Age of Myth (Legends Of The First Empire, #1)

by Michael J. Sullivan

[inlibrisveritas]

Age of Myth is a high fantasy novel with some impeccable world building and vibrant characters. My first foray into Michael Sullivan’s work has definitely left an impression.

I’ve known about Sullivan for some time as I have Avempartha on my kindle and have had it for quite a long time, but have never read it. So when I saw this on the new releases shelf at my library I knew it was time that I gave him a shot, and I don’t regret it at all. The world in this book is the same in his Riyara Chronicles but takes place far into the past so you can read either without relying on the other for information. In this, we learn about the Fhrey, the incredibly powerful almost godlike people who supposedly hold powers that humanity could only dream of. They can move faster, strike harder, and there are some that can even control the world around them through magic. The tentative peace between these supposed gods and the humans is shattered when Raithe kills a Fhrey in defense, and we are set into an adventure that will change the course of history. I LOVED the whole ‘god-like’ abilities of the Fhrey, but what I loved the most about it the fact that there is a certain level of naivety in their sheltered mindset. It really balances nicely with the human mindset of survival and what it means to persist despite having less. Not to mention the absolutely lyrical nature of the writing that really paints a beautiful world.

In partnership with the wonderful writing are the characters. Raithe surprised me by being someone I didn’t take to immediately, and that was so incredibly refreshing because so often in epic fantasies we get a central character so likable it’s impossible to see how he’ll ever fail. It’s obvious and a bit tired, but Raithe has issues and opinions that are not entirely ‘positive’ and that allows for very real but gradual growth over the course of the story. We are also treated to not one, but three strong female points of views not to mention the numerous side characters that make an impression! Perseophone, Suri, and Arion are absolutely fabulous and so incredibly different from each other.

I can finally see what the hype surrounding Sullivan’s book is all about, and I’m buying into it big time. I’m definitely going to read more from him, though I will probably wait to finish this series before starting the other so I don’t confuse the timelines.