Beyond Reality discussion

Michael J. Sullivan is a long-time voting member of our group. At one time he expressed interest in answering our questions and comments about his work. Now that we have one of his books in our BOTM's perhaps you could converse with him in this thread.

Knock, knock, Michael! Do you Read?

Hey Nick, thanks for making this separate thread for people to reach out and of course I would love to answer questions and respond to any comments people have. Just FYI, I won't be in the thread about the books as I want people to be able to post without feeling self-conscious about the possibility of the author seeing what they are saying. So I'm treating those threads as an "author free zone."

So, if there is something that comes up there that you, or any of the members think I should weigh in on, please repost here. Also I'll answer questions on publishing for any aspiring authors out there or, well, just about anything in general.

Yes, I do read...but very slowly. My TBR pile is threatening to crush me, and a big part of that is all the amazing books I've found from people on Goodreads. Such a great site.

Thanks so much to the members of the group for selecting Theft of Swords as your monthly read. I do hope you'll enjoy the stories.

I have not yet finished Theft of Swords but I feel like I'm reading 2 books at once--a relatively light, "surface" fantasy adventure (more adventure than fantasy) and a deeper, more complex story. While I know many authors weave serious themes into what appears to be a lighter story, I'm wondering if you set out to do that or if, as you developed the story, the deeper themes appeared.

Edited to add that I see you are from Milwaukee. I was born there and have lived in WI most of my life. How does being a midwesterner influence your writing, if at all?

Hey Kathi, thanks for stopping by. Yes, indeed there is the "surface story" - 2 thieves who find themselves in the wrong place at the right time...and a bigger, more serious story (which I can't mention as it would be a huge spoiler). It's kinda frustrating because I have to "market" it with what I can say without the spoilers - which is a romp...but to me the really cool things are the themes that have larger implications.

Not sure where you saw that I'm from Milwaukee. I actually grew up in Detroit and lived there until moving east to Vermont in 1987. I like the midwest - but it is cold cold cold. In Vermont the temperatures are actually a lot lower than Michigan, but it's a dry cold...no snowballs ;-(. So it doesn't feel nearly as oppressive. A 32 wet-snow day in Detroit feels more like a -10 degree day in Vermont.

I do have a book called Hollow World that was set in the midwest and it is, obviously, much different than Riyria. It was great fun to have a book in a 'real world' so I could use references that others could relate to (M&M's played a major role ;-)) I think people from the midwest tend to be hard working and "hardy" so that certainly played a part in the persistent aspect that is required to be in
"the book business."

Michael wrote: "Not sure where you saw that I'm from Milwaukee."
Well, one of the websites I looked at when figuring out the order of the Riyria books mentioned it but I don't recall which one and, obviously, it was incorrect.

Thank you for your non-spoilery reply to my question.

Michael wrote: "Hey Kathi, thanks for stopping by. Yes, indeed there is the "surface story" - 2 thieves who find themselves in the wrong place at the right time...and a bigger, more serious story (which I can't me..."

Hi from a fellow former Detroiter-turned-New-Englander :)

I read the book ages ago and don't remember it very well, so I'm not chiming in yet - hoping that some of the other discussion will jog my memory! I do remember that I enjoyed it though!

Question 1 -- how do you pronounce "Riyria"? In my head, it comes out with a weird Welsh thing: Rwyrwa.

Question 2 -- I am only finished with :Crown Conspiracy," but in it I get a very strong "noir" feel. Michael, my confession whenever I go into a Fantasy selection, especially with the author involved, is that I do not read a lot of fantasy -- I am a sci-fi geek from the 70's, not a Tolkien guy. When I read fantasy, I tend to compare it to other genres. So maybe that is why I get such a Sam Spade thing -- your tavern sometimes feels like a seedy bar, for instance. I wonder if you had any conscious influence of this?

@Kathi - Ah, I see. And you are welcome.

@Shel - I've really enjoyed living in several different places. Detroit and Raleigh living was very "suburban". Vermont and our cabin that we are building in Shenandoah valley are very rural. And where we are now (near Washington DC) is urban with a lot to do - museums, concerts, biking, using the Metro to get around. I've enjoyed them all. I do hope your memory is jogged so you can join in.

