The Riyria fantasy series was recommended to me by several
members of the Classic SF discussion group, so I took a look at the series
structure and soon became rather confused. The first six volumes, under the
general heading of The Riyria Revelations,
were self-published during the 2008-2011 period. These were so successful that
the author secured a publisher for the next seven (so far) stories, which
appeared under the series title The
Riyria Chronicles from 2013 and counting.
However, instead of forming a sequel, they consist of one long prequel to the Revelations, featuring the same two
principal characters. Next up comes The
Legends of the First Empire, a planned six-book series (published from
2016) set in the same world but thousands of years before the events in Revelations and Chronicles. Finally (so far) The
Rise and the Fall is expected to emerge from 2020 onwards (three books
planned to date), and chronologically will fit in between Legends and Chronicles.
Sullivan is clearly an author who believes in getting the most out of his
world-building efforts!
The author is relaxed about the order in which the series
are read, reckoning it works just as well either way, so I followed my usual
preference of sticking to the internal chronology rather than publishing dates.
The first book of the Chronicles
series is The Crown Tower, so that's
where I began.
**************************************
As I understand it (those familiar with these works will no
doubt correct me if I am mistaken) all of the Riyria books are focused on the
adventures of their two contrasting young heroes: Hadrian Blackwater, a soldier
of considerable fighting ability, and Royce Melborn, a skilled thief and ruthless
assassin. The Crown Tower deals with
the circumstances in which the two meet and (following a decidedly awkward
start) gradually develop a partnership. Their world of Elan provides a fairly
typical medieval-class background, the main distinctive feature by comparison
with other such fantasies being the lack of anything magical apart from the
ability of a few people to read the fates of anyone rash enough to ask; this is
regarded as witchcraft and generally disapproved of. (More magic does feature
in later books, while the fortune-telling sinks into the background.)
The story follows two individuals in separate threads: one
is Hadrian (Royce also arrives in this thread) and the other is Gwen, a young
girl forced into prostitution who gradually reveals some formidable strengths.
The chapters alternate, the threads only coming together at the very end of
this volume.
The descriptive passages and characterisation are both very
good, but the book makes quite a slow start and while it engaged my attention,
it didn't initially hook me. Once the story started motoring I was drawn in and
thoroughly enjoyed the ride, so bought some more.
*************************************
The Rose and the
Thorn is the sequel to The Crown
Tower, picking up the story of Hadrian and Royce after a gap of about a
year: they have recovered from their tribulations in the first novel and are
slowly getting use to each other's very different personalities and priorities.
A brief exchange between Hadrian and Royce provides an amusing flavour of their
relationship.
Hadrian: "…that's
what people do. They help each other. If you saw a man lying in the road with
an arrow in him, you'd stop, wouldn't you?"
"Of course,"
Royce replied, "anyone would. A
wounded man is easy pickings, unless you could see from your saddle that
someone else has already taken his purse."
"What? No! No-one
would rob a wounded man and leave him to die."
Royce nodded. "Well
no. You're right. If he has a purse and you take it, it's best to slit his
throat afterward. Too many people live through arrow wounds. You taught me
that. No sense risking that he might come after you."
Gwen and her ladies of Medford House are now an integral
part of the story rather than occupying a separate thread. A new character
rather unwillingly joins the two heroes early in the book; Viscount Albert
Winslow, a bankrupt alcoholic member of the nobility who proves most useful in
aiding the various scams which the morally dubious pair now live on.
As in the first book, there is another plot thread featuring
a different character, this time a poor stable boy called Reuben Hilfred who
works at the castle at Medford and becomes involved with the royal family,
especially after discovering a devious plot to kill them. These two plot
threads run in parallel, alternating throughout the book, with the characters
in both threads occupying the same place at the same time but never meeting –
an intriguing literary tactic. The novel has a satisfactory ending but there is
clearly more to come. The second novel confirms the quality of the story-telling:
not quite as good as in Bujold's Chalion
series, but then, what is?
*************************************
The Death of Dulgath
is the third of The Riyria Chronicles.
This time there is one single plot thread. Royce and Hadrian travel to the
remote and little-known land of Dulgath with a curious commission: somebody
keeps trying to kill the young Countess of Dulgath, and it is the task of the
two adventurers to test their security to ensure that she is as well-protected
as possible. When they get there, they find a very strange land: one of peace
and plenty, where it never rains in daytime, the crops never fail, and
pestilence is unheard of. There is an old legend concerning a demon who was
recruited to protect the land, and Royce and Hadrian have their practical
scepticism put to the test as the plot develops in unexpected ways.
One theme concerns religion: the old imperial church is
trying to make a come-back by gaining influence over the various rulers
scattered across the land, while the King is leading the resistance to this.
Plots and betrayals follow, with the main focus being who controls Dulgath.
Disaster threatens our two heroes unless they can work out what is happening,
and sacrifices are necessary before the end.
*************************************
The Disappearance of
Winter's Daughter is the fourth of The
Riyria Chronicles, following on (in internal chronology terms) not long
after the third. There is an unusual start; a duchess is attacked in the first
chapter, while Royce and Hadrian experience a surprising ending to a
bounty-hunting mission in the next. That raises some intriguing questions,
which are not followed up (as yet) as our two heroes are given another mission:
to find out what had happened to the duchess.
The city of Rochelle, where the duchess lives, is a
fascinating place which is as individual as the characters. Much is made of its
multicultural nature, although harmony between the four races is notable for
its absence; the lesser races, or Pitifuls, are developing a resistance
movement. In parallel with this, the church is still plotting to extend its
influence.
I mentioned earlier that more magic appears in the later
stories, and that is particularly true of this volume in which some
spectacularly heavy-duty sorcery forms the climax of the tale. I have mixed
feelings about this; the fun in these stories is focused on the developing
relationship between the two heroes and the way in which they extricate
themselves from dire straits in order to emerge (more or less) triumphant. Magic
doesn't really add anything to that.
As well as the frequently humorous interaction between the
two main characters, the writing is full of in-passing observations which add
to the enjoyment of the tale. For example:
"Trying to keep
up, Hadrian nearly plowed into a mother holding the hands of two children, but
halted at the brink. All three looked up at him and smiled. He smiled back,
concluding a silent but clear conversation that included understanding,
forgiveness and a bit of humor."
I am beginning to be aware that the author likes to leave
plot threads dangling in one book, to pick them up again in a subsequent one. This
happens here, but I wouldn't like to spoil the fun by saying more.
After this, I will acquire The Riyria Revelations. It will be interesting to see if these
earlier works (in publication terms) are as well-written as the Chronicles.
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