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Crown and Tide #0.5
The Revenge of Thousands
Before we were TRAITORS…
Before there was a GRAVE waiting for us all..
While more than WORMS remained…
It started with a war. It began with REVENGE.
Praise for the Crown and Tide
“The narrative voice really shines here. Every character has a unique voice and interesting perspective…” —Timothy Wolff, author of Platinum Tinted Darkness
“…the author makes so many great character observations that I'm reminded of Brent Weeks in the lightbringer series and of Joe Abercrombie in the First Law trilogy.” —Dylan West, the author of Scribes’ Descent
“Wow. What a great study in well-laid intrigue. It had all the right pieces, from those who thought themselves clever, to those that were. It was a rolling stone with not a bit of moss growing upon it as it rolled toward its inevitable and well-laid end.” —Andrew D Meredith, author of Needle and Leaf and the Kallattian Saga
“Michael is another writer on my list of when their book releases, it goes to the front of my TBR. He’s hooked me, and I can’t wait to see what he has in store!”—David’s Best Reads
Before there was a GRAVE waiting for us all..
While more than WORMS remained…
It started with a war. It began with REVENGE.
Praise for the Crown and Tide
“The narrative voice really shines here. Every character has a unique voice and interesting perspective…” —Timothy Wolff, author of Platinum Tinted Darkness
“…the author makes so many great character observations that I'm reminded of Brent Weeks in the lightbringer series and of Joe Abercrombie in the First Law trilogy.” —Dylan West, the author of Scribes’ Descent
“Wow. What a great study in well-laid intrigue. It had all the right pieces, from those who thought themselves clever, to those that were. It was a rolling stone with not a bit of moss growing upon it as it rolled toward its inevitable and well-laid end.” —Andrew D Meredith, author of Needle and Leaf and the Kallattian Saga
“Michael is another writer on my list of when their book releases, it goes to the front of my TBR. He’s hooked me, and I can’t wait to see what he has in store!”—David’s Best Reads
- GenresFantasy
132 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 25, 2023
About the author
Michael Roberti
3 books57 followersAbout Michael Roberti
From the time I was young, I loved books and words.
I was born in Maryland, and lived there until I was 9. Early on in my educational experience I found a love of books and poems, and the librarians of Laurel, Maryland knew me by name.
Later, I moved to Florida with my family. I continued my love of books and have fond memories of ignoring teachers’ lessons, so I could pillage their classroom libraries.
Eventually, I started a punk band with my best friend and we put out a few EPs and even did a full Florida tour. I started as a lyrics writing bass player, and eventually got the confidence to become the vocalist.
My band eventually broke up, and I did the only two things I could think to do: learn how to play Dungeons and Dragons and go to college.
I graduated from Appalachian Stare University in Boone North Carolina with a degree in English, Secondary Education in 2011. Somewhere in this adventure I decided to stay in NC.
Over the last 10+ years I’ve been: teaching, getting married, having two kids, and playing tons of DnD.
I came up with the world that would become Aithe in 2013, and the basic plot for The Traitors We Are in 2015, but could never find the motivation to write. For years these thoughts only coalesced into lore for the world I was DMing. In 2021, I decided to get serious about writing and Traitors was born.
The question I get asked the most is, “What gave you the idea to write about a world where writing disappears when someone dies?”
That’s tough to answer. I remember when the idea occurred to me, and I think there are two parts to it. The first is that history is already manipulated by the “winners” and those that write it down. How much of what we “know” is actually true?
The other thought was that there is already so much lost knowledge in our world. How much more would be lost if we lived on a world like Aithe? Even small wonders of technology would seem like magic if they had been lost for centuries. The words themselves would become the real magic.
So, that’s me. I love writing and words and believe in their power. I hope you join me on this journey as I attempt to make some magic of my own.
From the time I was young, I loved books and words.
I was born in Maryland, and lived there until I was 9. Early on in my educational experience I found a love of books and poems, and the librarians of Laurel, Maryland knew me by name.
Later, I moved to Florida with my family. I continued my love of books and have fond memories of ignoring teachers’ lessons, so I could pillage their classroom libraries.
Eventually, I started a punk band with my best friend and we put out a few EPs and even did a full Florida tour. I started as a lyrics writing bass player, and eventually got the confidence to become the vocalist.
My band eventually broke up, and I did the only two things I could think to do: learn how to play Dungeons and Dragons and go to college.
I graduated from Appalachian Stare University in Boone North Carolina with a degree in English, Secondary Education in 2011. Somewhere in this adventure I decided to stay in NC.
Over the last 10+ years I’ve been: teaching, getting married, having two kids, and playing tons of DnD.
I came up with the world that would become Aithe in 2013, and the basic plot for The Traitors We Are in 2015, but could never find the motivation to write. For years these thoughts only coalesced into lore for the world I was DMing. In 2021, I decided to get serious about writing and Traitors was born.
The question I get asked the most is, “What gave you the idea to write about a world where writing disappears when someone dies?”
That’s tough to answer. I remember when the idea occurred to me, and I think there are two parts to it. The first is that history is already manipulated by the “winners” and those that write it down. How much of what we “know” is actually true?
The other thought was that there is already so much lost knowledge in our world. How much more would be lost if we lived on a world like Aithe? Even small wonders of technology would seem like magic if they had been lost for centuries. The words themselves would become the real magic.
So, that’s me. I love writing and words and believe in their power. I hope you join me on this journey as I attempt to make some magic of my own.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
December 17, 2023
Review originally on
JamReads
The Revenge of Thousands is an introductory novella to the grim fantasy series Crown & Tide, written by Michael Roberti. An ambitious story told from multiple POV that tries to set up the situation that is shown in The Traitors We Are, the major novel on the series; an appetizer, which in my opinion works better after reading the big one.
