
The Ruin of Kings
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Buy for $33.74
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Feodor Chin
-
Vikas Adam
-
Soneela Nankani
-
By:
-
Jenn Lyons
About this listen
"Everything epic fantasy should be: rich, cruel, gorgeous, brilliant, enthralling and deeply, deeply satisfying. I loved it." (Lev Grossman, author of The Magicians)
Jenn Lyons begins the Chorus of Dragons series with The Ruin of Kings, an epic fantasy audiobook about a man who discovers his fate is tied to the future of an empire.
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.
Library Journal Best Books of the Year - 2019
Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the Year - 2019
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
A Little Hatred
- By: Joe Abercrombie
- Narrated by: Steven Pacey
- Length: 20 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On the blood-soaked borders of Angland, Leo dan Brock struggles to win fame on the battlefield, and defeat the marauding armies of Stour Nightfall. He hopes for help from the crown. But King Jezal's son, the feckless Prince Orso, is a man who specializes in disappointments. Savine dan Glokta - socialite, investor, and daughter of the most feared man in the Union - plans to claw her way to the top of the slag-heap of society by any means necessary. But the slums boil over with a rage that all the money in the world cannot control.
-
-
Rough listen.
- By Jared Clark on 01-08-20
By: Joe Abercrombie
-
The Complete King Raven Trilogy
- Hood, Scarlet, Tuck
- By: Stephen Lawhead
- Narrated by: Adam Verner
- Length: 35 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Hunted like an animal by Norman invaders, Bran ap Brychan, heir to the throne of Elfael, has abandoned his father’s kingdom and fled to the greenwood. There, in the primeval forest of the Welsh borders, danger surrounds him - for this woodland is a living, breathing entity with mysterious powers and secrets. Bran must find a way to make it his own if he is to survive and become King Raven. From deep in the forest, Bran, Will Scarlet, and Friar Tuck form a daring plan for deliverance, knowing that failure means death for them all - and the dreams of the oppressed people of Wales.
-
-
A Timeless classic that peaks too soon
- By Nero on 04-17-20
By: Stephen Lawhead
-
The Blacktongue Thief
- By: Christopher Buehlman
- Narrated by: Christopher Buehlman
- Length: 12 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Kinch Na Shannack owes the Takers Guild a small fortune for his education as a thief, which includes (but is not limited to) lock-picking, knife-fighting, wall-scaling, fall-breaking, lie-weaving, trap-making, plus a few small magics. His debt has driven him to lie in wait by the old forest road, planning to rob the next traveler that crosses his path. But today, Kinch Na Shannack has picked the wrong mark.
-
-
Outstanding
- By Anne Vaughan on 05-28-21
-
Keeper of the Lost Cities
- By: Shannon Messenger
- Narrated by: Caitlin Kelly
- Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Twelve-year-old Sophie has never quite fit into her life. She’s skipped multiple grades and doesn’t really connect with the older kids at school, but she’s not comfortable with her family, either. The reason? Sophie’s a Telepath, someone who can read minds. No one knows her secret - at least, that’s what she thinks.... But the day Sophie meets Fitz, a mysterious (and adorable) boy, she learns she’s not alone. He’s a Telepath too, and it turns out the reason she has never felt at home is that, well...she isn’t. Fitz opens Sophie’s eyes to a shocking truth....
-
-
Amazing!
- By Anonymous User on 11-26-18
-
Tech, Lies, and Wizardry
- A Space Opera Fantasy Short Story (Black Ocean, Book 0)
- By: J. S. Morin
- Narrated by: Mikael Naramore
- Length: 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It started as a simple heist. It went to hell from there. On a space station orbiting a pale blue sun, a package changes hands. Data too sensitive to transmit will be exposed for one brief moment. The client is paying a crazy sum - if the job is clean. That’s not going to happen. Instead, the galaxy’s unluckiest crew of outlaws will have to put all their resources into salvaging what they can from the job. Even if it’s only avoiding blame for the fallout.
-
-
buy the whole series already
- By cooper bright on 10-22-19
By: J. S. Morin
-
The Emperor's Edge Collection
- Books 1, 2, and 3
- By: Lindsay Buroker
- Narrated by: Vivienne Leheny
- Length: 37 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An enforcer wanted dead for crimes she didn’t commit.... An assassin wanted dead for crimes he did commit.... Normally, they would be enemies, but they both seek the same thing: exoneration. Unfortunately, a nefarious underground organization is attempting to kill the one man who could grant it to them - the emperor. If they want to win their freedom, they’ll have to battle powerful wizards, outscheme master schemers, and defeat bloodthirsty monsters, all while dodging friendly fire and evading the law. Exoneration isn’t easy.
-
-
Three for One
- By B. Hongo on 10-06-21
By: Lindsay Buroker
-
A Little Hatred
- By: Joe Abercrombie
- Narrated by: Steven Pacey
- Length: 20 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On the blood-soaked borders of Angland, Leo dan Brock struggles to win fame on the battlefield, and defeat the marauding armies of Stour Nightfall. He hopes for help from the crown. But King Jezal's son, the feckless Prince Orso, is a man who specializes in disappointments. Savine dan Glokta - socialite, investor, and daughter of the most feared man in the Union - plans to claw her way to the top of the slag-heap of society by any means necessary. But the slums boil over with a rage that all the money in the world cannot control.
