TWO MEN WHO HATE EACH OTHER. ONE IMPOSSIBLE MISSION. A LEGEND IN THE MAKING. A warrior with nothing to fight for is paired with a thieving assassin with nothing to lose. Together they must steal a treasure that no one can reach. The Crown Tower is the impregnable remains of the grandest fortress ever built and home to the realm’s most valuable possessions. But it isn’t gold or jewels the old wizard is after, and this prize can only be obtained by the combined talents of two remarkable men. Now if Arcadius can just keep Hadrian and Royce from killing each other, they just might succeed. The Riyria Revelations and The Riyria Chronicles are two separate, but related series, and you can start reading with either Theft of Swords (publication order) or The Crown Tower (chronological order).

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 short story 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). This is now a chapter in Ryria Chronicles # 2: The Rose and the Thorn, so for those looking to read the entire series in order, reading this short story on its own isn't necessary.

TWO THIEVES WANT ANSWERS. RIYRIA IS BORN. For more than a year Royce Melborn has tried to forget Gwen DeLancy, the woman who saved him and his partner Hadrian Blackwater from certain death. Unable to get her out of his mind, the two thieves return to Medford but receive a very different reception —- Gwen refuses to see them. The victim of abuse by a powerful noble, she suspects that Royce will ignore any danger in his desire for revenge. By turning the thieves away, Gwen hopes to once more protect them. What she doesn't realize is what the two are capable of —- but she's about to find out.

WHO WILL HAVE THE LAST LAUGH? Stop me if you’ve heard this one. A thief, a candlemaker, an ex-mercenary, and a pig farmer walk into a trap…and what happens to them is no joke. When Riyria is hired to retrieve a jester’s treasure, Royce and Hadrian must match wits with a dwarf who proves to be anything but a fool. Difficult choices will need to be made, and in the end those who laugh last do so because they are the only ones to survive. This is a standalone short story of 7,200 words, originally published in the Unfettered anthology. No prior knowledge of The Riyria Revelations or The Riyria Chronicles is required to enjoy it to its fullest, making this a perfect introduction for new readers or a chance for Riyria veterans to spend a little more time with old friends. The Jester is a story of adventure, bonds of friendship, and a recognition that the choices we make dictates the future we find.

One of the genre's favorite pairs returns in a classic fantasy short for both Riyria veterans and first-time readers. Several years have passed since the war-weary mercenary Hadrian and cynical ex-assassin Royce joined forces to start their thieves-for-hire organization better known as Riyria. Things have gone well enough for the team as they do "jobs" for various nobles throughout Elan. Usually that means stealing something, but when a young heiress asks them to steal her…well, that's a first for the pair. All is not as it seems, but Royce is determined to get the bottom of what's actually going on. After all, he has his professional integrity at stake. Originally released in the Blackguards anthology published by Ragnarok Publications, this is a standalone short story of 10,800 words. No prior knowledge of The Riyria Revelations or The Riyria Chronicles is required to enjoy it to its fullest, making this a perfect introduction for new readers or a chance for existing fans to spend a little more time with old friends.

Three times they tried to kill her. Then a professional was hired. So was Riyria. When the last member of the oldest noble family in Avryn is targeted for assassination, Riyria is hired to foil the plot. Three years have passed since the war-weary mercenary Hadrian and the cynical ex-assassin Royce joined forces to start life as rogues-for-hire. Things have gone well enough until they're asked to help prevent a murder. Now they must venture into an ancient corner of the world to save a mysterious woman who knows more about Royce than is safe and cares less about herself than is sane. From the best-selling author of The Riyria Revelations comes the third installment of The Riyria Chronicles. Although part of a series, it's designed to thrill both new readers looking for fun, fast-paced fantasy and Riyria veterans wishing to reunite with old friends.

