Reviews with content warning for Sexism - The Goblin Emperor

If you enjoy stories that just follow a character through their life in a fantasy world, whether it's full of adventure or not, this will scratch that itch for you in the most satisfying way. I wouldn't consider this a character driven story (Maia doesn't quite have enough agency for his choices to be driving the plot) but it's almost entirely character focussed. Which means unless you're really into the details, this might feel like it the story is slow and meandering–especially as the writing is slightly formal to match the expectations of court life. The narrative warms as Maia finds his place, and if the coldness of the beginning puts you off I'd recommend sticking with it to see the change.

What plot there is isn't hugely complicated or action filled–even when it gets fully into the politics–but it is thorough look. Every aspect of life as an Emperor is considered and addressed, and Maia is the perspective we learn everything about this world through. The world building is excellently paced and explained. Information is there precisely when the story needs it without overwhelming the narrative.

Except the information at the beginning of the book. There's a couple of pages explaining the naming systems, court addresses, and pronunciation (presented as an in world travel guide). Since I started with the audiobook I didn't realise it was there, and was a little confused for the earlier part of the narrative as it introduced a ton of characters with 'the same name' but never explained why. Turns out I was confusing the 'Sir and Madam' of this world for names. So, bear in mind if you're starting audio first you'll be missing some information - and about five pages of chapter 30, which are just missing. The pay off is that the narrator, Kyle McCarley, is fantastic. His accent and cadence suits the formal setting of the world immeasurably, and the voices he gives each character makes them come alive off the page. Even Maia's speaking voice or direct thoughts sound slightly different to plain narration.

If you enjoy works like Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy, Tamora Pierce's Tortall books, Chris Bunch's Dragon Master series, or even Game of Thrones (though this is much 'simpler'), then I'd recommend Goblin Emperor 100%.

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briely's review against another edition

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hopeful lighthearted reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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onironic's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I listened to this with a mid-quality screen-reader and I had no problems following it, except for some confusion between who was who in a couple minor characters with similar sounding names. Nothing that caused any major problems understanding what was happening, though. I'll admit though, I wasn't sure how I'd feel about it when the very first thing I heard was a five minute list of names, but I am SO glad I stuck it out. I feel like any way I could talk about this book wouldn't do it justice. On the surface, it maybe doesn't sound like it should be as interesting as it is. It's very politics-heavy and takes place nearly entirely in just a few rooms. The story is in the intricacies of the court and politics, and the world-building, all fleshed out by the amazing cast of characters and the slightly unorthodox found family plot that builds throughout the book. Very, very dark things happen, but the purpose of the book isn't to be edgy or to ride realism straight into the ground. It's about people being people, in the worst and best ways. It's hopeful. It's about how important it is to be kind, even when it's hard, and to listen, and to care. I don't regret reading this book at all.

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istiel's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring relaxing slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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alexalily's review against another edition

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challenging hopeful inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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heygarrett's review against another edition

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challenging inspiring reflective 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? Yes

5.0

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seanml's review against another edition

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hopeful lighthearted 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? No

3.75

The book’s one word premise is a royalty-focused fantasy set in a steampunk world populated by elves and goblins (Which are more like orcs here). Unfortunately, you don’t get to see too much of the steampunk part. The primary messages focus on the power of goodness, and sexism is a heavy undertone throughout the narrative. My two main detractions: While there is certainly a plot, the book is much more slice of life than I expected; which doesn’t detract from it, but it may not be what you’re thinking. Additionally, there’s a complex naming convention system at play here which leads to more confusion than A Clockwork Orange. 7.5/10.

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