Changes

|title=Rise of Empire

|author=Michael J Sullivan

|borrow=Yes

|isbn=978-0356501079

|pages=756

|publisher=Orbit

|date=December 2011

|website=http://www.michaelsullivan-author.com

|summary=The action-packed second volume in ''The Riyria Revelations'', Rise of Empire follows our heroes as they try to save the tiny kingdom of Melengar against the bloody onslaught of the Empire, hoping to solve a mystery or two on the way.

}}

''Rise of Empire'', the second volume in The Riyria Revelations, starts a year after [[Theft of Swords by Michael J Sullivan|Theft of Swords]] finished. The Imperialist forces are encamped across the river from Melengar, biding their time before they rout and capture Alric’s kingdom. However, it’s ok as Princess Arista has a plan. She will send Hadrian Blackwater and Royce Melborn to enlist the help of the nationalists. Oh, and Arista wants to go too... and Hadrian is getting fed up with an adventurer’s life and wants to retire... and Gwen, Royce’s girlfriend, has had a premonition of death surrounding the enterprise... so what could possibly go wrong?

This book may be tenser but the momentum is still there. Some loose ends are explained but a lot more are unravelled. Why was Royce sent to Amtaz prison in a previous life? The Riyria Revelations is apparently set in the 30th century. Will this become relevant? Is whom we think the Heir of Novron to be, really the Heir of Novron? Then, talk about hanging, the book leads to a crescendo ending with multiple cliff-hangers as practically all the second volume heroes face different terminal dangers. I have to wait a few weeks before the next volume comes out but if you’re reading this later in the year, my suggestion would be to have ''Heir of Novron'' ready. Then you can leap into it with a single bound once you’ve journeyed through ''Rise of Empire''.

If you like this, try [[The Neon Court by Kate Griffin]] It's a different side of the fantasy genre, but still one that incorporates twists and humour.

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