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Cover of King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo

King of Scars

Book 1 of The Nikolai Duology

  • 528 pages · about 9 hours
  • First published 2019
  • 22 editions

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1 About this book

Nikolai Lantsov has always had a gift for the impossible. No one knows what he endured in his country’s bloody civil war—and he intends to keep it that way. Now, as enemies gather at his weakened borders, the young king must find a way to refill Ravka’s coffers, forge new alliances, and stop a rising threat to the once-great Grisha Army.

Yet with every day a dark magic within him grows stronger, threatening to destroy all he has built. With the help of a young monk and a legendary Grisha Squaller, Nikolai will journey to the places in Ravka where the deepest magic survives to vanquish the terrible legacy inside him. He will risk everything to save his country and himself. But some secrets aren’t meant to stay buried—and some wounds aren’t meant to heal.

Good for readers who want: adventure, fantasy, magic, and a long read.

  • Magic
  • Adventure
  • Fantasy
  • Young adult fiction, romance
  • Young adult fiction, fantasy
  • Young adult fiction, action & adventure
  • Children's fiction
  • Kings, queens, rulers, etc., fiction

2 About Leigh Bardugo

Born 1975

Leigh Bardugo (born April 6, 1975) is an American fantasy author. She is best known for her young adult Grishaverse novels, which include the Shadow and Bone trilogy and the Six of Crows and King of Scars duologies. She also received acclaim for her paranormal fantasy adult debut, Ninth House.

Bio adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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