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Publication
Tor (2015), Epub, 400 pages
Description
"Baru Cormorant believes any price is worth paying to liberate her people--even her soul. When the Empire of Masks conquers her island home, overwrites her culture, criminalizes her customs, and murders one of her fathers, Baru vows to swallow her hate, join the Empire's civil service, and claw her way high enough to set her people free. Sent as an Imperial agent to distant Aurdwynn, another conquered country, Baru discovers it's on the brink of rebellion. Drawn by the intriguing duchess Tain Hu into a circle of seditious dukes, Baru may be able to use her position to help. As she pursues a precarious balance between the rebels and a shadowy cabal within the Empire, she orchestrates a do-or-die gambit with freedom as the prize. But the cost of winning the long game of saving her people may be far greater than Baru imagines"--… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member ladycato
This is a book that I guarantee will be on all the award lists this coming year. I was sent an excerpt of it through the publisher on NetGalley, and I had to buy the full book to find out what happened. This book is brutal, ruthless, and unique. In truth, it's a study of human psychology against a
From an early age, Baru represses her own sexuality. She represses much of her compassion and humanity as well. Her private obsession is infiltrating the Masquerade and reclaiming her home. When the Mask recognizes her brilliance and schools her, she thinks her future is set, and then she graduates and is sent to play accountant in a backwards, rebellion-riddled realm...
I can't do justice to how intense and vicious this book is. It shows how money makes a kingdom, how food and disease are the worst enemy of any army, and how far a person will go as they play the long game. The ending of this could teach GRRM a thing or to. It's utterly heartbreaking and horrible, yet so in keeping with Baru. It's a credit to Dickinson that she's a highly relatable character in spite of her cold calculation.
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vast and detailed epic fantasy world. Baru Cormorant's home islands were quietly conquered by the Masquerade when she was a girl. She's a savant, and she realizes what is happening before one of her fathers is even killed in the war. Her parents--her mother and two fathers--were deemed an abomination by the new order. The Mask doesn't tolerate such perversions, as they are all about deliberate breeding and purity.From an early age, Baru represses her own sexuality. She represses much of her compassion and humanity as well. Her private obsession is infiltrating the Masquerade and reclaiming her home. When the Mask recognizes her brilliance and schools her, she thinks her future is set, and then she graduates and is sent to play accountant in a backwards, rebellion-riddled realm...
I can't do justice to how intense and vicious this book is. It shows how money makes a kingdom, how food and disease are the worst enemy of any army, and how far a person will go as they play the long game. The ending of this could teach GRRM a thing or to. It's utterly heartbreaking and horrible, yet so in keeping with Baru. It's a credit to Dickinson that she's a highly relatable character in spite of her cold calculation.
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LibraryThing member Stevil2001
I'm facebook friends with the editor of this book, otherwise it probably would have passed me by. But the more I read, the more obsessed I became, the more I wanted to own it because it deals with a question I am increasingly becoming interested in: to reword Audre Lord, can you use master's tools
I wanted to love this book, and I would say I merely liked it a lot, which is unfair, as it is very good. Part of the problem is one of perspective: I feel like there are times where we are told that Baru is a certain way, rather than feel it ourselves, but part of this problem is by design, I think, as Baru does not always have much access to her own feelings. It's an amibitious novel, taking in Baru's early childhood, as her "native" way of life is dismantled through foreign education; her posting as Imperial Accountant to the distant province of Aurdwynn (like her homeland, a nation absorbed into the Masquerade), where she begins to trace a rebellion in the ledgers; and what comes after that, which I'm loathe to give away because part of the joy of this book was that it didn't quite follow the path that I had imagined. Baru is climbing toward power, yes, but not always in the way you might anticipate.
This is a book about the tools of empire: of politics, and economics, and culture. The functioning of the Masquerade is where the book always rang the most true-- the Masquerade is cunning, and it pulls apart the cultures of those it encounters. But it doesn't quite chew them up and spit them out; rather, those cultures adapt to the Masquerade in the ways that they can, some of which the Masquerade approves of, some of which it suppresses, and some of which it tolerates out of necessity. It is evil, but it is not Evil. This is the kind of sophisticated empire that operates in the real world, not the fantasy version of millions of orcs/stormtroopers/demons/clones marching across the landscape. Though it has a military, its tools are more varied than that.
The sense of history is always strong here, too, almost too strong as I sometimes got lost. But these nations aren't monolithic; they're all made up of different cultures and different ethnic groups and different races, and different characters have different attitudes to those histories. All of these things impact the attitudes and events of the present.