-
-
Rough listen.
- By Jared Clark on 01-08-20
By: Joe Abercrombie
-
The Complete King Raven Trilogy
- Hood, Scarlet, Tuck
- By: Stephen Lawhead
- Narrated by: Adam Verner
- Length: 35 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Hunted like an animal by Norman invaders, Bran ap Brychan, heir to the throne of Elfael, has abandoned his father’s kingdom and fled to the greenwood. There, in the primeval forest of the Welsh borders, danger surrounds him - for this woodland is a living, breathing entity with mysterious powers and secrets. Bran must find a way to make it his own if he is to survive and become King Raven. From deep in the forest, Bran, Will Scarlet, and Friar Tuck form a daring plan for deliverance, knowing that failure means death for them all - and the dreams of the oppressed people of Wales.
-
-
A Timeless classic that peaks too soon
- By Nero on 04-17-20
By: Stephen Lawhead
-
The Blacktongue Thief
- By: Christopher Buehlman
- Narrated by: Christopher Buehlman
- Length: 12 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Kinch Na Shannack owes the Takers Guild a small fortune for his education as a thief, which includes (but is not limited to) lock-picking, knife-fighting, wall-scaling, fall-breaking, lie-weaving, trap-making, plus a few small magics. His debt has driven him to lie in wait by the old forest road, planning to rob the next traveler that crosses his path. But today, Kinch Na Shannack has picked the wrong mark.
-
-
Outstanding
- By Anne Vaughan on 05-28-21
-
Keeper of the Lost Cities
- By: Shannon Messenger
- Narrated by: Caitlin Kelly
- Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Twelve-year-old Sophie has never quite fit into her life. She’s skipped multiple grades and doesn’t really connect with the older kids at school, but she’s not comfortable with her family, either. The reason? Sophie’s a Telepath, someone who can read minds. No one knows her secret - at least, that’s what she thinks.... But the day Sophie meets Fitz, a mysterious (and adorable) boy, she learns she’s not alone. He’s a Telepath too, and it turns out the reason she has never felt at home is that, well...she isn’t. Fitz opens Sophie’s eyes to a shocking truth....
-
-
Amazing!
- By Anonymous User on 11-26-18
-
Tech, Lies, and Wizardry
- A Space Opera Fantasy Short Story (Black Ocean, Book 0)
- By: J. S. Morin
- Narrated by: Mikael Naramore
- Length: 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It started as a simple heist. It went to hell from there. On a space station orbiting a pale blue sun, a package changes hands. Data too sensitive to transmit will be exposed for one brief moment. The client is paying a crazy sum - if the job is clean. That’s not going to happen. Instead, the galaxy’s unluckiest crew of outlaws will have to put all their resources into salvaging what they can from the job. Even if it’s only avoiding blame for the fallout.
-
-
buy the whole series already
- By cooper bright on 10-22-19
By: J. S. Morin
-
The Emperor's Edge Collection
- Books 1, 2, and 3
- By: Lindsay Buroker
- Narrated by: Vivienne Leheny
- Length: 37 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An enforcer wanted dead for crimes she didn’t commit.... An assassin wanted dead for crimes he did commit.... Normally, they would be enemies, but they both seek the same thing: exoneration. Unfortunately, a nefarious underground organization is attempting to kill the one man who could grant it to them - the emperor. If they want to win their freedom, they’ll have to battle powerful wizards, outscheme master schemers, and defeat bloodthirsty monsters, all while dodging friendly fire and evading the law. Exoneration isn’t easy.
-
-
Three for One
- By B. Hongo on 10-06-21
By: Lindsay Buroker
-
Ruins of the Earth
- Ruins of the Earth, Book 1
- By: Christopher Hopper, J. N. Chaney
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 15 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A secret buried in the Antarctic. A puzzle unsolved for thousands of years. And a Brooklyn-born master gunnery sergeant who's royally pissed that he has to babysit the researchers sent to figure it all out. But when Patrick "Wic" Finnegan finally sees what the team has uncovered, he can't believe his eyes, nor is he prepared for the violence to come. Soon, the portal opens and unleashes a storm of unbridled fury upon humanity.
-
-
I really wanted to like this.
- By Jeremy Korpi on 04-06-21
By: Christopher Hopper, and others
-
Under the Whispering Door
- By: TJ Klune
- Narrated by: Kirt Graves
- Length: 14 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Welcome to Charon's Crossing. The tea is hot, the scones are fresh, and the dead are just passing through. When a reaper comes to collect Wallace from his own funeral, Wallace begins to suspect he might be dead. And when Hugo, the owner of a peculiar tea shop, promises to help him cross over, Wallace decides he’s definitely dead.
-
-
Lovely, simply lovely
- By DDB on 09-23-21
By: TJ Klune
-
Freedom's Fire Box Set, Books 1-6
- The Complete Military Space Opera Series
- By: Bobby Adair
- Narrated by: Greg Tremblay
- Length: 38 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The best-selling, epic space adventure, Freedom's Fire: the complete series of six audiobooks, in one bundle.
