Ruination
Ratings24
Average rating3.9
15
Ratings24
Average rating3.9
Discover an epic tale of magic, revenge and an empire on the verge of ruin in the first ever novel set in the blockbuster universe of League of Legends. Camavor is a brutal land with a bloody legacy. Where the empire's knights go, slaughter follows. Kalista seeks to change that. When her young and narcissistic uncle, Viego, becomes king, she vows to temper his destructive instincts, as his loyal confidant, advisor, and military general. But her plans are thwarted when an assassin's poisoned blade strikes Viego's wife, Isolde, afflicting her with a malady for which there is no cure. As Isolde's condition worsens, Viego descends into madness and grief, threatening to drag Camavor down with him. Kalista makes a desperate gambit to save the kingdom: she searches for the long lost Blessed Isles, rumored to hold the queen's salvation, if only Kalista can find them. But corruption grows in the Blessed Isles' capital, where a vengeful warden seeks to ensnare Kalista in his cruel machinations. She will be forced to choose between her loyalty to Viego and doing what she knows is right - for even in the face of utter darkness, one noble act can shine a light that saves the world. 'Anthony Reynolds weaves a propulsive tale of love, loss, war, and duty that recalls the adage, 'the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for the good to do nothing.' Those familiar with League of Legends know where this story must leave us, but Ruination's power is that - like all good myths - knowing how it ends is just the beginning' Evan Winter, author of The Rage of Dragons 'Ruination is a rousing, intrigue and action rich tale sure to delight fans of fantasy' Anthony Ryan, author of The Pariah 'Fast-paced and entertaining epic fantasy - thoroughly enjoyable, and a worthy addition to the world that League of Legends began fleshing out with Arcane. Recommended for fans and newcomers alike' James Islington, author of The Shadow of What Was Lost
Reviews with the most likes.
“All may be dark right now, but there is still an ember of hope. And one day soon, that ember will become a flame, and the darkness will finally be banished.”
I never played League of Legends, nor did I know anything about the lore. I decide to pick this up to give it a try. The audiobook was the way to go, since the production value is excellent. The story was beautifully done. The ending made me emotional!
This was fine. It’s a decent enough plot with some interesting stuff going on, but it definitely felt like they expected you to know who a lot of these characters were and be excited for them. There were so many scenes where it was like watching a Marvel movie when they throw in some cameos of random characters to make an appearance later. I don’t regret reading it, but I wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re already a fan of League of Legends which maybe should have been obvious.
The world and lore of League of Legends is a brilliant cauldron of stories which could revalue entirely the infamous reputation of the MOBA videogame. We have seen something like this in Arcane, where the incredible story of Vi and Jinx has the ability to forge a vibrant world in which Silco and Vander, Jayce and Caitlyn, Ekko and Heimerdinger, Viktor and his limits are couples full of contrast, heroic and archetypical alliances or fights. The setting of Piltover and Zaun evolves since the incredible influence of the “Legends” who act inside them.
Ruination arrives in a moment for the Riot franchise in which everything appeard at his peak. The season of the Ruined King brought us the first RPG spin-off, which narrative quality is really surprising, the quoted Netflix original series and some of the best Champions the game ever had. The novel created by Anthony Reynolds could be seen as the last of a series of great ideas with the twist that after that success nothing happened, waiting for another incredible period.
This fantasy book created by the Riot Team with one of their best storyteller is an interesting tale of loss and transformation, in which revenge starts from the world of the lost souls than on the living one, where the mutilation and bestiality are ways for struggling against the egoistic narcissism of an oppressive ruler. The entire plot is seen from the perspective of three different protagonists. Kalista, a brave warrior searching constantly for peace for his reign, Camavor; Grael, a mischievous and evil Keeper of the Blessed Isles which searches for a way of destroying his native lands; Ryze, an apprentice of one of the best masters of the Blessed Isles which is hardly hoping for anctient scrolls useful to increase his power. These three different heroes are fundamentally great and immortal warriors, which changes are more like radical modification of morals, etichs and powers. As in the Arcane series, here we have strong champions changes the ambience around them, fighting against violent traitors (which I would not quote for avoid every spoiler).
Obviously the incredible evolution of this setting requires a strong worldbuilding, but here I have to say that the development of the entire Runeterra is the only negative thing of the entire operation. The location visited are too simple, and the medieval quotes, the honorful messages behind the existence of Viego or Hecarim feels like something seen in the past. Something not so problematic, because of a functional style with a beauty artistic feature of the novel towards the first of a series of periods of success of one of the most interesting universes the entertainment could give us.
STYLE: 3
STORY: 4
WORLDBUILDING: 2,5
RHYTHM: 3,5
PROTAGONISTS: 5
ANTAGONISTS: 5
ARTISTIC FEATURE: 3,5
ATMOSPHERE 3,5
EMOTIONAL IMPACT: 3,5
FINAL VERDICT: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
