Take a photo of a barcode or cover
laurelthebooks's Reviews (662)
A warm adventure story that focuses on the unlikely characters over the charismatic leader - and one that makes you crack a smile as well as contemplate your own assumptions about the world and people within the pages.
Fan of wuxia? Fan of novellas? Fan of found family? I’d give this a try.
Fan of wuxia? Fan of novellas? Fan of found family? I’d give this a try.
The Empress of Salt and Fortune is a story within a story within another story that manages to provide just enough detail while still leaving you hungry for more. This is an ember of a novella, and if you take the time to swallow it I am fairly sure it will continue to burn right through you. From the snatches of court intrigue, the peaceful uncovering of an angry history, all the way to unearthing secrets long buried by love and loyalty, The Empress of Salt and Fortune was a worthwhile read and just what was advertised.
-See an expanded review on my blog.
-See an expanded review on my blog.
This book is meticulous, and I loved it. It is a political fantasy, but also heavily character-driven. Perhaps I may have enjoyed Game of Thrones more if I could have gotten as interested in the characters as I did in Lysande, the narrator of The Councillor.
The beginning almost feels like the narration of a fugue state - except the fugue state is rife with politics. The pacing starts slow, but the last fourth of the book happens swiftly.
We meet Lysande at the beginning of the book and she is a scholar, a commoner, an addict, and a companion to a queen. She rapidly undergoes a shift of roles upon the death of the queen (not really a spoiler, it happens right at the beginning and is mentioned in the summary). We follow her thoughts as she weighs the pros and cons of which city-state ruler to appoint as the new king or queen, but also as she gains a taste for power herself. Of course, that isn't quite enough as she must also try and deal with possible magic rebellion and exposing whoever assassinated the previous queen.
The descriptor of "Machiavellian" for this book was not empty praise - it lives up to that description, and despite the slow pace, kept me interested. I had to pause and chew after most chapters, but it is high on the list of my current favorite reads of the year so far.
The beginning almost feels like the narration of a fugue state - except the fugue state is rife with politics. The pacing starts slow, but the last fourth of the book happens swiftly.
We meet Lysande at the beginning of the book and she is a scholar, a commoner, an addict, and a companion to a queen. She rapidly undergoes a shift of roles upon the death of the queen (not really a spoiler, it happens right at the beginning and is mentioned in the summary). We follow her thoughts as she weighs the pros and cons of which city-state ruler to appoint as the new king or queen, but also as she gains a taste for power herself. Of course, that isn't quite enough as she must also try and deal with possible magic rebellion and exposing whoever assassinated the previous queen.
The descriptor of "Machiavellian" for this book was not empty praise - it lives up to that description, and despite the slow pace, kept me interested. I had to pause and chew after most chapters, but it is high on the list of my current favorite reads of the year so far.
