Age of Death [Book 5 of "The Legends of the First Empire" series]

Michael J. Sullivan is a New York Times (3 titles), USA Today (3 titles), and Washington Post hardcover (2 titles) bestselling author, and no one is more surprised by those facts than he. When just a boy, Michael found a typewriter in the basement of a friend's house, inserted a blank piece of paper, and typed, "It was a dark and stormy night." He was just ten years old and mimicking the only writer he knew at the time: Snoopy. That spark ignited a flame, and Michael's desire to fill blank pages became a life-long obsession. As an adult, Michael spent more than ten years developing his craft by studying authors such as Stephen King, Ernest Hemingway, and John Steinbeck. During that time, he wrote thirteen novels but garnered no interest from the publishing industry. Since insanity is repeating the same action while expecting a different result, he made the rational choice and quit, vowing never to write creatively again.

Never turned out to be too long for Michael, and after a decade, he returned to the keyboard in his forties, but with one condition: He wouldn't seek publication. Instead, he wrote a series of books that had been building in his head during his hiatus. His first reading love was fantasy, and he hoped to foster a similar reaction in his then thirteen-year-old daughter who struggled due to dyslexia. After reading the third book of this series, his wife insisted that the novels had to "get out there." When Michael refused to jump back onto the query-go-round, Robin took over the publication tasks, and she has run the business side of his writing ever since.

Currently, Michael is a hybrid author with nineteen novels released through big-five publishers, a small press, or indie-produced.

• The Riyria Revelations: 6 books sold as 3 two-book omnibus editions from Orbit (fantasy imprint of Hachette Book Group) ― Theft of Swords • Rise of Empire • Heir of Novron
  
  
• The Riyria Chronicles: 2 books released from Orbit, 2 indie-produce, 1 in production ― The Crown Tower  • The Rose and the Thorn • The Death of Dulgath • The Disappearance of Winter's Daughter • Drumindor (release date TBD)


• Legends of the First Empire: 3 books released from Del Rey (fantasy imprint of Penguin Random House) and 3 indie-published) ― Age of Myth • Age of Swords • Age of War •Age of Legend •Age of Death • Age of Empyre
  
  
• The Rise and Fall Trilogy: all indie-published ― Nolyn • Farilane • Esrahaddon (coming 2023)
  
  
• Standalone science fiction thriller: released by Tachyon Publications ― Hollow World

Michael's stories center around unlikely heroes who rise to the occasion when history comes knocking. Unlike much of modern fantasy, which focuses on dark themes and anti-heroes, Michael's stories are optimistic and infused with humor, fast-paced plotting, and epic adventure. 

Born in France in 1977, Marc Simonetti is an award-winning concept artist, illustrator, and fine artist specializing in fantasy.

Marc studied at the Beaux Arts in Annecy and then at the Emile Cohl School. He quickly established himself as a concept artist, making his mark in high-profile productions such as the 3D space opera Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, when he worked in close partnership with acclaimed French director Luc Besson. Further collaborations with leading visual effect companies include Los Angeles-based MPC, and Weta digital. His most recent work as a concept artist, making visual development and staging dramatic lighting and designs, includes Aladdin, Maleficent 2, Aquaman 2, and the upcoming Transformers Moviem, Rise of the Beasts.

Best known for his work on GRR Martin’s books A Song of Ice and Fire and The Iron Throne, Marc has also illustrated some of the best-known fantasy and Sci-Fi novels, such as Terry Pratchett’s Discworld, Robin Hobb’s The Royal Assassin trilogy, Patrick Rothfuss’s Name of the Wind, Terry Brook’s Shannara Cycle, Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn trilogy, Frank Herbert’s Dune, and Michael J. Sullivan’s Legends of the First Empire series and the Rise and Fall trilogy.

Marc’s awards include Winner of the 2018 Locus Magazine’s Chesley Award: Best Cover Illustration • r/Fantasy Stabby Award Winner for best fantasy covers in 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2018 • the 2006-Grand winner Blizzard Art Contest.