Jenn Lyons

"Everything epic fantasy should be: rich, cruel, gorgeous, brilliant, enthralling and deeply, deeply satisfying. I loved it."—Lev Grossman, author of The Magicians When destiny calls, there's no fighting back. 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 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. Practically a prisoner, Kihrin discovers that being a long-lost prince is nothing like what the storybooks promised. The storybooks have lied about a lot of other things, too: dragons, demons, gods, prophecies, and how the hero always wins. Then again, maybe he isn't the hero after all. For Kihrin is not destined to save the world. He's destined to destroy it. 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.

The Ruin of Kings

akynn 

Emily B

2 STARS:

Another DNF for me (41%). I have a bit of a different opinion than some others though. While a lot of people didn't like the style that this story was told in, I actually really enjoyed it. The end result did a lot to bring the story to life. Also, sometimes the plot was very engaging. Some of the chapters hooked me so deeply, everything else faded away. I even enjoyed the footnotes. The plot was definitely the strongest point, despite some mishaps.

That being said, that is where the strengths end. The world building was... messy, to say the least. The elements used really did make it clear that the author's background was in video game design. And while yes, video games often have expertly crafted worlds, it didn't translate well into the written form. Not much was explained (I still don't know what the vane are?), and considering I was almost halfway through, that was far too long to be left in the dark on most things. Also, it seemed like she threw in every single fantasy trope/creature you could find, often without making any sense. It was at once too much and too little.

But I can look past messy worldbuilding. What I can't look past is poor characters. The main character, Kihrin, was pretty annoying to me. He made some really, really stupid decisions. I just wanted to smack him and say "stop having your temper tantrum, put on your big-boy pants, and USE. YOUR. BRAIN." I would have been able to power through if any of the other characters grabbed me. However, they all seemed extremely one-note. I was indifferent to all but Talon, and even she could get on my nerves with the constant cringy pet names.

The tone also just didn't match. Sometimes it would have a lot of sarcasm and wit, and others it very dark. Now, both of those can be used effectively in the same book, except this one often tried to use both tones in a single scene. It made it hard to figure out what I should feel, and made very triggering elements seem almost juvenile. When it wasn't using both at once, the switches between them were done in a very jarring way.

With all that said, I am not opposed to trying this book again in the future (maybe.... possibly...). It might just be the wrong time for me to read it? Who really knows? In any case, at this point in time, I won't be continuing. Hopefully my next read will be better.

Tae Thompson

This book was amazing I don't know why it took me so long to finish it but as soon as you think you know what's happening you don't and that is amazing

Sandra Tammaru

An epic! Absolutely EPIC! Comperable to the likes of GOT or LOTR! An absolute pleasure to read! Thrilling, fantastic, multidimensional and with many twists! Amazing! Only thing that I didnt enjoy was the way the timeline changed every chapter, quite inconvenient.

The most anticipated fantasy debut of the year. In this thunderously good read, prophecy and magic combine in an incredible epic of imperial politics, gods and demons. When destiny calls, there's no fighting back . . . As a bard's apprentice, Kihrin grew up with tales of legendary deeds. He also steals, desperate to buy a way out of Quur's slums. Then he raids the wrong house, he's marked by a demon and life will never be the same again. Kihrin's plight brings him to the attention of royalty, who claim him as the lost son of their immoral prince. But far from living the dream, Kihrin's at the mercy of his new family's ruthless ambitions. However, escaping his jewelled cage just makes matters worse. Kihrin is horrified to learn he's at the centre of an ancient prophecy. And every side - from gods and demons to dragons and mages - want him as their pawn. Those old stories lied about many things too, especially the myth that the hero always wins. Then again, maybe Kihrin isn't the hero, for he's not destined to save the empire. He's destined to destroy it. The Ruin of Kings is the first book in Jenn Lyons's extraordinary series, A Chorus of Dragons. 'What an extraordinary book . . . enthralling and deeply, deeply satisfying. I loved it' Lev Grossman, author of The Magicians 'A fantastic page-turner with a heady blend of great characters' John Gwynne, author of A Time of Dread 'A virtually un-put-down-able read' Kirkus Reviews

Savannah Winchell

DNF at 429
- I almost could have loved this BUT
1) the magic system is never explained???? And the religion is only sort of explained????
2) I have no fucking clue who most of these people are and how they’re related bc these hoes be switching bodies every ten minutes
3) I can only sort of follow the plot bc again I don’t know who anyone is or how this world works.

LITERALLY JUST GIVE ME A DETAILED CHARACTER/WORLD INDEX WHAT THE FUCK????

