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The Rise and Fall #2
Farilane
Some truths are dangerous, certain secrets best concealed, and one story never should have been written at all. Being an unwanted twin in the imperial line of succession, Farilane becomes a scholar, an adventurer, and—in a time when reading is forbidden—a hunter of books. Her singular obsession is finding the mythical Book of Brin , a tome not just lost but intentionally buried. Although she is respected and beloved by the Teshlor Knights, not even their legendary skills can protect her, for what she finds is more dangerous than what she sought. From the three-time New York Times best-selling author Michael J. Sullivan, Farilane is the second novel in The Rise and Fall trilogy. This latest set of stories sits snugly between the Legends of the First Empire series and the Riyria books (Revelations and Chronicles). With this tale, Michael continues his tradition of unlikely heroes who must rise to the call when history knocks, demanding to be let in. This series will conclude in the summer of 2023 with the release of Esrahaddon , the final piece in a narrative that began in 2008 and contains nineteen full-length novels spread across four series.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published June 7, 2022
About the author
Michael J. Sullivan
115 books94.6k followersNolyn and Esrahaddon Deluxe Editions are back in print!
Many people have been disappointed because we ran out of these special editions, but we did a limited printing (500 for Nolyn and 300 for Esrahaddon) so they are now once available for ordering (as is the completed boxset) If you've been looking for them. you can buy copies from here.
Drumindor recording in process (running 09/03 - 09/16)
You can preorder it from this link.
I'm a New York Times, USA Today, and Washington Post bestselling author with 9 Goodreads Choice Award Nominations.
I first opened the door to my imagination with typewriter keys while playing hide and seek and finding a black behemoth when I just ten years old. Serious writing started in my twenties, but after more than a decade trying to publish (and getting nowhere), I quit altogether. I returned to writing in 2004, and published my first novel with a small press in 2008. If you had told me that I'd be a New York Times Bestselling author, have 85+ novels translated into 13 languages, and sold more than 2 million copies, I never would have believed you!
Many people have been disappointed because we ran out of these special editions, but we did a limited printing (500 for Nolyn and 300 for Esrahaddon) so they are now once available for ordering (as is the completed boxset) If you've been looking for them. you can buy copies from here.
Drumindor recording in process (running 09/03 - 09/16)
You can preorder it from this link.
I'm a New York Times, USA Today, and Washington Post bestselling author with 9 Goodreads Choice Award Nominations.
I first opened the door to my imagination with typewriter keys while playing hide and seek and finding a black behemoth when I just ten years old. Serious writing started in my twenties, but after more than a decade trying to publish (and getting nowhere), I quit altogether. I returned to writing in 2004, and published my first novel with a small press in 2008. If you had told me that I'd be a New York Times Bestselling author, have 85+ novels translated into 13 languages, and sold more than 2 million copies, I never would have believed you!
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July 2, 2022Those who know me, know that I don't review my own books, but I do use this space to provide updates. So here goes!
Update 07/02/22 — We now have a date for when the printed books will be coming off the press - July 25th. That's just a little more than 3 weeks from today! That said, it will take a bit for them to get to us - and I won't know the exact date that will be. But given paper shortages and labor shortages having the manufacturing done is the hard part - won't be long now!
Update 06/15/22 —Good news from the associated press: Farilane hits the Top 10 bestselling audiobook list.
Update 6/09/22 — Farilane is now live for ebook and audio (hardcovers are still with the printer). We are doing a giveaway of the audio books - sign up here! Drawing will be held on June 15th! Good luck all!
Update 2/18/22 — The copyedits are in! Now just have to get everything implemented and sent to the Gamma readers - thanks are moving along!.
Update 2/14/22 — Well, tomorrow is the day that the Farilane Kickstarter will launch - it will go live at 12:00 noon EDT. Here is the link to use, and if you press it before launch, you can setup a reminder for an email when it goes live.
Update: 12/12/21 -- Getting ready to put this book into beta (Dec 20,2021 - Jan 10, 2022). As such, we worked on the "marketing blurb" for the back-of-the-book description (now updated in the Goodread's Book Page). If you want to be considered for beta or gamma reading, you can sign up here.
Update: 02/23/20 -- And done! I'm VERY pleased with how this book came out - maybe my best book ever. Only one more book to finish in this series and then we can start releasing them starting in the summer of next year!
Update: 11/14/19 -- Well, after a bunch of re-reading on book #1 and the first 1/2 of book #2, I'm back to writing. Since March this book has been sitting idle while I worked on changes to Age of Death. I'm thrilled to be back on this. It may just be my favorite book of all time.
Update: 04/02/18 -- First half of the book completed but I'll be going on hiatus for who knows how long. I need to return to Age of Death and have some family crisis stuff to deal with (my mom just died and Robin is in Michigan dealing with the aftermath.
Update: 12/03/18 -- I've been writing these books for a few months now, and it has gone quite well. I have the first 3 chapters pretty much finished, and the entire book outlined. I'll keep you posted!
Update 07/02/22 — We now have a date for when the printed books will be coming off the press - July 25th. That's just a little more than 3 weeks from today! That said, it will take a bit for them to get to us - and I won't know the exact date that will be. But given paper shortages and labor shortages having the manufacturing done is the hard part - won't be long now!
Update 06/15/22 —Good news from the associated press: Farilane hits the Top 10 bestselling audiobook list.
Update 6/09/22 — Farilane is now live for ebook and audio (hardcovers are still with the printer). We are doing a giveaway of the audio books - sign up here! Drawing will be held on June 15th! Good luck all!
Update 2/18/22 — The copyedits are in! Now just have to get everything implemented and sent to the Gamma readers - thanks are moving along!.
Update 2/14/22 — Well, tomorrow is the day that the Farilane Kickstarter will launch - it will go live at 12:00 noon EDT. Here is the link to use, and if you press it before launch, you can setup a reminder for an email when it goes live.
Update: 12/12/21 -- Getting ready to put this book into beta (Dec 20,2021 - Jan 10, 2022). As such, we worked on the "marketing blurb" for the back-of-the-book description (now updated in the Goodread's Book Page). If you want to be considered for beta or gamma reading, you can sign up here.
Update: 02/23/20 -- And done! I'm VERY pleased with how this book came out - maybe my best book ever. Only one more book to finish in this series and then we can start releasing them starting in the summer of next year!
Update: 11/14/19 -- Well, after a bunch of re-reading on book #1 and the first 1/2 of book #2, I'm back to writing. Since March this book has been sitting idle while I worked on changes to Age of Death. I'm thrilled to be back on this. It may just be my favorite book of all time.
Update: 04/02/18 -- First half of the book completed but I'll be going on hiatus for who knows how long. I need to return to Age of Death and have some family crisis stuff to deal with (my mom just died and Robin is in Michigan dealing with the aftermath.
Update: 12/03/18 -- I've been writing these books for a few months now, and it has gone quite well. I have the first 3 chapters pretty much finished, and the entire book outlined. I'll keep you posted!
August 5, 2023
Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
4.5/5 stars
Farilane is a great sequel to Nolyn with guaranteed huge emotional ramifications if you've read every book in the world of Elan before reading this.
This will probably be a shorter review than usual. Not because I did not like Farilane, but because this is a relatively short novel, and this is technically the eighteenth novel in the world of Elan. I have mentioned several times that none of the books in Legends of the First Empire, except Age of War, managed to reach the high quality of the best books in The Riyria series. But similar to Age of War, Farilane is pretty damn close. It is undoubtedly one of Michael J. Sullivan’s finest books, and I have read everything he wrote in the world of Elan, with the exception of the upcoming Esrahaddon. Yes, I have read all eighteen published books in Elan. It felt like I was struck by Bibliomania (a symptom of book madness in this book) when it came to reading Sullivan’s books. And it cannot be denied this is one of the most comfortable fantasy worlds to visit.
Farilane is the second book in The Rise and Fall trilogy by Michael J. Sullivan. The story follows Farilane, an unwanted twin in the imperial line of succession who becomes a scholar, an adventurer, and—in a time when reading is forbidden—a hunter of books. Her singular obsession is finding the mythical Book of Brin, a tome not just lost but intentionally buried. Although she is respected and beloved by the Teshlor Knights, not even their legendary skills can protect her, for what she finds is more dangerous than what she sought.
Yes, The Book of Brin. If you have read my review of Nolyn, you know what I will say next, right? As always, although Farilane works as a standalone story, please do not start your journey in the world of Elan here. At the very least, as I said, read the six books in Legends of the First Empire first. I mentioned before that Nolyn, the first book in The Rise and Fall trilogy, essentially worked as a sequel to Age of Empyre. And Farilane proved this notion further. If you have read Legends of the First Empire, or even just the first book in that series, you will know what The Book of Brin is. Reading Farilane actually will spoil a LOT of major events in Legends of the First Empire as well. So I really can’t advise anyone to read The Rise and Fall trilogy without reading Legends of the First Empire first.
I gave this suggestion isn’t merely for the sake of understanding everything going on in the interconnected world of Sullivan’s series. I believe that would require two or more read-through of all the books in the world of Elan. But it is to ensure you have the best first-time reading experience of Farilane as much as possible. This is an emotional story about sacrifice, legacy, passion, love, and leadership. And in Farilane, there were many nods and continuations to everything that happened in Legends of the First Empire and Nolyn. A LOT. Many of these events and crossings will lose their significance if you jump into Farilane as your first read. More importantly, I believe Sullivan delivered one of the most iconic and heavy scenes I’ve ever read out of all his books. There was a blizzard scene here, and it was insanely emotional and impactful if you get the meaning and symbolism behind that one scene. I am 100% confident the emotional impact of this chapter will be diminished if you haven’t read at least Legends of the First Empire. In fact, as Robin said at the end of the book, that blizzard scene would be so much more devastating if you have read The Riyria Revelations, too.
