Book Review: Age of Myth by Michael J. Sullivan
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Age of Myth by Michael J. Sullivan
Mogsy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of The Legends of the First Empire
Publisher: Del Rey (June 28, 2016)
Length: 432 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Any new Michael J. Sullivan novel automatically becomes a must-read for me, and Age of Myth was certainly no exception. It hardly mattered that this story actually takes place thousands of years before the Riyria Revelations and the Riyria Chronicles, well before the beloved characters of Hadrian and Royce even existed; I just couldn’t wait to revisit the world of Elan again.
For readers new to Sullivan’s work, this would also be an excellent starting point. Age of Myth is the first novel of new series of five books called The Legends of the First Empire, set in the same world of Riyria, but you need no prior knowledge of any of Sullivan’s books to jump right in. In fact, this world has a fresh and young vibe to it, exuding a sense new beginnings. Humans, known as Rhunes, live in tribal clans scattered across the wild landscape, primitive compared to the Fhrey, a race of long-lived beings that are more technologically advanced and capable of the Art, or magic. The vast differences between them have led humans to regard Fhrey as gods—powerful creatures that can call down lightning or control the elements, and it is a known fact that they do not age and cannot be killed.
That all changes one day, when a young human named Raithe and his father encounter a Fhrey with his slaves while hunting in a forbidden part of the forest. The ensuing dispute ends with Raithe’s father dead, and Raithe avenging him by slaying the Fhrey, thus disproving everything the Rhunes thought they knew about their “gods”—that they can be killed after all. Raithe is forced to go on the run with one of the Fhrey’s escaped slaves named Malcolm, and together they end up at Dahl Rhen, home to a chieftain’s widow named Persephone. In the wake of her husband’s recent death, Persephone has been trying to keep her clan together through the confusion of changing leadership. Already, news of a human killing a god has also reached their dahl, and fear of the Fhrey’s retaliation is making everyone feel on edge. Imagine Persephone’s surprise then, when the “God Killer” himself shows up on her doorstep, followed right behind by a Fhrey warrior contingent.
Age of Myth was a real treat. Sullivan’s novels always are. If you want fun, action-filled adventures, you really can’t go wrong with his books. While not always groundbreaking, they do frequently offer fresh twists on the old-school heroic fantasy tradition. They have this straightforward and down-to-earth feel to them, much like comfort food. And like comfort food, I also find these kinds of stories incredibly satisfying.
That said, I won’t pretend I didn’t have any reservations going into this. When I first met the characters, for instance, I couldn’t help but wonder if Raithe and Malcolm were simply about to turn into another Royce and Hadrian, or that Persephone would be another Aristia Essendon but in a new form. As much as I adore Riyria, it obviously wouldn’t do for this new series to be a rehash of some of the same ideas and people, and I had a brief moment where I worried this would be the case. Turns out, I should have trusted in Sullivan. As the story unfolded, it became clear that Age of Myth had everything it needed to stand out on its own, and the characters are all delightfully exceptional. Persephone became a quick favorite, as did the young mystic Suri and her wolf companion Minna. There’s no doubt about it; the strong and capable women of this novel helped make it great.
As well, the world-building was fantastic. New readers will love taking it all in, and for Riyria fans, I think it will feel doubly rewarding. This was an extraordinary opportunity to step back into history of one of my favorite series and relive what really happened. I wouldn’t have missed it for anything. Millennia before humans started building castles and forging steel, they lived in the wilderness worshiping nature spirits. They feared the Fhrey, who will one day be known and reviled as the elves, but right now they are a powerful race that regarded the Rhune as nothing more than animals. Already, the Fhrey have driven the Dherg (the precursor to dwarves) underground after literally crushing them in a great war. It’s a completely different atmosphere and way of life. But at the same time, there were elements that I immediately recognized, like the names and places that I’ve always associated with being old or in the past, but are actually considered contemporary in this book. Two examples that immediately come to mind are Nyphron and Avempartha. Even without the help of the handy glossary at the end of this book though, it was so easy to just slip into this world and become fully immersed in its beauty and magic.
From the very beginning, this book had my full attention. It follows at least three threads, moving along at a quick pace until they converge to result in an unforgettable finale. No one builds a story like Sullivan, who loves to drop plenty of clues along the way, teasing that moment when everything finally falls into place. This has become his signature touch, which can also be seen in Age of Myth. The scene of the final showdown was unquestionably the crowning glory of this marvelously entertaining novel.
