The Crown Tower: Book 1 of the Riyria Chronicles

Hadrian Blackwater is already a veteran at a young age. Returning home after the death of his father, he’s disillusioned with soldiering and not sure what to do next. Luckily, Professor Arcadius, a friend of his father’s, has an idea: team up with surly murderer Royce Melborn to commit crimes. The first in a series of prequels to Sullivan’s Riyria Revelations series adds nothing to Royce and Hadrian’s stories. Hadrian spends over 100 pages wandering the countryside, meeting an adorable orphan named Pickles and traveling on a barge before he is finally introduced to Royce. Meanwhile, Royce’s future love interest, Gwen, spends the entire book building a brothel, completely separate from the plot. When Hadrian does meet Royce, he turns out to be a sulky figure who wants to murder anyone who gets in his way, lacking all of his future warmth and personality. A disappointing outing from a good author, this prequel is of interest only for the most devoted Riyria fans. (Aug.)