Fans of magic, sword clashes, and valiant heroes will welcome this second volume of the Riyria Revelations series. Rise of Empire is divided into two books: Nyphron Rising and the Emerald Storm. Here we find Royce and Hadrian on a new adventure, this time to enlist the Nationalists of the South to help the weakened and threatened kingdom of Melengar.
Royce has suspicions that an arcane sorcerer is manipulating their quest, but in order to discover the truth, he must first decode the past of his partner Hadiran, and this is a history Hadrian would rather keep a mystery.
Both like-able and realistic, the personalities of Royce--a young man with cocky swagger and mean sword fighting skills--and Hadrian--his counterpart with a more straight laced, wise demeanor--play well off of one another throughout the series and have become beloved heroes to fans worldwide.
In this audiobook, narrator Tim Gerard Reynolds once again sparks the imagination of listeners with his vibrant storytelling talents.
Michael J. Sullivan is both an artist and an author. He is best known for his epic fantasy, the Riyria cycle, which has been translated into fourteen languages. The Riyria Revelations is a six book series and The Riyria Chronicles is an ongoing collection of fiction. The latter focuses on the early mischief and mayhem of the two main protagonists Royce Melborn and Hadrian Blackwater. In 2012, io9 named Sullivan one of the most successful self-published sci-fi and fantasy authors.
"The adventures of thief Royce Melborn and mercenary Hadrian Blackwater continue in this volume of the Riyria Revelations. As the New Empire emerges under the direction of the Empress Modina, who used to be a girl called Thrace, and armies march to battle, Royce and Hadrian struggle to find their role in the course of events. A secret of Hadrian's past is reveled, but much remains shrouded in mystery as the characters fight to determine what will happen to the world of Elan. A fun read, highly recommended."
— Sarah (4 out of 5 stars)
" Rise of Empire is the second book written by Michael J. Sullivan in the Ryeria series. The books are long but well worth it. It was great! Hadrian and Royce, the protagonist in the series are fantastic. Can't wait for the last in the trilogy. "
— Chap, 10/26/2016" I continue to enjoy the storytelling in this series. The dialog between characters tends towards the stilted side, but I'm willing to overlook it for what is a very fun and interesting plot. "
— Corey, 2/13/2014Michael J. Sullivan is an award-winning science fiction and fantasy author. His debut series, the Riyria Revelations, has sold more than 265,000 copies. The series has also been translated to thirteen foreign languages. His success led him into mainstream publishing where he was awarded the 2010 Iceberg Ink Review’s Best Fantasy Novel Award, among others.
Tim Gerard Reynolds is an established audiobook narrator who has won several AudioFile Earphones Awards and was a finalist for the prestigious Audie Award for Best Fantasy Narration. He trained for the stage at the Samuel Beckett Center at Trinity College in Dublin and the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center in New London, Connecticut.