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The Triempery Revelations #1
Sordaneon
Dorilian is blood bound to the Rill, a quasi-living artifact that spans continents and empowers a privileged few to reap the riches of an entire civilization. The problem is, decades after seizing control of the remaining god-machines, those privileged few aren’t willing to give up their power—even if that means imprisoning and destroying the human bloodline to which the Rill is tethered.
To reawaken the Rill and save their world, its ruler Marc Frederick must find a way to win over Dorilian Sordaneon, the last scion of the divine house that once controlled the Rill. Unfortunately, Dorilian hates him. And his family. And… everything.
To reawaken the Rill and save their world, its ruler Marc Frederick must find a way to win over Dorilian Sordaneon, the last scion of the divine house that once controlled the Rill. Unfortunately, Dorilian hates him. And his family. And… everything.
540 pages, Paperback
First published October 19, 2021
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August 26, 2025This book blew me away.
Exceptional story telling, in every way, from the beautifully realized depth of a full range of characters, to the incredible build of the tension and conflicts of an ongoing, complex world of intrigue, to a setting of stunning originality, every facet glitters. I could not put this book down.
This is indy writing at its exceptional finest, with a riveting mix of alien life, godlike properties, and a rich history built over the foundational ideas that spring to life on every page.
The protagonist hardened by early losses and ground under the heel of a conquering nation trusts no one outside of the few, and when his last supports become stripped away, one by one, there are enemies on all sides pitched to feed on the plundered wealth of his homeland: and he is the key.
Among the welter of greed, self aggrandizement, the foolishly ignorant, and the polarized hatred, one enemy seeks to court a foothold through Dorillian's guarded personality, past barriers of arrogance and incisive, even dangerous, antipathy . Seen through the eyes of betrayal, bitter history, and oppression, the motive of an enemy overlord with intentions may or may not ring true. His journey against hands set against him is powerful, unforgettable, and filled with daggers at the back, hidden power plays, a cut-throat web of competitive economics, set on a world with mystical properties most of humanity leans upon power as taken for granted, but utterly fails to comprehend.
This is a masterful start to what promises to be an amazing series. My kind of read, start to finish. Give this one a spin. I was floored.
Exceptional story telling, in every way, from the beautifully realized depth of a full range of characters, to the incredible build of the tension and conflicts of an ongoing, complex world of intrigue, to a setting of stunning originality, every facet glitters. I could not put this book down.
This is indy writing at its exceptional finest, with a riveting mix of alien life, godlike properties, and a rich history built over the foundational ideas that spring to life on every page.
The protagonist hardened by early losses and ground under the heel of a conquering nation trusts no one outside of the few, and when his last supports become stripped away, one by one, there are enemies on all sides pitched to feed on the plundered wealth of his homeland: and he is the key.
Among the welter of greed, self aggrandizement, the foolishly ignorant, and the polarized hatred, one enemy seeks to court a foothold through Dorillian's guarded personality, past barriers of arrogance and incisive, even dangerous, antipathy . Seen through the eyes of betrayal, bitter history, and oppression, the motive of an enemy overlord with intentions may or may not ring true. His journey against hands set against him is powerful, unforgettable, and filled with daggers at the back, hidden power plays, a cut-throat web of competitive economics, set on a world with mystical properties most of humanity leans upon power as taken for granted, but utterly fails to comprehend.
This is a masterful start to what promises to be an amazing series. My kind of read, start to finish. Give this one a spin. I was floored.
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November 20, 2022GENERAL SPOILER WARNING
Nights in Sordan were never dark.
Ooooooh. This book. Epic fantasy and grimdark fans definitely need to check this one out! It’s dark and brutal and epic and intense and shocking and just WOW. Stephens doesn’t hold back at all and by the end of the book I was trying to get to the end as fast as possible to find out what happens to Dorilian, Lev, Marc and the rest. I WAS STRESS.Except Daimonaeris, truly one of the worst.
“How sad it would be if we shunned love rather than let it open us to the bitterness of loss. There, in the dark places of the soul, is where we find our humanity. You, my friend, have never been more completely alive than you are now as you struggle to make sense of what is left to you.”
Throughout the entire book, my feelings basically boiled down to: PROTECT DORILIAN AND LEV AT ALL COSTS! (Although about halfway through I added Marc to the list. I struggled a bit with him at first, but he really grew on me and I was Team Marc and Dorilian by the end.) Like, I don’t care that Dorilian’s a bit of an arrogant, prickly prince. The lads have both freaking earned it with all they’ve been through.
TRAUMA FROM SCENE ONE.
Light yet pulsed in the tiny body, but he knew so little about babies. His tutors had no prepared him for such things as this. He knew only that the baby’s mind was quiet. Not silent—not as his mother’s now was, unfindable—merely quiet. He could tell, though, that his brother knew him.
These poor boys. Like, I do not blame Dorilian one iota for hating everyone and everything around him other than his brother because that opening scene was traumatising to read. It also very much shapes the tone of this epic, political, immensely bloody grimdark fantasy. He and Lev were just wonderful and I loved how their love for each other formed the foundation of the book.
Now, Sordaneon is dense. It’s immense. It’s rich and detailed and it took me a little while to sink into the complexity of the world! This is definitely the kind of book where I require a pen for underlining passages, accrue several folded pages, and conduct frequent checks to the Appendix at the back.
Note: I found the Appendix incredibly helpful for wrapping my head around the world building, the various houses and connections between the characters, and the backstory of the world of Sordaneon. I definitely recommend checking it if you, like me, often find yourself overwhelmed the first time you dive into a new epic fantasy world. And this one isn’t just the land, but a massive backstory of the world’s creation and devastation and rebuilding and time and descendants and bloodlines. IMMENSE. I will admit I struggled in the first few chapters to remember who was related to whom, so the Appendix, which had all the names, all the bloodlines, all the houses and entities, was very beneficial for me! The worldbuilding is vast in a truly awe-inspiring way, and honestly reminds me a bit of Tolkien’s legendarium. I will say by about 1/3~ I felt like I had a much better grip on all the competing factions and didn’t have to check it quite as much. If Dune, Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones all got together and made a book baby, it would be rather like Sordaneon, which is to say that it’s brilliantly done, but took me a hundred pages to really get the hang of it all, something that often happens to me and epic fantasies. And once I got the hang of all the names and power structures and alliances, it was easy to sink into the world along with Dorilian and the others. I’m absolutely in awe of how many layers Stephens brought to the strange world of the Rill and all those fighting for power.
“Before Hestya, the Sordaneons were one of Marc Frederick’s great conquests. But now look: Marc Frederick wonders if Sebbord has power he never guessed at or if it is in the hands of another. Essera’s masses clamor for Sebbord to open the Rill to Stauberg, and its nobles clamor just as loudly that he must not be allowed to do it. They both want the Rill and fear it. They fear Deben and Sebbord alike! And everyone wonders about you.”
I think this quote really sums up the theme of the book. Everyone wants control, everyone mistrusts everyone, everyone has a game to play, pieces to move, aims to achieve - and no one wants to move an inch in any direction. With Dorilian, who will never move past his mother’s murder and how it impacted his brother for life, this means that the heir is ANGRY. So very, very angry. And each time someone picks at his wounds or tries to direct him, he lashes out. What’s more is that he’s smart. Almost too smart for his own good. Something characters like Marc Frederick, who wants unity and will go to great lengths to enforce that unity, notices long before Dorilian cares to admit it.
Dorilian is a great character and honestly my favourite. While he’s rich and arrogant about his birth right, his opening chapter put me firmly on his side. I just wanted him and Lev to be protected. It’s very clear from the onset that the pair have enemies on all sides, so Dorilian’s attitude made sense to me. He has no reason to like or trust anyone outside of his very small circle because all he’s ever known is being treated as if he’s the enemy. My hope for the series is that he and Lev will end up some place peaceful by the end.
The answer bore a sincere spine. But there was muscle to it, an entire skeleton of other purposes sheathed in cunning ambitions. A viable thing.
The side/supporting characters had that great quality of being fascinating even when utterly frustrating (I am looking at YOU, evil siblings). I did find it really hard to like Stefan throughout pretty much all of it, although once he started to grow up a bit, he was more tolerable. And he was a very interesting, complicated foil for Dorilian and I am curious to see where they go in the next book. Will Stefan and Dorilian learn to get along, as Marc always hoped? I am curious to find out! On the other hand, I quite liked Jonthan, his uncle. (Also, JONTHAN!!!!! WHYYYYYY!!!!) Marc Frederick was in equal measure fascinating, impressive, loving, and someone I wanted to slap with my glove, lmao. (AND BY THE END I ADORED HIM. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH. ;_;)
I can’t wait to see where Stephens takes the rest of this series and I’m gonna be here, cheering on Dorilian and Lev every step of the way.
Thank you so much to the author for a paperback review copy of the book!
☆ Bluesky | Twitter | Threads | Tumblr ☆
☆ Book Reviews | Indie Book Spotlight Discord ☆
Nights in Sordan were never dark.
