Michael J Sullivan

[pwalker8]

Michael J Sullivan is a semi-indie that I discovered a few years or so ago and really like. He wrote the Riyria series, which, imho is very, very good. I bought his Age of series (set in the beginnings of his Riyria universe), but for some reason, never got around to reading them. I picked them up a week or so ago and just finished Age of Legend. Excellent books. One little problem. Age of Legend ends in a huge cliff hanger. All of his books prior to this one are pretty much self contained stories.

The good news is that since he isn’t using a traditional publisher, they come out every six months. The next one is in February.

[rhadin]

I, too, greatly enjoy Michael J. Sullivan's books. "Age of Death" (Legends of the First Empire #5) (ISBN: 9781944145392) is due February 4, 2020. "Age of Empyre" (Legends of the First Empire #6) (ISBN: 9781944145408) is scheduled for release on May 5, 2020. Both are available for preorder at Amazon.

Apparently Sullivan will be starting a new series beginning in the fall of 2020. Not sure what the series name will be, but the first book is supposedly titled "Arrow of Death" (fall 2020), the second book is "Farilane" (spring 2021), and the third book, as yet untitled, is due in the fall of 2021.

[Dopedangel]

Thanks for reminding me of this author I have read all his Riyria Revelations and Riyria Chronicles books. Had put the first book of this series in my to be read list in fictfact but with fictfact gone I completely forgot about it.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by rhadin

I, too, greatly enjoy Michael J. Sullivan's books. "Age of Death" (Legends of the First Empire #5) (ISBN: 9781944145392) is due February 4, 2020. "Age of Empyre" (Legends of the First Empire #6) (ISBN: 9781944145408) is scheduled for release on May 5, 2020. Both are available for preorder at Amazon.

Apparently Sullivan will be starting a new series beginning in the fall of 2020. Not sure what the series name will be, but the first book is supposedly titled "Arrow of Death" (fall 2020), the second book is "Farilane" (spring 2021), and the third book, as yet untitled, is due in the fall of 2021.

The first 3 Legends of the First Empire books actually reach a degree of closure. It's just #4 that is a huge cliff hanger.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by rhadin

I, too, greatly enjoy Michael J. Sullivan's books. "Age of Death" (Legends of the First Empire #5) (ISBN: 9781944145392) is due February 4, 2020. "Age of Empyre" (Legends of the First Empire #6) (ISBN: 9781944145408) is scheduled for release on May 5, 2020. Both are available for preorder at Amazon.

Apparently Sullivan will be starting a new series beginning in the fall of 2020. Not sure what the series name will be, but the first book is supposedly titled "Arrow of Death" (fall 2020), the second book is "Farilane" (spring 2021), and the third book, as yet untitled, is due in the fall of 2021.

Yes, I read that at his web site. Apparently the new series will be published by Orbit and he signed a 7 figure contract for them.

If you check out the about page on his web site, there is some pretty interesting info on self publishing. Back in 2010, while he was still self publishing, just before he announced his publishing deal with Orbit to publish his first 6 books (for a 6 figure contract), he saw his sales figures go from around 1000 copies per month to over 2500 copies per month after book #5. Then suddenly, he saw his sales jump to 10,000-12,000 a month, pulling in between $45,000 to $55,000 per month. He doesn't say how much of that was ebook sales and how much was print on demand.

It's well worth reading if you want a peek into the publishing world from the stand point of a successful writer who had gone both self publishing and traditional publishing. He talks about several of the decisions he made and in some cases why.

https://riyria.blogspot.com/p/about.html

[Wearever]

I really enjoyed Sullivans, Legends of the First Empire series and have Age of Death on preorder. I didn't know about the new series he's writing, I'll be looking forward to reading those as well.

[svenlind]

I became tempted and bought the first book in the Riyra Chronicles "The Crown Tower".

This book has an Author's note. It is my impression that the author recommends Published Order rather than Chronicle order.

I then also bought "Theft of Swords". First in The Riyria Revelations

What will you fans recommend, published or chronical order?

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by svenlind

I became tempted and bought the first book in the Riyra Chronicles "The Crown Tower".

This book has an Author's note. It is my impression that the author recommends Published Order rather than Chronicle order.

I then also bought "Theft of Swords". First in The Riyria Revelations

What will you fans recommend, published or chronical order?

Published. Definitely published.

[Wearever]

Well darn I guess I didn't preorder Age of Death after all. I don't see it available in Kindle e book form. It has audiobook, hardback, but no e book yet. I checked the authors site to be sure. Oh well when it's available I'll preorder.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by Wearever

Well darn I guess I didn't preorder Age of Death after all. I don't see it available in Kindle e book form. It has audiobook, hardback, but no e book yet. I checked the authors site to be sure. Oh well when it's available I'll preorder.

I have noticed that some books aren't available for purchase in ebook format until it's actually released. No idea why in this case. It could simply be an issue that the publisher hasn't listed the kindle format yet and it will be available for preorder when the publisher notices and fixes the omission.

[svenlind]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

Published. Definitely published.

My next book to read will then be Theft of Swords

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by svenlind

My next book to read will then be Theft of Swords

It's kind of odd in that he basically wrote the last books of the series chronologically first and everything since then is prequels. He's still writing prequels. The next two Age of Legends books will come out in Jan. then in the summer of 2020, then he has a new group that will I think will be about the break up of the Empire, so it's not really possible yet to read them in chronological order.

I just finished Theft of Swords, which is the first two books he wrote in audiobook. I had listened to The Crown Tower and then The Rose and the Thorn first (i.e. chronological order). Of course, I read the ebooks in publication order, but that was mostly because I first started reading him in 2013, before the Crown Tower came out. I found that I enjoyed them more in publication order.

[C-novice]

I do love an epic and the last good one I read was Andrew Ashling's Dark Tales of Randamor the Recluse told in 7 parts.

Then I found Michael Sullivan's Riyria series and couldn't decide where to start.
. . . and here I was about to start the series with Legend of the Empire since it sort of come before the rest.

Anyway glad I stopped by here and got some idea where to start.

too!

[Wearever]

I'm still waiting for " Age of Death " to come in ebook form. It's due out in February and thought I would be able to pre order it by now in December. I hope there are no problems with it being published by February. The next book in the series after " Age of Death " is due out in May of 2020.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by Wearever

I'm still waiting for " Age of Death " to come in ebook form. It's due out in February and thought I would be able to pre order it by now in December. I hope there are no problems with it being published by February. The next book in the series after " Age of Death " is due out in May of 2020.

For some reason many books are slow to put up the kindle version for pre-order. I'm not sure what the reason for it is.