Nolyn: Book 1 of the Rise and Fall Trilogy discussion

What do you think after reading this chapter?

I liked it. Anytime the series link together it makes me feel like I have some inside knowledge. I got excited picturing hadrian standing in the jungle thinking that he might have found something honorable to do. I like anytime the Teshlor/Techylor show up.

Immediately you get to see how different Nolyn is Nyphron and I am here for it!

Glad to hear people are liking it. Michael always says writing is like flying a plane in that the take-offs and landings are the most important times and you have to be good at that part - I think he nailed it on this one. I may be biased though because I think all his openings are strong.

Agreed with the previous comments about tie-ins, but also liked that I could have been new to this world and felt immediately invested in the story. It left me eager to keep turning pages. Making the primary protagonist and his secondary characters people that we already like by the end of the first short chapter was well done. And thanks for keeping it realistic in that people got injured in the first volley of arrows. Always put off by bands of heroes with miraculous bubbles around them that protect them from harm in endless brutal battles. Now Chapter Two!

I found that I was immediately engrossed from page one!

@Sarah - yeah - I, too, think it will work well for both new and veteran readers - which is no mall feat to pull off.

@Michelle - Glad to hear it!

Some thoughts in no particular order.
In the foreword, Michael wrote that Legends was set in the bronze age. Now we hear, that the army has moved from phalanx tactics to cohort tactics. Apropriately, Amicus's title ist first spear, which is a direct translation of the latin primus pilus. Ok, so we are moving more towards an iron age setting, more from ancient Greece to ancient Rome.
Hearing that Amicus was carrying three swords immediately had me whooping with joy. I'm hoping he'll be a character in Hadrians mould. Not identical, but something like it. And he seems to be a professional. I like professionals!
Nolyn also doesn't seem to be that bad. Although he's a prince, he's quite seasoned already. And his half caring, half sarcastic way of trying to send is men away, endeared him to me. I found that mention of "My mother died 800 years ago" quite touching. Must be a hard lot to be a mix of two races with such different life spans. So I would guess, Nolyn is on a good path to becoming a character I really like.
Finally the setting. So we spent some time in the jungle in the Riyria revelations, but not in the legends, so I'm interested, in how that area will be at that age.
All in all, the chapter was very short and I had to forcefully stop myself from reading any further, but I want to try to note down my impressions for each chapter before reading on.

Is there a glossary yet to go along with this book?

@Lindsay - haha - agreed. I don't think Elan needs two Nyphrons!

@Sarah - making the book a "good read" for both "newbies" and "veterans" of my work was a high priority - so I'm so glad to see your comment ... "Agreed with the previous comments about tie-ins, but also liked that I could have been new to this world and felt immediately invested in the story. "

@Conny - thanks for sharing your initial impressions. You are pretty much dead on regarding your thought process on where we are as far as the development of various "ages"

@Bonnie - I have no idea if there is a glossary planned for this book or not. If Robin ends up making one, I'll come here and post a link to it.

I liked the chapter, and I am excited to see what's to come. :)

One tiny piece of criticism, if you allow me - I found it slightly unrealistic that Nolyn wouldn't remember the names of almost anyone of his men, after 3 days of traveling with them through the jungle, no matter how bad he is at remembering names :P And especially that Killian guy - the way he doesn't even realize who he is (let alone - remember his name), given what a unique and imposing figure/personality he apparently is, and the notable and memorable things he has done (things that Nolyn does remember immediately, and in much detail, once he realizes who the guy is). I just think he would have rather recognized him straight away, upon being assigned to the same squadron as him - wouldn't have needed 3 days for that.
But that's just me nitpicking a little bit. :) I do think it's not a big deal. And I get it - it's like the beginning of movies, where characters tell each other things that they should already know, just so they can introduce the viewers to those things and names.
And Michael's books always play out like movies and TV series, in my mind, so I guess that fits...LOL

Overall, the chapter was great, and it made me think and wonder about many things that have happened before, and yet to happen in the next chapters. Like: Why is the life and well being of Nolyn - the one and only heir to the emperor - being risked by sending him (or allowing him) to fight against the goblins, with only small companies of soldiers, where he could easily be killed at any moment, no matter how good of a fighter he is? :O What is Nyphron thinking here? Of course, being militaristic as he is, he would definitely want his son to go to war a lot, and learn to fight - that's obvious; but I would have guessed he would make sure the lad has many more people to protect him in battle.
This time I;m not nitpicking, and I don't think it's unrealistic :) - it's just something curios, which I am sure has a very good explanation, and we'll probably learn the answer later in the book. Nyphron is a really weird dude :P But I like Nolyn - he seems like a nice lad (800+ years old one LOL)... Can't wait to see where this adventure takes him. :)

@Christomir - feel free to pick away - any book is the cumulation of thousands of decisions - some you'll agree with - others you won't. I don't take offense. But because this forum allows us to chat - I'll generally "fill you in" about reasons for things. It's not me trying to be defensive - again I don't take offense at any opinions people have on the books -- it's really just a way of learning more about the process and why I do what I do.