Ooooooh. This book. Epic fantasy and grimdark fans definitely need to check this one out! It’s dark and brutal and epic and intense and shocking and just WOW. Stephens doesn’t hold back at all and by the end of the book I was trying to get to the end as fast as possible to find out what happens to Dorilian, Lev, Marc and the rest. I WAS STRESS.
“How sad it would be if we shunned love rather than let it open us to the bitterness of loss. There, in the dark places of the soul, is where we find our humanity. You, my friend, have never been more completely alive than you are now as you struggle to make sense of what is left to you.”
Throughout the entire book, my feelings basically boiled down to: PROTECT DORILIAN AND LEV AT ALL COSTS! (Although about halfway through I added Marc to the list. I struggled a bit with him at first, but he really grew on me and I was Team Marc and Dorilian by the end.) Like, I don’t care that Dorilian’s a bit of an arrogant, prickly prince. The lads have both freaking earned it with all they’ve been through.
TRAUMA FROM SCENE ONE.
Light yet pulsed in the tiny body, but he knew so little about babies. His tutors had no prepared him for such things as this. He knew only that the baby’s mind was quiet. Not silent—not as his mother’s now was, unfindable—merely quiet. He could tell, though, that his brother knew him.
These poor boys. Like, I do not blame Dorilian one iota for hating everyone and everything around him other than his brother because that opening scene was traumatising to read. It also very much shapes the tone of this epic, political, immensely bloody grimdark fantasy. He and Lev were just wonderful and I loved how their love for each other formed the foundation of the book.
Now, Sordaneon is dense. It’s immense. It’s rich and detailed and it took me a little while to sink into the complexity of the world! This is definitely the kind of book where I require a pen for underlining passages, accrue several folded pages, and conduct frequent checks to the Appendix at the back.
Note: I found the Appendix incredibly helpful for wrapping my head around the world building, the various houses and connections between the characters, and the backstory of the world of Sordaneon. I definitely recommend checking it if you, like me, often find yourself overwhelmed the first time you dive into a new epic fantasy world. And this one isn’t just the land, but a massive backstory of the world’s creation and devastation and rebuilding and time and descendants and bloodlines. IMMENSE. I will admit I struggled in the first few chapters to remember who was related to whom, so the Appendix, which had all the names, all the bloodlines, all the houses and entities, was very beneficial for me! The worldbuilding is vast in a truly awe-inspiring way, and honestly reminds me a bit of Tolkien’s legendarium. I will say by about 1/3~ I felt like I had a much better grip on all the competing factions and didn’t have to check it quite as much. If Dune, Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones all got together and made a book baby, it would be rather like Sordaneon, which is to say that it’s brilliantly done, but took me a hundred pages to really get the hang of it all, something that often happens to me and epic fantasies. And once I got the hang of all the names and power structures and alliances, it was easy to sink into the world along with Dorilian and the others. I’m absolutely in awe of how many layers Stephens brought to the strange world of the Rill and all those fighting for power.
“Before Hestya, the Sordaneons were one of Marc Frederick’s great conquests. But now look: Marc Frederick wonders if Sebbord has power he never guessed at or if it is in the hands of another. Essera’s masses clamor for Sebbord to open the Rill to Stauberg, and its nobles clamor just as loudly that he must not be allowed to do it. They both want the Rill and fear it. They fear Deben and Sebbord alike! And everyone wonders about you.”
I think this quote really sums up the theme of the book. Everyone wants control, everyone mistrusts everyone, everyone has a game to play, pieces to move, aims to achieve - and no one wants to move an inch in any direction. With Dorilian, who will never move past his mother’s murder and how it impacted his brother for life, this means that the heir is ANGRY. So very, very angry. And each time someone picks at his wounds or tries to direct him, he lashes out. What’s more is that he’s smart. Almost too smart for his own good. Something characters like Marc Frederick, who wants unity and will go to great lengths to enforce that unity, notices long before Dorilian cares to admit it.
Dorilian is a great character and honestly my favourite. While he’s rich and arrogant about his birth right, his opening chapter put me firmly on his side. I just wanted him and Lev to be protected. It’s very clear from the onset that the pair have enemies on all sides, so Dorilian’s attitude made sense to me. He has no reason to like or trust anyone outside of his very small circle because all he’s ever known is being treated as if he’s the enemy. My hope for the series is that he and Lev will end up some place peaceful by the end.
The answer bore a sincere spine. But there was muscle to it, an entire skeleton of other purposes sheathed in cunning ambitions. A viable thing.
The side/supporting characters had that great quality of being fascinating even when utterly frustrating (I am looking at YOU, evil siblings). I did find it really hard to like Stefan throughout pretty much all of it, although once he started to grow up a bit, he was more tolerable. And he was a very interesting, complicated foil for Dorilian and I am curious to see where they go in the next book. Will Stefan and Dorilian learn to get along, as Marc always hoped? I am curious to find out! On the other hand, I quite liked Jonthan, his uncle. (Also, JONTHAN!!!!! WHYYYYYY!!!!) Marc Frederick was in equal measure fascinating, impressive, loving, and someone I wanted to slap with my glove, lmao. (AND BY THE END I ADORED HIM. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH. ;_;)
I can’t wait to see where Stephens takes the rest of this series and I’m gonna be here, cheering on Dorilian and Lev every step of the way.
Thank you so much to the author for a paperback review copy of the book!
☆ Bluesky | Twitter | Threads | Tumblr ☆
☆ Book Reviews | Indie Book Spotlight Discord ☆
April 22, 2025
This book delivers political intrigue that rivals the best political fantasy series I’ve read, which often take at least two books to fully develop their setups.
Simultaneously, it establishes a rich world, weaving together characters, races, cultures, social hierarchies, and factions, all underpinned by a dual metaphysical framework—the Rill and, to a lesser extent, the Wall.
The protagonist, Dorillian, has become one of my favorite characters, while Marc Frederick surpasses William Caesar from Sun Eater and Meina Gladstone from Hyperion as my favorite sovereign in fiction. Alongside Curse of the Mistwraith, this book reminds me why fantasy remains my favorite genre, despite my recent focus on sci-fi. I’m giving it 4.75 ⭐️, reserving the 5⭐️ to see how the sequels elevate the series further.
Edit: Just finished my reread of the book and It's even more riveting than my first read was earlier this year as there's so much more clarity from my foresight about the rest of the series. Every dialogue, narrator's commentary & description have sprawled new layers of depth. This reread cements it position as the book of the year and claims it 5 ⭐️ rating with no reservations.
Simultaneously, it establishes a rich world, weaving together characters, races, cultures, social hierarchies, and factions, all underpinned by a dual metaphysical framework—the Rill and, to a lesser extent, the Wall.
The protagonist, Dorillian, has become one of my favorite characters, while Marc Frederick surpasses William Caesar from Sun Eater and Meina Gladstone from Hyperion as my favorite sovereign in fiction. Alongside Curse of the Mistwraith, this book reminds me why fantasy remains my favorite genre, despite my recent focus on sci-fi. I’m giving it 4.75 ⭐️, reserving the 5⭐️ to see how the sequels elevate the series further.
Edit: Just finished my reread of the book and It's even more riveting than my first read was earlier this year as there's so much more clarity from my foresight about the rest of the series. Every dialogue, narrator's commentary & description have sprawled new layers of depth. This reread cements it position as the book of the year and claims it 5 ⭐️ rating with no reservations.
March 6, 2025
This book was one of 5 finalists for the best Indie SFF book I read in 2025!
For the full list, please see the link below:
https://beforewegoblog.com/p-ls-top-i...
There is little I can write to convey just how spectacular this book is, and how criminally underrated it is. Utterly masterful storytelling, and an incredible character study, centered on a talented, gifted, yet mistrustful and arrogant god-prince, whose pain and bitterness is only dwarfed by his witty yet sardonic brilliance. Surrounded by enemies, rejecting those who might be genuine friends, Dorillian Sordaneon is one of the best-woven characters I’ve ever read in any novel. This author’s skill is undeniable, and needs to be more widely recognized.
For the full list, please see the link below:
https://beforewegoblog.com/p-ls-top-i...
There is little I can write to convey just how spectacular this book is, and how criminally underrated it is. Utterly masterful storytelling, and an incredible character study, centered on a talented, gifted, yet mistrustful and arrogant god-prince, whose pain and bitterness is only dwarfed by his witty yet sardonic brilliance. Surrounded by enemies, rejecting those who might be genuine friends, Dorillian Sordaneon is one of the best-woven characters I’ve ever read in any novel. This author’s skill is undeniable, and needs to be more widely recognized.
