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fancypantsben's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
cutewitchirl's review against another edition
I enjoyed some parts of this, but for me it would have helped if I felt like we had a character we were really close to. We had main players to follow, but it's a book that feels like someone pushing armies around on a board.
nikki_saulnier's review against another edition
We move through so much time from the beginning to where I stopped but I feel like I never really got to know any characters beyond the surface. There were so many snapshots of what was happening in the world but we weren’t allowed to sit with any of it long enough to get attached. It made the story so boring and slow even thought it was jam packed with events. Like, how do you make an eight foot tall double pupiled man searching for revenge uninteresting?!?!
zoekatereads's review against another edition
5.0
The Grace of Kings is the first novel in the epic fantasy series The Dandelion Dynasty, a reimagining of the birth of China's Han Dynasty. An epic world, complex characters, a gripping and heart breaking plot.
'Emperor Mapidéré was the first to unite the island kingdoms of Dara. Now, on his deathbed, his people are exhausted by his grandiose projects, and his counsellors conspire for their own gain.
Even the gods are restless.
A clever bandit and the vengeful son of a deposed duke each lead rebellions against the emperor's brutal regime. Their paths cross as they journey to the heart of the empire, witnessing clashes of armies, fleets of silk-draped airships, magical books, and shapeshifting gods. Their unlikely friendship will alter the balance of power in Dara... but at what cost?'
This truly blew me away.
The world-building was fantastic. The story sits on the familiar backdrop of Eastern Asia, and Liu weaves in fantastical elements (gods, airships, creatures) that really elevate the setting and support the plot throughout. The book is an interesting blend of historical fiction and fantasy.
The first half of the novel introduces multiple characters and plotlines, which was initially a bit tricky to get my head around. But as the novel progresses and the focus moves more towards our two main characters, everything comes together in an incredibly satisfying way. All the information provided in the first half provides a deeper understanding of the events to come and created a really rich backdrop for the main characters and their stories.
The Grace of Kings is very heavy on political intrigue, lots of plotting, back-stabbing, war and great battles. The pacing was really interesting, with sizeable time jumps that really add to the epic scale of the events that took place in this time.
While not a particularly character-driven novel, I found myself completely enraptured by the characters and the decisions they made. The way Liu constructs his characters is wonderful. They're complex, deeply flawed, and I often found myself wondering whether I was rooting for them or not (which I sense is by design).
It felt like quite an achievement finishing this book, and my enjoyment really surprised me. I'm genuinely looking forward to continuing the series.
“A knife is not malicious merely because it is sharp, and a plot is not evil merely because it is effective. All depends on the wielder. The grace of kings is not the same as the morals governing individuals.”
'Emperor Mapidéré was the first to unite the island kingdoms of Dara. Now, on his deathbed, his people are exhausted by his grandiose projects, and his counsellors conspire for their own gain.
Even the gods are restless.
A clever bandit and the vengeful son of a deposed duke each lead rebellions against the emperor's brutal regime. Their paths cross as they journey to the heart of the empire, witnessing clashes of armies, fleets of silk-draped airships, magical books, and shapeshifting gods. Their unlikely friendship will alter the balance of power in Dara... but at what cost?'
“What is fate but coincidences in retrospect?”
This truly blew me away.
The world-building was fantastic. The story sits on the familiar backdrop of Eastern Asia, and Liu weaves in fantastical elements (gods, airships, creatures) that really elevate the setting and support the plot throughout. The book is an interesting blend of historical fiction and fantasy.
The first half of the novel introduces multiple characters and plotlines, which was initially a bit tricky to get my head around. But as the novel progresses and the focus moves more towards our two main characters, everything comes together in an incredibly satisfying way. All the information provided in the first half provides a deeper understanding of the events to come and created a really rich backdrop for the main characters and their stories.
The Grace of Kings is very heavy on political intrigue, lots of plotting, back-stabbing, war and great battles. The pacing was really interesting, with sizeable time jumps that really add to the epic scale of the events that took place in this time.
“Emperor, king, general, duke,” he whispered to himself. “These are just labels. Climb up the family tree of any of them high enough and you’ll find a commoner who dared to take a chance.”
While not a particularly character-driven novel, I found myself completely enraptured by the characters and the decisions they made. The way Liu constructs his characters is wonderful. They're complex, deeply flawed, and I often found myself wondering whether I was rooting for them or not (which I sense is by design).
“There’s never going to be an end to suffering if ‘he deserves it’ is all the justification people need for inflicting pain.”
It felt like quite an achievement finishing this book, and my enjoyment really surprised me. I'm genuinely looking forward to continuing the series.
talonkennedy's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
angrymilk's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
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
5.0
Probably my favorite Epic Fantasy series.
booksarebetter's review against another edition
3.0
Dnf at 200 pages. I just wasn't invested in this at all. The writing was fine but I wasn't connected with the characters.
esspeebee's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5