Nolyn's inability to remember names is just a way to give him a little personality -- that and it relates to the fact that with his "long life" - virtually everyone he gets close to will die - so it's kind of like not naming cows when you are a rancher ;-)

As for not knowing the names of his men specifically - well until they find out it's a trap - they basically travel in silence - so there's not a lot of conversation going on where you can "pickup" people's name - and if any orders are needed they are being given by Amicus not Nolyn and he wouldn't necessarily be having to use their names a lot. Plus there were 20 of them originally and I'm not sure I could learn the name of 20 people I just met in a similar situation. But may be both Nolyn and I share "name issues."

I'm glad to hear the books play out in your mind like a movie/telvision show - that's how I see them as well.

As to your speculation regarding Nolyn being in battle at all - you are correct in that it will be addressed.

Michael wrote: "@Christomir - feel free to pick away - any book is the cumulation of thousands of decisions - some you'll agree with - others you won't. I don't take offense. But because this forum allows us to ch..."
Yeah, I actually thought of that too - the "long life" factor, and the "meeting of way too many people with different names and faces" throughout it...LOL So yeah, it's definitely not VERY unrealistic - I just thought it would be fair to mention I felt it was slightly so... :)

Thanks a lot for your thoughts, Michael! Of course, we (the loyal readers) have known it for a long time that, when you explain things like that, you aren't being defensive. :) And you have no reason to be - it's no one else's business what plot decisions or creative decisions in general you make in your own books; that's what an author does, and I, for one, as a reader, would never presume to "agree" or "disagree" with those decisions - I can only read and enjoy the "ride", and share how I felt or what I noticed :)

It's such a privilege that you come here and discuss things with us like this, which not many authors do. You are just awesome ^_^

Robin wrote: "Glad to hear people are liking it. Michael always says writing is like flying a plane in that the take-offs and landings are the most important times and you have to be good at that part - I think ..."

Michael definitely nailed this takeoff. The facing your doom with a wink and a smile attitude is to infectious that you have to love and root for these characters from page one. But then again, it is no surprise to me since Michael has so often created a brilliant start from the irony of Riyria being robbed to Raith the God killer.

Let me start by saying how good it feels to be back in Elan. I only started reading about this world in 2019 when I started with Legends and then binged the rest of MJS' work until I finished Hollow World.

Nolyn is instantly likeable and I love that, like everyone else, he doesn't like his father. He accepts his fate the instant he realizes it and tries to save those he is with.

Having been in a jungle at least once in my life, I can relate to the conditions that MJS paints. In fact, even if you can't relate, the picture is painted so well you can't help but imagine what it would be like.

I also can relate to the not remembering names too. I used to go golfing by myself and the course I went to would often put me with a group of 2 or 3. I used to have to say the names of the people I just met over and over in my head for the first 3-6 holes before I could remember them. As Michael answered above there is more than one reason Nolyn can't remember names but I think it helps to make him more likeable. The way he plays with Riley Glot's name is endearing too.

I confess that I have read up to chapter 5 so I won't comment further lest I give away any spoilers but the beginning is really a great plunge back into a world I have grown to love. Thank you Michael and Robin for everything you do and for the hard work of delivering this to us.

I whizzed through the book and have come back to savour it. Battles are my least favourite part of any story (I’m a historian and I tend to leave out the war bits, which is sometimes a problem!) so I was glad this one focused on characters and explained the battle but succinctly. As a name forgetting type myself (as a teacher! Omg) I like Nolyn a lot. And Amicus! Three swords! So exciting.

Usually it takes me a few chapters to really „arrive“ in a new book. Especially if it’s a new series, I need some time to connect to the world and the people, before letting myself fall into the story completely.

But WOW: I found myself back in the world of Elan just within the first sentences and felt sympathy for Nolyn immediately. Not sure how to describe it, but felt a bit like coming home.

Great opening!

Okay I just started Nolyn tonight. Just finished the first chapter, damn it's good to be back in Elan. I always had a deep seated slight hatred for Nyphron from the way he treated Raith and Persephone. And I don't know if he's responsible yet or not but I suspect he may be for placing Nolyn here he is. But thank god for the Teshlor/Techylor warriors. Hadrian's forefathers come to save the day. I am so happy to see these incredible warriors back in action. Hadrian was and still is one of my favorite characters and I really liked Tesh and felt bad for all the guilt that ate him up and then for the loss of his and Brin’s love. But I’m happy to see his style of fighting lives on and is a help to Nolyn when he needs it most.
I was impressed Nolyn couldn't remember the names of the men he was fighting with it gave him a little bit of humanity that was pleasant to see, seeing as how I can't remember someone’s named two seconds after being introduced. All in all a great start to what looks like another great book/series by Michael. Thank you for your work.
Rex

As I read this chapter, I almost felt like we were seeing the future and the past melded together as one. It reminded me so much of the dual fighting style of Hadrian and Royce as well as the brotherhood that Tesh and his Techlors had during the Hardwood Campaign.

It was such a wonder to see in this way as I connecting point between the stories and the threads connecting all of Elan.