The Rose and the Thorn (#2)
Two thieves want answers. Riyria is born…
For more than a year Royce Melborn has tried to forget Gwen DeLancy, the woman who saved him and his partner Hadrian Blackwater from certain death. Unable to get her out of his mind, Royce returns to Medford with Hadrian but the two receive a very different reception — Gwen refuses to see them. The victim of abuse by a powerful noble, she suspects that Royce will ignore any danger in his desire for revenge. By turning the thieves away, Gwen hopes to once more protect them. What she doesn’t realize is what the two are capable of — but she’s about to find out.
Reviews
“Riyria fans will appreciate this look into their heroes’ history.”
“THE ROSE AND THE THORN is another brilliant prequel, shedding lights on important events that really open up the wider world of these stories, and explain much of some of its most important characters […] the two books make up an absolute killer-combination.”
“[THE ROSE AND THE THORN is] packed with all of the things that made Sullivan such a powerhouse in the genre. There are banter and battle in equal measure, a touch of romance, sharply drawn characters, and the wonderful blend of nostalgic sword and sorcery that hearkens back to the books that led many thirty and forty-something readers to the genre in the first place.”
“An excellent second act in the Riyria Chronicles. Michael J. Sullivan’s THE ROSE AND THE THORN manages to be even better than The Crown Tower, making this book, and the duology – one of my favourite reads of 2013.”The Founding Fields
“I probably don’t need to say that readers who enjoyed previous Riyria books would enjoy this, but I just did. So far, all of Sullivan’s Riyria books have been very well paced, sword and sorcery style action with strong characters, making them fun and easy to read. I would recommend them to any fan of fantasy, new or veteran, young or old.”Reading Realms, 4.5/5 stars
Awards & Accolades
Audible: “September 2013 Customer Favorite”
Fantasy Faction: “Top 25 Fantasy Books”
Audiofile Magazine: “Best Books”
Winner 2014 Earphone Award
Confessions of an Avid Reader: “Top 10 Books”