Riyria Soundtrack

SPOILER ALERT: If you have not read all the Riyria Revelations, which consist of: 

• Theft of Swords (The Crown Conspiray & Avempartha)
• Rise of Empire (The Rose and the Thorn & Nyphron Rising)
• Heir of Novron (Wintertide & Percepliquis)

Then you may want to finish the books before looking at the following list, as there are certainly spoilers contained below.

1. The soundtrack to the Crown Conspiracy.

(Heart of a King from the movie Man in the Iron Mask)

2. Theron’s Song from Avempartha

(Another Story by Dougie MacLean)

The album Dougie MacLean with Strings is music that I listened to while writing Avempartha and its somber Celtic music, which I felt depicted the mood and tone of the story.

3. Thrace's Theme

(Who Will Sing Me Lullabies  by Kate Rusby)

I have a great deal of Kate Rusby’s music, but this one song stood out as illustrating Thrace at the end of Avempartha after the death of her father. The simple Celtic sound of a girl lamenting her loss. I also felt it would be the perfect credit music if Avempartha was made into a movie.

4. Esrahaddon's Theme

(Viva la Vida by Coldplay)

No doubt you’ve heard this one. When I heard it a year or two after finishing the series I couldn’t help but think of Esrahaddon. “Seas would rise when I gave the word…” and “Now the old king is dead! Long Live the King!” when I heard the line, “I hear Jerusalem’s bells a ringing…” I first, and up until now, thought it was: “I hear Jerish and the bells are ringing…”

5. Party at Hintindar from Nyphron Rising

(O’Sullivan’s March by the Chieftains)

6. The Battle of Ratibor

(Scottish Fantasy by Vanessa-Mae)

This is music that I literally played in a loop while writing the chapters concerning Arista fighting the battle in Ratibor. It begins soft like a raining morning, then slowly picks up. The drums come in as the battle reaches its peak, and finally, there is a victorious crescendo, which in my mind's eye I saw Miranda pointing and saying, “Look there!” And out of the misty rain Hadrian rides into the square.

7. The Death of Gwen

(Dawning of the Day by Mary Fahl)

Not so much the first two stanzas, but very much the third and the sound is heart-wrenching, as in, “Forgive me love, I’m going now, so very far away. When Darkness falls, only think me near , and do not be afraid, And please don’t grieve when I am gone, Abide in what remains…”

8. Royce’s Theme

(Change by Tracy Chapman)

This is the point of the whole series really? Wel it all centers around Royce and whether he can change to be the savior the world needs him to be, and what will it take if he were to try.

9. Gwen’s Request

(Dante’s Prayer by Loreena McKennit)

This is the song I used as inspiration for Gwen’s death scene and her ability to save everyone long after her death. In the darkest moments, if they remember what she told them, they would survive.

10. Esrahaddon’s Lament

(Mary Queen of Scots by Dougie MacLean)

When I heard this I thought of Esrahaddon returning to Amberton Lee and pondering the ruins of Percepliquis and the women who loved him and who he loved that he is certain he killed when he destroyed the city.

11. Hadrian’s Theme

(Soldier by Gavin DeGraw)

Heard it after finishing the series, but it fits extremely well.

11. Journey to Percepliquis

(From the soundtrack to Braveheart)

This suits as background music to most of the scenes that take place underground in the journey to and in Percepliquis.

12. The Gift

(Feels Like Home, written by Randy Newman and performed by Bonnie Ratt)

This is the song that was the most inspirational of all. I listened to this when conceiving the scene where Hadrian tells Arista he loves her. The concept of love being like coming home came from this song. And when I wrote the scene, I had it cued up and I wrote:

“The one thing I regret the most in my life, is the one thing I can still change before it’s too late.”

Arista narrowed her eyes at him. She tilted her head slightly the way a dog might when it heard an odd sound. “But how are you going to—” She stopped.

At that moment I pressed play and wrote the rest of the scene just as I imagined it would happen if this were a movie.

13. Royce and Hadrian’s Farewell

(Brother’s In Arms by Dire Straits)

This music struck me as the bittersweet goodbye of two loyal brother’s in arms.

14. Royce Rides into the Sunset with Mercy

(Going Home by Mary Fahl)

I’ve always imagined this song starting to play just after Nimbus catches the feather and we see Royce and Mercy riding into the distance. It would make end credit music.