The Crown Tower

The Riyria Chronicles #1

by Michael J. Sullivan

TWO MEN WHO HATE EACH OTHER. ONE IMPOSSIBLE MISSION. A LEGEND IN THE MAKING.

A warrior with nothing to fight for is paired with a thieving assassin with nothing to lose. Together they must steal a treasure that no one can reach. The Crown Tower is the impregnable remains of the grandest fortress ever built and home to the realm’s most valuable possessions. But it isn’t gold or jewels the old wizard is after, and this prize can only be obtained by the combined talents of two remarkable men. Now if Arcadius can just keep Hadrian and Royce from killing each other, they just might succeed.

The Riyria Revelations and The Riyria Chronicles are two separate, but related series, and you can start reading with either Theft of Swords (publication order) or The Crown Tower (chronological order).

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Audiobook, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Adventure, Adult

384 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2013

About the author

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I'm a New York Times, USA Today, and Washington Post bestselling author with 9 Goodreads Choice Award Nominations and 6 Amazon Editor's Picks.

My current released books:

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I first opened the door to my imagination with typewriter keys while playing hide and seek and finding a black behemoth when I just ten years old. Serious writing started in my twenties, but after more than a decade trying to publish (and getting nowhere), I quit altogether. I returned to writing in 2004, and published my first novel with a small press in 2008. If you had told me that I'd be a New York Times Bestselling author, have 85+ novels translated into 13 languages, and sold more than 2 million copies, I never would have believed you!

Reviews

[Petrik · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo

4.5/5 stars

Rather than The Crown Conspiracy, I personally think The Crown Tower is a greater starting point to Royce and Hadrian’s story.

It’s been four years, Royce and Hadrian. It’s scary how fast time flies; I can’t believe it’s been four years since I’ve read the conclusion to this duo’s adventure in Heir of Novron, the final omnibus in The Riyria Revelations. Honestly speaking, I have contemplated not reading The Riyria Chronicles because the ending of Heir of Novron was too good. I was afraid of encountering a novel about these duos that ended up ruining my affection for The Riyria Revelations. But for quite a while now, a few months to be precise, I have to admit that I miss this duo. And so here we are. By the way, I’m not a fan of the current cover art of The Riyria Revelations and the first two books in The Riyria Chronicles. They’re extremely awful, and I hope Orbit Books will allow a cover change to these books in the future. Seriously, these books deserve a much better cover treatment. They desperately need a Marc Simonetti’s makeover. Let’s get started with the review!

“The thing about the old is that we never change so much as the young. We slip in degrees, adding rings like trees--a new wrinkle here, a shade less color there, but the young transform like caterpillars into butterflies. They become whole new people as if overnight.”

Although it was off to a bit of a rocky start, The Riyria Revelations by Michael J. Sullivan ended up becoming one of my favorite series; I had several issues with Theft of Swords omnibus. Fortunately, none of those problems—except the horrible cover art, which isn’t the author’s fault—exist in this incredibly fun and engaging first installment to The Riyria Chronicles series. For the uninitiated, The Riyria Chronicles is written after The Riyria Revelations, but chronologically it’s a prequel to the series. The Crown Tower takes place twelve years before The Riyria Revelation starts, and it revolves around Hadrian and Royce’s first meeting with each other. The story depicted their first-ever mission together. Hired by an old wizard, these two men who hate each other must pull off an impossible mission; steal a treasure from the impregnable fortress: The Crown Tower.

“Once an idea is learned, once it settles in, it becomes comfortable and hard to discard, like an old hat. And trust me, I have many old hats. Some I haven't worn in years, but I still keep them. Emotion gets in the way of practicality. By virtue of time spent, even ideas become old friends, and if you can't bear to lose an old hat that you never wear, imagine how much harder it is to abandon ideas you grew up with. The longer the relationship, the harder it is.”

It may sound harsh, but I really hope Sullivan doesn’t ever write a sequel series to The Riyria duo; the conclusion to their story in The Riyria Revelations was close to perfection. This is why writing a prequel series instead is such a brilliant move from the author, in my opinion. One of the things that bothered me so much in the first few books of The Riyria Revelations was how distant the main characters felt. Theft of Swords started with Hadrian and Royce already becoming partners who understand each other completely; both of them ended up becoming characters I cherished at the final omnibus. However, it certainly took a while for me to get fully attached to them. That situation doesn’t happen at all here; Sullivan’s writing has astronomically improved since The Riyria Revelations, and the development of their relationship showed the growth of these characters organically.

“He’s like the pup of a renowned hunting dog who’s been beaten badly by every master he’s had. He’s a gem worthy of a little work, but he’ll test you—he’ll test you a lot. Royce doesn’t make friends easily and he doesn’t make it easy to be his friend. Don’t get angry. That’s what he’s looking for. That’s what he expects. He’ll try to drive you away, but you’ll fool him. Listen to him. Trust him. That’s what he won’t expect. It won’t be easy. You’ll have to be very patient. But if you are, you’ll make a friend for life—the kind that will walk unarmed into the jaws of a dragon if you asked him to.”

It’s both expected and surprising how much I enjoyed being back in this world. The Riyria duo is one of my favorite duo of all time, and reading their first exciting adventure together felt so compelling. I never once felt bored reading The Crown Tower. My life has been insanely busy lately; I often had to put off my reading after reading a chapter or two. This isn’t my preferred method of reading; I risk losing my immersion in a novel if I keep on taking a break after a chapter or two. But that didn’t happen with this book. I can put down or start the book whenever I want, and I’m always instantly inside the story and character’s head again. Additionally, I’m genuinely pleased by Gwen’s story; I’ve expected the story of The Riyria duo to be superb, but Gwen’s took me by surprise. Once again, I will say that if you haven’t read The Riyria Revelations, start here instead. It’s true that I’m already biased towards these characters due to my experience with The Riyria Revelations, but objectively speaking, this is just a better starting point.

Picture: Riyria by Bassara



In my opinion, one of the strong signs of a prequel done right can be found in the intensity that can be felt from the story even though we know. Remember, a prequel series means we already know the fate of these characters. This could easily lead to a lack of tension; the reader’s immersion needs to be in full effect for dangerous situations to feel real. And that has been achieved here. I knew Hadrian, Royce, and Gwen appeared in The Riyria Revelations; I knew they’ll survive the ordeals in the entire prequel series. But still, despite the relatively light-hearted tone of the book, I was captivated and worried for these characters.

“Just as learning certain truths robs us of innocence, taking lives robs a man of his soul. Each killing steals a bit of humanity until a murderer is nothing more than an animal. A hunger replaces the spirit. A want for what was lost, but as with innocence, the soul can never be replaced. Joy, love, and peace flee such a vessel and in their stead blooms a desire for blood and death.”

As I mentioned, Sullivan’s prose in The Crown Tower has improved dramatically. One of the things that made Theft of Swords hard to love at first, for me, was how distant Hadrian and Royce felt; this got better overtime throughout the series, but it was a struggle at first. In this novel, I always felt like I was inside the POV character’s head; this is character-driven as I like it. Highly addictive, accessible prose, and there’s a lot of food for thoughts in the text. The Easter Eggs for readers of The Riyria Revelations were well-implemented, and I’m sure both new and returning readers will have a great time reading this.