October 17, 2026
can’t say this is overrated because it’s a virtually-unknown series but, within a smaller circle that extols this series… definitely overrated. i cannot begin to understand why a few people say this is one of, if not - the best, fantasy books of all time.
let’s start with the abysmal portrayal of women in this, shall we? see, in male-authored fantasy, this shit is expected. some wank fest-tailored bullshit here and there, a dash of stereotypes, the coveted manic-pixie dream girl… how does this book manage to surpass them all in pure abysmalness? and it’s written by a woman? the woman with the largest presence in this is a conniving, racist, inbred piece of shit with a brother-complex and uses her sexuality at the behest of that brother. (of course, we have to distinguish the main character here for being the only one not tempted by her wiles.) other than that lovely paragon of womanhood, we have other lovely examples like: a main character's inbred conniving wife who hates him, a daughter who "betrayed" a male character by fucking their "barbarians," a main character's friend's ex-wife-turned-mistress, and a nanny another main character was raised by but, wants to fuck. please just give me the noose now. how the fuck does anyone write this? how the fuck does a woman write this? to make things worse, a goodreads friend said only in the fourth book is there a woman who is actually a character… what?
and then everyone is racist here. see, when you’re making a fantasy world clearly defined by the races in it with privilege allotted to those belonged to a “more-superior” race… i would assume your main characters would be the ones from the races with less privilege? why the fuck would i want to read about inbred, privileged racists? of course, it goes against my expectations (or rather, the bare minimum)! sure, our main character has been traumatized by a few of other races. but, what? is that really a reason to continue spewing some racist bullshit all the fucking time? i mean, this guy sees someone and immediately has an inner monologue about their “disgusting race.” what makes things worse is that he experiences the negativity of that racism himself occasionally, but, his mindset never changes. what a dumb bitch. the other main character displays some signs of being against this racism but, never really does anything to challenge the status quo. and then we have a character we are supposed to narratively-dislike and think is stupid (further enhanced by what i was spoiled about his ending when looking at the sequel’s ending), but, sorry, i have more empathy for the stupid character who makes stupid decisions as a way of fighting back against the race-based privilege in their world? how am i supposed to care about men who can’t even realize “racism = bad”? how the author approaches this theme is something i would care a lot about and i don’t have high expectations for it at all which made me want to drop this series, even not considering everything else.
for some normal critiques, i’m not fond of how the series approaches its magic system. it’s complicated in a way that leaves a lot of gaps that i would like to be answered. in gaps, i don’t mean stuff that is alluded to be expanded later on in the series. but, rather things that are just not put, which makes it a really shoddy magic system. i wasn’t a fan of the antagonists and they seemed really satirized and comical literally when they did their “big bad,” i was literally thinking if that’s it because it was so stupid. having such one-dimensional antagonists makes it so anything involving them, even the main characters, not moving at all. the political plot of this book wasn’t anything notable to me. i’m really confused on how people called this a really good political fantasy. i was also looking at the synposes and reviews of later installments in the series and i do not think this is something i would like at all - just looking on how things progress and what characters become. all and all, there was nothing really going on that compelled me.
what did have some potential the enemies-to-found-father-and-son? aspect of the novel. it’s part of what really made me want to read this beyond what people said online. i think it was developing really well but, after something happened in the middle, it went from being a slowburn to progressing into something really fast which i wasn’t a fan of. still, an interesting dynamic that i don’t often see, which i liked. there was one character death that that i was also pretty sad for but, that was a pretty minor character and when more important characters died, i didn’t feel anything so i guess when my interest in the novel waned, so did my care about the characters. when trying to fill in the gaps about the magic system, i noticed some reviews talking about the appendix the author had on her website so, i looked at that and i found some of the world’s lore quite fascinating. it wasn’t put in the novel at the point i’m at at the series or just wasn’t integrated well so, i guess that doesn’t really count as being part of this book.
i was quite hesitant to review this normal just because it’s a book with a very small amount of reviews and following, so, i didn’t really want to be shitting on it, but the comments proved me otherwise. i still don’t think it’s a really bad book, but there definitely are things that are very troublesome and i fail to see how people can look past that.
let’s start with the abysmal portrayal of women in this, shall we? see, in male-authored fantasy, this shit is expected. some wank fest-tailored bullshit here and there, a dash of stereotypes, the coveted manic-pixie dream girl… how does this book manage to surpass them all in pure abysmalness? and it’s written by a woman? the woman with the largest presence in this is a conniving, racist, inbred piece of shit with a brother-complex and uses her sexuality at the behest of that brother. (of course, we have to distinguish the main character here for being the only one not tempted by her wiles.) other than that lovely paragon of womanhood, we have other lovely examples like: a main character's inbred conniving wife who hates him, a daughter who "betrayed" a male character by fucking their "barbarians," a main character's friend's ex-wife-turned-mistress, and a nanny another main character was raised by but, wants to fuck. please just give me the noose now. how the fuck does anyone write this? how the fuck does a woman write this? to make things worse, a goodreads friend said only in the fourth book is there a woman who is actually a character… what?
and then everyone is racist here. see, when you’re making a fantasy world clearly defined by the races in it with privilege allotted to those belonged to a “more-superior” race… i would assume your main characters would be the ones from the races with less privilege? why the fuck would i want to read about inbred, privileged racists? of course, it goes against my expectations (or rather, the bare minimum)! sure, our main character has been traumatized by a few of other races. but, what? is that really a reason to continue spewing some racist bullshit all the fucking time? i mean, this guy sees someone and immediately has an inner monologue about their “disgusting race.” what makes things worse is that he experiences the negativity of that racism himself occasionally, but, his mindset never changes. what a dumb bitch. the other main character displays some signs of being against this racism but, never really does anything to challenge the status quo. and then we have a character we are supposed to narratively-dislike and think is stupid (further enhanced by what i was spoiled about his ending when looking at the sequel’s ending), but, sorry, i have more empathy for the stupid character who makes stupid decisions as a way of fighting back against the race-based privilege in their world? how am i supposed to care about men who can’t even realize “racism = bad”? how the author approaches this theme is something i would care a lot about and i don’t have high expectations for it at all which made me want to drop this series, even not considering everything else.
for some normal critiques, i’m not fond of how the series approaches its magic system. it’s complicated in a way that leaves a lot of gaps that i would like to be answered. in gaps, i don’t mean stuff that is alluded to be expanded later on in the series. but, rather things that are just not put, which makes it a really shoddy magic system. i wasn’t a fan of the antagonists and they seemed really satirized and comical literally when they did their “big bad,” i was literally thinking if that’s it because it was so stupid. having such one-dimensional antagonists makes it so anything involving them, even the main characters, not moving at all. the political plot of this book wasn’t anything notable to me. i’m really confused on how people called this a really good political fantasy. i was also looking at the synposes and reviews of later installments in the series and i do not think this is something i would like at all - just looking on how things progress and what characters become. all and all, there was nothing really going on that compelled me.
what did have some potential the enemies-to-found-father-and-son? aspect of the novel. it’s part of what really made me want to read this beyond what people said online. i think it was developing really well but, after something happened in the middle, it went from being a slowburn to progressing into something really fast which i wasn’t a fan of. still, an interesting dynamic that i don’t often see, which i liked. there was one character death that that i was also pretty sad for but, that was a pretty minor character and when more important characters died, i didn’t feel anything so i guess when my interest in the novel waned, so did my care about the characters. when trying to fill in the gaps about the magic system, i noticed some reviews talking about the appendix the author had on her website so, i looked at that and i found some of the world’s lore quite fascinating. it wasn’t put in the novel at the point i’m at at the series or just wasn’t integrated well so, i guess that doesn’t really count as being part of this book.
i was quite hesitant to review this normal just because it’s a book with a very small amount of reviews and following, so, i didn’t really want to be shitting on it, but the comments proved me otherwise. i still don’t think it’s a really bad book, but there definitely are things that are very troublesome and i fail to see how people can look past that.
July 13, 2023
5/5 Stars
Sordaneon by L.L. Stephens is a stellar start to The Triempery Revelations series. An impressive character driven story filled with depth at every turn and emotional moments that had me in tears. I have no doubt it will be a new favourite for readers who love high fantasy, complex characters, rich worldbuilding, and political scheming between Kingdoms.
The story follows multiple-povs centering around two families and their kingdoms. Dorilian, a young boy bound to a god-like being called the Rill and raised through years of political tensions. Marc Frederick a ruler who strives to win over Dorilian, only to find that Dorilian hates him, and his family. Finally, Stefan, Marc Frederick’s grandson, who is determined to make things better for his people.
The opening scene was heart wrenching and sets the stage for the kind of story readers will be in for. While the story begins with Dorilian as a boy, it follows him into adulthood as a young man. This mixed with the first-person perspectives and how L.L. Stephens weaves the story to sow mystery and doubt in the reader, made for a compelling read.
I was never quite certain what would happen next or more importantly, how the characters might handle things due to several complexities that impacted their situations.
The characters felt fully realized, and nuanced. Their arcs are thoughtfully done, and developments felt earned. This isn’t a simple story of good versus evil, but rather a deeper look into morally grey characters caught in generational struggles for power.
Now, I read this over the course of several months mainly due to how much depth there was within this book. It also took me nearly 100 pages before I began to feel comfortable the world, magic and cultures. At every angle there was intricacy, including the worldbuilding, history, magic, characters, and relationships. I knew this would be a book I wanted to savour, and I decided to take my time with it.
Not only did this allow me to better process the details but also the emotions. For how much political scheming is involved with this, L.L. Stephens did not hold back on hard hitting emotional moments that left me reeling or in tears.