I liked the characters a lot, too; these are sharply drawn people in the midst of all this politicking. It would surprise no one who knows me that my favorite from Muire Lo, the assistant to the Imperial Accountant, an efficient, thoughtful, long-suffering informant. But he is one of many who move through this complicated world.
The end-- not to give too much away, I hope-- is painful, as it reshapes much of what you have seen before and it brings Baru's character into a sharper focus. Seriously, it's painful. I'm pretty sure there's a sequel coming, and I really want to read it, but part of me wishes there wasn't because what an ending this would be if there wasn't.
Empire is terrifying.
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to tear down master's house? The Traitor Baru Cormorant is about an empire that absorbs other cultures, and what you do when you're one of the absorbed; young Baru Cormorant elects to be the best possible member of the Empire of the Mask she can be, to amass all the power that is possible so that she can use that power to free her people.I wanted to love this book, and I would say I merely liked it a lot, which is unfair, as it is very good. Part of the problem is one of perspective: I feel like there are times where we are told that Baru is a certain way, rather than feel it ourselves, but part of this problem is by design, I think, as Baru does not always have much access to her own feelings. It's an amibitious novel, taking in Baru's early childhood, as her "native" way of life is dismantled through foreign education; her posting as Imperial Accountant to the distant province of Aurdwynn (like her homeland, a nation absorbed into the Masquerade), where she begins to trace a rebellion in the ledgers; and what comes after that, which I'm loathe to give away because part of the joy of this book was that it didn't quite follow the path that I had imagined. Baru is climbing toward power, yes, but not always in the way you might anticipate.
This is a book about the tools of empire: of politics, and economics, and culture. The functioning of the Masquerade is where the book always rang the most true-- the Masquerade is cunning, and it pulls apart the cultures of those it encounters. But it doesn't quite chew them up and spit them out; rather, those cultures adapt to the Masquerade in the ways that they can, some of which the Masquerade approves of, some of which it suppresses, and some of which it tolerates out of necessity. It is evil, but it is not Evil. This is the kind of sophisticated empire that operates in the real world, not the fantasy version of millions of orcs/stormtroopers/demons/clones marching across the landscape. Though it has a military, its tools are more varied than that.
The sense of history is always strong here, too, almost too strong as I sometimes got lost. But these nations aren't monolithic; they're all made up of different cultures and different ethnic groups and different races, and different characters have different attitudes to those histories. All of these things impact the attitudes and events of the present.
I liked the characters a lot, too; these are sharply drawn people in the midst of all this politicking. It would surprise no one who knows me that my favorite from Muire Lo, the assistant to the Imperial Accountant, an efficient, thoughtful, long-suffering informant. But he is one of many who move through this complicated world.
The end-- not to give too much away, I hope-- is painful, as it reshapes much of what you have seen before and it brings Baru's character into a sharper focus. Seriously, it's painful. I'm pretty sure there's a sequel coming, and I really want to read it, but part of me wishes there wasn't because what an ending this would be if there wasn't.
Empire is terrifying.
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LibraryThing member Tikimoof
Oh man, I could see some of the ending coming, but I admit that I had several theories going as to which conclusion the book would come to, and couldn't decide which. It was beautiful, it was great. Once I got to 75% or so, I was on tenterhooks. That ending was just about everything I could have
Still giving it a 4 or 4.5, because it did bog down a bit. Oddly enough, it was in discussing battle tactics, not economics (which is not the complaint I've seen most reviewers make).
I didn't always read as closely as I should have, but Dickinson was good enough to just point out later what I'd missed, and not to emphasize it too much at the time. This held through the book, which was *awesome*.
Baru isn't necessarily an unreliable narrator, but she's a chessmaster playing amongst other chessmasters, so she doesn't always come to the correct conclusion when reading a situation. Since she is a sympathetic protagonist, I'm okay with this (for example, I'm *not* okay with Cersei's POV in a Feast for Crows. I actually had to force my way through her chapters. This is absolutely a question of preference).
In fact, it was usually really cool when she would be schooled, because she's still not stupid! She would immediately spell out what the problem was, and continue in her new, more difficult situation.
This is definitely a slow burn kind of book. Intrigue upon intrigue, and everybody making guesses at motivation. I don't think that it really got into the nitty-gritty of accounting, since I could follow along, but it was enough scale that I was happy.
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wanted.Still giving it a 4 or 4.5, because it did bog down a bit. Oddly enough, it was in discussing battle tactics, not economics (which is not the complaint I've seen most reviewers make).
