Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
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Before going into this, I was not aware that Nolyn is set in the Riyria universe. I was delighted to realize that despite having not read the Riyria series, I never felt lost in this story. Sullivan did a great job of including references to the events of the older series as well as of providing plenty of information and world-building for readers completely new to the world.

Sullivan has a flair for world-building and I thoroughly enjoyed learning about this world. Nolyn is a great character, but I felt that the other characters were not as developed.

More importantly, the perspectives of the antagonists really reduced the sense of mystery and tension from the story as most of the answers were revealed from the antagonist's POV before Nolyn even came across them.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I would definitely like to continue the series for the worldbuilding alone but I really do hope the next instalment has more mystery.

Overall rating: 3/5 stars

Book review - Nolyn by Michael J. Sullivan - 4⭐⭐⭐⭐

I received an e-arc in return for an honest review.

Nolyn is an adrenaline filled ride through one of the most accessible epic fantasy worlds ever written. Expect humans🧔, elves🧝‍♂️, goblins🧟‍♂️ and a whole lot of epic fights⚔ and shadowy👥 manipulations.

For those of you that don't know this yet, Michael J. Sullivan is one of the most accessible epic fantasy writers ever. His writing style is very energetic, filled with a lot of humor and amazing action.🙌

Nolyn on its own is a brilliant tale of two halve elves, the titular Nolyn and Sephryn, who struggeling with their place in a world filled with humans and elves. Nolyn himself is a wonderful character. The crown prince of the empire leads a mismatched band of humans on a quest to secure a better future for humanity. On the other hand we have Sephryn who gets pulled into a shadowy heist, stealing from the emperor🤴🏻📯. Their long lifespan present a wonderful view of a human society.

In the larger series of books set in the world of Elan, Nolyn serves as a snapshot of an important historical event that changes the world from The First Empire to the world of the Riyria Chronicles. This is a pro because there is no commitment to another long series, but as a standalone book without reading The First Empire books first the book is not very strong. Hence the four stars instead of five.😊

All in all Nolyn is enjoyable and a must read for fans of Sullivans world of Elan.

A major thanks to Grim Oak and Netgalley for providing me with this ARC!

This book was so damn much fun.
Clever story telling
and wonderful world building.
I loved this book.
Epic fantasy on a scale
hardly seen these days.

Thanks to Netgalley for a digital copy in exchange for an honest review :)

Firstly I want to mention that I have never read any book in the Ellan Universe or any book written by Michael J. Sullivan. I have been wanting to get into his books but felt intimidated by the long series and wasn't sure where to start. So, I was very excited when I saw that this is something I can try and could also enjoy as a standalone if I wanted to.

The book follows Nolyn as heir to the empire; his assignment to rescue an outpost leads to a dead-end canyon deep inside enemy territory, and his suspicion turns to dread when he discovers the stronghold doesn't exist. Nolyn is an interesting character that gets to form a great friendship with a group of great warriors. Their friendship is so nicely portrait and I really like all of them.

The other perspective is Sephryn - mother and daughter of War Legends. She is going through some very deep and horrible things. Her part is a little bit of a mystery compared with Nolyn's part. Her son is kidnaped and you follow in trying to get him back. She does a lot of questionable things and in a way I feel sorry for her at the end.

My favourite part about this book has to be the world. Both Nolyn and Sephryn are half-elf, half-human and the politics and history of this world made me very curious for the other series by Sullivan. I will definitely go and read his Legends of the First Empire series!!! Second favourite were the side characters: Nolyn's new friends (Seventh Sikaria Auxiliary Squadron) and Arvis Dyer (she is just so precious and her chapters are just great, I was happy for her at the end - also the last page made me so incredibly happy for her... OMG!!).

This book impressed me and even though I new nothing about this world before it captured me and I am happy I have read it! Now I can happily go and read more in this Universe. ^_^

Looking forward to read more of Sullivan's books. I've heard so many good things with the other series he wrote.



The story is great. Great read!

absolutely enjoyed this book by Michael J. Sullivan ... once the story got going, i couldn't put it down!

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and Michael J. Sullivan for the ARC!

Now, what can I say? Unlike most people I do not think this is a good entry point to Michael J Sullivan's world...

As I had not read any of his other books I felt a little lost at the beginning, but as I was loving Mr. Sullivan's writing I ended up buying The Riyria Revellations...And then Legends of the First Empire, both of which I deeply recommend, along with any of Mr.Sullivan's books!

However, I would recommend reading the book in order of their publications for the full experience!

I missed a lot of the sarcasm and humor that I enjoyed while reading the Riyria series and now it's back! Legends of the First Empire was okay; however, Nolyn proves that this series, Rise and Fall,, are going to be FANTASIC!! Completely enjoyable banter between characters with well thought out world building made me fall in love with Michael J. Sullivan's writing, all over again. Nolyn is the first book in his newest series release and I cannot wait until the next comes get here. Well done, Mr. Sullivan!!

