Theft of Swords

Written by Michael J. Sullivan

Narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds

Royce Melborn is a superb thief, his partner, Hadrian Blackwater is a skilled mercenary. They make a profitable living as agents-for-hire to wealthy nobles until someone sets them up to take the blame for the murder of the king. Sentenced to death, the two are saved by an unlikely woman with a simple demand that will change the course of a kingdom, and the foundation of an empire.

• Language: English
• Publisher: W. F. Howes Audio
• Release date: Jul 2, 2013
• ISBN: 9781471227158

Michael J. Sullivan

Michael J. Sullivan is a three-time New York Times, USA Today, and Washington Post bestselling author who has been nominated for nine Goodreads Choice Awards. His first novel, The Crown Conspiracy, was released by Aspirations Media Inc. in October 2008. From 2009 through 2010, he self-published the next five of the six books of The Riyria Revelations, which were later sold and re-released by Hachette Book Group’s Orbit imprint as three two-book omnibus editions: Theft of Swords, Rise of Empire, and Heir of Novron. Michael’s Riyria Chronicles series (a prequel to Riyria Revelations) has been both traditionally and self-published. The first two books were released by Orbit, and the next two by his own imprint, Riyria Enterprises. A fifth Riyria Chronicle, titled Drumindor, will be self-published in the near future. For Penguin Random House’s Del Rey imprint, Michael has published the first three books of The Legends of the First Empire: Age of Myth, Age of Swords, and Age of War. Grim Oak Press distributes the last three books of the series: Age of Legend, Age of Death, and Age of Empyre. Michael has returned to purely self-publishing roots with the release of his most recent series, The Rise and Fall Trilogy. These books are being published in the current schedule: Nolyn (Summer 2021), Farilane (Summer 2022,  and Esrahaddon (Summer 2023). Michael is now writing Drumindor, the fifth book of The Riyria Chronicles. This will return him to the timeline of Royce and Hadrian, two rogues he hasn’t visited with since the release of The Disappearance of Winter’s Daughter in 2018.  You can email Michael at [e-mail].

Reviews for Theft of Swords

[renbedell · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The first two books in the Riyria Revelations series is a high fantasy tale of two thieves for hire that end up on an adventure of intrigue and corruption. The first book focuses on getting to know the characters and the world. The story is only okay and the writing is not very good. The second book puts them on a new adventure that is more exciting and a markedly improvement in the writing style. The author does a good job of slowly revealing different aspects of the world and political environment that the reader can focus on the adventure for an easy read. The two main characters are fun, but the side characters shine even more. I think this series is going to be really enjoyable once it picks up and this first Omnibus sets the stage nicely.

[ashleytylerjohn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very interesting Q&A with the author at the end of the book which explained a lot for me. He says he's intentionally practicing "invisible writing," where you notice the characters and plot but not the mechanics of the writing itself. And that's the bit that's missing for me--because I love reading, and therefore I love reading writing--if I want a movie or tv show, I'll watch a movie or tv show.

So he hovers in a high 3 stars, rounding to 4, because as delightful as the cast is, and as entertaining as the plots are, this is TV on the page. One of those shows that's episode but slightly advanced the overarching plot each episode ... and probably each episode is three times as long as what we're used to, but otherwise it's that kind of thing. And it's fun, and according to the author, it's intentional (though he'd say he's aiming for film, rather than television).

It's not bad writing--it's clear, it's descriptive, you know what's going on, where they are, and what most things look like (e.g. "a vast gray volume rushed by him ... the dark gray became a swirling translucent green as it reached the edge. The moment it fell, the water burst into white foam" etc.). But I do love my writerly writers, like Catherynne Valente, or A.A. Milne, or Dickens, to cite a disparate bunch.

And yet, I'm eagerly awaiting the next one (I don't have to wait, but I'm not a binger--I'll read a few other books before I go back to the next in a series).