We get to appreciate some of the bigger details of the world, such as the particularity that when a person dies, all his writing disappears; bringing so many interesting situations. Roberti tries to set the story using a number of morally grey characters from both sides of the war that is starting; however, it feels we should know more about them to fully understand their motivations (in that sense, I would call this as a companion novella to The Revenge of Thousands).
The writing is really competent, shining especially the cleanliness of how action scenes are portrayed; there are many lines that stand with you after closing the book, and for me, it was the particular highlight of this reading.
While I would recommend reading this book after the main novel, The Revenge of Thousands is a competent companion novella to his world of Crown & Tide; you can appreciate some of his strengths, and hopefully, it catches you to read the rest of the series.
Disclaimer: This novella has been read as part of the SFINCS. This review/rating only represents my personal opinion and it might differ with what the team decides.
The Revenge of Thousands is an introductory novella to the grim fantasy series Crown & Tide, written by Michael Roberti. An ambitious story told from multiple POV that tries to set up the situation that is shown in The Traitors We Are, the major novel on the series; an appetizer, which in my opinion works better after reading the big one.
We get to appreciate some of the bigger details of the world, such as the particularity that when a person dies, all his writing disappears; bringing so many interesting situations. Roberti tries to set the story using a number of morally grey characters from both sides of the war that is starting; however, it feels we should know more about them to fully understand their motivations (in that sense, I would call this as a companion novella to The Revenge of Thousands).
The writing is really competent, shining especially the cleanliness of how action scenes are portrayed; there are many lines that stand with you after closing the book, and for me, it was the particular highlight of this reading.
While I would recommend reading this book after the main novel, The Revenge of Thousands is a competent companion novella to his world of Crown & Tide; you can appreciate some of his strengths, and hopefully, it catches you to read the rest of the series.
Disclaimer: This novella has been read as part of the SFINCS. This review/rating only represents my personal opinion and it might differ with what the team decides.
July 4, 2023
A great introduction to the world! Compelling characters, rebellions, battles and betrayals. I can’t wait to experience more of Crown and Tide.
June 7, 2023
4/5 Stars
Battles, plotting and characters you’ll come to love. The Revenge of Thousands by Michael Roberti is a self-published prequel novella to the Crown and Tide series.
This is a multi POV story that follows a hardy people known as the Reachmen, while a carefully plotted war sets into motion. By following these characters and their roles within the plot this novella easily piqued my curiosity and invested me into the story.
I was also impressed with how much is packed into 134 pages. With great twists, reveals and complex character relationships amid all the plotting, and bloody battles the pacing was well done. Michael Roberti gives leaves just enough breadcrumbs for readers to follow along. This was a great introduction to the series and I will certainly be continuing to find out what happens next.
Battles, plotting and characters you’ll come to love. The Revenge of Thousands by Michael Roberti is a self-published prequel novella to the Crown and Tide series.
This is a multi POV story that follows a hardy people known as the Reachmen, while a carefully plotted war sets into motion. By following these characters and their roles within the plot this novella easily piqued my curiosity and invested me into the story.
I was also impressed with how much is packed into 134 pages. With great twists, reveals and complex character relationships amid all the plotting, and bloody battles the pacing was well done. Michael Roberti gives leaves just enough breadcrumbs for readers to follow along. This was a great introduction to the series and I will certainly be continuing to find out what happens next.
November 17, 2023
I received this novella to judge for SFINCS. Opinion is my own, and does not represent that made by the team. I did also happen to purchase this in paperback, as I prefer to read physical, and I liked the cover.
As a prequel, I was surprised how character focused this was, especially because it came out after the series first book (something that seems quite popular in current fantasy series). It opens right into a very morally grey set of characters, and as with all wars, they are on both sides. I enjoyed all of the perspectives and the ways in which they were different. And the author definitely has a deft hand with written intrigue.
The world seems to have a system where whenever someone dies, everything they’ve ever handwritten disappears. It’s intriguing for sure, though just barely touched upon. I don’t know if this is because you are supposed to be teased into reading the first book, or because it was originally explained at length in the novel, but as a standalone for SFINCS, it didn’t really work for me, feeling more like a possible companion to book one in that sense, rather than a standalone prequel.
The action sequences, though rather short, are intense, written well, and definitely make you feel like you’re thrust right into the thick of it. Because it’s character focused though, I do feel like it fell a bit short on delivering against its title of “The Revenge of Thousands.”
Personally a 3.5/5*. I am trying to judge it as a standalone for the competition, but my own thoughts are that I would very gladly continue right into the first book!
As a prequel, I was surprised how character focused this was, especially because it came out after the series first book (something that seems quite popular in current fantasy series). It opens right into a very morally grey set of characters, and as with all wars, they are on both sides. I enjoyed all of the perspectives and the ways in which they were different. And the author definitely has a deft hand with written intrigue.
The world seems to have a system where whenever someone dies, everything they’ve ever handwritten disappears. It’s intriguing for sure, though just barely touched upon. I don’t know if this is because you are supposed to be teased into reading the first book, or because it was originally explained at length in the novel, but as a standalone for SFINCS, it didn’t really work for me, feeling more like a possible companion to book one in that sense, rather than a standalone prequel.
The action sequences, though rather short, are intense, written well, and definitely make you feel like you’re thrust right into the thick of it. Because it’s character focused though, I do feel like it fell a bit short on delivering against its title of “The Revenge of Thousands.”
Personally a 3.5/5*. I am trying to judge it as a standalone for the competition, but my own thoughts are that I would very gladly continue right into the first book!
April 26, 2023
Super fun, quick read. It went by faster than I expected because the end has preview chapters for the other books.
It’s been over a year since I read the original, so I was a bit worried I wouldn’t remember the majority of the characters outside of the major ones. That ended not being an issue because just like book one, everyone is written in a unique manner that clearly defines their role and who they are. I praised the narrative voice for book one and it’s even stronger here. Emil really shines and gives my favorite line:
“Emil didn’t need ideas clouding his judgment about right and wrong. What he needed was the facts, and the facts were this: They were right and the Reach was wrong.”