Amazing cover art and great story. From start to finish I enjoyed every moment of it. The moment Nolyn, the main protagonist who is half human and half fhrey, decides to drop the truth bomb on his troops to save their live and sacrifice himself, I knew this would be any sci-fi and fantasy lovers next best read.

I had forgotten how much I liked this author. I went back and looked on Goodreads and realized that I read every single book in the Riyria Chronicles but for some reason, I only read the first book in The Legends series. Believe me, I will be rectifying that immediately.

This is the first book in a new series that is based in Elan - the same world as the two series mentioned above. Do you have to have already read either one to jump into this series? No. Well, at least I hadn't and it was not a problem for me.

So, about the book. Let me say that it took me about 5 minutes to seriously like the character of male MC Nolyn. He is a great character and the son of the current Emperor and a very unique kind of mixed breed. In other words, his mother was human. We also get to meet a group of Legionnaires and a very special fighter that end up having interesting connections. Their dynamics was a dynamic addition to the story.

The POV alternates between Nolyn and Sevrin (another half human/half Fhrye) who has grown up with Nolyn. Because of the fact that they have human blood, they will not live as long as the other Fhrey (who live a couple of millenniums). The two of them are about 850 or so years old....(that's a heck of a lot of history) :)

Let me just say the world building was wonderful, the characters were very well developed and the story line was compelling. There were a couple of twists that I did not see coming and the story built to a wonderful climax.

There is no doubt that I will be eager for the next book in this trilogy, which according to Mr. Sullivan will be coming out in June 2022.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this ARC. The opinions above are mine and mine alone.

I was given a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I jumped when I saw this arc. I have been following Sullivan for a few years now. I've read all of the Royce and Hadrian novels. I consistently love everything I've read by the author. His world feels like returning to friends. I love the detailed world building, the characters and then humor. Royce, Hadrian and Arista are some of my favorite fantasy characters ever.

I haven't read Age of Myth series yet. I was a little worried that it would hinder my experience. I can't act like that isn't true. A lot of this world has details from that series that if I"d read it I'd understand the plot a little quicker. I had hints of things from reading the Riyria novels. Instead of feeling discouraged though it really made me excited that I had more Sullivan to read and bumped up Age of Myth on my tbr to immediate.

This novel was great. Everything that I've come to expect from Sullivan whether a novel or short story. I was engaged and immediately invested in the story and characters. I'm dying for the next novel especially book three. Sullivan hit it out of the park for me. He's continues to be an autobuy author, for me. Also, I waited to read this physically and through audio because I adore the narrator.

Would I tell someone to start with Nolyn to get into Sullivan's works. No. I'd tell them to start with Riyria. But I would tell them that this is a great book and Sullivan just gets better and better. Now to wait and devour Age of Myth before book two comes out.

My Thoughts

I would like to thank Grim Oak Press and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Nolyn by Michael J. Sullivan is a well-written first book of the Rise and Fall Trilogy. I haven't read the series prior to this yet, BUT this is a standalone work that can be read without the knowledge of the previous books. That's why I still enjoyed reading it, and I'm planning to read the other series, too.

The story followed Nolyn, the heir to the throne who was sent out to the Goblin War’s front lines to die as a casualty of war. With the Seventh Sikaria Auxillary Squadron, who were not-so-ordinary soldiers, they survived the attack but now, Nolyn had to find who was trying to kill him. Was it his own father, who he had a complicated relationship with? Or maybe this planned assassination was just the tip of the iceberg?

Told with multiple POVs, it was easy to get some insights of the personalities and motivations of the characters. The narrative started strong with Nolyn's epic battle, but it slowed down a bit in the middle, then suddenly boosted up to a nerve-racking climax. I liked the banters, the actions scenes, the betrayals, and again the last few pages were such a rollercoaster ride. I really enjoyed reading Nolyn's POV. I had a softspot for the camaraderie of unlikely group of characters. However, I wished that there was more into it. I just felt like loyalty and friendship weren't just developed in such a short time. On the other hand, Sephryn's POV was interesting, too. Although there were times where I felt like Sephryn just kept on going to the flow despite the fact she could have thought more and done something to solve her own predicament, I still kind of understood where her decisions and actions lied with.

The author's writing style was quick and easy to read. Most fantasy books I read was very traditional in a sense that I needed to get used to the writing first, but I did not need to do that while reading this novel. It felt like it already has its modern feels to it. It flowed smoothly and did not have hifalutin words. Also, he was able to present inequality and imbalance of power between various races. It had such a huge factor between the present and the past events. On top of that, I found it interesting how history was distorted in the novel. Real events were so different from what were known in the present time.