[dabofdarkness · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This epic fantasy includes a little breaking and entering, plenty of snarky insults, political intrigue, magical beasts, and a chaotic neutral maimed mage. For me, the tale started off fun but not particularly special. It wasn’t until about a quarter of the way through the book that the tale grabbed me. Royce and Hadrian are a lot of fun. They’ve known each other for years and each is well into their adult years. This was a nice break from all those epic fantasy adventures that feature teen/young adults bumbling through their first adventures.Royce was my favorite because we have the same dark sense of humor and have to sometimes be talked into doing the right thing. Hadrian is an enthusiastic believer in honor and all things good. It’s a very good thing these two have each other to balance things out. Each has a history veiled in questions and half truths. I look forward to Book 2 revealing more on this note.The one weakness to this tale is the ladies. It’s not all bad, but for the most part they are comforters and romantic interests and need to be rescued. Arista shows promise with her wit and ability to grasp politics. Also young Thrace has a shining moment at the end of the novel. The ladies aren’t the worst I’ve seen in epic fantasy but I did want just a bit more from them.There’s a big fat mystery with the elves. Ancient conflict and truces are eluded to and I expect that will become a big deal later in this series. There are a few elvish slaves in some areas of the human realms, but no elves roam free… or if they do, they can pass for human. The maimed mage Esra provides most of what we know about the elves. He’s ancient and was imprisoned for perhaps 900 years (if I recall correctly). Esra is a big enigma. I don’t know what he wants and he might not know either. He has to keep his head down as he’s still a wanted criminal.Then there’s Myron. I adored this character because of his wide eyed wonder of the bigger world. He grew up in a monastery and had never been off the grounds. He had seen a few horse but never rode one and he’s never seen a woman. As he gets swept up into the adventure, he provides several chuckles. I too wish there were blue horses.By the end, I had fallen in love with the main characters. I really look forward to adventuring further with Royce and Hadrian. 4/5 stars.The Narration: Tim Gerard Reynolds gave a great performance for this book. He had distinct voices for all the characters and his female voices were believable. He sounded like he had a lot of fun narrating this story too. I did notice a few short repeats but there were no other technical issues with the recording. I loved his voice for Myron (always full of wonder), his skeptical voice for Royce, and his honorable voice for Hadrian. 4.75/5 stars.

[antao-3 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

"She was a vision of youthful beauty and Hadrian guessed she could not be more than seventeen."In “Theft of Swords” by Michael J. Sullivan"You're going to ruin all your pretty makeup" -- said to Thrace by Hadrian as she was crying....In “Theft of Swords” by Michael J. Sullivan"I mean, sure, she's cute as a button..." said by Hadrian about ThraceIn “Theft of Swords” by Michael J. SullivanI could go on and on on bad this novel is, but I won’t. I think the quotes above will suffice. As always I’ll go on a tangent when I’ve just finished reading a really bad book.What I'm thinking is to listen to that nagging voice that might be warning the reader of wasting time on the treadmill of publisher's 'hilarious' and 'must-reads'. The analogy of publishers to the RTP (our state TV) may not be out of place as it seems, nor strange, to one who see SF as part of a whole culture and so the same attitudes permeate the culture - the attitude that bombards the consumer with valueless products and doesn't care much how people are affected by it so long as they dominates the production. Three sets of “speakers” all in close proximity to each other all blaring out hip hop is an abuse of the rights of the public; there's a certain careless mentality there. They were gone today, the huge lorries, but RTP were back with a smaller van and set up a tent with six speakers on stands and I presume were about to start blasting again on the local radio station level. What I'd like to see is a more interrogative attitude, and a critical one, on the part of the consumer. The consumer should assert his/her power and reject those things that don't add value to their lives. I mean if people expect good culture can they get it without exercising their discretion and value judgments. I don't think they can. I don't think the residents of SF city are being given the type of culture which they would benefit from, but are having things foisted on them. It's more difficult to make this point in the realm of fiction publishing - except from personal experience: that much of what is published is effete and some of it stomach-turning. I find myself turning more and more away from SF in recent times because there's very little you can feel good about taking and interest in; the market goes in for shifting large quantities so that the book celebs are always the big news. Some tosser gets the status that belongs to the Chekovs, who are dying in the gutter as I write. The way some publishing houses are taking over the town square is an iconic example of what's wrong with the arts/culture today. Three sets of “speakers” all blasting off at once with the hip hop within a few metres of each other doesn't show that there is any message but that sort of thinking that if we blast the traditional off the face of the earth we can make room for something new - it's a culture of abuse for its own sake and some just love it because it is the antitheses of meaning and value. It's the 'get fat' consciousness of the boys with the 'burgers' to sell and get rich. The Publishing Houses are the forefront of the grossly moronic culture which is today pervasive and allows books like these to see the light of day. SF = Speculative Fiction.