“I feel very strongly that everyone should have an education. Ignorance is the bane of the world. Knowledge brings understanding, and if men understand the difference between right and wrong, they will, of course, do what is right.”

It is canon in my head now that The Crown Tower is the superior—and official—beginning to Royce and Hadrian’s adventures. This is the conception of a legendary duo in fantasy. I don’t usually recommend reading ahead of publication order, but for this specific case, I recommend starting your journey here instead of Theft of Swords. Sullivan has mentioned each book in The Riyria Chronicles will contain a stand-alone story. If all goes according to plan, and the reader’s demand for this duo continues to be high, there will be twelve books—one per year leading to The Riyria Revelations—in this prequel series. Well, sign me up.

“There’s always hope… We’ve planted the seeds. All we can do now is wait and see what grows.”

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[Michael]

If you seen my "reviews" of any of my books, you know I use this space to update people on various aspects of the books such as sales or specials.

Update 7/29/19: ON SALE for just $5.00 on Audible.com Now until August 4th. That's a savings of 82% so if you listen to audioboooks, now would be a great time to start into the Riyria Chronicle series!

Update 5/23/18: This book (along with 8 other epic fantasies from the likes of Brandon Sanderson, Naomi Novik, Robin Hobb, and others) has been selected for Audible's Summer Listen 2-for-1 Sale. Since it's the first in the series, this is an excellent time to dive into the series that takes place 10 years before the events of the Riyria Revelations. Here are the other books on sale:



But you have to hurry, the sale ends May 24 at 11:59 PM PDT.

Update 12/05/17: The fourth Riyria Chronicle (The Disappearance of Winter's Daughter) is "soft released" today. What is a "soft release"? Well it means you can get the book by buying directly from me, but the books won't be in the retail stores until after the Age of War release (due to a non-compete clause in my current contract. So, if you want more adventures with Royce and Hadrian, you're in luck!

Update 09/26/12: When I finished The Riyria Revlations I secretly hoped that they would be successful enough so that I could write more stories with two of my favorite characters: Royce and Hadrian. The books have been out for less than a year, but already it looks like a big success. By my calculations the series has sold more than 200,000 copies (including the self-published versions).

I'm being very careful about additional works related to the world of Elan. I don't want to overstay my welcome. We all know television series, or book series, that stayed around long past their time, and it is a sad thing indeed. I won't let that happen to anything that I create.

But, feedback has that people want more Royce and Hadrian, and as I love writing them (and my wife constantly bugged me) I was more than happy to write more...as long as I still had compelling stories and could pen a riveting tale.

I think I've accomplished this in the next installment. This book, and the series, actually go back in time and explore the founding of Team Riyria. For those who have read the last installment of The Riyria Revelations (Heir of Novron) you'll know I setup my dominoes in a very careful way, and I liked watching everything fall into place. I didn't want to risk ruining that by "tacking" on to what was designed to end as it has. I'm not saying I won't one day write books "on into the future" after the final revelations...a lot will depend on the readers, and whether they want to see more. Again I'm going to be cautious and plan to "quit while I'm ahead" rather than dragging it out and have people disappointed.

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

UPDATE: In Audible US sale 12/26/18

That was so good!



Getting to read how my loves, Hadrian and Royce, met was so wonderful! I love them so much and it was just a wonderful treat to read their beginnings together.


I also loved reading about how Gwen got her start but it was sad and brutal, but she did it. =) This is a happy, sad, funny book!

And Pickles.... let me just give an excerpt for Pickles

"I already know. I don't need an ignorant peasant boy to confirm my education. I also don't need your filthy presence at my table. Take your stolen pie and your Pickle and eat outside where you belong. You miserable-"

All Hadrian saw was Pickle's pie slam into Angdon's face. The plate fell away, taking the lower crust with it. The rest hung on the boy's cheeks for a second. The incident would have been hilarious if the pie hadn't been piping hot. Angdon screamed, clawing the pie from his face.

Across from Angdon, Pickle's face was also red. He was up on his feet, his hand clenched into fists, and Hadrian wondered if the boy was about to leap the table after the wailing baron's son.

I so loved Pickles. He was a good little dude!

I love, love, love these books so much. Hadrian and Royce will always be in my heart ♥

now, on to the next . . . .

[Adina · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s been a while since I’ve read The Riyria Revelations, a fantasy series written by Michael J. Sullivan. I loved the series, especially the last volume and I fell in love with one of the best duos in the fantasy world, Hadrian and Royce. There, we have them metamorphose from thieves for hire into heroes. The Crown Tower is the first volume in the Riyria Chronicles, the prequel of the above mentioned series. The first volume shows how Hadrian and Royce met and how they started to work together. It is lighter in scope but, oh, so much fun. This series was written after the Revelations so, after some research, I decided to read them in the order of publication. It was probably the best decision as I had a few aha moments, but I think it would have also worked the other way around. Actually, I plan to listen to the Graphic Audio version of the Revelations after I finish this series. I love these productions because they bring the story and the characters to life.

Hadrian is an ex-soldier who decides to visit an old friend. Royce is an thief and ex-assassin who does not know what is next for him. They are somehow forced to work together, which comes as a very unpleasant surprise for both of them. They really do not like each other at first as they have different characters and moral compasses. That creates the perfect opportunity for delicious banter.

I also have to mention Gwen, one of the main side characters. She is a prostitute who can read the fortune in palms and eyes. She knows that her destiny is to stay in a certain city and wait for a certain man and save his life. I loved her resilience and empathy.

[Nikola · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,75/5

[Anna [Bran. San. Stan] · Rating 5 out of 5]

(2022: Re-read via recently released GraphicAudio!)
“I only ask one thing.” “What’s that?” “When you fall to your death, do so quietly.” This really sums up the relationship between our new partners in crime (literally), Royce and Hadrian. The two can’t stand each other and understandably so as they could not be any more different. Forced by a mutual acquaintance to work together (for a reason I cannot reveal; just know there is a deeper meaning behind it), this book explores the beginning of what will be a long and true friendship as we see it in the Riyria Revelations, to which the Riyria Chronicles (this series) are the prequel.

As the author himself states in the preface, this series does not include an arc spanning several books with a big finale at the end, but will consist of stand-alones. And what can I say? I’m so glad to see more of Royce and Hadrian and I enjoyed the heck out of their story; also because of the many hidden gems you will only appreciate if you‘ve read the Revelations before – which I strongly recommend.

We encounter Hadrian as he returns to his home country following his father‘s death. He left home aged 15, dissatisfied that his father had trained him to be the best worrier alive (literally!), only for him to live in a tiny town. He is determined to win accolades as a warrior and succeeds, only to realize the cost of all the senseless killing once he learns of his father‘s death.

“Hadrian had left home to see the world and make a name for himself. He set out to be a hero, to right wrongs, save maidens, slay dragons. Instead he became a butcher, a killer.”

He is also an idealist who believes people are inherently honorable, good and trustworthy and clearly needs to see the real world as it is.