But I want to make it clear. These Easter Egg connections were not the only strong factor of Farilane. They are crucial but not the only magnificent points of the novel. To put it simply, Farilane is a wonderful character, and the relationships she formed with the few people she cared about, like Virgil, the Teshlor Knights, and Kile, were incredibly heartwarming to see. Speaking of Kile, he is one of the most important characters in the entire Elan universe. And you will know who he is if you have read either The Riyria Revelations or Legends of the First Empire. I was surprised to see how much substantial development and motivation were shed upon Kile in this book. This was one of the great things about this book. Farilane is a relatively small novel. The hardcover I read is less than 300 pages long, and the word count is about 110,000 words long, but many important topics and developments are packed into it. Farilane’s passion for literature and reading shined brightly; it was easy to like and relate to. And the way she tries to push the people she cares about from her to avoid the inevitable heartbreak that may come due to her longer age of living is empathizing. Although the name Farilane is not often mentioned in the world of Elan due to credible reasons in the narrative, her journey here will be one I remember for many years.
I cannot say much more than this. I believe the rest should be experienced yourself for maximum rewards. I have only one more book left in The Rise and Fall trilogy to read, and so far, this trilogy has been giving me much joy and satisfaction. One of my criticisms of Age of Empyre was how the book felt inconclusive and anti-climactic as a final installment, especially coming from someone of Sullivan’s caliber. But Nolyn and Farilane have been giving some needed continuations and closure to the character’s arc in Legends of the First Empire. Many fans have said Farilane is one of Sullivan’s best works, and I cannot disagree. Emotional, impactful, and unforgettable. As I post this review, Farlane currently has a 4.59 average rating out of 2.7k ratings. It is impressive! It filled me with excitement, considering how much I enjoyed Farilane already, that many fans of the series further voiced that Esrahaddon topped Farilane and all the books in Legends of the First Empire. I will be reading Esrahaddon next month, and as a fan of The Riyria books, you can bet that I am extensively enthusiastic, more than all the other books in Legends of the First Empire and The Rise and Fall trilogy, to read it.
You can order this book from: Blackwells (Free International shipping)
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Aliysa, Anastasia, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Biskit, Brad, Cade, Casey, Chris, Diana, Donna, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Frank, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Hunter, Jenn, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Justin, Kristina, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Tori, Tracy, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe.
4.5/5 stars
Farilane is a great sequel to Nolyn with guaranteed huge emotional ramifications if you've read every book in the world of Elan before reading this.
“Virgil… life is a gamble, my friend. The trick is to wager wisely, balancing risk against reward.
This will probably be a shorter review than usual. Not because I did not like Farilane, but because this is a relatively short novel, and this is technically the eighteenth novel in the world of Elan. I have mentioned several times that none of the books in Legends of the First Empire, except Age of War, managed to reach the high quality of the best books in The Riyria series. But similar to Age of War, Farilane is pretty damn close. It is undoubtedly one of Michael J. Sullivan’s finest books, and I have read everything he wrote in the world of Elan, with the exception of the upcoming Esrahaddon. Yes, I have read all eighteen published books in Elan. It felt like I was struck by Bibliomania (a symptom of book madness in this book) when it came to reading Sullivan’s books. And it cannot be denied this is one of the most comfortable fantasy worlds to visit.
“The sad part is… the more we learn, the less magic there is in the world, and the less enchanting life becomes.”
Farilane is the second book in The Rise and Fall trilogy by Michael J. Sullivan. The story follows Farilane, an unwanted twin in the imperial line of succession who becomes a scholar, an adventurer, and—in a time when reading is forbidden—a hunter of books. Her singular obsession is finding the mythical Book of Brin, a tome not just lost but intentionally buried. Although she is respected and beloved by the Teshlor Knights, not even their legendary skills can protect her, for what she finds is more dangerous than what she sought.
Yes, The Book of Brin. If you have read my review of Nolyn, you know what I will say next, right? As always, although Farilane works as a standalone story, please do not start your journey in the world of Elan here. At the very least, as I said, read the six books in Legends of the First Empire first. I mentioned before that Nolyn, the first book in The Rise and Fall trilogy, essentially worked as a sequel to Age of Empyre. And Farilane proved this notion further. If you have read Legends of the First Empire, or even just the first book in that series, you will know what The Book of Brin is. Reading Farilane actually will spoil a LOT of major events in Legends of the First Empire as well. So I really can’t advise anyone to read The Rise and Fall trilogy without reading Legends of the First Empire first.
“Events must fall a certain way. Some of those incidents, like this one, need to unfold in a precise manner and at an exact time to prevent disaster. A series of awful things must occur to make way for a future good. Like a forest fire that clears old trees for new growth.”
I gave this suggestion isn’t merely for the sake of understanding everything going on in the interconnected world of Sullivan’s series. I believe that would require two or more read-through of all the books in the world of Elan. But it is to ensure you have the best first-time reading experience of Farilane as much as possible. This is an emotional story about sacrifice, legacy, passion, love, and leadership. And in Farilane, there were many nods and continuations to everything that happened in Legends of the First Empire and Nolyn. A LOT. Many of these events and crossings will lose their significance if you jump into Farilane as your first read. More importantly, I believe Sullivan delivered one of the most iconic and heavy scenes I’ve ever read out of all his books. There was a blizzard scene here, and it was insanely emotional and impactful if you get the meaning and symbolism behind that one scene. I am 100% confident the emotional impact of this chapter will be diminished if you haven’t read at least Legends of the First Empire. In fact, as Robin said at the end of the book, that blizzard scene would be so much more devastating if you have read The Riyria Revelations, too.
“She’d never known an adventure that started wonderfully to end the same way. She had a theory that the start of a journey was inversely proportionate to the outcome. The better it began, the worse it finished. Judging by the sky and the breeze, she could guess that this was going to be a nightmare.”
But I want to make it clear. These Easter Egg connections were not the only strong factor of Farilane. They are crucial but not the only magnificent points of the novel. To put it simply, Farilane is a wonderful character, and the relationships she formed with the few people she cared about, like Virgil, the Teshlor Knights, and Kile, were incredibly heartwarming to see. Speaking of Kile, he is one of the most important characters in the entire Elan universe. And you will know who he is if you have read either The Riyria Revelations or Legends of the First Empire. I was surprised to see how much substantial development and motivation were shed upon Kile in this book. This was one of the great things about this book. Farilane is a relatively small novel. The hardcover I read is less than 300 pages long, and the word count is about 110,000 words long, but many important topics and developments are packed into it. Farilane’s passion for literature and reading shined brightly; it was easy to like and relate to. And the way she tries to push the people she cares about from her to avoid the inevitable heartbreak that may come due to her longer age of living is empathizing. Although the name Farilane is not often mentioned in the world of Elan due to credible reasons in the narrative, her journey here will be one I remember for many years.
“There are reasons, of course, justifications that sound just and sensible when spoken, but the heart doesn’t understand arguments. Mine doesn’t. All I can offer is this: Don’t allow being a princess to become a burden or a chain. Forget being proper. Do what you like. Wait on nothing. Listen to no one. Go out into the world and live each day to the fullest. Be adventurous. Be reckless. Defy everyone. Then when your last day finally comes, you can take solace in a life well lived and regret nothing.”
I cannot say much more than this. I believe the rest should be experienced yourself for maximum rewards. I have only one more book left in The Rise and Fall trilogy to read, and so far, this trilogy has been giving me much joy and satisfaction. One of my criticisms of Age of Empyre was how the book felt inconclusive and anti-climactic as a final installment, especially coming from someone of Sullivan’s caliber. But Nolyn and Farilane have been giving some needed continuations and closure to the character’s arc in Legends of the First Empire. Many fans have said Farilane is one of Sullivan’s best works, and I cannot disagree. Emotional, impactful, and unforgettable. As I post this review, Farlane currently has a 4.59 average rating out of 2.7k ratings. It is impressive! It filled me with excitement, considering how much I enjoyed Farilane already, that many fans of the series further voiced that Esrahaddon topped Farilane and all the books in Legends of the First Empire. I will be reading Esrahaddon next month, and as a fan of The Riyria books, you can bet that I am extensively enthusiastic, more than all the other books in Legends of the First Empire and The Rise and Fall trilogy, to read it.
“There are moments in time that are incredibly cruel. The worst occur when true greatness begins to bud but is snuffed out before the blossom. You are the star allowed only to flicker briefly in the morning light, erased by the rising sun.”
You can order this book from: Blackwells (Free International shipping)
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Aliysa, Anastasia, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Biskit, Brad, Cade, Casey, Chris, Diana, Donna, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Ellen, Frank, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Hunter, Jenn, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Justin, Kristina, Luis, Lufi, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Tori, Tracy, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe.
![Profile Image for Anna [Bran. San. Stan].](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1593184464i/98245866._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
May 18, 2023
THIS BOOK IS EVERYTHING. Everything I hoped it would be; more, even. To me, being back in the world of Elan with this magnificent piece of story-telling both devastates and makes me happy.
In this second book, set 1000 years after Nolyn (book 1 of The Rise and Fall), Princess Farilane, Nolyn‘s great-great-great-granddaughter, adventurer-scholar, is on the hunt: for the true history she hopes to discover in the ancient Book(s) of Brin and for a famous relic that is needed to secure the future of the Empire and avoid a war with the elves mankind would lose.
While it is probably true that this can be read as a stand-alone, I maintain it can be appreciated more if you’re familiar with the world of Elan. (And it goes beyond the satisfaction of knowing early on who Proust and Kile really are.)
If you haven’t ventured into Elan before, you should remedy that right away: the books set in Elan have truly become epic - with amazing characters in each series. (Royce and Hadrian in both Riyria series; a great cast of unlikely heroes in Legends.)
As I’ve grown accustomed with Sullivan, many things/characters in Farilane are not what they seem and many old players, a familiar foe among them, return.
We also get to see the birth of the Church of Novron as instigated by that familiar foe and thus are witness to even more of history being rewritten, which will result in the mistreatment and eventual genocide of the half-elves and which will also be the catalyst to the events in the Ryria Revelations set about 1200 years later. Causalities like these have me convinced that, like I said, you will enjoy this book more if you’ve read the other books set in Elan. If you love fantasy, I’m sure you will love those books - maybe you already do.