The only issue that I had was some of the plot devices were a little bit jarring and unbelievable at some point. Nevertheless, it was only a minor issue that it did not much affect my reading experience.

Overall, Nolyn by Michael J. Sullivan is an entertaining read. I cannot wait to see what the other entries have to offer.

4/5 stars!

This book is the first in a new series from Sullivan, set in the same world that his other books are. I've read the Riyria books before, but never got around to reading the legends of the first empire, so while I was familiar with how the world of Elan will eventually be, I was much less familiar with its distant past, which Legends and this new series seem to cover. It's easy to pick up this series with no prior knowledge, Sullivan does a great job of making this book standalone and providing context from previous books when he needs to. The focus this time is on a plot against Nolyn, the emperor's son, by an enemy of his father's long since thought lost to time. In the mix as well is Sephryn, Nolyn's childhood friend, who's story runs parallel to Noyln's, as well as a whole cast of supporting characters who are fascinating and interesting in their own way. The two main plot lines connect together well, and I really like Noyln and Sephryn as characters. There were some things I feel I missed, like the importance of Malcolm and his role, but overall, I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to seeing where the rest of the series will go.

A great start to a new series by Michael J. Sullivan! While you could definitely jump in here, this is now a series with both a prequel series and a sequel series, so it's best read having already read the Riyria books and the Legends of the First Empire series (especially the latter).

Michael J. Sullivan is incredibly consistent, so if you're a fan of his work so far this looks like it'll be another exciting and emotional series!

Micheal J. Sullivan has created a world I just cannot get enough of. Nolyn is the first book in the new The Rise and Fall trilogy. It is actually the 13th full length novel set in the fantastic Fantasy world of Elan with stories spanning millennia. While this is a new series and supposed to be an entry point, there are tons of Easter eggs for readers for the past set The Legends of the First Empire series as well as future set The Riyria Revelations and The Riyria Chronicles. I honestly recommend reading all the books in their order of publication. But if you can't fit 12 other books into your reading schedule, you could get by just reading the Legends of the First Empire series. Still Michael J. Sullivan is one of my favorite fantasy authors and he always delivers. He has an unusual writing style of finishing the first drafts of all of his series before releasing a book so the reader can trust they will not be left hanging with an unfinished book series, *cough* other fantasy authors, you know who you are *cough*

Nolyn is set 600ish years after the events of The Legends of the First Empire. Nolyn is the son of the Fhrey (Elf) king and his human wife. He is one of the first hybrid children ever produced and there are very few like him. He has been pretty much estranged from his king father for the past 500 years; they have a bit of a complicated relationship. But he has just been sent into an unwinnable battle in a war that has been going on fifty years and he is about to meet some people who will change his life forever.

“Something I’ve learned about people, both human and Fhrey, is that they hate having long-held beliefs challenged by facts, even about stupid things. Once you get something settled in your head, it becomes comfortable and difficult to dislodge.”

Luckily, Nolyn was sent out with Seventh Sikaria Auxillary Squadron; they don't seem to die as easily as other soldiers. Could be the Teshlor training their leader has given them. With a squadron in tow, Nolyn now has to find out who is trying to get him killed, even if it is probably his own father, and possibly find a way to make amends with the woman he has loved for centuries.

***Decisions based on a feeling. Women referred to it as intuition. Men called it gut instinct. His father believed such things to be foolishness, but his mother had referred to it as the Voice of Elan. Suri once told him his feelings were the sounds his soul heard when listening to the world singing the music of truth. Nolyn didn’t know which to believe, but he missed Sephryn, and those eyes reminded him of her.***

Sephryn is the daughter of Moya and Tekchin and another elf/human hybrid. Her son has been stolen by someone and will not be returned until she can figure out a way to steal a horn she has never heard of before. She will do anything to find her child, even if it means figuring out how to steal something from the Emperor himself.

The story is told with multiple PoVs so the reader can get into the head of all the important players. Even the villain, who readers of the other series will know, gives great insight into the motivations and the personalities of the characters. Moya was a favorite character of mine from the prior series, so it was hard to read how she could be with both her daughter and her husband, but it would be hard to grow old while those you loved stayed young looking and perfect. As a reader of all the books set in this world, I always marvel how history has been corrupted in the future and the real events are so different from the ones I first read. I also love how MJS takes something that you think you knew from the books set in the future and turns it completely on its heels making you see it so differently.

If you love fantasy I recommend all the books set in this world highly. The banter between characters, the twists, the betrayals and the workings of the gods of this world really do know how to capture the reader. He is in my top 5 fantasy authors and absolutely an auto-buy for me.

