The Emperor's Soul
Readers rate it 4.4 (1.3K on Hardcover)
128 pages · Released Nov 5, 2012 · Dragonsteel, LLC
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A note for parents
The Emperor's Soul is a character-driven fantasy novella centered on a clever protagonist using her artistic talents to solve an impossible problem under duress. While there are mentions of assassination and imprisonment, the story focuses on intellectual challenge, ethics, and personal growth rather than action or graphic content. The novella rewards integrity, creativity, and empathy, making it suitable for mature middle-grade readers and up, though younger readers might find the political intrigue and moral complexity demanding.
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From the publisher
WINNER, 2013 Hugo Award for Best Novella! From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, The Emperor’s Soul showcases a fascinating magic system as the clock ticks down for a condemned criminal. When Shai is caught replacing the Moon Scepter with her nearly flawless forgery, she must bargain for her life.... WINNER, 2013 Hugo Award for Best Novella! From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, The Emperor’s Soul showcases a fascinating magic system as the clock ticks down for a condemned criminal. When Shai is caught replacing the Moon Scepter with her nearly flawless forgery, she must bargain for her life. An assassin has left the Emperor Ashravan without consciousness, a circumstance concealed only by the death of his wife. If the emperor does not emerge after his hundred-day mourning period, the rule of the Heritage Faction will be forfeit and the empire will fall into chaos. Shai is given an impossible task: to create—to Forge—a new soul for the emperor in less than one hundred days. But her soul-Forgery is considered an abomination by her captors. She is confined to a tiny, dirty chamber, guarded by a man who hates her, spied upon by politicians, and trapped behind a door sealed in her own blood. Shai’s only possible ally is the emperor’s most loyal councillor, Gaotona, who struggles to understand her true talent. Time is running out for Shai. Forging, while deducing the motivations of her captors, she needs a perfect plan to escape… -------------------- “Sanderson proves to be an exceptionally talented writer in the pages of this book. Complex as some of the background is, he never gets bogged down filling in details for the reader. Instead we learn everything we need seamlessly as the story unfolds. His prose is lyrical without ever getting in its own way … His characters are fascinating and fully realized. … The Emperor’s Soul is one of those rare high fantasies that feels fresh and is filled with a sense of wonder.” —Charles de Lint, Fantasy & Science Fiction -------------------- A note from the publisher: Brandon will send a free copy of this ebook to anyone who purchased the Tachyon Publications trade paperback. See the title page in the ebook preview for details.
Shelved under
- Fiction
- Loveable Characters
- Strong Character Development
- Diverse Characters
- Character driven
- Not Diverse Characters
- A mix driven
- Weak Character Development
- Plot driven
- Unloveable Characters
- fantasy
- Adventurous
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ISBN 9781938570025 · Dragonsteel, LLC