I wasn't that excited by the plot or characters at first. It seemed a little unnecessarily over worded and dry, and while that may still be the case, slowly the story really gripped me and I found myself fond of the emperor and wanted him to succeed in his endeavors. The book has a slice of life vibe mixed with a political drama. Very British, almost civilized fantasy. There's only minimal catharsis and satisfaction. I can tell it wouldn't be for everyone, but it clicked with me. I would love to continue the emperor's story. There's a couple of books out following the witness of the dead. I'm confused if that is considered the sequels to this, or is this one going to get a direct sequel?