Enter Arcadius, an old friend of his father‘s, with a message from his late father and a job offer: help Royce, an ex-assassin, who is also looking for a new purpose, steal a book under ridiculous circumstances in the hope that the two of them will “complete” each other; as in Royce will temper Hadrian’s idealism and Hadrian will soften Royce’s unfeeling, often cruel nature which is the product of his past:

“He‘s like a pup of a renowned hunting dog who’s been beaten badly by every master he‘s had. He’s a gem worthy of a little work, but he‘ll test you - he’ll test you a lot. Royce doesn’t make friends easily and he doesn’t make it easy to be his friend. Don’t get angry. That’s what he’s looking for. That’s what he expects. He’ll try to drive you away, but you’ll fool him. Listen to him. Trust him. That’s what he won’t expect. It won’t be easy. You’ll have to be very patient. But if you are, you’ll make a friend for life – the kind that will walk unarmed into the jaws of a dragon if you asked him to.”

The book follows not only Hadrian‘s POV but also Gwen‘s, a seer and now a prostitute, who was told by her dying mother to wait for an elusive “him”. She endures A LOT: cruelty by men, discrimination because of being a foreigner in the North, and the uncertainty of when/if “he” will come. But she prevails and proves to be both clever and compassionate.

At first I was dismayed to see we get her POV instead of more of Hadrian’s or Royce’s (we don’t get his until 71% in, which admittedly adds to the enigma that is him), but her storyline is entirely captivating and her character has become one of my faves.

I also loved that her POV had a “Pretty Woman” moment – being turned away at a shop and seeing the attendant‘s reaction when they come back with money.

Final verdict: A fabulous start to this series! Don’t miss out on these great characters and their story!

The Riyria Chronicles
1. The Crown Tower – 5 stars
2. The Rose and the Thorn – 5 stars
3. The Death of Dulgath – 4.5 stars
4. The Disappearance of Winter’s Daughter – 4.5 stars
5. Drumindor (to be released in 2024)

To be read BEFORE the Chronicles:
Riyria Revelations
1. The Crown Conspiracy – 4.25 stars
2. Avempartha – 4.5 stars
3. Nyphron Rising – 5 stars
4. The Emerald Storm – 4.5 stars
5. Wintertide – 5 stars
6. Percepliquis – 5 stars

[Katerina · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You realize I'm just taking you to die?”
“I hope to disappoint you.”
“You won't.”

Thankfully Hadrian did disappoint Royce, and thus Riyria was born. After a long and hectic week, getting back to Elan and reading the first adventure of my beloved pair of thieves was like coming home. Thank you Mr.Sullivan for giving us another high fantasy mastepiece!

“Excuse me. My name is Hadrian Blackwater.”
“Congratulations.”
“Um... what's yours?”
“Leave me alone.”

The Crown Tower offered us a great insight into the beginning of Royce and Hadrian's partnership and friendship when Arcadius paired them to steal a treasure from the Crown Tower. Meanwhile, Gwen stepped towards her freedom and shaped her future to her own liking, waiting for him, the one she was bound to help and save in more than one ways. I expected adventure and swordfights and assassinations and banters and twists and turns like only Michael J. Sullivan can write, and I got them all. I inhaled every page, I laughed and yelled with excitement and loved deeply, but there was more. Mr.Sullivan gave us more. He gave us the story of a girl who was tired of being disrespected and humiliated and manhandled, the story of a young man who gave up killing and sought a greater purpose in his life, the story of another young man who was raised by wolves and didn't hesitate to kill his problems because no one ever showed him there is another way. I witnessed the forge of heroes, my heroes, and my heart swelled with pride and love and awe.

“I believe there's a human inside that cloak, Hadrian. You just have to find a way to break through to it.”

One of the many things I admire in Mr.Sullivan's writing is his ability to create three dimensional characters, whether they're the protagonists or the helpful farmer or the savage brute. You can feel the difference between Royce and Hadrian of the past and Royce and Hadrian of the present (the Royce of Theft of Swords is a charming and pleasant fellow compared to his old self), you can see that naive and optimistic and trusting to a fault Hadrian needs Royce to survive in a cruel world, and ruthless Royce needs Hadrian to find goodness in mankind. They're the complete opposites and they had a rocky start, but what's a better way to start a friendship than stabbing a student and murdering five people? (well obviously there is a better way but that's Royce we're talking about). Mr.Sullivan didn't hold back, he showed us their ugly sides without restraint, he made us understand and sympathize with them. And there was also Gwen. Her character is a constant surprise and I was so happy to learn more about her. After all the horrors she went through, she remained kind and caring and helpful, and I cannot think of a better person to shed light into Royce's life, to mold him into a better version of himself. She's become one of my favorite female characters!

“While she called all of them ladies, Rose knew the only real lady in Medford House was Gwen DeLancy.”

Whether you're already a Riyria fan or not, The Crown Tower is the perfect opportunity to dive into a world of pure adventure and absolutely amazing characters and I can assure you,you will enjoy every single moment!

[Robin (Bridge Four) · Rating 4 out of 5]

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I was a little worried to read this prequel. I totally LoVeD Hadrian and Royce in the Riyria Revelations and it is a completed series. Did I really want to go back to their beginnings to see how it all started??? And the answer is….



MJS is not that author who couldn’t figure out what to write next and so decided hey I’ll write more books in the same world because $$$. Nope not at all, he wrote it because his wife fell in love with another man.

It’s the classic story of a husband whose wife falls for another man—a more dashing and charming gent. It sounds tragic, but this tale is a bit different because the love affair is between a real woman and a fictional man. My wife—let’s call her Robin (because that’s her name)—has developed an infatuation for Hadrian Blackwater. I’m not sure how I feel about enabling my wife’s relationship with another man, but at least I know this guy is trustworthy

As soon as I read that in the dedication I KNEW that MJS was not just pumping out more books for the sake of $$$ but definitely for the love of the world, the characters and his wife. After that I just relaxed and had a great time with it.

Can you read this first???

Yes, there aren’t any spoilers for the future series. BUT….that said I will say that I really liked catching the little hints and cameos of characters that we get to know better later on. My personal recommendation is to read The Riyria Revelations first and then move on to these.

But won’t I be a little bored since I already kind of know what happens from Riyria Revelations?

I was also a little worried about that. The answer is a resounding NO…you will not be bored at all. There are so many great things in this. One of the first things I was really excited about is that we get a Gwen PoV and it is fantastic.

Why did we leave Calis? Why did you give me a northern name? And most importantly, Why does it mean so much to you for us to go to this mythical place called Medford? Stubbornly her mother had refused to answer, except to say that God had told her to go. When Gwen asked which god, her mother had replied, “The one who walks as a man.”

The second thing is that Royce and Hadrian are just starting out and you can see how completely different they are from each other. Hadrian is pretty naive and trusting…while Royce well he was raised by wolves so trust isn’t something he understands at all.

“You have any friends?”
“One.”
“Arcadius?”
“No.”
“Where is this friend?”
“No idea.”
“When was the last time you saw him?”
“When he framed me for murder and sent me to prison.”
“I don’t think you understand the meaning of the word friend.”
“And I think you live in a fairy-tale world where words have consistent meanings…”

I really enjoyed this getting to know each other part of their relationship. You can see the threads of the bromance that it will become but you can also see the rocky road they will travel to get there.

