Short story (The Riyria Chronicles) - The Viscount and the Witch

I emailed Michael about this story and told him how much I loved it and his Riyria Series. He was kind enough to write back and thanked me for my comments. I hope Michael writes more storys. I cant get enough of Royce and Hadrian...

Although the author did not specifically promise the reader that the banter and verbal interplay between the two main characters would remain part of the new writings, they were there in full bloom!

I.A. Wilhite, Ph.D.

This was defiantly a short story but it was still good, kept up with the same style as the Revelations and Chronicles. It was fun to read how they met the Viscount. And once again Royce showed how he was right..lol

Advertising this as a short story is just retarded. The "story" starts at 19% and ends at 57%. It has a beginning, but no middle or end. It's always satisfying to see Hadrian and Royce, but please. This is half a prologue.

This author's reviews have become somewhat legendary, and I hesitated to contribute in any way, but frankly-- it had to be done.

Bad. Bad in ways bad should possibly get a letter from its mother to dabble in. As bad as that last fragment, the one preceding this complete sentence.

First, the AUTHOR'S NOTE is 18% of the entire short. I'm not making it up, I triple checked to make sure my Kindle was not malfunctioning. A meandering, self-indulgent, and utterly pointless introduction to absolutely nothing anyone on earth cares about. By page three I was actually laughing, and it wasn't meant to be funny.

The actual story contains religiously insulting and seriously prejudiced stereotypes right there on page one... or, on the first page of the actual story, which is at 18% of the total content. If the story has a point, it is utterly buried. I finished it (it's short enough to do in one setting, even with the Author's Note) so that I could review it. I would never review anything without having read it.

Bad. Really, just incredibly bad. There is no actual cohesion. The blurb, in fact, is completely misleading. We open with a long, repetitive dump of one character micro-analyzing the other from a position of long-suffering familiarity.

Language inappropriate for the setting, strange lurches in logic, and very bad writing become nearly comical.

The Legend is no lie.

Not having read the Riyria Revelations series, it only took a couple pages to know that I would end up reading all the books in this series. I've heard Robin Sullivan's tagline for the book series, "Classic Adventure, Unlikely Heroes," but I didn't quite get the appeal of the main characters until I read this short story. They're thieves, yes, but one has morals while the other seems disillusioned with the goodness of humanity. Hadrian's goal is to convince Royce of the goodness in humanity and the worth in helping people, while Royce feels the need to show Hadrian the worthlessness of such a pursuit. This story shows how one can write simple, yet efficient prose, so that the action and dialogue shines through. Great banter, laughed a few times. I get a sense of superior plotting to come based on the wisdom of the characters and how well they all work together for the benefit of the story. The intro to Thief of Swords (first book in Riyria Revelations trilogy)starts off after they have left the place that they're going in this story. I look forward to more short stories to tide me over until the book comes out November 23rd.

Hadrian always a soft heart stops to see what the ragged dressed woman, tripping through the brush, is calling to him and Royce, his partner of just about a year, for help. There is an unknown man in her barn and she fears for her life. Hadrian wants to go take care of the problem, Royce is ready to move on but lets Hadrian learn a lesson on people.

I'm not going to say to much as it's such a short read and if I do I just might give it all way. I want you to go read this quick read for yourself and enjoy it.

First and foremost, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO READ THE SERIES TO READ THIS. Actually, you could read this to get a taste of Hadrian and Royce.

I loved getting to see these two characters again, Hadrian and Royce. I love them, Hadrian and his big soft heart and Royce with his syndicalism of the two. But the two together are fun. There are jokes, the familiarity of the two carrying on together, and a great story as well. I love the way Royce is and the mystery with him. Even knowing Royce after five books of the series I still love the mystery here. And do want to know more!

The nice thing about this short story is mention of some of the future characters in the series. You are introduced to some names and who they are, which will give you a little background for when you read the series. And yes, I think once you read this short story you will want the series. Michael has created amazing characters and a great world here that all should read. I do hope you go check this out.

Also included with this short story is the first chapter of Theft of Swords, to be released in November, then the next two books each month after.

Once again, I'm entertained by Hadrian and Royce. Great short story (and you don't need prior knowledge in order to read or enjoy it), and it definitely reminds me that I need to swoop up more Michael J. Sullivan books. I can't quite explain it, but there's something in these fantasy stories that bring out the true spirit of adventure and camaraderie that I just love among heroes (or in Hadrian's and Royce's case, the closest they can get to heroes, haha!).