I didn't always read as closely as I should have, but Dickinson was good enough to just point out later what I'd missed, and not to emphasize it too much at the time. This held through the book, which was *awesome*.
Baru isn't necessarily an unreliable narrator, but she's a chessmaster playing amongst other chessmasters, so she doesn't always come to the correct conclusion when reading a situation. Since she is a sympathetic protagonist, I'm okay with this (for example, I'm *not* okay with Cersei's POV in a Feast for Crows. I actually had to force my way through her chapters. This is absolutely a question of preference).
In fact, it was usually really cool when she would be schooled, because she's still not stupid! She would immediately spell out what the problem was, and continue in her new, more difficult situation.
This is definitely a slow burn kind of book. Intrigue upon intrigue, and everybody making guesses at motivation. I don't think that it really got into the nitty-gritty of accounting, since I could follow along, but it was enough scale that I was happy.
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LibraryThing member kgodey
I was intrigued by the evocative title of The Traitor Baru Cormorant ever since I first heard of it. Then I found out that it was about a woman who wants to take down a ruthless empire by rising within its civil service – as an accountant! Political intrigue and worldbuilding are two of my very
Baru Cormorant is from the island of Taranoke, which has caught the eye of the Empire of Masks (or the Masquerade as it is called derogatorily). The Masquerade doesn’t do anything as overt as actually invading, though – their strategy is much more subtle, starting with getting the Taranoki dependent on their trade, “helping” with Taranoki defense, and opening schools, and before you know it, half of Taranoke is dead from a plague and most of the customs Baru grew up with are declared anathema. Baru recognizes how helpless she and her people are, and resolves to help her people the only way she can think of – by destroying the Masquerade from the inside. She knows her first assignment is a test, though – to subdue the harsh and rebellious country of Aurdwynn, which has always destroyed those who have tried to rule it.
There are so many ways this book could have been done wrong – the trope of “the road to hell is paved with good intentions” has been done a lot, and it is hard to sympathize with anything that helps an Evil Empire (and the Empire is definitely Evil – eugenics, cultural superiority, no regard for human life, strict laws on sexual preferences). But Baru is a tremendously compelling character,; she haunted me for weeks after I finished this book. She really wants to be ruthless in her quest for vengeance, and she usually succeeds, but no matter how many atrocities she causes, you can’t help but rejoice at her successes. You see how much she suffers with every betrayal and watch her pull herself back together through sheer force of will, and it’s as beautiful as it is terrible. The Masquerade has shaped Baru for longer than her family of “a huntress and a blacksmith and a shield-bearer” has, and even if it kills her, she must work for it to eventually be able to work against it.
Everything else about the book is extraordinary too – the supporting characters (especially the enigmatic Duchess Tain Hu), the settings (complex and organic cultures, but no stereotypes), the plot (the loans and futures trading are fascinating, but there’s a lot more to it too) – but Baru steals the show, as is apropos of book’s title. I absolutely cannot wait for the next book.
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favourite things in fantasy, and you can’t really have a story about manipulating the economy to bring down a country without either of those things. And I figured that someone with the audacity to base their debut novel’s premise on fantasy economics has to be good enough to do it well. So yes, I had really high expectations for this book, and I was still blown away.Baru Cormorant is from the island of Taranoke, which has caught the eye of the Empire of Masks (or the Masquerade as it is called derogatorily). The Masquerade doesn’t do anything as overt as actually invading, though – their strategy is much more subtle, starting with getting the Taranoki dependent on their trade, “helping” with Taranoki defense, and opening schools, and before you know it, half of Taranoke is dead from a plague and most of the customs Baru grew up with are declared anathema. Baru recognizes how helpless she and her people are, and resolves to help her people the only way she can think of – by destroying the Masquerade from the inside. She knows her first assignment is a test, though – to subdue the harsh and rebellious country of Aurdwynn, which has always destroyed those who have tried to rule it.
There are so many ways this book could have been done wrong – the trope of “the road to hell is paved with good intentions” has been done a lot, and it is hard to sympathize with anything that helps an Evil Empire (and the Empire is definitely Evil – eugenics, cultural superiority, no regard for human life, strict laws on sexual preferences). But Baru is a tremendously compelling character,; she haunted me for weeks after I finished this book. She really wants to be ruthless in her quest for vengeance, and she usually succeeds, but no matter how many atrocities she causes, you can’t help but rejoice at her successes. You see how much she suffers with every betrayal and watch her pull herself back together through sheer force of will, and it’s as beautiful as it is terrible. The Masquerade has shaped Baru for longer than her family of “a huntress and a blacksmith and a shield-bearer” has, and even if it kills her, she must work for it to eventually be able to work against it.
