#BookReview THE DISCORD OF GODS by JENN LYONS @BlackCrow_PR @torbooks

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Discord of Gods marks the epic conclusion to Jenn Lyons’s Chorus of Dragon series, closing out the saga that began with The Ruin of Kings, for fans of Brandon Sanderson and Patrick Rothfuss.

The end times have come.

Relos Var’s final plans to enslave the universe are on the cusp of fruition. He believes there’s only one being in existence that might be able to stop him: the demon Xaltorath.

As these two masterminds circle each other, neither is paying attention to the third player on the board, Kihrin. Unfortunately, keeping himself classified in the “pawn” category means Kihrin must pretend to be everything the prophecies threatened he’d become: the destroyer of all, the sun eater, a mindless, remorseless plague upon the land. It also means finding an excuse to not destroy the people he loves (or any of the remaining Immortals) without arousing suspicion.

Kihrin’s goals are complicated by the fact that not all of his “act” is one. His intentions may be sincere, but he’s still being forced to grapple with the aftereffects of the corrupted magic ritual that twisted both him and the dragons. Worse, he’s now tied to a body that is the literal avatar of a star – a form that is becoming increasingly, catastrophically unstable. All of which means he’s running out of time.

After all, some stars fade – but others explode.

PUBLISHED BY TOR BOOKS

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon

Blackwell’s

MY REVIEW

The fifth and final installment of a truly epic fantasy series – say it ain’t so!! But this ‘chapter’ is a really fitting end to the series and allows us to spend more time with our favourite characters and marvel at the grand scale of the drama and goings on!! Be prepared! This book is full on, non stop action!! There’s barely time to draw breath between the chaos and carnage, and that’s where the wonderful use of the footnotes come into play as they just allow that light relief and pause as you take stock of what’s been going on, and marvel at the ‘snark-asm’ which this series has been a master at!! Guaranteed to bring a smile and smirk to any grumpy face!

The main characters each take their turn in playing a major part in the action, as Relos Var’s plans begin to take shape but has he taken his eye off the ball to someone else coming in and spoiling his fun!! There’s double bluffs, soul searching and the wonderful interaction between characters as before, my favourites being Kihrin, Janel and Tereath, and there are some satisfying conclusions being played out, along with a few twists and turns that hit hard!!

This is a series that has dragons and demons, rituals and revenge, magic and murder, battles and betrayals, and most importantly, the wonderful world building that allows your imagination to go nuts! It’s a series I’ve loved and I’m very sad to see it go! Thank you Jenn Lyons for the ride!!

★★★★★

My thanks to the team at Black Crow PR for the advanced reader copy in return for a fair and honest review.

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#BookReview THE HOUSE OF ALWAYS by JENN LYONS @BlackCrow_PR @UKTor

ABOUT THE BOOK

For fans of Brandon Sanderson and Patrick Rothfuss, The House of Always is the fourth epic fantasy in Jenn Lyons’ Chorus of Dragons series that began with The Ruin of Kings.

What if you were imprisoned for all eternity?

In the aftermath of the Ritual of Night, everything has changed.

The Eight Immortals have catastrophically failed to stop Kihrin’s enemies, who are moving forward with their plans to free Vol Karoth, the King of Demons. Kihrin has his own ideas about how to fight back, but even if he’s willing to sacrifice everything for victory, the cost may prove too high for his allies.

Now they face a choice: can they save the world while saving Kihrin, too? Or will they be forced to watch as he becomes the very evil they have all sworn to destroy. 

PUBLISHED BY TOR BOOKS

PURCHASE LINK

Amazon

PRAISE FOR A CHORUS OF DRAGONS SERIES

 ‘What an extraordinary book. The Ruin of Kings is everything epic fantasy should be: rich, cruel, gorgeous, brilliant, enthralling and deeply deeply satisfying. I loved it’ – Lev Grossman 
‘Hands-down the best fantasy debut I’ve read in a long time’- Storgy Magazine 
‘Everything you could want from a fantasy epic…unputdownable’ – Den of Geek
 ‘In a sprawling, magic-filled world populated by gods, dragons, krakens, witches, demons, ghosts, shapeshifters, zombies, and so much more, Lyons ties it all together seamlessly to create literary magic. Epic fantasy fans looking for a virtually un-put-down-able read should look no further’ – Kirkus starred review ‘Its lore and memorable characters will leave epic fantasy fans eager for the second volume’ – Publishers Weekly starred review 
‘An instant classic and TOR have got an absolute winner on their hands’ – Fantasy Book Review ‘Both innovative and a traditional, grand epic. If you like dragons, twisty storytelling, and you also want to fall in love with a character that eats people, The Ruin of Kings is for you’ -Tasha Suri, Empire of Sand 
‘The world-building is vivid, and Lyon’s vision feels fresh and fun. You sense a real intellect at work behind the words, with a detailed cosmology and distinct, witty characters – 4.5 stars’ – SFX Magazine ‘This follow up to Lyon’s brilliant debut takes a similar, assured (and sassy) narrative approach as The Ruin of Kings…Lyons proves she is worthy of comparison to the masters of epic fantasy, such as Patrick Rothfuss, Stephen R . Donaldson (particularly in GrandGuignol action), and Melanie Rawn’ – Booklist starred review
 ‘Simply put: This is top notch adventure fantasy written for a 21st-century audience – high recommended’ – Kirkus starred review ‘Lyons is creating a complex and wonderful series that will immerse and delight’ – Library Journal ‘Lyons proves she is worthy of comparison to the masters of epic fantasy’ – Booklist starred review

MY REVIEW

Book 4 in the series and it’s still as fresh as Book 1!!  I can’t believe the series is almost at the end – one more book to go 😦 – but this is another gripping, emotional and pulsating instalment to the series that I will be very sad to say goodbye to!

