I came out of this appreciating the straightforward and interesting fantasy story we get, but feeling a little disappointed that it didn't really bring much new to the table.

Blood of the Old Kings takes place in a fantasy world where the all powerful empire maintains its power with magic. This magic is powered by the corpses of dead sorcerers, who keep being magical batteries forever and ever. Fucking fantastic magical premise, right? In this world we follow three characters who are bucking against the weight of the Empire and how it has affected their lives. Loran lost her family, and the story kicks off with her visiting a dragon and gaining power and a pretty rad sword from it and a destiny to become the next king of her conquered homeland. Cain lives in the capital, laying low and surviving as much as he can as he investigates the death of someone close to him. Arienne is magic student, taken from her home and put into school, except all this school really does is prepare their students to take care of themselves so they'll be very good, strong batteries for the Empire when they're dead.

Having three different main characters like this allowed for the story to explore this fantasy world and the politics and magic and revolution in three different ways...but the characters themselves mainly fell flat, and that's where the biggest disappointment stems for me.

Arienne probably had the most interesting storyline, as it digs into the weird, creepy, awful magic system. Her backstory and her motivations were the most interesting - she runs away because she doesn't want to spend her whole life under the thumb of the Empire, preparing for death. Unfortunately, Loran and Cain paled in comparison. Loran has a typical hero plot line (with some interesting magic), and Cain had a shadowy politics storyline that I was incredibly bored with.

The writing I think was the weakest part of the book as a whole, and led to the weak character work. I don't think this is a translation issue. The prose is serviceable. It's fine. It's so Just Fine that I didn't once feel any sort of expanded emotion toward anything except moments of "huh" and "wow, okay". I didn't feel truly connected to the plot or characters or world whatsoever, and I spent the last third of the book mentally checked out - which is terrible, because that's when all the action stuff happens. I just didn't care! Which is disappointing!

This story ends in a way that leaves things very much open for a series, but even if it doesn't continue on, then it still wraps up fine.

I keep thinking about how I wish I had enjoyed this more, and how much more interesting the story would have been if it had been much more about Arienne.

Anyway! A solid 3 stars, a decent fantasy romp. Nothing bad here, but nothing super great. This is actually a REALLY good beginner level fantasy recommendation for anyone looking to get into the genre, now that I'm thinking about it.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor for the e-arc!
I would firmly say that if you were interested in the story to check out the audiobook as I did a bit of a tandem read, doing some parts audio and some parts e-book and the audiobook just really blew me away.
The world is really interesting and I ended up really enjoying some of the characters but my biggest struggle was I think there needed to be a bit more exploration and information given on the world. If you love a book like it's right into the plot without a ton of exposition or overdone worldbuilding then you'll probably really enjoy this. From the first chapter of each character's journey, we immediately start the plot. I could've used a bit more exposition but I still really enjoyed the characters themselves. I think I ended up being most interested in Arienne's and Cain's plotlines but overall I really enjoyed the exploration of all three and cannot wait for the next book!

I'm running a bit behind due to sickness - but so far I am really enjoying this! I will update again once I complete the book, but wanted to show some love while I recover.

I loved this book!! I half read the e-galley and half listened to the audiobook.

I loved that the story was told from three perspectives and that they three stories slowly came together. The magic system was unique and interesting. I would love to know more so I'm really hoping that this is a series!

3.5⭐️
I liked this book, but it didn’t really engage me or pull me in like I had expected it too. I enjoyed the 3 POVs and how they all converged together at the end. However, separately they felt a little slow a lot of the time. Cain was the one who had me intrigued from the start and I think it is because there was a murder mystery to catch my interest. His big moment at the end was almost anticlimactic, but I think that was the point and it suited him well. Loran’s story had a lot of potential, but felt a little bland for the first half of the book. She definitely took on more character and strength after leaving the underground castle. Arienne, I think, had the most consistent arc and was interesting the whole way through the book. Especially with Eldred in the mix. The final battle(s) are really exciting and definitely what made this worth reading in the end. The final chapters don't give a HEA but they do give us a hope for the future.
Overall, I think I was a good story that fell a little flat. I would recommend it to the right person for sure. It just was not quite my thing.

Started off with a bang and then went through an ebb and flow of excitement. There were many times I sat in my car to wait until the chapter finished because I had to know what was going to happen next! At first, I was also struggling to see how the 3 storylines were going to connect, and when they did finally connect, I was quite happy. There were a few times I became lost with the action and how a certain thing happened, and I do not know if it was me, the story, or the narration.