Everything else about the book is extraordinary too – the supporting characters (especially the enigmatic Duchess Tain Hu), the settings (complex and organic cultures, but no stereotypes), the plot (the loans and futures trading are fascinating, but there’s a lot more to it too) – but Baru steals the show, as is apropos of book’s title. I absolutely cannot wait for the next book.
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LibraryThing member lavaturtle
This is a story about imperialism. It's also a story about Baru Cormorant, who will do *literally anything* to save her homeland. How long is the long game she's playing? Is she even still playing?
This book has one of the most horrifying endings I've ever read.
LibraryThing member wealhtheowwylfing
When Baru is a child, the trade ships of the Empire of Masks appear on the horizon. Within just a few years, the empire has taken over her kingdom through trade and plague and the offers of schooling, and Baru's way of life drastically adapts to fit. She is a savant with numbers and logic, and at
Throughout the book Baru is forced to choose between rebelling against the empire or assisting it. Between freedom from the empire's behavioral conditioning, eugenics, germ warfare (and also dentistry, roads, clean water) and becoming part of the empire in attempt to change it from within. It's a hard decision, one Baru is forced to make repeatedly, and each choice is just a little different and more difficult than the last. Coupled with the fantastic world building and intrigues and battles written better than I've ever read anywhere, this is a scarily entrancing book.
I would have rated this even higher except the last few pages point to a sequel, and I really wanted this story to stand on its own.
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the end of her schooling she is offered the position of Imperial Accountant to one of the empire's rebellious conquered nations. In Aurdwynn she is already disadvantaged by her gender, foreign heritage, and youth, but she is determined to succeed. She intends to place the kingdom under imperial control or die trying.Throughout the book Baru is forced to choose between rebelling against the empire or assisting it. Between freedom from the empire's behavioral conditioning, eugenics, germ warfare (and also dentistry, roads, clean water) and becoming part of the empire in attempt to change it from within. It's a hard decision, one Baru is forced to make repeatedly, and each choice is just a little different and more difficult than the last. Coupled with the fantastic world building and intrigues and battles written better than I've ever read anywhere, this is a scarily entrancing book.
I would have rated this even higher except the last few pages point to a sequel, and I really wanted this story to stand on its own.
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LibraryThing member souloftherose
A fantasy novel with an accountant as the main character!! How could I not read it? The main character, Baru Cormorant, grows up in a country that has been peacefully taken over by an empire called the Masquerade - but for all that the conquest was peaceful she has to watch her country's culture be
I loved the scope, the detail and the writing but I felt quite distanced from the characters emotionally throughout. Part of this may be deliberate - Baru herself is an emotionally quiet character - perhaps by necessity because of the role she has to play or just because that's who she is, I wasn't sure. But it meant that certain scenes lost some of their impact.
This is the first in a series and I will be interested to see where the series goes.
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absorbed or outlawed as she's growing up. Baru is intrigued by some of the concepts the empire brings to her country (mathematics, science, economics) but also hurt and horrified at what the empire does to her family and to her people. She vows that she will learn everything the empire is willing to teach her, become a civil servant and then take the empire apart from the inside. The Traitor is about how Baru's first position as a civil servant in another country that the empire has recently taken over and how she deals with its economics and politics as the country tries to rebel against the empire. It's necessarily fairly slow and detailed. It's also about whether the means justify the ends - what is Baru willing to do to take the empire down? How much will she sacrifice?I loved the scope, the detail and the writing but I felt quite distanced from the characters emotionally throughout. Part of this may be deliberate - Baru herself is an emotionally quiet character - perhaps by necessity because of the role she has to play or just because that's who she is, I wasn't sure. But it meant that certain scenes lost some of their impact.
This is the first in a series and I will be interested to see where the series goes.
