Will he sink or swim?

SF&F Literati discuss The Goblin Emperor
Then choose Autumn selections

NOTE: The Goblin Emperor was a 2015 Hugo Finalist.

Date: Monday, August 29, 2016, at 7:00 p.m.

Title: The Goblin Emperor

Author: Katherine Addison (Sarah Monette)

Available from: Fine Booksellers, including Barnes & Noble

Meeting Location: Barnes & Noble #2352, 2^nd Floor

       11323 W. 95^th Street, Overland Park, KS 66214

Plot Overview from Barnes & Noble

The youngest, half-goblin son of the Emperor has lived his entire life in exile, distant from the Imperial Court and the deadly intrigue that suffuses it. But when his father and three sons in line for the throne are killed in an "accident," he has no choice but to take his place as the only surviving rightful heir.

Entirely unschooled in the art of court politics, he has no friends, no advisors, and the sure knowledge that whoever assassinated his father and brothers could make an attempt on his life at any moment.

Surrounded by sycophants eager to curry favor with the naïve new emperor, and overwhelmed by the burdens of his new life, he can trust nobody. Amid the swirl of plots to depose him, offers of arranged marriages, and the specter of the unknown conspirators who lurk in the shadows, he must quickly adjust to life as the Goblin Emperor. All the while, he is alone, and trying to find even a single friend . . . and hoping for the possibility of romance, yet also vigilant against the unseen enemies that threaten him, lest he lose his throne–or his life. 

Katherine Addison's The Goblin Emperor is an exciting fantasy novel, set against the pageantry and color of a fascinating, unique world, is a memorable debut for a great new talent.

IMAGE: Many thanks to Doctor T Designs, for the cover art photo.

COME PREPARED! This is the evening we choose the reading selections for the autumn meetings.

Steampunk half-goblin plunges into the deep end of danger and intrigue

The Goblin Emperor (2015 Hugo Nominee)
Order your copy now for SF&F Literati, August 22!

Praise from Publishers Weekly for The Goblin Emperor, by Katherine Addison:

Ambitious and meticulously executed worldbuilding brings an animated dazzle to this exceptional assemblage of character studies and complex encounters, while the expressive evocation of its youthful protagonist’s shyness and insecurity adds an affecting authenticity to the steampunk-infused fantasy setting.

Crafted with a preternatural deftness, the elf kingdom of Ethuveraz is a multilayered masterwork. Its density of arcana, language, ritual, and protocol staggers the long-exiled 18-year-old half-goblin heir, Maia Drazhar, when he is thrust onto the imperial throne after his distant father and more favored brothers are assassinated by an act of airship sabotage.

Facing ridicule, racism, and outright hostility, Maia nonetheless stumblingly shoulders the burden, his own outcast status becoming his greatest strength. Acts of kindness and empathy begin to earn him the acceptance, if not outright affection, of his courtiers and the populace.

Less a novel than a series of anecdotes, this stalwart endeavor, which is fantasist Sarah Monette’s first work under the [Katherine] Addison name, is carried by the strength of atmosphere and Maia’s resonant good-heartedness. Readers will hope for many more tales of Ethuveraz.

Other authors praise The Goblin Emperor:

Join the SF&F Literati on the second floor,
Monday August 22 at 7 p.m.

“Challenging, invigorating, and unique. If courtly intrigue is your wine of choice, The Goblin Emperor is the headiest vintage I've come across in years.” —Scott Lynch, bestselling author of The Lies of Locke Lamora

“I enjoyed The Goblin Emperor a great deal. I was sucked right into her world of goblins, elves, and airships, and was anxious to the very end to find out how Maia, the unwanted halfblood son of the Emperor, who finds himself unexpectedly on the throne, learns to navigagte the intrigues and danger of the imperial court. An engrossing read!” —Kristen Britain, New York Times bestselling author of Blackveil

“Impressively elaborate worldbuilding underpins this lovely fantasy novel, but I couldn't put it down because of the heart-grippingly sympathetic main character.” —Kate Elliott, bestselling author of the Crossroads series

“Katherine Addison has written a nuanced and compelling story. Her world is unusual and vivid, her characters affecting, and her storytelling subtle and deft. This is a book I will be thinking about for a long time. Highly recommended!” —D. B. Jackson, author of Thieftaker 

IMAGE: Many thanks to Doctor T Designs, for the cover art photo, and to Barnes & Noble for the photo of the location.