I will say this is a slow burn read, however there is lots to keep readers engaged. There were plenty of suspenseful moments and even some wholesome scenes.
Simply put, I loved every moment of this. While it took me some time to settle into, it quickly became a favourite and a series I’m eager to continue.
I’d highly recommend giving this hidden gem a try.
Sordaneon by L.L. Stephens is a stellar start to The Triempery Revelations series. An impressive character driven story filled with depth at every turn and emotional moments that had me in tears. I have no doubt it will be a new favourite for readers who love high fantasy, complex characters, rich worldbuilding, and political scheming between Kingdoms.
The story follows multiple-povs centering around two families and their kingdoms. Dorilian, a young boy bound to a god-like being called the Rill and raised through years of political tensions. Marc Frederick a ruler who strives to win over Dorilian, only to find that Dorilian hates him, and his family. Finally, Stefan, Marc Frederick’s grandson, who is determined to make things better for his people.
The opening scene was heart wrenching and sets the stage for the kind of story readers will be in for. While the story begins with Dorilian as a boy, it follows him into adulthood as a young man. This mixed with the first-person perspectives and how L.L. Stephens weaves the story to sow mystery and doubt in the reader, made for a compelling read.
I was never quite certain what would happen next or more importantly, how the characters might handle things due to several complexities that impacted their situations.
The characters felt fully realized, and nuanced. Their arcs are thoughtfully done, and developments felt earned. This isn’t a simple story of good versus evil, but rather a deeper look into morally grey characters caught in generational struggles for power.
Now, I read this over the course of several months mainly due to how much depth there was within this book. It also took me nearly 100 pages before I began to feel comfortable the world, magic and cultures. At every angle there was intricacy, including the worldbuilding, history, magic, characters, and relationships. I knew this would be a book I wanted to savour, and I decided to take my time with it.
Not only did this allow me to better process the details but also the emotions. For how much political scheming is involved with this, L.L. Stephens did not hold back on hard hitting emotional moments that left me reeling or in tears.
I will say this is a slow burn read, however there is lots to keep readers engaged. There were plenty of suspenseful moments and even some wholesome scenes.
Simply put, I loved every moment of this. While it took me some time to settle into, it quickly became a favourite and a series I’m eager to continue.
I’d highly recommend giving this hidden gem a try.
July 8, 2025
Dropping this review after catching up with the series (up to the fifth book) and I must say this is a masterful introduction to what is now one of my favorite series of all time.
I don't think I've read a political fantasy story this fascinating, engrossing and deeply layered. Unlike the usual landscape in political fantasy where you're offered just betrayals, intrigue, shock value deaths etc; this one takes all I previously mentioned and strings it up with a layered metaphysical framework unraveled via deep character work and philosophical dialogues.
The nuances of Dorilian's relationship with the Rill, and how it contradicts with the Epoptes is one of the things that fascinates me the most
The ending of this book was so unexpected and tense. It blew me away and also left me sad because I lost someone in this book.
I heavily recommend this book to everyone who loves a layered and nuanced fantasy story with novel ideas and imaginations
I don't think I've read a political fantasy story this fascinating, engrossing and deeply layered. Unlike the usual landscape in political fantasy where you're offered just betrayals, intrigue, shock value deaths etc; this one takes all I previously mentioned and strings it up with a layered metaphysical framework unraveled via deep character work and philosophical dialogues.
The nuances of Dorilian's relationship with the Rill, and how it contradicts with the Epoptes is one of the things that fascinates me the most
The ending of this book was so unexpected and tense. It blew me away and also left me sad because I lost someone in this book.
I heavily recommend this book to everyone who loves a layered and nuanced fantasy story with novel ideas and imaginations
April 3, 2023
Gosh that ending was probably one of the more epic conclusions that I've ever read, with the big tower falling away underfoot and death notes resonating everywhere
You want to know how it got to that point? The book takes a lot of wading through - the slower the better - and there's a blessed appendix to help keep track of all the names and places and artifacts and races and whatnot.
Full RTC
Long story short right now, if you love epic fantasy I think you should highly consider grabbing this book
You want to know how it got to that point? The book takes a lot of wading through - the slower the better - and there's a blessed appendix to help keep track of all the names and places and artifacts and races and whatnot.
Full RTC
Long story short right now, if you love epic fantasy I think you should highly consider grabbing this book
May 1, 2025
Sordaneon is a world defined by the Rill - an ancient technology that houses a god. The worldbuilding in this story is rich - and I really appreciate how much effort must have gone into its moulding - yet it is the relationship between it's two main characters -Dorilian and Marc Frederick, that makes it stand out and kept me turning the page - especially from about a quarter in.
Dorilian comes across as a bit of an unlikeable character at first, even when you take into account his past. But his character development throughout the story is brilliant and really pays off. I loved the surrogate father/son relationship he had with Marc Frederick and the build-up to get them to this point was so masterfully done and satisfying. What they meant to each other by the end was touching. Great cast of secondary characters too.
I'm so pleased to discover that this is a 6 book series, and that 5 are already out. I can't wait to read the next one - I'm desperate to find out what the fallout from the book's ending will be.
To sum it all up in a word: engrossing!
Dorilian comes across as a bit of an unlikeable character at first, even when you take into account his past. But his character development throughout the story is brilliant and really pays off. I loved the surrogate father/son relationship he had with Marc Frederick and the build-up to get them to this point was so masterfully done and satisfying. What they meant to each other by the end was touching. Great cast of secondary characters too.
I'm so pleased to discover that this is a 6 book series, and that 5 are already out. I can't wait to read the next one - I'm desperate to find out what the fallout from the book's ending will be.
To sum it all up in a word: engrossing!
September 3, 2025
Sordaneon is a shockingly brilliant and unique Novel, a blend of the great politicking I found in the original Game of Thrones book, the in-depth character thought processes found in Realm of the Elderlings, and a fascinating world that feels ephemeral and ancient.
Basic Pitch (I honestly can't make a better pitch than LL Stephens, so I'll just paste her synopsis here in case you haven't seen it)
Dorilian is blood bound to the Rill, a quasi-living artifact that spans continents and empowers a privileged few to reap the riches of an entire civilization. The problem is, decades after seizing control of the remaining god-machines, those privileged few aren’t willing to give up their power—even if that means imprisoning and destroying the human bloodline to which the Rill is tethered.
To reawaken the Rill and save their world, its ruler Marc Frederick must find a way to win over Dorilian Sordaneon, the last scion of the divine house that once controlled the Rill. Unfortunately, Dorilian hates him. And his family. And… everything.
Politics/Plot
This book's political system is incredibly well thought out and blends brilliantly with the characters' motivations, ideals, and status while seamlessly incorporating aspects of the worldbuilding to help create a new caste structure and portray how different factions control this economy, deeply influenced by the fantastical elements of this world. The relationship and history between each of these nations is rich and well thought out to where, as we meet them through the eyes of Dorillian, we get a better understanding of HIS political acumen. LL Stephens is another one of those authors, like Janny Wurts, Brandon Sanderson, and Christopher Ruocchio, who set things up throughout the novel, some of those being for a ways down the road and others being paid off at the end of this book, allowing for a grand avalanche of setup and payoff right at the end. She is also able to demonstrate a great understanding of subtlety in the interactions between characters. As is inherent within politics, we as the readers must read between the lines, and L.L. Stephens trusts us to pick up on what a character is indirectly saying or hiding through their actions or words.
Characters
This leads me to her character work. To put it simply, this is likely her strongest point. Every character FEELS incredibly human. Dorillian is a perfect example of this; though he may be Godborn and a genuine political genius, he can also be incredibly stupid. His greatest flaw tends to be his impulsivity, a trait I share and love and hate him for. No character in this book is perfect, and every one of them has flaws, but they are, each and every one of them, formed by their pasts. It feels like these characters live outside their page time and that they each have rich histories with each other. Stephens also has a deep understanding of the complexity of our emotions. Dorillian's relationship with his father is a difficult and harsh thing to pin down, as, even though Dorillian and his brother are scorned by their father, they do not ONLY feel hatred towards the old man, a thing I feel is a very real and well-done aspect of this book. You can also find this deep nuance of emotion in Dorillian's relationship with Marc Frederick, the complete and absolute highlight of this book, and something you can only really experience for yourself, but suffice it to say it is brilliantly done.
Worldbuilding
LL Stephens' worldbuilding is another absolutely outstanding aspect of this novel. There are three heavily important factors added to this world which make it different from our own: the Rill, a GOD MACHINE which looms over the continent and facilitates nigh instantaneous trade and transport to certain areas: the Wall, another GOD MACHINE which allows for a very complicated prescience that is too detailed to talk about here: and the Godborn/Highborn, the descendants of the Gods who made, for all intents and purposes, these God machines and can "control" these God machines.