This story went so fast for me and I couldn’t wait to get to some of the moments I knew had to be coming because of the snippets we were told in Riyria Revelations.

As MJS said he could write one book covering a year in Harian and Royce’s life leading up to Riyria Revelations which is 12 books. You know what…. I WOULD READ THEM ALL if they are even close to as good as this one.

[Samir · Rating 5 out of 5]

''The Riyria Revelations'' is my favorite series and reading it I always wondered how did Royce and Hadrian met so I was very excited to read this book.

In my experience prequels aren't usually done right and they somewhat diminish that awesome feeling you got from the original so I was hoping this would be a good origin story and I'm glad it delivered.

This book made me love Royce and Hadrian even more, I loved how they hated each other when they met because as a result their conversations, or more accurately, their bickering was hilarious. Another reason why their initial animosity was so fun for me is because my best friend and me were the same when we first met.

The story mostly follows Hadrian through his POV and it was a bit slow paced until he reached Sheridan and had a meeting with Arcadius. I won't give away any spoilers but I'l just say that from that moment everything was just pure fun.

Another character from Revelations that got more ''screen time'' was Gwen. Through her chapters we follow her rise from the bottom and we find out how she became The Lady of the House Medford. Those chapters were a bit dark and gruesome but I enjoyed them nevertheless. Gwen is an excellent example of a strong female character.

I would have loved to read more about Royce and his adventures with the Black Diamond and his time in the Manzant prison but I was very much satisfied with his part in this story.

I loved the ending of this book and the way everything fit together and I can't wait to read the next one.

[TS Chan · Rating 5 out of 5]

If ever there was a prequel story which I thought was perfection, The Crown Tower absolutely fit the bill.

"Old lunatic was right...We did make a good team."

And thus a legend was born! I love origins stories of beloved characters and few are more beloved to me than the two foremost and main characters in the Riyria series. Hadrian Blackwater, a noble and idealistic mercenary soldier. Royce Melborn, a dangerous and cynical thief. With such polar opposite personalities, you know that sparks are going to fly (the wrong way) when they meet each other for the first time, what more being coerced to work together on an impossible mission.

Just halfway through The Riyria Revelations I was already tempted to read The Crown Tower which fleshes out the back-story of how this legendary dynamic duo came together. Their banter and friendly bickering were so entertaining that I can only imagine how delightful it is to read their initial encounter when they despised each other. However, I was advised by a couple of experienced readers to finish Revelations first and I’m thankful for that. I’ve not read many prequels before and with hindsight I find that reading this prequel really was more fun to read AFTER knowing what happened in Revelations.

Firstly, I appreciated that we get a lot more of the main characters on a highly personal level, this being their origins story after all. As expected, reading their initial interaction was pure delight. They were still very much the Hadrian and Royce that we know of and love, but each yet to be tempered by the other’s qualities, so to speak.

Secondly, we finally have the backstory of Gwen DeLancy. While she did not appear all that much in Revelations, her role in the series was significant. In The Crown Tower, Gwen’s story provided a darker note to the overarching narrative in a most compelling manner. As a foreign woman in a time and place where females were greatly marginalized, her strength, determination and intelligence shone through most admirably. And I've to say this time and again, Sullivan positively excels in writing great female characters, and Gwen was most definitely one of them.

Thirdly, the sly old fox, Arcadius. 'Nuff said save for the last couple of lines of the book;

"We've planted the seeds. All we can do now is wait and see what grows."

While every reader who loved The Riyria Revelations will most likely love this book as well, it also serves as a solid stand-alone which is testament to the author's storytelling skills.  This was a very entertaining tale in a classic fantasy setting, told in a modern voice.  What's even better than before was Sullivan's prose as his writing had improved noticeably since his debut series.

And as a side note to Michael, you don’t ever have to worry about Hadrian and Royce overstaying their welcome. I just can’t get enough of them!

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You can find this and my other reviews at Novel Notions.

[Deborah Obida · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Crown Tower is the first book in the Riyria Chronicles, this book is also a prequel to Riyria Revelations, I know I should have read this before Revelations but I didn’t, I read the series haphazardly.

The order the three series set in the same world should be read are
1. Legends of the First Empire
2. The Riyria Chronicles
3. The Riyria Revelations
And I read them in this order
-The Riyria Chronicles
-Legends of the First Empire
-Riyria Revelations.

So if you’re a stickler for chronological order you can read the actual order but if you’re like me then you can read the published order, the event in all the series took place in different times and Legends of the First Empire have different characters so you won’t get confused with whichever series you begin with.

The events in this book focused on how Royce and Hadrian met and their first job together, I never imagined that this is how it happened, given how they are in Riyria Chronicles. The things that stuck out in this book is the friendship and standing up for oneself.
I finally know what Riyria means, apparently it’s partnership.


“Yes, a team, partners, as in two people working together, pooling their talents for a common goal. In elvish they have a word for it. They call it—”
“Riyria,” Royce finished for him.”

I love the world building, the world was well depicted and the writing is quite straightforward, Mr Sullivan’s writing style usually lean towards contemporary than fantasy but I actually don’t mind, the book is written in third person multiple POV. There was no magic in this book, the fight scenes were very well written.

Characters
I love the characters in this book, I can see how their development came about, very interesting.
Hadrian didn’t exactly change, he’s so trusting here and somewhat naive, at the same time he is brave and selfless while Royce is a direct opposite, he is very cynical for good reasons, he believes everyone has an ulterior motive but I can see him warming up to Hadrian.
Then there’s Gwen, Gwen is amazing, her past is worse than I thought, I’m glad she stood up for herself.

Plot
Hadrian is at a crossroad in his life, being a soldier isn’t as glorious as he thought, he doesn’t know what to do with his life while Royce owes a debt to someone and the man says the condition for paying up the debt is to work with Hadrian as a partner.
Gwen’s part of the plot is all spoilery so read and find out.

[Jody · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the stars *****

Royce and Hadrian are my favorite duo in the fantasy world. I say this without any trace of doubt at all. MJS could write 30 books about these two unlikely Heroes and I would happily devour them with glee. And after reading The Crown Tower, this installment will take it's rightful place on my favorites shelf.

Michael J. Sullivan has a way of telling a story that just really connects with me. He doesn't make it complicated or try to do anything that hasn't been done before, but I can just relate with his characters and writing style. I feel like if I come home from a bad day at work, I can open up a Riyria book and everything just floats away. Yes! That kind of feeling. Not many authors do that for me, but MJS certainly does.

The Crown Tower tells the story of how the Riyria duo came to be. The event this book is named after is spoken of several time in the Riyria Revelations books, but that is nothing compared to reading the actual tale.

While this book was definitely more about Hadrian than Royce, I was, at first, a little surprised that Gwen got so much page time. Her story arc was just as good as Hadrians and maybe even more important to the overall outcome. She made it complete and really brought it all full circle.

There are parts in the Revelations series that refer to when Royce and Hadrian first teamed up, but to read about it was entertaining and bittersweet knowing how they end up. The guys really are opposites and view the world completely different.

"You were right about the swords," Royce said. "You really do need three."
"You sound drunk."
"I feel drunk - and I hate being drunk. Nothing works the way it's supposed to. And it makes me act stupid....like you."
"You're aware I'm in the process of trying to save your life, right?"
"What part of stupid don't you understand?"