While I thoroughly enjoyed this novella, I strongly recommend reading book one first if you haven’t already. This read more of a character study than a standalone and, I think a lot of the emotional impact is lacking if you don’t know the events of book one.
It’s been over a year since I read the original, so I was a bit worried I wouldn’t remember the majority of the characters outside of the major ones. That ended not being an issue because just like book one, everyone is written in a unique manner that clearly defines their role and who they are. I praised the narrative voice for book one and it’s even stronger here. Emil really shines and gives my favorite line:
“Emil didn’t need ideas clouding his judgment about right and wrong. What he needed was the facts, and the facts were this: They were right and the Reach was wrong.”
While I thoroughly enjoyed this novella, I strongly recommend reading book one first if you haven’t already. This read more of a character study than a standalone and, I think a lot of the emotional impact is lacking if you don’t know the events of book one.
June 22, 2023
Solid characters and world building packed into this sweet novella
This prequel novella to the Crown and Tide series sets a great example of what I hope to find in the first book, The Traitors We Are. I loved the little cliff hanger at the end. I’m hoping The Traitors We Are. picks up right where we left off. I have that one ready to go on my Kindle.
This prequel novella to the Crown and Tide series sets a great example of what I hope to find in the first book, The Traitors We Are. I loved the little cliff hanger at the end. I’m hoping The Traitors We Are. picks up right where we left off. I have that one ready to go on my Kindle.
May 24, 2023
The Revenge of Thousands: Crown and Tide Prequel by Michael Roberti
Rating 4 out of 5 Stars
The Revenge of Thousands is a great character study and manages to make you curious about whats to come in the first book of the Crown and Tide series. But I would recommend reading this prequel after "The Traitors We Are" (book one of the Crown and Tide series).
Let me tell you why.
This book was my first contact with the characters and the story Roberti created and you are thrown right into the action. You don't know any of the characters and feel a little lost. I would say it took me about 1.5 to 2 chapters to click, and to be honest, that might put some readers off. But once I started to understand a bit what was going on, who was who and how it all connects, this prequel hooked me and I can't wait to dive deeper into the story.
I think you'll understand some of the things that happen in the first book a little better after this prequel and that's a good thing, but I think the emotional impact might be better if you read "The Traitors We Are"first.
Still, it was a great introduction to the world of Crown and Tide. You get to know the characters, understand them and feel for them. And that's the strong point, each character has his own voice and you will be able to recognize who is with you after this prequel.
It's a cruel world where a war is raging, where no one is save and where you get hints of intrigue. It sets the stage for what's to come in the first major installment.
If you don't mind being thrown right into the action and doing some work to understand what's going on this might be a good start for you in this series, if you want to have a greater understanding from start to finish grab "The Traitors We Are" before diving into the Revenge of Thousands.
All in all it is an interesting start and made me want to read more of Roberti's work.
Rating 4 out of 5 Stars
The Revenge of Thousands is a great character study and manages to make you curious about whats to come in the first book of the Crown and Tide series. But I would recommend reading this prequel after "The Traitors We Are" (book one of the Crown and Tide series).
Let me tell you why.
This book was my first contact with the characters and the story Roberti created and you are thrown right into the action. You don't know any of the characters and feel a little lost. I would say it took me about 1.5 to 2 chapters to click, and to be honest, that might put some readers off. But once I started to understand a bit what was going on, who was who and how it all connects, this prequel hooked me and I can't wait to dive deeper into the story.
I think you'll understand some of the things that happen in the first book a little better after this prequel and that's a good thing, but I think the emotional impact might be better if you read "The Traitors We Are"first.
Still, it was a great introduction to the world of Crown and Tide. You get to know the characters, understand them and feel for them. And that's the strong point, each character has his own voice and you will be able to recognize who is with you after this prequel.
It's a cruel world where a war is raging, where no one is save and where you get hints of intrigue. It sets the stage for what's to come in the first major installment.
If you don't mind being thrown right into the action and doing some work to understand what's going on this might be a good start for you in this series, if you want to have a greater understanding from start to finish grab "The Traitors We Are" before diving into the Revenge of Thousands.
All in all it is an interesting start and made me want to read more of Roberti's work.
Read
March 29, 2024This book was reviewed as part of the Speculative Fiction Indie Novella Championship, or SFINCS, which I am judging as part of Team Jamreads. This review contains my honest thoughts and does not represent the opinion or final rating of the team.
The cover to The Revenge of Thousands, along with a pretty evocative name, promised me epic battles and it certainly didn’t disappoint on that front! This is a prequel to the Crown and Tide series, which explores the beginnings of war between two factions.
Characters
The Revenge of Thousands is a multi-POV story spanning a particular family, who are effectively a group of rebels fighting against the current ruling class. Each of these characters brings a different perspective to the war as it plays out. We start with Lorcen, older son to the rebel leader Ordan, and a man who specialises in shadowy games behind the scenes and stealthy tactical missions on behalf of his dear dad. Then we have Cael, the younger son who is more your typical soldier in battle, and it’s his POV that we see most of the fighting take place. However, what I appreciated about this story is that we get to see chapters from other points of view beyond the fighting. I especially liked Ordan’s chapters, which showed him to be a charismatic leader plotting and scheming, and also Merily, his daughter, who showed how war affects those left behind.
While I did appreciate seeing different POV chapters, I do think there may have been too many to fit in a single novella, which meant the character POVs didn’t make any meaningful changes during the story. The story does go into the background of these characters, which I think would be more interesting to fans and readers of the series who had already read book one, but as a newcomer, this didn’t quite work for me as I didn’t know these characters or their history. I was, however, pleasantly surprised to see one of the main POV characters identity as queer, though this was sadly never explored or touched upon again.
