Book review: "The Goblin Emperor" by Katherine Addison

[rocky41_7]

Title: The Goblin Emperor
Author: Katherine Addison
Genre: Fantasy

I first read The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison last year, but I never got around to reviewing it, in part because I didn't know what to say about it. My friends had loved it, and while I'd found it enjoyable, I was still percolating on what I liked (or didn't!) about it. Listening to The Witness for the Dead, a book in the same universe, got me thinking about TGE again, so this month I gave it a re-read. This time, it all clicked.

This book is truly such an enjoyable read. The basics of Maia's tale are not unfamiliar—a seeming nobody is thrust into a position of power no one ever expected them to have—but Addison puts her own fascinating spin on it. It has the same feeling I got from The Witness for the Dead, where the story prioritizes doing the right thing and many if not most of the characters in it are striving to be good people (whatever that means for them). It makes a nice contrast to the very selfish, dark fantasy where you know from the start every character is just in it for themselves (and I do enjoy those too, not to say one is better than other!) The protagonist Maia in particular is put in any number of positions where he could misuse his power for personal gratification—such as imprisoning or executing his abusive former guardian, Setheris—but he, with conscious effort, chooses differently. That is not the kind of person—not the kind of emperor—Maia wants to be. And honestly—there is very gratifying fantasy, particularly today, in the idea of someone obtaining power and being committed to some kind of principles of proper governance, of having some code of honor above their own personal enrichment.

 

As a longtime Tolkien fan, Addison's focus on fantasy titles and linguistics was delightful to me, even if it kept me flipping back to the opening pages on pronunciations (adored the use of the formal singular "we" and the you/thou differentiation). The various layers of manners, societal expectations, customs, and practicalities with which Addison builds up the elven court makes for such a rich and realistic picture of a fantasy court. You can just imagine how the court's current processes built up over centuries, and Addison does a great job of using the characters around Maia—who are far more familiar with these things—to help define them. Not through infodumping, but through their own reactions and behavior, which create a firm outline of customs and expectations with which Maia and the reader are completely unfamiliar.

And Addison's characters stand out. She pays particular attention to giving details or characterization even to passing minor characters, which serves both to flesh out the court, and to indicate the attention Maia pays to those around him. While a reader—particularly a first-time reader—may be a little baffled by the jumble of fantasy names, I doubt anyone will be mistaking Cala for Beshelar for Kiru, even though they all serve the same function within the story (Maia's ever-present bodyguards). It's clear what a three-dimensional picture she has of this world in her own mind, and I think she does a wonderful job of letting the reader in on that picture.

They're all layered, too. Despite Maia's efforts to be good, he's not a perfect person—he has his own selfish and childish impulses to reign in. Two characters who would have been the easiest for Addison to paint black and white—Maia's father, Varenechibel, who exiled Maia's then-17-year-old mother from court because he disliked her—and Maia's guardian from age eight, his drunkard cousin Setheris—she instead takes time to show had other sides, too. Even the heart of the conspiracy to down the airship whose crash instigates Maia's rise to power by killing everyone else who would have taken the throne before him is given sympathy and rationality, never made into simple hateful caricatures whose downfall we can cheer unreservedly.

I was further charmed by the eventual choice of Maia's future empress, who is allowed to be both passionate and flawed, and who is specifically noted to be physically unattractive. Fantasy as much as romance is often filled to the brim with heart-stoppingly beautiful princesses and queens and warrior women, so it's always nice to see something else. This empress to be may not be beautiful, but I do believe she's the best woman for the job, and that she, like Maia, will do her best.

Then there's the politics! I've said it before, I'll go on saying it: I love fantasy politics. All the fun and thrill of politics with none of the real-world stakes or consequences! I've seen this book described (lovingly) as a story where "nothing happens," but much of what's happening is politics. Maia is not only dropped into a role he wasn't remotely prepared for—he's dropped into a group of people all of whom had/have their own goals and schemes ongoing, and a significant part of Maia's introduction to court is having to figure these things out. Just as there are many keen to rid themselves of an inexperienced and potentially useless emperor, there are many equally eager to find a way to make a potentially pliable and ignorant emperor sing their tune. Addison's writing is very strong here; she balances a number of factions within various parts of the court, and their roles and positions are logical and believable. In fact, one of Maia's strongest skills proves to be his ability to trace a person's opinion or attitude down to its root, and then use that to reach understanding with them.

On the whole, this is such a lovely book, and I'm so glad I bought the copy I have so that it was available for a quick re-read. I will definitely read it again in the future, and I will proceed with the rest of the trilogy about Thara Celehar (who appears here as a side character). I just love the world that Addison has created, and I want to live in it a little longer if I can.

Crossposted to books 

Comments

[dualscreen]

Ooh, this book (and series, it looks like?) has been on my radar for a while, and I think your review has cemented itself on my TBR list. Nuanced fantasy politics done well are such a treat.

[rocky41_7]

They really are! This one is a standalone book, but Addison's now also written a trilogy about other characters set in the same universe but largely unrelated to this first book so it's...technically a series but Maia's story is fully contained within this book.

[dualscreen]

Ooohh, that makes a lot of sense. Goblin Emperor itself being self contained does make it much more accessible.