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LibraryThing member rivkat
Baru Cormorant is plucked from her “savage native” family to be educated by the empire that’s taking over her homeland. She’s identified as a savant, and is sent to pacify a different conquered nation. The empire brings vaccination and good roads, but also death for sodomites and
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tribadists, as well as forced breeding and sterilization for eugenic purposes. Hating all the time, Baru tries to figure out how to keep her new province from rebelling—or maybe how to make that happen. The title makes it pretty clear: the central question is whether Baru is a traitor, and to what exactly. Will her sacrifices (usually of others) put her in a position to liberate her home? What kind of person will she be by the time she accumulates the power to do anything? And what will be left of her home, even then? It’s an interesting but also depressing story. Show Less
LibraryThing member csmith0406
This is a tough book for me to review – it was well written, interesting characters, world-building was fine. But, none of the characters were likeable, they are all pretty terrible people. The plot was a bit of a stretch, a lot of complicated schemes and intrigue, and the author telling us how
I look forward to seeing more work from this writer, the book shows a lot of promise, and I am sure he will only improve as he produces more work.
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clever the characters were, but I wasn’t completely convinced about the cleverness of the plots. In particular, the goal of Baru was a bit crazy. These flaws turned the book into a slog for me, but others who don’t mind reading a book with only terrible people in it would probably enjoy it more. But the ending, while bleak, was consistent with the rest of the plot progression and I appreciated the author was willing to go there, particularly with his main protagonist.I look forward to seeing more work from this writer, the book shows a lot of promise, and I am sure he will only improve as he produces more work.
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LibraryThing member AltheaAnn
Highly recommended for fans of Daniel Abraham's 'A Shadow in Summer.' Hey, it's a small subgenre: well-written, painstakingly-crafted fantasy starring female accountants!
I've never been a huge fan of accounting; it never captured my imagination. Really, I can't even be bothered to balance a
'The Traitor Baru Cormorant' (known just as 'The Traitor' in the UK) introduces us to the character of Baru Cormorant. When she's just a girl, her homeland is colonized by The Empire of Masks, known colloquially as 'The Masquerade.' While the new rulers of her nation bring technological innovation and luxuries, they also bring the double-edged sword of education, previously-unknown diseases, and cultural beliefs that directly oppose the way of life her people have always known (not to mention who Baru is, as a lesbian). Soon, Baru sees her family torn apart and the home she loves disappearing.
In a Masquerade boarding school, Baru applies herself to her education with a will. Soon, she's an up-and-coming star: a model student, picked out to be a shining example of the success of assimilated citizens from the Empire's hinterlands. Baru never speaks of her secret desire to change the Empire from within and to somehow be the agent that saves her country.
But when she receives a government assignment to another far-off territory of the Empire rather than its capital, her dream seems further out of reach than ever. When she discovers that her new posting is a place that prides itself on its inability to be ruled, and that rebellion and revolution are bubbling close to the surface, difficult choices await her - and will test all of her loyalties. Through it all, Baru will wear the mask she has learned to don.
The character of Baru, the interpersonal relationships described, and the political situations drawn here are all complex and nuanced. The author avoids being 'preachy' at any point in the book, instead letting events as they unfold speak for themselves.
Definitely one of the best books I've read this year.
I've never been a huge fan of accounting; it never captured my imagination. Really, I can't even be bothered to balance a
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checkbook. But THESE books - I loved both of them.'The Traitor Baru Cormorant' (known just as 'The Traitor' in the UK) introduces us to the character of Baru Cormorant. When she's just a girl, her homeland is colonized by The Empire of Masks, known colloquially as 'The Masquerade.' While the new rulers of her nation bring technological innovation and luxuries, they also bring the double-edged sword of education, previously-unknown diseases, and cultural beliefs that directly oppose the way of life her people have always known (not to mention who Baru is, as a lesbian). Soon, Baru sees her family torn apart and the home she loves disappearing.
In a Masquerade boarding school, Baru applies herself to her education with a will. Soon, she's an up-and-coming star: a model student, picked out to be a shining example of the success of assimilated citizens from the Empire's hinterlands. Baru never speaks of her secret desire to change the Empire from within and to somehow be the agent that saves her country.
But when she receives a government assignment to another far-off territory of the Empire rather than its capital, her dream seems further out of reach than ever. When she discovers that her new posting is a place that prides itself on its inability to be ruled, and that rebellion and revolution are bubbling close to the surface, difficult choices await her - and will test all of her loyalties. Through it all, Baru will wear the mask she has learned to don.
The character of Baru, the interpersonal relationships described, and the political situations drawn here are all complex and nuanced. The author avoids being 'preachy' at any point in the book, instead letting events as they unfold speak for themselves.
Definitely one of the best books I've read this year.
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LibraryThing member on_elc
Honestly, this is not my kind of book, but it's very good, if very painful. I recommend it only if you're ok without happy endings (and a lot of descriptions of a homophobic culture).