Setting
The setting reminded me of the Iron Islands from Game of Thrones, though it also comes with a distinct Celtic feel, especially in the dialogue accents and descriptions of food. I’m always a sucker for food descriptions in fantasy! It definitely gave me traditional fantasy vibes with plenty of sword fighting going on. There didn’t seem to be magic as such, apart from one cool world building element – when a person dies in this world, everything they’ve ever written is erased, which I imagine would make libraries rather awkward. Unfortunately, the story never explores this idea, so I can only assume it comes up in the main series.
Plot
The plot, then, is the beginning of a war between two factions as parties in the background move the various chess pieces for war, and the various POV characters take part in battles or prepare themselves for the battles to come. If you enjoy reading about skirmishes and war, then this will be of more interest to you than I, as I came to the conclusion that medieval wars aren’t really my thing. I was far more interested in the scheming going on in the background than the actual battles.
Unfortunately, The Revenge of Thousands really did read as a prequel story and I felt it didn’t do a good enough job acting as a standalone. The story acts more as a tease and build up to the larger series to come, which meant many of the interesting plot pieces that are revealed never actually reach a satisfying conclusion or are mentioned again. I imagine these are later explored in the main series. Sadly, this is the risk with prequel novellas.
Writing
I found the writing style mostly easy to follow, but there were a few editing errors that I came across throughout. I also found the accents within the dialogue quite hard to read at times, and would have enjoyed the story more if this had been toned down.
Enjoyment
Overall, I feel as though The Revenge of Thousands would be more enjoyable if you’d already read book one of the Crown and Tide series and wanted more. As a standalone, The Revenge of Thousands didn’t do enough to entice me and left me with unresolved plot points.
Cover Art and Formatting
I quite like the cover art, which does what it says on the tin – armies fighting! I also appreciate the cover scheme and how it merges with the ocean.
The cover to The Revenge of Thousands, along with a pretty evocative name, promised me epic battles and it certainly didn’t disappoint on that front! This is a prequel to the Crown and Tide series, which explores the beginnings of war between two factions.
Characters
The Revenge of Thousands is a multi-POV story spanning a particular family, who are effectively a group of rebels fighting against the current ruling class. Each of these characters brings a different perspective to the war as it plays out. We start with Lorcen, older son to the rebel leader Ordan, and a man who specialises in shadowy games behind the scenes and stealthy tactical missions on behalf of his dear dad. Then we have Cael, the younger son who is more your typical soldier in battle, and it’s his POV that we see most of the fighting take place. However, what I appreciated about this story is that we get to see chapters from other points of view beyond the fighting. I especially liked Ordan’s chapters, which showed him to be a charismatic leader plotting and scheming, and also Merily, his daughter, who showed how war affects those left behind.
While I did appreciate seeing different POV chapters, I do think there may have been too many to fit in a single novella, which meant the character POVs didn’t make any meaningful changes during the story. The story does go into the background of these characters, which I think would be more interesting to fans and readers of the series who had already read book one, but as a newcomer, this didn’t quite work for me as I didn’t know these characters or their history. I was, however, pleasantly surprised to see one of the main POV characters identity as queer, though this was sadly never explored or touched upon again.
Setting
The setting reminded me of the Iron Islands from Game of Thrones, though it also comes with a distinct Celtic feel, especially in the dialogue accents and descriptions of food. I’m always a sucker for food descriptions in fantasy! It definitely gave me traditional fantasy vibes with plenty of sword fighting going on. There didn’t seem to be magic as such, apart from one cool world building element – when a person dies in this world, everything they’ve ever written is erased, which I imagine would make libraries rather awkward. Unfortunately, the story never explores this idea, so I can only assume it comes up in the main series.
Plot
The plot, then, is the beginning of a war between two factions as parties in the background move the various chess pieces for war, and the various POV characters take part in battles or prepare themselves for the battles to come. If you enjoy reading about skirmishes and war, then this will be of more interest to you than I, as I came to the conclusion that medieval wars aren’t really my thing. I was far more interested in the scheming going on in the background than the actual battles.
Unfortunately, The Revenge of Thousands really did read as a prequel story and I felt it didn’t do a good enough job acting as a standalone. The story acts more as a tease and build up to the larger series to come, which meant many of the interesting plot pieces that are revealed never actually reach a satisfying conclusion or are mentioned again. I imagine these are later explored in the main series. Sadly, this is the risk with prequel novellas.
Writing
I found the writing style mostly easy to follow, but there were a few editing errors that I came across throughout. I also found the accents within the dialogue quite hard to read at times, and would have enjoyed the story more if this had been toned down.
Enjoyment
Overall, I feel as though The Revenge of Thousands would be more enjoyable if you’d already read book one of the Crown and Tide series and wanted more. As a standalone, The Revenge of Thousands didn’t do enough to entice me and left me with unresolved plot points.
Cover Art and Formatting
I quite like the cover art, which does what it says on the tin – armies fighting! I also appreciate the cover scheme and how it merges with the ocean.
March 20, 2024
The Revenge of Thousands by Michael Roberti is a prequel to The Traitors We Are, though I would certainly recommend reading it after the latter. I feel it's strong enough on it's own to be read initially but I'm not sure the reader would have as strong of a connection to these characters without that story first being told. At least that is the order I've read it in and how I felt about it.
This one had been on my radar for a few months but Michael reached out to me regarding book two coming out very soon so I figured I better get this one worked into my rotation sooner rather than later. And yes, A Grave for Us All is also in my rotation over the next month or two here still.
The pacing was smooth with a good amount of ebb and flow just like book one had. The Revenge of Thousands had a very epic fantasy feel to it considering it was the length of a novella. To anyone that has read the first book in the series these should be very familiar characters and locations.
The worldbuilding from my perspective simply added more depth to the story I've already been told. It was interesting to get these additional layers of things that transpired in The Traitors We Are. Other than that, I wouldn't say there is much new here. I've tried to put myself into the point of view being a reader entering the series with this book and I just can't imagine. I think it may be strong enough to hold up on its own and still be a good sample of Michael's style but I just can't say for sure.