My advice as for reading order: go with the series that appeals to you the most. I started with Legends of the First Empire, then read the Riyria Revelations and then the Ryiria Chronicles), only to re-read all series afterwards. I can���t honestly say which order brings the greatest enjoyment. Go with your gut! I only advise you to read either Legends or Revelations before starting this series. But hey, if this is your first MJS book, please let me know in the comments about your reading experience.
I can’t wait to read the third book of this trilogy!
Chronological order of series set in the Elan world:
1. Legends of the First Empire (3000 years in the past)
1.1 Age of Myth – 5 stars
1.2 Age of Swords – 4.25 stars
1.3 Age of Swords – 5 stars
1.4 Age of Legend – 4.75 stars
1.5 Age of Death – 5 stars
1.6 Age of Empyre – 5 stars
2. THE RISE AND FALL
2.1 Nolyn – set 850 years after 1. Legends
of the First Empire – 5 stars
2.2 FARILANE – set 1000 years after 2.1 Nolyn – 5 stars
2.3 Esrahaddon – set 200 years after Farilane and 1,000 years before the Riyria Chronicles – 5 stars
3. The Riyria Chronicles (ten years prior to Revelations)
3.1 The Crown Tower – 5 stars
3.2 The Rose and the Thorn – 5 stars
3.3 The Death of Dulgath – 4.5 stars
3.4 The Disappearance of Winter’s Daughter – 4.5 stars
3.5 Drumindor (yet to be released)
To be read BEFORE the Chronicles:
4 Riyria Revelations
4.1 Theft of Swords: The Crown Conspiracy – updated to 4.25 stars
4.2 Theft of Swords: Avempartha – 4.5 stars
4.3 Rise of Empire: Nyphron Rising – 5 stars
4.4 Rise of Empire: The Emerald Storm – 4.5 stars
4.5 Heir of Novron: Wintertide – 5 stars
4.6 Heir of Novron: Percepliquis – 5 stars
In this second book, set 1000 years after Nolyn (book 1 of The Rise and Fall), Princess Farilane, Nolyn‘s great-great-great-granddaughter, adventurer-scholar, is on the hunt: for the true history she hopes to discover in the ancient Book(s) of Brin and for a famous relic that is needed to secure the future of the Empire and avoid a war with the elves mankind would lose.
While it is probably true that this can be read as a stand-alone, I maintain it can be appreciated more if you’re familiar with the world of Elan. (And it goes beyond the satisfaction of knowing early on who Proust and Kile really are.)
If you haven’t ventured into Elan before, you should remedy that right away: the books set in Elan have truly become epic - with amazing characters in each series. (Royce and Hadrian in both Riyria series; a great cast of unlikely heroes in Legends.)
As I’ve grown accustomed with Sullivan, many things/characters in Farilane are not what they seem and many old players, a familiar foe among them, return.
We also get to see the birth of the Church of Novron as instigated by that familiar foe and thus are witness to even more of history being rewritten, which will result in the mistreatment and eventual genocide of the half-elves and which will also be the catalyst to the events in the Ryria Revelations set about 1200 years later. Causalities like these have me convinced that, like I said, you will enjoy this book more if you’ve read the other books set in Elan. If you love fantasy, I’m sure you will love those books - maybe you already do.
My advice as for reading order: go with the series that appeals to you the most. I started with Legends of the First Empire, then read the Riyria Revelations and then the Ryiria Chronicles), only to re-read all series afterwards. I can���t honestly say which order brings the greatest enjoyment. Go with your gut! I only advise you to read either Legends or Revelations before starting this series. But hey, if this is your first MJS book, please let me know in the comments about your reading experience.
I can’t wait to read the third book of this trilogy!
Chronological order of series set in the Elan world:
1. Legends of the First Empire (3000 years in the past)
1.1 Age of Myth – 5 stars
1.2 Age of Swords – 4.25 stars
1.3 Age of Swords – 5 stars
1.4 Age of Legend – 4.75 stars
1.5 Age of Death – 5 stars
1.6 Age of Empyre – 5 stars
2. THE RISE AND FALL
2.1 Nolyn – set 850 years after 1. Legends
of the First Empire – 5 stars
2.2 FARILANE – set 1000 years after 2.1 Nolyn – 5 stars
2.3 Esrahaddon – set 200 years after Farilane and 1,000 years before the Riyria Chronicles – 5 stars
3. The Riyria Chronicles (ten years prior to Revelations)
3.1 The Crown Tower – 5 stars
3.2 The Rose and the Thorn – 5 stars
3.3 The Death of Dulgath – 4.5 stars
3.4 The Disappearance of Winter’s Daughter – 4.5 stars
3.5 Drumindor (yet to be released)
To be read BEFORE the Chronicles:
4 Riyria Revelations
4.1 Theft of Swords: The Crown Conspiracy – updated to 4.25 stars
4.2 Theft of Swords: Avempartha – 4.5 stars
4.3 Rise of Empire: Nyphron Rising – 5 stars
4.4 Rise of Empire: The Emerald Storm – 4.5 stars
4.5 Heir of Novron: Wintertide – 5 stars
4.6 Heir of Novron: Percepliquis – 5 stars
May 19, 2023
2023 Reread in preparation for Esrahaddon!
___________________________
ALL. THE. FEELS.
Wow, I was NOT expecting that AT ALL. MY heart has been wrecked... Also, all the stars for one of Michael J Sullivan's best works. This works well as a stand-alone for those who have not read any of his books, (I'd still suggest not to do so, despite Michael's comment below as well, as this is a second book in a series, and the first book won't be as enjoyable as a standalone without having read Riyria and Age of Legends and just ... it's a series. That has very strong ties to another series. Make the effort, please as it's worth it), but for those who have read all of his works there is a much larger impact and payoff which is the reason this book hit me so hard and I am tempted to reread everything building up to Farilane pretty soon just to relive it. It's that good.
Highly recommended.
PS:
___________________________
ALL. THE. FEELS.
Wow, I was NOT expecting that AT ALL. MY heart has been wrecked... Also, all the stars for one of Michael J Sullivan's best works. This works well as a stand-alone for those who have not read any of his books, (I'd still suggest not to do so, despite Michael's comment below as well, as this is a second book in a series, and the first book won't be as enjoyable as a standalone without having read Riyria and Age of Legends and just ... it's a series. That has very strong ties to another series. Make the effort, please as it's worth it), but for those who have read all of his works there is a much larger impact and payoff which is the reason this book hit me so hard and I am tempted to reread everything building up to Farilane pretty soon just to relive it. It's that good.
Highly recommended.
PS:
May 15, 2023
Farilane was even better, and more devasating on reread, especially in close continuation from The Legends of the First Empire.
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I've no words (and I'm in tears). What an incredible book! As a stand-alone story, Farilane packed a lot of interesting development and information as a bridge narrative between The Legends of the First Empire and Riyria Revelations, making it an immensely engaging read. To top it all off, it then delivered a hefty emotional punch at the end, one which I deemed close to being on par to that in Heir of Novron. Of all the prequel books to Riyria so far, this was the one where the impact will be most felt by readers who have read both the earlier published series.
It goes without saying for any one of Sullivan's books, the characters were the best part of the story and the main reason why I cared so much. Princess Farilane was another fantastic female character that grew on me very quickly. The highlight, however, was the one whom cannot be named, and it was this character's story which made the ending so powerfully, brutally heartwrenching for me.
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I've no words (and I'm in tears). What an incredible book! As a stand-alone story, Farilane packed a lot of interesting development and information as a bridge narrative between The Legends of the First Empire and Riyria Revelations, making it an immensely engaging read. To top it all off, it then delivered a hefty emotional punch at the end, one which I deemed close to being on par to that in Heir of Novron. Of all the prequel books to Riyria so far, this was the one where the impact will be most felt by readers who have read both the earlier published series.
It goes without saying for any one of Sullivan's books, the characters were the best part of the story and the main reason why I cared so much. Princess Farilane was another fantastic female character that grew on me very quickly. The highlight, however, was the one whom cannot be named, and it was this character's story which made the ending so powerfully, brutally heartwrenching for me.
July 14, 2022
At the end of Nolyn, I thought that that will be my last book in this universe, and no more Kickstarter backup from my side. I'm glad I did not keep my word.
Robin Sullivan says that this is her husband’s best work. In my opinion, the best is Heir of Novron, and I’m certain that will remain so for me, but Farilane is close. It features one of the most amazing characters in this universe, on par with Brin, if not better. And, the same as with Brin, .
Let me explain – heavy spoilers ahead.
Anyway, I have to give credit to MJS for writing another great character, and for the story which I tremendously enjoyed up until the end, which spoiled everything. In the afterword, again Robin said that , given the following events. I'm really, really curious what the last book will bring to justify this choice, because I can't think of anything. But we'll see.
As of now, love and hate annul each other, hence 3 bland, dispirited stars.
Robin Sullivan says that this is her husband’s best work. In my opinion, the best is Heir of Novron, and I’m certain that will remain so for me, but Farilane is close. It features one of the most amazing characters in this universe, on par with Brin, if not better. And, the same as with Brin, .
Let me explain – heavy spoilers ahead.
Anyway, I have to give credit to MJS for writing another great character, and for the story which I tremendously enjoyed up until the end, which spoiled everything. In the afterword, again Robin said that , given the following events. I'm really, really curious what the last book will bring to justify this choice, because I can't think of anything. But we'll see.
As of now, love and hate annul each other, hence 3 bland, dispirited stars.
July 1, 2022
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Michael J. Sullivan is one of my favorite fantasy authors and you can always depend on him to produce great works and stories in a fantasy world that really touch your heart. Farilane ended up being one of the most emotional of all the books I’ve read by him, which was surprising since so much of it was an adventure with quippy dialogue and a quest for the Book of Brin.
The story of Farilane second book of The Rise and Fall series is different than many series I’ve read as it technically could be read as a stand alone and it would still be a good story. But what made it a great story for me is that this book is in the middle of two completed series. It is probably 2000 years before the Riyria books and a bit over 1000 years after Legends of the First Empire . I love how authors play with history when they do that and the stories of the past get told and retold until they become barely recognizable as the story you read.