LibraryThing member xiaomarlo
I love the world-building: it's Game of Thrones, but it considers colonialism, racism, misogyny and homophobia and particularly how those oppressions are carried out by the state. And I love Baru (for the most part), a character study in Machiavellianism, carried out for originally progressive
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reasons, but requiring greater and greater compromises and sacrifices. The only stuff that didn't interest me was all the battles, but I can see why they're important to the narrative. Show Less
LibraryThing member adamwolf
It may not be a surprise that a book about secrets and betrayal and colonialism and economics is a downer, but this is pretty devastating, even after I was warned it was going to be sad!
I'd like to read the sequel when it comes out.
I'd like to read the sequel when it comes out.
LibraryThing member StigE
Really enjoyed this book. Instead of evil empire, we have a terribly effective empire...and it is a much more frightening thing to behold. Read it. You'll understand why.
LibraryThing member quondame
This fantasy world is without wonders and delights, the only comfort destroyed by the advancing empire. Also lacking the plot twists that are usual in tales of betrayals. A chore to finish. It does what it says in the title, and well, the humanity of a betrayal, but why would I want to spend days
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getting through that. The only ‘magic’ was displayed in the ‘technology’ of the Masquerade and the sly hint of different natural laws on a super-continent. (read in 12/2015, I still remember hints in 12/2017, so this had something going for it. Show Less
LibraryThing member zeborah
This is exactly the sort of twisty mind-gamey kind of book I adore. I was so close to giving it five stars... but there's this niggle. Something about it reminds me of the feeling I had as a kid reading John Christopher's Sword of the Spirits trilogy: I loved it so much, and then suddenly I was
A powerful read in any case.
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cringing under an attack of second-hand embarrassment for the protagonist. Perhaps Baru is just *too* good at feigning coldness; but she's certainly veering too much towards "the ends justify the means" for my comfort. I know what she's trying to do (broadly speaking, I mean; it's not clear whether or not she yet know what she's trying to do) but is the cost worth it? A powerful read in any case.
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LibraryThing member ireneattolia
@sethdickinson who hurt you
LibraryThing member dbsovereign
This book has a complex plot that makes us think about the morality of trying to change things by working from within. How much are we willing to sacrifice in order to gain a position where we can actually accomplish anything? Can we succeed without compromising ourselves along the way?...[in
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LibraryThing member Strider66
Pros: economic and political intrigue, utterly fascinating protagonist, interesting pov, keeps you guessing
Cons: not sure the rebel dukes gave their plans proper consideration
Daughter of a huntress, and a blacksmith, and a shield-bearer, Baru Cormorant grew up in Taranoke. Her world changes when
Before you start reading the book you’re greeted by a map. After a quick cursory glance I turned the page. Maps are common in fantasy books and this one wasn’t that detailed or complex. But something had caught my eye so I turned back and examined the map in more detail. It’s a map of Aurdwynn, showing the duchies and - more interestingly - Baru’s comments on the various dukes and what each duchy is known for. There aren’t many comments, but the sheer honesty they portray is refreshing and drew me into the story before it had even begun. Through the map we learn that the people of Oathsfire have awful beards, Radaszic is a complete moron, and Erebog is probably going to starve. It’s a clever and fun map that peaked my interest.
The novel starts with Baru’s childhood and education before heading to Aurdwynn where the rest of the book takes place. This is a book driven by Baru’s character and her attempts to understand, control, and outmaneuver the dukes as she tries to organize the country’s finances while rooting out rebellion. While there is some fighting, most of the book is concerned with political and economic intrigue.
Baru’s a wiz at economics and seeing the big picture of cause and effect. Where she falters is in recognizing that individual people have the ability to cause change outside of the larger picture, meaning she sometimes gets blindsided by not taking individual passions and choices into consideration. It’s a wonderfully tense book with a protagonist who’s always thinking so many moves ahead you’re struggling to understand her current plays. At one point I had to reread a conversation to figure out what she’d read between the lines during it, in order to understand why she was doing certain things. It’s a book that will keep you on your toes, second guessing her and everyone else’s motives.
I’ve never read a book that goes over, however briefly, the conquest of a country, so I really appreciated the point of view. It’s both fascinating and horrifying, how - and how quickly - the Empire gained power in Taranoke.
After thinking about the book for a few days I find myself wondering how much the rebel dukes considered their plans. They end up making at least once decision that seems to go against their individual interests. A decision I’m not sure they’d be willing to make as it reduces their own power.