-
-
Not Recommend.
- By William on 09-30-19
By: Bobby Adair
-
New Spring
- The Wheel of Time Prequel
- By: Robert Jordan
- Narrated by: Kate Reading, Michael Kramer
- Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For three days battle has raged in the snow around the great city of Tar Valon. In the city, a foretelling of the future is uttered. On the slopes of Dragonmount, the immense mountain that looms over the city, a child is born, an infant prophesied to change the world. That child must be found before he can be killed by the forces of the Shadow.
-
-
Read it after reading others in the series
- By Stacy Fair on 12-13-07
By: Robert Jordan
-
The Way of Kings
- The Stormlight Archive, Book 1
- By: Brandon Sanderson
- Narrated by: Kate Reading, Michael Kramer
- Length: 45 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Roshar is a world of stone and storms. Uncanny tempests of incredible power sweep across the rocky terrain so frequently that they have shaped ecology and civilization alike. Animals hide in shells, trees pull in branches, and grass retracts into the soilless ground. Cities are built only where the topography offers shelter. It has been centuries since the fall of the 10 consecrated orders known as the Knights Radiant, but their Shardblades and Shardplate remain: mystical swords and suits of armor.
-
-
It doesn't get any better than this!
- By Robert on 10-26-12
-
An Illusion of Thieves
- By: Cate Glass
- Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
- Length: 9 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Cantagna, being a sorcerer is a death sentence. Romy escapes her hardscrabble upbringing when she becomes courtesan to the Shadow Lord, a revolutionary noble who brings laws and comforts once reserved for the wealthy to all. When her brother, Neri, is caught thieving with the aid of magic, Romy's aristocratic influence is the only thing that can spare his life—and the price is her banishment.
-
-
A brilliant new series for Cate Glass (Carol Berg)
- By MarilynArms on 05-31-19
By: Cate Glass
-
The City of Brass
- A Novel
- By: S. A. Chakraborty
- Narrated by: Soneela Nankani
- Length: 20 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Nahri has never believed in magic. Certainly, she has power; on the streets of 18th-century Cairo, she’s a con woman of unsurpassed talent. But she knows better than anyone that the trades she uses to get by - palm readings, zars, and a mysterious gift for healing - are all tricks, both the means to the delightful end of swindling Ottoman nobles and a reliable way to survive. But when Nahri accidentally summons Dara, an equally sly, darkly mysterious djinn warrior, to her side during one of her cons, she’s forced to reconsider her beliefs.
-
-
it's a love/hate thing
- By Zahai on 02-28-18
-
The Name of the Wind
- Kingkiller Chronicle, Book 1
- By: Patrick Rothfuss
- Narrated by: Nick Podehl
- Length: 27 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is a tale of sorrow, a tale of survival, a tale of one man's search for meaning in his universe, and how that search, and the indomitable will that drove it, gave birth to a legend.
-
-
Not sure why the reviews are so polar opposite.
- By Aaron Altman on 06-28-09
By: Patrick Rothfuss
-
The Bright Empires Series
- The Skin Map, The Bone House, The Spirit Well, The Shadow Lamp, The Fatal Tree
- By: Stephen Lawhead
- Narrated by: Simon Bubb
- Length: 54 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Bright Empires series is a unique blend of epic treasure hunt, ancient history, alternate realities, cutting-edge physics, philosophy, and mystery. The result is a pause-resisting adventure like no other.
-
-
Literary Christian Rock
- By J. M. Sanders on 03-17-23
By: Stephen Lawhead
-
Spine of the Dragon
- Wake the Dragon, Book 1
- By: Kevin J. Anderson
- Narrated by: Fleet Cooper
- Length: 25 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Two continents at war, the Three Kingdoms and Ishara, are divided by past bloodshed. When an outside threat arises—the reawakening of a powerful ancient race that wants to remake the world—the two warring nations must somehow set aside generational hatreds and form an alliance to fight their true enemy.
-
-
Evil Wins Because Good Is Dumb
- By Andrew on 07-09-19
-
In Silence Abiding
- The Last Gift, Arc 1 Omnibus
- By: Allegra Pescatore
- Narrated by: Marian Hussey
- Length: 69 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When the Chosen One dies seconds from victory, the future falls into the hands of his younger sister. Disabled since childhood, Elenor never expected to be thrust into the center of a vast political web, but now her choices threaten to unravel it. As she navigates treacherous strands of deception, Elenor must forge alliances, confront sadistic family members, and uncover mysteries that span centuries. The world teeters on the brink of chaos, magic spirals out of control, and ancient forces move in the shadows hungry for vengeance.
-
-
Feels like a clunky fan of Stormlight archive
- By Jason Mark on 01-28-25
-
The Shadow of What Was Lost
- Licanius, Book 1
- By: James Islington
- Narrated by: Michael Kramer
- Length: 25 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It has been 20 years since the end of the war. The dictatorial Augurs, once thought of almost as gods, were overthrown and wiped out during the conflict, their much-feared powers mysteriously failing them. Those who had ruled under them, men and women with a lesser ability known as the Gift, avoided the Augurs' fate only by submitting themselves to the rebellion's Four Tenets.
