Avempartha (The Riyria Revelations, Vol. 2)

Note: Avempartha has been replaced by Theft of Swords a two-book Omnibus edition that contains both The Crown Conspiracy and Avempartha.

THE SECRET IS IN THE TOWER. THE PROBLEM IS THE BEAST. THE ANSWER IS TWO THIEVES. When a destitute young woman hires Royce and Hadrian to help save her remote village from nocturnal attacks, they are once more drawn into the schemes of the wizard Esrahaddon. While Royce struggles to breech the secrets of an ancient elven tower, Hadrian attempts to rally the villagers to defend themselves against the unseen killer. Once more, what begins with the simple theft of a sword places the two thieves at the center of a firestorm -- but this time the outcome could change the future of Elan.

ABOUT THE SERIES
Avempartha is the second of a six book series entitled the Riyria Revelations. This saga is neither a string of sequels nor a lengthy work unnaturally divided. Instead, the Riyria Revelations was conceived as a single epic tale told through six individual episodes. While a book may hint at building mysteries or thickening plots, these threads are not essential to reach a satisfying conclusion to the current episode--which has its own beginning, middle, and end.

Eschewing the recent trends in fantasy toward the lengthy, gritty, and dark, the Riyria Revelations brings the genre back to its roots. Avoiding unnecessarily complicated language and world building for its own sake; this series is a distillation of the best elements of traditional fantasy--great characters, a complex plot, humor, and drama all in appropriate measures.

While written for an adult audience the Riyria Revelations lacks sex, graphic violence, and profanity making it appropriate for readers 13 and older.

BOOKS IN THE SERIES
The Crown Conspiracy
Avempartha
Nyphron Rising
The Emerald Storm
Wintertide
Percpeliquis

OMNIBUS EDITIONS (From Orbit Books)
Theft of Swords (Nov 2011)
Rise of Empire (Dec 2011)
Heir of Novron (Jan 2012)

REVIEWS
"Mr. Sullivan continues to impress. In Royce and Hadrian he has created some of the best characters the genre has seen in some time, and in Avempartha he shows that he knows what to do with them." -- Speculative Fiction Junkie

"I was quite eager to see if the book would live up to the expectations raised by Mr. Sullivan's marvelous debut. I am happy to report that not only did "Avempartha" meet
expectations, but it took the series to another level, ensuring that the future installments will be must-reads." -- Fantasy Book Critic

"Avempartha is another strong entry that exceeds its predecessor in both depth and scope. The Riyria Revelations is shaping up to be one of the most original and entertaining fantasy series I've seen in years" -- King of the Nerds Fantasy Reviews

"In short, Avempartha is highly, highly recommended and a novel that raises Michael Sullivan's The Riyria Revelations to "major league" status." -- Fantasy Book Critic

"All in all, Avempartha is not only a great book in its own right, delivering on Michael's promise to give us stand-alones within a bigger story-arc, but it is also a better book than The Crown Conspiracy, showcasing Michael's crowing talents as an author who is sure to become a Name in the industry. Well worth a read!" -- Dave Brendon's Fantasy & Sci-fi Weblog

"...both novels offer a delightful reading, captivating adventures and a very interesting author. I am certain that I will hear more of Michael J. Sullivan in the future." -- Dark Wolf's Fantasy Reviews