Description:

THE VISCOUNT AND THE WITCH (A Riyria Chronicles Short)
Eleven years before they were framed for the murder of a king, before even assuming the title of Riyria, Royce Melborn and Hadrian Blackwater were practically strangers. Unlikely associates, this cynical thief and idealist swordsman, were just learning how to work together as a team. In this standalone first installment of The Riyria Chronicles, Royce is determined to teach his naive partner a lesson about good deeds. Join Royce and Hadrian in this short story (5,400 words) about one of their earliest adventures.

PRAISE FOR SULLIVAN'S RIYRIA REVELATIONS
"Filled with adventure and clever dialog and featuring a pair of not-quite-heroes whose loyalties to each other provide them with their greatest strength, this epic fantasy showcases the arrival of a master storyteller." -- Library Journal Fantasy Debut for September 2011

"Hair-raising escapes, flashy sword fights, and faithful friendship complete the formula for good old-fashioned escapist fun." -- Publisher's Weekly

"This series is thrilling, laugh-out-loud-funny, heartbreaking, chilling, and whip-smart at every turn." -- Fantasy Faction

"An exciting, out-of-nowhere swashbuckler, The Riyria Revelations by Michael J Sullivan astounds with its masterful combination of simplicity and depth." -- Sci-Fi/Fantasy Fiction @ Suite 101

"[I]t's been a while since I found a sword and sorcery story I truly delighted in reading, and Theft of Swords reminded me of everything I love about the sub-genre." -- Deluded Visions

BONUS MATERIAL:

• Foreword by the Author
• First chapter of Theft of Swords (first book in The Riyria Revelations)
• First chapter of The Crown Tower (first book in The Riyria Chronicles)

BOOKS IN THE RIYRIA REVELATIONS

• Theft of Swords (contains: The Crown Conspiracy & Avempartha)
• Rise of Empire   (contains: Nyphron Rising & The Emerald Storm)
• Heir of Novron   (contains: Wintertide & Percepliquis)

BOOKS IN THE RIYRIA CHRONICLES

• The Crown Tower (coming Aug 2013)
• The Rose and the Thorn (coming Sep 2013)

Review

*"The Viscount and the Witch is a fast and fun short story set in the Ryria universe some 10 years previous to start of the main story and it details the fledgling partnership of Royce and Hadrian meeting with the impoverished viscount and expanding Ryria's reach into the intrigues of the nobility. There is a little extra background for the characters and the story serves as a very good introduction to the author's style and to his wonderful universe." -- Fantasy Book Critic

"I loved this story and it took all of about ten minutes to devour so it was quick and simple and really whet's my appetite for the final book in the series. Can't wait! An enjoyable romp with your favourite thieves." -- Iceberg Ink

"Interesting, funny, and promising so much for the future (well, past, actually, as this was written after the series proper). The Viscount and the Witch is very highly recommended as a cheap (UK/US) or free way to check out Sullivan's writing, and become hooked on the adventures of Royce and Hadrian.Go. Read. Enjoy. Then go pre-order the rest of the series."** -- Civilian Reader *

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From the Author

My wife--let's call her Robin (because that's her name)--has developed an infatuation for Hadrian Blackwater. I'm not sure how I feel about enabling my wife's relationship with another man, but at least I know this guy is trustworthy. After finishing The Riyria Revelations, Robin became depressed at having to say goodbye to the world of Elan, but especially Hadrian--until she realized I could bring both he and Royce back in the form of prequels. It was then that she set in motion her diabolical plan to resurrect the pair.

It started when she persuaded me to write a short story so that I would have something for readers during the transition between self and traditional publishing. Pre-order pages for Orbit's editions of Revelations had been posted (but not yet released) and my earlier versions were removed to make way. For the first time in years, I had nothing "out there", and since my contract allowed me to produce non-book length works, and because short stories are...well...short, Robin asked me to create an early story staring Royce and Hadrian. The thing is, I'm not very good at short stories. So I decided to approach the task like a chapter--the first chapter of a novel. I went back in time and wrote a simple little tale about Royce and Hadrian meeting Albert Winslow. This would have occurred about two years after the duo first met and hence The Viscount and the Witch came into being and I've published it for free since it's inception.

Revelations had enough momentum, I polled my readers for what other stories they would be interested in and early stories of Royce and Hadrian came out the clear winner and so I'm pleased to announce that in the fall of 2013 two more books will be released in a new prequel series, The Riyria Chronicles.

• The Crown Tower (Aug 6, 2013)
• The Rose and the Thorn (Sep 17, 2013)

So, if you like this short story you have six completed novels, and two new books coming soon. Part of my intention for writing this, beyond making Robin happy, was that you'd be able to try my work with at no cost and with very little investment in time.  Hopefully you'll find it entertaining enough to want to checkout my other, longer works.

Michael.

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