It is an eon after Nolyn, and his many greats granddaughter is an adventurer and lover of books and reading. Which wouldn’t be all the fantastic except reading and magic are forbidden at this time. She is quite a rebel, especially for a woman and possibly the smartest person in Elon. Which is an issue as she is a princess and twin, and technically this could muddy the succession waters as her brother is not that remarkable at all. In her quest for a special book, the book of Brin and possibly the second book of Brin, she ends up with an unlikely band of people to travel with one of whom is Kile. Let’s just say that I was really excited to see Kile as I’ve read all the other books and knew who he was, it was really nice to know the entire time that Kile was here, wondering what role he was working on playing to nudge things the direction he needed them to go.
Farilane was a person of history when I first read about her in the Riyria books. She is beloved of the Teshlore Knights and has a bit of the spirit of her many greats’ grandmother Moya in her. She seems so misunderstood by her blood family, out of place in the life of a princess when she is so clearly a scholar and adventurer. When one of her beloved Teshlores needs to retire, Kile is introduced as his replacement and much to her surprise they have an instant kindship. When you live as long as elves do it is unwise to get too close to the humans, or so she has been taught.
Farilane covers how the history of those Legends we loved are changing and this is the tipping point where Nyphron (an elf) is being turning into Novron (a human/god) in a new cultish fervor. But the true wonder in Farilane is the relationship between her and Kile. It changes both in ways we can’t imagine and I was so incredibly touched by the end to this story, especially the feather.
If you have loved Michael J. Sullivan books before I think Farilane will be another that is cherished and has moments that stick with you long afterward. I’m really loving the in-between books just as much as the other two/three series set in this world. There is so much history to play with and it is really fun to see how history changed so much by the original series. So another win in the Michael J. Sullivan column.
Narration:
Tim Gerard Reynolds is always magic in his narrations. There are books I buy just because he is the narrator. He has done all of the books set in Elon and each one has been masterfully performed. While all of MJS's books are good there is just a special magic I feel when listening that I don't get when I read them on my own and that is all due to the fantastic performances by Tim Gerard Reynolds.
Listen to a clip: HERE
Michael J. Sullivan is one of my favorite fantasy authors and you can always depend on him to produce great works and stories in a fantasy world that really touch your heart. Farilane ended up being one of the most emotional of all the books I’ve read by him, which was surprising since so much of it was an adventure with quippy dialogue and a quest for the Book of Brin.
The story of Farilane second book of The Rise and Fall series is different than many series I’ve read as it technically could be read as a stand alone and it would still be a good story. But what made it a great story for me is that this book is in the middle of two completed series. It is probably 2000 years before the Riyria books and a bit over 1000 years after Legends of the First Empire . I love how authors play with history when they do that and the stories of the past get told and retold until they become barely recognizable as the story you read.
It is an eon after Nolyn, and his many greats granddaughter is an adventurer and lover of books and reading. Which wouldn’t be all the fantastic except reading and magic are forbidden at this time. She is quite a rebel, especially for a woman and possibly the smartest person in Elon. Which is an issue as she is a princess and twin, and technically this could muddy the succession waters as her brother is not that remarkable at all. In her quest for a special book, the book of Brin and possibly the second book of Brin, she ends up with an unlikely band of people to travel with one of whom is Kile. Let’s just say that I was really excited to see Kile as I’ve read all the other books and knew who he was, it was really nice to know the entire time that Kile was here, wondering what role he was working on playing to nudge things the direction he needed them to go.
Farilane was a person of history when I first read about her in the Riyria books. She is beloved of the Teshlore Knights and has a bit of the spirit of her many greats’ grandmother Moya in her. She seems so misunderstood by her blood family, out of place in the life of a princess when she is so clearly a scholar and adventurer. When one of her beloved Teshlores needs to retire, Kile is introduced as his replacement and much to her surprise they have an instant kindship. When you live as long as elves do it is unwise to get too close to the humans, or so she has been taught.
Farilane covers how the history of those Legends we loved are changing and this is the tipping point where Nyphron (an elf) is being turning into Novron (a human/god) in a new cultish fervor. But the true wonder in Farilane is the relationship between her and Kile. It changes both in ways we can’t imagine and I was so incredibly touched by the end to this story, especially the feather.
If you have loved Michael J. Sullivan books before I think Farilane will be another that is cherished and has moments that stick with you long afterward. I’m really loving the in-between books just as much as the other two/three series set in this world. There is so much history to play with and it is really fun to see how history changed so much by the original series. So another win in the Michael J. Sullivan column.
“Life is a gamble, my friend. The trick is to wager wisely, balancing risk against reward."
"Facts are important. They are the notches we cut in trees as we explore reality—lose them, and we might never find our way.”
Narration:
Tim Gerard Reynolds is always magic in his narrations. There are books I buy just because he is the narrator. He has done all of the books set in Elon and each one has been masterfully performed. While all of MJS's books are good there is just a special magic I feel when listening that I don't get when I read them on my own and that is all due to the fantastic performances by Tim Gerard Reynolds.
Listen to a clip: HERE
April 27, 2022
Oh, my heart. What a great ending.
April 24, 2022
I am so glad that I backed the kickstarter campaign so that I could read this early! Since it's not out yet my review will be intentionally vague.
The Rise and the Fall trilogy is a bridge of sorts between the Legends of the First Empire and Riyria series. The events of this book take place centuries after Book One of the trilogy, NOLYN. That one had been in a setting centuries after the first series. Riyria is in the far distant future. To be honest, I wasn't all that crazy about LOTFE, but I really liked Nolyn and love Riyria.
So this one? This was highly enjoyable!
Farilane was an excellent character. She was very smart, obsessive-compulsive, fearless, and overall plucky. She loved to cause discomfort and consternation in other characters, and some of her irreverent comments gave me the giggles. I enjoyed tagging along with her.
Throughout this book was hidden a treasure trove of Easter eggs for the other two series plus Nolyn. I loved them. And it was so interesting to see how warped the facts of history had become by the present time frame. After reading the six Riyria books several times I know that the facts aren't done morphing into unrecognizable history yet.
One final obscure observation, the first paragraph of the Afterword? Yes, I could relate.
I'm looking forward to the third book.
The Rise and the Fall trilogy is a bridge of sorts between the Legends of the First Empire and Riyria series. The events of this book take place centuries after Book One of the trilogy, NOLYN. That one had been in a setting centuries after the first series. Riyria is in the far distant future. To be honest, I wasn't all that crazy about LOTFE, but I really liked Nolyn and love Riyria.
So this one? This was highly enjoyable!
Farilane was an excellent character. She was very smart, obsessive-compulsive, fearless, and overall plucky. She loved to cause discomfort and consternation in other characters, and some of her irreverent comments gave me the giggles. I enjoyed tagging along with her.
Throughout this book was hidden a treasure trove of Easter eggs for the other two series plus Nolyn. I loved them. And it was so interesting to see how warped the facts of history had become by the present time frame. After reading the six Riyria books several times I know that the facts aren't done morphing into unrecognizable history yet.
One final obscure observation, the first paragraph of the Afterword? Yes, I could relate.
I'm looking forward to the third book.
October 16, 2022
Beta Read: This is the sequel to Nolyn and takes place a couple thousand years later. We’ve had hints of Princess Farilane before, and here we finally get to see her in the flesh. It turns out she’s kind of insane.
While this book works as a standalone, I think it will be more meaningful after reading Nolyn and the Legends of the First Empire.
There were several parts that had me laughing really hard. The ending surprised me quite a bit. Sullivan’s books are generally grand adventures, and this ending left me bawling. Age of Empyre’s ending left me teary, but I think this hit harder. That’s about all I can say for now, but I think this will be a fine addition to the world of Elan.
Language: Mild
Sexual Content: Occasionally referenced in vague terms
Violence: Swords and sorcery; mildly graphic a couple times
Harm to Animals:
Harm to Children:
Other (Triggers):
While this book works as a standalone, I think it will be more meaningful after reading Nolyn and the Legends of the First Empire.
There were several parts that had me laughing really hard. The ending surprised me quite a bit. Sullivan’s books are generally grand adventures, and this ending left me bawling. Age of Empyre’s ending left me teary, but I think this hit harder. That’s about all I can say for now, but I think this will be a fine addition to the world of Elan.
Language: Mild
Sexual Content: Occasionally referenced in vague terms
Violence: Swords and sorcery; mildly graphic a couple times
Harm to Animals:
Harm to Children:
Other (Triggers):
June 16, 2022
Michael J Sullivan’s best work yet hands down. It does a masterful job of connecting the world of Elan, old and new. Can’t wait for the next instalment.
February 1, 2024
I am a sucker for a good takes-no-shit female lead, so it’s no surprise that I loved this book. Farilane absolutely exceeded my expectations, my only complaint is that I didn’t want it to end.
May 6, 2022
I don't often do proper reviews these days, but for this one I had to make an exception.
Michael is a spectacular author, that's never been in question, but this is by a country mile his best work. I can't say too much without getting into spoiler territory, but while I have no doubt that to some it will be divisive in one very big way, I could not put this book down.
The character of Farilane was wonderfully executed and I can very much see why Michael said he wanted to jump straight to this, skipping Nolyn. Not because Nolyn was bad, god no, but because this story was so much MORE in just every way. However I do think that several points would not have had nearly the same impact without Nolyn preceding it. No doubt, Suri, Hadrian and Royce have some competition in the favourite character department.
This was meant to be shorter, but I started gushing. Five stars isn't enough. That is all.
Michael is a spectacular author, that's never been in question, but this is by a country mile his best work. I can't say too much without getting into spoiler territory, but while I have no doubt that to some it will be divisive in one very big way, I could not put this book down.
The character of Farilane was wonderfully executed and I can very much see why Michael said he wanted to jump straight to this, skipping Nolyn. Not because Nolyn was bad, god no, but because this story was so much MORE in just every way. However I do think that several points would not have had nearly the same impact without Nolyn preceding it. No doubt, Suri, Hadrian and Royce have some competition in the favourite character department.
