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The Ruin of Kings Approaches: Tor Books Acquires New Five-Volume Fantasy by Jenn Lyons

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The Ruin of Kings Approaches: Tor Books Acquires New Five-Volume Fantasy by Jenn Lyons

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Published on May 4, 2017

Photo credit: Dim Horizon Studio
Jenn Lyons
Photo credit: Dim Horizon Studio

A new five-volume epic fantasy series is the first acquisition for Tor Books by Associate Publisher Devi Pillai.

The Ruin of Kings, the epic fantasy debut of author Jenn Lyons, centers on the story of Kihrin, a bastard orphan who grew up on legends of lost princes and grand quests. When he’s identified as the lost scion of the royal house, he becomes a silk-clad prisoner, and realizes how little the stories resemble reality.

As it turns out, the storybooks have lied about a lot of things: dragons, demons, gods, prophecies, true love, and how the hero always wins. Then again, maybe he’s not the hero, for Kihrin isn’t destined to save the empire. He’s destined to destroy it.

From Chapter 1 of The Ruin of Kings:

When they brought me up to the auction block, I looked out over the crowd and thought: I would kill you all if I had a knife.

And if I wasn’t naked, I silently amended.

And shackled. I had never felt so helpless, and–

*   *   *

What? You don’t think this is the beginning?

What does that mean anyway? Whose beginning? Mine? I don’t remember it that well. Yours? You’re thousands of years old and have the memories of as many people. The beginning of the Empire? Was the beginning when Kandor lay face down in the Manol, bleeding his life on to the jungle floor? Or perhaps the beginning was when the gods gave the vané an artifact of power? After all, isn’t the Stone of Shackles how we came to this point? Shall I sing to you of dragons and demons, of ancient wars and long dead god-kings?

No, I don’t think I will start at the beginning. It’s always been my lot in life to fall into the middle of the story. Why should this be any different? You’re the one who wanted to hear this. You will, but under my terms, not yours.

Let’s start over.

The Ruin of Kings was represented by Sam Morgan of Foundry Literary + Media. Author Jenn Lyons said “Years ago, a friend of mine asked me who my dream publisher was. I didn’t hesitate: Tor. I knew that was an impossible dream though, one that would never ever happen. And now to be published by Tor and working with Devi Pillai? I’m still pinching myself.”

Associate Publisher Devi Pillai said, “I had that same zing when I started reading this as I did the first time I read Brent Weeks or Joe Abercrombie.  This had the best elements of epic fantasy: magic, gods, battles, and of course – kraken!”

The Ruin of Kings is tentatively scheduled for release in 2018 from Tor Books.

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