Sung-il Kim – författare

''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

Nothing can stop the Empire''s insatiable conquest.Not gods, not dragons, not armies.But heroes still rise.

The Empire continues to enforce its so-called peace with massive war machines that destroy anything that opposes their might. Though the conquered are wholly at the mercy of the Empire, desperate odds such as these can be fertile soil for heroic resistance.

Last seen rallying under Loran''s banner, Emere is now a powerless politician in the Imperial Capital. But when an assassination attempt is made on his life, he discovers that he may just be at the center of sinister plots brewing in the highest levels of the Empire.

Arienne has crossed the continent on a mission to learn more about the Star of Mersia, the infamous yet mysterious weapon that decimated the country of Mersia in a single day. But when she arrives at the supposedly lifeless land, Arienne is shocked to find much more than ruins.

One hundred and seventy years ago, before the Empire laid waste to its plains and its people, Mersia suffers under the whims of the ruthless Grim King Eldred. When Yuma, the chief cattle herder, meets an emissary from the Empire, she dares to hope that this foreign nation might have the power to overthrow the Grim King and end his reign of terror. But Yuma will learn, only once it''s too late, that aligning with the Empire will have consequences that reverberate through the ages.

Sacrifices must be made in the fight against tyranny, but some sacrifices may be too great.

Blood for the Undying Throne, the sequel to Blood of the Old Kings, from award-winning Korean author Sung-il Kim and translated by the world-renowned Anton Hur, is an epic fantasy adventure where the corpses of sorcerers power an empire and ordinary people rise up to tear it down.

Praise for the series

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

''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

Named a Best Fantasy Book of the Year by NPR, Amazon, Paste, and Book Riot!From award-winning Korean author Sung-il Kim & translated by the world-renowned Anton Hur, Blood of the Old Kings begins an epic journey unlike any other.There is no escaping the Empire.Even in death, you will serve.In an Empire run on 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.In the heart of the Imperial capital, Cain is known as a man who gets things done. When his best friend and mentor is found murdered, he will leave no stone unturned to find those responsible, even if it means starting a war.Step into a world of necromancy, murder, and twisted magic. A world in need of a hero.

Named a Best Fantasy Book of the Year by NPR, Amazon, Paste, and Book Riot!From award-winning Korean author Sung-il Kim & translated by the world-renowned Anton Hur, Blood of the Old Kings begins an epic journey unlike any other.There is no escaping the Empire.Even in death, you will serve.In an Empire run on 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.In the heart of the Imperial capital, Cain is known as a man who gets things done. When his best friend and mentor is found murdered, he will leave no stone unturned to find those responsible, even if it means starting a war.Step into a world of necromancy, murder, and twisted magic. A world in need of a hero.At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

From award-winning Korean author Sung-il Kim & translated by the world-renowned Anton Hur, Blood of the Old Kings begins an epic journey unlike any other.There is no escaping the Empire.Even in death, you will serve.In an Empire run on 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.In the heart of the Imperial capital, Cain is known as a man who gets things done. When his best friend and mentor is found murdered, he will leave no stone unturned to find those responsible, even if it means starting a war.Step into a world of necromancy, murder, and twisted magic. A world in need of a hero.

From award-winning Korean author Sung-il Kim & translated by the world-renowned Anton Hur comes the sequel to Blood of the Old Kings, an epic fantasy adventure where the corpses of sorcerers power an empire and ordinary people rise up to tear it downLast seen under Loran’s command, Emere is now a member of the Commons Council. While giving a speech in the Capital, he survives an assassination attempt—and now must team up with the Ministry of Intelligence to discover who is behind it.Arienne is on a mission to find out what really happened to Mersia. The land—destroyed a hundred years ago by a mysterious weapon known only as the Star of Mersia—is devoid of life, populated only by ghosts. But when she arrives at the ruined city of Danras, Arienne finds more than she expects.One hundred and seventy years ago, Yuma is the Chief Herder of Danras, looking after the city’s aurochs every summer. After being punished for disobeying the Demon King, she meets Lysandros, who is on a mission to establish diplomatic relations between the Empire and the states of Mersia. But is there a cost of doing business with the Empire?

Blood for the Undying Throne, the sequel to Blood of the Old Kings, from award-winning Korean author Sung-il Kim and translated by the world-renowned Anton Hur, is an epic fantasy adventure where the corpses of sorcerers power an empire and ordinary people rise up to tear it down.Nothing can stop the Empire's insatiable conquest.Not gods, not dragons, not armies.But heroes still rise.The Empire continues to enforce its so-called peace with massive war machines that destroy anything that opposes their might. Though the conquered are wholly at the mercy of the Empire, desperate odds such as these can be fertile soil for heroic resistance.Last seen rallying under Loran's banner, Emere is now a powerless politician in the Imperial Capital. But when an assassination attempt is made on his life, he discovers that he may just be at the center of sinister plots brewing in the highest levels of the Empire.Arienne has crossed the continent on a mission to learn more about the Star of Mersia, the infamous yet mysterious weapon that decimated the country of Mersia in a single day. But when she arrives at the supposedly lifeless land, Arienne is shocked to find much more than ruins.One hundred and seventy years ago, before the Empire laid waste to its plains and its people, Mersia suffers under the whims of the ruthless Grim King Eldred. When Yuma, the chief cattle herder, meets an emissary from the Empire, she dares to hope that this foreign nation might have the power to overthrow the Grim King and end his reign of terror. But Yuma will learn, only once it's too late, that aligning with the Empire will have consequences that reverberate through the ages.Sacrifices must be made in the fight against tyranny, but some sacrifices may be too great."A must-read series for epic fantasy lovers."-Library Journal, STARRED review

"A must-read series for epic fantasy lovers."-Library JournalThe fate of the world will be decided in Blood to the True Crown, the epic conclusion to the Bleeding Empire trilogy, from award-winning Korean author Sung-il Kim and translated by the world-renowned Anton Hur.The Empire faces a reckoning that could destroy the world itself.But hope can be found even in the darkest despair.Chaos reigns after the fateful decision to unleash the weapon known as the Star of Mersia, and a pervasive, deadly new magic wreaks devastation across the Empire.When Arienne discovers the origin of this sinister magic, her sole purpose becomes to stop its spread. But this mission will bring her into the very heart of The Empire and test everything she has learned as a sorcerer.Meanwhile, Loran has sworn to bring true freedom to Arland, but the Empire's hold over the people is too strong. When she finds an unlikely ally, Loran will have to decide what she is willing to do in the name of freedom.Join the battle to win a new destiny, but do not lose yourself to the fight.