The character development was good. Again it's difficult for me to picture these character arcs on their own without my previous knowledge of them. However, I will say that this really did add to several arcs when looking at the overall works combine both this book and the first. It just added even more to helping me understand what these characters have gone through and what they may have been thinking when events were transpiring.
To me this book immediately and continually provided me two things. The first is a nice reminder of the characters and events from The Traitors We Are and second to add so much more depth to those characters. Most of this novella provided additional insight or points of view from things that happened in book one that we weren't privy to in that read. I felt book one was a very good length though so I'm happy that Michael decided to provide this information to the reader in this format instead of dumping all of this into that first book.
If you've read The Traitors We Are and enjoyed it, I'd highly recommend picking this one up. If you read this before book one, I'm not sure how that would go but I will say keep in mind this is only a small part of what is going on in this world. I still think it's a good representation of the story the author is providing with the series regardless.
The only constructive criticism I had with this read is that the Kindle version I was reading didn't seem as polished from an editing view as The Traitors We Are. I did come across a handful or more of editing issues in the form of typos or incorrect words that didn't seem to fit what was trying to be said. These weren't a huge issue but I don't recall book one having this issue.
This one had been on my radar for a few months but Michael reached out to me regarding book two coming out very soon so I figured I better get this one worked into my rotation sooner rather than later. And yes, A Grave for Us All is also in my rotation over the next month or two here still.
The pacing was smooth with a good amount of ebb and flow just like book one had. The Revenge of Thousands had a very epic fantasy feel to it considering it was the length of a novella. To anyone that has read the first book in the series these should be very familiar characters and locations.
The worldbuilding from my perspective simply added more depth to the story I've already been told. It was interesting to get these additional layers of things that transpired in The Traitors We Are. Other than that, I wouldn't say there is much new here. I've tried to put myself into the point of view being a reader entering the series with this book and I just can't imagine. I think it may be strong enough to hold up on its own and still be a good sample of Michael's style but I just can't say for sure.
The character development was good. Again it's difficult for me to picture these character arcs on their own without my previous knowledge of them. However, I will say that this really did add to several arcs when looking at the overall works combine both this book and the first. It just added even more to helping me understand what these characters have gone through and what they may have been thinking when events were transpiring.
To me this book immediately and continually provided me two things. The first is a nice reminder of the characters and events from The Traitors We Are and second to add so much more depth to those characters. Most of this novella provided additional insight or points of view from things that happened in book one that we weren't privy to in that read. I felt book one was a very good length though so I'm happy that Michael decided to provide this information to the reader in this format instead of dumping all of this into that first book.
If you've read The Traitors We Are and enjoyed it, I'd highly recommend picking this one up. If you read this before book one, I'm not sure how that would go but I will say keep in mind this is only a small part of what is going on in this world. I still think it's a good representation of the story the author is providing with the series regardless.
The only constructive criticism I had with this read is that the Kindle version I was reading didn't seem as polished from an editing view as The Traitors We Are. I did come across a handful or more of editing issues in the form of typos or incorrect words that didn't seem to fit what was trying to be said. These weren't a huge issue but I don't recall book one having this issue.
May 21, 2023
This was read in one sitting, and started ten minutes after finishing book 1.
The author is brilliant had instantly dragging you into the story. I am also really glad the author recommended picking this up second.
Instantly attached to the characters and consequently the twists and shocking moments, hit even harder.
Can't wait to continue this series
The author is brilliant had instantly dragging you into the story. I am also really glad the author recommended picking this up second.
Instantly attached to the characters and consequently the twists and shocking moments, hit even harder.
Can't wait to continue this series
May 12, 2023
Battles and blood
Roberti has a way with prose. There were so many good lines and the twist toward the end really got me.
Roberti has a way with prose. There were so many good lines and the twist toward the end really got me.
August 26, 2023
Prequel
We have many stories from different characters' points of view. From those, we start understanding the world they live in and the conflicts they are facing. As war starts, we know there's more to it than what we see and that things are about to get interesting.
One thing that it's important to mention is that the world has the characteristic that once you die, everything you have ever written goes blank. That adds something interesting to the dynamics and the actions of the people in that world that have to get around this.
We have many stories from different characters' points of view. From those, we start understanding the world they live in and the conflicts they are facing. As war starts, we know there's more to it than what we see and that things are about to get interesting.
One thing that it's important to mention is that the world has the characteristic that once you die, everything you have ever written goes blank. That adds something interesting to the dynamics and the actions of the people in that world that have to get around this.
October 24, 2023
This was an excellent prequel novella with great character work and fast pacing.
I enjoyed that this novella gives some screen time to characters that had smaller roles in The Traitors We Are, and gave extra background on a couple of the major ones. To me that is one of the major benefits of a prequel novella and Roberti delivered. We get extra context into the lives of these characters which helps us understand them better and the decisions they make later on. A particular highlight for me were Lorcen's chapters and reading more about his ties with Merily. As in the first novel, Roberti has a gift for character voices and each of the POVs had a distinct feeling that made them easily recognizable. Emil is a character I love to hate and his chapters were a lot of fun.
I read book one before reading this prequel and that is my recommended reading order, though you could read this one first without issue. If you read this first I would think of it as an introduction to the characters of the world and an intro the writing style of the author. Whichever order you choose, I think any fantasy readers who enjoy character driven stories filled with intrigue and deception will enjoy both this novella, as well as The Traitors We Are.
I enjoyed that this novella gives some screen time to characters that had smaller roles in The Traitors We Are, and gave extra background on a couple of the major ones. To me that is one of the major benefits of a prequel novella and Roberti delivered. We get extra context into the lives of these characters which helps us understand them better and the decisions they make later on. A particular highlight for me were Lorcen's chapters and reading more about his ties with Merily. As in the first novel, Roberti has a gift for character voices and each of the POVs had a distinct feeling that made them easily recognizable. Emil is a character I love to hate and his chapters were a lot of fun.
