The Ruin of Kings is a new fantasy novel by debut novelist Jenn Lyons. Kihrin is a teenage boy who has been raised in a brothel in the Capital City of Quur, the madam acting as his mother and a blind musician as his father. Though his “father” is training him as a musician, Kihron makes most of his money as a thief, a job he is very good at.
However, one day he witnesses something he shouldn’t, is attacked by a demon, and discovers he is related to nobility. This leads to a very long road, along which he experiences capture and abuse but is trained in both weaponry and magic. He also finds out more than he ever wanted to about his own heritage and the nobility of which he is a part.
The story is told in two voices: Kihrin, who starts in the middle of the tale, and a shapeshifter, who starts several years earlier. It makes it interesting to try and figure out what Kihrin knew when, and to sometimes know more than he does in the shapeshifter’s story.
It is also more interesting (though some would call it confusing) because there are immortals who have changed their names more than once, people who have been reincarnated, and those who have simply been raised from the dead. It makes it harder to keep track of everyone but it helps to keep the surprises coming. As more and more secrets are revealed, Kihrin comes closer to understanding what he must do to conquer evil in Quur.
Read The Ruin of Kings. You will enjoy it. Let’s hope Lyons has a lot more books in her.