Nyphron Rising by Michael J Sullivan

Nyphron Rising (Riyria Revelations, Book 2, Part 1)

by Michael J. Sullivan

A Puppet is Crowned. The True Heir Remains Hidden. A Rogue's Secret Could Change Everything. War has come to Melengar and to save her kingdom, Princess Arista runs a desperate gamble when she defies her brother and hires Royce and Hadrian for a dangerous mission. As the power of the Nyphron Empire grows, so does Royce's suspicion that the wizard Esrahaddon is using the thieves as pawns in his own game. To find the truth, he must unravel the secret of Hadrian's past...what he discovers could change the future for all of Elan.

Reviewed by thepunktheory on

5 of 5 stars

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Full review on my blog!


The plot thickens! I love how Sullivan is building this epic story and expertly adds another layer with each book. It’s not just a bunch of novels in the same world with the same characters. He managed to create these amazing separat stories that still are closely died together. I love love love it!

In this installment we get a lot of character development. I appreciate how he has so many characters that are well-written and have depth. But most of all I enjoy that the female characters make so much progress and are so vital to the story without being clichés. I’ve read a fantasy book or two, so I’ve come across several with either no female characters or ones that are just to basic copies of things you’ve seen a million times before. But this is giving me such a different vibe and I’m here for it!

It’s also great that we learn about about the backstory of Hadrian (and a bit about Royce). I really hope that in future installments we’ll also get to dive deeper into Royce’s past. The dynamic and relationship between my two precious little nuggets also becomes more apparent in this book. They are not just a team because. They have a connection that was built over time and I love how Sullivan allows us to discover that piece by piece.

Apart from the characters I have come to appreciate so much, I’m 100% hooked on the story. It’s fascinating and I can’t wait to read more. I have a suspicion or two where this might be going and I need to know whether I am right. Sullivan has the perfect balance down between giving some tiny hints that will get you thinking and not being blatantly obvious about everything vs. keeping you in the dark completely and then hitting you over the head with a plot twist coming out of nowhere. The story has so many layers, I know there is a lot more we have to discover.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 18 June, 2021: Finished reading
  • 18 June, 2021: Reviewed