-
-
Atrocious. Almost abusive.
- By Captain Spanky Of Nazareth on 06-10-20
By: James Islington
Critic reviews
"A trio of talented narrators tackles the first book in a new fantasy series centered on a man who is destined to destroy an empire...the trio complement each other and elevate an unconventional story filled with intense world-building and vivid characters." (AudioFile Magazine)

Editor's Pick
Bloodlines and battlefields
"There's nothing like getting sucked into a truly epic fantasy story and that's exactly what Ruin of Kings delivers from the moment you start getting to know the cheeky young Kihrin, following his journey from orphaned street rat to long-lost heir to a royal house to on-the-run savior (or destroyer) of the world. Narrators Feodor Chin, Vikas Adam, and Soneela Nankani seamlessly pull you into a world full of wizards, dragons, demons, and witches, all made believably real thanks, in part, to the all-too-human motivations of the characters. It all comes together to make this series starter come alive in the most delicious ways."
—Abby W., Audible Editor
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
The Sky on Fire
- By: Jenn Lyons
- Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang
- Length: 17 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Anahrod lives only for survival, forging her own way through the harsh jungles of the Deep with her titan drake by her side. Even when an adventuring party saves her from capture by a local warlord, she is eager to return to her solitary life. But this is no ordinary rescue. It’s Anahrod’s past catching up with her. These cunning misfits—and their frustratingly appealing dragonrider ringleader—intend to spirit her away to the dragon-ruled sky cities, where they need her help to steal from a dragon’s hoard.
-
-
Loved it!
- By Emily on 08-18-24
By: Jenn Lyons
-
The Unspoken Name
- The Serpent Gates, Book 1
- By: A. K. Larkwood
- Narrated by: Avita Jay
- Length: 18 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What if you knew how and when you will die? Csorwe does - she will climb the mountain, enter the Shrine of the Unspoken, and gain the most honored title: sacrifice. But on the day of her foretold death, a powerful mage offers her a new fate. Leave with him, and live. Turn away from her destiny and her god to become a thief, a spy, an assassin - the wizard's loyal sword. Topple an empire, and help him reclaim his seat of power. But Csorwe will soon learn - gods remember, and if you live long enough, all debts come due.
-
-
Dry and Boring
- By Nathan on 02-12-20
By: A. K. Larkwood
-
Under This Red Rock
- By: Mindy McGinnis
- Narrated by: Brittany Pressley
- Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Neely’s monsters don’t always follow her rules, so when the little girl under her bed, the man in her closet, and the disembodied voice that shadows her every move become louder, she knows she’s in trouble. With a history of mental illness in her family and the suicide of her older brother heavy on her mind, Neely takes a job as a tour guide in the one place her monsters can’t follow—the caverns. There . . . she meets Mila. Mila is everything Neely isn’t—beautiful, strong, and confident.
-
-
Both make a great team, as always.
- By brian on 04-01-24
By: Mindy McGinnis
-
Blood Water Paint
- By: Joy McCullough
- Narrated by: Xe Sands
- Length: 3 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Joy McCullough's bold novel in verse is a portrait of an artist as a young woman, filled with the soaring highs of creative inspiration and the devastating setbacks of a system built to break her. McCullough weaves Artemisia's heartbreaking story with the stories of the ancient heroines, Susanna and Judith, who become not only the subjects of two of Artemisia's most famous paintings but sources of strength as she battles to paint a woman's timeless truth in the face of unspeakable and all-too-familiar violence.
-
-
Told her story in such a real way
- By Amazon Customer on 04-29-19
By: Joy McCullough
-
City of Stairs
- By: Robert Jackson Bennett
- Narrated by: Alma Cuervo
- Length: 17 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The city of Bulikov once wielded the powers of the gods to conquer the world, enslaving and brutalizing millions - until its divine protectors were killed. Now Bulikov has become just another colonial outpost of the world's new geopolitical power, but the surreal landscape of the city itself - first shaped, now shattered, by the thousands of miracles its guardians once worked upon it - stands as a constant, haunting reminder of its former supremacy. Into this broken city steps Shara Thivani.
-
-
Something Different
- By Scott S. on 10-17-14
-
Dragonvein, Book One
- By: Brian D. Anderson
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 11 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Carentan, France, 1944 - Ethan Martin, a soldier in the 101st Airborne, is fighting for his life. But soon he will learn what peril truly is when he is ripped from his world and transported to a land of magic, swords, and dragons. And though the Nazis are now far, far away, danger is closer than ever.
-
-
Interesting Story but very light on in details.
- By Kindle Customer on 07-16-15
-
The Sky on Fire
- By: Jenn Lyons
- Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang
- Length: 17 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Anahrod lives only for survival, forging her own way through the harsh jungles of the Deep with her titan drake by her side. Even when an adventuring party saves her from capture by a local warlord, she is eager to return to her solitary life. But this is no ordinary rescue. It’s Anahrod’s past catching up with her. These cunning misfits—and their frustratingly appealing dragonrider ringleader—intend to spirit her away to the dragon-ruled sky cities, where they need her help to steal from a dragon’s hoard.