As always, this author has done an amazing job captivating me with the characters and world that he has created. This new series timeline is set in between The Legends of the First Empire and The Riyria Revelations. While I have not yet read The Riyria Revelations, I have made it part way through The Legends of the First Empire and was able to easily recognize the Easter eggs that Sullivan placed throughout this new adventure. This new series, The Rise and Fall, can easily be read on it’s own though without starting on the others first.

We are following multiple perspectives throughout the story:

Nolyn, the son of the current reigning emperor, begins the story being sent into what seems like a trap. He quickly realizes someone might be trying to get him killed. He ends up creating a bond with the squadron of soldiers that were sent with him. It almost felt like a found family and was one of my favorite parts of the story.

Sephryn is a councilwoman in the capital that faces her own tragedy right from the beginning. She begins to hear a ‘voice’ and has to follow its orders or her son will die.

There are multiple characters introduced to us, but each had their purpose. This story finished out STRONG. While it is a trilogy, it didn’t feel completely open ended. There is still much to discover and explore in the rest of the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grim Oak Press for approving this e-arc. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Nolyn by Michael J. Sullivan is the first book I finished this month. I read Riyria Revelations ages ago and I don't remember much, but it didn't hamper my enjoyment. And I probably missed a lot of cameos 🤷🏽‍♀️. IMO anyone can enjoy Nolyn with no background from previous books without feeling lost.

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆:
→an unputdownable read! I finished this in the wee hours of the night and I can confidently say, "No ragrets!"
→it hooked me right from the start, where after a few pages, a well-executed battle began
→rich in lore, fast-paced, epic battle scenes, and intricate plot
→Michael J. Sullivan's writing style is enjoyable! It flowed easily, beautiful, and no words wasted.
→the banters between the Seventh Sikaria Auxiliary squadron and Nolyn made me laugh at times and their camaraderie is heartwarming
→I love Nolyn and Nyphron's conversation. So weirdly good
→that last 20% was WILD!!!

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒅𝒊𝒅 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆:
→there are a lot of deus ex machina moments
→Nolyn's daddy issue

Overall, if you like epic fantasy goodness, magic, intense battles, humor, and friendship - Nolyn is perfect for you!

Thank you so much, Grim Oak Press and Netgalley for the DRC 🥰

I am glad I dug into Michael J Sullivan's previous novels prior to starting this one. It is constantly said by Sullivan that you need to have no prior knowledge of the world he has created or the the events of the previous books, but I found that this was not entirely true for this series. Going from Riyria Revelations to the Legends of the First Empire series or vice versa can very easily be done, as there are the most minor Easter eggs between the two. But I feel like readers will be missing a lot of important information and worldbuilding if they have not read the Legends of the First Empire series prior to starting the Rise and Fall series.

I'm hoping this series takes a more standalone format that is connected more by themes, than by being outright sequels as I have a hard time being invested in what happens to our two main characters following the conclusion of this story. The character building was strong enough in this book, though nowhere near as masterful as what Sullivan displayed in his LotFE series. This one also felt more rushed, and like the events of the novel didn't really have room to breathe and develop in comparison to both the Revelations and LotFE series. While this was nowhere near Sullivan's best work, it was still a fun tale that shows a little bit more of the history of this world.

I am guilty of owning several books by Michael J. Sullivan that are sitting, unread, in my house. Sorry - for me, that is. "Nolyn" is a great story that I thoroughly enjoyed. The characters are crafted very well, and there are more than a few surprises tucked away. The writing is engrossing, and it feels like no word is wasted. The world has been constructed with a lot of care, making it believable and one you'll want to return to.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

I really enjoyed this story. I have read some of the Riyria Revelations, so this is not my first experience in this world, but I am by no means well versed in the lore.

I thought that the story had a slow start- I don’t particularly care about military tactics, but I soon came to like all the characters that we are introduced to.

I feel like I needed more time with Nolan’s character. I don’t really feel like I know him and I don’t connect with him much.

Sephryn’s plot line was my favourite - I am a sucker for a good heist and it defiantly pulls on your heartstrings.

I found both plot lines to be very engaging and I was hooked once the story got going. Loved the little twists that popped up.

I would say that the ending dragged a bit after the battle - the wrap up was maybe a little long. I wish we had a little more build up of the relationship between Nolyn and Sephryn. We know that they were together up to a year ago and they love each other but not a lot is explored there and me being a romance lover, I just wish there was a little more substance there.

I feel like if this was the first time I’ve read a story in this world I could have used a bit more world building. There are references to people/events that I’m not really sure of and I would have loved to see a bit more of the magic.

I LOVED the ending(last page), so heartwarming!

Overall I really enjoyed continuing in this world with a new band of characters, and am interested to see where we are going next.