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Available
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Underhill Books
Description
An impulsive word can start a war.A timely word can stop one.A simple act of friendship can change the course of history.Cliopher Mdang is the personal secretary of the Last Emperor of Astandalas, the Lord of Rising Stars, the Lord Magus of Zunidh, the Sun-on-Earth, the god.He has spent more time with the Emperor of Astandalas than any other person.He has never once touched his lord.He has never called him by name.He has never initiated a conversation.One day Cliopher invites the Sun-on-Earth home to the proverbially remote Vangavaye-ve for a holiday.The mere invitation could have seen Cliopher executed for blasphemy.The acceptance upends the world.This is not quite what he expected when he first contemplated the prospect of retirement.
User reviews
LibraryThing member bell7
Cliopher Mdang left his island people behind and now works for the Emperor of the entire realm. And he's very good at his job, having made sound decisions and incredible reforms to the government while not losing sight of where he came from (not that his family would ever acknowledge that or even
This was a warm, cozy read of a book about a fantastic group of characters, their friendships and love for one another. It drops you right into the middle of the world, with hints of its history and Cliopher's past to figure out as the story unfolds. Though almost 900 pages long, I never tired of reading or thought there were parts that could've been tighter. No, the book is as long as it needed to be, and when it ended I wanted to keep exploring the world and learn more about all the people I'd come to love. Okay, so it's not perfect - or, rather, in a way things are too perfect on multiple levels - but it was such a fun read. I was left wanting to spend more time with this characters and in this world.
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knows what he does). When he invites the Emperor on vacation, however, this one simple act will upend the world as he knows it.This was a warm, cozy read of a book about a fantastic group of characters, their friendships and love for one another. It drops you right into the middle of the world, with hints of its history and Cliopher's past to figure out as the story unfolds. Though almost 900 pages long, I never tired of reading or thought there were parts that could've been tighter. No, the book is as long as it needed to be, and when it ended I wanted to keep exploring the world and learn more about all the people I'd come to love. Okay, so it's not perfect - or, rather, in a way things are too perfect on multiple levels - but it was such a fun read. I was left wanting to spend more time with this characters and in this world.
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LibraryThing member jennybeast
I really cannot overstate how much I loved this book. It never occurred to me before that fantasy could mean wish-fulfillment in the realm of beautiful characters being extraordinarily good to each other and creating a just and satisfying government. Even better that it centers Pacific Islander
This book is like someone took the best parts of Terry Pratchett's fascination with government and economy and Locke Lamora's world building and The Goblin Emperor's softly beating heart and determined that it would really be better if all the main characters were people of color from strong Indigenous cultures and familiar with ritual magics. I'd try to pull in the kind of storytelling that The Name of The Wind made famous, but unlike Rothfuss, Goddard actually leaves the story in a settled and harmonious place. It is really heckin' long, though, be warned.
Thank you for giving me hope for the far future and something to look forward to in the near.
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culture in a way that brought me more than once to tears. Cliopher (Kip) Mdang is a wonder and a glory and a magnificent combination of idealistic justice-seeker and extraordinary bureaucrat who occasionally rages and rewards terrible behavior with very correct set-downs even as his goal is to center power on individuals rather than princes and institute universal income. This book is like someone took the best parts of Terry Pratchett's fascination with government and economy and Locke Lamora's world building and The Goblin Emperor's softly beating heart and determined that it would really be better if all the main characters were people of color from strong Indigenous cultures and familiar with ritual magics. I'd try to pull in the kind of storytelling that The Name of The Wind made famous, but unlike Rothfuss, Goddard actually leaves the story in a settled and harmonious place. It is really heckin' long, though, be warned.
Thank you for giving me hope for the far future and something to look forward to in the near.
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LibraryThing member foggidawn
Cliopher Mdang is the secretary (read: second-in-command) to the Emperor, the Sun-on-Earth, a literal god, ruler of the entire world. It's a heady position, but Cliopher, or Kip, as he's known to his family, is both humble and civic-minded. He just wants to serve his lord and make the world a
I loved every bit of this book. I didn't want it to end; I am thrilled that there is a sequel and that this author has written other books (though why are they so expensive and hard to find?!). I could say that this book is light on plot, and that there was one misunderstanding (Kip's family and friends being completely unaware of his importance, even after seeing him made Chancellor ) that I felt went on way too long, and that the library ebook version that I read had several typographical errors. But none of that matters because I loved it so much. Highly recommended, especially if you enjoyed The Goblin Emperor.
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better place. But he's noticed, lately, that His Radiance looks a little... tired, maybe? Would it be the height of presumption to suggest a vacation? Kip knows just the place...I loved every bit of this book. I didn't want it to end; I am thrilled that there is a sequel and that this author has written other books (though why are they so expensive and hard to find?!). I could say that this book is light on plot, and that there was one misunderstanding (
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LibraryThing member merrystar
Set in the same world as the author's "Greenwing and Dart" trilogy, but in a very different part of it, this is a much quieter tale. It tells the story of two men -- one, the emperor, and the other, his secretary or "hands". The secretary wishes to help his beloved emperor find happiness, and to
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give him a chance to be a person rather than just a public figure. In the process, the secretary makes peace with his own family, friends and culture, and finds happiness as well. The characters are well-drawn, interesting, and likeable; it is easy to wish for them to succeed. For me the only negative is that I was confused by how time supposedly worked in the recent past of this world; but this was only a small issue. For the most part I was drawn into the story and did not want it to end. Show Less
LibraryThing member dmturner
Slow and plotless, but oddly delightful
Mostly this book is about politics, and its structure is a leisurely third person memoir; one feels the faint echo of Silmarillion-level world building. Set in the same universe as the Greenwing and Dart novels but in entirely different (and beautiful) parts
Mostly this book is about politics, and its structure is a leisurely third person memoir; one feels the faint echo of Silmarillion-level world building. Set in the same universe as the Greenwing and Dart novels but in entirely different (and beautiful) parts
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of that universe, it is a very talky, sometimes repetitive, and largely conflictless narrative that could really have been edited more tightly. However, I enjoyed it thoroughly and found it absorbing. Show Less
LibraryThing member readinggeek451
This has been described as The Goblin Emperor from Csevet's point of view. That's not entirely wrong--although it would be about 40 years into the future--but it's one way of looking at it. This is a delight. It's long--over 800 pages--and fairly leisurely, and it draws the reader in to Cliopher
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Mdang's world in great detail. Show Less
LibraryThing member jjmcgaffey
Oh. My. The various warblers said this was the best, and it is. It's a _huge_ book (not such a problem with an ebook), and took me a while to read despite my fascination with the characters and the situation(s) and...wow. More!
LibraryThing member quondame
What a pleasurable read! The style and substance aren't a bit showy but the interest and involvement in Cliopher Mdang and his Islander background and his position as foremost civil servant of the realm never wanes. A fantasy without strange lifeforms or huge upheavals - though there has been the
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past upheaval with which to deal. Gods and mages and the existence, though not visited, of other worlds are the realities of the background. I am in awe of the way in which this almost entirely individual centered book, dealing with the revelation of achievement and character rather than the achieving or the development of character, kept me involved more than any novel in years. Show Less
LibraryThing member zjakkelien
Oh my.
Despite the fact that I can see that this is not flawless, this is an unequivocal 5 stars for me.
I absolutely loved it. It has such heart, such compassion, such respect for people and the environment.
So yeah, it was long, but I would have loved to see it longer. Towards the end, some things
And I just really loved Kip. His determination, his fire, his uncompromising honour, all wrapped up in an unassuming package.
If you want something fast-paced and action-packed, look elsewhere.
But if you want something immersive, with superb world-building, great heart and wonderful characters, take this! Come and take this. I would give it more than 5 stars if I could.
Despite the fact that I can see that this is not flawless, this is an unequivocal 5 stars for me.
I absolutely loved it. It has such heart, such compassion, such respect for people and the environment.
So yeah, it was long, but I would have loved to see it longer. Towards the end, some things
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were repetitive, but I didn't mind seeing it repeated. Perhaps Kip achieved a bit too much (we're going to have to put it down to weird time differences, because I don't see how he could have done all of that in a lifetime), but I adored the stories of his successes. I thought perhaps his Palace friends could have used a bit more page time and personality, but Kip was so magnificent, the Emperor was lovely and his family came through loud and clear. The Vangavaye-ve (I still have no clue how to pronounce that; helpfully, it is mentioned several times how it is pronounced in the wrong way) and its culture positively dripped off the pages. And I just really loved Kip. His determination, his fire, his uncompromising honour, all wrapped up in an unassuming package.
If you want something fast-paced and action-packed, look elsewhere.
But if you want something immersive, with superb world-building, great heart and wonderful characters, take this! Come and take this. I would give it more than 5 stars if I could.
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Awards
Original publication date
2018-09-22
Local notes
Tales of the Nine Worlds - Hearthfire, 1
DDC/MDS
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