A review by casey_zi
The Rose and the Thorn by Michael J. Sullivan

3.0

The problem with a prequel series like The Riyria Chronicles is that much of your audience is coming from the main series and already knows what's going to happen, especially in this case where many of the events in the prequel books have been alluded to or even described in detail in the following series. So you have to make the allure lie not in seeing what happened but how it happened, as well banking on the enjoyment your readers will derive from being with the characters again, or seeing their backstories in more detail. I believe Sullivan was successful with The Crown Tower on that front, but with this one... Well, sorta? The thing is, the 'how' was fairly simple and straightforward in this book and about what you'd expect, so there's not much to see there. It's kind of telling that Royce and Hadrian's actual mission didn't start until over halfway through the book.

Not that I'm complaining about that, really - this prequel series has given Sullivan the chance to tell a more personal story at a more comfortable, leisurely pace. I didn't mind the rollicking speed of the adventure in the Revelations series, but I did think it didn't give the plot or characters much room to breathe. They get it here.

I've also been impressed by the continuity demonstrated. Everything mentioned in Revelations as having happened in the past does happen here, even the little things you may have forgotten about. It's just bittersweet reading a tale when you know where everything and everyone in it will ultimately wind up.