This was meant to be shorter, but I started gushing. Five stars isn't enough. That is all.
August 12, 2022
Farilane is many things, but she is primarily an adventurer and a scholar. She is willing to take on daring tasks of all sorts, but she most often hunts books. She's intent to find the Book of Brin. Farilane is also loved by the Teshlor Knights despite being the unwanted twin in line of succession.
After finishing the book I simply feel speechless. It must have moved me more than I realized. Farilane is an incredible character. She's part Indiana Jones, part Sherlock Holmes, she has the brashness of Moya, and she is always seeking to learn more about everyone around her. She is used to being the smartest person in any room she enters. This book follows her on her exploits and her introduction to a puzzling individual who is more than he seems.
For anyone who has read the books from the world Michael J. Sullivan has lovingly crafted, there is many expected things that occur. This story has Teshlor Knights, magic, Mawyndulë's search for the horn, and many other moments. There was simply additional heart to this story primarily from Farilane herself, but also from the Teshlor Knights who adore her.
Farilane was more than I was expecting from this book or series. I imagine I'll think about her for some time.
After finishing the book I simply feel speechless. It must have moved me more than I realized. Farilane is an incredible character. She's part Indiana Jones, part Sherlock Holmes, she has the brashness of Moya, and she is always seeking to learn more about everyone around her. She is used to being the smartest person in any room she enters. This book follows her on her exploits and her introduction to a puzzling individual who is more than he seems.
For anyone who has read the books from the world Michael J. Sullivan has lovingly crafted, there is many expected things that occur. This story has Teshlor Knights, magic, Mawyndulë's search for the horn, and many other moments. There was simply additional heart to this story primarily from Farilane herself, but also from the Teshlor Knights who adore her.
Farilane was more than I was expecting from this book or series. I imagine I'll think about her for some time.
September 7, 2024
Nolyn ★★★★
Farilane ★★★ ½
I had mixed feelings about this entry; I really wanted to love it. Sullivan and his wife describe it as one of his best and favorite novels, but for me, it felt like one of his weaker works. While it remains a good and enjoyable story, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing throughout.
It’s evident that this book can't be fully appreciated without the context of the previous ones. You could read it standalone, but you'd miss many Easter eggs and spoil elements from earlier books. As the 18th novel in the series, it’s best enjoyed in order to grasp its full impact.
Farilane was an intriguing character; I have a soft spot for the nerdy scholar archetype, though I must admit she had her frustrating moments. I appreciated the way the plot and language evolved over time, which was a fresh perspective for me.
My main issue with the book lies in its pacing. While I generally enjoy Sullivan's plotting and am a fan of a good prophecy, the book felt slow at times, and the ending seemed rushed. It could have benefited from a more balanced progression.
The novel is relatively short, and I noticed that Esrahaddon is much longer. I’m hopeful that it will tie up the remaining loose ends and provide a satisfying conclusion to the series.
Farilane ★★★ ½
I had mixed feelings about this entry; I really wanted to love it. Sullivan and his wife describe it as one of his best and favorite novels, but for me, it felt like one of his weaker works. While it remains a good and enjoyable story, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing throughout.
It’s evident that this book can't be fully appreciated without the context of the previous ones. You could read it standalone, but you'd miss many Easter eggs and spoil elements from earlier books. As the 18th novel in the series, it’s best enjoyed in order to grasp its full impact.
Farilane was an intriguing character; I have a soft spot for the nerdy scholar archetype, though I must admit she had her frustrating moments. I appreciated the way the plot and language evolved over time, which was a fresh perspective for me.
My main issue with the book lies in its pacing. While I generally enjoy Sullivan's plotting and am a fan of a good prophecy, the book felt slow at times, and the ending seemed rushed. It could have benefited from a more balanced progression.
The novel is relatively short, and I noticed that Esrahaddon is much longer. I’m hopeful that it will tie up the remaining loose ends and provide a satisfying conclusion to the series.
August 4, 2024
Farilane, is a noted scholar who is searching for the secrets to the founding of the First Empire.
She is also the unwanted twin in the imperial line of succession and is obsessed with finding the Book of Brin (!!!).
Farilane is smart, stubborn, and logical who figures things out too fast and is driven by her innate sense of justice. Additionally, she is extremely bookish, doesn’t care what others think of her, and has no end to her sass and wit.
Yes, she can also be insufferable and arrogant, but also she is technically a Princess and told that she is above humans and emotional attachments.
This is something she learns to deal with throughout the story.
But that’s the result of time, not understanding.” “And yet time allows for understanding, doesn’t it? A boy sees his father as a god, then grows up and realizes he’s flawed, mortal, and foolish. Then he has his own children and discovers his father isn’t foolish at all, but still isn’t a god. Understanding changes the reality of a thing—at least insofar as we perceive it—even if that thing itself doesn’t change.
Like Nolyn, it is so interesting to see how hundreds of years have turned the events in Legends of the First Empire to legends, myths, and fairy stories told as bedtime stories.
It’s almost as if Sullivan is winking at us throwing Easter eggs and teasers.
The characters are definitely more realised in comparison to Nolyn, with more spunk and brains. Although not by much as some things were so glaringly obvious I had to wonder if Sullivan’s foreshadowing and hint dropping might have been too heavy handed for readers to be frustrated at the characters not realising themselves.
Bookstagram
She is also the unwanted twin in the imperial line of succession and is obsessed with finding the Book of Brin (!!!).
Farilane is smart, stubborn, and logical who figures things out too fast and is driven by her innate sense of justice. Additionally, she is extremely bookish, doesn’t care what others think of her, and has no end to her sass and wit.
Yes, she can also be insufferable and arrogant, but also she is technically a Princess and told that she is above humans and emotional attachments.
This is something she learns to deal with throughout the story.
But that’s the result of time, not understanding.” “And yet time allows for understanding, doesn’t it? A boy sees his father as a god, then grows up and realizes he’s flawed, mortal, and foolish. Then he has his own children and discovers his father isn’t foolish at all, but still isn’t a god. Understanding changes the reality of a thing—at least insofar as we perceive it—even if that thing itself doesn’t change.
Like Nolyn, it is so interesting to see how hundreds of years have turned the events in Legends of the First Empire to legends, myths, and fairy stories told as bedtime stories.
It’s almost as if Sullivan is winking at us throwing Easter eggs and teasers.
The characters are definitely more realised in comparison to Nolyn, with more spunk and brains. Although not by much as some things were so glaringly obvious I had to wonder if Sullivan’s foreshadowing and hint dropping might have been too heavy handed for readers to be frustrated at the characters not realising themselves.
Bookstagram
July 13, 2022
I am a huge fan of Michael J. Sullivan and have read everything on offer, even the non-Elan novels. Throughout multiple series he has woven an intricate story with numerous hints and references that make rereading them highly enjoyable and rewarding. While I think Nolyn is the weakest of the entire Elan saga, I would say Farilane is the most disappointing, particularly due to how rushed the ending is coupled with glaring plot holes that surely Farilane herself would have pointed out.
Ferilane is, for the most part, a wonderfully inventive and fun adventure that scores on every level but the conclusion, which drags the entire novel down several notches for me. One can hardly help but fall for Ferilane’s charm, wit, and determination, and the ending does a huge disservice to the character. I can’t help but feel as though the ending was written before the rest of the story and was rushed all the way through. It feels very much as though Michael knew where he wanted to go but got lost along the way. Like he wrote the ending, then wrote the rest of the story. It seems as though Ferilane as a character grew away from the conclusion he had originally intended, forcing the author to rely on a contrived and rushed conclusion that doesn’t make logical sense.
***SPOILERS BELOW***
Relying on a “prophecy” and then seemingly contradicting this very same prophecy pages later leads one to feel as though it is a plot convenience rather than a thoughtfully included piece of the larger puzzle. This isn’t helped by the defensive tone of the Afterwards by the author’s wife, Robin, who seems to be trying to ward off criticism they know is coming.
While I previously said Nolyn was the weakest, it at least offered the glimmer of competing visions and followed up on the hints offered in Legends of the First Empyre (which were also hinted at in Heir of Novron’s Esrahaddon flashback scenes). These competing influences in the history and fate of Elan offered a rationale for the actions of these “deities,” an idea that is completely left out of Farilane. What we are left with is the continuing guidance of Turin, Malcolm, Kile, etc, that fails to justify why he takes the actions he takes in Farilane. It is not enough to say it is “destiny” or “prophecy” and that he has seen how the future plays out. We, as the audience, need to understand the logic. Arguing that the Horn could not tell which of the two should be Fane is a hollow point. The entire point of the Horn is that anyone with Frey blood can blow it. The idea that the Horn wouldn’t know when the dynasty has ended due to there being two potential heirs is a weak argument considering that the reason why there were twins was the diluted Frey blood. Wouldn’t this issue become more and more apparent as the Frey blood continued to be diluted? This point is further contradicted by saying that the presumed male twin and heir is busy turning his bedroom into a brothel, meaning yet more potential heirs and potential conflict within the Horn. It is weak justifications like this that make the ending so disappointing.
In my opinion, Ferilane accepts her fate far, far too easily given how much time and effort had been dedicated to growing her as a strong, intelligent, independent woman (myrr). Given her intelligence and keen eye for observation, one would have thought Ferilane would have quickly pointed out the plot holes described above when discussing her sacrifice with Kile (multiple competing claims and the increasing likelihood of twins). If I, your average reader, can quickly identify such logical inconsistencies, surely Ferilane would have as well? At no point are we led to believe that Ferilane would be so overwhelmed, impressed, or intimidated by Kile in the end that she would have overlooked such obvious issues. This is a character that reads the signs and makes logical deductions based on limited information. That is the primary strength of her character, and one that is reinforced and carefully constructed throughout the entire story, yet left out at the very end.
