Scan barcode
andromeda_1998's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book took me a long time to read and the funny thing is that I didn’t mind. The book is written in a very cleaver way and I would really recommend it. But before you start reading it, beware! This is one of those books you need to finish before having an opinion.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, and Classism
mahiyaa's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
So, Ruin of Kings is absolutely fantastic, if you know what to expect. If you're looking for a huge fantasy saga with slow-paced, intense politics or pages upon pages of worldbuilding, look elsewhere. That's not to say that Ruin of Kings lacks in it—there are a large cast of characters, names, and family dynamics for you to keep track of, and personal histories aplenty—but that is not where the book shines.
Ruin of Kings does a fine job with weaving a world with its own histories, almost all of which go beyond the scope of our protagonist Khirin; giving the story a large sense of scale. But the book truly shines in its personality. The way it is written (the book itself is a compilation made by a certain character who puts their own quips in the footnotes) is quite unique—and the dialogues can be downright hilarious at times. Pair that with fast-paced, alternating narratives and a writing style that will keep you absolutely hooked from one chapter to the next, and you have a solid, addictive read that will entertain you to pieces, if nothing else.
TL;DR — Sure, the book has some nitpicks. But it is a hilarious, fast-paced read that you'll find super hard to put down. Just be aware, it's not a slow-paced, sprawling saga type of fantasy book, so if that's what you're looking for, go elsewhere! If not, strap in, give it a try! The way that it is written and the humor it carries is quite one-of-a-kind when it comes to the fantasy genre, so you are guaranteed a wild ride.
Ruin of Kings does a fine job with weaving a world with its own histories, almost all of which go beyond the scope of our protagonist Khirin; giving the story a large sense of scale. But the book truly shines in its personality. The way it is written (the book itself is a compilation made by a certain character who puts their own quips in the footnotes) is quite unique—and the dialogues can be downright hilarious at times. Pair that with fast-paced, alternating narratives and a writing style that will keep you absolutely hooked from one chapter to the next, and you have a solid, addictive read that will entertain you to pieces, if nothing else.
TL;DR — Sure, the book has some nitpicks. But it is a hilarious, fast-paced read that you'll find super hard to put down. Just be aware, it's not a slow-paced, sprawling saga type of fantasy book, so if that's what you're looking for, go elsewhere! If not, strap in, give it a try! The way that it is written and the humor it carries is quite one-of-a-kind when it comes to the fantasy genre, so you are guaranteed a wild ride.
Content Warnings
Minor: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault
anapthine's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
I really didn't enjoy this book, especially due to its tone. It was so boring and had so much sexism. Women were essentially 'slaves' and were property of men. Most of the time I had no idea what was going on and none of the characters were that likeable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Biphobia, Homophobia, and Kidnapping
Minor: Pedophilia and Pregnancy
prynne31's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This book would have been better if a little faster paced. Story was intriguing but very *very* dark.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Death of parent, and War
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
wxrldwalker's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Look, I had no idea I would fall madly in love with Jenn Lyons' writing or this complicated yet amazing world she has created. I had no clue that a story about a boy who thought he was prophesised to be a hero (but is instead a villain) could be done so well and wouldn't take me months to finish!
Plot/ pacing:
The plot is quite confusing to explain, seeing as this is the first in a 5 book series! There's dragons, wealthy ruling houses, a FANTASTIC magic system, rich lore and history and a huge cast of characters. Basically, this is the story of Kihrin, a boy destined to destroy the world. He is initially an orphan who finds out who he really is after his curiosity gets the better of him. I think the way the story progresses was done so well. We have two stories taking place side by side; Kihrin's journey from a child to him coming to terms with his heritage- involving lots of political and family drama. And then there's Kihrin's story as he runs away from this situation and learns more about himself away from the people who claim to be his family…
I loved the action and drama! It was fast paced when it needed to be, and slowed down when it was necessary. I loved the ending, and I can't wait to pick up book 2 and see what happens next hehe.
Characters/ relationships:
We are following two POVs. One is Talon who is a shapeshifting jailer and is narrating the first half of Kihrin's story. And the second POV is Kihrin himself, who narrates his story from where Talon left off. I know, confusing right! So basically, at the beginning Kihrin is trapped by Talon and they are telling us about how they reached that point in time!