I read book one before reading this prequel and that is my recommended reading order, though you could read this one first without issue. If you read this first I would think of it as an introduction to the characters of the world and an intro the writing style of the author. Whichever order you choose, I think any fantasy readers who enjoy character driven stories filled with intrigue and deception will enjoy both this novella, as well as The Traitors We Are.
January 15, 2024
It’s one of those difficult decisions fantasy readers often face … whether to start a series with its first novel or a prequel novella.
The novel is invariably published first and is usually (but not always) a slower-burn introduction, giving the reader time and space to ease into the world and get to know the characters before the action hots up.
The prequel novella is normally a faster-paced launch pad, making the most of its smaller word count to grab the reader by the neck at full throttle pace from the off.
Having eyed up Michael Roberti’s work for some time, I finally took the plunge and dived into his Crown and Tide series through the novella route.
It worked well for me, providing a bite-sized taster of Roberti’s world through the war which precedes the main series.
The Revenge of Thousands starts with a chilling cold open as we witness gory murder at the birth of a bloody rebellion. It’s visceral and firmly establishes the tone of this gritty tale.
The plot then ebbs and flows through some great character work and torrents of brutal combat as the Tides tribes try to overthrow the rulers of their homeland, the Reach.
The uprising sees a maelstrom of political machinations and intrigue as the different forces make their power plays, with intense battles and deadly games of strategy serving up plenty of drama and tension.
The 134 well-paced pages feature shocking betrayals and reveals as the story twists and turns towards its climax, however the character dynamics and some standout lines impressed me the most.
Roberti lets the story slow down and breathe with some tender moments, and this provides a great counterpoint to the action.
The multiple POVs have distinct personalities and motivations. They are on the grey side of the moral spectrum, which you’d expect from a grim tale told from opposing perspectives of a conflict.
I enjoyed the glimpse of the magic way in which writing disappears when the person who penned it dies. It’s an interesting premise and I’m keen to discover more about the causes and consequences of it.
In conclusion, it was probably a risky choice starting the Crown and Tide with this novella, and it may have lessened some of the potential emotional impact, but The Revenge of Thousands was still an enjoyable read.
It acted as a good sample of what to expect from the novels in the series and I’m looking forward to reading The Traitors We Are.
The novel is invariably published first and is usually (but not always) a slower-burn introduction, giving the reader time and space to ease into the world and get to know the characters before the action hots up.
The prequel novella is normally a faster-paced launch pad, making the most of its smaller word count to grab the reader by the neck at full throttle pace from the off.
Having eyed up Michael Roberti’s work for some time, I finally took the plunge and dived into his Crown and Tide series through the novella route.
It worked well for me, providing a bite-sized taster of Roberti’s world through the war which precedes the main series.
The Revenge of Thousands starts with a chilling cold open as we witness gory murder at the birth of a bloody rebellion. It’s visceral and firmly establishes the tone of this gritty tale.
The plot then ebbs and flows through some great character work and torrents of brutal combat as the Tides tribes try to overthrow the rulers of their homeland, the Reach.
The uprising sees a maelstrom of political machinations and intrigue as the different forces make their power plays, with intense battles and deadly games of strategy serving up plenty of drama and tension.
The 134 well-paced pages feature shocking betrayals and reveals as the story twists and turns towards its climax, however the character dynamics and some standout lines impressed me the most.
Roberti lets the story slow down and breathe with some tender moments, and this provides a great counterpoint to the action.
The multiple POVs have distinct personalities and motivations. They are on the grey side of the moral spectrum, which you’d expect from a grim tale told from opposing perspectives of a conflict.
I enjoyed the glimpse of the magic way in which writing disappears when the person who penned it dies. It’s an interesting premise and I’m keen to discover more about the causes and consequences of it.
In conclusion, it was probably a risky choice starting the Crown and Tide with this novella, and it may have lessened some of the potential emotional impact, but The Revenge of Thousands was still an enjoyable read.
It acted as a good sample of what to expect from the novels in the series and I’m looking forward to reading The Traitors We Are.
January 29, 2024
I see what Michael Roberti was trying to achieve in The Revenge of Thousands and I appreciate it even if it isn't the type of novella I enjoy most. However, with six different POVs in ten chapters it's hard to connect with anything in this fast moving story.
The writing itself was quite stilted and hard to enjoy at times. Most of the characters this didn't stand out with too badly, but Emil especially was a chore to read. He felt far more juvenile than the mid twenty something that he was supposed to be. There were moments of shining quality and I can only hope that the mainline novels show more of this.
'Only blood could pay for blood, and there were entire centuries left for Cael to take reparations for.'
The key selling point for this story is the idea that all writing disappears when its author dies. It is a genius concept and one that was put to little use, but I know it will be a key driving point in the novels. I hope that there are some smart plans to put this to its best use because I liked the idea of carrying scraps with each crew member's name on it so everyone could know if their friends and loved ones still lived or not. And the ability to wipe out a command structure just by killing the leader was great.
In conclusion it might be best to skip this novella and jump straight into
The Traitors We Are with the hopes that the ideas can help drag the writing to a higher level. I look forwards to seeing if a full length novel is more suited to Michael's style.
Check out the review on my blog here. And my full site here.
Rating: 2/5
The writing itself was quite stilted and hard to enjoy at times. Most of the characters this didn't stand out with too badly, but Emil especially was a chore to read. He felt far more juvenile than the mid twenty something that he was supposed to be. There were moments of shining quality and I can only hope that the mainline novels show more of this.
'Only blood could pay for blood, and there were entire centuries left for Cael to take reparations for.'
The key selling point for this story is the idea that all writing disappears when its author dies. It is a genius concept and one that was put to little use, but I know it will be a key driving point in the novels. I hope that there are some smart plans to put this to its best use because I liked the idea of carrying scraps with each crew member's name on it so everyone could know if their friends and loved ones still lived or not. And the ability to wipe out a command structure just by killing the leader was great.
