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storytimed 's review for:
Empress of Forever
by Max Gladstone
Read like the novelization of a really good video game, or someone else's tabletop campaign. Worldbuilding is quite nice but the narrative structure of meet a character -> do their companion quest -> meet another character doesn't quite work. The best character is Zanj by far, followed by Grey the baby virus/demon/cookie monster, then the monk, and finally in last place is the too-on note barbarian princess love interest.
Vivian, despite being the main, never really gets that much of an internal transformation. I liked her using her rhetorical skills more than fighting, but wish I could see more of the darkness that makes her a potential Empress. Without it, she's kind of generic protagonist, and the really cool aspect of her having to face a future self doesn't quite hit.
Zanj is fascinating though, and the style with which Gladstone depicts all the various alien worlds is fun. Could have been game of the year but had to be a book instead.
Vivian, despite being the main, never really gets that much of an internal transformation. I liked her using her rhetorical skills more than fighting, but wish I could see more of the darkness that makes her a potential Empress. Without it, she's kind of generic protagonist, and the really cool aspect of her having to face a future self doesn't quite hit.
Zanj is fascinating though, and the style with which Gladstone depicts all the various alien worlds is fun. Could have been game of the year but had to be a book instead.