What to expect from Ruination, the first League of Legends novel

Nicholas James Published 21/03/2022

The first full League of Legends novel, titled “Ruination,” is making its way to bookshelves later this year.

The novel will revolve around the Ruination world event that took place in 2021, hoping to redeem a narrative that originally drew a mixed reception from fans. Divergent versions of the story made it hard for fans to follow a cohesive narrative, and complaints about tonal mismatch and confusing narrative choices were commonplace among fans of League of Legends lore. The novel by author Anthony Reynolds is a new chance for one of Runeterra’s greatest adversaries.

League of Legends novel Ruination to release in September

League of Legends’ first proper novel was first announced on Twitter by Riot Games, showcasing the studio’s first foray into full-length traditional narrative ventures. Author Anthony Reynolds returns from penning Garen: First Shield, a novella released in late 2020 that followed the captain of the Dauntless Vanguard in the wake of Sylas’ mage revolution.

The cover of the novel depicts Viego’s Zweihander, the item known in-game as “The Blade of the Ruined King.” In the background stands a misty version of Kalista, who is killed by Hecarim after refusing to slaughter the inhabitants of the Blessed Isles for Viego. Kalista was noticeably missing from the Ruination event, and this novel may offer her a chance to resolve a huge part of her narrative.

At a whopping 400 pages, the length of Ruination offers many champions who fans felt were pushed to the side a second chance to engage with this crucial lore event for their region. As Viego moves to conquer Runeterra, more space can be given to members of the Shadow Isles roster who took a back seat to the Sentinels of Light event that was pushed through the League of Legends client.

The new League of Legends novel goes on sale on September 6, 2022 through Hachette Book Group. It can be purchased in both ebook and hardcover editions.

Nicholas James

About Nicholas James

Nicholas James is a gaming writer with a passion for all things geekdom, as well as live theater. Nicholas is best known for covering League of Legends and other top MOBA titles, but his expertise covers numerous games across multiple genres. When not watching the LCS or playing the latest new release, Nicholas can be found doing some tabletop gaming and painting his favorite miniatures. Nicholas has also published with Hotspawn, TheGamer, Dexerto, Esports.gg and other industry outlets.

View full profile

Read Also

Esports Betting

Top Esports beats Team WE in the LPL, qualifies for MSI 2026 Wasif Ahmed Against all odds, Top Esports faced Team WE in the LPL upper bracket final. Both teams fought over a spot for the Mid-Season Invitational that everyone expected Anyone’s Legend, Bilibili Gaming, or JD Gaming to claim. In the end, TES paused WE’s Cinderella story as they beat them 3-0. Before this series, World Elite had defeated two LPL powerhouses in BLG and AL. Against TES, though, they suddenly lost all ...

League of Legends

G2 Esports complete comeback against Karmine Corp to win LEC Spring 2026 Hannan Mundia After a fairly smooth split, G2 Esports emerged victorious in the 2026 LEC Spring split grand final by making a comeback against Karmine Corp. The 2026 LEC Spring split has finally concluded. With spots at MSI and the Esports World Cup on the line, every professional European team gave it their all to get as far as they could. While most teams fell quickly, Karmine Corp and G2 Esports managed ...

Esports Betting

G2 Esports vs Karmine Corp 2026 LEC Spring: Best odds, picks Hannan Mundia The 2026 LEC Spring split is about to conclude, with G2 Esports and Karmine Corp facing off one last time to see which team qualifies for the Esports World Cup. While both teams have done well to make it to this LEC split’s grand final, only one team can be crowned the victor. With a direct ticket to the EWC on the line, there’s a strong chance that G2’s dominating ...

Esports Betting

MKOI vs Karmine Corp 2026 LEC Spring betting preview: Best odds and picks Hannan Mundia Two LEC spots are open for this year’s Mid-Season Invitational, and MKOI will battle against Karmine Corp to determine which team grabs it. The ongoing LEC Spring split is almost done, and only three teams remain. While G2 Esports has already established itself as the strongest so far with a guaranteed spot in the grand final, Movistar KOI and Karmine Corp will battle it out on the big stage for ...

League of Legends

LCK 2026 Road to MSI: Teams, format, and schedule Hannan Mundia With the LCK 2026 Rounds 1-2 complete, the qualified teams will battle it out in Road to MSI. With two spots for the 2026 Mid-Season Invitational and one spot for the 2026 Esports World Cup on the line, here’s everything to know about the LCK 2026 Road to MSI. Six teams have qualified for Road to MSI, but only two MSI spots are available for this region. While powerhouse teams ...

Esports Betting

KT Rolster vs T1 2026 LCK Season Rounds 1-2: Best odds and picks Hannan Mundia KT Rolster and T1 will face off in the last week of 2026 LCK Rounds 1-2 to potentially improve their starting position at Road to MSI. KT Rolster and T1 have both had their moment to shine in the ongoing 2026 LCK split. With one week remaining, the two teams will battle against each other for a chance at acquiring second place and starting with a significant advantage in the ...

Esports Betting

EWC officially heads to Paris for 2026 as early reports confirmed Michael Hassall The Esports World Cup 2026 will take place in Paris, France from July later this year as per an new announcement by the EWC organizers, the Esports Foundation. Revealed in a post on their official social media, and an accompanying release and blog post, the announcement confirmed earlier speculation that the event would move location due to the “regional situation” around Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Here’s the info: The Esports World ...