In conclusion it might be best to skip this novella and jump straight into
The Traitors We Are with the hopes that the ideas can help drag the writing to a higher level. I look forwards to seeing if a full length novel is more suited to Michael's style.
Check out the review on my blog here. And my full site here.
Rating: 2/5
September 6, 2024
I came into this blind, having not read the two main books (I will now!) and not seeing any book marketing - it was purely through X that this came up on my tl. The first chapter hooked me - Lorcen is my favourite - and by the second I had a pretty good idea of the stakes and the mystery ... which led to a twist I didn't see coming (although I should have, because it made sense for the characters.
The story was like a cross between The Godfather (my family right or wrong) Game of Thrones (everyone's a player) and The Binding by Bridget Collins (the impermanent writing in this setting is the exact opposite of the impermanent memories in that one!) and I would say Surrender None by Elizabeth Moon, except here (at least in this novella) we don't actually *see* the Reachmen being oppressed - I mean, we see that the other side are rich, chinless and snobby but we don't see any evidence of cruelty/police state/starvation/unfair taxes ... in Surrender None it was blindingly obvious from the first few chapters why the thousands had to rebel against the aristocrats, but here we're just told they do, from the perspective of the Reachmen and a few hints elsewhere. Then again, maybe the history is more spelled out in the longer books.
I’ll buy the next two books on the strength of this one. Glad I gave it a shot!
The story was like a cross between The Godfather (my family right or wrong) Game of Thrones (everyone's a player) and The Binding by Bridget Collins (the impermanent writing in this setting is the exact opposite of the impermanent memories in that one!) and I would say Surrender None by Elizabeth Moon, except here (at least in this novella) we don't actually *see* the Reachmen being oppressed - I mean, we see that the other side are rich, chinless and snobby but we don't see any evidence of cruelty/police state/starvation/unfair taxes ... in Surrender None it was blindingly obvious from the first few chapters why the thousands had to rebel against the aristocrats, but here we're just told they do, from the perspective of the Reachmen and a few hints elsewhere. Then again, maybe the history is more spelled out in the longer books.
I’ll buy the next two books on the strength of this one. Glad I gave it a shot!
November 14, 2023
The Revenge of the Thousands is a prequel novella to the Crown and Tide series, and while this book was a quick read (read it in one sitting), it is more of a companion story than a true standalone. While this is in no way, shape, or form a negative, it may not fully sink its claws into you as a reader if you haven't read or plan to read the first book of the series as this story contains a lot of set-up and key character moments that is only realized in book one.
That said, within these pages we get: murder, battles, victory beer, lots of kissing & fade-to-black sexy time, spilled blood, betrayals, and doe-eyed emotional spoiled brats going off to war for the first time. To be fair, there is quite a lot happening in such a small amount of pages, it's actually impressive Mr. Roberti was able to land each beat.
Having read book one (The Traitors We Are) prior, the characters and their early growth was great and seeing different sides to the ones we are introduced to in book one was exceptional and downright fun. Highly suggest this read!
That said, within these pages we get: murder, battles, victory beer, lots of kissing & fade-to-black sexy time, spilled blood, betrayals, and doe-eyed emotional spoiled brats going off to war for the first time. To be fair, there is quite a lot happening in such a small amount of pages, it's actually impressive Mr. Roberti was able to land each beat.
Having read book one (The Traitors We Are) prior, the characters and their early growth was great and seeing different sides to the ones we are introduced to in book one was exceptional and downright fun. Highly suggest this read!
November 1, 2023
When I open a book and it starts with a bloody battle scene, I instantly know that book is for me. The Revenge of Thousands by Michael Roberti started off with what may be the best opening paragraph of any book I’ve read. The author does a great job introducing the reader to his world, as well as its characters and politics. This novella was a great introduction into his Crown and Tide series, and it definitely has me invested in the rest of the books to follow. A 5/5 read that I would recommend and one that I would read again!
Full disclosure, I received this book from a trade I made with the author. Records for books. I feel I definitely got the better end of the exchange on that deal after reading this book.
Will trade more records for books 😂
Full disclosure, I received this book from a trade I made with the author. Records for books. I feel I definitely got the better end of the exchange on that deal after reading this book.
Will trade more records for books 😂
May 8, 2023
Solid novella!
Mike really shows a major bump in his writing quality in this prequel. That is not meant to be a dig at the story it precedes but a compliment to his growth as a writer.
This has me 110 percent ready to go for the next book in the crown and tide series. Outstanding work!
Mike really shows a major bump in his writing quality in this prequel. That is not meant to be a dig at the story it precedes but a compliment to his growth as a writer.
This has me 110 percent ready to go for the next book in the crown and tide series. Outstanding work!
November 27, 2023
Interesting characterization amidst a war, with characters you both root for and against, and where any character who dies disappears from history, quite literally, as the histories of this world are written down. Fascinating premise and I must now read the first book The Traitors We Are, which I have on good authority is a damn-fine read!
July 6, 2023
A compelling enjoyable introduction
A solid introduction to the world and characters of The Traitors We Are: Crown and Tide Book 1. Enjoyable quick read with action and adventure, I enjoyed getting to know this world and it's characters.
A solid introduction to the world and characters of The Traitors We Are: Crown and Tide Book 1. Enjoyable quick read with action and adventure, I enjoyed getting to know this world and it's characters.
December 8, 2023
As a prequel there wasn't much plot but more of an insight into the characters.
And what I read, was good, sometimes a bit annoying because of the written accents and a few grammatical errors but overall enjoyable.
Off to the first one.
And what I read, was good, sometimes a bit annoying because of the written accents and a few grammatical errors but overall enjoyable.
Off to the first one.
May 12, 2023
This was a quick, adventurous read. I enjoyed the shortness and how it sets up the series.
I highly recommend this book.
I highly recommend this book.
