It’s kinda hokey, but it works.Īnd it’s kind of fun to explore a single character’s story from the lens of the person themselves and another party who doesn’t play a role in the action, and how the two narratives compare.

And then there are some simultaneously humorous, yet informative footnotes throughout the text from a third character whose relevance is largely unclear for most of the book. The bulk of the book follows Khirin’s story from two different, unreliable perspectives at different points in time: Khirin’s is in first person, and Talon’s in third, and it goes back and forth in a partially conversational storytelling style. I didn’t entirely know what to expect going in, and it’s definitely a bit odd at times, but I ultimately enjoyed it. I’ve had The Ruin of Kings on my radar for the longest time, but I was encouraged to finally pick it up after a few BookTubers I watch have enjoyed it. a larger-than-life adventure story about thieves, wizards, assassins and kings to dwell in for a good long while.– The New York Times It’s impossible not to be impressed with the ambition of it all. Jenn Lyons begins the Chorus of Dragons series with The Ruin of Kings, an epic fantasy novel about a man who discovers his fate is tied to the future of an empire.

For Kihrin is not destined to save the world. Then again, maybe he isn’t the hero after all.

The storybooks have lied about a lot of other things, too: dragons, demons, gods, prophecies, and how the hero always wins. Practically a prisoner, Kihrin discovers that being a long-lost prince is nothing like what the storybooks promised. When he is claimed against his will as the missing son of a treasonous prince, Kihrin finds himself at the mercy of his new family’s ruthless power plays and political ambitions. Kihrin grew up in the slums of Quur, a thief and a minstrel’s son raised on tales of long-lost princes and magnificent quests. When destiny calls, there’s no fighting back. I loved it.–Lev Grossman, author of The Magicians ISBN-13: 978-1250175489 | $24.99 USD | 560 pages | FantasyĪ Kirkus Best of Science Fiction and Fantasy pick for 2019Įverything epic fantasy should be: rich, cruel, gorgeous, brilliant, enthralling and deeply, deeply satisfying.

The ruin of kings review