[vinjii-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love these books mostly because of the bromance. Michael J. Sullivan portrays an amazing friendship between Royce and Hadrian. The banter is funny, the tone is light and as a reader I immediately wanted to spend more time with these people.The writing is nothing special, but if you're in the mood for something light, easy and far less complex than the usual epic fantasy, this is for you. The perfect book after a long day and a great fantasy romp.

[jdifelice-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was such a great book! I really enjoyed all the characters and the storyline. I can't wait to pick up the next volume and see where this adventure is headed :)

[davido1103 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Book 1 of The Riyeria Revelations, a superb fantasy series, right up there with Lord of the Rings and Wheel of Time. The Rivera ore Hadrian and Royce, and their relationship is front and center in these rollicking adventures.

[siemprebailando · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book has a little of everything in it: a little mystery/whodunit, a lot of action, a bit of magic/mysticism, and a lot of normal topics/concerns that make up a modern culture. I was hooked from the first page. Royce and Hadrian are two clever and well-rounded characters, and the added dashes of humor give them an even greater appeal. I love the fact that even though they are "thieves" in a sense, they seem to end up doing what is right regardless. Their relationship with one another is fantastic, very bromantic and caring, and a lot of what keeps the story going and keeps the reader enthralled. And while I mostly enjoy fantasy books, I loved the fact that this book was more adventurous, and worked so well that way. The setting, as well, is incredibly diverse and complex and quite detailed, and I have so much respect for the author for not separating the world into "Bad" and "Good", as a lot of fantasy-esque and adventure-laden novels do. I think embracing the gray area in behavior is what makes any book more human and more approachable and understandable. It's really brilliant and everyone should read it RIGHT NOW.

[kinwolf · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I don't remember where I saw the recommendation to read this book, but I am glad I saw it! Never since the Drangonlance Chronicles had I had so much fun reading a fantasy story.The good: The writing is simply excellent. Not too much descriptions, just enough, a very nice pace, nothing drags for too long, things move ahead nicely, likable characters, great interaction btw the 2 protagonists, loved it all. And the tone of the book is simply great. While reading this book I finally found out why I had read so few fantasy books in the last decade(after reading soooooo many all my life), turns out I got tired of all the dread and gloom that plague current fantasy books! This book goes back to the old tone and I love it! I also very much like the structure of the books, where the author gets to tell us 2 standalone stories that are linked by a bigger overarching plot. The bad: Nothing bad really, but it's true that it's light sometimes. We never really feel the heroes are in real danger anywhere or are struggling to overcome a situation. They're having a good, and somewhat easy, time. But it's the first in a series, so maybe that gets corrected in subsequent books. I also wish the regular "party" would get larger than just the two of them. But that's my old D&D roots showing here :PCan't wait to read the next in the series.

[pelirroja67 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Yay! A new author that can join my "favorites" list!!

[mamzel_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a pleasant surprise to me when I purchased the Kindle version. Especially when it turned out to be two books, not just one.Hadrian and Royce are thieves for hired. They are given a cockamamie story about how the king had stolen a sword from a member of court supposedly to make sure he won a duel. The member wanted to get the sword back to challenge him to a fair duel. When the two thieves enter the castle's room where the sword was hidden, they found the king assassinated with a knife in his back. They are discovered and arrested. The princess offers them escape as long as they take her brother with them to a hidden prison which has only one prisoner, a wizard. Action ensues.I really enjoyed getting to know the two thieves. I picture Hadrian as dashing, armed with not one, not two (like my Witcher), but three swords. Royce is more secretive and stealthy but a perfect pairing. I will definitely look forward to more of their adventures.

[derekreamon · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this series (all 3 volumes of 6 books). The storytelling is just wonderful. It isn't necessarily 'great literature,' but it's really fun, and I totally fell in love with the characters. The books transport you to another world, where the people are familiar and very well-developed. I suppose 'escapist fantasy' is appropriate, but I feel like the series rises above that label.