Both the machines and the people add such depth on their own to the political system of this world that it is insane. The Wall and the Rill aren't just places- they are symbols of worship, so too are the Godborn. They embody the worship of the common people and thus are centers of trade, but they also CONTROL a heavy amount because things like the Rill are so important FOR merchants to move goods. All this was thought out, like how, of course, nobility will claim to own slots of a GOD MACHINE (The Rill in this case) and these slots would be incredibly valuable as this helps improve their trade immensely. These God Machines also give incredible wealth and status to the nations that have formed around them, meaning that the ones with said machines are the Superpowers of this world. It is all so incredibly well thought out that I shudder in awe at the detail and complexity of the push and pull between these nations and the caste systems created by the Highborn, who are always princes or princesses due to their nature as essentially having the Divine Right of Kings.
This book is easily one of the best books I have read this year, and that is saying something, but since this is early on in a longer series, I am also having a tough time nailing down the overall themes of this story. But I think they will click somewhere along the way when the endgame is revealed. The ending to this book was immaculate, and if LL Stephens can keep up this level of quality, then I believe she will deserve to have her name up there with the Greats of the Fantasy genre because this is something special in how unique and well done it is. Also, I think I actually just convinced myself to give this book a higher rating, that being 4.75/5 Stars, so if I haven't convinced you already- go read the fucking book ya lazy lout
Basic Pitch (I honestly can't make a better pitch than LL Stephens, so I'll just paste her synopsis here in case you haven't seen it)
Dorilian is blood bound to the Rill, a quasi-living artifact that spans continents and empowers a privileged few to reap the riches of an entire civilization. The problem is, decades after seizing control of the remaining god-machines, those privileged few aren’t willing to give up their power—even if that means imprisoning and destroying the human bloodline to which the Rill is tethered.
To reawaken the Rill and save their world, its ruler Marc Frederick must find a way to win over Dorilian Sordaneon, the last scion of the divine house that once controlled the Rill. Unfortunately, Dorilian hates him. And his family. And… everything.
Politics/Plot
This book's political system is incredibly well thought out and blends brilliantly with the characters' motivations, ideals, and status while seamlessly incorporating aspects of the worldbuilding to help create a new caste structure and portray how different factions control this economy, deeply influenced by the fantastical elements of this world. The relationship and history between each of these nations is rich and well thought out to where, as we meet them through the eyes of Dorillian, we get a better understanding of HIS political acumen. LL Stephens is another one of those authors, like Janny Wurts, Brandon Sanderson, and Christopher Ruocchio, who set things up throughout the novel, some of those being for a ways down the road and others being paid off at the end of this book, allowing for a grand avalanche of setup and payoff right at the end. She is also able to demonstrate a great understanding of subtlety in the interactions between characters. As is inherent within politics, we as the readers must read between the lines, and L.L. Stephens trusts us to pick up on what a character is indirectly saying or hiding through their actions or words.
Characters
This leads me to her character work. To put it simply, this is likely her strongest point. Every character FEELS incredibly human. Dorillian is a perfect example of this; though he may be Godborn and a genuine political genius, he can also be incredibly stupid. His greatest flaw tends to be his impulsivity, a trait I share and love and hate him for. No character in this book is perfect, and every one of them has flaws, but they are, each and every one of them, formed by their pasts. It feels like these characters live outside their page time and that they each have rich histories with each other. Stephens also has a deep understanding of the complexity of our emotions. Dorillian's relationship with his father is a difficult and harsh thing to pin down, as, even though Dorillian and his brother are scorned by their father, they do not ONLY feel hatred towards the old man, a thing I feel is a very real and well-done aspect of this book. You can also find this deep nuance of emotion in Dorillian's relationship with Marc Frederick, the complete and absolute highlight of this book, and something you can only really experience for yourself, but suffice it to say it is brilliantly done.
Worldbuilding
LL Stephens' worldbuilding is another absolutely outstanding aspect of this novel. There are three heavily important factors added to this world which make it different from our own: the Rill, a GOD MACHINE which looms over the continent and facilitates nigh instantaneous trade and transport to certain areas: the Wall, another GOD MACHINE which allows for a very complicated prescience that is too detailed to talk about here: and the Godborn/Highborn, the descendants of the Gods who made, for all intents and purposes, these God machines and can "control" these God machines.
Both the machines and the people add such depth on their own to the political system of this world that it is insane. The Wall and the Rill aren't just places- they are symbols of worship, so too are the Godborn. They embody the worship of the common people and thus are centers of trade, but they also CONTROL a heavy amount because things like the Rill are so important FOR merchants to move goods. All this was thought out, like how, of course, nobility will claim to own slots of a GOD MACHINE (The Rill in this case) and these slots would be incredibly valuable as this helps improve their trade immensely. These God Machines also give incredible wealth and status to the nations that have formed around them, meaning that the ones with said machines are the Superpowers of this world. It is all so incredibly well thought out that I shudder in awe at the detail and complexity of the push and pull between these nations and the caste systems created by the Highborn, who are always princes or princesses due to their nature as essentially having the Divine Right of Kings.
This book is easily one of the best books I have read this year, and that is saying something, but since this is early on in a longer series, I am also having a tough time nailing down the overall themes of this story. But I think they will click somewhere along the way when the endgame is revealed. The ending to this book was immaculate, and if LL Stephens can keep up this level of quality, then I believe she will deserve to have her name up there with the Greats of the Fantasy genre because this is something special in how unique and well done it is. Also, I think I actually just convinced myself to give this book a higher rating, that being 4.75/5 Stars, so if I haven't convinced you already- go read the fucking book ya lazy lout
July 19, 2022
CONVINCING YOU TO READ THIS IN 6 WORDS: Amazing world building, Sci-fi elements, Political intrigue, Realistic characters, Unlearning, Emotions...so many emotions
You can read the summary for this book here
I AM SPECHLESS. I AM NOT KIDDING WHEN I SAY THAT I LOVED SORDANEON. SORDANEON BY L.L.STEPHENS IS ONE OF THE BEST BOOK I READ THIS YEAR..!!
The caps should be enough proof. But even if it was not clear, let me clear something. I loved Sordaneon. This book is beautiful. I count myself very fortunate that I came across this book. This book is definitely one of the under-rated book out there. From the detailed world-building, to the amazingly flawed characters, everything about this book screamed pick me for me. I think what worked out best for me is knowing that everything will not only make sense but also leave me craving for more and I was right. As all Epic or High Fantasies go, the setting in this world was also new and thus, you know nothing when you enter. There are words being tossed around, High-born, entity, Rill, Wall, Sordan, exile and you will have questions. You will be confused. But trust on the process and read. Because everything keeps on unfolding slowly and steadily.
We have 2 main characters or 3, as you will in Sordaneon. And I loved this slow-burn complex relation not between lovers but between I don't know how to tag them- master-apprentice, two dreamers, two realists, father-son...I don't know. I know one thing that seeing Dorilian and Marc Frederick warm up to each other was one of the best thing of this book. From the hate based on the past actions to slowly trying to understand the other. From respecting to the unsaid love. From trusting no one else but other. Their relation progressed. I don't think anyone relased how much the end scene broke me. I love unnamed relation like this and the way the person changes not for something else but because being with that person changes something fundamental in them.
Now, coming to the world and the magic system. Sordaneon is the first book in six book series. And if you can get all your answers in just one book, there is something wrong with it. There are so many...so many things in this book that I can't help but love. We have Rill which somehow becomes the answer to everything. And I love it. I love when anything goes a miss, somehow everything has only one answer the Rill. Even if it is not the answer. I love how we have some aspects of time travel or something of that shit here too (Ashley, I guess that is becoming my thing now?). I want to know more about the Leur ring. I want to know about the wall. But I know I will know about everything soon. I am sure pay-off for this series is going to be worth ever damn thing.
I need you. I love you. I will not let you go.!
I cried reading this book. Well, I know you will think isn't it for all the books? Nope. But yes, when the feelings and emotions are running high, I tend to cry. And this book managed that. What I am looking forward the most is how Dorilian will undergo the process of un-learning. Well, Stefan too. And don't get me wrong Dorilian needs to for becoming the person Marc knew he would. But Stefan needs it more. The two of them holding grudges over the other, specially for something that happened as a kid is one of the most realistic and yet worse thing. Because even when the other will not be at fault, they will end up blaming or doubting the other. And that will make some really interesting political uproar every damn time.
Everything that Nammuor is doing. He is one villain that I know I will resent but no one can doubt he is savvy. Cunning and knows exactly when to strike. He is going to create many problems, most of the times but I think I will come to appreciate his role overall.
I don't have words to express how much I have enjoyed this story. It took me a while to get in the world but once I did, there was no stopping it. I read the later pages in full speed. Needless to say, I can't wait to read this series and know more about Dorilian.
You can read the summary for this book here
I AM SPECHLESS. I AM NOT KIDDING WHEN I SAY THAT I LOVED SORDANEON. SORDANEON BY L.L.STEPHENS IS ONE OF THE BEST BOOK I READ THIS YEAR..!!
The caps should be enough proof. But even if it was not clear, let me clear something. I loved Sordaneon. This book is beautiful. I count myself very fortunate that I came across this book. This book is definitely one of the under-rated book out there. From the detailed world-building, to the amazingly flawed characters, everything about this book screamed pick me for me. I think what worked out best for me is knowing that everything will not only make sense but also leave me craving for more and I was right. As all Epic or High Fantasies go, the setting in this world was also new and thus, you know nothing when you enter. There are words being tossed around, High-born, entity, Rill, Wall, Sordan, exile and you will have questions. You will be confused. But trust on the process and read. Because everything keeps on unfolding slowly and steadily.