I can't rave about the Riyria books or Michael J. Sullivan's writing enough, but I will stop here and just say simply READ THEM. You won't be disappointed. MJS is an awesome storyteller. I myself am moving on to The Rose and The Thorne immediately.

[Tammie · Rating 4 out of 5]

TWO MEN WHO HATE EACH OTHER. ONE IMPOSSIBLE MISSION. A LEGEND IN THE MAKING.

If you read the Riyria Revelations and wondered how Royce and Hadrian met, then The Crown Tower is the book to read. They are an unlikely pair in many ways and never would have partnered up if not for the wizard Arcadius, who sets them on a quest to steal a book from the Crown Tower, which no one has ever broken into.

It takes a while to get to this point in the book. First we follow Hadrian on his journey to the university to meet with Arcadius and there is a whole mystery there to solve involving the passengers on a barge and a mysterious man in a dark cloak. This is alternated with chapters about Gwen and her origin story. While I was eager to see how Royce and Hadrian would eventually team up, I still very much enjoyed this part of the book.

Eventually Hadrian makes it to the university and meets with Arcadius and officially meets Royce for the first time. The fact that they hate each other from the beginning makes the task of getting them to team up for the tower job more than difficult, but Arcadius sees something in each of them that he knows will make them great assets to each other. This is where the story really takes off.

We still get Gwen's story throughout the rest of the book as well. I always liked Gwen in the Revelations series, but now that I've read some chapters in her point of view, I like her even more. There wasn't much action in her chapters, but they were filled with tension even though I knew how things would end up for her.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this prequel to The Riyria Revelations. It was fun revisiting Royce and Hadrian and finding out how it all started. My only complaint is that this ended all too soon! I will definitely be reading The Rose and the Thorn.

Review also posted at Writings of a Reader

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE BOOK STOPS AT THE 90% MARK?!



I was desperately hoping thought there would be at least 250 more a few more chapters in the last 10%! This is outrageous! This is unacceptable! This is a complete rip-off! I want my money back! No, wait! Here, have some more money and give me the next book in the series NOW!

P.S. FYI, this book features the original Wonder Woman. And she's MINE MINE MINE.

👋 Until next time and stuff.

· Book 2: The Rose and the Thorn ★★★★
· Book 2.5: The Jester ★★★★
· Book 2.6: Professional Integrity ★★★★
· Book 3: The Death of Dulgath ★★★★
· Book 4: The Disappearance of Winter's Daughter ★★★★★
· Book 5: Drumindor ★★

[Terence · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some unexpected things are happening and a university professor appears to be behind them all. Professor Arcadius has brought together a fighter without equal and an incredibly skilled thief. The two are polar opposites and hate one another, but Arcadius has managed to convince them to do one job for him. To steal a single book from a seemingly impregnable fortress.

The Crown Tower could easily have been titled how Hadrian met Royce. Michael J. Sullivan made a good point in saying that Hadrian and Royce wouldn't have been an instant success as a team because of their differences. It's amazing neither tried to kill the other one. For anyone who has read Riyria Revelations suffice to say Hadrian is even more of an optimist while Royce is far more pessimistic.

The story is told largely from three perspectives. Two of these perspectives are obvious as they come from Royce and Hadrian. The third, for me at least, was unexpected. The third perspective came from Gwen. I have to admit I rarely gave Gwen much thought despite her unique position and abilities in Riyria Revelations. I also have to admit, I wouldn't have cared in the least to see her storyline almost completely abandoned. There were at most two or three things about her I was curious about and those simply didn't warrant the number of pages spent detailing her rise from prostitute to lady of her own house.

The Crown Tower was good, but didn't quite hit the spot for me. I did find myself feeling the old Riyria magic towards the end of the book though.

[Orient · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great BR with amazing GR dwellers, Craig and Alex :)

"All I wanted was to live—I’d forgotten everything else. A clod of dirt doesn’t have dreams. A bit of broken stone doesn’t understand hope. Each morning, all I wanted was to see the next dawn. But you changed that."

When I finished Riyria Revelations, I was so eager to meet the characters again and dived into Riyria Chronicles with pleasure :) If you have, like me, read Michael J. Sullivan’s Riyria Revelations series already, you’ll know that Hadrian and Royce, the great partners, weren’t always the perfect team we met and liked. Now at last, in the “Crown Tower” I got an opportunity to know all the nuances in the backstory of the great Riyria. “The Crown Tower” starts The Riyria Chronicles in a compelling way.

For the new readers, this book will be a great fantasy read, with adventures, engaging action and fights, great presentation of two main male characters and one amazing female in the lead. For the Riyria old-timers this will be a thrilling chance to dive into Hadrian and Royce’s first ever job as partners and of course this book will show how these two quite different men became a great team.

Characters: What I loved the most is that this book is concentrated not only upon Hadrian and Royce, but also Gwen, who, after this book, is worth my fascination as a strong female character and great personality.



Of course, I met these characters before, but in Revelations they weren’t so fully fleshed out as I felt they were in “Crown Tower”. As in previous books, Hadrian’s and Royce’s interaction is great, funny and enjoyable to read, adding more fun that it’s only the beginning of their bromance.

“My name is Hadrian Blackwater.”
“Congratulations.” The reply was as cold as the wind that carried it.
“Uh … what’s yours?”
The man turned away. “Leave me alone.”

The first shock that I experienced while reading this book is that there’s a clear difference between Royce and Hadrian that we meet here and in Revelations– in “The Crown Tower” they’re young and more inexperienced. Lol, just reading the first chapter I found out that Hadrian can be easily robbed as he just got off a ship and despite having traveled a lot, fought in a lot of armies, he resembles a simple unexperienced guy, who just starts his life. Royce is a lot different than Hadrian, so untrusting, grim, always suspecting something. The exact opposite of Hadrian, as Hadrian is a really friendly soul. So it was really interesting and great watching the development of their characters.

This book allowed me to have a closer and more interesting look into the characters, I’ve met in Revelations and knowing exactly how they’re going to develop as the series goes on, spoils matters a bit. I knew what will be the end for them, who’ll make it and who’ll not, which of course leaves the taste of predictability.

Oh and I just loved the scene with Golden guards!



Narrative: The exact thing I adored in this book is that it continues to be easy, fun, action-filled, straightforward adventurous fantasy story. I can compare this book to a missing part, which fits into Revelations not being boring, repetitive or unimportant. I just felt that “The Crown Tower” has an intriguing plan in his mind, so I must prepare myself for great adventures as everything happens for a reason and so far my playdate in Riyria Chronicles is smooth and logical. Which is why I’m happy that Sullivan presents the unfamiliar parts to Riyria Revelations in unpredictable and engaging way.

To sum up, I can say that Sullivan once more shines with his skill at creating a page-turner again. Oh and what was a great relief for me: this story doesn’t reach even 400 pages so it’s an easy and light read, especially after my Malazan adventure :D

[Lau ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I decided to read this series in chronological order instead of publication order, as Petrik Leo recommends. You’ll probably enjoy it more if you have already read The Riyria Revelations since you’ll have the chance to know the origin of your favorite duo instead of meeting them for the first time like me.