A daughter vanishes. Two rogues are paid a fortune to find her. It isn't enough. When Gabriel Winter's daughter mysteriously disappears and is presumed dead, the wealthy whiskey baron seeks revenge. Having lived in Colnora during the infamous Year of Fear, he hires the one man he knows can deliver a bloody retribution - the notorious Duster. Ride with Royce and Hadrian as the cynical ex-assassin and idealistic ex-mercenary travel to a mysterious old-world city filled with nobles claiming descent from imperial aristocracy. Riyria's job appears easy: discover what happened to the missing duchess and, if she lives, bring her home . . . if not, punish those responsible. But nothing is simple in the crowded, narrow, mist-filled streets of Rochelle, where more than one ancient legend lurks.

Adding a placeholder for the next Riyria Chronicle. If you are a longtime Riyria fan, the title will be all you need to know about this book. Yes, we finally see what happened to Royce and Hadrian when they went to the dwarves tower of Drumindor for the first time. Don't have a release date for it...yet. But response of The Disappearance of Winter's Daughter makes it HIGHLY likely I'll be starting this book after finishing my new series, The Rise and Fall.

THEY ATTACKED TWO RIDERS. THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE EASY. THEY WERE WRONG. A band of thieves set upon two lonely riders in the middle of the night. They had a larger party. They had the element of surprise. There was no reason to be concerned. But they didn’t realize who they were dealing with. NOTE: This was originally published as the first chapter of Theft of Swords, so for those who have that book save your money…you already have this story. It's being provided as a free introduction for new readers of the Riyria books.

Discover how the Riyria Revelations began! BLOOD OF THIEVES collects two complete novels containing the earliest adventures of the heroes of Michael Sullivan's smash-hit epic fantasy saga! THE CROWN TOWER: Two men who hate each other. One impossible mission. A legend in the making. Hadrian Blackwater, a warrior with nothing to fight for is paired with Royce Melborn, a thieving assassin with nothing to lose. Together they must steal a treasure that no one can reach. The Crown Tower is the impregnable remains of the grandest fortress ever built and home to the realm's most prized possessions. But it isn't gold or jewels that the old wizard is after, and if he can keep them from killing each other they become a legendary team. THE ROSE AND THE THORN: A dear friend is brutally beaten. Two thieves want answers. Riyria is born. For more than a year Royce Melborn has tried to forget Gwen DeLancy, the woman who saved him and his partner Hadrian Blackwater from certain death. Unable to get her out of his mind, the two thieves return to Medford but receive a very different reception—Gwen refuses to see them. The victim of abuse by a powerful noble, she suspects Royce will ignore any danger and seek revenge. By turning the thieves away, Gwen hopes to protect them once more. What she doesn't realize is what the two are capable of, but she's about to find out. The Riyria Chronicles are prequels to The Riyria Revelations and the books can be read in either order of publication (starting with Theft of Swords) or chronological order (The Crown Tower). "Best of" and "Most Anticipated" Lists The Crown Tower \* 2013 Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Fantasy \* 2013 Audible Best of Everything \* 2013 Audible's 5-star Listens for Fantasy \* 2013 Fantasy Faction's Top 25 Fantasy Books \* 2013 Shadowhawk Shades' Top 6 Fantasy Reads \* 2013 Confessions of an Avid Reader's Top 10 Books \* 2013 Audible's August Customer Favorites \* 2013 Shadowhawk Shade's Reading Award for August \* 2013 Fantasy Book Review's Six (non-hyped) Most Anticipated Books \* 2013 Fantasy Faction's Top 10 Most Anticipated Books \* 2013 Ranting Dragon's 50 Fantasy and Sci-Fi Novels to Look Forward \* 2013 BestFantasyBooks.com's Most Anticipated Fantasy Reads \* 2013 Shadowhawk's Shade Most Anticipated Releases \* 2013 A Fantasy Reader's Eager Meter Nominee \* 2013 Draumr Kopa Fantasy Book Blog Waiting on Wednesday The Rose and the Thorn \* 2013 Fantasy Faction's Top 25 Fantasy Books of 2013 \* 2013 Confessions of an Avid Reader's Top 10 Books \* 2013 Audible's September Customer Favorites