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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
First, some preamble: I am a very subjective rater. 90% of my rating is based on whether I liked or disliked a book. A literary masterpiece I forced myself to read will get a low rating, even if I can see the artfulness in the writing. In this case, three stars means exactly what it says in the hypertext. I liked it. Nothing more, nothing less.
I read The Goblin Emperor because it was on the Hugo nominees list, and while it was a good book, it wasn't an outstanding book. One problem is that for all the world building involved, the novel is quite insular. Maia rarely leaves the Elven Court, and while the world finds ways to intrude on his life there, as a reader, I often felt removed from the action. Like Maia, we're forced to rely on letters, half-understood speeches, and hearsay. This is both a perfect way to show what Maia is feeling and an incredibly frustrating position for me as a reader.
Maia is the sole point of view character, so get a lot of time inside his head. He's an incredibly nice individual, but also quite prone to self-doubt, which wears thin by the end of the novel. It's hard to think of any lasting negative consequences brought on by Maia's decisions, and when bad things do happen, it's always someone else who bears the majority of the blame. Some corrupt lord will force the Emperor's hand, and he'll enact justice, but no more. Addison writes the story so that he's often forced to choose between right and wrong, but between two wrongs or two rights.
There are hints that that might change in the future. Other reviewers have mentioned the racial and gendered aspects of the novel, but politics also make up a significant amount of the plot and subplots. Monarchy, Democracy, Capitalism, and Socialism are all in the air. A sequel that breaks away from life at court once in a while could be quite interesting. There are numerous other organizations mentioned within the novel (a clocksmith's guild, a few workers' unions, a handful of different religious orders, a group of scholar/magi). These are all represented at court by individuals called "Witnesses", but it's clear there's more going on behind the scenes. The people I wanted to know more about were the people who were shut out of court life. I know that's the point, but knowing didn't make the reading any more enjoyable.
All-in-all I think it is worth reading, especially if you're a fan of novels that center on "court drama". People who like Philippa Gregory but want to read something less centered on romance would be well sited to this novel. Don't read it if you're in the mood for a novel that's gritty and dark with a jaded, barb-tongued protagonist.
I read The Goblin Emperor because it was on the Hugo nominees list, and while it was a good book, it wasn't an outstanding book. One problem is that for all the world building involved, the novel is quite insular. Maia rarely leaves the Elven Court, and while the world finds ways to intrude on his life there, as a reader, I often felt removed from the action. Like Maia, we're forced to rely on letters, half-understood speeches, and hearsay. This is both a perfect way to show what Maia is feeling and an incredibly frustrating position for me as a reader.
Maia is the sole point of view character, so get a lot of time inside his head. He's an incredibly nice individual, but also quite prone to self-doubt, which wears thin by the end of the novel. It's hard to think of any lasting negative consequences brought on by Maia's decisions, and when bad things do happen, it's always someone else who bears the majority of the blame. Some corrupt lord will force the Emperor's hand, and he'll enact justice, but no more. Addison writes the story so that he's often forced to choose between right and wrong, but between two wrongs or two rights.
There are hints that that might change in the future. Other reviewers have mentioned the racial and gendered aspects of the novel, but politics also make up a significant amount of the plot and subplots. Monarchy, Democracy, Capitalism, and Socialism are all in the air. A sequel that breaks away from life at court once in a while could be quite interesting. There are numerous other organizations mentioned within the novel (a clocksmith's guild, a few workers' unions, a handful of different religious orders, a group of scholar/magi). These are all represented at court by individuals called "Witnesses", but it's clear there's more going on behind the scenes. The people I wanted to know more about were the people who were shut out of court life. I know that's the point, but knowing didn't make the reading any more enjoyable.
All-in-all I think it is worth reading, especially if you're a fan of novels that center on "court drama". People who like Philippa Gregory but want to read something less centered on romance would be well sited to this novel. Don't read it if you're in the mood for a novel that's gritty and dark with a jaded, barb-tongued protagonist.
Quite simply one of the most delightful books I've read in a long time. It's a tightly constructed stand-alone fantasy, which I really appreciate since you don't find those often. A lot of things happen in this book, but they are political intrigue and conspiracy things, not sword fight things. The main character manages to be both kind and interesting, which is practically unheard of in fantasy. I would give it more than 5 stars if I could!