I’m not sure I agree with one aspect of the ending, but I really enjoyed the book. I had to read it quickly, but I’d advise taking time to really think about what’s going on - to appreciate the decisions Baru makes and the circumstances she finds herself in. It’s a fascinating read and I cannot wait to see what happens next.
Cons: not sure the rebel dukes gave their plans proper consideration
Daughter of a huntress, and a blacksmith, and a shield-bearer, Baru Cormorant grew up in Taranoke. Her world changes when
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the Empire of Masks uses its trade agreement with Taranoke to slowly conquer the land, educating her and other native children in their schools. Horrified by what has been done to her homeland but knowing that the Empire is too vast to fight, Baru resolves to destroy it from the inside. But first she must prove her loyalty and worth to the Empire by using her intelligence to uncover revolt in another conquered land, Aurdwynn.Before you start reading the book you’re greeted by a map. After a quick cursory glance I turned the page. Maps are common in fantasy books and this one wasn’t that detailed or complex. But something had caught my eye so I turned back and examined the map in more detail. It’s a map of Aurdwynn, showing the duchies and - more interestingly - Baru’s comments on the various dukes and what each duchy is known for. There aren’t many comments, but the sheer honesty they portray is refreshing and drew me into the story before it had even begun. Through the map we learn that the people of Oathsfire have awful beards, Radaszic is a complete moron, and Erebog is probably going to starve. It’s a clever and fun map that peaked my interest.
The novel starts with Baru’s childhood and education before heading to Aurdwynn where the rest of the book takes place. This is a book driven by Baru’s character and her attempts to understand, control, and outmaneuver the dukes as she tries to organize the country’s finances while rooting out rebellion. While there is some fighting, most of the book is concerned with political and economic intrigue.
Baru’s a wiz at economics and seeing the big picture of cause and effect. Where she falters is in recognizing that individual people have the ability to cause change outside of the larger picture, meaning she sometimes gets blindsided by not taking individual passions and choices into consideration. It’s a wonderfully tense book with a protagonist who’s always thinking so many moves ahead you’re struggling to understand her current plays. At one point I had to reread a conversation to figure out what she’d read between the lines during it, in order to understand why she was doing certain things. It’s a book that will keep you on your toes, second guessing her and everyone else’s motives.
I’ve never read a book that goes over, however briefly, the conquest of a country, so I really appreciated the point of view. It’s both fascinating and horrifying, how - and how quickly - the Empire gained power in Taranoke.
After thinking about the book for a few days I find myself wondering how much the rebel dukes considered their plans. They end up making at least once decision that seems to go against their individual interests. A decision I’m not sure they’d be willing to make as it reduces their own power.
I’m not sure I agree with one aspect of the ending, but I really enjoyed the book. I had to read it quickly, but I’d advise taking time to really think about what’s going on - to appreciate the decisions Baru makes and the circumstances she finds herself in. It’s a fascinating read and I cannot wait to see what happens next.
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LibraryThing member bragan
Baru Cormorant is a child on the island nation of Taranoke when it comes under the rule of foreigners determined to exploit its resources and "civilize" its people. Educated in the invaders' schools, she is declared to be a savant and tapped for service to their Empire. She joins them, determined
This starts off with what feels a little too much like an Evils of Colonialism 101 lecture, but fortunately it gets much more complex and nuanced as it goes on. The world building is good, and I give it a lot of points for telling a story about war without focusing too much on tedious blow-by-blow battles, but rather taking in the big picture, including the oft-neglected economic factors. I will admit that, for much of the novel, I had a little difficulty fully immersing myself in it, but on reflection, I don't think that the story's fault at all. I think it's just that it features lots of political intrigue, and reality is giving me more of that than I can handle at the moment, which makes it harder for me to enjoy it in fiction. The moments that pack an emotional punch still really worked for me, regardless.
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to free her people from within the power structures of their oppressors, and finds herself first quashing and then leading a rebellion in another of their conquered states.This starts off with what feels a little too much like an Evils of Colonialism 101 lecture, but fortunately it gets much more complex and nuanced as it goes on. The world building is good, and I give it a lot of points for telling a story about war without focusing too much on tedious blow-by-blow battles, but rather taking in the big picture, including the oft-neglected economic factors. I will admit that, for much of the novel, I had a little difficulty fully immersing myself in it, but on reflection, I don't think that the story's fault at all. I think it's just that it features lots of political intrigue, and reality is giving me more of that than I can handle at the moment, which makes it harder for me to enjoy it in fiction. The moments that pack an emotional punch still really worked for me, regardless.
