The Goblin Emperor

[VestalVirgin]

Anyone read this book? I need to talk about it!

I'm starting it this week!

Great!
If you are the kind of person who is easily confused by too many names, I recommend looking at the last pages, first. There's a list of place and character names, and explanation of the titles used.

Thanks for the tip - I'll keep you updated

How do you like it so far?

I started it midweek: hoped to get more holiday reading done than the kids permitted.

I'm really enjoying it after a slow start. At first I felt that little was happening, but he's just been crowned Emperor and I'm getting sucked into the politics of the court.

I really like the fact that we see everything from his perspective so that revelations and his realisations happen to us at the same time.

It is a slow book and the plot is mostly about his character development. But I find that, as he is a very lovable main character, that is perfectly okay.

I'm really enjoying the way that you subtly see him become more confident as emperor. He's a great main character: I like the fact that his outsider status makes him more receptive to new ideas such as equality for women.

There's a good range of interesting female characters too.

What actually is it about? Is it sci fi? History? Biography?

I'm tired of buying books that end up being boring....

It's a fantasy novel

Oh thanks. I will look on kindle

There's a good range of interesting female characters too.

I love the female characters! Nearly all of them are interesting. Some are likeable, some are nasty, but they're all three-dimensional people.

My favourite is Csethiro.

Yes I liked Csethiro too and would've liked to get to know her better. Hopefully there will be a sequel. She liked the fact that she seemed quite tough and spiky but was really kind as she got to know Maia.

I liked the way that the author explored the motivations of the unpleasant female characters: why the singer tries to seduce him, why his brother's widow wanted to overthrow himm.

Oh, I actually quite liked the singer. She was a pleasant character who did a bad thing ... because she lives in a bad society.

It was nice that there were no "just because" villains ... well, except that one guy who was described as being just like the entitled assholes in real life who would do such things, so that was totally plausible.

Apparently it is intended to be a stand alone novel, but perhaps, if it becomes popular enough ... and of course, there is always fanfic.

I'm absolutely loving this book and will be bereft once I've finished it!! Any recommendations for something I can read afterwards though in the same genre?

Depends what fantasy subgenre you consider it to be, and what you like most about it.

This article classifies it as mannerpunk: www.dailydot.com/parsec/what-is-mannerpunk-a-guide/

There are some other books in that genre mentioned.

If you want to read something with a plot that is roughly "Likeable protagonist replaces his jerkish father as ruler of a country" then you might like the Hurog duology, Dragon Bones and Dragon Blood.

If you want a "Suddenly Ruler" plot that focuses less on the earning of the title and more on the keeping it, ^Queen of the Tearling" might fit.

I enjoyed it but not nearly as much as the Doctrine of Labyrinths series- partly I prefer straight fantasy to steampunk, but also I didn't think that Maia's narrative voice was as strong or interesting as Mildmay's. Have you read the snippets on her website- there is one called "Electric Squidland" (i think!) that I would love to see worked up into a novel.

I want another Goblin Emperor vestal, that's what I want! But thank you for the link, it gives me suggestions. I haven't read any fantasy since The Belgariad years ago and I'm excited to explore both fantasy and mannerpunk now.

I want another Goblin Emperor vestal, that's what I want!

Heh, I too, I too!
There's some fanfic on AO3. Not quite the same as a sequel of the book would be, of course, but I like the one from Csethiro's PoV.

Had never heard of Mannerpunk, but have read most of the suggestions on that link - so will look up the others, thanks Vestal.

Ooh more fans have turned up during my absence.

vestal I liked the singer too - I think I meant by unpleasant character that she is the type of character that in other books would be a stereotypical 'seductress' who tries to corrupt the main character "just because". Instead she's a real person with understandable motivations.

I think I meant by unpleasant character that she is the type of character that in other books would be a stereotypical 'seductress' who tries to corrupt the main character "just because". Instead she's a real person with understandable motivations

Yes!
Not to forget that in other books, he would actually go through with it. (Probably. Not sure whether even ASOIAF shows someone having sex in the presence of bodyguards ... hm, probably yes.)
And still, only the woman would be blamed.

And still, only the woman would be blamed

And end up publicly shamed/dead/out of a job etc.