If you enjoy epic fantasy, and are perhaps hungering for something with timeless appeal, then I highly recommend picking up Age of Myth. Newcomers to Michael J. Sullivan’s work will find this to be a perfect place to jump on board, and if you’re already a fan, there’s absolutely no excuse—you must read this book! It’s exciting to know that the entire series has already been written, but also vexing that I can’t get my hands on the sequel until next year. I’m just so thrilled and delighted by this promising new adventure.
The BiblioSanctum 
Now I want to try a book by the author and this one looks really interesting! Even the cover is gorgeous lol
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Yeah, the cover is jaw droppingly beautiful. Really love the “dawn of history” vibes it gives off, which is perfect for the story.
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I knew you would love this! I added it when I saw it here when you got it. Hopefully I won’t have to wait long.
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Yep, I enjoyed this a lot! Hope it won’t be long til you get your hands on this too!
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I can’t wait to read this book! Awesome Review! Thanks!
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Thanks, can’t wait to hear your thoughts!
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I think you or someone else had shared Age of Myth for a Waiting On Wednesday a few months ago… So it’s been on my radar since then. But thanks to this review, and especially the fact that you said it’s a good starting point for newcomers to Michael J. Sullivan’s work, I definitely want to check it out. Thanks, Mogsy! 😀
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LOL yep, I did share it as a WoW, but I’m pretty sure I saw many others who did as well. I hope you get a chance to check this out!
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Glad to hear it stands on its own. I’ve never before read a book by Sullivan but I’m looking forward to this.
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His Riyria Revelations really is excellent. But yes, you can start with this! Starts a brand new series, and you don’t need to have any prior knowledge of his other books.
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I’ve heard great things about those Riyria books. I’d like to try those too. …if only I had more time in the day to read.
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Yeah, too many books, too little time! The Riyria books are worth it though.
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Me too, I’m a Sullivan newbie, so good to know you can easily jump into this book. I value a good story above everything else, so knowing this book has that definitely makes me want to get a copy:-)
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Yes, this would be an excellent place to start. And if you like good stories, then you’re in luck, MJS knows how to spin a good yarn 🙂
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It was thanks to the expectations surrounding the release of this book that finally convinced me to try our the Ryiria series, so I have the first omnibus volume on my reader, quite ready to go. And I’m very happy to learn that this series’ prequel – so to speak – can still keep readers spellbound: I can look forward to hundreds and hundreds of pages of sheer fun… 🙂
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The Riyria Revelations series is long, but oh so worth it! That was the series which first got me hooked on Sullivan, and I went on to read the Riyria Chronicles. I’ll read anything he writes now 🙂
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*jumping up and down*
I want to read this one
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Yes! If you loved Riyria, you must 🙂
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I’m hoping to audiobook this one 🙂
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Ooh, audiobook of this would be amazing. It’ll be narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds, who’s done an incredible job on the Riyria audiobooks.
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Initially, I wanted to start with his other books in the series (since I have yet to read any) but now that you say this would be an excellent place to jump in, I’m torn XD I definitely WILL read MJS soon though! Awesome review^^ this sounds right up my alley!
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You can start with any of his series, really! But I do recommend starting in order of publication if you can help it, because Riyria Revelations is amazing. Once you start it though, you must read it to the end, because the ending – whoa! 🙂
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I’ve been eyeing Sullivan’s books for a while but have yet to read anything. That he’s a great favorite of yours is a pretty good prod to pick him up sooner rather than later plus I have affection for old school epic fantasy/action-adventure type stories so I think I’d like him. You mention that this book would be a good one to start with – but is it the best? Would the Riyria series be the fool proof place to get hooked?
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Very good question! I actually would start with Riyria because it’s sooo good. My favorite book by MJS is probably Heir of Novron, but because it’s the third book of the series you’d have to start with Theft of Swords 🙂
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I recently completed reading the Riyria Revelations trilogy and am quite impressed with Sullivan’s writing. I agree with your description of it as comfort food. There’s something simplistic but ultimately VERY satisfying about his work.
I will read AGE OF MYTH very soon!
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Yay! I’m glad you enjoyed Riyria Revelations, it’s my favorite of his work. There really is something so “comfort food” like about his stories, they may not always be mind blowing, but I know I’ll have a good time when I settle down to read them 🙂
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