The Goblin Emperor

Books | Fiction / Fantasy / Action & Adventure

4.2

(464)

Katherine Addison

A lush tale of deadly court intrigue and a modern classic of fantasy by Locus award winner and Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Award finalist Katherine AddisonUnbound Worlds 100 Best Fantasy Novels of All TimeA Best Fantasy Novel of the Decade Pick for BookRiot"Striking."—The New York TimesThe youngest, half-goblin son of the Emperor has lived his entire life in exile, distant from the Imperial Court and the deadly intrigue that suffuses it. But when his father and three half brothers in line for the throne are killed in an "accident," he has no choice but to take his place as the only surviving rightful heir.Entirely unschooled in the art of court politics, he has no friends, no advisors, and the sure knowledge that whoever assassinated his father and brothers could make an attempt on his life at any moment.Surrounded by sycophants eager to curry favor with the naïve new emperor, and overwhelmed by the burdens of his new life, he can trust nobody. Amid the swirl of plots to depose him, offers of arranged marriages, and the specter of the unknown conspirators who lurk in the shadows, he must quickly adjust to life as the Goblin Emperor. All the while, he is alone, and trying to find even a single friend . . . and hoping for the possibility of romance, yet also vigilant against the unseen enemies that threaten him, lest he lose his throne–or his life.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Fantasy

High Fantasy

Buy now:

More Details:

Author

Katherine Addison

Pages

448

Publisher

Tor Publishing Group

Published Date

2014-04-01

ISBN

1429946407 9781429946407

Community ReviewsSee all

"Not a major aspect of this book, but a queer character does appear"

Marsh

"Dnf 40% thru<br/><br/>A likeable goblin skirting around politics, I found this very enjoyable. Decent world building but the many name drops was too much and took up most of the story."

Ashley

"Unfortunately DNF at 1/8 of the way through. I think it might just be me at this moment because all the reviews are so good, but I’m just bored right now and ready to move on to something else. Perhaps I’ll return to this book when I’ve got some more patience!"

Reading into the Void

"This was such a great book! I finished it in 2 days because I couldn’t put it down. Maia is the nicest goblin you’d ever want to meet."

R B

Roberta Biallas

"An unsure hero you can really root for. The court politics ( usually just window dressing in a lot of fantasies) and intrigues are well developed and believable. "

H G

Harold Goldfus

"Oh, pure fun but with the time and complexity to make it a really satisfying fantasy to sink your teeth into. I know we love a “morally grey” or “unlikable” protagonist but I really love Maia and I like that he’s trying to be kind in extenuating circumstances. I like that this is a subversion of the expected arc of a character being inserted into deep political intrigue and becoming cunning and lowkey corrupt."

James b

"I adored this book and couldn't put it down! World building is fascinating and as the story unfolds you see more snippets of the cultures and peoples of this world. I immediately fell in love with Maya, a young goblin boy cast off and forgotten who strives to learn his new role while staying true to the values he holds dear. A beautiful story of intrigue and humanity, friendships in odd places, forgiveness, learning from our mistakes, and staying true to yourself. 10/10"

Katie Versace

"A really good political intrigue stand alone. All plots and schemes wrapped up in the end. But also makes you wistful that it is over."

Kat

"I adore this book! I've read it at least 5 times. I love the world building. I love the decency and courage of the main character. I love that it's a treaty on overcoming racial prejudice. I love that male/female roles are turned on their head a bit. I love that a gay character is featured (and goes on to have his own new two book). I would love to see this as a live action or animated movie. I hope someday she writes a sequel for Maya.#fantasy #hopepunk "