We have 2 main characters or 3, as you will in Sordaneon. And I loved this slow-burn complex relation not between lovers but between I don't know how to tag them- master-apprentice, two dreamers, two realists, father-son...I don't know. I know one thing that seeing Dorilian and Marc Frederick warm up to each other was one of the best thing of this book. From the hate based on the past actions to slowly trying to understand the other. From respecting to the unsaid love. From trusting no one else but other. Their relation progressed. I don't think anyone relased how much the end scene broke me. I love unnamed relation like this and the way the person changes not for something else but because being with that person changes something fundamental in them.
Now, coming to the world and the magic system. Sordaneon is the first book in six book series. And if you can get all your answers in just one book, there is something wrong with it. There are so many...so many things in this book that I can't help but love. We have Rill which somehow becomes the answer to everything. And I love it. I love when anything goes a miss, somehow everything has only one answer the Rill. Even if it is not the answer. I love how we have some aspects of time travel or something of that shit here too (Ashley, I guess that is becoming my thing now?). I want to know more about the Leur ring. I want to know about the wall. But I know I will know about everything soon. I am sure pay-off for this series is going to be worth ever damn thing.
I need you. I love you. I will not let you go.!
I cried reading this book. Well, I know you will think isn't it for all the books? Nope. But yes, when the feelings and emotions are running high, I tend to cry. And this book managed that. What I am looking forward the most is how Dorilian will undergo the process of un-learning. Well, Stefan too. And don't get me wrong Dorilian needs to for becoming the person Marc knew he would. But Stefan needs it more. The two of them holding grudges over the other, specially for something that happened as a kid is one of the most realistic and yet worse thing. Because even when the other will not be at fault, they will end up blaming or doubting the other. And that will make some really interesting political uproar every damn time.
Everything that Nammuor is doing. He is one villain that I know I will resent but no one can doubt he is savvy. Cunning and knows exactly when to strike. He is going to create many problems, most of the times but I think I will come to appreciate his role overall.
I don't have words to express how much I have enjoyed this story. It took me a while to get in the world but once I did, there was no stopping it. I read the later pages in full speed. Needless to say, I can't wait to read this series and know more about Dorilian.
September 28, 2025
I had such high hopes for this.
An epic, long fantasy series combining sci fi, politics, magic, siblings, rivalry, and intrigue.
All hit words for me.
Not to mention, the ratings are extremely high and trusted fellow reviewers gave it the stamp of favourite.
I dnf’ed at 35%.
Perhaps I didn’t read enough, but whilst there was political intrigue and manipulation (arranged marriage, family feuds, assassinations, etc), I didn’t feel invested in the world or characters.
The writing wasn’t anything outstanding and I felt myself forcing to push on.
I was so excited and ready to fall in love with this series, but sadly it didn’t work for me.
Should I try again when I’m feeling less slumpy?
Bookstagram
Tiktok
An epic, long fantasy series combining sci fi, politics, magic, siblings, rivalry, and intrigue.
All hit words for me.
Not to mention, the ratings are extremely high and trusted fellow reviewers gave it the stamp of favourite.
I dnf’ed at 35%.
Perhaps I didn’t read enough, but whilst there was political intrigue and manipulation (arranged marriage, family feuds, assassinations, etc), I didn’t feel invested in the world or characters.
The writing wasn’t anything outstanding and I felt myself forcing to push on.
I was so excited and ready to fall in love with this series, but sadly it didn’t work for me.
Should I try again when I’m feeling less slumpy?
Bookstagram
Tiktok
December 5, 2021
Sordaneon is a great first book in the series. This is a action packed book with strong character development. This book has a very vivid world.
Highly recommend this to any fan of fantasy or sci-fi. Can’t wait for the next book to come out.
Highly recommend this to any fan of fantasy or sci-fi. Can’t wait for the next book to come out.
September 8, 2022
Power and privilege are corrupting the world. The bloodlines to the Rill have become inconsequential. One man will aspire to challenge that. To start he needs to win over one who hates him to his core. Epic!This is one powerful story! Complex, unique & character driven! Great stuff.
August 5, 2022
Score: 4.5 over 5
You can read the review also here: https://vueltaspodcast.wordpress.com/...
Q&A with L.L. Stephens: https://vueltaspodcast.wordpress.com/...
Sordaneon is the first installment in The Triempery Revelations series, written by L.L. Stephens. It acts as the perfect entry point for a vivid universe and easily qualifies as one of the best books I read this year.
This book shines in many aspects but I would like to give the spotlight firstly to worldbuilding. Initially, I was attracted to the title with all the work that L.L. has on their website; I can say that it delivered much more than I expected, which wasn't an easy task. The setting is so compelling, and I want to know more about the history/origins of the Triempery or about how the Entities were set. Because these two, the Wall and the Rill, are an integral part of the world and a pivotal point due to their relationship with the Highborns.
It is true that we can sense disorientation during the first 30-40 pages, but it is fastly solved as we advance into the world of Triempery. Another aspect that is pivotal to this factor and that helps so much in the immersion is how well the world is described, you can almost feel as if you were in the different places that appear.
This is a story that is mostly driven by the characters, and this is another of the characteristics that made Sordaneon as good. We have two or three main characters, depending on how you prefer to count, and they are an angular piece to the plot's development. While Dorilian's process is really interesting, and I love how he is in a need of deconstruction to reach his real potential as a Highborn, one of the few that can enter in contact with the Rill, I felt more attracted by Marc Frederic. While being King, and being one of the enemies of the Sordaneons, the family of Dorilian, he must work with Dorilian in order to be able to get his plans working.
Politics are central during the whole story and are really well treated, making them really interesting to follow, which is another of the reasons I become hooked with this book. And it is complemented with enough action to not make it feel static, just as a good meal has the exact amount of spice. Slowly cooked, the story will take us to a really emotional climax, which is the perfect culmen of the whole novel.
I loved Sordaneon, and I recommend it to any fantasy fan, and even I think it's enjoyable to sci-fi ones if they like a character-driven plot. Definitely is a great book, and I cannot wait for The Keld King, the second installment of this series, which will be released in September 2022.
You can read the review also here: https://vueltaspodcast.wordpress.com/...
Q&A with L.L. Stephens: https://vueltaspodcast.wordpress.com/...
Sordaneon is the first installment in The Triempery Revelations series, written by L.L. Stephens. It acts as the perfect entry point for a vivid universe and easily qualifies as one of the best books I read this year.
This book shines in many aspects but I would like to give the spotlight firstly to worldbuilding. Initially, I was attracted to the title with all the work that L.L. has on their website; I can say that it delivered much more than I expected, which wasn't an easy task. The setting is so compelling, and I want to know more about the history/origins of the Triempery or about how the Entities were set. Because these two, the Wall and the Rill, are an integral part of the world and a pivotal point due to their relationship with the Highborns.
It is true that we can sense disorientation during the first 30-40 pages, but it is fastly solved as we advance into the world of Triempery. Another aspect that is pivotal to this factor and that helps so much in the immersion is how well the world is described, you can almost feel as if you were in the different places that appear.
This is a story that is mostly driven by the characters, and this is another of the characteristics that made Sordaneon as good. We have two or three main characters, depending on how you prefer to count, and they are an angular piece to the plot's development. While Dorilian's process is really interesting, and I love how he is in a need of deconstruction to reach his real potential as a Highborn, one of the few that can enter in contact with the Rill, I felt more attracted by Marc Frederic. While being King, and being one of the enemies of the Sordaneons, the family of Dorilian, he must work with Dorilian in order to be able to get his plans working.
Politics are central during the whole story and are really well treated, making them really interesting to follow, which is another of the reasons I become hooked with this book. And it is complemented with enough action to not make it feel static, just as a good meal has the exact amount of spice. Slowly cooked, the story will take us to a really emotional climax, which is the perfect culmen of the whole novel.
I loved Sordaneon, and I recommend it to any fantasy fan, and even I think it's enjoyable to sci-fi ones if they like a character-driven plot. Definitely is a great book, and I cannot wait for The Keld King, the second installment of this series, which will be released in September 2022.
May 13, 2022
Fantastic book, the two main characters' progression throughout this book is some of the best I’ve ever read. The politics in this book reminded me of “A Song of Ice and Fire,” which is very hard to achieve. I can’t wait for book two as I’m sure it will exceed my already high expectations.
Want to Read
November 10, 2025Won a giveaway for this. The author is sending me a copy :D
June 30, 2026
oh what a book !!
Full RTC
Full RTC
September 22, 2026
Throughout the book, i kept coming back to the question of how much of this world is actually inevitable, and how much only seems inevitable because everyone has simply inherited the same systems, beliefs, and assumptions for generations. I think that’s one of the things Sordaneon handles especially well.
