Mercenaries. You've got to love them. The way they think ahead, looking to the impending income that they can squeeze from a potential customer. Who else would take the near impossible job of stealing letters that will aid the bad guy in coercing a lady to marry him, charge him big money for it, and accept payment from the victim to steal the letters from the bad guy to give them back. Ah, there is nothing like free enterprise to make a man love life. Such is the world and latest employment opportunity of Royce Melborn and Hadrian Blackwater in Michael J. Sullivan's The Crown Conspiracy, the first of the Riyria Revelation series.

Royce and Hadrian only take on the near impossible jobs, and only then if the pay is equal to the risk and challenge. They don't like to make snap decisions on what jobs they take but for some reason, they forget this crucial step. Well, the money is good, better than good. The work is simple. All they have to do is get across a mote to a window that is promised to be left open, get into the chapel and collect a sword. Get back out through the window and be happily on their way. Simple. Right? Yeah, until the dead body shows up, and it happens to be the body of the king. Where did the midget come from that is screaming, "Assassination"? This job is getting more complicated by the minute.

With a twist at every corner, Mr. Sullivan has brought our two heroes to the worst of moments and the best, more than one time throughout the story. Every time I thought I knew who was on which side, the players switched loyalties. Even the "Holy Men of the Cloth" are questionable.

The Crown Conspiracy is entertaining from beginning to end, edge of your seat moments and conspiracy to spare. Just who are the good guys? To find out, The Crown Conspiracy is a must read! I'm looking forward to the next installment.
 
Reviewed By MargeAnna Conrad
© January 2009