Hadrian is the perfect gentleman: a bit naive, everyone loves him within minutes and never kills if it’s not needed. He is traveling to meet Arcadius in order to know what his father left him before he died. But there might be an assassin in the boat who doesn’t want him to make it alive…


Royce is the perfect criminal: quiet as a cat, never leaves loose ends and kills just in case. He’s one mission away from freedom and has everything under control. Until Arcadius decides that it’s not enough to steal a book from the most guarded, tallest surviving structure built by humans, Royce also has to bring a very clumsy guy with him. Luckily, he only needs to wait for Hadrian to kill himself…


“I only ask one thing. () When you fall to your death, do so quietly.”


By Szacsi

The Crown Tower is a very slow paced book whose enjoyment relies heavily on characters, humor and dialogues -which happen to be my favorite trifecta. Everything that happens in the book can be summarized in a few paragraphs, but the journey is what makes it special. I LOVED Hadrian and Royce dynamics. Hadrian is the kind of character you want to marry, have as best friend and party with. Charming, friendly and noble, he has all the morals Royce lacks.


“You don’t believe in right and wrong? Good and bad.”
“Sure, right is what’s good for me, and bad is what I don’t like.()”


Royce is the kind of character you want as best friend if you want to murder someone. He hates everyone, doesn’t trust his own shadow and keeps killing innocent people who happen to be on his way. The author knew how to exploit the potential of these complete opposite individuals to create the best banter and most hilarious dialogues. I can see myself reading entire books just to see them bickering.


Hadrian realized he did have a reason to live. If nothing else, he refused to give that bastard the satisfaction of being right.


Besides Hadrian and Royce, there are chapters following Gwen, a woman able to see a person’s future by looking into their eyes. Following her deceased mom’s wish, she stays in the city waiting for a mysterious man, where she survives by working as a whore. When one of her coworkers gets murder and everyone else is in danger of suffering the same fate, she’ll try to build a better future for them all. But if she falls, instead of saving them she’ll have led her friends to their death…



The amount of fantasy is very low, I’ve read magical realism books with more fantasy in them, and it appeared mainly as paranormal elements that gave the story a bit of charm while promising more in the following installments. The writing lingered a bit too much in details for my taste, but it also gave internal thoughts that helped understand and fall in love with the characters.


“I’m not going to kill these people,” Hadrian said. “They’re nice people.”
“How do you know?”
“I talked to them.”


Although I’d have loved to see more fantasy and a faster pace and, The Crown Tower was a joy to read. There are very few fantasy books where your brain doesn’t explode at first and you can let yourself immerse in the story and just chill. If you want the dialogues and the characters, you won’t be disappointed. I’m super hyped to read more because I love Hadrian and Royce’s bromance and I’m dying to see it grow stronger. I can already imagine how Royce is going to save Hadrian for his naïve nature and protect him at all costs, while Hadrian is going to teach him what having a real friend who loves him feels like.


“He and I, a team?” Royce smirked.
“Yes, a team, partners, as two people working together, pooling their talents for a common goal. In elvish () they call it -”
“Riyria.”


PS: I enjoyed the author’s note sooo much, I was probably biased during the entire thing. I mean, look at this:

(...) It’s the classic story of a husband whose wife falls for another man-a more dashing and charming agent. It sounds tragic, but this tale is a bit different because the love affair is between a real woman and a fictional man. My wife has developed an infatuation for Hadrian Blackwater. I’m not sure how I feel about enabling my wife’s relationship with another man, but at least I know this guy is trustworthy.


↬ The Riyria Chronicles (prequel):
1. The Crown Tower: 3 stars
2. The Rose and the Thorn: 3 stars
3. The Death of Dulgath: tbr
4. The Disappearance of Winter's Daughter: tbr

↬ The Riyria Revelations: tbr

[Conor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really fun read with an interesting, fast-paced plot and a number of likeable characters. The story was made more enjoyable by the fact that I was already invested in the 2 main characters from the main Riyria series however I actually think this book might be a better entry point in light of the fact that it does a better job of establishing Royce and Hadrian as distinct characters although the story is only tangentially related to the main plot of the series with the focus of this one being establishing Royce and Hadrian and developing them from 2 lads who are fundamentally opposed to one another (the ruthless assassin vs the honourable warrior) into an effective partnership. Just realized that last sentence was long as fuck but I'm not going to change it now.

This prequel did a masterful job of establishing Hadrian and Royce, imo far better than was done in the first few novels of the main series. I especially appreciated how Royce's ruthlessness was made very apparent whereas in the main series early on he seems like his bark is far worse than his bite. This prequel also did a really nice job of establishing Hadrian as a Rambo style deadly killing machine who is disillusioned with a life of violence (although he hasn't throat ripped anyway. yet.). Their clash of personalities and their burgeoning respect and trust is heart of this story (and this is indeed mirrored nicely in the plot as Arcadius hints that the only reason he set them on this mission was so that they would have to learn to work together).

We also got Gwen's origin story in this one. While it fleshed out the world a bit and further developed a pretty cool character from the main series in Gwen, I found it to be pretty dull as there wasn't a lot of action going on, we knew how it would end from the main series and it didn't really provide any new information that was relevant to the rest of the series.

The plot itself was fun and fast-paced, if a little simple and predictable, likely owing to the focus on the characters. Probably the highlight of the plot was the boat journey early on which had a cool "whodunnit" bit to it as well as some exposition on Hadrian's character. I liked the twist ending, it was unexpected and well-done although it felt a bit abrupt. A lot of Lawrence's killing off of characters has that feeling to it which makes his books all the more suspenseful and unpredictable. I kind of wish we had gotten Royce's POV on the boat incident though, especially as it would have fleshed it out nicely. The ending to the story was also pretty cool with a desperate escape and epic last stand that reminded me of "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid" (the cool one from the 60's not the shitty one with Keanu Reeves).

[Jess Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

My boys 🥹🥹🥹

[Nimrod Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable read by Sullivan about how Royce and Hadrian met. While the first half is just okay, probably because it follows Royce, Hadrian, and Gwen separately, it definitely picks up from the moment Royce and Hadrian meet for the first time. The dynamics of their relationship is one of the best out there, showcasing synergistic effect at their best.

A very fun and quick read about this hilarious team that we all love, superbly narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds.

3.75/5 for the first half, 4.25/5 for the second half.
4/5

[Bookwraiths · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published at Bookwraiths Reviews

THE BUTCH CASSIDAY AND SUNDANCE KID OF FANTASY!

For all of you familiar with the Riyria Revelations books, Hadrian Blackwater and Royce Melborn are the Dynamic Duo of fantasy: Hadrian the great warrior with three swords for any occasion and Royce the dark, mysterious assassin waiting to put a dagger in you. Two partners who are as polarly opposite in their personality and outlook on life as in their styles of fighting. No matter their differences however, these two night and day characters are the most dedicated of partners and friends.

But how could they have ever gotten past these issues to form a partnership called Riyria?

This is the story Michael J. Sullivan sets out to tell in The Crown Tower, and he accomplishes it with a flair long time readers have come to expect from him. The tale he pens is one of those very rare prequels: a stand alone story which - while tipping its hat so subtly to the older novels - never fails to understand it is a story unto itself. Indeed, Hadrian, Royce and Gwen grabbed the readers attention from the first, drawing them along involuntarily in the turbulence of their story as all three are inevitably drawn together.

