Legends of the First Empire
#354.32 of 664 ranked universes · full ranking
Books 9 books Status Complete 2016–2023 Reading commitment High Michael J. Sullivan Last reviewed 2026-08-05
Overview
Michael J. Sullivan's Legends of the First Empire, and its direct sequel trilogy The Rise and Fall, are set roughly 3,000 years before this database's already-registered Riyria universe, on the same world (Elan) but, per the author's own framing, as an independent series requiring no prior Riyria knowledge. A standing candidate flagged when Riyria was admitted, the two sub-series together chronicle the First Empire's founding and its rise and fall, publishing 2016–2023.
Epic fantasy · For Adult
Core Canon: Reading Order (9 works) counts toward ranking
Legends of the First Empire Michael J. Sullivan
| Work | Year | Internal chron. | Canon | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Age of Myth | 2016 | 1 | core | 4.22 (42,301 ratings) |
 | Age of Swords | 2017 | 2 | core | 4.28 (27,238 ratings) |
 | Age of War | 2018 | 3 | core | 4.43 (21,851 ratings) |
 | Age of Legend | 2019 | 4 | core | 4.35 (16,311 ratings) |
 | Age of Death | 2020 | 5 | core | 4.28 (13,758 ratings) |
 | Age of Empyre | 2020 | 6 | core | 4.40 (13,223 ratings) |
6-novel series (2016-2020) set ~3,000 years before the Riyria universe; per the author's own framing, requires no prior Riyria knowledge. Publication switched mid-series from traditional publishing (Del Rey/Penguin Random House, books 1-3) to self-publishing (Sullivan's own Riyria Enterprises LLC + Grim Oak Press, books 4-6, all Kickstarter-funded); the author has stated this let him release the final three books within a 10-month span rather than Del Rey's annual cadence.
The Rise and Fall Michael J. Sullivan
| Work | Year | Internal chron. | Canon | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Nolyn | 2021 | 7 | core | 4.18 (8,802 ratings) |
 | Farilane | 2022 | 8 | core | 4.58 (6,102 ratings) |
 | Esrahaddon | 2023 | 9 | core | 4.64 (4,979 ratings) |
Direct sequel trilogy (2021-2023), set ~800 years after Legends of the First Empire ends, chronicling the rise and collapse of the First Empire founded there; ~1,000 years before Riyria begins. Entirely self-published/Kickstarter-funded (Riyria Enterprises LLC + Grim Oak Press hardcovers + Audible Studios audio), unlike Legends' hybrid history. Classified Core Canon alongside Legends, not Expanded, since it is the direct, author-intended continuation of the same historical narrative (the First Empire's founding, then its rise and fall) rather than tangential side material; the same reasoning this database has applied to Raymond E. Feist's Riftwar Cycle, where multiple sequential sub-series (Riftwar Saga, Serpentwar Saga, Conclave of Shadows, Darkwar Saga, Demonwar Saga, Chaoswar Saga) are all Core as one continuous mainline saga.
Quick answers
- How many books are in Legends of the First Empire? Legends of the First Empire's Core Canon is 9 books.
- What is the reading order for Legends of the First Empire? Publication order, starting with Age of Myth. Full list and years in the Core Canon table above.
- Is Legends of the First Empire finished? Complete (2016–2023).
- How much reading does Legends of the First Empire take? High reading commitment (estimated from 9 Core Canon books · ~4,318 pages).
- How is Legends of the First Empire ranked? #35 of 664 ranked universes on this site, based on 154,565 reader ratings across 9 Core Canon books. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #35?
Ranked #35 of 664 ranked universes.
- Average reader rating of 4.32 across 9 core books.
- Backed by 155k reader ratings.
- Uneven reception: its books range from 4.18 to 4.64.
- Less than 0.01 behind #34, Amari and the Night Brothers (a finer tie-break level decides the order).
- Below the top-10 average of 4.45.
Why explore this universe?
Top-tier rated · 9 books · Complete · 155k ratings · Ranks #35 overall
Good choice if you want a long-running epic fantasy universe that's already finished, so there's no wait for the next book.
Reading order
Publication order (9 Core Canon books)
- Age of Myth (2016)
- Age of Swords (2017)
- Age of War (2018)
- Age of Legend (2019)
- Age of Death (2020)
- Age of Empyre (2020)
- Nolyn (2021)
- Farilane (2022)
- Esrahaddon (2023)
Documented internal/story chronology is recorded for every Core Canon book here, and matches publication order exactly, with no divergence to show separately.
Awards (verified)
- Readers' Choice Awards (Fantasy), 2016: nominated: Age of Myth; Reader-nomination round (semifinalist); did not win. Winner: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
- Readers' Choice Awards (Fantasy), 2017: nominated: Age of Swords; Reader-nomination round; did not win. Winner: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
- Readers' Choice Awards (Fantasy), 2018: nominated: Age of War; Reader-nomination round; did not win. Winner: Circe.
Related universes
- Same setting, different era Riyria: Both by Michael J. Sullivan, set in the same world (Elan) but millennia apart; Legends of the First Empire/The Rise and Fall was explicitly flagged as a standing candidate at Riyria's own admission and confirmed an independent series requiring no prior Riyria knowledge.
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Suggestions computed from what Legends of the First Empire and each of these worlds have in common on record (subgenre, audience, shape, reading commitment and score), not a documented narrative connection.
- Cosmere Epic fantasy · Ongoing · High commitment · 4.46
- Realm of the Elderlings Epic fantasy · Complete · High commitment · 4.29
- Malazan Epic fantasy / Grimdark · Ongoing · High commitment · 4.27
- World of the Five Gods Epic fantasy · Ongoing · High commitment · 4.22
Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 4.32 across 154,565 ratings on 9 Core Canon books. See Why is it ranked here? above for the full breakdown, or the full ranking.
How do we know this?
Admission: Legends of the First Empire / The Rise and Fall admitted; both sub-series Core Canon accepted 2026-08-05
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
Related universes: see the Related universes section above.
Last reviewed: 2026-08-06
Rule: Core = both sub-series (9 novels total): Legends of the First Empire (6, 2016–2020) and The Rise and Fall (3, 2021–2023), classified Core together as one continuous narrative, not Expanded, extending the precedent set by Raymond E. Feist's Riftwar Cycle, where multiple sequential Core sub-series form one continuous mainline saga.