Synopses & Reviews
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. “A magnificent fantasy epic” (
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 fast-paced action will find a new series to embrace in the Dandelion Dynasty.
Review
"Ken Liu's andlt;Iandgt;The Grace of Kingsandlt;/Iandgt; and#8212; a magnificent fantasy epic. Liu is building a dynasty."
Review
"The Grace of Kings is an ambitious, astonishing, and sublime work, one that both exemplifies and diverges from what one might think of when it comes to epic fantasy. It should rank amongst the genre's best works." NPR Books
Review
"Lius combination of elements from China, Polynesia and beyond, told in an epic style, is the kind of Silk Road Fantasy that Ive always wanted to read, and love all the more now that I have." Andrew Liptak - io9
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"Told in Lius graceful, intelligent, and literate prose, the novel is a sumptuous Epic feast." Paul Weimer - SF Signal
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"The Grace of Kings is a fantasy, with petty meddling gods, odd mechanized inventions, and a sense that mystical powers lurk around the corner. It is nothing if not epic." Rob Bedford - SFF World
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"The epic fantasy genre can only be enriched by more novels drawing from non-Western traditions. Lius ambitious work expertly blends mythology, history, military tactics, and technological innovation (airships and submarines). " Justin Landon - Tor.com
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"The Grace of Kings is grand, mythic and epic, but Lius “silk-punk” world of trickster gods and giant horned whales is also a delight." Kirkus Reviews
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"Ken Liu's The Grace of Kings — a magnificent fantasy epic. Liu is building a dynasty." Amal El-Mohtar
About the Author
Ken Liu’s fiction has appeared in Fantasy & Science Fiction, Asimov’s, Analog, Strange Horizons, Lightspeed, and Clarkesworld, among other places. He has won a Nebula, two Hugos, a World Fantasy Award, a Science Fiction & Fantasy Translation Award, and been nominated for the Sturgeon and the Locus Awards. His wife, Lisa Tang Liu, is an artist. He lives near Boston with his family.