Available for free in lots of formats here:
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This is a prelude story to the Riyria Chronicles. It's short, 5400 words, but fun & we get to meet Royce & Hadrian early on in their partnership, not to mention finding out how they met & why one of the minor characters of the series works with them. Definitely worth reading if you like the series or if you want to see what the series is about.

Before the short story is a longish word from the author about the Riyria Chronicles. It's interesting.

After the story is the first chapter of [book:Theft of Swords|10790290]. I haven't read it. I'm waiting for [book:Percepliquis|12174312], the 6th & final book of the chronicles, at which time I plan to re-read the entire series.

I feel nothing short of being ripped off. This "book," sold to look like yet another in the series, is really just an excerpt from The Rose And The Thorn as chapter two. Aren't we spending enough money buying six books? This excerpt should not even be available!

Disclaimer-If you read the review and feel there is a spoiler in it, please let me know and I will remove that section. Also, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. Thank you.

The Viscount and the Witch is a short story by Michael Sullivan. This story though is does not actually detail how Hadrian and Royce met, does show there is a lot left for the two to learn about each other.

While traveling the road, they come across a woman who begs for their help to remove a drunken aggressive man from her barn. Once they reach the homestead, things are not what they seem.

I really enjoyed this story even though I thought it was going to show how Hadrian and Royce met. It is written with the same style and wit of Mr. Sullivan and does not disappoint in its narrative. It has been so long since I was able to visit these two beloved characters and it was refreshing to once again be able to read about them once more before the final book in the Riyria Revelations is released in January 2012. For those who don't know, the Riyria Revelations was a 6 book series beginning with The Crown Conspiracy, to Avempartha, Nyphron Rising, The Emerald Storm, Wintertide, and finally Percepliquis. These books have now been optioned by Orbit and will be released as a three book set beginning in November 2011 with the release of Theft of Swords then Rise of Empire in December and finally Heir of Novron in January 2012.

For fans of swashbuckling fantasy and a great self-contained story in each volume, I highly recommend you get your hands on these books. The characters are wonderful and well written and even though there is a full story in each book, there is also an excellent epic storyline tied throughout the series.

Happy reading

-Dimndbangr

I opened this slight morsel not knowing what to expect and found myself surrounded by developed characters with which I identified, somehow. EBooks are a new facet in my life. My ordered Kindle Fire hasn't even arrived yet, but alas, I can't wait; I've begun reading on my PC and MacBook and my wife's iPad, and were it possible, reflections in puddles, spectacles, and passing windshields, oh my! Usually I read mysteries and science fiction to escape and reference books and history for work, but Michael's tales of yore had a grip on me from dot one. This was refreshing entertainment suitable for teens to geezers-in-training, like me. [...]

This short is a wonderful introduction to the Riyria series.
It introduces you to the primary characters in a well-written and witty way.
This story will show you the quality of this author's writing and make you want to dive into his trilogy.
The trilogies, by the way are written (or perhaps published I should say) as three sets of two-stand-alone-story per each book.
A whole lot of story weaving going on in this set. The author wrote the whole thing at once.
Highly recommend. Better than MOST other fantasy out there.

I actually read this short story while waiting (some what patiently) for the final installment of the Riyria Revalations. It was great to get a new perspective on the two main characters, Royce and Hadrian. It also provided some details about how they came to meet their middle man - Albert Winslow. If you haven't even started the series this is a quick introduction to the world of Riyria. Hopefully gets you interested in the entire series which took myself and our book club about 3.5 years to read as we were reading each one as they were published. Well worth the wait and this was a good little tidbit to tide those of us over that were waiting for the last book. While I may not get my wish, I hope for more books or at least short stories, with these characters. They feel like old friends and I would miss them terribly if I couldn't visit with them occasionally.

Loved it! This short story is a great introduction (and prequel) to the Riyria Chronicles. However, I was devastated to read that Hadrian's and Royce's stories will not be continued after the publication of volume 6 (already published). I must respectively disagree with Mr. Sullivan in that I feel all fans of Royce and Hadrian would love to know what happens to the two friends and what paths their lives take.

This is a very short glimpse of Royce and Hadrian in their early partnership. I'm not a fan of short stories, but this one is entertaining, and Royce and Hadrian are as awesome as always. If you love them already, it is definitely worth your time. Honestly, though, I would say it has more depth and is more entertaining if you have already read all of the Riyria Revelations books.

Very well-written short story. The only thing preventing it from getting five stars is that it is pretty dependent upon the other stories in the Riyria Revelations. So, if you plan reading those, or have already (which I would recommend doing), then this story is a must. And it's free anyway, so go for it!