Kings of Heaven
core novel 2020 Ash and Sand
Record
| First published | 2020 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | novel |
| Canon status | core |
| Reader rating | 4.51 (2,191 ratings, collected 2026-08-29) |
| Page count | 411 |
| First-edition ISBN | 9798676270391 |
| Internal chronology | 3 |
Synopsis
Kings of Heaven concludes the Ash and Sand trilogy as Ruka moves toward a confrontation with the Narianians, a conflict shaped by years of political maneuvering from figures including Farahi, Dala, and Kale, each of whom has influenced the position Ruka now finds himself in. Rather than following Ruka alone, the story widens to include perspectives from skalds, steppe horse riders, and island sailors, giving a fuller picture of the world his actions have set in motion. Throughout, Ruka grapples with the weight of his own past; his eidetic memory ensures old wounds never fully fade, feeding a persistent sense that his achievements are never quite enough. As characters from earlier books converge on the unfolding conflict, the novel explores whether Ruka can see his impact on the world in a different light before events reach their conclusion.
Where it sits
- Universe: Ash and Sand
- Series: Ash and Sand core; position 3 of 3 in the series' recorded order
- Author: Richard Nell
Notes
- From the series record (Ash and Sand): Self-published grimdark epic fantasy trilogy blending Southeast Asian and Nordic-inspired settings (the island nation of Sri Kon/Pyu and the frozen wasteland of Ascom).
Neighbouring works
Publication order and internal chronology are tracked as two separate orderings, but they resolve to the exact same sequence for this book, so one combined line is shown instead of two identical ones.
- Reading order, within the series Ash and Sand: position 3 of 3: previous Kings of Ash (2018)
Sources
- Series reader-rating page
- Grimdark Magazine review
- https://www.richardnell.com/book/ash-sand-book-3/
← Ash and Sand dossier · All universes
Part of the Library. Fields without an identified source are omitted, never guessed.