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A review by jeremyreads
The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
4.0
In 2015 I started the goal of reading all the Nebula Award nominees for best novel that year. I didn’t accomplish the goal and one of those novels, The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison, sat on my shelf for a year. I finally read it because while at Vericon 2016 in Boston, it was mentioned that author was going to be the guest of honor at Vericon 2017, until the con went on hiatus that year. It was first described to me as a fantasy novel where friendship saves the day in the end.
Maia is the half goblin/half elf son of the elf Emperor and his second wife, a goblin princess. The marriage was loveless, arranged primarily to make an Elf/Goblin peace. After Maia and his mother are exiled from the royal court to a country estate, his mother dies of an illness and Maia is again moved to a small cottage with an abusive guardian. Several years later, Maia is shocked to be named the new Emperor when his father and all of his older half-siblings are killed in an airship accident. The innocent and naive Maia must now navigate Imperial politics with ministers that would take advantage of him, as well as a wary court. His half goblin heritage is a cause for concern among the court because of the ever present tension between the elf empire and the goblin kingdom.
Maia’s innocence and friendliness, in equal parts, frustrates the status quo and causes distrust with elves so used to brutal politics. However, Maia maintains his good nature and uses it as an asset to win over allies. It almost feels like The Goblin Emperor was written as a reaction to “political fantasy” like George RR Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire series. Rather than constant royal plotting and backstabbing, kindness and empathy are shown to be effective tools of governing.
Maia also must contend with his own anxiety and self-doubt. After a childhood in exile with his mother, then his harsh adolescence with his bully of a caretaker after her death, it is understandable that Maia lacks self confidence. It is with the support of new friends and allies, won with kindness, that he is able to find the confidence to do what he believes to be is right.
There were times when I had trouble accepting some aspects of Maia’s decision making. I personally know I would not be as forgiving in some of the situations in the novel. Stories of “nice” leaders usually end with the leader’s death or with his corruption. In that respect, The Goblin Emperor is a breath of fresh air. I give The Goblin Emperor 4 out of 5 stars and would definitely recommend it to any fantasy fan. Happy reading!
Maia is the half goblin/half elf son of the elf Emperor and his second wife, a goblin princess. The marriage was loveless, arranged primarily to make an Elf/Goblin peace. After Maia and his mother are exiled from the royal court to a country estate, his mother dies of an illness and Maia is again moved to a small cottage with an abusive guardian. Several years later, Maia is shocked to be named the new Emperor when his father and all of his older half-siblings are killed in an airship accident. The innocent and naive Maia must now navigate Imperial politics with ministers that would take advantage of him, as well as a wary court. His half goblin heritage is a cause for concern among the court because of the ever present tension between the elf empire and the goblin kingdom.
Maia’s innocence and friendliness, in equal parts, frustrates the status quo and causes distrust with elves so used to brutal politics. However, Maia maintains his good nature and uses it as an asset to win over allies. It almost feels like The Goblin Emperor was written as a reaction to “political fantasy” like George RR Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire series. Rather than constant royal plotting and backstabbing, kindness and empathy are shown to be effective tools of governing.
Maia also must contend with his own anxiety and self-doubt. After a childhood in exile with his mother, then his harsh adolescence with his bully of a caretaker after her death, it is understandable that Maia lacks self confidence. It is with the support of new friends and allies, won with kindness, that he is able to find the confidence to do what he believes to be is right.
There were times when I had trouble accepting some aspects of Maia’s decision making. I personally know I would not be as forgiving in some of the situations in the novel. Stories of “nice” leaders usually end with the leader’s death or with his corruption. In that respect, The Goblin Emperor is a breath of fresh air. I give The Goblin Emperor 4 out of 5 stars and would definitely recommend it to any fantasy fan. Happy reading!