Who Would Like This Book:
If you're looking for a sweeping, epic fantasy with a unique twist, "The Grace of Kings" will sweep you off your feet. Ken Liu weaves together elements of Chinese history, mythology, and a dash of inventive "silkpunk" tech, all nestled in a vividly realized world. The cast is vast, the battles are grand, and the political intrigue runs beautifully deep. Readers who love stories of rebellion, shifting alliances, and the rise and fall of empires - especially those who enjoyed "Game of Thrones" or the epic tales of Guy Gavriel Kay - will find plenty to savor here. Fans of non-Western fantasy settings or those with a soft spot for big, multi-POV chronicles will be hooked.
Who May Not Like This Book:
Some readers have struggled with the book's slow pacing, large cast of characters, and a narrative style that feels more like a historical chronicle than an intimate adventure. If you crave deep character exploration or fast-paced, action-heavy storytelling, you might find parts of this book a bit too dense or detached. Others felt that women didn’t get as much spotlight as the male leads, and that the prose sometimes relied too much on telling rather than showing.
About:
'The Grace of Kings' by Ken Liu is an epic fantasy novel that takes inspiration from ancient Chinese history while incorporating elements of Polynesian and Japanese culture. The story follows the lives of two main characters as they navigate through a world filled with political intrigue, battles, and complex relationships. The narrative style of the book has been described as quasi-historical, allowing the author to cover large events over vast distances and time periods, creating a rich tapestry of a world.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
The novel contains themes of war, violence, and betrayals which may be triggering for some readers.
From The Publisher:
One of the Time 100 Best Fantasy Books Of All Time
Two men rebel together against tyranny-and then become rivals-in this first sweeping book of an epic fantasy series from Ken Liu, recipient of Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy awards. Hailed as one of the best books of 2015 by NPR.
Wily, charming Kuni Garu, a bandit, and stern, fearless Mata Zyndu, the son of a deposed duke, seem like polar opposites. Yet, in the uprising against the emperor, the two quickly become the best of friends after a series of adventures fighting against vast conscripted armies, silk-draped airships, and shapeshifting gods. Once the emperor has been overthrown, however, they each find themselves the leader of separate factions-two sides with very different ideas about how the world should be run and the meaning of justice.
Fans of intrigue, intimate plots, and action will find a new series to embrace in the Dandelion Dynasty.
Ratings (38)
Incredible (7) | |
Loved It (10) | |
Liked It (9) | |
It Was OK (7) | |
Did Not Like (4) | |
Hated It (1) |
Reader Stats (222):
Read It (40) | |
Currently Reading (3) | |
Want To Read (155) | |
Did Not Finish (3) | |
Not Interested (21) |
1 comment(s)
This was one of the biggest and most epic books I've read in a long while. So many characters and so much happening not to mention the page count, but I was never bored or wanted to put the book away. Felt fully emersed. Looking forward for the next book.
What can you read after
The Grace of Kings?
About the Author:
Ken Liu is an award-winning American author of speculative fiction. His collection, The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories, has been published in more than a dozen languages. Liu's other works include The Grace of Kings, The Wall of Storms, The Veiled Throne, and a second collection The Hidden Girl and Other Stories. He has been involved in multiple media adaptations of his work including the short story "Good Hunting," adapted as an episode in Netflix's animated series Love, Death + Robots; and AMC's Pantheon, adapted from an interconnected series of short stories. "The Hidden Girl," "The Message," and "The Cleaners" have also been optioned for development. Liu previously worked as a software engineer, corporate lawyer, and litigation consultant. He frequently speaks at conferences and universities on topics including futurism, cryptocurrency, the history of technology, and the value of storytelling. Liu lives with his family near Boston, Massachusetts.
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