-
-
Loved it!
- By Emily on 08-18-24
By: Jenn Lyons
-
The Unspoken Name
- The Serpent Gates, Book 1
- By: A. K. Larkwood
- Narrated by: Avita Jay
- Length: 18 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What if you knew how and when you will die? Csorwe does - she will climb the mountain, enter the Shrine of the Unspoken, and gain the most honored title: sacrifice. But on the day of her foretold death, a powerful mage offers her a new fate. Leave with him, and live. Turn away from her destiny and her god to become a thief, a spy, an assassin - the wizard's loyal sword. Topple an empire, and help him reclaim his seat of power. But Csorwe will soon learn - gods remember, and if you live long enough, all debts come due.
-
-
Dry and Boring
- By Nathan on 02-12-20
By: A. K. Larkwood
-
Under This Red Rock
- By: Mindy McGinnis
- Narrated by: Brittany Pressley
- Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Neely’s monsters don’t always follow her rules, so when the little girl under her bed, the man in her closet, and the disembodied voice that shadows her every move become louder, she knows she’s in trouble. With a history of mental illness in her family and the suicide of her older brother heavy on her mind, Neely takes a job as a tour guide in the one place her monsters can’t follow—the caverns. There . . . she meets Mila. Mila is everything Neely isn’t—beautiful, strong, and confident.
-
-
Both make a great team, as always.
- By brian on 04-01-24
By: Mindy McGinnis
-
Blood Water Paint
- By: Joy McCullough
- Narrated by: Xe Sands
- Length: 3 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Joy McCullough's bold novel in verse is a portrait of an artist as a young woman, filled with the soaring highs of creative inspiration and the devastating setbacks of a system built to break her. McCullough weaves Artemisia's heartbreaking story with the stories of the ancient heroines, Susanna and Judith, who become not only the subjects of two of Artemisia's most famous paintings but sources of strength as she battles to paint a woman's timeless truth in the face of unspeakable and all-too-familiar violence.
-
-
Told her story in such a real way
- By Amazon Customer on 04-29-19
By: Joy McCullough
-
City of Stairs
- By: Robert Jackson Bennett
- Narrated by: Alma Cuervo
- Length: 17 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The city of Bulikov once wielded the powers of the gods to conquer the world, enslaving and brutalizing millions - until its divine protectors were killed. Now Bulikov has become just another colonial outpost of the world's new geopolitical power, but the surreal landscape of the city itself - first shaped, now shattered, by the thousands of miracles its guardians once worked upon it - stands as a constant, haunting reminder of its former supremacy. Into this broken city steps Shara Thivani.
-
-
Something Different
- By Scott S. on 10-17-14
-
Dragonvein, Book One
- By: Brian D. Anderson
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 11 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Carentan, France, 1944 - Ethan Martin, a soldier in the 101st Airborne, is fighting for his life. But soon he will learn what peril truly is when he is ripped from his world and transported to a land of magic, swords, and dragons. And though the Nazis are now far, far away, danger is closer than ever.
-
-
Interesting Story but very light on in details.
- By Kindle Customer on 07-16-15
-
Age of Ash
- By: Daniel Abraham
- Narrated by: Soneela Nankani
- Length: 14 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When her brother is murdered, a petty thief from the slums of Longhill sets out to discover who killed him and why. But the more she discovers about him, the more she learns about herself, and the truths she finds are more dangerous than knives....
-
-
Deserves a better reader
- By Mary on 02-16-22
By: Daniel Abraham
-
The Emperor's Blades
- Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, Book 1
- By: Brian Staveley
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 19 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The emperor of Annur is dead, slain by enemies unknown. His daughter and two sons, scattered across the world, do what they must to stay alive and unmask the assassins. But each of them also has a life-path on which their father set them, destinies entangled with both ancient enemies and inscrutable gods.
-
-
4 Primary Crimes Committed By The Author
- By Captain Spanky Of Nazareth on 05-09-16
By: Brian Staveley
-
Lawn Boy
- By: Jonathan Evison
- Narrated by: P. J. Ochlan
- Length: 8 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For Mike Muñoz, a young Chicano living in Washington State, life has been a whole lot of waiting for something to happen. Not too many years out of high school and still doing menial work - and just fired from his latest gig as a lawn boy on a landscaping crew - he knows that he's got to be the one to shake things up if he's ever going to change his life. But how?
-
-
CATEGORY AND SUMMARY MISLEADING
- By Gretchen on 05-01-18
By: Jonathan Evison
-
The Dragon's Blade
- The Reborn King
- By: Michael R. Miller
- Narrated by: Dave Cruse
- Length: 13 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dragons once soared in the skies, but that was before the Transformation, before they took human form. Now, demonic forces stand to obliterate them. When left mortally wounded, Darnuir, the Prince of Dragons, can only be saved through a dangerous rebirthing spell. He is left as a babe in human hands. Twenty years later, Darnuir is of age to wield the Dragon's Blade. As the last member of his bloodline, he is the only one who can. He is plunged into a role he is not prepared for, to lead a people he does not know.
-
-
Awesome listen!
