The Ruin of Kings by Jenn Lyons Series: A Chorus of Dragons #1
Published by Tor Books on February 5, 2019
Genres: Adult, Fantasy
Pages: 560
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Source: Tor Books
I received this book for free from Tor Books in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
There are the old stories. And then there’s what actually happens.
Kihrin is a bastard orphan who grew up on storybook tales of long-lost princes and grand quests. When he is claimed against his will as the long-lost son of a treasonous prince, Kihrin finds that being a long-lost prince isn't what the storybooks promised.
Far from living the dream, Kihrin finds himself practically a prisoner, at the mercy of his new family's power plays and ambitions. He also discovers that the storybooks have lied about a lot of other things things, too: dragons, demons, gods, prophecies, true love, and how the hero always wins.
Then again, maybe he’s not the hero, for Kihrin isn’t destined to save the empire.
He’s destined to destroy it . . .Uniting the worldbuilding of a Brandon Sanderson with the storytelling verve of a Patrick Rothfuss, debut author Jenn Lyons delivers an entirely new and captivating fantasy epic. Prepare to meet the genre’s next star.
The Reader’s Review
I survived this book and I must read the sequel!
I rarely go into adult fantasy fiction but this book was pretty entertaining, and I really enjoyed the way it was written. It is told in 2 POVs: Kihrin’s and Talon’s (who narrates Kihrin’s timeline when he was 15 years old). This book also has footnotes and the narrator was so sassy, I loved him!
I must admit, it is HARD to wrap my head around what I read in The Ruin of Kings. The world building, the story, the characters, and basically all aspects are complex. In a certain way, they are confusing, but I DID get it. I also DID understand what was going on and where we stand at the end of the book, but if you tell me to explain it… I will have a hard time doing so.
However, I can tell you that this book has DRAGONS that stalk you until they can claim you as their own, a necklace called The Stone of Shackles that switches the soul of the person with the other when they get murdered, gods and demons, magic, and so much more! And I have to say, I enjoyed reading about it all.
But be warned, this book also deals with a lot of rape, suicide, graphic violence, incest, bullying and other issues. To be honest, I don’t think so much of it was necessary.
To be clear, this book is NOT YA. It is the first book in an Adult Fantasy series.
I do look forward for the second installment since I am now invested in the story and the characters. I can only imagine what will happen next, though I’m sure the author will once again write up an interesting storyline and allow us to explore even more the complex world in The Ruin of Kings.
About Jenn Lyons
Jenn Lyons lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband, three cats, and a lot of opinions on anything from the Sumerian creation myths to the correct way to make a martini. At various points in her life, she has wanted to be an archaeologist, anthropologist, architect, diamond cutter, fashion illustrator, graphic designer, or Batman. Turning from such obvious trades, she is now a video game producer by day, and spends her evenings writing science fiction and fantasy. When not writing, she can be founding debating the Oxford comma and Joss Whedon’s oeuvre at various local coffee shops.
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