It's also why i found Stefan so interesting despite how often i wanted to strangle him. I actually really liked that he isn't written as the uncomplicated character that simply rebels against oppression. He genuinely wants to create something that gives his people more leverage instead of simply begging the existing power structures to treat them better. But at the same time, he's incredibly bitter and that gets in the way of everything like how he has this very understandable hatred of highborn privilege, but sometimes it becomes so personal that he starts seeing individual highborn people almost as embodiments of the system he hates. His relationship with Dorilian is probably the clearest example of that since Stefan has plenty of reasons to dislike Dorilian, but there is also something almost pathological about how quickly Dorilian becomes a symbol for everything Stefan resents. And I liked that the book doesn't let Stefan's political ideals automatically excuse his personal behaviour. That's something i appreciated about almost everyone here (that their politics and their personalities aren't neatly separated).
Dorilian is definitely the character i found myself thinking about the most. I yearn for characters who make it difficult for me to settle on how i feel about them. Like how he is portrayed as arrogant, entitled, incredibly privileged and at times genuinely unpleasant but it also breaks my heart as to how beneath all of that there's a strange loneliness to him. How he has been born into a position where almost everyone around him has some reason to either fear him, manipulate him, control him, use him or expect something from him. And the really interesting thing is that he himself acknowledges it which makes him resistant to almost everything anyone tries to do. The problem is that this resistance itself becomes another kind of prison.
I also loved the way Marc handles him because it feels so much more intelligent than simply trying to control him. Marc basically understands that Dorilian cannot be forced into becoming useful. The more pressure you put on him, the more stubbornly he'll resist. So instead, he actually tries to understand him as a person but that also doesn't establish himself as some benevolent father figure either. And I really enjoyed watching that relationship develop cos there is something genuinely fascinating about two people who are both incredibly aware of political power gradually becoming more comfortable around each other.
Jonthan was probably the other relationship that really worked for me for a similar reason and I think that matters enormously for Dorilian because so much of his life is completely artificial (and that made what happens to Jonthan hit much harder for me).
There's something really sad about how many of the relationships in this book are constantly being crushed underneath larger political structures. Deben is probably the character where that idea becomes most obvious. I don't necessarily like him, but found his perspective much more interesting than i expected. His obsession with Sordaneon legitimacy is incredibly frustrating but not meaningless since he's living in a world where history is political currency. The idea that Sordan's current order is built on something that his family considers stolen is basically the foundation of his identity and that's why i think the political conflict works. You can understand why someone wants something without agreeing that they should get it and i love how that distinction is everywhere in this book.
I also really liked how the book treats the Seven Houses. They're incredibly interesting to me cos they're an example of how a political system can become so entrenched that nobody even needs to consciously “control” everything anymore so the structure itself does the work. If you control commerce, access to the rill, contracts, transportation and economic opportunity, you don't necessarily need to declare yourself evil since people will naturally start making decisions that preserve your position. And then someone like Stefan comes along and tries to create an alternative source of economic power. That's the kind of worldbuilding i really enjoy where the politics emerge naturally from the world.
The rill might actually be my favourite part of the worldbuilding for that exact reason. I do tend to love when fantasy magic isn't just something characters use, but something that fundamentally determines what a civilisation looks like. And Sordaneon takes that idea much further than i initially expected. The same goes for the Wall and Dorilian's strange relationship with it. There is this constant feeling throughout the book that the world is much larger and stranger than the political characters understand. Everyone is busy fighting over borders, succession, trade, etc, while there are these enormous questions sitting underneath everything about what the rill actually is or what the wall actually represents and what Dorilian's existence might mean. There is a sense that these civilisations have become extremely sophisticated at managing the consequences of things they don't understand. Which is honestly one of my favourite ideas in fantasy where you can have a society that has centuries of accumulated knowledge and still have absolutely no idea what the thing at the centre of that knowledge actually is and that alone does give the book a lot of historical depth.
This is also why i ended up caring about some of the smaller characters far more than expected. Noemi is a great example due to her relationship with Dorilian bringing out a side of him that you don’t always get to see. It makes him feel like an actual person rather than just this important political heir constantly being pulled from one conflict to another. Also the way he cares about Lev and how much of his concern is simply making sure that someone will always be there to look after him, says so much more about who Dorilian is underneath it all. Emyli was another character i found increasingly interesting because she sits in this really uncomfortable space between all these different worlds. She's part of the ruling family, connected to the Khelds through her mother and Stefan and carries a personal history that's deeply intertwined with many of the political tensions surrounding her. So her POV, in particular, gave the story a different emotional texture.
And i think that's also a very important aspect cos otherwise a book this politically dense could easily become too detached so instead, you constantly get this contrast between what something means politically and what it means to the people actually living through it. That was probably my favourite aspect of the book overall. The politics never completely swallowed the characters and the characters never completely escaped the politics so basically everything feeds into everything else.
I honestly loved how dense this book is, even if i think it’s also one of the few things keeping it from a full 5 for me right now. There’s just so much going on politically, historically and with all the different characters and factions that i definitely found myself having to pause and piece certain things together at times. I also think some of the pacing can feel a little uneven, especially when the book gets caught up in its more detailed political and worldbuilding threads. But at the same time, that density is a huge part of why i enjoyed it so much. For now it easily sits at a 4.75/5 for me, and i can already tell in hindsight that this is one of those books i’m only going to love more with time, to the point where i could very easily see myself eventually bumping it up to a full 5 stars.
It's also why i found Stefan so interesting despite how often i wanted to strangle him. I actually really liked that he isn't written as the uncomplicated character that simply rebels against oppression. He genuinely wants to create something that gives his people more leverage instead of simply begging the existing power structures to treat them better. But at the same time, he's incredibly bitter and that gets in the way of everything like how he has this very understandable hatred of highborn privilege, but sometimes it becomes so personal that he starts seeing individual highborn people almost as embodiments of the system he hates. His relationship with Dorilian is probably the clearest example of that since Stefan has plenty of reasons to dislike Dorilian, but there is also something almost pathological about how quickly Dorilian becomes a symbol for everything Stefan resents. And I liked that the book doesn't let Stefan's political ideals automatically excuse his personal behaviour. That's something i appreciated about almost everyone here (that their politics and their personalities aren't neatly separated).
Dorilian is definitely the character i found myself thinking about the most. I yearn for characters who make it difficult for me to settle on how i feel about them. Like how he is portrayed as arrogant, entitled, incredibly privileged and at times genuinely unpleasant but it also breaks my heart as to how beneath all of that there's a strange loneliness to him. How he has been born into a position where almost everyone around him has some reason to either fear him, manipulate him, control him, use him or expect something from him. And the really interesting thing is that he himself acknowledges it which makes him resistant to almost everything anyone tries to do. The problem is that this resistance itself becomes another kind of prison.
I also loved the way Marc handles him because it feels so much more intelligent than simply trying to control him. Marc basically understands that Dorilian cannot be forced into becoming useful. The more pressure you put on him, the more stubbornly he'll resist. So instead, he actually tries to understand him as a person but that also doesn't establish himself as some benevolent father figure either. And I really enjoyed watching that relationship develop cos there is something genuinely fascinating about two people who are both incredibly aware of political power gradually becoming more comfortable around each other.
Jonthan was probably the other relationship that really worked for me for a similar reason and I think that matters enormously for Dorilian because so much of his life is completely artificial (and that made what happens to Jonthan hit much harder for me).
There's something really sad about how many of the relationships in this book are constantly being crushed underneath larger political structures. Deben is probably the character where that idea becomes most obvious. I don't necessarily like him, but found his perspective much more interesting than i expected. His obsession with Sordaneon legitimacy is incredibly frustrating but not meaningless since he's living in a world where history is political currency. The idea that Sordan's current order is built on something that his family considers stolen is basically the foundation of his identity and that's why i think the political conflict works. You can understand why someone wants something without agreeing that they should get it and i love how that distinction is everywhere in this book.
I also really liked how the book treats the Seven Houses. They're incredibly interesting to me cos they're an example of how a political system can become so entrenched that nobody even needs to consciously “control” everything anymore so the structure itself does the work. If you control commerce, access to the rill, contracts, transportation and economic opportunity, you don't necessarily need to declare yourself evil since people will naturally start making decisions that preserve your position. And then someone like Stefan comes along and tries to create an alternative source of economic power. That's the kind of worldbuilding i really enjoy where the politics emerge naturally from the world.
The rill might actually be my favourite part of the worldbuilding for that exact reason. I do tend to love when fantasy magic isn't just something characters use, but something that fundamentally determines what a civilisation looks like. And Sordaneon takes that idea much further than i initially expected. The same goes for the Wall and Dorilian's strange relationship with it. There is this constant feeling throughout the book that the world is much larger and stranger than the political characters understand. Everyone is busy fighting over borders, succession, trade, etc, while there are these enormous questions sitting underneath everything about what the rill actually is or what the wall actually represents and what Dorilian's existence might mean. There is a sense that these civilisations have become extremely sophisticated at managing the consequences of things they don't understand. Which is honestly one of my favourite ideas in fantasy where you can have a society that has centuries of accumulated knowledge and still have absolutely no idea what the thing at the centre of that knowledge actually is and that alone does give the book a lot of historical depth.
