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Table of Contents
About The Book
An electrifying, gritty fantasy from debut author Hana Lee that takes a royal messenger on a high-speed chase across a climate-ravaged wasteland, featuring motorcycles, monsters, and magic.
Jin-Lu has the most dangerous job in the wasteland. She’s a magebike courier, one of the few who venture outside the domed cities on motorcycles powered by magic. Every day, she braves the wasteland’s dangers—deadly storms, roving marauders, and territorial beasts—to deliver her wares.
Her most valuable cargo? A prince’s love letters addressed to Yi-Nereen, a princess desperate to escape the clutches of her abusive family and soon-to-be husband. Jin, desperately in love with both her and the prince, can’t refuse Yi-Nereen’s plea for help. The two of them flee across the wastes, pursued by Yi-Nereen’s furious father, her scheming betrothed, and a bounty hunter with mysterious powers.
A storm to end all storms is brewing and dark secrets about the heritability of magic are coming to light. Jin’s heart has led her into peril before, but this time she may not find her way back.
Jin-Lu has the most dangerous job in the wasteland. She’s a magebike courier, one of the few who venture outside the domed cities on motorcycles powered by magic. Every day, she braves the wasteland’s dangers—deadly storms, roving marauders, and territorial beasts—to deliver her wares.
Her most valuable cargo? A prince’s love letters addressed to Yi-Nereen, a princess desperate to escape the clutches of her abusive family and soon-to-be husband. Jin, desperately in love with both her and the prince, can’t refuse Yi-Nereen’s plea for help. The two of them flee across the wastes, pursued by Yi-Nereen’s furious father, her scheming betrothed, and a bounty hunter with mysterious powers.
A storm to end all storms is brewing and dark secrets about the heritability of magic are coming to light. Jin’s heart has led her into peril before, but this time she may not find her way back.
Excerpt
Chapter One: Rock and a Hard Place
Second Age of Storms, 48th Spring
Dear Princess Yi-Nereen,
I don’t know if you remember me. My name is Kadrin, and I hail from Kerina Sol. Ten years ago, my father was sent as a diplomatic envoy to your city, Kerina Rut. I only remember bits and pieces of the crossing; I was nine years old and rode in a knight’s sidecar. But I recall very well the year we spent in Kerina Rut, especially the friend I made there: the daughter of the Shield Lord, our host, who did so much to make us feel at home.
After all this time, I have finally worked up the courage to write her. Do you remember me half as fondly as I remember you? My father’s time in Kerina Rut was shorter than planned, and our sudden departure must have taken you by surprise. I hope you will accept my long overdue apology and farewell.
I shall end this letter now, in case I am a stranger to you after all. But if you do recall the boy who collected colorful beetles and taught you to wish on falling stars, it would bring me no greater pleasure than to receive your reply.
Please take care,
Prince Kadrin, Third Heir to the House of Steel Heavens
Second Age of Storms, 48th Spring
Dear Princess Yi-Nereen,
I don’t know if you remember me. My name is Kadrin, and I hail from Kerina Sol. Ten years ago, my father was sent as a diplomatic envoy to your city, Kerina Rut. I only remember bits and pieces of the crossing; I was nine years old and rode in a knight’s sidecar. But I recall very well the year we spent in Kerina Rut, especially the friend I made there: the daughter of the Shield Lord, our host, who did so much to make us feel at home.
After all this time, I have finally worked up the courage to write her. Do you remember me half as fondly as I remember you? My father’s time in Kerina Rut was shorter than planned, and our sudden departure must have taken you by surprise. I hope you will accept my long overdue apology and farewell.
I shall end this letter now, in case I am a stranger to you after all. But if you do recall the boy who collected colorful beetles and taught you to wish on falling stars, it would bring me no greater pleasure than to receive your reply.
Please take care,
Prince Kadrin, Third Heir to the House of Steel Heavens
About The Author
Photograph by Valerie Pitzen
Hana Lee is a biracial Korean American writer who also builds software for a living. She has an undying love for fantastical stories in all their forms, especially video games, and a habit of writing to moody indie rock playlists. Her short writing has appeared in Fantasy Magazine and Uncanny Magazine. She lives in California with her partner and two beloved cats.
Product Details
- Publisher: S&S/Saga Press (July 17, 2024)
- Length: 368 pages
- ISBN13: 9781668035610
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Raves and Reviews
“Road to Ruin is an electrifying tale that proves impossible to put down. Hana Lee’s thrilling prose hauls the reader headlong into an epic adventure, laden with striking characters and world-building as deft as it is fearless. I’ll be thinking about this book for a long, long time.”
– —Thea Guanzon, USA Today and New York Times bestselling author of The Hurricane Wars
“Savage, sexy, and deliciously screwed up, Lee’s apocalyptic fantasy debut is sure to draw comparisons to Mad Max but sets itself apart through an inventive magic system and a thorny bisexual love triangle.”
– —Publisher's Weekly, starred review
“Lee’s action-packed, Mad Max: Fury Road–inspired fantasy is a breathless, polyamorous adventure that will delight fans of well-built, fast-paced, queer sf/fantasy.”
– —Booklist, starred review
"If you’re hungry to see the new Mad Max movie, then Road to Ruin is the dystopian fantasy novel you need."
– —Parade
"Road to Ruin is an absolute thrill ride, and the most fun I’ve had reading all year. Messy yet soulful characters, an atmospheric Mad Max world, cool creatures, and imaginative worldbuilding make this book a top-tier experience—one that will have you lining up for the next one!"
– —Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter
“This inventive fantasy homage to Mad Max: Fury Road is an absolute blast, full of high-stakes scenes, an original magic system, and messy romances... Road to Ruin is full of twists and turns, so much fun to read, and is perfect for anyone excited for Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga--or any other Mad Max entries we might get in the future.”
–IGN
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- Book Cover Image (jpg): Road to Ruin Trade Paperback 9781668035610
- Author Photo (jpg): Hana Lee Photograph by Valerie Pitzen(0.1 MB)
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