Age of Death by Michael J. Sullivan (Legends of the First Empire #5)

Reviewed by Sam!

Reviews for  Book 2 | Book 4 Yep, skipped 1 and 3 sry.

I believe this goes without saying but there will be a bunch of spoilers about previous books. We’re on book 5 here folks.

What I drank prior: this is the second time I’ve written this review… cause the first time when I was CLOSE TO BLACKOUT WordPress decided to fuck up. Yes I told them. Yes I’m mad. Yes I’m gonna make a stink. ANYWAY. Here I am a bottle of wine deep on day 3 of mandatory telework and we’re gonna try again.

Goodreads Overview:

Winter blankets the land, and more than just hope has died. Prevented from invading the Fhrey homeland by the tower of Avempartha, the western army seeks a way across the Nidwalden River before the fane obtains the secret of dragons. As time runs out for both humanity and the mystic Suri, the only chance for the living rests with the dead. Having made their fateful choice, can a handful of misfits do the impossible, or are they forever lost to an inescapable grave? Do gods truly exist? Is it possible to know the future? And what lies beyond the veil of death? In the tradition of Virgil’s Aeneid, Dante’s Divine Comedy, and Milton’s Paradise Lost, the most epic of tales transcend the world of the living. It’s time to see what lies in Elan’s Age of Death.

From Michael J. Sullivan (New York Times, USA Today, and Washington Post bestselling author), comes the second to the last installment in the epic fantasy series, Legends of the First Empire. The series chronicles a pivotal point in Elan’s history when humans rise against the Fhrey who they once saw as gods. Set 3,000 years before the Riyria tales, Legends is a standalone fantasy series which is independent of all other Elan stories. That said, if you do read the other books, you’ll see lies revealed and the truth about historical figures unmasked. 

Drunk Overview: this is book 5 so if you don’t know what’s up I’m sorry. We have no idea whats going on with Suri except shems depressed. And the rest of my kids sans Seph have voluntarily chosen to go to the underworld. Yep. They’ve killed themselves. Trusting that Malcolm is a God. That’s a wile trust fall they all just committed.

Spoiler-free Thoughts: How is it humanly possible that he gave me yet another book that I loved? Literally. There are few authors in which I love everything they’ve written. Sanderson doesn’t even get that badge of honor from me.

Characters: Nonody fuck with my kids. I know I keep saying that but fuck the rest of them these are the ones I care about. I know we don’t get much development of these characters, with a couple key exceptions, but we shouldn’t have to right now. Book 5 of 6? The arc isn’t ready to be done. I got a lot out of them in spite of this being a plot driven story.

Plot: ON THAT NOTE. I am so fucking upset lol. The end of this story makes me so angry I can’t. The plot had some minor pacing issues but fuck that. I’m still upset that MJ decided to make me cry again. Literally for the 12th time… at the LEAST. For those of you not counting.. this is the 12th book I’ve read by Sullivan, only missing one (Hollow World which I will get to). And I’ve cried every damn time. AND IM NOT A CRIER!!!! Fuck this book. I need the next one immediately. Fortunately I just got my kickstarter update and I’ll get it next week. Fuck.

Writing Style: it’s Sullivan. You should just know.

World Building: You would think that boom 5 of 6 wouldn’t have more to add to the world. YOU’D BE WRONG. We get a bunch of good tidbits about the world we didn’t know even though we’ve had a lot of time in it. I’m super happy.

What to pair it with: This is a red wine. A dark deep red wine. A Bordeaux. Not cause it’s dark but because of the depth.

Rating: 5/5 shots (ha sometimes when I type shots it comes out shits and I giggle every time)

Until next time, we remain forever drunkenly yours,
Sam