- By superstardrifter on 02-12-17
-
Of Blood and Fire
- The Bound and the Broken, Book 1
- By: Ryan Cahill
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 16 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Epheria is a land divided by war and mistrust. The High Lords of the South squabble and fight, only kept in check by the Dragonguard, traitors of a time long past, who serve the empire of the North. In the remote villages of Southern Epheria, still reeling from the tragic loss of his brother, Calen Bryer prepares for The Proving - a test of courage and skill that not all survive. But when three strangers arrive in the village of Milltown, with a secret they are willing to die for, Calen’s world is ripped from under him and he is thrust headfirst into a war.
-
-
Didn’t expect a “grow up power fantasy”
- By Mike Thomas on 07-23-22
By: Ryan Cahill
-
The Empire's Ruin
- Ashes of the Unhewn Throne, Book 1
- By: Brian Staveley
- Narrated by: Moira Quirk, Joe Jameson, Oliver Cudbill
- Length: 35 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Annurian Empire is disintegrating. The advantages it used for millennia have fallen to ruin. The ranks of the Kettral have been decimated from within, and the kenta gates, granting instantaneous travel across the vast lands of the empire, can no longer be used. In order to save the empire, one of the surviving Kettral must voyage beyond the edge of the known world through a land that warps and poisons all living things to find the nesting ground of the giant war hawks. Meanwhile, a monk turned con-artist may hold the secret to the kenta gates.
-
-
This is a horrible book
- By BeauFLA on 07-19-21
By: Brian Staveley
-
The Justice of Kings
- By: Richard Swan
- Narrated by: Lucy Paterson
- Length: 13 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Empire of the Wolf simmers with unrest. Rebels, heretics, and powerful patricians all challenge the power of the Imperial throne. Only the Order of Justices stands in the way of chaos. Sir Konrad Vonvalt is the most feared Justice of all, upholding the law by way of his sharp mind, arcane powers, and skill as a swordsman. At his side stands Helena Sedanka, his talented protégé, orphaned by the wars that forged the Empire.
-
-
Give it a try. Doubtful you'll regret it.
- By Taylor Ascher on 03-13-22
By: Richard Swan
-
Debt of Bones
- Sword of Truth Series
- By: Terry Goodkind
- Narrated by: Sam Tsoutsouvas
- Length: 3 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A milestone of storytelling set in the world of The Sword of Truth, Debt of Bones is the story of young Abby's struggle to win the aid of the wizard Zedd Zorander, the most important man alive. Abby is trapped, not only between both sides of the war, but in a mortal conflict between two powerful men. For Zedd, who commands power most men can only imagine, granting Abby's request would mean forsaking his sacred duty. With the storm of the final battle about to save the life of a child....
-
-
Bags! This is a good prequel.
- By Patrick Sanchez on 05-02-14
By: Terry Goodkind
-
The Last Sun
- By: K. D. Edwards
- Narrated by: Josh Hurley
- Length: 13 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Rune Saint John, the last child of the fallen Sun Court, is hired to search for Lady Judgment's missing son, Addam, on New Atlantis, the island city where the Atlanteans moved after ordinary humans destroyed their original home. With his companion and bodyguard, Brand, he questions Addam's relatives and business contacts through the highest ranks of the nobles of New Atlantis. But as they investigate, they uncover more than a missing man: a legendary creature connected to the secret of the massacre of Rune's Court.
-
-
Holy shit that was so good!!!
- By SMC on 10-12-18
By: K. D. Edwards
-
Theft of Swords [Dramatized Adaptation]
- Riyria Revelations, Book 1
- By: Michael J. Sullivan
- Narrated by: Amanda Forstrom, Andrew Quilpa, Andy Brownstein, and others
- Length: 16 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There is no ancient evil to defeat, no orphan destined for greatness, just two guys in the wrong place at the wrong time. Royce Melborn, a skilled thief, and his mercenary partner, Hadrian Blackwater, make a profitable living carrying out dangerous assignments for conspiring nobles until they become the unwitting scapegoats in a plot to murder the king. Sentenced to death, they have only one way out...and so begins this tale of treachery and adventure, sword fighting and magic, myth and legend. Avempartha is the second of a six book series entitled the Riyria Revelations.
-
-
Could do without the commercials throughout it
- By Amazon Customer on 01-26-22
-
We Are the Dead
- The Last War Trilogy
- By: Mike Shackle
- Narrated by: Nicola Bryant
- Length: 18 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jia's people learned the hard way that there are no second chances. The Egril, their ancient enemy, struck with magic so devastating that Jia's armies were wiped out. Now terror reigns in the streets, and friend turns on friend just to live another day. Somehow Tinnstra - a deserter, a failure, nothing but a coward - survived. She wants no more than to hide from the chaos. But dragged into a desperate plot to retake Jia, surrounded by people willing to do anything to win the fight, this time Tinnstra will need to do more than hide.
-
-
Criminally Underrated Gem in a world of Dark Fantasy
- By Nic on 04-24-23
By: Mike Shackle
-
Black Sun
- By: Rebecca Roanhorse
- Narrated by: Cara Gee, Nicole Lewis, Kaipo Schwab, and others
- Length: 12 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the holy city of Tova, the winter solstice is usually a time for celebration and renewal, but this year it coincides with a solar eclipse, a rare celestial even proscribed by the Sun Priest as an unbalancing of the world. Meanwhile, a ship launches from a distant city bound for Tova and set to arrive on the solstice. The captain of the ship, Xiala, is a disgraced Teek whose song can calm the waters around her as easily as it can warp a man’s mind. Her ship carries one passenger.
-
-
5-star Concept; Too Many Threads Left Hanging
- By Lisa Davidson on 10-26-20
What listeners say about The Ruin of Kings
Highly rated for:
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Stephen P
- 06-24-19
Interesting story but incredibly confusing
The narrator's were fantastic. I absolutely enjoyed having all 3. It really set off the footnotes and made them enjoyable.
The overall story was interesting, but it was unnecessarily confusing. I'm 100% glad I listened to this via audiobook rather than suffered through all the pages.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 02-13-20
Great book but a little of a struggle sometimes
I really do love this book the story is fantastic and keeps me guessing the only thing I don't like is how it is necessary to get some of the information through to the main character and then how he refuses to believe it, kind of like throwing a brick at a wall and then having a tantrum that it didn't stick, I do understand the main character is young and that could be there reason for it.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 01-24-23
Good first book, phenomenal series
I almost didn't listen to this book because of the reviews describing how confusing the book was. Don't listen to them. It does sometimes take a little critical thinking to figure things out, but definitely worth it. The whole series is phenomenal, and though the world building is this first book can be confusing, it all comes together in the rest of the series. If the changing times lines is a source of confusion then my recommendation is to also have the written book to refer back to. Plus it contains descriptions of characters that can be helpful.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Elle N.
- 03-26-19
excellent story and narration
narrators do an excellent job creating distinct voices and characters. intriguing story with a well fleshed out world. story starts at two different timelines that merge together at the end. there are some loose ends that sets up for the sequel
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Lisa Williams
- 07-29-21
amazing
best epic fantasy book ive read in a good while. its absolutely fantastic although sixty bucks is pretty pricey. the performance is top notch you definitely get what you pay for.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- PaintedPoppies
- 03-29-19
Incredible writing, terrific pacing and storytelling
Brilliant story telling technique! I love how this book takes you on a wild adventure, or two, (possibly three) and layers depth with each chapter. The narrators voices ring with clarity and character, this is a performance of the written word.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Carol
- 04-24-21
Confusing, but still a very enjoyable book!!
I FINISHED!!!
Honestly, it’s an achievement I finished this book at all since I’ve tried to read this book three times before and was unsuccessful all three times. The thing about this book is that it is confusing. Very, very confusing. This time I started this book because I was in the right mood where I wanted to read a book with no thoughts, and just be here for the vibes. And this book fit the bill.
As confusing as this book is, I think I really enjoyed it. Is that weird? I would recommend reading this by e-book and audiobook together. The e-book so you can search names, places, and things more easily than you could with a physical book, and the audiobook because the narration performances are FANTASTIC and really do help bring the characters and story to life.
Trigger warnings include multiple mentions and scenes of rape, PTSD, sexual assault, slavery, torture, suicide (part of reincarnation rituals), incest, graphic violence, mind control, body possession, kidnapping, misogyny, domestic violence, abuse, and murder.
I will try my best to break down this story. But if I get details wrong, well...I tried.
This story is told from three different timelines and by different POVs. Remember how confusing The Witcher TV show was before everyone caught on to the multiple timelines that were happening? This is like that.
Our first timeline, and one that we see more in voiceover than playing out in real time, is the one told in present-day. Told in third-person, this is where we start with the main protagonist, Kihrin, in a jail cell with a captor by the name of Talon. Talon holds a magic stone that records whatever the holder is saying and wishes to record Kihrin’s story as they pass the time. In this present-day story, Kihrin is 20.
The story then begins with their accounts of what happened that leads up to them being locked away together.
We have Kihrin telling his story in first-person set in the past (he’s 16 here) where he is captured and being sold as a slave. He captures the eye of one wizard, Relos Var, and a group of vané. Vané are the last immortal race and the Manol vané here are a group of worshippers to a death goddess and their Black Brotherhood “cult”, as they are referred to, are able to come back from the dead. At least, that’s how I understand it.
No, it is not at all lost on me how the Black Brotherhood name so closely resembles the Black Dagger Brotherhood created by J.R. Ward, and the vané here resemble vampires in appearance and agelessness, as well as the vané’s penchant to drink blood during their sacred rituals. Coincidence?? The word vampire does not exist in these books but if you were to give the vané a familiar name, I think it would be vampire.
Anyways.
In Talon’s recounting of events told in third-person, Kihrin is 15. Her story being us up to Kihrin’s retelling of his story. And Kihrin’s chapters brings us to present-day. It’s important to note that Talon is not human and every character she “tells” the tale from in their perspective are all people who have died and has eaten, or she has stolen their memories. It’s actually sad when you think about it, but I liked some of these characters.