What if you weren't the hero? Kihrin grew up on tales of long-lost princes and grand quests - despite being raised in a brothel, making money as a musician and street thief. One day he overreaches by targeting an absent noble's mansion, hunting for jewels. There he witnesses a prince performing a terrifying dark-magic ritual. Kihrin flees but he's marked by a demon and his life will never be the same again. That night also leads to him being claimed as a lost son of that prince's royal house. But far from living the dream, Kihrin finds himself practically a prisoner, at the mercy of his new family's power plays and ambitions. He must also discover why his murderous father finds Kihrin more valuable alive than dead. Soon Kihrin attempts to escape his relative's dangerous schemes, but finds himself in far deeper waters. He becomes tangled in a plot to kill the Emperor, rob the Imperial Vaults, claim a god-slaying sword and free bound demons to wreak havoc across the land. Kihrin also discovers the old tales lied about many things: dragons, demons, gods, prophecies, true love - and the hero always winning. But maybe Kihrin isn't fated to save the empire. He's destined to destroy it.

Sheena

I wanted to like this. I really really wanted to like this but when you find yourself skimming more pages than you can count then you know there's no hope and it a goner. I wasn't able to build any connection whatsoever with the characters and storyline, and more often than not it felt like a chore to continue reading this. I was at the halfway mark before deciding to drop it like it was hot before I was completely bored of tears. Sadly enough this failed to meet my expectations and I was not the right type of reader for this novel.

Brianna

3.5


   How easy is it to convince ourselves we’re infallible, that our way and point of view are the only ones that matter. Oh, it is the easiest trap, and it always comes loaded with the most effective bait, our own desperate need for self-worth.


So here’s the thing. Ruin of Kings is 100% something I would like to write, but that doesn’t necessarily make it good.

This book is entertaining and filled with potential — realistic, relatable characters for the current generation, Goddesses and demons and wizards abound, great diverse representation — but it falls flat amidst a shaky unveiling of the driving plot.

It reads to me as a more ambitious tale of Darren Shan’s Thin Executioner (if anyone else still remembers that book) driven by familial drama and ties and the destructive forces of demons and soul switching and all manners of cult confusion. 

The main cons that impacted my personal ability to enjoy the story are as follows: 

The dialogue is a bit of an overcompensating mess despite great characterizations. It’s full of dropping info for the sake of the reader and leaves an overall clunky and annoying flow to conversation.

Ambitious pacing so close to succeeding but alas fell short of the mark. There are numerous places I feel longer time spent would have helped and shorter time spent in other places would have helped it along so much better.

The plot is there, but it’s hard to follow and care about. We aren’t given enough time or the better ability to differentiate between characters and some revelations of importance fall flat because I’m not emotionally connected or tracking with the character or plot. The events could easily have been spaced over two books and for the better.

All of this (and more) are why it reads like a debut novel even though I know it is not, which makes me a bit soft on it because I can see Lyons’ potential.

Some pros for me:

The setting is so fun and refreshing. (How often do you read “coconut milk” in an epic fantasy??)

Some great action and wizard battles. There are DRAGONS and KRAKENS in the same chapter.

The main character’s sass is amazing and his reactions are how real people would act in his situation.

I really enjoyed the narrative style chosen for this. It’s like a story within a story with multiple narrators and timelines woven together. It definitely could have been done better, but a pretty picture nonetheless and one I haven’t seen before. Also a good example of how footnotes can aid a story without weighing it down.

Ruin of Kings pushes something new into the world of fantasy — and while not as well as it could have, I maintain it to be a fun and entertaining read.

Judy McClure

Engrossing and complex. Phenomenal world building. Had a hard time keeping family trees and certain histories straight but will continue with the series as over all I enjoyed it very much.

Nickie Mohler

3.5 stars
I really enjoyed most of this book, however, there were times when I was very confused. Hopefully that won't be the case in the next one.

Paige Green

Disclaimer: I bought this book but also received a paperback copy from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: The Ruin of Kings

Author: Jenn Lyons

Book Series: A Chorus of Dragons Book 1

Rating: 3.5/5

Recommended For...: epic high fantasies, dragons

Publication Date: February 5, 2019

Genre: YA Fantasy

Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, gore, language, magic)

Publisher: Tor Books

Pages: 560

Synopsis: 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 too: dragons, demons, gods, prophecies, true love, and how the hero always wins.

Then again, maybe he's not the hero, for Kihrin is not destined to save the empire.

He's destined to destroy it.

Review: I really liked this book! The book and whole series are huge, so it’s perfect for tome toppers. The world building is complex, albeit a bit confusing in most parts. The characters are wonderfully well developed and the pacing is amazing. The plot is also super interesting!

The only really issues I had was that the writing was a bit weird and it took a bit to get into the novel.

Verdict: Highly suggest for epic fantasies!

