Dear Age of Myth,
You were just what I was looking for when I was going in for a fantasy book. You were full of the normal tropes and typical storylines, but it only made you more endearing to me.
With Love,
Hannah
P.S. Book Details
Book Length: 432 pages
Series: 1 out of 6
Book Genre: (Epic) Fantasy
Publication Date: 2016
Awards: Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Fantasy (2016)
Synopsis: Since time immemorial, humans have worshipped the gods they call Fhrey, truly a race apart: invincible in battle, masters of magic, and seemingly immortal. But when a god falls to a human blade, the balance of power between humans and those they thought were gods changes forever.
Now only a few stand between humankind and annihilation: Raithe, reluctant to embrace his destiny as the God Killer; Suri, a young seer burdened by signs of impending doom; and Persephone, who must overcome personal tragedy to lead her people. The Age of Myth is over. The time of rebellion has begun.
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This book was a typical fantasy story. It had it all: a seer, a resistant hero, even an animal sidekick. After taking some time after having read the book to write the review, I find some of the novelty has worn off and it hasn’t stood the test of time. What I mean is, while it is an amazing book in the moment, when all is said and done I have not thought about it much after. “The Age of Myth”, won’t speak to everyone and I think the right mood is essential to enjoy the book. When I read the book, I was in the mood for a classic fantasy and it delivered.
I don’t feel like the story really went anywhere, despite the wide setting. It stayed mostly in two locations, but bounced to new perspectives. Despite this, I really enjoyed the setting. The imagery Michael Sullivan writes with was so beautiful I often felt as if I were in the place itself. I grew up in Colorado, so imagining the wooded areas, waterfalls, and nature scenes was right up my alley.
The characters were average, I didn’t connect deeply with any of them. My favorite was Suri, she was so endearing and quirky, which made her an interesting character to follow. I don’t typically enjoy when authors write from different perspectives, but I felt this book did it exceptionally well. I didn’t get lost, rather, I felt as if I understood the situations better because of the change in perspective. While I didn’t enjoy every character, I saw their merit and feel intrigued to see their arcs. In my opinion, the book would have been a bit boring/flat if the author didn’t change perspectives.
All in all, “The Age of Myth” had the typical tropes and beats to a traditional fantasy story. If you are in the mood for a classic epic fantasy, this may be a good one to start with. Since Sullivan writes the entire series before publication, I am excited to see where the story goes and experience his intentional writing style. Now all I have to do is wait until the other books arrive, so I can finish the series!
To Books, With Love 