The House of Always is a more mature, character driven story than the past books, and that was quite nice!  It had a different style and change of pace to some of the action in the previous books and it felt good to spend more time connecting with each character as they faced new dangers and dilemmas.  You could see how the different relationships between them were changing so you feel like you get more feel for each character, which isn’t always easy when there’s too much action going on.

That’s not to say there’s no action going on in this story! There is plenty! There’s battles with demons and dragons, betrayals galore, sacrifices and magic for you to enjoy.  Added to the normal mix of maps, floorplans and the wondrous footnotes that I just can’t get enough of! The footnotes are a book in themselves and just add that little something extra to each part of the story!!

The main crux of the story for the characters to work out is why they’re all trapped at the Lighthouse of Shadrag Gor, and how they can rescue Kihrin from inside the mind of a god! Sounds like an easy task right?! No chance!!

It’s also told from the point of view of Senera which adds a new dynamic to things and I loved finding out more about her past!  None of them ever seem to have nothing to hide!

There are arguments and betrayals, but also an overwhelming feel of unity – ‘the world changed’ is a phrase that is used a lot and you really do get that sense of each action they take having a greater impact on the outcome of each battle.

I found this to be real edge of the seat stuff throughout and it has just fitted so nicely into the series, with things building perfectly for the next installment…. I hope we’re not waiting too long! I don’t think I can cope without knowing what is in store next!!

★★★★★

My thanks to the team at Black Crow PR for the advanced reader copy in return for a fair and honest review!

#BookReview THE MEMORY OF SOULS by JENN LYONS #The MemoryOfSouls @UkTor @MyBookishLife

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Memory of Souls is the third epic fantasy in Jenn Lyons’ Chorus of Dragons series.

THE LONGER HE LIVES
THE MORE DANGEROUS HE BECOMES

Now that Relos Var’s plans have been revealed and demons are free to rampage across the empire, the fulfillment of the ancient prophecies—and the end of the world—is closer than ever.

To buy time for humanity, Kihrin needs to convince the king of the Manol vané to perform an ancient ritual which will strip the entire race of their immortality, but it’s a ritual which certain vané will do anything to prevent. Including assassinating the messengers.

Worse, Kihrin must come to terms with the horrifying possibility that his connection to the king of demons, Vol Karoth, is growing steadily in strength.

How can he hope to save anyone when he might turn out to be the greatest threat of them all?
PUBLISHED BY TOR BOOKS

PURCHASE LINKS

HIVE.CO.UK
BLACKWELL’S
GOLDSBORO – signed edition

MY REVIEW

The series that just keeps on getting better and better, and throwing even more curveballs and shocks our way!! Love it!

This is a story that goes back, forth, sideways, up and down and will keep you on your toes as a reader and scramble your brain in the process!!

It’s another thrilling installment of this epic fantasy read full of epic battles, dragons, deceit, dragons, demons, dragons, gods, dragons, magic…. and did I mention dragons?! It’s also very helpful with a glossary to help you pronounce names, family trees and an extremely useful timeline to help you make sense of what you’ve read! I’m at that age where retaining information is often a struggle but having these handy guides were a godsend!!

Kihrin and friends are on another quest for help and, as always, there are many obstacles placed in their way, and we see the story told from different viewpoints as before -and the wonderfully humorous footnotes are back which do add brilliant light relief from the action as it unfolds!

It always amazes me when an author creates a storyline like this! With each new book there’s added depth to the characters that you think you know! This series keeps on excelling on the complex storyline front but you never feel detached from it despite the intricacies!

Nothing is set in stone with this series with the constant shifts and it is confusing AF as times BUT it all works because of the characters! They are different and complex creatures that frustrate and excite with their attitudes and I love them! I just cannot wait to see what the author throws at us next in the series with book 4 on the way!!!

★★★★★

My thanks to Stephen at Tor Books for the copy of the book in return for a fair and honest review!

#BookReview The Name of all Things by Jenn Lyons #TheNameOfAllThings

ABOUT THE BOOK

“Everything epic fantasy should be: rich, cruel, gorgeous, brilliant, enthralling and deeply, deeply satisfying. I loved it.”―Lev Grossman on The Ruin of Kings

You can have everything you want if you sacrifice everything you believe.
Kihrin D’Mon is a wanted man.
Since he destroyed the Stone of Shackles and set demons free across Quur, he has been on the run from the wrath of an entire empire. His attempt to escape brings him into the path of Janel Theranon, a mysterious Joratese woman who claims to know Kihrin.
Janel’s plea for help pits Kihrin against all manner of dangers: a secret rebellion, a dragon capable of destroying an entire city, and Kihrin’s old enemy, the wizard Relos Var.
Janel believes that Relos Var possesses one of the most powerful artifacts in the world―the Cornerstone called the Name of All Things. And if Janel is right, then there may be nothing in the world that can stop Relos Var from getting what he wants.