Naturally, our story takes place before the events of The Theft of Swords, which is the first set of books set in the world of Riyria. Here, Hadrian Blackwater is a young man, still holding onto his youthful naivety yet having seen and done bloody deeds that even he refuses to recall. Our youthful optimist has wandered over half the world since he left his father’s blacksmith shop as a youth, eager to find glory and a worthy cause that his unvanquishable sword skills could be used for. Yet, none of the glory or gold satisfied Hadrian: they made him feel hollow inside actually. So when word reaches him about his father back home, something breaks within him, and he finds himself drawn back to his roots, hoping to find some epiphany about his future. Perhaps some sign as to where or what he should do with the remainder of his life - and with his only skill: killing people.

That is where Royce comes in. I cannot tell you how these two meet without giving away spoilers and ruining the surprise, but suffice it to say that Mr. Sullivan crafts this in the perfect way. A set up which not only enlivens what had been a slow story to that point, but also forces our Dynamic Duo to interact with one another for all our entertainment.

Naturally, afer meeting and attempting to clear up their differences, Hadrian and Royce find themselves drawn together whether they like it or not. Their mutual goal to plan and conduct a heist that is so impossible that no one has ever tried it! And that is absolutely insane for two strangers such as them to attempt - especially since they absolutely despise one another!

I know the fact Hadrian and Royce hate one another came as no surprise to anyone right?

Who did not see that coming?

These two are oil and water, even in the later books when they have been partners for years, so most certainly they would not enjoy each others company at first meeting. But Mr. Sullivan does something wonderful in this book: he actually takes the time to explain why each of them behave and believe as they do. He then forces each character to confront those same facts about the other and work through their revulsion of the others’ life view. This sets up interesting and hilarious scenes where Royce and Hadrian are bickering, insulting and threatening to murder one another. They argue about everything, even when death is knocking at their door, and each constantly wonders how someone as idiotic as the other person could have survived so long without someone killing them. They are the only duo since Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid I have ever seen carry this type of quarreling and cooperation relationship so far and make this entertaining. (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is a great, classic western for those who don’t know. Go rent it today and understand what I mean!)

And we cannot forget Gwen, the mysterious brothel owner, who gradually plays a bigger and bigger role in Revelations. Here we get to understand her life up until she met Hadrian and Royce, how she became a prostitute, and the role she played in Hadrian and Royce actually becoming Riyria. While I can’t say Gwen’s story broke new ground in storytelling, it was well written, eye-opening, and added another layer to this elegant lady who always brightened the pages with her appearance in Revelations. For those reasons, it was a very enjoyable part of the overall prequel.

As long time readers already know, Mr. Sullivan has that innate ability to create a page-turner, and The Crown Tower is no different. It is a great read for those who have experienced the wonderful Riyria Revelations and those who have not. The novel has it all: excitement, hilarity, mystery, fighting, and romance. What else could anyone ask for out of a fantasy novel? Nothing. So just go buy the book already, you know you want to.

I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley in return for an honest review. The review you have read is my opinion, and mine alone.

Royce and Hadrian have not visited me and attempted to bribe or beaten me into writing this. And if they had, I doubt I could really mention it so . . .forget I said anything. *Whispers* Royce hears everything.

[Hamad · Rating 4 out of 5]

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“There’s always hope… We’ve planted the seeds. All we can do now is wait and see what grows.”

I have finished The Riyria revelations last month and loved Heir of Novron so much that I could not say bye to this world yet. There is a little introduction at the start of this book where the author explains why he decided to write a prequel (and that he likes the cover of this book X-X) and I decided to read these books in the publishing order because that’s my preferred way of reading usually!

It is a weird experience reading a prequel for something that you already know will end. It takes a part of the excitement in a way because I know that characters that appear in the original series will be safe in this one. On the other hand, there is something interesting about discovering how things came to be and finding more about the characters. I think Gwen was the character that got more depth after reading this. Royce was absent for a long time as the story jumps between Hadrian and Gwen mainly. However, there are new characters so we get to discover them and care about them and also be curious about their destiny!

The writing is as good as the main series, there is continuous banter but without being annoying. There is humor but also some serious and emotional moments! I love that the length of these books is consistent and is around 400 pages which shows how an epic story can be written without the need for a thousand page!

I think the plot is a bit expected but is a good introduction to the story. I am just a bit confused because he author mentions how he wrote these so that each one can stand as a standalone and if this was a standalone, I would be confused and left with many questions. But I know the books do connect together and I know what happens in the future which makes me okay with the story line.

Summary: There is nothing as enough of Royce and Hadrian and in this book there was the addition of Gwen which story was very intriguing! I loved the writing and that the author was still able to capture the spirit of the main series in the prequel. I also love the length of these books and I am most definitely continuing this next month!

[David Sven · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best Riyria story yet!

Michael J Sullivan's storytelling ability just gets better with each book. Compared with his first self published novella The Crown Conspiracy which begins his six (now three) part Riyria Revelations, this is just better again.

I really loved being back in this world. I loved being back with Royce and Hadrian. I loved being back with audio narrator Tim GeraRd Reynolds.

Over the course of The Riyria Revelations we got little snippets and references of the story that became a legend across all Avryn. Theatre troupes all over the land performed plays of two thieves who climbed The Crown Tower, to rob the Nyphron church right under the Patriarchs nose.

This is that story. This is where Riyria began. This is where Royce and Hadrian meet. This is the genesis of the bromance that has delighted fans of sword and sorcery fantasy world over. If you loved The Riyria Revelations then you are in for a treat because this is more of the same - only better.


5 stars

[Shaghayegh · Rating 4 out of 5]

رایرایی که من می‌شناسم در واقع از این کتاب شروع میشه، اما ازتون خواهش میکنم اگه میخواید برای اولین بار رایرا بخونید از مجموعه‌ی riyria revelation شروع کنید، هیدرین و رویس رو اونجا بشناسید و بعد بیایید سراغ این مجموعه و با نسخه‌ی قبل از رفیق شدنشون آشنا بشید، باید زوج دوست‌داشتنی رایرا رو بشناسید تا بتونید از پس حرص خوردن حماقتای هیدرین و عوضی بودن رویس بر بیایید.

[Gavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Crown Tower is the first book in the The Riyria Chronicles which is the prequel series to Michael J. Sullivan's highly entertaining Riyria Revelations series. The Crown Tower was just as good as any of the books in the Riyria Revelations. It was packed with all the action, adventure, intrigue, and the humor readers of the Riyria Revelations have come to expect from a book featuring Hadrain and Royce.

This was set 12 years before the start of the events told in The Crown Conspiracy. It was the story of how Hadrian and Royce first met and became the team known as Riyria. Arcadius manages to manipulate both Royce and Hadrian into stealing a forbidden book from the Crown Tower, a church stronghold, for him.

I loved the fact that Royce and Hadrian did not become instant friends. They grew to trust and like each other over the course of the story. Their banter was as hilarious as ever even when it was not so friendly.

This book also added Gwen as a POV character. We learn a bit more about her gift and her life. All to good effect. I like her a lot better now that I know more about her. The story of her time in Medford was dark, but interesting.

