Blood of the old kings was an excellent read. The writing was propulsive and the character development was rich.

The best kind of fantasy with an interesting story and great female characters. As a first installment it was excellent and left just enough unanswered questions and plenty of potential in the sequel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the world-building, the magic system, and the different storylines. I am really looking forward to how the stories become intertwined in the later novels. I will absolutely recommend this book, and I will be reading the future books in the series.

While I wanted to love the premise of this, I found it particularly verbose in its storytelling. I also think I am struggling with the translation, which I will keep in mind for future books.

I am not sure whether something is lost in translation or if it's just growing pains of a new author, but the writing felt really clunky. I also felt like we picked up this story in kind of an odd spot. The characters have some very emotional backstories that would have really made me feel more connected to them and invested in their journeys had we gotten to see some of that earlier character development. But the pros were a very interesting world and I do want to find out what happens. Just really missing the connection to the story and characters.

Excellent debut. I loved the writing; it feels like an epic tale, but isn't stuffy and it reads incredibly smooth. I kept wanting to know what was going to happen next, and I was deeply invested in our three protagonists and their roles in this tale. This novel has a lot to say about imperialism and how its claws are far-reaching, the validity of self-manifestation, and the power of hope and community in the face of oppression and unjust laws. Excited for the sequel.

While the premise was nice, the writing was... not what I expected. I wanted more from the characters because I felt that what was on the front cover and the front flap was not what we were given.

This book delivers an immersive fantasy world built on necromancy and rebellion. The world-building is intricate, and the magic system feels fresh and well-developed, making it easy to get lost in the lore. Each of the characters—Arienne, Loran, and Cain—brings a unique perspective to the story, keeping the narrative engaging and well-paced.

The plot held my attention throughout, and I appreciated the balance between action, intrigue, and character development. The themes of power, oppression, and destiny are woven seamlessly into the story, making it even more compelling. I’d love to explore more of this world and its magic systems in future books!

Highly recommended for fans of dark fantasy with rich lore and complex characters.

3.5 rounded up, I enjoyed this a lot, it's very unique with the necromancy using zombies as power generators and the three POVs going about separately until we finally get the connection. I did drift here and there but I think that was more a me problem than the book. For a translated work this also read very smoothly. I kind of wish it was longer to help build all the bigger moments that will lead into book 2, it's wild how short this is when this could definitely have been a 500+ page book and it would still be just as intriguing, if not more so. I think I just chose a poor time to read it for my mentality but I do anticipate epicness in the 2nd book that will grip me given the story itself.

It seems like any Asian inspired/influenced story now a days just slaps you in the face with the most amazing covers. Its simply not fair. The quality of the cover does not always match the quality of the book, but I simply can't.. NOT pick up a book when it looks like this y'know?

Fortunately Blood of the Old Kings did not disappoint. Kim weaves a world that has all the makings of high fantasy. Raw and gritty characters with great POVs. Unique, if not disturbing, magic system. And well... dragon. You'll always have me when there's a dragon.

The translation is well done. There's no rough patches or any areas where I questioned what I was reading. I will say, and I do find this to be common with translated work, the prose falls a little flat. I think its just natural for certain things to be lost no matter how good the translator is.

Blood of the Old Kings is the first in a trilogy and I cannot wait for the next two books. Thank you NetGalley and Tor for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

this book was so fast. we are dumped right into the action and i think that hindered our growth with the characters that were our main POVs. while i was engaged, there was a lot of world building that i was confused on and the main sorcery as well. however, i still want to see what’s next. everything seemed to close really fairly at the end of the novel and there seemed no need for a second novel, but im into it.

I had high hopes for this but it felt flat for me. I couldn't get myself invested in any characters, and the plot felt disconnected to me

Confession, I have been on a manwha deep-dive for the last two years--both your regular contemporary read as well as historical and political fantasy. It was so nice to have another somewhat similar story to consume with my binge.

The main three characters are compelling and fascinating, often showcasing a level of depth that is rare in fantasy with a feminine-centric POV. I'm a sucker for Chosen One stories, so this scratched that itch, and I found the world and magic itself super fun to be immersed in.

My only nit picky complaint is I think there may have been some translation issues only in that sometimes things felt a bit flat? But honestly, it's a solid fantasy read for someone wanting a fun fantasy world to live in!

Blood of the Old Kings presents an intriguing world where the empire’s magic is powered by the corpses of dead sorcerers, an unsettling and unique premise that immediately caught my attention. The story follows three protagonists—Loran, Cain, and Arienne—each with their own rebellion against the empire’s oppressive rule. Loran, a vengeance-driven warrior, wields a dragon-forged sword. Cain is a street-savvy investigator searching for his friend’s murderer. Arienne, born to be a living battery for the empire’s magic, begins questioning everything when she starts hearing the voice of a necromancer.

The novel shines in its worldbuilding and political intrigue, painting a grim and fascinating landscape of rebellion, power, and oppression. The characters' struggles feel real, and the magic system is both dark and compelling. However, the execution sometimes falters—character development feels rushed, and certain emotional beats don’t land as impactfully as they should. Some sections also drag, making the pacing inconsistent.

