The Rose and the Thorn by Michael J. Sullivan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Content: Some brutal killings



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.

I really enjoyed this second book in the Riyria Chronicles (the prequel series to the Riyria Revelations). It's always good to be back with Royce and Hadrian, but I also really loved the other characters in the book as well. It was nice seeing Hilfred, Arista, Alric, and the Pickerings as young teens. The frog hunting scene was one of my favorite parts of the whole book.

On another note, I was completely surprised at how dark Royce was in this book, and how far he went to exact revenge on someone. I mean, I knew he was an assassin who had killed people, but this was worse than I thought. I'm still a bit stunned.

I'm looking forward to continuing on with this series. I really can never get enough of these characters.