Instead, Michael diminishes her intellect to force her into the ending he wants, rather than the natural path her character arc would suggest. Previously, Michael has done a fantastic job of leading the audience through clues, hints, and subtleties that make the entire series so thoroughly enjoyable and re-readable. Plot holes are few and far between, generally, yet the ones in Farilane are so massive and contradictory that it feels sloppy, further contributing to my overall disappointment. Farilane ends on such an abrupt and contrived note that I can’t help but feel as though the story is left incomplete.
From the Revelations we know that the Empire is later destroyed and nearly all of the history is erased, it seems as though the obvious solution would have been to have the twins rule jointly or allow Ferilane to continue her adventure, abdicating the throne and removing the issue regarding the Horn not knowing who is ruler all together, neatly closing the plot hole. Heck, Michael could even have had Ferilane point out this issue, reinforcing the error in Kile’s way, humbling him further and showing that even gods can make mistakes (which he already admitted to in not predicting the twin issue in the first place). All of this feels like missed opportunities to make a better, more tightly constructed and logical narrative. This would have kept the ending open ended and could have been referenced in Esrahaddon, referencing Ferilane’s quest and even hinting that she found the second Book of Brin, only to meet another mysterious end, or just disappeared altogether after finding it, adding to the menace that is/was Trilos, who we already know will likely make another appearance in Esrahaddon, further connecting the stories.
In previous Afterwards, Robin thoughtfully reflects on the process of writing and offers her opinion on how the characters grew. In Farilane, she says the conclusion “had” to happen, but only provides fleeting rationale, adding details that aren’t included in the story and aren’t justified or supported based on what the audience knows. For an author who so carefully and skillfully created a universe over multiple series and books, this landing completely fails to stick for me and feels so abbreviated I thought surely there must be more. This isn’t helped by the need (albeit an understandable one) to include pages upon pages of Kickstarter backers, which adds length but offers nothing in the way of substance. I feel there could have easily been another few chapters towards the end that would have made for a far more complete and better story overall. Almost as if the author was pressed for time, ran out of patience/creative energy, or was otherwise forced to end the story prematurely.
Overall, Farilane is 90% of a brilliant novel that is dragged down by the rushed conclusion and glaring plot holes that diminish the work as a whole.
Ferilane is, for the most part, a wonderfully inventive and fun adventure that scores on every level but the conclusion, which drags the entire novel down several notches for me. One can hardly help but fall for Ferilane’s charm, wit, and determination, and the ending does a huge disservice to the character. I can’t help but feel as though the ending was written before the rest of the story and was rushed all the way through. It feels very much as though Michael knew where he wanted to go but got lost along the way. Like he wrote the ending, then wrote the rest of the story. It seems as though Ferilane as a character grew away from the conclusion he had originally intended, forcing the author to rely on a contrived and rushed conclusion that doesn’t make logical sense.
***SPOILERS BELOW***
Relying on a “prophecy” and then seemingly contradicting this very same prophecy pages later leads one to feel as though it is a plot convenience rather than a thoughtfully included piece of the larger puzzle. This isn’t helped by the defensive tone of the Afterwards by the author’s wife, Robin, who seems to be trying to ward off criticism they know is coming.
While I previously said Nolyn was the weakest, it at least offered the glimmer of competing visions and followed up on the hints offered in Legends of the First Empyre (which were also hinted at in Heir of Novron’s Esrahaddon flashback scenes). These competing influences in the history and fate of Elan offered a rationale for the actions of these “deities,” an idea that is completely left out of Farilane. What we are left with is the continuing guidance of Turin, Malcolm, Kile, etc, that fails to justify why he takes the actions he takes in Farilane. It is not enough to say it is “destiny” or “prophecy” and that he has seen how the future plays out. We, as the audience, need to understand the logic. Arguing that the Horn could not tell which of the two should be Fane is a hollow point. The entire point of the Horn is that anyone with Frey blood can blow it. The idea that the Horn wouldn’t know when the dynasty has ended due to there being two potential heirs is a weak argument considering that the reason why there were twins was the diluted Frey blood. Wouldn’t this issue become more and more apparent as the Frey blood continued to be diluted? This point is further contradicted by saying that the presumed male twin and heir is busy turning his bedroom into a brothel, meaning yet more potential heirs and potential conflict within the Horn. It is weak justifications like this that make the ending so disappointing.
In my opinion, Ferilane accepts her fate far, far too easily given how much time and effort had been dedicated to growing her as a strong, intelligent, independent woman (myrr). Given her intelligence and keen eye for observation, one would have thought Ferilane would have quickly pointed out the plot holes described above when discussing her sacrifice with Kile (multiple competing claims and the increasing likelihood of twins). If I, your average reader, can quickly identify such logical inconsistencies, surely Ferilane would have as well? At no point are we led to believe that Ferilane would be so overwhelmed, impressed, or intimidated by Kile in the end that she would have overlooked such obvious issues. This is a character that reads the signs and makes logical deductions based on limited information. That is the primary strength of her character, and one that is reinforced and carefully constructed throughout the entire story, yet left out at the very end.
Instead, Michael diminishes her intellect to force her into the ending he wants, rather than the natural path her character arc would suggest. Previously, Michael has done a fantastic job of leading the audience through clues, hints, and subtleties that make the entire series so thoroughly enjoyable and re-readable. Plot holes are few and far between, generally, yet the ones in Farilane are so massive and contradictory that it feels sloppy, further contributing to my overall disappointment. Farilane ends on such an abrupt and contrived note that I can’t help but feel as though the story is left incomplete.
From the Revelations we know that the Empire is later destroyed and nearly all of the history is erased, it seems as though the obvious solution would have been to have the twins rule jointly or allow Ferilane to continue her adventure, abdicating the throne and removing the issue regarding the Horn not knowing who is ruler all together, neatly closing the plot hole. Heck, Michael could even have had Ferilane point out this issue, reinforcing the error in Kile’s way, humbling him further and showing that even gods can make mistakes (which he already admitted to in not predicting the twin issue in the first place). All of this feels like missed opportunities to make a better, more tightly constructed and logical narrative. This would have kept the ending open ended and could have been referenced in Esrahaddon, referencing Ferilane’s quest and even hinting that she found the second Book of Brin, only to meet another mysterious end, or just disappeared altogether after finding it, adding to the menace that is/was Trilos, who we already know will likely make another appearance in Esrahaddon, further connecting the stories.
In previous Afterwards, Robin thoughtfully reflects on the process of writing and offers her opinion on how the characters grew. In Farilane, she says the conclusion “had” to happen, but only provides fleeting rationale, adding details that aren’t included in the story and aren’t justified or supported based on what the audience knows. For an author who so carefully and skillfully created a universe over multiple series and books, this landing completely fails to stick for me and feels so abbreviated I thought surely there must be more. This isn’t helped by the need (albeit an understandable one) to include pages upon pages of Kickstarter backers, which adds length but offers nothing in the way of substance. I feel there could have easily been another few chapters towards the end that would have made for a far more complete and better story overall. Almost as if the author was pressed for time, ran out of patience/creative energy, or was otherwise forced to end the story prematurely.
Overall, Farilane is 90% of a brilliant novel that is dragged down by the rushed conclusion and glaring plot holes that diminish the work as a whole.
October 30, 2022
I read the author’s wife’s afterward and cannot disagree more with her conclusion that Farilane had to die. That’s a cop out. That’s idiocy. He’s the author and inventor of the entire universe. He could make anything happen and come up with a plausible arc. I put this in the golf category. A long walk spoiled. Of course it was a good book. Of course it was well written. Michael Sullivan wrote it. But for his wife to say this was his best work? Lunacy. Not even close. The first series is transcendent. Nothing can ever come close to Hadrian and Royce. And he managed to come up with one heck of a complete and happy ending there. The real world is too difficult and too full of sadness for our escape world to compound that sadness. I felt betrayed by Sullivan. Not only does he feature one of the best characters in only a single volume, but he sucker punches us by killing her off needlessly and senselessly. I thought the ending of the second series was a giant mess with gobs of cut off story lines that never were resolved. I hated that. Loathed it. But this is worse. This might actually be the last book of Sullivan’s that I read, so upset I am about how this one ended. I suppose it’s a testament to his skills that he can write a character that I liked so much. But the fact that he chose to end this book this way seriously causes me to question those skills. Somehow he got himself lost in Suri’s forest and out thought himself. And in so doing, he disappointed all of his readers. What a shame to spoil such a great book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 23, 2023
I delayed reading this book after not loving Nolyn. That was a mistake! This book was much better than Nolyn. It had that certain magic that Sullivan is able to weave into his stories that I thought Nolyn was missing. I almost always love the characters Michael J. Sullivan includes in his books and I really loved Farilane. Just like all of his books, this one packed some real emotional punches. At the end I was in tears. The ending was so not what I was expecting. I wanted to hate it, but I couldn't, and it's what made this book so good.
I don't really have more to say about this other than if you want to read Sullivan's books, start with the Riyria Revelations, the Riyria Chronicles, Legends of the First Empire, and The Rise and the Fall, in that order. There are tons of Easter eggs and references in the books that you would miss if you read them out of order. I'll be reading the last book in this trilogy, Esrahaddon (the one I've been looking forward to reading the most from the beginning of this trilogy) sometime at the beginning of the year.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader and on Facebook.
I don't really have more to say about this other than if you want to read Sullivan's books, start with the Riyria Revelations, the Riyria Chronicles, Legends of the First Empire, and The Rise and the Fall, in that order. There are tons of Easter eggs and references in the books that you would miss if you read them out of order. I'll be reading the last book in this trilogy, Esrahaddon (the one I've been looking forward to reading the most from the beginning of this trilogy) sometime at the beginning of the year.
“But that’s the result of time, not understanding.” “And yet time allows for understanding, doesn’t it? A boy sees his father as a god, then grows up and realizes he’s flawed, mortal, and foolish. Then he has his own children and discovers his father isn’t foolish at all, but still isn’t a god. Understanding changes the reality of a thing—at least insofar as we perceive it—even if that thing itself doesn’t change.”
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader and on Facebook.
June 16, 2022
I really like Sullivan's series, but I found by the end of this book I was asking myself, "what was the point of this book?" Like seriously, in terms of pushing the plot or showing us things of his world, the point could have been done in a short story or novella format.