[amusing.nickname · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Really quite extraordinary. No farm folk orphan with a destiny here, just two thieves and a magically retarded wizard with no hands. Brilliant! I have already started the next omnibus,

[cbilbo-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As so many other reviews of this book have proved time and time again, excellent read. I apparently have lived under a rock since I had not heard of this series before. I only wish I can recall who suggested I read this book...anyway, thanks to whom ever you are!Royce and Hadrian are hired thieves and assassins. Known for doing jobs that are deemed impossible, these two cohorts work excellent together. Hadrian is more soft hearted and willing to do more for less pay. While Royce is more stand-offish and rigid. Hadrian is always getting them into fixes with the type of jobs he jumps at, leaving Royce to pick up the pieces and pull them through the rough patches. The banter between these two make the book so real. They not only fight with each other of issues, as close friends do. But they also are always picking on one another whenever possible. You can tell that the there is something more deeper than friendship with these two. They actually need each other to survive. They are always there to watch the other's back. They are the perfect fantasy duo.Theft of Swords is so well written. You get wrapped up in the world of deciet in the church, murder of a beloved King, the wizard who you just aren't sure is good or bad, the children of the fallen king and the quest to save humanity. This book was so gripping, that I honestly didn't want to put it down. This is one thing that I have issues with about reading a series book. You get so wrapped up in the characters, that when you finish the intro book, you are dying to read the second installment. My only problem is I desperatly want to know who the heir is...I have my suspisions!

[alaskanbookie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a great epic adventure story! The story was constantly moving along and doesn't slog down any place. Just when I thought I had it all figured out the author would reveal something and completely change my mind. This story was very enjoyable and I highly recommend this story to anyone who enjoys fantasy adventure tales. The narrator, Tim Gerard Reynolds, had great enunciation and a good repertoire of voices for the different characters. He was a pleasure to listen to.

[jefficus-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Very solid start to the series. The story moves well and the good-cop/good-cop vibe between the co-protagonists feels as much like a buddy movie as a fantasy novel. I will definitely continue with this series.

[quibee · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Light, enjoyable buddy book set in a world where two thieves are set up for the murder of a king and then have to try and save the kingdom.

[fhudnell-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

After reading Age of Myth a few weeks ago, I knew that I wanted to read more by this author and I was not at all disappointed by Theft of Swords. This is the first of a trilogy which actually started out as six books. Combining the first two books into a single volume resulted in a rather abrupt leap in time between parts one and two of this book, which I think could have been more seamlessly handled. Nevertheless, I thought this book was an excellent, well-written adventure story with a charming pair of protagonists and was told with humor. The author writes with a light touch.In part one, thieves-for-hire Royce and Hadrian are sent on a mission to find a wizard in a 900 year old secret prison, accompanied by a shy monk and a cranky member of the royalty. In part two, Royce and Hadrian are hired to steal a sword from an impregnable tower. This part of the book had a little too much politics for my taste and took a little too long for the several threads of the story to come together. Overall, however, I thought the book was very entertaining, with interesting characters, magic, mythical creatures, dwarves, elves and puzzles that will be explored further in the next book.I listened to the audiobook version of this book and I thought the narrator, Tim Gerard Reynolds, was excellent. I would actually like him to narrate every book I listen to from now on.

[gsb68 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Just read all of these and they were a lot of fun. Reminded me of the best David Eddings stuff.

[kassilem · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I think the later two prequel books are better written but that happens sometimes; the more a writer writes the better they become at it. However the story here is just as good as promised. I love the easy interaction between Royce and Hadrian. I can't say for sure what my impression of the book would have been if I hadn't read the two prequels first. I kind of feel that the unique friendship between the two men wouldn't be as obvious if I had read this one first. But regardless I found myself flying through this book. It's actually two books in one; really six books cramped into three volumes. But that's alright. I loved the ending. It makes me want to get my hands on the next book soon. These books aren't you're next epic fantasy that will be made into a TV series because of it's worldwide impact, but it is darn entertaining fantasy.

[bicyclewriter · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Really good storytelling, and darned good writing. I'm jumping into the second book right away.

[revslick_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Take Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser and merge it with a dumbed down D&D adventure and you get Theft of Swords. It is in desperate need of a good editor but otherwise a decent tale to pass the time. Oh, if you are not familiar with the names mentioned at the beginning, run out and pick up anything by Fritz Leiber.

[laphenix · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A comical and exciting adventure! I loved these books!

[kenzen-2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

God, I enjoyed this book (which is really two books in one). It has a mix of likable characters, humor and a nice story that just works for me. I wouldn't call it the best series ever written and I fear that it might not hold up on a second reading, but at least while you're reading it for the first time it's really entertaining.

