Kings of Ruin-Review

Intro

A common criticism I have with fantasy books is how often they are set within the same period. Chiefly middle ages Europe, I understand that Tolkien did it very well, but we must move forward and explore different periods. Kings of Ruin by Daniel Arenson is one such attempt, set in a fantasy world inspired by Ancient Egypt and the Roman empire, complete with all the violence, gore, and sex that would make the old Testament blush at the extravagance.

Writing

The problem with Kings of Ruin is that the characters could have been more exciting and memorable. They blur together in a mist of good (not) Egyptians and evil (not) Romans, the latter of whom are invading the former’s kingdom. I honestly can’t remember much of the plot; it's a series of tragic events that lead to the conquest of ancient (not) Egypt. I do like that there is some hope within the story. Not all the royal family members die, and not all are terrible people, but it's all in one ear and out the other. I don’t remember anyone because nobody is particularly memorable. I wasn’t bored but also wasn’t wholly engaged. It was grim and often cruel in the manner that one would expect for the time, but I don’t feel anything.

I have no idea how to explain it; I think this is my problem because I wasn’t engaged. I didn’t hate my experience with the book; I want to see if the next book is any better. But I don’t have any strong feelings about it.

I wish I could be more eloquent.

Conclusion

I am curious to read more of The Kingdoms of Sand series; it isn’t as unrelentingly grim and pointless as Godblind, but it isn’t as exciting or nuanced as The Poppy War. If you wanted some Game of Thrones-style fantasy, you could do worse.

Acknowledgments

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