Also, I get some might not like the ending. All the ending did for me was ask myself "what was the point of the novel?"
Also, I get some might not like the ending. All the ending did for me was ask myself "what was the point of the novel?"
July 4, 2022
5 Stars!
Michael J. Sullivan is a character master. How does he make everyone so likeable from the first chapter? Farilane is an absolute legend.
This story continues to bridge the gap between the other series. It achieves this whilst also being very unpredictable. I didn’t see any of it coming. Surprises everywhere. Loved all of it.
5/5 ⭐️
Michael J. Sullivan is a character master. How does he make everyone so likeable from the first chapter? Farilane is an absolute legend.
This story continues to bridge the gap between the other series. It achieves this whilst also being very unpredictable. I didn’t see any of it coming. Surprises everywhere. Loved all of it.
5/5 ⭐️
March 13, 2022
DISCLAIMER:
I participated in the Beta read of this novel. It is not finished and some plot lines may change in the final version. Accordingly, I cannot discuss specific plot points to the same degree as a published novel - spoiler marked or not. This will be a high level review of my impressions of the story so that one who may be curious about this novel can have some insight.
---------------------------------------
For those who have not read Michael Sullivan novels previously: First and foremost, I love the entire world of Elan series that Michael has created and therefore want his novels to succeed. While I do not believe it is my place to tell anyone what to read, I would strongly encourage those who are uninitiated in this world to start their journey at a point different (Theft of Swords being my recommended starting point but other might recommend Age of Myth) because many of the events of this novel will not make as much sense without background information. Starting on this novel would be like starting the Skywalker Star Wars Saga with the movie Attack of the Clones (Episode 2).
I suspect those who might read this review already have read one or more of Michael's novels. To be direct, if you read his novels and liked them, you are very likely to like this one. The second of the 'gap' books, Farilane is probably the most important book to date that bridges the gap between the far past and the more near recent in Riyria.
The first thing I will note about the novel is that while I loved the story, I did not feel a strong connection to the main character, Farilane, at the start. The phrase 'off-putting' came to mind when reading many of her interactions. Farilane is, undipsutably, a fun character to read because she possess supreme intellect. And some of her early escapades harken to Indiana Jones or Lara Croft - i.e., awesomely smart nerds who love excitement! It took me about 4-5 chapters to understand that some of my misgivings about Farilane were misguided. She is a flawed individual but I was overly harsh. (And by the end, you will be apologizing to the pages for judging her so harshly.)
Aside from that, the narrative moves at a steady pace. As one who reads a lot of sprawling epics, I thought that some additional 'filler' might have been warranted, but at the same time that is just individual preference. Those filler pages do little to move the plot narrative but perhaps do give us some more insight to the characters. Because I found so many characters compelling, I wanted to spend more time with them.
The overall plot is one that is similar to other novels within the series because, well, if you know about the series, you understand there is a very constant theme throughout it - both on the side of good and evil (simply put). But there is so much more here. Whereas Nolyn was a fun action story, Farilane is a complete novel that will have you experiencing every emotion. The dialogue in this novel is among the best in any that Michael has drafted. Farilane's logical/reasoning mind reminds me of the character Thrawn - if Thrawn had a sense of humor. She is just so much fun to read.
I have read nearly all of Michael's novels (the only one I have not is the short story about Suri) and this is the first one where I was utterly incapable of predicting where the story would go. I felt sure about something only to have it turned on its head. I would suspect something, find myself correct, just to find that I had only scratched the surface. Once you felt sure you knew where the story would go next, the floor dropped from under you. Michael does a great job of keeping us on our toes throughout this novel.
I think Michael has shown his writing chops and creativity best through providing the reader with everything they need to resolve some of the biggest plot threads throughout the book - and yet, you will still be surprised by what happens. I picked up on many of these cues but did not realize their full implications until they played out. And even better, Michael would give you clues to make you suspect something, only to distract you with a bigger clue that was a red herring. This might sound tedious but it was not. Virtually every plot point and dialogue choice was carefully considered. I had misgivings about things only to understand later how critically important they were. And I am not talking about deus ex machina type issues.
Final Verdict: [To be assessed upon the release of the final version]
I won't provide my normal score until I read the final version. Suffice it to say, unless Michael takes a hatchet to the novel and rewrites it akin to how I would flail trying to write a novel, this is a FIVE STAR book. I do not anticipate that he will make significant changes to the plot because the beta already felt so polished. I feel comfortable with my global five star rating.
I do want to say that this felt like a different installment from many of the other novels. Perhaps this is just personal to me because I read a beta and tried to read, not only for personal enjoyment, but critically to gauge whether things made sense, plot holes, etc... But it felt different. It felt more 'personal'. Like Michael put more of himself into it. When I read the last word of this novel, I felt emotion more than any other novel within the world of Elan. And I suspect I will not be alone in that feeling.
If you are on the fence about this book, or if you have it on your TBR, I highly, strongly, urgently, emphatically (I think you get the point), encourage you to put it at the top of your reading list. I suspect there may be some fans who read Nolyn and felt tepid about it. Even as one who is 'all-in' on this series, I felt like Nolyn was among the weaker novels, even if I enjoyed the overall plot. This is far and away a superior novel. If you felt let down by Nolyn, this is the novel that will remind you why you have continued to read Sullivan's works.
I participated in the Beta read of this novel. It is not finished and some plot lines may change in the final version. Accordingly, I cannot discuss specific plot points to the same degree as a published novel - spoiler marked or not. This will be a high level review of my impressions of the story so that one who may be curious about this novel can have some insight.
---------------------------------------
For those who have not read Michael Sullivan novels previously: First and foremost, I love the entire world of Elan series that Michael has created and therefore want his novels to succeed. While I do not believe it is my place to tell anyone what to read, I would strongly encourage those who are uninitiated in this world to start their journey at a point different (Theft of Swords being my recommended starting point but other might recommend Age of Myth) because many of the events of this novel will not make as much sense without background information. Starting on this novel would be like starting the Skywalker Star Wars Saga with the movie Attack of the Clones (Episode 2).
I suspect those who might read this review already have read one or more of Michael's novels. To be direct, if you read his novels and liked them, you are very likely to like this one. The second of the 'gap' books, Farilane is probably the most important book to date that bridges the gap between the far past and the more near recent in Riyria.
The first thing I will note about the novel is that while I loved the story, I did not feel a strong connection to the main character, Farilane, at the start. The phrase 'off-putting' came to mind when reading many of her interactions. Farilane is, undipsutably, a fun character to read because she possess supreme intellect. And some of her early escapades harken to Indiana Jones or Lara Croft - i.e., awesomely smart nerds who love excitement! It took me about 4-5 chapters to understand that some of my misgivings about Farilane were misguided. She is a flawed individual but I was overly harsh. (And by the end, you will be apologizing to the pages for judging her so harshly.)
Aside from that, the narrative moves at a steady pace. As one who reads a lot of sprawling epics, I thought that some additional 'filler' might have been warranted, but at the same time that is just individual preference. Those filler pages do little to move the plot narrative but perhaps do give us some more insight to the characters. Because I found so many characters compelling, I wanted to spend more time with them.
The overall plot is one that is similar to other novels within the series because, well, if you know about the series, you understand there is a very constant theme throughout it - both on the side of good and evil (simply put). But there is so much more here. Whereas Nolyn was a fun action story, Farilane is a complete novel that will have you experiencing every emotion. The dialogue in this novel is among the best in any that Michael has drafted. Farilane's logical/reasoning mind reminds me of the character Thrawn - if Thrawn had a sense of humor. She is just so much fun to read.
I have read nearly all of Michael's novels (the only one I have not is the short story about Suri) and this is the first one where I was utterly incapable of predicting where the story would go. I felt sure about something only to have it turned on its head. I would suspect something, find myself correct, just to find that I had only scratched the surface. Once you felt sure you knew where the story would go next, the floor dropped from under you. Michael does a great job of keeping us on our toes throughout this novel.
I think Michael has shown his writing chops and creativity best through providing the reader with everything they need to resolve some of the biggest plot threads throughout the book - and yet, you will still be surprised by what happens. I picked up on many of these cues but did not realize their full implications until they played out. And even better, Michael would give you clues to make you suspect something, only to distract you with a bigger clue that was a red herring. This might sound tedious but it was not. Virtually every plot point and dialogue choice was carefully considered. I had misgivings about things only to understand later how critically important they were. And I am not talking about deus ex machina type issues.
Final Verdict: [To be assessed upon the release of the final version]
I won't provide my normal score until I read the final version. Suffice it to say, unless Michael takes a hatchet to the novel and rewrites it akin to how I would flail trying to write a novel, this is a FIVE STAR book. I do not anticipate that he will make significant changes to the plot because the beta already felt so polished. I feel comfortable with my global five star rating.
I do want to say that this felt like a different installment from many of the other novels. Perhaps this is just personal to me because I read a beta and tried to read, not only for personal enjoyment, but critically to gauge whether things made sense, plot holes, etc... But it felt different. It felt more 'personal'. Like Michael put more of himself into it. When I read the last word of this novel, I felt emotion more than any other novel within the world of Elan. And I suspect I will not be alone in that feeling.
If you are on the fence about this book, or if you have it on your TBR, I highly, strongly, urgently, emphatically (I think you get the point), encourage you to put it at the top of your reading list. I suspect there may be some fans who read Nolyn and felt tepid about it. Even as one who is 'all-in' on this series, I felt like Nolyn was among the weaker novels, even if I enjoyed the overall plot. This is far and away a superior novel. If you felt let down by Nolyn, this is the novel that will remind you why you have continued to read Sullivan's works.
August 3, 2022
4 Stars!
Midway through Farilane, I didn't think I would rate this one so high. The story starts with Farilane and follows her POV for almost the entire story. My issue was I didn't entirely like Farilane for a long time. This 2nd book is very well paced, and many characters from Sullivan's other series are referenced or appear to add to some extra intrigue. Farilane hit its stride mid-book, as I really started to understand the characters better. The ending is one of Sullivan's best and raised my rating a full star. I will be reading Esrahaddon when it is released in 2023.
