Blood of the Old Kings

Sung-il Kim

$49.99

Hardback

Forthcoming
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English

Orbit
14 January 2025

Fantasy

'Thrilling, inventive, and fierce - a tale of malevolent empire and those who stand against it. Not to be missed' Max Gladstone

There is no escaping the Empire. Even in death, you will serve.

In an Empire fuelled by necromancy, dead sorcerers are the lifeblood. Their corpses are wrapped in chains and drained of magic to feed the unquenchable hunger for imperial conquest.

Born with magic, Arienne has become resigned to her dark fate. But when the voice of a long-dead sorcerer begins to speak inside her head, she listens. There may be another future for her, if she's willing to fight for it.

Miles away, beneath a volcano, a seven-eyed dragon also wears the Empire's chains. Before the imperial fist closed around their lands, it was the people's sacred guardian.

Loran, a widowed swordswoman, is the first to kneel before the dragon in decades. She comes with a desperate plea, and will leave with a sword of dragon-fang in hand and a great purpose before her.

Blood of the Old Kings begins an epic fantasy adventure in which three strangers fight back against an all-powerful Empire, from award-winning author Sung-il Kim and translated by the highly-acclaimed Anton Hur.

'A woman's burning quest for vengeance and power leads to a thrilling magic-filled adventure. Absolutely captivating' K.S. Villoso

'Fast, fun and fabulous! Truly imaginative fantasy with a story that speeds along like a bullet train fueled by sorcery' Dyrk Ashton

'Epic underdog fantasy in which choice outweighs destiny . . . Readers seeking an exciting new fantasy world to sink into will find this hits the spot' Publishers Weekly

'A magnificent tapestry . . . If you're looking for something to scratch that sprawling epic itch, give Blood of the Old Kings a chance' Lightspeed

'Full on fantasy delight . . . expansive and exciting?it's a book that so clearly loves fantasy and gives readers classic elements of the genre in a totally new way. Blood of the Old Kings is just a goddamn blast to read' Reactor

'An immersive world that's sparking towards war' Library Journal

By: Sung-il Kim
Imprint: Orbit
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 240mm, Width: 156mm, Spine: 22mm
ISBN: 9780356525068
ISBN 10: 0356525066
Pages: 368
Publication Date: 14 January 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Sung-il Kim was born in Seoul in 1974. Despite his lifelong dream of writing fiction, he only got around to it in his forties. He writes science fiction, fantasy, Lovecraftian horror, or some blend of those. In South Korea, he is known for Star of Mercia, I Will Go to Earth to See You, and The Knight of La Mancha, the last of which earned him an Excellence Award in SF Awards 2018. He spends most of his time in his downtown Seoul apartment, with his wife and two cats.