The Goblin Emperor

Now this one was great!

On the prose level, I was not into it; every turn of phrase was a one-two punching unkilled darling. Although the conlanging and formality levels were great.

On the macro level is where I loved the book! Separate vignettes that end up braiding together almost like the typical Pratchett or Dumas structure. Fun idea and great setting and characters.

Overall this was a good book. It was fairly straightforward in its plot and characters, which allowed it to have a more personal feel to the main character. The setting is hindered a little by aspects of the language which, while they add some depth, they also add a great amount of complexity. I can certainly see the similarities to The Hands of the Emperor, though I prefer that book for its broader story and the focus on the secretary rather than the emperor himself.

For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2023/07/book-review-goblin-emperor-by-katherine.html