All in all, quite happy. The climax did feel a bit rushed, and not well explained; but judging by the cliffhanger, I am sure we will get a better explanation in book two!

Blood of the Old Kings is a thrilling multiple pov fantasy with political intrigue, rebellion, and dragons. I requested it on NetGalley to fill my goal of reading 5 books originally written in other languages this year, and it has been such a fun read!

From the first three chapters, I was invested in all three main characters and couldn’t wait to see how their stories melded together. I really wish I had more insight into the characters, though. And I think some of the distinction between their voices may have been lost in translation.

To that end, I really recommend the audiobook. I did my first read on Kindle, but yesterday at the release, I started the audiobook, and all three pov characters have their own narrator, so it helps a lot with distinguishing the voices of the characters.

Overall, this is a strong recommendation, but not something I’m completely raving about.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor for the advance read of this title. All opinions are my own.

🩸🖤 Blood of the Old Kings Review 🖤🩸

Thank you so much to Sung-il Kim, translator Anton Hur and Tor publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book

Blood of the Old Kings is a fantasy novel and the first book of a trilogy. The empire uses the powers of dead sorcerers to fuel the kingdom and those born with magic are destined to die for the greater good. When three strangers all find themselves with a greater purpose, will they start a war that could topple empires?

This was an interesting read. This book followed three characters - Loran, Cain and Arienne - as they all endure trials that set them on different paths in the empire. Overall I enjoyed their stories and am curious how they’ll intertwine more in future books. While this book had some complex world building, it didn’t feel overwhelming or confusing which I really liked

Overall this was a four star read. I enjoyed this world and am curious to see where it goes in the future. This book did have some triggers, so please check if you’re sensitive. This book did not have any romantic subplots, so no rating for spice will be given

If you’re a fan of fantasy novels with interesting world building, unique magic and a smidge of necromancy, then absolutely pick this one up.

I think this was one of those cases where I saw the artistry, I appreciated the skill it took, and in theory I like all the elements, but this particular book was not for me. I don't have any specific complaints, no part of it was BAD, but it didn't really leave an impact on me.
However, I can see how this will absolutely be IT for a lot of other people.
Translation was good, never felt clunky or lost with it, so shoutout to the translator/translating team.

I hope this book finds it's audience, because I really think it does deserve attention. I just wasn't the right person for it.
Books are like wands. The wand chooses the wizard. Just because we don't match up, doesn't mean either of us is bad, it's just waiting for someone else to love it the way it deserves <3

I was so excited for a standalone dragon fantasy book. However, there was barely any world building, and almost no backstory for anything (people/events/kingdoms/etc). The characters are very 2 dimensional and don’t have much personality. I thought this was going to be a group of 3 fighting together for atleast a portion of this book, but the main characters never all meet up together. and when two are in the same scenes, it’s for about 5 pages and doesn’t add too much to the story.

Cain is probably the most interesting of the three. He’s on a mission to find out how his best friend was murdered. He had balls, took risks, stood up and fought for what he believed in, and I did enjoy his chapters. I was confused when he was said to be a silent King? not sure if that was setting up for another book, but that sense of general confusion was pretty on par for the entire book.

Arienne is a sorcerer who frees some bad guy that lives in her head, and she has all of these powers that she’s not supposed to have. I wish we learned more about the school, what type of things the students learn and can do, and overall what sorcerers provide to their society. She’s somehow this extremely powerful sorcerer who has barely any training, just suddenly knows spells, and can do what no one else can. Like this is mentioned multiple times in the book with no explanation.

Loran is my least favorite character. She makes a deal with a dragon, an eye for a sword as long as she become King. For someone who brought back the dragon, I found her to be the most boring. She didn’t really fight for anything. She didn’t make a difference to society or her “people”. and her followers just magically appeared whenever it was convenient for her. I wish we saw more of her back story, how she came to the decision to be King, how she learned what to do with the dragon, any sort of training involved, etc.

This is an extremely short fantasy book, but I’ve read novellas with explanations that make more sense. The acknowledgements page says this is based of TTRPG and yes, I can 100% see that. There’s a lot of “here’s how it is, wait no here’s how it is, except this person can do this. oh and now this is happening”. It felt like 3 underdeveloped stories in one, which did it a huge disservice. The ending was also super rushed, and I found myself skimming the last 3 chapters.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Dang. I was excited about this book, but I was not expecting to love it so much. Because it’s a fantasy import, I knew it would be different from the typical fare on the B5 market. I’m always desperate for fantasy stories that don’t fit in the mold, and Blood of the Old Kings hit the spot for me. Originally published in 2016 as 메르시아의 별, or Star of Mercia, Kim brings a world to life full of dragons, magic, and devious political intrigue. I really hope this series gets a full run because I can’t wait to read what’s next. I’ll be incredibly disappointed if the rest of these stories don’t make their way into readers’ hands.