Midway through Farilane, I didn't think I would rate this one so high. The story starts with Farilane and follows her POV for almost the entire story. My issue was I didn't entirely like Farilane for a long time. This 2nd book is very well paced, and many characters from Sullivan's other series are referenced or appear to add to some extra intrigue. Farilane hit its stride mid-book, as I really started to understand the characters better. The ending is one of Sullivan's best and raised my rating a full star. I will be reading Esrahaddon when it is released in 2023.
September 10, 2024
“Life is a gamble, isn’t it?” Kile told her. “The trick is to wager wisely, to balance risk with reward. Isn’t that right?”
Fantastic. I'm devestated. I loved it. But also fuck it and fuck you Sullivan. 5 stars.
"Understanding changes the reality of a thing—at least insofar as we perceive it—even if that thing itself doesn’t change.”
Fantastic. I'm devestated. I loved it. But also fuck it and fuck you Sullivan. 5 stars.
"Understanding changes the reality of a thing—at least insofar as we perceive it—even if that thing itself doesn’t change.”
June 25, 2022
Nolyn was a let down for me, so was glad this book was more enjoyable, although I still feel Royce and Hadrian are his best work. The duo's banter and comradery can't be beat, and I hope Drumindor will live up to the older books. I think in order to get the full benefit of the experience, a reader needs the background of Sullivan's previous works. Fortunately, I fit into that category. A plus for this book are a few explanations that may have plagued some readers from his previous books, at the same time, it's also a minus for the story itself. One character, in particular grows in a positive direction, that a new reader would never catch, thus diminishing the ending of the book. The ending is an emotional one, and if you've read his other series, it makes it a bit more understandable.
June 9, 2022
This author is in my top three favorites when it comes to fantasy writers. This book felt like a risk and I think it paid off......in a BIG way.
I loved Farilane in this one. Her sass, her sense of humor and her relentless dressing down of other characters had me completely won over. Then combined with the ending she will go down as one of the most memorable characters I've read about. Then add in Kyle and that kind of cinches the deal.
I loved the world building too. So vivid. So complete. The author thought of everything. So 5 complete stars for this one.
I loved Farilane in this one. Her sass, her sense of humor and her relentless dressing down of other characters had me completely won over. Then combined with the ending she will go down as one of the most memorable characters I've read about. Then add in Kyle and that kind of cinches the deal.
I loved the world building too. So vivid. So complete. The author thought of everything. So 5 complete stars for this one.
September 4, 2023
This book is much improved over the first of this series, Nolyn. Our heroine is a self admitted bitch, but she is a curious princess with much insight and determination, so she can be anything she wants. There is manipulation by the "gods," and our sorcerous villain remains at large. I cannot say much more without possibly ruining the ending, but I look forward to the next feathers that drop.
As an aside, Michael Sullivan states that he tries to write these books as stand alone versions. While that may be the case, the tales certainly build upon one another. I look forward to the final book. The title, Esrahaddon, is a name I recognize from another series in this same world.
As an aside, Michael Sullivan states that he tries to write these books as stand alone versions. While that may be the case, the tales certainly build upon one another. I look forward to the final book. The title, Esrahaddon, is a name I recognize from another series in this same world.
June 12, 2022
A wonderful continuance of this series! I don't often get emotional while reading, but I actually had to sit and reflect after finishing this book! Michael J. Sullivan continues to impress me!
June 29, 2022
For the most part, this was a fun and entertaining tale. I enjoyed following Farilane on her adventures and experiencing Elan during the height of the Empire. However, the strange ending felt forced. It came out of nowhere and lacked enough explanation for why things had to go the way they did, so it lacked any emotional punch.
As always, Tim's narration was fantastic.
As always, Tim's narration was fantastic.
June 21, 2024
(Edit: Lowering the rating to two stars, both of which are for Kile's storyline and nothing else. The more I think about this book/the more it pops into my head without me really wanting it to, the more annoyed I feel. I honestly can't think of anything that redeems it beyond a couple of small things, which is, again, really sad to me considering how much I had been anticipating it. Sure, some of the plot work was decent and such, but not even good plot can fix an insufferable lead, and that insufferable lead is what has been lingering well past the final page for me.)
...Where to begin?
I was really excited for this one. Not only was it another Michael J. Sullivan book (who is one of my autobuy authors and one of my favourite authors for the past several years), but everyone was saying this was his best work yet. A masterpiece. The best book he's ever written. Even he was saying it was his favourite.
So, quite reasonably, my expectations were high.
Let's talk about why I only gave it three stars, and why I consider this one of my most frustrating reads of the year.
First, the good:
- The plot, as always with a Sullivan book, was excellent. The storyline was solid, the plot work was detailed and interesting, and it was a great building block in the history of the world of Elan.
- As usual, the ending was really solid. It had strong emotional impact (even for me, who had some pretty big issues with the book that I'll get to later).
- Kile. By the end of the book, I was reading solely for his storyline. At least two of the three stars are for him alone.
-
-I read this in physical hardcover, and the actual physical book is impressively high-quality. It's bound very well, the paper quality is really good, that kind of thing. This doesn't affect the review, but it bears mentioning that the physical quality of the book is simply wonderful. The printer did a fantastic job.
And...the part I don't like having to write, but is necessary for an honest review:
- Let's get straight to the point: Farilane, as a lead character, was one of the most infuriating, insufferable characters I've ever read. Aside from a few charming scenes, I liked almost nothing about her--which is a shame, since Sullivan has written some of my favourite characters in the past.
You know the scene in one of the Harry Potter books where Snape calls Hermoine an "insufferable know-it-all?" You know how that kind of character is fine in an eleven-year-old, since they're a literal child?
Imagine that, but make the character almost two-hundred-years-old and just as annoying.
This comes down to personal taste, as character likeability tends to, but holy crap. I could barely stand reading this character. Between her superiority complex, her obsession with her own preconceived notions, and the book's desperate attempts to make me think that she was a whole lot smarter and more charming than she actually was all worked to create a concoction that only made me dislike her more.
- For a book from an experienced author, I don't expect to be reading literal pages of introspective info-dumps. For example: musings on the origin of the word "supper," long-winded historical thoughts in the middle of conversations, and miscellaneous repetitive inner monologues that served nothing whatsoever.
I also don't expect to question whether or not the book was proofread for grammar and formatting, as I found a LOT of random italicization that, in context, wasn't meant to be there, missing or added commas, etc;
You may say: "This is self-published, why be concerned over something so small?" To which I say, that's not an excuse for an author with the resources and experience that Sullivan has at his disposal.
Normally, I don't care about this. This time, it was too often for me to ignore.
I expected better.
Overall:
I so badly wanted to like this. I wanted it to be my favourite. I wanted to join with the others who called this the best Sullivan book yet. I wanted to be just as enthralled, to fall in love with another female lead, to have this as my standout read of the year.
As it is, I only feel frustrated and disappointed.
I still highly anticipate Esrahaddon, though. I've been looking forward to his story since it was announced.
Now I just need to hope that it won't frustrate and annoy me the way Farilane did.
...Where to begin?
I was really excited for this one. Not only was it another Michael J. Sullivan book (who is one of my autobuy authors and one of my favourite authors for the past several years), but everyone was saying this was his best work yet. A masterpiece. The best book he's ever written. Even he was saying it was his favourite.
So, quite reasonably, my expectations were high.
Let's talk about why I only gave it three stars, and why I consider this one of my most frustrating reads of the year.
First, the good:
- The plot, as always with a Sullivan book, was excellent. The storyline was solid, the plot work was detailed and interesting, and it was a great building block in the history of the world of Elan.
- As usual, the ending was really solid. It had strong emotional impact (even for me, who had some pretty big issues with the book that I'll get to later).
- Kile. By the end of the book, I was reading solely for his storyline. At least two of the three stars are for him alone.
-
-I read this in physical hardcover, and the actual physical book is impressively high-quality. It's bound very well, the paper quality is really good, that kind of thing. This doesn't affect the review, but it bears mentioning that the physical quality of the book is simply wonderful. The printer did a fantastic job.
And...the part I don't like having to write, but is necessary for an honest review:
- Let's get straight to the point: Farilane, as a lead character, was one of the most infuriating, insufferable characters I've ever read. Aside from a few charming scenes, I liked almost nothing about her--which is a shame, since Sullivan has written some of my favourite characters in the past.
You know the scene in one of the Harry Potter books where Snape calls Hermoine an "insufferable know-it-all?" You know how that kind of character is fine in an eleven-year-old, since they're a literal child?
Imagine that, but make the character almost two-hundred-years-old and just as annoying.
This comes down to personal taste, as character likeability tends to, but holy crap. I could barely stand reading this character. Between her superiority complex, her obsession with her own preconceived notions, and the book's desperate attempts to make me think that she was a whole lot smarter and more charming than she actually was all worked to create a concoction that only made me dislike her more.
- For a book from an experienced author, I don't expect to be reading literal pages of introspective info-dumps. For example: musings on the origin of the word "supper," long-winded historical thoughts in the middle of conversations, and miscellaneous repetitive inner monologues that served nothing whatsoever.
I also don't expect to question whether or not the book was proofread for grammar and formatting, as I found a LOT of random italicization that, in context, wasn't meant to be there, missing or added commas, etc;
You may say: "This is self-published, why be concerned over something so small?" To which I say, that's not an excuse for an author with the resources and experience that Sullivan has at his disposal.
Normally, I don't care about this. This time, it was too often for me to ignore.
I expected better.
Overall:
I so badly wanted to like this. I wanted it to be my favourite. I wanted to join with the others who called this the best Sullivan book yet. I wanted to be just as enthralled, to fall in love with another female lead, to have this as my standout read of the year.
As it is, I only feel frustrated and disappointed.
I still highly anticipate Esrahaddon, though. I've been looking forward to his story since it was announced.
Now I just need to hope that it won't frustrate and annoy me the way Farilane did.
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