The Culling Fields

by Jenn Lyons

Orphan. Thief. Prince. Pawn. Every street urchin from the Lower Circle of the Capital secretly wishes to be claimed as Ogenra, the bastard offspring of the Royal Houses so important for political maneuvering. The fairy tale fate of a discovered Ogenra is a life of plenty and ease, but when a blind minstrel's son, Kierin, discovers he is one, his rise to riches and wealth is anything but a happy ending.


Now Kierin must dodge lies, power plays, Imperial politics and his own twisted family as he attempts to discover what’s really going on and how it all ties in to a series of ancient prophecies that every faction seems bent on fulfilling or breaking. His quest to discover the truth behind the cabals, schemes, and machinations of the Upper Circle will lead him through heartbreak and slavery—from the slums of the world's largest city to the dark, corrupted forests of the afterlife itself—while he struggles to stay out of the reach of myriad factions seeking to use him for their own generals, merchant princes, sorcerers, demons, and even gods.

649 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 8, 2014

About the author

Jenn Lyons lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband, three cats, and a lot of opinions on anything from the Sumerian creation myths to the correct way to make a martini. At various points in her life, she has wanted to be an archaeologist, anthropologist, architect, diamond cutter, fashion illustrator, graphic designer, or Batman. Turning from such obvious trades, she is now a video game producer by day, and spends her evenings writing science fiction and fantasy. When not writing, she can be founding debating the Oxford comma and Joss Whedon’s oeuvre at various local coffee shops.

Reviews

[Michael Shean · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first picked up Jenn Lyons' debut work, I was very afraid that it might just be a little too much for me to read right now - after all, I'm in the middle of another novel myself, and a six-hundred-pager was bound to distract me. Nonetheless, I dove in...and I'm very happy that I have. Always well-paced and very exciting, The Culling Fields is a tale that many fans of the high fantasy and sword-and-sorcery genres will not want to miss. Though there are traditional elements that end up being recycled in this work (elves, magic swords, prophesy, etc.) Lyons never fails to put her own intriguing twist. She is an author who deserves to be celebrated, and I hope you love this book as much as I did.

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worldbuilding is something that Jenn Lyons does beautifully; her creation is full and vivid, but without bogging the reader down with so much detail that the story becomes mired. I love her use of language - for me, it's the perfect balance of giving me enough that it comes to live, but not so much, that I don't get to build my own mental landscape. The story is enjoyable. I prefer high fantasy, and The Culling Fields gives me exactly that, with characters I enjoyed. {Disclaimer: I was a beta-reader for this book many years ago.}