I really loved Kihrin- he's sassy and is strong but you really see how he develops from a child to who he is now. Also, damn I shipped him so hard with Teraeth. Like, I literally loved their banter. It was almost like a subtle, slow burn relationship where they really hate each other but then once they team up, they are able to 'tolerate' one another and I just loved them so much! Teraeth is quite broody and grumpy and those are the characters I love best! I also enjoyed Tyentso and her motherly treatment of Kihrin! The found family was so unexpected but I'm not complaining! Another relationship that I really enjoyed was Kihrin and his 'brother' Galen. They meet when they're teens and are told that they aren't friends because they must compete to be the next heir. But I loved their sibling wholesomeness! They're just enjoying running around the palace, finding hidden doors and theorising about their family history.
A new character was also introduced near the end and damn the chemistry between her and Kihrin!!! I need more of them insulting each other because damn I enjoyed that chapter SO MUCH.
Writing:
Oh my, where do I start? I was scared the writing was going to be dense and hard to read, but NOPE. It was straightforward, yet beautiful. It was complicated and yet me with my two and a half braincells enjoyed the heck out of it! I love love loved it! It was so well written! The glossary and family tree were so helpful :)
This book is quite chunky; the paperback is a whopping 685 pages and I think is the longest book I've read this year so far. Still, I believe it is one of my favourite epic fantasies of ALL TIME! HIGHLY RECOMMEND :D
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture and Violence
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Incest, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Abandonment
e_flah's review against another edition
DNF at 28% in 2019; DNF at 38% in 2024
I have been hearing a ton of hype from Tor about The Ruin of Kings. Maybe that led me to go in with expectations that were a bit too high. Maybe this just isn’t my kind of fantasy. Either way, I found myself trying to mentally calculate how long it would take me to push through to the end, which was a sure sign that it was time to let this one go.
The Ruin of Kings switches narrative POVs nearly every chapter as we follow a first-person narration of Khirin’s journey as a slave sold to a mysterious order called the Black Brotherhood and a third-person narration as Khirin’s jailer, Talon, tells the story of how he ended up in a prison cell. Both narrations feature lots of narrative footnotes that provide commentary from the royal advisor who compiled the tale. The idea of telling Khirin’s story from two very different perspectives and places in the narrative was initially intriguing but grew tiresome. In reality, just as I would get invested in the events of one narrative, the next chapter would switch to the other POV. I also really struggled with how pointlessly dense and complicated both the writing and the story were. The plot, at least up to the point I quit, had the makings to be gripping but it was bogged down with lots of world-building asides and other writing tricks that seemed to only serve the purpose of trying to impress me.
The part of The Ruin of Kings that I struggled the most with was, even though I found it frustrating and slow, a little part of me wants to keep reading in the hopes it will get more exciting. This is a book with so much potential, especially if you have more of a stomach for dense fantasy than I do.
**2024 thoughts**
The switching POVs didn't bother me this time around but what did get me was the overwhelming number of male characters who we were supposed to view as "extraordinary." I wanted to like Khirin but just didn't find him a compelling main character.
I have been hearing a ton of hype from Tor about The Ruin of Kings. Maybe that led me to go in with expectations that were a bit too high. Maybe this just isn’t my kind of fantasy. Either way, I found myself trying to mentally calculate how long it would take me to push through to the end, which was a sure sign that it was time to let this one go.
The Ruin of Kings switches narrative POVs nearly every chapter as we follow a first-person narration of Khirin’s journey as a slave sold to a mysterious order called the Black Brotherhood and a third-person narration as Khirin’s jailer, Talon, tells the story of how he ended up in a prison cell. Both narrations feature lots of narrative footnotes that provide commentary from the royal advisor who compiled the tale. The idea of telling Khirin’s story from two very different perspectives and places in the narrative was initially intriguing but grew tiresome. In reality, just as I would get invested in the events of one narrative, the next chapter would switch to the other POV. I also really struggled with how pointlessly dense and complicated both the writing and the story were. The plot, at least up to the point I quit, had the makings to be gripping but it was bogged down with lots of world-building asides and other writing tricks that seemed to only serve the purpose of trying to impress me.
The part of The Ruin of Kings that I struggled the most with was, even though I found it frustrating and slow, a little part of me wants to keep reading in the hopes it will get more exciting. This is a book with so much potential, especially if you have more of a stomach for dense fantasy than I do.
**2024 thoughts**
The switching POVs didn't bother me this time around but what did get me was the overwhelming number of male characters who we were supposed to view as "extraordinary." I wanted to like Khirin but just didn't find him a compelling main character.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Slavery and Trafficking
caseythereader's review against another edition
I realized I no longer had any idea who was who and how they were related to each other and that I no longer cared.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Homophobia, and Incest
More...