@Nick - It's three syllables "rye" (like the bread), "ear" like what you hear with and "ah" like a sigh of relief. But it's also one of those things where people pronounce all different ways and I don't consider any of the other derivations as wrong.

@Nick - wasn't intentionally infusing any noir aspects. What I wanted to do (especially with the first book) is to keep the pacing rather fast so I was channeling a thriller more than anything else. I wanted to put very little between the reader and the plot which is one of the reasons a lot of the characterization and world building is spread across the series rather than being front loaded into one book.

Thanks for asking!

Hello again Michael,

The ebook edition of Theft of Swords which I read included an interview with you, which I admit, I only skimmed. But one thing caught my eye, and that was when you talked about deliberately simplifying the sentence structure, language, and style to make the story more accessible and so it would read more like watching a movie.

I have to admit that I found the simplified language almost distracting, and (prior to skimming the interview) thought it was perhaps due to this being a debut novel.

Could you comment a little more on the decision to "keep it simple"? And should I expect the other Riyria books to be similar in language?

Hey Kathi, sorry you found it distracting, that definitely wasn't the intention. In writing, we have things called "darlings" sentence that we think are particularly well done. In general, when a reader comes across a "darling" they sometimes stop reading and think on what they just read. Sometimes we are told to kill our darlings. Not sure all the reasons why but I think one is that it means more to the author than advancing the stories. For me, I wanted to keep the train on the tracks and keep the pages turning. To put it in food analogy I wanted the readers to be eating popcorn, unconsciously putting hand to bowl to mouth and munching away until the bowl was empty and they wonder where the time had gone. That as opposed to a glass of wine where you sip, reflect, ponder than eventually sip again.

Not sure if any of that makes any sense, but that is what was on my mind.

As for the other books, It's hard for me to judge. I did stop killing of my darlings at some point (can't remember exactly when), but I also didn't work hard to interject darlings, either. But in general I will say that my writing has gotten "smoother." The Crown Conspiracy was written in 2002 and I hope that I have improved in fourteen years. Hope that helps.

Michael wrote: "Hey Kathi, sorry you found it distracting, that definitely wasn't the intention. In writing, we have things called "darlings" sentence that we think are particularly well done. In general, when a r..."

Yes, that helps a lot. What struck me is that, for most of my life, I have been a popcorn-gobbling, "let's see where this story is going" kind of reader. In more recent years, I have consciously practiced reading a bit more slowly in order to appreciate things like descriptions and writing styles (and in an effort to better notice and retain plot details as well). So it was odd that a book whose writing was a perfect fit for my typical reading style actually caught my attention with its shorter sentences and somewhat simpler style.

I am looking forward to continuing the series over the next few months.

Glad to hear it helped. I think we change our preferences from time to time and then sometimes its just a matter for "what I'm in the mood for." Glad you are looking at continuing the series. Thanks or the support!

Michael, your comments, as well as those of Kathi, make perfect sense. The "thriller" aspect of the writing is very evident and really supersedes any "noir" feel. Crown Conspiracy has none of the existential angst of the dark, endless night that occurs in "noir," for instance. -- or at least very little of it -- so I do notthtink that is what you were going for. Rather, you delivered a good clipped style of suspense writing. Great!

Agreed Nick. Although I do love a good "noir" movie or book.

Hi Michael, in your interview that's part of 'Theft of Swords', you give your reasons why you use the well defined names of elves,dwarfs, churches, castles, etc. in order to have the reader settle in easily.
Is that the same reason you chose to have a patriarchal world, where women have to stand back and aren't supposed to make their own decisions, let alone be successful if doing so? You have strong female characters, but they have to struggle in a world that is defined by males-- something we all can relate to, even today.
So, did you choose it so we all can 'feel at home', and identify, even if it is a wholly different world from ours on so many levels?

Not really a question, but just a compliment to Michael on how engaged he is with his fans. When I put the first Riyria book in my TBR list back in 2011, I received an email from him and even though I didn't respond until a year or two later (after I actually read the book), he still responded and answered some questions. It was very cool and I thought that maybe it was due to being a fellow Detroiter, but I see that he is always responding to fan questions and takes the time to join discussions like this. Kudos Michael!