While this book was still a fun and exciting read, it was a little darker than the original series. Royce was just as wild in his early days as all those stories promised he would be and Gwen's own story was a bit bleak at times!

Rating: 4.5 stars.

Audio Note: Michael J. Sullivan made a sacrifice to retain the services of Tim Gerard Reynolds as narrator and it was worth it. Reynolds is the voice of Hadrian and Royce, for me. He was fantastic again in this one.

[Eon Windrunner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Updated RTC

[Liam · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Each killing steals a bit of humanity until a murderer is nothing more than an animal. A hunger replaces the spirit. A want for what was lost, but as with innocence, the soul can never be replaced."

3.5 Stars: ✰✰✰½

I was initially torn on whether or not I wanted to read the Riyria Chronicles, simply because the Riyria Revelations had such a perfectly complete ending. After waiting a few months, I saw the first two books on an Audible sale and figured I might as well pick them up, because they seemed to be a good bit lighter than the books in the original series.

And I'm so glad that I did. Hadrian and Royce as characters might be my favorite duo/bromance of all time, and this book only further solidified that for me. Sullivan does a seriously fantastic job of developing his characters in this book, even though plotlines might not exactly be his strongest point.

Character Development:

I have said this with everything single book I have read by Michael Sullivan, and I'm going to keep saying it. If you enjoy character-driven books and series, you will absolutely love these. It's what keeps me coming back to his books, even though I definitely got off to a rocky start with Theft of Swords.

These books take us deep back into the past of Hadrian and Royce (about 12 years before the beginning of Theft of Swords), and this specific book is the story of both their introduction as well as their first mission as a team. When you have two characters that are so completely different from each other as Hadrian and Royce are, it is hard to write about them becoming friends in a way that is believable. It quickly turns into a Hallmark kind of vibe if you aren't careful, which I hate with a passion. But Michael Sullivan's presentation of their personalities, the development of their relationship, and also their development as individuals was accomplished as skillfully as anything I've come to expect from him.

An added bonus is that Gwen gets A LOT of page time in these books, which made me so happy. If you liked Gwen while reading Revelations, you will love this book. Sullivan is so excellent at writing strong female protagonists.

The Story & Plot:

Now, here's the thing. I can genuinely say that I enjoyed every minute of reading this book. It was definitely much lighter than the later books in Revelations, which I'm actually happy about, because sometimes I need just light reading. There weren't any huge plot holes or problems with the story, and it was entertaining.

But not a lot happened. It felt a little too simple, which isn't a huge problem, but it lacked that "Wow" factor that I usually reserve for books that get more than four stars from me. Sullivan says that these books are more episodic in nature, as compared to Revelations (which had an overarching story throughout all six books that was being developed), and I'm hoping that means that we'll get some more interesting plots in the later books.

Again, that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy this one, just that I found it lacking in substance as regards the story.

Some Final Thoughts:

This critique might seem a bit unusual, because I didn't really see anybody bringing this up, and I felt kind of like it was worth saying something about. Basically a part of the story regarding Gwen (this really isn't a spoiler - it's mentioned in the first two chapters of this book AND Revelations), is that she is employed as a prostitute in an inn, by a guy who was very abusive and controlling. She gets out of this abusive and controlling relationship by leaving and opening a brothel of her own.

And something about it just felt very off to me. For a young girl to be forced into prostitution out of necessity is just an awful thing, whether they do it by choice or whether they are pushed into it by somebody else. Regardless - it's a terrible thing. And everything about the way Sullivan wrote about this aspect of the story felt far, far too casual for me. Realistically, if we're talking about real life, I don't think that this is how it would have went down. And that made me take off another half star. If there's something I'm missing here, feel free to talk to me about it haha =].

In Conclusion:

If you enjoyed reading Revelations and you're ever looking for some light reading, I highly recommend you give this series (or, at least, this book) a shot. It adds a lot of valuable information and background for people who are fans of Royce and Hadrian, and the spotlight on Gwen did a great job of developing a character I wanted more from in Revelations. I say read it if you ever want "light reading", because the plot is definitely very simple, and you won't find anything in here that blows your might. But aside from my one personal issue, it's the kind of book that you can't help but enjoy =].

I'll be continuing with this series, for sure!

(As a side note - I HIGHLY recommend reading through the entire Riyria Revelations series before you start on this one. Even though these are prequels, you will appreciate these books so much more if you have Revelations as a backdrop).

Happy Reading =].

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhhhh Royce and Hadrian my old friends. Lovely to see you again.

I think it a testament to an author when characters become so loved that you become excited to be reading about them again. The first book in the Riyria Chronicles is an absolute gem and hearing all about how our two heroes met really feels like it is a story that should be told.

If you have read the Revelations series then this series (jumping the gun a bit here) is a must read. One of the things that I have enjoyed, apart from reading about the two lads, is the patience and detail that Sullivan has added to the story to make sure that events that happen later are not just prefixed with a quick paragraph fix. I don't think that I am explaining myself very well.
It would have been easy for example to introduce somebody from future books and have them by chance meet another character and that is that. But Sullivan takes time to develop a story around the meeting that is very real and actually adds to your knowledge of the relationship. It is hard to image that this was written after the Revelations series because it is so historically detailed.

That brings me to a interesting point. In what order should you read the series? In the intro, Sullivan explains that this could be a 12 book series. Each a stand alone and readable whenever, with an end point, so no cliff hangers. It allows him to write as many as he wants, or as he says, as we readers want.
The biggest problem I would have in reading some of this series before reading Revelations is the writing story quality. It took me at least 3 revelations books to become a fanboy and be hooked on the series. The first couple I scored 3 stars and thought they were 'ok'. The last few books are wonderful and once you are engaged in the Hadrian/Royce relationship. it is hard to put them down. Reading this book, the story and writing style is again superb. Book 2 of this series seems the same wonderful read. But if I was to now go to book 1 of Revelations I think I would be saying "wtf happened there? Is this the same author?".

At the end of the day it is a moot point for me, as i have read the series, so I know how good it gets. But if anyone asks me what order to read them in. I am definitely recommending Revelations first, then the early years of Chronicals.

[Veronica Morfi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5/5

The Crown Tower is the first story of Hadrian and Royce. It's the story of how the met and decided to work together, even if reluctantly, for the first time in order to steal a book from... the Crown Tower.

This was the first Riyria book I've ever read and I am glad to say it did not disappoint. This book lives up to its hype. I loved pretty much everything. Especially the characters. The dynamic between Hadrian and Royce is what keeps this book alive. Those two are so different and can't stand each other. But when they actually manage to work together they were amazing. They reminded me so much of my best friend and I, my BFF being more like Royce and me being a lot like Hadrian. So, this book really hit home with me.

I loved the action and humor it kept me reading until very late at night, or better yet, early in the morning. We also get to meet a lot more characters like Gwen, Arcadius and Pickles. Arcadius is kind of my personal favorite. I loved how you could never get a straight answer from him and how he manipulated Royce and Hadrian. I'm really looking forward to their next adventure and then I will be definitely picking up the Riyria Revelations books.

[Anni · Rating 5 out of 5]

6 Stars ❤️