This is also why i ended up caring about some of the smaller characters far more than expected. Noemi is a great example due to her relationship with Dorilian bringing out a side of him that you don’t always get to see. It makes him feel like an actual person rather than just this important political heir constantly being pulled from one conflict to another. Also the way he cares about Lev and how much of his concern is simply making sure that someone will always be there to look after him, says so much more about who Dorilian is underneath it all. Emyli was another character i found increasingly interesting because she sits in this really uncomfortable space between all these different worlds. She's part of the ruling family, connected to the Khelds through her mother and Stefan and carries a personal history that's deeply intertwined with many of the political tensions surrounding her. So her POV, in particular, gave the story a different emotional texture.
And i think that's also a very important aspect cos otherwise a book this politically dense could easily become too detached so instead, you constantly get this contrast between what something means politically and what it means to the people actually living through it. That was probably my favourite aspect of the book overall. The politics never completely swallowed the characters and the characters never completely escaped the politics so basically everything feeds into everything else.
I honestly loved how dense this book is, even if i think it’s also one of the few things keeping it from a full 5 for me right now. There’s just so much going on politically, historically and with all the different characters and factions that i definitely found myself having to pause and piece certain things together at times. I also think some of the pacing can feel a little uneven, especially when the book gets caught up in its more detailed political and worldbuilding threads. But at the same time, that density is a huge part of why i enjoyed it so much. For now it easily sits at a 4.75/5 for me, and i can already tell in hindsight that this is one of those books i’m only going to love more with time, to the point where i could very easily see myself eventually bumping it up to a full 5 stars.
November 23, 2021
If you want a fantasy which makes you think, and characters who are real, give this one a try. The depth of the world building are along the lines of Janny Wurts and CJ Cherryh. Something you can get behind and makes your heart race as the characters face their travails.
The antipathy between Dorilian, the main character, and Stefan, the grandson of Marc Frederick, is heart breaking. There were deaths in this book which made me cry because the characters were so real to me. But there is also the budding friendship of two men whose intellect matches.
I was also fascinated by the Rill, the world entity. I wanted to know so much more than is in this single volume. Where did it truly come from and who created it? I have my own theories and will see how they play out in future volumes.
I am bad at writing reviews. There is so much in this book it is hard to encapsulate it in a few words. I will say I am annoyed I have to wait so long for the next one. I read this over two nights and it isn't a slim book.
Great read. Definitely recommended. I haven't been on Goodreads for a while, so the fact I have returned to write this review speaks volumes.
The antipathy between Dorilian, the main character, and Stefan, the grandson of Marc Frederick, is heart breaking. There were deaths in this book which made me cry because the characters were so real to me. But there is also the budding friendship of two men whose intellect matches.
I was also fascinated by the Rill, the world entity. I wanted to know so much more than is in this single volume. Where did it truly come from and who created it? I have my own theories and will see how they play out in future volumes.
I am bad at writing reviews. There is so much in this book it is hard to encapsulate it in a few words. I will say I am annoyed I have to wait so long for the next one. I read this over two nights and it isn't a slim book.
Great read. Definitely recommended. I haven't been on Goodreads for a while, so the fact I have returned to write this review speaks volumes.
February 9, 2022
Wow, did I enjoy this book!!
The setting alone is so compelling. The world building makes me want to explore further the lore/history of the Triempery. The characters are very interesting. Political maneuvering is rampant. This and so much more is happening, by the way, on the remains of god-machines! There is so much to this world, I actually wanted the appendix to be bigger and deeper. But then again, I get greedy when I'm enjoying this type of story.
It took me a little bit get into it, to settle into this world and not take some characters' actions personally. But the machinations, the history, the smart craft of it all, completely transported me.
I have so many thoughts, ideas, and also suspicions about what might be revealed in later books. I truly enjoyed it and can't wait for more.
The setting alone is so compelling. The world building makes me want to explore further the lore/history of the Triempery. The characters are very interesting. Political maneuvering is rampant. This and so much more is happening, by the way, on the remains of god-machines! There is so much to this world, I actually wanted the appendix to be bigger and deeper. But then again, I get greedy when I'm enjoying this type of story.
It took me a little bit get into it, to settle into this world and not take some characters' actions personally. But the machinations, the history, the smart craft of it all, completely transported me.
I have so many thoughts, ideas, and also suspicions about what might be revealed in later books. I truly enjoyed it and can't wait for more.
January 14, 2022
this book was sooo good. I had a little trouble in the first 25 to 30 pages or so "seeing" the world...but once everything clicked in my head this book was hard to put down! a completely original story filled with intricate characters and political intrigue. the world the author creates is unlike anything I've ever read! absolutely loved it.
March 19, 2023
Check out the full review on my website. CLICK HERE
FR REVIEW -
4 - 4.5 stars!!
Sordaneon by LL Stephens is the first book in The Triempery Revelations series. This is an epic fantasy series that is very much ambitious and expansive in its scope and I had a great time reading it. I am still trying to formulate my thoughts on this book after having finished it just this morning. Did I get any sleep last night?? Nope!! Was it worth it?? Absolutely!! 😃That final chapter has left me feeling all kinds of ways and am really curious to see where this story will go from here and how the plot will unfold moving forward.
If you enjoy a complex and impressive story with a vast scope and incredibly flawed characters with delicious political machinations and intriguing magic definitely pick this one up. I highly recommend it. A bold and ambitious start to a new series that you all need to read and is perfect for both sci-fi and fantasy readers.
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FR REVIEW -
4 - 4.5 stars!!
Sordaneon by LL Stephens is the first book in The Triempery Revelations series. This is an epic fantasy series that is very much ambitious and expansive in its scope and I had a great time reading it. I am still trying to formulate my thoughts on this book after having finished it just this morning. Did I get any sleep last night?? Nope!! Was it worth it?? Absolutely!! 😃That final chapter has left me feeling all kinds of ways and am really curious to see where this story will go from here and how the plot will unfold moving forward.
If you enjoy a complex and impressive story with a vast scope and incredibly flawed characters with delicious political machinations and intriguing magic definitely pick this one up. I highly recommend it. A bold and ambitious start to a new series that you all need to read and is perfect for both sci-fi and fantasy readers.
SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL : YOUTUBE
FOLLOW ME ON : TWITTER INSTAGRAM
March 27, 2026
ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Marc Frederick I love you my beloved isekai KINGGGG
Marc Frederick I love you my beloved isekai KINGGGG
May 19, 2026
What an amazing luck that I stumbled onto this series. Amazing book that will likely end up in my Favorites shelf.
August 15, 2022
I’m not much for giving a written review, thus so should give this book the highest of marks. Sordaneon is a complex epic fantasy. Not lacking in world building, intimate and intricate characters who you will hate to love, all woven in political intrigue. The characters posturing for power, empathy, companionship; all while conquering their inner turmoils.
Stephens has delivered on the beginning of a story where the writing is intentional and crisp. I took my time with this story. Nearly three months! I’m sure you can power through this book rather quickly, but letting the chapters ruminate and bloom into a new favorite was definitely well worth the three months of reading this. If I could convince you to read one book from my list this year this would be the one, especially with the second installment coming soon.
Thanks Smyco for introducing me to this book.
Stephens has delivered on the beginning of a story where the writing is intentional and crisp. I took my time with this story. Nearly three months! I’m sure you can power through this book rather quickly, but letting the chapters ruminate and bloom into a new favorite was definitely well worth the three months of reading this. If I could convince you to read one book from my list this year this would be the one, especially with the second installment coming soon.
Thanks Smyco for introducing me to this book.
January 6, 2026
I am making this review after I reading all the currently published books in The Triempery Revelations.
What I enjoyed most about Sordaneon was the immersive world and its characters. The world feels fresh and unique compared to other fantasy I've read. I think L.L. Stephens has done a great job creating a world that feels alive, the mystery of what the Rill and the Wall are is a standout part of the world building for me; though the star of this book was Dorilian and his relationships with the other characters, specifically his younger brother and Marc Frederick.
If you're looking for a fantasy book with great characters and a unique world try this series.
What I enjoyed most about Sordaneon was the immersive world and its characters. The world feels fresh and unique compared to other fantasy I've read. I think L.L. Stephens has done a great job creating a world that feels alive, the mystery of what the Rill and the Wall are is a standout part of the world building for me; though the star of this book was Dorilian and his relationships with the other characters, specifically his younger brother and Marc Frederick.
If you're looking for a fantasy book with great characters and a unique world try this series.
September 13, 2025
I really took my time with this book as I wanted to not rush through it. Ultimately this book just didn't click for me and I'm going to have to accept that this series isn't for me and move on. In theory this should have been a book I loved, but no matter how much I wanted to I just couldn't like it and reading it felt like a chore at times and really I should have just given up, but instead I doubled down. That being said I do know some people that might find this book to be more interesting then I did, and will be mentioning this book to them sooner or later.
August 19, 2025
One of my favorite first books to a series ever. A very unique and interesting concept, unlike anything I’ve ever seen or read before. A very pleasant experience and I can’t wait to continue the rest of the series.
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