread.. (hide spoiler)]

Chris wrote: "Re: Sarah's spoiler. [spoilers removed]"

Definitely reread Riyria. More and more threads are already popping up and we are only on book 2 of 6 of Legends. It rocks.

(view spoiler)[ I read Age of Myth before I read Heir of Novron, so at first Mawyndulë just irrirated me.
Then I read Heir of Novron and got to where he became very important. The sound I made was borderline inhuman it was so shrill. It was followed by angry muttering that it takes so long for Mawyndulë to get what he deserves. (hide spoiler)]

Great catch Sarah. I totally missed that.

Scott wrote: "Great catch Sarah. I totally missed that."

Thanks :)

This kind of stuff is one of the biggest reasons I love when an author creates a universe then continues to write multiple books & series that take place in the same world

That could be the history nerd in me.

Sarah wrote: "This kind of stuff is one of the biggest reasons I love when an author creates a universe then continues to write multiple books..."

Yep me too. I usually catch those subtle hints but I totally missed this.

Chapter 14

(view spoiler)[
It was fairly obvious Mawyndulë was getting manipulated by the Gray cloaks. I didn't feel it needed to be spelled out so much.
(hide spoiler)]

Through 17

(view spoiler)[
Pretty cool being in Drumindor. I wonder if he'll play at any of the parts directly involved in Royce and Hadrian's adventures.

Loved the reveal of them having to vanquish a demon.
(hide spoiler)]

Sorry, life is breaking my balls so I didn't do much reading. I'll try to keep up during the weekend but I have a feeling you'll be done by then :)

Samir wrote: "Sorry, life is breaking my balls so I didn't do much reading. I'll try to keep up during the weekend but I have a feeling you'll be done by then :)"

You know what you do when life gets you down?

Scott wrote: "Samir wrote: "Sorry, life is breaking my balls so I didn't do much reading. I'll try to keep up during the weekend but I have a feeling you'll be done by then :)"

You know what you do when life ge..."

Words to live by :)

I'm loving following all the comments for this. Particularly since I've now read Revelations and can understand all the references. I read both Legends books first, so all those discoveries happened the other way around for me, but it was so much fun. I already want to reread all of the books and find the little things I missed.

C.P. wrote: "I'm loving following all the comments for this. Particularly since I've now read Revelations and can understand all the references. I read both Legends books first, so all those discoveries happene..."

I'm also loving the comments - I totally didn't catch the thing mentioned in Sarah's spoiler.

Though 18.......I'm wondering if this will be MJS giving a Tolkien shoutout which I love when authors do.

(view spoiler)[
Gandalf fights the Balrog coming out of Moria. This has that feel to it. In one of the Wheel of Time books Rand visits a tavern called the nine rings or something to that effect and it's mentioned how it's named after a popular book for children. If I ever got my act together and wrote a book there would be a bar in it called Whiskey Jack's and there would be a bartender with a patch over one eye and a fiddler in the corner providing entertainment.
(hide spoiler)]

First paragraph chapter 19....(view spoiler)[Twin Towers right off the bat! I think I'm onto something. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 19 Riyeria and Legends discrepancy.

(view spoiler)[
Both Esrahaddon and Arista had hair and it was never told that I can remember that hair inhibited the art. I can't remember the character's name who turns out to be an ancient elf as well, and the one who had to know how fate would turn out if he didn't act, but he had hair as well.
(hide spoiler)]

Scott wrote: "Chapter 19 Riyeria and Legends discrepancy."

Maybe the knowledge got lost somewhere through time?

Jenna wrote: "Scott wrote: "Chapter 19 Riyeria and Legends discrepancy."

Maybe the knowledge got lost somewhere through time?"

But (view spoiler)[Esrahaddon would have know. Granted he had no hands but could have asked Arista for a shave. :) (hide spoiler)]

Jenna wrote: "C.P. wrote: "I'm loving following all the comments for this. Particularly since I've now read Revelations and can understand all the references. I read both Legends books first, so all those discov..."

You guys are seriously starting to make me think I imagined it, (view spoiler)[ even though I did go back and check my copy of Heir of Novron once others started saying they hadn't seen it and that's definitely the name (and attitude) (hide spoiler)]

Scott wrote: "Jenna wrote: "Scott wrote: "Chapter 19 Riyeria and Legends discrepancy."

(view spoiler)[Maybe he just really liked his hair. (hide spoiler)]

I'm done. It was a good book but I felt the author got too tied up in the minutia of the characters at times. I get he's a character driven author but a couple of times there would be two paragraphs about some inane thing the character liked that never played into the story.

Easily the two best story lines for me were Suri and Mawyndulë. Some of the others not as much. Nyphron needs more page time. I find him interesting but underdeveloped.

Scott, you should try to get on the beta team for the next one (book 4). That's the kind of insight they're looking for and though I gave it 5 stars and raved about it, I can definitely see your points.

Chris wrote: "Scott, you should try to get on the beta team for the next one (book 4). That's the kind of insight they're looking for and though I gave it 5 stars and raved about it, I can definitely see your po..."

How would I go about doing that?

They have a group on GR where they advertise before each beta. I really don't remember seeing it for this current one, other than an email I got.

But when they put it up, it's a questionnaire you fill out and then they choose however many they need (plus alternates). I'll definitely point you to the link when the next one comes. I don't have a date, but I know book 4 is supposed to come out late next year.

Book 3 is due in Spring, and I think 4 is six months later. They'll probably do a beta for 4 close to when 3 publishes. And if you get picked but haven't read 3 yet, they'll provide an ARC so you can catch up.

Scott, I put a request to Michael for an invitation to his "Dark Room". That's his secret GR "backstage" group. Watch for an invitation from him.

If anyone else is interested, let me know and I'll request for ya.