Age of Myth

Age of Myth was my first foray into books by Michael J. Sullivan. After reading it, I have a huge regret: waiting so long to pick it up. This book is an incredible classic fantasy tale that doesn’t feel like a repeat of plot lines that have been tried a hundred times before. No farm boys going on quests here. It’s a fresh take while staying true to the wonder, magic, and noble characters that were part of the first couple phases of the fantasy experiment.

Sullivan has crafted an intricate and engaging world. This book is set in the same world as his Riyria Chronical and Riyria Revelations series, but it takes place in the ancient history of that world. While the Rhune, Fhrey, and Dherg seem to more or less take the place of Humans, Elves, and Dwarves, Sullivan manages this without feeling like he has simply done a find and replace. That’s incredibly difficult and he deserves a lot of praise for it. The setting is captivating and avoids the medieval analog clichés. The characters that inhabit this world are equally attractive. The Rhune, in particular, feel like they could be your (perhaps overly superstitious) neighbors. They feel real. Sullivan has also given us a clash of cultures and attitudes that plays out at multiple levels of society, from political maneuvers between Fhrey sects, to the image of the Fhrey as gods that the Rhune have, to the mysterious Dherg. Add into this mix obviously heroic—and at least one tragic—characters who have their own motivations for their actions and you have a wonderful fantasy novel in a classic vein.

There are a few things that didn’t quite click for me. The first is that the magic system wasn’t well explained. This is fine in and of itself, but the magic and its use end up playing a significant—though not overwhelming—role in the plot near the end of the book. I think Sanderson’s First Law might apply here. There were also a couple turns of phrase that pulled me out of the story. One example is a running gag where two characters talk about using a spear as “very simple, just point and stick.” The play on “point and click” drew me out of the story every time I read it. Another example: near the end of the story one character says, “winter is still on its way.” Which, um. Mmmm. In the whole though, these are fairly nit-picky critiques that had little impact on my enjoyment.

Michael J. Sullivan’s Age of Myth is a wonderful start to a trilogy that is sure to continue to impress. I’ll be picking up book two, Age of Swords, soon. If you haven’t already read this, you need to. It’s classic fantasy in a fresh, modern style. 4.5/5 stars.

5 – I loved this, couldn’t put it down, move it to the top of your TBR pile
4 – I really enjoyed this, add it to the TBR pile
3 – I liked it, depending on your preferences it may be worth your time
2 – I didn’t like this book, it has significant flaws and I can’t recommend it
1 – I loathe this book with a most loathsome loathing