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
If you love fantasy politics, this book is for you.
gosh this book is so good. i absolutely love the political intrigue and the development of maia from a boy awkwardly wearing the crown to actually being an emperor. bridge-builder indeed.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is NOT a book for anyone who needs action on every page. But for me, this was STELLER, from start to finish. Even with the overwhelming amount of names/characters, this is a book that I didn't know I needed in my life. It had a slightly episodic feel to each chapter but so well contained to Maia's overwhelming introduction to court life.
I think I just wanted more. I could probably read a thousand pages of Maia figuring out how to rule, and I would be happy. It's really just glorious. I'm going to be checking out more of Katherine Addison's work for sure!
I think I just wanted more. I could probably read a thousand pages of Maia figuring out how to rule, and I would be happy. It's really just glorious. I'm going to be checking out more of Katherine Addison's work for sure!
This is a fantasy full of faith and heart. A true ugly duckling tale of a young half-goblin exiled from his homeland. Nearly alone after being orphaned (except for an abusive cousin), Maia is unexpectedly recalled to the heart of the empire following the death of his estranged father and half-brothers.
The story is largely told through the eyes of Maia, but what eyes they are. Maia is an extremely complex protagonist that may have a few unpolished qualities about him, but it is those edges that makes you love him the more. As other characters are drawn into the story, their lives appear to be the richer for it.
I'm not saying that those characters are co-dependent on him. I'm saying that there are people that we come in contact with in this world that - just by being around them - enliven your life and give you a strong visceral reaction. Maia is one of those people.
The other characters are also very interesting and I'd love to hear a bit more about their backgrounds and motivations.
The world in this story fades into the background and I honestly wish it was given a bit more depth. It feels as though it is just a standard fantasy world with no special touches. Even if this is true, I'd like a bit more exposition.
The plot moves along nicely and does not stop. It has a good amount of depth, but the dramatic tension is lacking (which isn't a bad thing necessarily).
Overall? 4*. I deducted half a point because *darn it! I want to know more about some of the other characters - not just Maia* and because I prefer just a bit more tension in my stories.
The story is largely told through the eyes of Maia, but what eyes they are. Maia is an extremely complex protagonist that may have a few unpolished qualities about him, but it is those edges that makes you love him the more. As other characters are drawn into the story, their lives appear to be the richer for it.
I'm not saying that those characters are co-dependent on him. I'm saying that there are people that we come in contact with in this world that - just by being around them - enliven your life and give you a strong visceral reaction. Maia is one of those people.
The other characters are also very interesting and I'd love to hear a bit more about their backgrounds and motivations.
The world in this story fades into the background and I honestly wish it was given a bit more depth. It feels as though it is just a standard fantasy world with no special touches. Even if this is true, I'd like a bit more exposition.
The plot moves along nicely and does not stop. It has a good amount of depth, but the dramatic tension is lacking (which isn't a bad thing necessarily).
Overall? 4*. I deducted half a point because *darn it! I want to know more about some of the other characters - not just Maia* and because I prefer just a bit more tension in my stories.
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I enjoyed this book. I thought Maia was a great main character - I liked how he was an unexpected leader but not presented as a "hero" per se - just an unprepared goblin trying his best in strange circumstances - and how we got to see how other people viewed him in different ways. Similarly I liked how there was a real range of characters - it didn't feel super stereotypical or like it was another copy and paste your fantasy cast book.
I found the fantasy names confusing though. The mix of titles/genders/relations/given names/chosen names was hard to keep track of, but I enjoyed it much more when I just stopped worrying too much who exactly they were talking about - usually it became clear pretty quickly. There is a glossary, but the sheer volume of names made it hard to keep checking, especially on kindle. I did think it was impressive to have written a book with such a complex system though, and I like how this contributed to overall the world not feeling like our own (and even where it did it didn't feel Eurocentric).
I found the fantasy names confusing though. The mix of titles/genders/relations/given names/chosen names was hard to keep track of, but I enjoyed it much more when I just stopped worrying too much who exactly they were talking about - usually it became clear pretty quickly. There is a glossary, but the sheer volume of names made it hard to keep checking, especially on kindle. I did think it was impressive to have written a book with such a complex system though, and I like how this contributed to overall the world not feeling like our own (and even where it did it didn't feel Eurocentric).
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes