Name: Brian Alderman's review of The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
Item: The Goblin Emperor
Rating: 5
Author: Brian Alderman

Katherine Addison

Reluctantly elevated to the throne when his father and brothers are killed in a suspicious accident, an exiled half-goblin is rapidly overwhelmed by ambitious sycophants, imperial burdens and dangerous plots while searching for friendship and love. A first novel. 20,000 first printing.

The Goblin Emperor

Camila

Brian Alderman

ploral

I enjoyed this book so much. 

This is a very slow paced book with minimal action and lots of court politics and it delivered what it promised and I love it because of it. Maia is a likeable character and easy to root for. I love cala and beshelar and kiru and csethiro and csevet and his "cousins" and many other characters. This book is simply Maia trying his best to try and run his empire with nothing but his wits and a little help from some people. It was heartwarming to see Maia form relationships with the other characters. I really loved it and would recommend it to everyone.

Sandrin

this is the type of story that stays with you even after you have read it.
Maia is one of the most likable characters i have ever come across. He is kind, smart, considerate but also often struggles with his own demons. I would fight for this (half) goblin boy any time. My only issue was that there wasnt a lot of action(which is to be expected from a story largely driven by politics), and that i wanted to see more of the future empress. She is a total badass and i feel robbed i didnt get to see her fencing skills.

A lot of info to absorb at the beginning but once I got used to the new words I was hooked. I wish more time was dealing with goblin culture and the race relations but otherwise thoroughly enjoyed this court drama/mystery 

Jason Hill

Jay Harris

I couldn’t stop reading The Goblin Emperor and finished it in a day.

It’s very different from most fantasy I’ve read: there are no flashbacks or perspective changes and very little action. Instead, the book is entirely about the political complexity surrounding a young half-goblin who unexpectedly becomes the emperor. Wonderful storytelling and characters. I loved it.

Edit: I don't re-read books very much, but I enjoyed reading this one again, this time out loud to Danae. We both loved it.

An exiled prince comes of age amid court intrigue and murder in The Goblin Emperor, a vividly imagined fantasy by Katherin Addison Unbound Worlds 100 Best Fantasy Novels of All Time The 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 older sons in line for the throne are killed in an "accident," he has no choice but to take his place on the Untheileneise Throne. The Goblin Emperor, set against the pageantry and color of a fascinating, unique world, is a memorable debut for a great new talent.

Janice Hopper

Finished before book club tomorrow!!

It's good! Even though it deals with stuff I normally hate (interpersonal wrangling, court intrigue and politics, etc.) It does help that the main character, Maia, is pretty likeable and relatable. He was given a hard row to hoe, and he handled it about as well as could be expected.

I really enjoyed the author's writing style. It's a bit formal, a teensy bit archaic, and totally enjoyable.

The only real issue I had in the book was keeping all the names straight. The names are long and complicated. The audiobook narrator handles them well, but then you see the word on the page and try to match it up with what you heard, and hoo boy, it's a challenge. My brain REALLY wanted to pronounce things according to how they LOOKED (w/o reference to the pronunciation key in the back of the book), and that clashed moderately hard with the audio narrator. It's a quirk of my brain, I think.

I did read portions of this book in dead tree (paperback) format. I can't remember the last time I read a dead tree.... Oh wait, I DO remember. It was The Lost Words by Robert MacFarlane and Jackie Morris, which is a FREAKING AMAZING BOOK AND HAS TO BEEN SEEN TO APPRECIATE. Ahem. Sorry, had to take a moment to gush.

But I was reminded of the challenges of reading a paper book - no back light, no ability to search easily, can't enlarge the text when your eyes are tired. But it was fine, really. :D
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I started listening to this book a couple months ago and got distracted by something else shiny. But since it's my SF/F book clug selection for next Thurs 3/21, I need to get cracking on it. I think I'll do better this pass, because I know a bit more what to expect, and have mostly gotten over my stupid attitude of "this book is too popular! I don't read popular books!!" I know. It's stupid, but there it is.

Natalie

I love this book so much. Maia is just--ugh. Hard to explain. He is decent and kind, even when he has the power to get away with not being those things. It says so much about the importance of character, which is certainly a matter of some importance in this, the year of the 2020 hellscape.

Connor 

This book is absolutely captivating. I might not have any idea how to spell any of the character's names (except Maia, bless him), but Kyle McCarley's narrative voices kept me from confusion. 

Honestly, I don't think I can pull myself together enough to tell anyone why I love this book--I'm still too overwhelmed--but I will say everyone absolutely must listen to the audiobook. It's brilliant.

The 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 sons 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. Katherine Addison's The Goblin Emperor is an exciting fantasy novel, set against the pageantry and color of a fascinating, unique world, is a memorable debut for a great new talent.

Magnus Dahl

Savannah Winchell

3.5 ⭐️
- a masterclass in intrigue and politics
- world building wasnt fully developed
 - could’ve used a map and a character list lol
- slowwwww but enjoyable

Danny Engström

Vilde

This was a reread, and I loved it more the second time around. Definitely an all-time favorite book for me, lots of interesting feelings about politics and power, and such 

Katy Watkins

This was a reread, and I loved it more the second time around. Definitely an all-time favorite book for me, lots of interesting feelings about politics and power, and such good people.

Amira BEN

Mon premier livre audio ! 
J'ai énormément apprécié la narration de Kyle McCarley. Très immersive, intonation assez claire pour comprendre sans s'aider du texte. J'ai commencé toutefois à l'aide du ebook que j'avais à disposition mais petite à petit je m'en suis détaché et par la suite c'était juste un bonheur d'écouter.
Concernant, l'histoire nous suivons tout simplement un jeune homme mi goblin mi elfe qui se voit attribuer, à sa grande surprise, la tâche difficile d'Empereur. Il essaie de s'accommoder à son nouveau rôle et à faire sa place dans une Cour qui lui est étrangère ayant grandi loin de tout cela. Donc dans ce roman, l'histoire tourne essentiellement autour d'intrigues politiques et pour ceux qui aiment ça apprécieront. Tout est tellement bien exécuté par K Addison que l'on est très vite pris par l'histoire. 
Je conseille très fortement !

Risa C

A novel full of courtly intrigue and political plots, but at the heart of it is the story of a cast-off afterthought of a boy just trying his best to land on his feet after being unceremoniously thrusted into a position of power he never even contemplated much less desired. Possibly the first fantasy of manners I've read and I can see the appeal of the genre: infinitely less monster slaying and character-building quests, more sociopolitical maneuvering and mysteriously coded meanings behind missives, gestures, and gifts.

The world-building was intricate to the point of being almost indulgent, but was handled in a way that never got too overbearing. The barrage of fantasy-typical names and titles was par for the course for most high fantasy novels, though it's been a while since I've partaken of the genre and I initially found the sieve of my mind to be leakier than usual, but it got progressively better as the story went on.

Ultimately, it's just nice reading about a person doing his utmost to remain kind and good and true to himself and being rewarded for it, however small and incremental those gains may be. Maia Drazhar is a great protagonist whose internal monologue is delightful and relatable enough to fuel a genuinely enjoyable reading experience where the plot may not be as rip roaring or gripping. I was surprised at the end by how invested I had become in his happiness and that's owing to a rich interior life and wonderfully subtle yet substantial character work.

Shafel McDowall

Absolutely mesmerising. 

Definitely one of my best books for the year. Let me warn you that this book doesn't have a lot of action, much of the story happens in the main character's mind. However, the world building and characterization is amazing. There are so many lessons in this book. If someone wants to belittle fantasy readers because "it's not real", I'll give them this book to try. 

I will also note that I didn't struggle much to remember the characters, as I usually do when I read high fantasy.

Nat Welch

What a weird book. Very well written, although the plot has some weird inconsistencies. The book is a quick read, and has an interesting world, but the book is not exciting or riveting. If you're interested in character development and world building, I'd recommend this, otherwise probably point you elsewhere.

Aleena Korell

Delightful. Even the use of the royal "we", which I actually enjoyed and found to add a deeper layer to the culture and nuances of the worldbuilding. 

After the sudden death of his father, the Emperor, and his three older brothers, Maia is snatched from banishment and thrown into a reign he never thought would be his, with no allies to turn to.

I appreciated Maia's arc of growth over the course of the novel. He is utterly relatable and good even as we walk through the deepest loneliness and weariness and terror of court politics alongside him. Even as he knows he is hated by many and fears for his life, he never acts against his morals and compassion. He is rather hesitant and awkward, but neither cowardly nor stupid-- and shows a fierce strength when it comes to something he believes in. But his fierce strength is still humble and uncorrupted, and in the end his personality is uncompromised. 

When pushed to punish someone who has betrayed him to the point of near death, Maia's response:

"'In our inmost and secret heart, which you ask us to bare to you, we wish to banish them as we were banished, to a cold and lonely house, in the charge of a man who hated us. And we wish them trapped there as we were trapped."
"You consider that unjust, Serenity?"
"We consider it cruel," Maia said. "And we do not think that cruelty is ever just."

, The first UK publication of this multiple award winning, critically acclaimed high fantasy US smash hit phenomenon. "Challenging, invigorating, and unique." ― Scott Lynch, bestselling author of The Lies of Locke Lamora, Nominated for the Nebula and Hugo awards, and a World Fantasy Award Finalist, Katherine Addison's The Goblin Emperor is a vividly imagined fantasy of court intrigue and dark magics. Unbound Worlds 100 Best Fantasy Novels of All Time Maia, the 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 sons 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 favour 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 spectre of the unknown conspirators who lurk in the shadows, he must quickly adjust to life as the Goblin Emperor., ,

Jennifer

Maia isn't your traditional strong and epic male fantasy character, yet I'm pleasantly surprised to discover his empathetic and compassionate nature in this novel. He had to navigate through a lot of hardships: exile & oppression, complicated court politics, and betrayals. And yet despite all these moral dilemmas he had to go through as the emperor, he really grew on me in that what he chose is for the greater good (e.g. treating his subordinates as equals). It made me think about what makes a person fundamentally a good person despite things not happening as planned. So this aspect of Maia's character development is done very well. And it's also a very pleasant respite from the usual fantasy tropes that I came across.

I also really enjoyed the worldbuilding. The glossary section shows that there's def. a lot in Maia's world. The etymology is probably the most challenging aspect of the novel but thankfully they're also quite self-contained in the main text. I enjoyed the descriptions of the sceneries and I'm also pretty surprised that it added a dash of steampunk into the fictional universe (also how these elements have a metaphorical meaning behind the psychology of the characters)!

I think the pacing is a bit slower & the plot seemingly read more low-key than what I usually expect in fantasy novels but it's not a major issue since his novel intensely focuses on Maia and how all these complex character dynamics unfold between him (thanks for the solid worldbuilding). But other than the pacing, I grow to side on Maia's character and I'll definitely look out for the sequel (which will be out next year)!

(4 stars out of 5)

Luke Kanies

Classic fantasy, but good nonetheless. Primarily interesting because of the new emperor’s attempts to learn on the job, and what the job means. Has a small amount of racial tension in there, which makes it a bit better, too.

Recommended for those who like fantasy or want a quick, fun read.

Judy McClure

Loved this!! Harkens back to the fantasy I adored in the 80's and 90's.

Pam Sartain

What a really good read! I highly recommend it! I found names a little confusing and was very glad of the x-ray feature on my kindle!

Judy Hudgins

This is one I would like to hear on audio, just to get the pronunciations down on the names. This was the Sword and Laser read for March and I picked it up off our library shelf and sped through it. Addison hits the right note on the main character, Maia. A 18 year old half-elf, half-goblin who never saw court life because his father, the emperor, had him sent away as a child. Now, after an airship explosion, he is the new emperor, struggling to find his way in a world completely alien to him. A really great read.

Side note: this is the first case where the 'ears' of elves actually move in accordance with their moods, like a horse or dog's ears do. I really liked that idea.

Ben Nathan

This was absolutely superb. I wouldn't be shocked if this ended up being my favorite book of the year when all is said and done. The writing is wonderful. It was an entire fantasy world built without ever leaving the palace. Just killer. I love it and want more.

Camila &
The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

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