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

by Michael J. Sullivan

[Beth C.]

Killing a god should be, well, more difficult than simply slitting his throat. In fact, it would be assumed (and had been for centuries) that a god couldn't be killed. And with that, the world changes forever. On the run from revenge for his part in killing a Fhrey (the supposed god), Raithe ends up saving a woman and young girl from murder at the hands of their fellows, only to get caught up in dun politics that would pit the three of them against most of the rest. Then, the gods show up on their doorstep, and war will no longer be avoided.

In the best tradition of epic fantasy, Michael J. Sullivan starts his five-book series with gods, magic, seers, and war. The Age of Myth is a wonderful book, with characters who are not usually quite what they seem, and are extremely well-written. Raithe, cast into the reluctant position of God Killer. Persephone, trying her best to help her people. Suri, young ragtag seer with her companion wolf who sees what is coming but is powerless to stop it. And these are just a few of the characters that really do stand out on the page.

Being the opener in a long fantasy, there is a slow build with history, characters, setting - everything being put into place. But this isn't a boring build-up. There is enough going on to not only explain what needs explaining, but to keep things interesting and moving forward at the same time. And what gives me great hope for this particular series is the Author's Note in the beginning, where he explains that *the whole series is already written*. There are few things more frustrating for a reader than an excellent series-starter that flounders on the second book and then totally loses its way after that. I have high expectations that this will not be the case here.

There are books that I read where, as soon as they are over, they are truly over. Then there are books that have a sort of lingering presence, where events that happen in the book sort of follow me around like a thought-bubble, giving me more to think about. Books that, when I finally read the last page and close the cover, I sort of slowly set it aside, knowing it will be circulating in my thoughts for some time to come. Age of Myth is one of those best of books, where I keep finding bits that I may have glossed over during the reading that pop into my head, where I'm still thinking about the book even days later. Epic fantasy, indeed.