Then there’s a third narrator who talks in first-person, who inputs his opinion of the recorded accounts called Thurvishar. His comments add as a footnote throughout the story and is sarcastic but insightful. I found him funny. His character does show up in the story in Talon and Kihrin’s accounts and I think it’s surprising to see him in flesh and bone after only associating him as a voice in the footnotes. He has some pretty funny footnotes regarding his own character as well.
Confused yet? Yeah.
I think the only book I appreciated being told in a nonlinear fashion is WHERE DEATH MEETS THE DEVIL by L.J. Hayward, and that’s because the past and present timelines built off each other in parallel that worked really well. Here? It just didn’t really seem all that necessary, honestly. This book is confusing for a whole host of reasons, and the multiple timelines will probably turn a lot of readers off before they even get to the other reasons why this book is confusing.
Let’s talk about names. There is an explanation for so many names being so similar, and it is actually part of the worldbuilding. But as someone who doesn’t usually read adult high fantasy, this was not fun to try to follow along with. We have a lot of names that start with a T and a lot that start with a K, and almost none of them are pronounceable without the help of the audiobook. This is before we add in the names of trying to remember or pronounce the places this book is set in.
While there is a pronounciation guide at the end of the book, it’s at the END. Same with the glossary. How is anyone supposed to know any of that is there??? That’s the kind of stuff that should be at the front of the book.
This book is FULL of unreliable narrators. This means that what you’re being told in one storyline from one character could change multiple times until the truth is revealed later in the book. This goes for the very, very complicated family tree of our protagonist Kihrin. This book involves body switching due to magic and lots of murder involved, so who’s really whose parent is COMPLICATED. The family tree diagram is a spoiler at the end of the book, and I’m not sure if it answers more questions than it asks even if you look at it early.
Another layer of complicatedness is the idea of reincarnation and past lives. The questions are who is able to be reincarnated and who is able to remember all of their past lives. This is complicated, and trying to make sense of the different afterlives presented in this book are not clear. But just know that not everyone stays dead in this book, although there is an extremely high body count.
Someone I haven’t mentioned yet is Teraeth. He is a vané who does remember his pasts, and he has a very slow burn (like HUNDREDS of years in the making) with Kihrin. Kihrin is a total disaster bi, who in this book, has too much to deal with and is actually just a teenager so he doesn’t necessarily think that he’s bi yet. Moments between Kihrin and Teraeth are hilarious a lot of the time. They like to needle each other and their banter is neverending. In terms of physical appearance, they are around the same age. However, when you add in Terareth’s reincarnations and immortality and everything we find out about Kihrin’s history, the whole thing gets more than a little murky.
This series is apparently a polyam endgame with Kihrin, Teraeth, and someone we meet at the end of this book, so this romance has a while to go. I love slow burns that crosses multiple books, so to me, this is PERFECT.
I am a sucker for spoilers and indeed looked ahead to some reviews for future books and this series is going to be very queer. And I am here for all of it!!! We have some ace characters in a relationship in the other books? I will suffer any number of confusing storylines as long as the romances are queer. I am simple that way.
I think character-wise, the book is entertaining and a lot of fun. If extremely violent. Please do take a look at the trigger warnings because this book is DARK.
I ADORE Kihrin, and Talon is a very interesting character. They definitely bring life to the story. This book, so far, contains gods and goddesses, demons, vampires (and maybe reptile vampires??? I think), zombies, and dragons. Like I said. This book is ~vibes~ for me. I think I got the main pieces of the storyline figured out by the end of the book, although I would be hard pressed to give a summary of what all happened.
LUCKILY...the audiobook has an excerpt of book 2, THE NAME OF ALL THINGS, at the very end. What’s included in that excerpt? That’s right, a recap of everything you need to know going into book 2. So, if you need a reminder of what you just read, there is a convenient excerpt at the end of the audiobook to jog your memory.
I think the narrators of the audiobook did an EXCELLENT job here. Vikas Adam (Kihrin), Soneela Nankani (Talon), and Feodor Chin (Thurvishar) are really amazing narrators and they switch between male and female voices very well. I wouldn’t have finished the book without the help of their narration, and I really appreciate how they brought the story to life!!
Which is why I was so very confused at the narrator changes for the second book, but I think I understand now after some research. The events of book 2 run in parallel to the events in book 1 and is actually about different characters that will eventually catch up with the main storyline. These books are massive in this series (the audiobooks around 27 hours each), so the reader commitment here is actually asking for a lot. But one of the leads for the second book is actually part of the polyam relationship with Kihrin and Teraeth in the long run, so I guess I can deal. She’s also a demon. So, that’s fun. It helps that by the time I’m reading this, books 1 through 3 are out and we’re a month out from book 4’s release (out of a 5 book series), so I guess I’m coming into this series at a really good time.
All I can really say is that I’m happy I finally finished the book, I did enjoy it, and I’ll be diving into the next book immediately!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Stright Scoop
- 03-12-19
Terrible waste of money!!
Hard to follow. Slow and boring. I have over a 100 books and this one is at the top of the worst list.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Aimee Gravitt
- 12-01-19
Good book
I liked the audiobook alot but it would have been less confusing if I had the actual book in my hands a few times.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Richard Burris
- 10-08-19
. . .
It started out weird, but it flows. I was amazed by how well it worked.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!