The art of fantastic storytelling, for me, boils down to characters and story. The better the characters and more intricately (and cleverly) plotted a fantasy tale, the more I will like it. Blood of the Old Kings follows three separate characters--Cain, Adrienne, and Loran—as they navigate their lives under the tyranny of the Empire, a brutal regime that uses the sorcerers it trains as power generators for the magical machines it uses to dominate the world. Somehow, these three characters find themselves involved in the same conflict, and the artful way Kim weaves their lives together really made the book stand out for me.

Loran really provided the hinge for the book, as all the characters really connect through her efforts to resist the Empire. An atypical main character for a dragon novel, as she’s neither romantically involved with anyone in the book nor barely in her 20’s, she’s desperate to throw the yoke of the Empire off her and her country’s back—and get some justice/vengeance in the process. What I love most is that she does not compromise her basic human integrity and morals in order to do so. The people of her country are just as important to her as anything—and she’ll protect them to the detriment of her own goals.

Arienne, a sorcerer, and Cain, a street-smart investigator of sorts, come from the Capital of the Empire, though their origins are provincial. I love the way Kim writes these two—they each possess an intelligence and empathy I love seeing in fantasy characters. Cain searches for the murderer of his friend, and Arienne seeks to escape the Academy because she does not want to end up wrapped in magical chains as a prisoner for her afterlife. The nuances of these characters and the roles they play in the rebellion impressed me immensely. Kim shows through them that resisting a powerful tyrant requires equal power and destruction, and the cost may not be something they wish to pay.

As I journey through the fantasy bookverse, I have noticed narrative techniques in stories I love, and Kim’s fantasy really has all of them in it. It’s not a simple cookie-cutter copy-and-paste offering. I first saw this book in March, and I’ve been stoked for it—my expectations were met and exceeded. If you’re looking for a fantasy that’s not like the others, definitely pick this one up. I highly recommend it. If you can swing it, buy a copy. If you can’t, please be sure to request your local library get a copy for circulation. Fantasy lovers won’t want to miss this one.

Whatever beautiful ARC mailing overlord at Tor sent me this print galley—you’re awesome. Thanks very much; I will treasure this beauty. Also, thanks to NetGalley for the eARC. I’m very glad to willingly offer my honest review. Also, I’m pretty sure I’m buying at least two copies of this book. Maybe three.

I really wanted to love this one, but it fell short for me. The first chapter was so captivating, the dragon magic was so cool, but then…the story progression was so choppy. I felt that the character arcs moved forward way too fast, with too little opportunities for growth and development. The lack of a great “main villain” (other than the all-encompassing empire) and great side characters made it feel empty to me. This could be my own preference for character driven stories. But anytime characters did something cool or an interesting magical thing was introduced, it was hastily just skipped over. The story needed to be much longer in my opinion, to fully develop all the compelling components to lead to a satisfying end.

Really good world building. Interesting 3 main point of view characters. I admit I read the description and didn’t pay much attention to the cover. I thought the writing was just slightly stilted but good. Then after reading it I saw the translated by in the cover. That totally explained the very slightly stilted writing still. It’s a good choice if you like the big story evil empire type of fantasy novels!

Blood of the Old Kings by Sung-il Kim is an epic fantasy that blends adventure, magic, and political intrigue across a vividly built world. The story revolves around three main characters: Loran, a fierce warrior fueled by revenge for her family’s murder; Arienne, a sorcerer trapped in a terrifying fate as a necromantic power source; and Cain, a street-savvy investigator searching for his friend’s killer. Their stories unfold in different parts of the world, offering a multi-POV experience that feels like piecing together a puzzle, with dragons, magic-fueled tech, and rich lore throughout.

The narration, delivered by Eunice Wong, Major Curda, and Suzy Jackson, enhances the experience, with each voice perfectly capturing the essence of their respective character. The multiple narrators help make the distinct storylines feel more immersive and engaging, pulling you deeper into the plot. While the pacing picks up, especially in intense scenes, the emotional connection to the characters and the unfolding world keeps you hooked. If you're into intricate world-building, a unique magic system, and layered, unpredictable characters, this book won’t disappoint!

