Of course, I want to thank the people at Del Rey, starting with Tricia Narwani, my editor. Tricia was a huge fan of my work even before seeing the manuscript for Age of Myth, and made the process of integrating with all the departments within Del Rey effortless for Robin and myself. She went the extra mile on more than one occasion and paired us with our top choices of collaborators (whom I’ll discuss in just a minute). Tricia has always made me feel that she values my work, and I’ve felt an obligation to validate her faith. Since we creative types tend to be insecure, I can’t overstate the importance of having an editor who loves your work. I hope I’ve held up my end of the bargain and provided a book she’s equally proud of.
But Tricia is just one member of Del Rey, and I also want to give a tip of my hat and a hearty thank-you to some other fine people. To Scott Shannon, Del Rey’s SVP, I want to express my appreciation for your ability to assemble such talented individuals. Also, like Tricia, your love for my work—and the enthusiasm for getting your hands on the second book—is greatly appreciated. A few other people at Del Rey whom I’d like to thank include: Keith Clayton (associate publisher), Joe Scalora (marketing director), David Moench (publicity director), and Tom Hoeler (assistant extraordinaire).
There are plenty of others I’m not thanking—for instance, all the hardworking people in the areas of production, marketing, and sales—but that’s only because I don’t know your names. I’ve learned a lot about publishing in the last five years, and I know how instrumental your efforts are in my success. I want you to know, I’m appreciative for all your hard work. I’m not sure if it takes a village to raise a child, but it certainly takes a large number of people to successfully launch a book, and I hope you are proud of what we’ve produced together.
Just a few more people, I promise. My love for the artwork of Marc Simonetti is well known, and I’m thrilled that his stunning illustration is once again gracing the cover of my book. When it came time to choose a cover artist, Tricia and Del Rey’s art director Dave Stevenson asked me to propose some of my favorite artists, and, of course, Marc was at the top of my list. Not only did Dave select an exceptional illustrator, but he and Tricia worked closely with Robin and myself for developing the brand of the series. Dave, I hope we didn’t give you too many gray hairs, and we’re thrilled with the final result. Thank you for your talent and for including us in the process.
Like my feelings toward Marc, my devotion to Tim Gerard Reynolds is also well known, and once more he lends his exceptional narration to this and all the books of the series. If you’ve not listened to his audiobooks before, give him a try. I have a number of free shorts on audible.com (“Professional Integrity” and “The Jester”), so you can try him out without cost. He’s making quite a name for himself—something I’m proud to have played a small part in. Thanks, Tim, you’ll always be the voice of Riyria and The Legends of the First Empire, and I’m hoping to have many more books for you to narrate in the future.
I also want to thank three talented copy editors: Eric Lowenkron, Linda Branam, and Laura Jorstad. This was my first time working with Eric, but I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with Laura and Linda before (both were editors on The Death of Dulgath, and Laura was one of the editors for Hollow World). Anyone who has seen my advice on self-publishing will know the importance I place on professional editing, and these three individuals epitomize the highest level of skill; their contributions can’t be overemphasized. I must say I’m in awe of the things these three have caught and overjoyed with the improvements they’ve made. Because they have done their jobs so well, I look good. I assure my readers, these are the unsung heroes of this book, as only I, and Tricia, know their full contributions, but trust me, they’re nothing short of monumental. So thank you all.
And last, but certainly not least, I want to thank my readers for your enthusiastic love of my work. It is you who pay the salaries of myself and all these incredibly talented people. We are forever grateful for your support, and pleasing you is what pushes each of us to produce our very best work. I hope you’ll conclude that we cleared the high bar we’ve set for ourselves.
Before I go, I’d like to mention just how much I enjoy hearing from you. So if you like this book (and even if you don’t), feel free to drop me a line at [email protected]. I’m always interested in hearing what you have to say.
Well, that’s all, folks, until next time. I plan to keep writing, and I hope you’ll keep reading.
BY MICHAEL J. SULLIVAN
THE LEGENDS OF THE FIRST EMPIRE
Age of Myth
Forthcoming: Age of Swords • Age of War • Age of Legends • Age of Empire
THE RIYRIA REVELATIONS
Theft of Swords (contains The Crown Conspiracy and Avempartha)
Rise of Empire (contains Nyphron Rising and The Emerald Storm)
Heir of Novron (contains Wintertide and Percepliquis)
THE RIYRIA CHRONICLES
The Crown Tower
The Rose and the Thorn
The Death of Dulgath
STANDALONE NOVEL
Hollow World
ANTHOLOGIES
Unfettered: The Jester (Fantasy: The Riyria Chronicles)
Blackguards: Professional Integrity (Fantasy: The Riyria Chronicles)
Unbound: The Game (Fantasy: Contemporary)
Unfettered II: Little Wren and the Big Forest (Fantasy: The Legends of the First Empire)
The End: Visions of the Apocalypse: Burning Alexandria (Dystopian Science Fiction)
Triumph over Tragedy: Traditions (Fantasy: Tales from Elan)
The Fantasy Faction Anthology: Autumn Mists (Fantasy: Contemporary)
Help Fund My Robot Army: Be Careful What You Wish For (Fantasy)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
MICHAEL J. SULLIVAN is the bestselling author of the Riyria Revelations and Riyria Chronicles series. Like most authors, his road to publication has been both a lifelong dream and a difficult road to travel. Michael was just eight years old when he discovered a manual typewriter in the basement of a friend’s house during a game of hide-and-seek. He inserted a blank piece of paper and channeled the only writer he knew at the time…Charles M. Schulz’s Snoopy. Yes, he actually typed the iconic line: It was a dark and stormy night.
That spark ignited a flame, and the desire to fill blank pages became an obsession. As an adult, Michael spent more than ten years developing his craft by studying authors such as Stephen King, Ernest Hemingway, and John Steinbeck. During that time, he wrote thirteen novels but found no traction in publishing. So he did the only sane thing he could think of (since insanity is repeating the same act but expecting a different result). He quit writing altogether and vowed never to write creatively again.
Michael stayed away from writing for over a decade and returned to the keyboard in his forties…but with one condition: He wouldn’t seek publication. Instead, he wrote a series of books that had been forming in his head during his hiatus. Michael’s first reading love had been fantasy, and his hope was to foster an appreciation for the genre in his then thirteen-year-old daughter, who struggled with the written word due to severe dyslexia.