Emily

Really hard to get through, likely because i accidentally borrowed an audiobook and the people talked slow, and the pacing between the far past and near past perspectives threw me off

Ben Nathan

Good world building, good magic system, decent story. That said, I felt no connection to any character or that any of them had personalities at all. They were all so grey. I mean, I think she'll be a good writer one day, but she needs to learn that people are not all exactly the same. When your motivation for evil is "I'm Evil" and your motivation for good is "evil is bad" you aren't really working with anything human

A Kirkus Best of Science Fiction and Fantasy pick for 2019! A Library Journal Best Book of 2019! An NPR Favorite Book of 2019! "Everything epic fantasy should be: rich, cruel, gorgeous, brilliant, enthralling and deeply, deeply satisfying. I loved it."—Lev Grossman, author of The Magicians When destiny calls, there's no fighting back. 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 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. Practically a prisoner, Kihrin discovers that being a long-lost prince is nothing like what the storybooks promised. The storybooks have lied about a lot of other things, too: dragons, demons, gods, prophecies, and how the hero always wins. Then again, maybe he isn't the hero after all. For Kihrin is not destined to save the world. He's destined to destroy it. 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. "It's impossible not to be impressed with the ambition of it all . . . a larger-than-life adventure story about thieves, wizards, assassins and kings to dwell in for a good long while."—The New York Times A Chorus of Dragons 1: The Ruin of Kings 2: The Name of All Things 3: The Memory of Souls At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Anyaconda

This was blurbed as Brandon Sanderson and Patrick Rothfuss-ish fantasy story.
I was very sceptical and it turns out after reading the egalley excerpt, that it didn't deliver that promise in my eyes.

I'm not aversed to multiple POVs or more difficult world building, but we're dropped in right into the story and I'm confused as hell.
Reading through the excerpt I don't find myself invested in the characters or the story. It doesn't feel fluid enough for me and the dialogue is kind of stiff.

I guess you might like this if you like Brandon Sanderson books, but it's not even close to the style of The Name of the Wind.

Personally I won't continue with the story.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an eARC.

Ashlee

This book is epic and ambitious and I am still a little taken aback that this was Jenn Lyon’s debut novel. It has everything I love about adult fantasy.

Kihrin is an unlikely, yet lovable “hero”, and it is easy to get swept up into his bratty, insolent nature. I really came to adore his give-no-fucks personality and I’m excited to see what sort of ruckus he’s going to cause next.

I did find that I enjoyed the “Talon’s story” chapters a little more, but I think that’s pretty expected, as much of what happens in the “Kihrin’s story” chapters is dependent upon your understanding of just what the hell is going on (which is all to be revealed as you keep reading and really comes together beautifully). 

This is a book that certainly ages well, overall. I can see why someone may find it a little confusing and perhaps want to set it aside early on, but I trusted in the author and positive reviews and was certainly rewarded for my patience. After all, the one-shot aspect of the chapters early on is literally part of the storytelling itself, as they’re essentially all flashbacks until we catch up to “present” day. However, I think there could have been a little more groundwork laid at the beginning to give the story a little more framing early on. This is the only reason it’s not a five star read for me.

Needless to say, I am impressed and excited to keep reading this series!

Rowan Jones

8.61 on CAWPILE

Close to a 5 star but some of the body swapping and lots of different names of people could get a little confusing which dropped my enjoyment a bit!

The audiobook is really good, there are 3 different narrators which helps when switching between the timelines and the third person narrates the footnotes which makes it super easy to follow (despite the book itself being a bit convoluted 😂)

This is a great fantasy and I have a feeling I'll like the sequels even more.

Liz Griffin

Convoluted to the point of being deeply confusing as to who is related to whom and how, who killed whom or is married to whom (or both?), and who is really a mimic who has the memories of everyone they have ever killed. Points for creativity but not so much in execution. Also, at times it felt like it was trying too hard to be a “dudes fantasy book”, if that makes sense.

Michael Hessling

A Kirkus Best of Science Fiction and Fantasy pick for 2019! A Library Journal Best Book of 2019! An NPR Favorite Book of 2019! "Everything epic fantasy should be: rich, cruel, gorgeous, brilliant, enthralling and deeply, deeply satisfying. I loved it."—Lev Grossman, author of The Magicians When destiny calls, there's no fighting back. 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 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. Practically a prisoner, Kihrin discovers that being a long-lost prince is nothing like what the storybooks promised. The storybooks have lied about a lot of other things, too: dragons, demons, gods, prophecies, and how the hero always wins. Then again, maybe he isn't the hero after all. For Kihrin is not destined to save the world. He's destined to destroy it. 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. "It's impossible not to be impressed with the ambition of it all . . . a larger-than-life adventure story about thieves, wizards, assassins and kings to dwell in for a good long while."—The New York Times A Chorus of Dragons 1: The Ruin of Kings 2: The Name of All Things