Blood of the Old Kings is an entertaining and innovative addition anti-imperialist epic fantasy. What I enjoyed most about this book was how different the perspectives were of the three main characters. Each has extremely different motives and end goals. Loran, a woman who swears to become king of her conquered nation and free the fire-dragon trapped in a volcano, wants vengeance as much as she wants freedom. Although occasionally melodramatic, her time with the common people, and with their hopes for her, leads her to a greater destiny. Arienne is a sorcerer student who only wants to be free of the doom the Empire has sentenced all sorcerers too - to be used as a power generator in death. She makes a deal with a strange voice in her head (a favorite trope of mine) that will lead her to darker deeds and better places than she could have imagined. And Cain, who has put so much distance between himself and his homeland in the imperial capitol, will discover what community means as he seeks justice for a friend. The interweaving of these three characters really kept me on my toes for the whole story. With a seamless translation by Anton Hur to boot, Blood of the Old Kings was an easy page-turner. And the ending was epic on the battle front - although Kim often took the final strokes off-page in a slightly strange move - but reserved in its outcomes. It was a change of pace I actually appreciated quite a bit. I'll be very excited to see where Sung-Il Kim takes this story next!

“Victory or defeat matters less than the fact that we fight.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you netgalley and tor books for the gifted arc!

I went into this book blind (my fav way to go into a book) and I was very pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed it! Between the action packed plot, the multi-pov development, and learning about this world, I was pretty invested.

World building is one of my favorite parts when reading a new book, and this epic fantasy was no exception. I really enjoyed learning about the different areas of this world and how they’re impacted by the Empire. The magic system was so unique with sorcerers only being useful upon their death so they can provide power to the Empire.

“Nobody conquers the world with insincere lies.”

We follow three people in this book: Loran, Cain, and Arienne. I really enjoyed the different perspectives this provided on the empire and different areas of this world.

Loran is a self proclaimed princess on a path of vengeance after the death of her daughter and husband. I really enjoyed watching her go from simply wanting revenge, to truly wanting to save her people. She becomes incredibly powerful and is willing to lay down her life for the greater good.

“I am a princess of Arland. And I shall become king.”

Arienne is a student sorcerer who refuses to be used by the Empire and flees the Academy. This girl is my fav character! She’s so badass and learns so much through sheer will. We learn so much about this world through her perspective!

Honestly, Cain was a little confusing to me. I think that he is like a hit man/unofficial detective for the people in the Capital. I really enjoyed seeing how selfless he was and the lengths he would go to in order help others, but I felt like he didn’t really contribute to the story. His journey just felt so separated from Arienne and Loran.

Overall, I think this is a great book for lovers of epic fantasy and unique worlds!

This book was such a fantastic surprise to me.
I hadn't seen this book around the online bookish community, but when I saw the cover and read the synopsis on Netgalley, I was immediately intrigued. It sounded like such a cool concept. And I was not disappointed.

There were so many elements to this plot and story that were unique and varied from other fantasy books that I have read. Sorcerers who have powers that are so different from the typical magic users. A woman who declares her destiny to a dragon, a dragon who aids her. And a seemingly ordinary person, with glasses (!!!) who finds his destiny while on a different path. Sure you might have read stories of similar characters, but when you add the plot, the magic, the worldbuilding, and the writing to these? It becomes something else.

I had been struggling to read, picking up other books and consistently putting them down. I couldn't put this one down.
While it's definitely more of a plot driven story, the characters are well done and you root for them throughout the story. But I imagine there is more that will delve into the characters in the sequels. The plot and writing are truly the focals for this book and they drive the story very well. There is also an air of sci fi, I think, with the way the magic is worked and these automotons that are part of the story.

I would definitely recommend this book to my friends who enjoy fantasy, curious to hear their thoughts as well.
Sung-Il Kim, and translator Anton Hur, have crafted the start of an epic tale and I cannot wait to see where it goes next.

A classic fantasy resistance tale, given a unique flavor by pacts with ancient dragons, somewhat necromantic sorcerer batteries, and magic that blurs the lines between physical and mental reality. I first picked this up just because of the cover, so learning it is a translated work was a fun surprise. With three lead characters and so many moving pieces thrown about, this first book gets right into the action yet in many ways remains just a taste of the trilogy to come. Is it possible to truly withstand the Imperials? What does it fully mean to be a sorcerer-engineer? Unfortunately for me, the straightforward writing is scarce on those lyrical turns of phrase which draw me in to reading, and it's up to the characters and events to bring color to the story.

The Blood of Old Kings sold me on the necropolis empire alone. A kingdom of sorcerers powered by even more dead sorcerers? The badass factor of that is just too strong. Additionally, I’ve read some of Anton Hur’s original work and I was very curious to see what his translated work was like. I certainly wasn’t disappointed.