For everyone else, I've read the 6 Revelation books and the first 2 chronicle books. I can't recommend them enough if you enjoyed the first Revelation book.

Hey Leserling, I can't say I put a lot of thought into whether the world should be patriarchal or matriarchal when I created it. Like many invented world fantasies I started with Medieval Europe as I wanted that "classical" fantasy feel. I'm not sure how far you are through the series and I don't want to be too spoilerish but starting in Rise of Empire we'll see that (view spoiler)[ the world does a 180 in that Thrace/Modina becomes the Empress. (hide spoiler)].

I wrote all six books before publishing the first and through the series there really are four mains: Royce, Hadrian, Arista, and Thrace/Modina. The last two's story arc doesn't really get going until book #3 but by the end of the series all four people (2 men and 2 women) have equally important roles to play.

So, no I didn't make the choice to mirror our current world or to make people feel comfortable. It allowed me to provide some obstacles that certain characters can struggle against.

Hey Bob, while being from Detroit was a nice "extra connection" it's true that I reach out to people all the time for all kinds of reasons. It's great living in a day and age when places like Goodreads exist and allow such interactions.

I spend years (decades really) working on my books and writing them has been its own reward. But stories are meant to be shared so being able to hear from people who have enjoyed is always a pleasure. It takes a great thing and elevates it to a whole new level. So, I assure you I get just as much, and probably more, than readers do.

And thanks for the kind words about the books. I've been so pleased with the reception they have received.

Hi Michael, thanks for your reply. :) I've listened to all six Revelation books (once I had started I couldn't stop, and I have just started The Crown Tower), and I am aware of the changes you mention. Having chosen Medieval Europe makes perfect sense, of course, and I understand what you mean by 'classical fantasy feel'. It certainly works for me. :)

Great Leserling...thanks for the support and I'm glad you are enjoying the books so much. I'll keep writing and hopefully you and others will keep reading.

Thank you so much, Michael, for lending your ear to us this past November! I appreciate it so much!

It's my pleasure Nick, thanks for picking the book!

I know this thread has been dormant, but I finished the rest of The Riyria Revelations today and wanted/needed to comment. This is a series that really grew deeper and wider over time, with layers of complexity in plotting and characterization. There were serious themes developed and yet the wit, humor, and joy never completely went away. While Royce, Hadrian, and Arista are considered by many to be the main characters, and they do get the most "screen" (page) time, my favorite character by far is Myron. What a lovely, vital part of this world he is! Other "secondary" characters high on my list of favorites would be Nimbus & Thrace/Molina, and "tertiary" characters would be Msgr. Merton & Breckton. Biggest surprises? Mercy (nope, didn't see that coming at all) and the Patriarch. Biggest mystery? Yolric. Hardest scene to read? (view spoiler)[ Gwen's death (hide spoiler)]

Kathi wrote: "I know this thread has been dormant, but I finished the rest of The Riyria Revelations today and wanted/needed to comment. This is a series that really grew deeper and wider over time, with layers ..."

I agree with you, Kathi. I don't really know what I love most about the series (do yourself a favour and read the Riyria Chronicles, too). The humour is a vital part of what I love so much about the series. I missed that a bit in Age of Myth, the latest of Michael's books.

Leserling wrote: "(do yourself a favour and read the Riyria Chronicles, too)."

Yes, Sullivan's other books are on my "Books to Acquire" list.

Kathi wrote: "I know this thread has been dormant, but I finished the rest of The Riyria Revelations today and wanted/needed to comment."

Well my reply is even later.. but I just stumbled upon it and felt compelled to respond as well. I've said it before, so you might already know this, but I wrote the series in what may be the stupidest way possible. I designed it to start out simply, and have each book be better than the last so that the ending would be truly amazing. I think I accomplished that feat but the stuipid part is that it means the first book is the weakest link, and as such there will be people who leave early because there's not enough "there there."

Still, for those who stick with it - they just might see the method in my maddness - and as for that big mystery of Yolric - well just read the other books (Legnds of the first Empire and The Rise and Fall) and he'll be exposed and you'll get to know all about that enigma.

Thanks for reading and I'm glad you liked the books so.