[mashak99 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a very easy book to review. It can all be summarized as "comfort food for the brain." Think pizza- no anchovies, no goat cheese, no pineapple; just pizza, fresh and tasty. If you are a fantasy reader, and even if you're not, you have met these characters before: the lovable rogues with a moral code, the scheming nobles, the power hungry church... all you need to do is settle into a comfy chair and enjoy their adventures.

Make sure to read the author interview at the end. He talks a bit about his views on art in general and fantasy in particular, and I find his point of view refreshing considering some modern literary trends.

[kelsomar · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

These books were a surprisingly fun read and I will definately be continuing the series.

[stefferoo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I must have had these individual books on my Kindle for a while, picked up back when they were still independently published, but didn't begin reading this series until last weekend when my family and I went on a road trip and decided to listen an audiobook in the car to while away the hours. Now that they've been republished in collections by Orbit, Audible had these books available as well.Well, I'm really glad I chose this one. Both stories (The Crown Conspiracy and Avempartha) were so riveting that the time just flew by. Before we knew it, 8 hours had already passed and we were at our destination. I wish I had started reading these books earlier. It's a bit surprising to me now that these weren't picked up by a major publisher until much later, as I have to say the quality is so much better than a lot of other fantasy out there, even some of the stuff by established and well-known authors.While these books fall pretty neatly under the category of traditional fantasy and though I wouldn't say there's anything in particular to rave about, I must say I've enjoyed everything I've read so far. The language and casual flow of the writing makes this an easy read, and on the whole the mood is light-hearted with a pair of protagonists that are witty and very likeable. The setting is again very traditional as far as the fantasy genre goes, but I'm impressed by the world's rich history and traditions.The Riyria are thieves for hire, and their talents are so legendary that even the lords and nobility use them for jobs. The Crown Conspiracy introduces the master swordsman Hadrian and the light-footed and quick-fingered thief Royce, who find themselves framed for the death of a king. In Avempartha, our heroes are hired to break into an inaccessible tower to steal a sword, the only weapon capable of slaying a magical beast that has been terrorizing the nearby countryside.They're both your straightforward adventure "quest" stories, complete with dwarves, elves and a wizened wizard that most fantasy readers will recognize, but there was enough mystery and intrigue to keep things fresh and me guessing. Also, I just can't stress enough how much I love these characters. A king, a princess, a wizard, a monk, a farm girl, a couple thieves...it would easy to dismiss all of these as hackneyed archetypes, but that would be a mistake because they will surprise you at every turn.

[wagner5sarah35 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fast paced, this book certainly did not feel as thick as it was. Theft of Swords contains the first two books of the Riyria Revelations, chronicling the adventures of thief Royce Melborn and mercenary Hadrian Blackwater in the world of Elan. Complete with religion and a church, conspiring nobility, lost magic, different races, and a mythological history, this world is intriguing and original enough to keep one's mind interested and to keep one reading. I can't wait to start the next volume!

[erindona · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I got this signed by the author; it was so captivating. I actually started with Avempartha, back when they were only available digitally. However, whatever order you read this collection of two novels, you will enjoy it!

[nancyno5 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When I received the book I was taken aback by how many pages there were. I thought it would take me weeks to read, but I was wrong. The book was so engaging I would reluctantly put it down.It's a good story containing your heroes, villains, hero-villains, damsels in distress, elves, dwarves, wizards, magic, basically anything you could want in an epic fantasy novel.At first I questioned the author's style of writing. I felt some of it did not belong in a fantasy/tolkienesque (is that a word?) novel. Then I read the author's interview and realized that it was intentional. The author wanted to focus on the story and not use language as a means of cluttering the pages and perhaps diluting the story. I believe he calls it the "light-hand" approach. I agree. This approach led to a story that flowed quickly yet allowing each character to progressively develop (and there's a lot of characters!)Yet for being a quick and easy read, the author does give the story a sense of mystery. Who you think is a good guy may not be and vice a versa. Who's telling the truth? A character that I may have disliked in The Crown Conspiracy then gave me pause for thought in Avempartha. Theft of Swords is the good book if you want a fast paced fantasy story.Of course the two *hot* guys on the cover helps too!!!