The Grace of Kings

LoveReading Says

Highly Recommended.

Tolkien didn’t intend to set a blueprint for epic-fantasy with Lord of the Rings but, the many qualities of his trilogy notwithstanding, too often it seems like he did. Too much of fantasy has been set in a world that feels like medieval Europe. There are honourable exceptions and Ken Liu’s new fantasy is one of those. Set in a world that draws on the vast varieties of geography and culture that make up Asia, The Grace of Kings kicks off an epic fantasy series that feels original and promises to take us to many unexpected places. But there are familiar virtues in place here too. With an empire struggling to maintain its hold over the diverse lands it has subjugated, Liu presents a vast canvas. Into this are woven a vividly presented cast of wronged nobles, orphan children, slaves with little to lose and those who see the chaos growing around them as a chance to make everything. This a world traversed by fleets of airships and overseen by a pantheon of wily and unknowable gods. The narrative jumps from character to character and, as is often the case with these big epics, it sometimes feels like the story is taking a long time to come together but following the various threads, seeing how they will knot together and break apart, is half the fun and every episode brings something new. Liu is a neat prose stylist and often displays a flair for startling description. If you like the invention and freshness of the fantasies of Brandon Sanderson and Elizabeth Bear you’ll feel in good company with Ken Liu.

Simon Spanton

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