The Empire's Ruin
'Brian Staveley’s storytelling gets more epic with every book, and The Empire’s Ruin takes it to a whole new level' – Pierce Brown
One soldier will bear the hopes of an empire
The Kettral were the glory and despair of the Annurian Empire – elite soldiers who rode war hawks into battle. Now the Kettral’s numbers have dwindled and the great empire is dying. Its grip is further weakened by the failure of the kenta gates, which granted instantaneous access to its vast lands.
To restore the Kettral, one of its soldiers is given a mission. Gwenna Sharpe must voyage beyond the edge of the known world, to the mythical nesting grounds of the giant war hawks. The journey will take her through a land that warps and poisons all living things. Yet if she succeeds, she could return a champion, rebuild the Kettral to their former numbers – and help save the empire. The gates are also essential to the empire’s survival, and a monk turned con-artist may hold the key to unlocking them.
What they discover will change them and the Annurian Empire forever – if they survive. For deep within the southern reaches of the land, a malevolent force is stirring...
'Brilliant' V. E. Schwab on Skullsworn
'A truly epic tale full of memorable characters, clever politics, an intelligent magic system, brutal battle scenes, and witty dialogue' FantasyFaction on The Last Mortal Bond
The Empire's Ruin is the first book in the epic Ashes of the Unhewn Throne trilogy by Brian Staveley.
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Brian Staveley
In the high peaks of fantasy fiction, few voices echo with the same blend of lyricism and raw intensity as Brian Staveley’s. His stories don’t just build worlds—they carve them from stone and shadow, echoing with the clash of empires and the quiet, devastating choices of those caught in their wake. What sets his work apart isn’t just the scale of his imagination, but the emotional weight carried by every sword stroke, every whispered betrayal, every question of faith.
Staveley burst onto the fantasy scene with The Emperor’s Blades, the first novel in The Chronicles of the Unhewn Throne, a trilogy that would go on to define his signature style: poetic, philosophical, and unflinchingly brutal. Set in a fractured empire on the verge of collapse, the series follows the children of a murdered emperor as they unravel conspiracies stretching beyond the bounds of the known world. It was more than just a debut—it was a declaration. The novel earned him the David Gemmell Morningstar Award for Best Fantasy Newcomer and a devoted readership drawn to the moral complexity of his characters and the haunting beauty of his prose.
Ashes of the Unhewn Throne
In the shadow of a crumbling empire, where secrets are buried in blood and betrayal lurks behind every corner, Ashes of the Unhewn Throne delves deep into a world torn apart by violence, ambition, and power struggles. The series weaves together a rich tapestry of complex characters, each carrying their own burdens and desires, set against a brutal, unforgiving backdrop.
Ashes of the Unhewn Throne consists of one book and series is set to expand with the upcoming release of two more books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
Main series The Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne
