A review by fromjuliereads
Rise of Empire by Michael J. Sullivan

adventurous funny hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I absolutely loved Theft of Swords. Easily a 5 star read. For me, parts of Rise of Empire just dragged a bit too much. Don't get me wrong - there is still political intrigue, adventure, amazing characters, and moments that totally have you on the edge of your seat.
Part way through, there are some chapters with Royce and Hadrian that just didn't have me as gripped and on edge as the various other parts of the book. I still enjoyed the chapters, but I wish there had been a little bit more to them?
I loved learning more about Riyria's past and getting a glimpse into their future (subtle hints). I liked getting more of Arista's story and OH MAN, the twists that her story constantly took! And I actually enjoyed the introductions of some new characters, or characters that were so minor and flat in Theft of Swords being explored a bit more in these two novels.
It was another fantastic volume from Sullivan, and I'm eager to read Heir of Novron in 2019 to see how the series finishes out!
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