The Blood of Old Kings is split across three POVs: Loran, a self-proclaimed princess looking to restore her country’s sovereignty from the colonizing empire. Cain, an immigrant living in the Empire’s capital, looking for details of his missing friend. And Arienne, a sorcerer-in-training, on the run from the Empire carrying an important package.

I loved Arienne‘s chapters. It’s through her that we get to learn the most about the magic of the world, the dead sorcerers (known as generators) that power this empire, and some of the history of the founding of this empire. Her character follows the arc of ‘naive girl plunged into a world of intrigue’ and I really enjoyed how she handled it. You can see her courage really grow over time and it was a delight cheering her on.

Loren’s chapters were easily the most anime, with all the badass fights attached. Her mission is to free her country from the rule of the Empire and the fights she takes against literal tanks with nothing but her sword and her dragon’s power was so so fun to read. Kim and Hur can really put together a fight scene, one that’s both easily followed and keeps the reader cheering for more. The actual politics side, when Loren has to deal with other parties and existing powers felt a little on the weaker side but the fight scenes and her sheer badassery (and dragon power!) more than made up for it.

The weakest POV in my mind was Cain’s chapters. Cain starts off as an interested party asking around for details to his friend’s disappearance. He quickly realizes he’s been asking the wrong (or right?) questions and finds himself pulled into a much larger conspiracy, used as a tool by higher governing powers. Frankly, I thought the intrigue was horribly written. There were so many scenes where Cain would be captured by an enemy group, ask them extremely detailed and pertinent questions, and they would answer!! Like, why are you telling him this?? Why are you telling him anything??? Just threaten him and send him off to do your bidding!!! Thankfully, the book had two other extremely fun POVs to follow.

Overall, I rate this book a 4/5. While the political intrigue isn’t amazing, the world-building is incredibly unique and the fight scenes alone make this book extremely fun to read!

Review will go live 4 October 2024

TL;DR Review: Compelling, colorful, and complex. Epic storytelling that sinks into your bones and keeps you turning pages.

Full Review:
Blood of the Old Kings had me intrigued from the very first page. Heck, the first paragraph.
A dragon with too many eyes locked away by magic in a volcano, a desperate woman willing to make a deal for the salvation of her people, and a promise of vengeance against an all-powerful conquering Empire.
For Loran, the deaths of her husband and daughter are the only thing driving her to take up the dragon’s sword against the Empire. She will cut her way through their armies, defeat their magic, and destroy their mightiest creations—and in so doing, become the Princess and ultimately the King her people need.
Her story is the most compelling of the POV characters, and the most dynamic. She begins fighting alone, but through her courage and resilience, winds up joining forces with a ragtag band of rebels that may have a chance at becoming an army. Spitting in the face of the Empire could cost her everything—but the price is worth paying to free her people.
Cain is an ordinary-seeming young man working for an oil vendor, but there’s so much more to him than meets the eye. Sort of a grifter/spy/smuggler combination, he finds himself drawn into a quest for revenge against the ones who murdered the woman who saved him and kept him alive during his earliest days on the streets of the Empire’s capital city.
His story feels smaller, but it gives us a fascinating look into the “Ministry of Intelligence”, the shadow arm of the Empire’s police force. He is drawn into their tangled web by the chance to unmask his friend’s killer. But what he discovers could lead to the death—or salvation—of the Empire he has good cause to hate as an outsider.
Arienne is a mage, gifted with the ability to control magic and trained in the Empire’s most prestigious school. Only that school doesn’t actually teach her anything except ways of keeping her body and mind in shape to be a “Power generator” after her death. Because of course the Empire runs on the corpses of their mages—that’s what powers everything from their lights to their most advanced weapons.
But a mysterious voice in her head leads her to break free of the mage school and sets her fleeing into the farthest corners of the Empire. She and her new companion are hunted by the “Order of Truth”, those tasked with keeping mages firmly in line, and have to cross desolate terrain, dense forests, and icy mountain passes in the desperate hope of finding somewhere safe from their clutches. Though she has no understanding of magic to begin with, every trial and test she endures will teach her more—and more about herself, too.
Blood of the Old Kings is a fascinating story of a fight for freedom–freedom from oppression, from control over magic, from being told how you have to live your life. I particularly loved the message inherent into Loran’s story: it doesn’t take blood to make a princess or King, only the courage to stand up and show the people what it means to lead.
The world is rich and colorful, with so many fascinating cultures and customs that shade each captured kingdom with wondrous nuance.
Fans of K.S. Villoso’s Chronicles of the Wolf Queen and R.F. Kuang’s The Poppy War will feel right at home in this story!