July 4, 2023
Novella
The formatting is poorly done and just long enough to not get a refund. Until the novella is fixed I don't recommend buying it.
The formatting is poorly done and just long enough to not get a refund. Until the novella is fixed I don't recommend buying it.
September 2, 2023
It was okay. 2.5 because I liked Emil's chapters.
I don't normally leave low star reviews, but I want to echo a couple of the others. Consider reading "The Traitors We Are" first. This is more of an extra scenes with characters type of book. I hadn't read the other story at this time. I think I would've enjoyed it more if I had. As a standalone Revenge of Thousands was sometimes confusing, and the ending isn't strong enough by itself.
Writings come up several times in this story - but without saying why it's important until you're almost done. That explanation is in the great blurb for the first novel: "In a world where writing disappears when the author dies, 22-year-old Cael Oberlan watches the last gasping breaths of his best friend. He pulls a scrap of paper out of his pocket as his friend’s signature fades."
A couple chapters weren't displaying correctly with a color background, but that's fine. It was barely an issue. At the time of this review Revenge of Thousands was available on Kindle Unlimited.
I don't normally leave low star reviews, but I want to echo a couple of the others. Consider reading "The Traitors We Are" first. This is more of an extra scenes with characters type of book. I hadn't read the other story at this time. I think I would've enjoyed it more if I had. As a standalone Revenge of Thousands was sometimes confusing, and the ending isn't strong enough by itself.
Writings come up several times in this story - but without saying why it's important until you're almost done. That explanation is in the great blurb for the first novel: "In a world where writing disappears when the author dies, 22-year-old Cael Oberlan watches the last gasping breaths of his best friend. He pulls a scrap of paper out of his pocket as his friend’s signature fades."
A couple chapters weren't displaying correctly with a color background, but that's fine. It was barely an issue. At the time of this review Revenge of Thousands was available on Kindle Unlimited.
September 25, 2023
I enjoyed getting to know Darris a bit in this prequel to The Traitors we Are. I think ita overall a solid opening for the series and worth the short read.
November 14, 2023
Loved the characters and the story, really well written and engrossing.
August 21, 2023
I was excited to read this book as it would allow me to see what happened prior to the first book. Seeing what the characters has gone through before the events of book one was very intriguing. The challenges that they had to go through during this war, was interesting to read.
August 6, 2023
I read this over the course of a couple of nights, and to be honest the first book in the series is one of my all-time favorite Fantasy novels, so I was very eager to read more from Michael Roberti. The Revenge of Thousands does not disappoint.
Featuring all the beloved characters like Ordan, Lorcan, Emil, Cael and Derris leading up to the war for the reach. Revenge gives you a look at each of their lives leading up to the war for the Reach. In typical Roberti fashion, you have plenty of character development and, of course, a hearty helping of betrayal. Fans of Game of Thrones will love this series.
Featuring all the beloved characters like Ordan, Lorcan, Emil, Cael and Derris leading up to the war for the reach. Revenge gives you a look at each of their lives leading up to the war for the Reach. In typical Roberti fashion, you have plenty of character development and, of course, a hearty helping of betrayal. Fans of Game of Thrones will love this series.
December 24, 2023
With its distinctive characters, trenchant prose, and a unique world at war—Michael Roberti’s prequel, The Revenge of Thousands, managed to hammer its target dead center.
There is a lot of good stuff happening in this rather short novella. First off, I love the idea of writing disappearing upon death. There are just so many implications here. A truly novel idea I had never seen before in fantasy, and one ripe for plenty of twists and connivance.
As far as Roberti’s writing goes, his prose is visceral and punchy, and there are some terrific lines. With each different POV, you really feel like you’re in the head of the character. Something about it—and the story as a whole—gives me shades of Joe Abercrombie.
His characters all seem to have their place. In this short work, we don��t truly get to dive deeply into them all, but from the surface they seem complex enough to stay interesting over multiple books. I had a lot of fun reading Ordan’s POV (not sure what that says about me :0) The only one that fell a bit flat for me was Emil. There was potential here though, and I’m looking forward to learning more in the next book. (Also, do I secretly want a POV from his scribe—Sheldon?)
I was hard pressed to find much I didn’t like about this novella. Some of the dialogue felt slightly clunky at times, I had trouble keeping track of a few of the side characters, and it may have benefitted from another proofreading pass (there were some small punctuation, missing word, and capitalization errors). But there wasn’t anything that ever pulled me out of the story.
At the end of the battle, this novella left me brooding and bruised and wanting more—just like Cael or Lorcen might. And not wanting to disappoint the intimidating half-brothers, I decided to order The Traitors We Are before I had even finished the prequel.
There is a lot of good stuff happening in this rather short novella. First off, I love the idea of writing disappearing upon death. There are just so many implications here. A truly novel idea I had never seen before in fantasy, and one ripe for plenty of twists and connivance.
As far as Roberti’s writing goes, his prose is visceral and punchy, and there are some terrific lines. With each different POV, you really feel like you’re in the head of the character. Something about it—and the story as a whole—gives me shades of Joe Abercrombie.
His characters all seem to have their place. In this short work, we don��t truly get to dive deeply into them all, but from the surface they seem complex enough to stay interesting over multiple books. I had a lot of fun reading Ordan’s POV (not sure what that says about me :0) The only one that fell a bit flat for me was Emil. There was potential here though, and I’m looking forward to learning more in the next book. (Also, do I secretly want a POV from his scribe—Sheldon?)
I was hard pressed to find much I didn’t like about this novella. Some of the dialogue felt slightly clunky at times, I had trouble keeping track of a few of the side characters, and it may have benefitted from another proofreading pass (there were some small punctuation, missing word, and capitalization errors). But there wasn’t anything that ever pulled me out of the story.
At the end of the battle, this novella left me brooding and bruised and wanting more—just like Cael or Lorcen might. And not wanting to disappoint the intimidating half-brothers, I decided to order The Traitors We Are before I had even finished the prequel.
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