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LibraryThing member KingRat
Baru Cormorant is a young child in a land that is undergoing colonization by a distant empire, the Masquerade. She undergoes Masquerade schooling and enters the civil service, hoping to understand how to wield power and free her country.
Baru is sent to another conquered country as the imperial
Then the end reveals that she is an imperial agent all along. She becomes the queen of the colony on behalf of the empire on the promise of becoming part of the secret committee behind the imperial throne.
The revelation of Baru as an imperial agent is predictable. The whole setup is too much the product of the-government-is-playing-five-dimensional-chess. It's the same conceit as the movie Inception, but the book doesn't have a visual aspect or good actors to save it from the rotting core.
Baru is sent to another conquered country as the imperial
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accountant. There she deals with palace intrigue for a while, before a rebellion of local dukes arises. She becomes the head of the revolt and after many many chapters, including more palace intrigue, the revolt wins.Then the end reveals that she is an imperial agent all along. She becomes the queen of the colony on behalf of the empire on the promise of becoming part of the secret committee behind the imperial throne.
The revelation of Baru as an imperial agent is predictable. The whole setup is too much the product of the-government-is-playing-five-dimensional-chess. It's the same conceit as the movie Inception, but the book doesn't have a visual aspect or good actors to save it from the rotting core.
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LibraryThing member macha
4 and a half stars. red sails in the harbour; the empire arrives in paradise. and at seven the child Baru Cormorant is taken into a colonial school, where she learns all her lessons well, and graduates to be appointed Chief Auditor of a difficult province full of rival dukedoms with a variety of
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mores. the empire is a version of Rome in which the prevailing doctrine sets moral standards that limit sex and marriage to a one man plus one woman pattern, and ruthlessly suppresses all other paradigms in the interest of genetic manipulation. Baru Cormorant has her own agenda: she is a brilliant, charismatic, complicated figure who seldom reveals her hand or her heart. but she has her own agenda. the stage is set. this is unbelievably a first novel, meant for a projected series. it moves very fast on the ground, through a shocking narrative, to a hard-felt conclusion, and the twists never stop coming. very highly recommended. Show Less
LibraryThing member Andorion
How to describe this book? It has an exciting premise, some interesting characters, a well built world, and a good plot. Yet I didn't like it.
Once you actually finish the book and think a bit, the many weaknesses become apparent. One of the main premises of the book is based on coincidence,
Once you actually finish the book and think a bit, the many weaknesses become apparent. One of the main premises of the book is based on coincidence,
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everything after that on an unfounded assumption. I don't really see how the central attraction - a math-accountant in a web of intrigue holds together in the second half of the book. Show Less
LibraryThing member agingcow2345
It is sort of fantasy although there really isn’t a magic component. Tech level is Greek fire/simple explosives but no muskets or cannons. The world seems not to be Earth based on geography / history but it could just be a legendary past or a far distant future. None of that matters. A genius
The pacing and story telling is fabulous. Minus one star for sketchy characterizations, way too much didactic plotting and world building I had to struggle to suspend disbelief sufficiently to stay in the moment.
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girl comes of age in an island paradise recently annexed by a very intrusive empire. She is selected for training at a very young age in their technocratic elite. She both becomes an instrument of empire and remains a rebel loyal to her childhood home. Before the book ends we will be taken on a hell ride through the logics of empire, the meanings of loyalty and treason and an examination of human character. Are we who were we born to be? Who we were raised to be? Who we wish we were? Are we the masks and roles we take and live by? Indeed will we ever really know who we are or why we make the decisions we do.The pacing and story telling is fabulous. Minus one star for sketchy characterizations, way too much didactic plotting and world building I had to struggle to suspend disbelief sufficiently to stay in the moment.
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LibraryThing member wishanem
I appreciated the originality of the setting of this book, and the thoroughness of the worldbuilding. The plot was more exciting than political intrigue generally gets in Fantasy books, with plenty of twists.
But I didn't love this book.
It was too depressing, bleak, and I never really liked any of
But I didn't love this book.
It was too depressing, bleak, and I never really liked any of
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the supporting cast until the very end of the book. Show Less
Awards
IAFA William L. Crawford Fantasy Award (Finalist — 2016)
David Gemmell Legend Award (Shortlist — 2016)
NPR: Books We Love (2015)
Los Angeles Public Library Best of the Year (Fiction — 2015)
Language
Original publication date
2015-09-15
Local notes
A geopolitical fantasy about one woman's mission to tear down an empire by learning how to rule it.