And what he wants is Kihrin D’Mon.

Jenn Lyons continues the Chorus of Dragons series with The Name of All Things, the epic sequel to The Ruin of Kings

Published by Tor Books

Publication Date –  7th November 2019

PRE-ORDER LINKS

Amazon UK  £26.99
Goldsboro Books – signed first edition £25.00
WHSMITH  £13.29

MY REVIEW

I’ve been eagerly awaiting the return of Kihrin since The Ruin of Kings, and in The Name of All Things you’re left totally absorbed in the world of magic, battles and dragons once more and I loved being part of this world once more! The snark is strong in this book!! Kihrin is being hunted after wreaking havoc in book one and in the quest to escape it brings him face to face with new characters – allies and foes!

These stories are always told really imaginatively and in this installment we’re with Kihrin and the cast in a tavern as they recall their story. The main storytellers are Janel and Qown and they are such intriguing characters with very diverse backgrounds – this book does a superb job of looking at the issues of gender and how society sees it. To see the struggles the characters, especially Janel, faces brings a more poignant side to the story.

With this book you get maps (always so important!) and the brilliantly epic and snarky footnotes which really do help with the way the story is told, and endears you to the characters even more! They don’t take themselves or the danger they’re in very seriously at times, even though maybe they should! Ooh and there are dragons!! Dragons who are hellbent on destroying anything and everything in their path!

There are battles, fights , insults, deceit, demons, witches, magic and portals galore throughout and the pace is relentless! This story does focus more on the story of Janel but with such an interesting story to tell then this seems only fair! Doing things the easy way is just not how Janel does things!

All the characters are flawed and use unorthodox methods to achieve their aim so you’re often left scratching your head as to the outcome of each ‘adventure’ but it all leads to a satisfying story that sets up everything so nicely for the next installment – which I’m hoping won’t be too far away as I love spending time in this world!

★★★★★

#BookReview The Ruin of Kings by Jenn Lyons #fantasy #bookblogger

About the book

What if you weren’t the hero?

Kihrin grew up on tales of long-lost princes and grand quests – despite being raised in a brothel, making money as a musician and street thief. One day he overreaches by targeting an absent noble’s mansion, hunting for jewels. There he witnesses a prince performing a terrifying dark-magic ritual. Kihrin flees but he’s marked by a demon and his life will never be the same again.

That night also leads to him being claimed as a lost son of that prince’s royal house. But far from living the dream, Kihrin finds himself practically a prisoner, at the mercy of his new family’s power plays and ambitions. He must also discover why his murderous father finds Kihrin more valuable alive than dead. Soon Kihrin attempts to escape his relative’s dangerous schemes, but finds himself in far deeper waters.

He becomes tangled in a plot to kill the Emperor, rob the Imperial Vaults, claim a god-slaying sword and free bound demons to wreak havoc across the land. Kihrin also discovers the old tales lied about many things: dragons, demons, gods, prophecies, true love – and the hero always winning. But maybe Kihrin isn’t fated to save the empire. He’s destined to destroy it.

The Ruin of Kings is the first book in Jenn Lyons’s epic new series.

Published by Tor UK

Purchase Links

Goldsboro Books – signed first edition  £24.99

hive.co.uk  £12.59

waterstones  £16.99

MY REVIEW

An epic fantasy read!! There’s magic, dragons, prophecies, feuding families, demons, secrets, lies – even zombies! You name it, you’ll find it here and I loved every single minute of it, even if my brain did get a little scrambled and overwhelmed at times by the sheer scale of it all. But to be fair, my brain feels like that with most fantasy books so this was no different!

I was a little apprehensive before starting this as I’d seen a few reviews saying how confused they’d been by the way the story was told – for me, this way worked really well and I loved the different perspectives of timelines in alternating chapters. The stories feature Kihrin -one from his point of view as he remembers it – and the other from a different starting point in the timeline leading up to the final chapters – and despite his bravado, you soon find out that Kihrin is a scared little lonely boy, unsure of his role in the world he finds himself part of. And that insecurity is only played on as he travels along his journey from petty thief to royal households. He’s been lied to by so many that he often fails to see who he should trust – and there’s many he shouldn’t trust who he comes into contact along the way and it was fun as a reader trying to work out who you should be rooting for. I was often proved very wrong in my judgement!

It’s often a complex web of a storyline – with flashbacks, characters pretending to be others, shifting universes to name but a few – but the strength of the main protaganists keep you on track and it just all added to the fun and darkness!

There are a number of footnotes that added extra background to various points and I loved the escapism of the whole story and am eagerly awaiting the next installment to see how the character of Kihrin adapts and changes with all he has learned over this adventure.

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