Stealing a sword, even if it is magical, should be a simple thing. Especially for Royce Melborn and Hadrian Blackwater, thieves who specialize in accomplishing the impossible. But when this simple task leads to their being framed for the murder of the king, they find themselves thrust into the spotlight in a conspiracy of kingdoms. Now to save themselves, and maybe a kingdom, they will have to find out just how hard it is to do the impossible.
Thus begins Theft of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan. It is important to note that this book is actually two stories, The Crown Conspiracy (the first story) and Avempartha (the second story, which also involves stealing a magical sword). Michael Sullivan originally self-published this series in an ebook format and quickly became bestsellers. Orbit has taken on the series and grouped the original six books as three omnibuses, bringing them to a wider audience.
I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised by Theft of Swords. It is not a dark, complex story that seems to be prevalent in fantasy today. While predictable in plot and characterization, Michael Sullivan does manage to create a solid and entertaining story. It is fast-paced and straightforward. No flowery language found here, which I liked. It is nice not having to read a sentence several times to understand what is being said.
The characters are what drew me into the story. They are not the humorless and uncaring characters found in many fantasy stories of today. While Royce and Hadrian have murky pasts, the friendship and banter between the two is entertaining and shows that they aren’t defined by their histories.
If you are looking for a good, mostly light, and enjoyable introduction to a completed fantasy series, Riyria Revelations is what you are looking for.