Despite these flaws, I appreciated the unique setting and themes, especially the rare representation of an over-30 female protagonist with depth and agency. The book's ambition is commendable, even if it doesn’t always fully deliver. A solid read for fans of dark fantasy and rebellion narratives, but it may not leave a lasting impression.

Until very recently, science fiction and fantasy had a predominant flow of cultural borrowing that generally went from non-Eurocentric cultures, to America and Britain. This started with the idea of orientalism and places beyond the metaphysical Great Wall of Europe, if depicted at all, being done in an exoticizing fashion most of the time. As science fiction and fantasy has brought more global voices to Western audiences, that of course, has changed. We are now getting plenty of fantasy from beyond that Great Wall, from Africa and particularly from East Asia. Borrowings of tropes from Africa and East and South Asia have been moving toward more nuanced and less problematic directions on the whole.

But culture is never a one-way street. The world is not a game of Civilization where one country’s dominant culture overwhelms all others. There is give and take, and cultures borrow from each other all the time. And in this day and age, it seems logical that we can and will find Western SFF tropes in science fiction and fantasy written outside the West. But given publishing, such stories have been not easy to find or read in the West until comparatively recently.

Cover of Blood of the Old Kings, by Sung Il-Kim, featuring an Asian-style dragon looming over and coiling around someone reaching for a sword.
And so we come to Blood of the Old Kings by Korean author Sung-il Kim, translated into English by Anton Hur. It might look at first like just a typical epic fantasy novel, but a closer read reveals something rather different than you’d expect, even by the standards of modern fantasy epics.

This book is the epitome of a classic fantasy and though it’s a well-told story, it’s also one I feel as if I’ve read before.

We follow three POVs, each working in their own way to take down the Empire. The magic system is unique, coming as a power source from dead sorcerers, to which one of our characters is working with, so we have a first-hand account of how the magic works. I loved Loran, who embodies the power of a dragon, her story felt the most interesting to me, but some choices didn’t feel as if they made sense and I wondered if that was a bit of a plot-hole, or maybe something that didn’t translate well.

As far as I could tell, this is a phenomenal translation. I didn’t feel as if I was missing any of the plot or details because of translation, and went so far as to say the writing felt unique, I assume because of how closely the translation follows the original language.

I can’t say I’ll continue this series, but I would definitely recommend it!

Blood of the Old Kings by Sung-il Kim is a super cool fantasy novel that mixes action, magic, and a bit of mystery. The story follows a young guy named Jeong, who’s thrown into this ancient world full of gods, kings, and dangerous power struggles. It’s one of those books where the world-building really stands out—you’ll get lost in this unique setting where every decision can change everything.

Jeong is a pretty relatable main character. He’s got his own struggles and feels out of place a lot, but he’s determined to figure things out. The plot moves fast, with twists and turns that’ll keep you hooked. There’s a lot of magic, battles, and moments where you’ll be like, “Whoa, didn’t see that coming!”

What I really liked was how the book mixes old legends and mythology with a modern kind of hero’s journey. There are parts that might feel a bit complicated, but overall, it’s an exciting adventure for anyone who loves epic fantasy with lots of action and cool world-building.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

I love epic fantasy, and The Blood of Old Kings felt like epic fantasy scaled down into a story that is both shorter and more accessible to read for those who prefer a novel length tale.

The story is told from three points of views and weaves through separate time lines. The movement between the three is very easy to follow. Loran is a swordwoman who had made a deal with a dragon to become king. Arienne is desperate to escape her imprisonment and future as a living battery for the empire. Finally, Cain, a refugee, investigates the murder of a friend. This quickly pulls him in the middle of political espionage. Each of the three characters are unique and have their own voice.

The world building is very solid. Readers will find all sorts of magical creatures, fantastical machines, and magic. The story as a whole is very appealing. I really enjoyed the elements of rebellion and magic.

Overall, the book is solid. It’s an amazing read filled with intrigue, interesting characters and an engaging story line. Definitely one I will add to our library collection and certainly recommend.

There've been an increasing number of fantasy books translated to English recently, and I am absolutely here for them. I grew up on Tolkien et al, but it's just a joy to hear the different tones, vibes and voices from alternative (usually non-Western) cultures, which give a brilliant originality and freshness to what often seems a well-mined fictional vein.

The tenet of this book was fascinating: using the dead as a power source. Simple as a concept, and yet so very dark! Alternate viewpoints then expand as the book moves forward, with some excellent world-building and characterisation.

While it could be argued that we have a 'chosen hero' and a faction of rebels fighting an empire, the grounded humanity of the protagonists always keeps them relatable. Yes, dragon-gifted powers may be great, but they come with pain and obligation (plus the trauma of seeking out a dragon to help with revenge carries its own weight). This story isn't simple, and that kept me turning the pages because I simply could not see where these folk would go. Unpredictable fantasy may well be my new catnip!

Beautiful writing/translation, memorable characters and a fascinating adventure. Sung-il Kim is on my Watch list moving forward!