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Book Review
Jan. 6th, 2019 10:10 pmThe Goblin Emperor
by Katherine Addison
This wonderful fantasy novel concerns Maia, the youngest, half-goblin son of the Emperor. Unloved and unwanted by his father, the product of a political marriage, Maia has spent his entire life in exile from court and mostly under the tutelage of an abusive guardian. When a suspicious airship crash kills Maia's father and three half-brothers, he finds himself on the throne. Utterly unprepared for this, Maia must quickly find people he can trust and learn the ways of the Imperial court and the business of running an empire.
I loved this book. Addison's world-building was top-notch. The Imperial court was an intricate place full of social and political perils but also great beauty and enjoyment. I especially loved the way Addison used descriptions of clothing and jewelry to convey some of the details of how displays of wealth and status worked in this world. I also really liked Maia; he's a fundamentally decent person who wants to do right by his people, and despite the high stakes of his position and the court intrigue that surrounds him, this decency is an asset rather than a tragically fatal flaw. The Goblin Emperor is more centered on character than plot, and thus it is really the small, subtle moments that make for some of the best parts of the narrative. Events can and do turn on brief interactions and key phrases in a conversation, and Addison has a deft hand with this kind of narrative. It all made for the kind of book that I both wanted to devour in one sitting and stretch out to properly savor.
by Katherine Addison
This wonderful fantasy novel concerns Maia, the youngest, half-goblin son of the Emperor. Unloved and unwanted by his father, the product of a political marriage, Maia has spent his entire life in exile from court and mostly under the tutelage of an abusive guardian. When a suspicious airship crash kills Maia's father and three half-brothers, he finds himself on the throne. Utterly unprepared for this, Maia must quickly find people he can trust and learn the ways of the Imperial court and the business of running an empire.
I loved this book. Addison's world-building was top-notch. The Imperial court was an intricate place full of social and political perils but also great beauty and enjoyment. I especially loved the way Addison used descriptions of clothing and jewelry to convey some of the details of how displays of wealth and status worked in this world. I also really liked Maia; he's a fundamentally decent person who wants to do right by his people, and despite the high stakes of his position and the court intrigue that surrounds him, this decency is an asset rather than a tragically fatal flaw. The Goblin Emperor is more centered on character than plot, and thus it is really the small, subtle moments that make for some of the best parts of the narrative. Events can and do turn on brief interactions and key phrases in a conversation, and Addison has a deft hand with this kind of narrative. It all made for the kind of book that I both wanted to devour in one sitting and stretch out to properly savor.
