Name: Age of Swords
ISBN: 9781101965382

MIchael J. Sullivan

Continues the epic story of the war between humankind and the elves--and of ordinary people becoming legendary heroes. It introduces a set of new characters: the dwarves, whose magical weaponcraft could decide the war. It's up to our heroes to win over the dwarves to the side of humankind or else lose the war forever"--

Age of Swords

Michael J. Sullivan

The gods have been proven mortal and new heroes will arise as the battle continues in the sequel to Age of Myth--from the author of the Riyria Revelations and Riyria Chronicles series. In Age of Myth, fantasy master Michael J. Sullivan launched readers on an epic journey of magic and adventure, heroism and betrayal, love and loss. Now the thrilling saga continues as the human uprising is threatened by powerful enemies from without--and bitter rivalries from within. Raithe, the God Killer, may have started the rebellion by killing a Fhrey, but long-standing enmities dividing the Rhune make it all but impossible to unite against the common foe. And even if the clans can join forces, how will they defeat an enemy whose magical prowess render them indistinguishable from gods? The answer lies across the sea in a faraway land populated by a reclusive and dour race who feel nothing but disdain for both Fhrey and mankind. With time running out, Persephone leads the gifted young seer Suri, the Fhrey sorceress Arion, and a small band of misfits in a desperate search for aid--a quest that will take them into the darkest depths of Elan where waits an ancient adversary as fearsome as it is deadly. Don't miss any of Michael J. Sullivan's Legends of the First Empire novels: AGE OF MYTH | AGE OF SWORDS (Coming soon!) Praise for Michael J. Sullivan "If you enjoy epic fantasy, and are perhaps hungering for something with timeless appeal, then I highly recommend picking up Age of Myth."--The BiblioSanctum, on Age of Myth "Hair-raising escapes, flashy sword fights, and faithful friendship complete the formula for good old-fashioned escapist fun."--Publishers Weekly, on Theft of Swords "Filled with adventure and clever dialog and featuring a pair of not-quite-heroes whose loyalties to each other provide them with their greatest strength, this epic fantasy showcases the arrival of a master storyteller."--Library Journal, on Theft of Swords "With less gore and a smaller cast of characters than George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire but equally satisfying, Sullivan's epic fantasy will be gaining fans at exponential rates."--Library Journal, on The Rose and the Thorn

Book Two of the Legends of the First Empire

Laura Kehoe

Originally posted on The Book Unicorn

Actual rating is 4.5 stars

Ugh, why do I have to wait another year for book three? It's just not fair!!!! I need it NOWWW!!!! After reading the first book, Age of Myth, I knew this was going to be a series I'd become enthralled with. And this second book certainly doesn't disappoint! I'm a huge emotional mess right now, and my poor heart might have just melted right out of my body. BUT IT WAS SO GOOD!!!

If you've read anything else by Sullivan, you know that his plots are hugely character-driven, which I am a big fan of. And this one is no different. Each character was so strong and powerful in their own way. I loved that we got a few different perspectives and so could really get to know so many fascinating characters. And Suri. Good lord, that girl. I adore her so much. Everyone needs a Suri in their life. And a Minna. Definitely a Minna. 

The only reason I didn't give this a full 5 stars is because I had a few little issues with the plot. And it took me a little bit longer to get into the book than I was expected. But the rest of it made up for any problems I had, so I still absolutely loved this book. 

Needless to say, I'd 100% recommend this book. If you love fantasy, you would be doing yourself a huge favor by picking this series up. You'll be missing out if you don't!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for providing this book in exchange for an honest review!

Jenna Kathleen

Michael J. Sullivan's stories get better and better with each book he writes. 5 fantastic stars for Age of Swords. One of the things I love about MJS and his books is that he releases them in a very timely manner. While I don't hold a grudge against authors who release books every 5 years or more (I have plenty to read anyway), I love when an author sticks to their release schedule as closely as possible and lets their fans know what is going on with their editing/publishing timeline. Because of this, Age of Myth was still fresh in my mind when I read Age of Swords and I could immediately get back into the wonderful world of Elan.

In this installment of The Legends of the First Empire, we look further into Elan and finally get a chance to explore Dherg, the land of the dwarves. It was so cool to be able to see the mysterious people's home as dwarves have shown up in both Legends and Riyria. In general, there were a lot of awesome Easter eggs in this book for readers of MJS' first series and while it's not necessary to read Riyria first, it was a special treat that I enjoyed.

One thing I always rave about when I talk about MJS' books is his women characters. Sure, the men are great too; I still like Raithe, Mawyndule and while I can't say I like them, Nyphron and Malcolm are a puzzle to figure out. Even though they are good characters, MJS writes such fantastic women that, in some ways, set his books apart from other fantasy series. Sure, there are lots of women characters in fantasy, but Age of Swords has a large number of intriguing women who are both essential to the plot and diverse in their personalities. They are unique and powerful, but they have realistic weaknesses and worries that so many series with a "strong female lead" just don't have. It's something that is really great to see and it is really showcased in this book with the group of 5 women (plus wolf) on their quest.

This is the second book in the series so really what I'm trying to do here is sell you on trying to read a book by Michael J. Sullivan. You won't be disappointed!

Dessa

Brendon Fallquist

Deyton Sehn

Sujay Kathrotia

The gods have been proven mortal and new heroes will arise as the battle continues in the sequel to Age of Myth—from the author of the Riyria Revelations and Riyria Chronicles series. In Age of Myth, fantasy master Michael J. Sullivan launched readers on an epic journey of magic and adventure, heroism and betrayal, love and loss. Now the thrilling saga continues as the human uprising is threatened by powerful enemies from without—and bitter rivalries from within. Raithe, the God Killer, may have started the rebellion by killing a Fhrey, but long-standing enmities dividing the Rhunes make it all but impossible to unite against the common foe. And even if the clans can join forces, how will they defeat an enemy whose magical prowess renders them indistinguishable from gods? The answer lies across the sea in a faraway land populated by a reclusive and dour race who feel nothing but disdain for both Fhrey and mankind. With time running out, Persephone leads the gifted young seer Suri, the Fhrey sorceress Arion, and a small band of misfits in a desperate search for aid—a quest that will take them into the darkest depths of Elan. There, an ancient adversary waits, as fearsome as it is deadly. Magic, fantasy, and mythology collide in Michael J. Sullivan’s Legends of the First Empire series: AGE OF MYTH • AGE OF SWORDS • AGE OF WAR