Then again, maybe he's not the hero, for Kihrin is not destined to save the empire. 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. 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.įar from living the dream, Kihrin finds himself practically a prisoner, at the mercy of his new family's power plays and ambitions. Kihrin is a bastard orphan who grew up on storybook tales of long-lost princes and grand quests. Seanan McGuire, Takeshi Miyazawa, Rosie Kampe

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'll start with a few, but feel free to add your own! 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. If you haven't read the book, you're still welcome, but beware untagged spoilers.ĭiscussion prompts will be posted as top-level comments. If you'd like to look back at past discussions or to plan future reading, check out the full schedule post.Īs always, everyone is welcome in the discussion, whether you've participated in other discussions or not. (Feb.Welcome to the Hugo Readalong! Today we will be discussing The Ruin of Kings by Jenn Lyons. The Ruin of Kings (A Chorus of Dragons Book 1) Jenn Lyons (2,252) Kindle Edition 9.99 The Name of All Things (A Chorus of Dragons Book 2) Jenn Lyons (949) Kindle Edition 12. Agent: Sam Morgan, Foundry Literary + Media. There’s more mystery than action in this tightly plotted tome, and its lore and memorable characters will leave epic fantasy fans eager for the second volume. Though the hero’s journey structure and classical fantasy elements are familiar, the complex mysteries and revelations feel novel and offer plenty of room for rereading and analysis.

Double crosses and hidden motivations pepper several plots for godly power. Kihrin’s enemies covet his protective Stone of Shackles, and in his journey to great power he crosses dragons, demons, and gods who seek to either aid or imprison him. Set in a world of gods and magic, the frame story alternates between the perspectives of Kihrin and his jailer, a mimic named Talon, as they tell different parts of Kihrin’s tragic adventures.

Kihrin, a street thief turned prince, unearths his complicated family history and faces devious magic-wielding foes in this intricate epic fantasy series launch by Lyons (the War in Heaven series).

The ruin of kings jenn lyons