The Emperor's Soul

By: Brandon Sanderson

Narrated by: Angela Lin

Length: 3 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

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 counselor, 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...

©2012 Dragonsteel Entertainment, LLC (P)2012 Recorded Books

Wonderful, Brandon Sanderson at his peak!

Brandon Sanderson has written that this is his favorite piece to date, and it absolutely shows.

In classic fashion, he creates an intriguing, unique, and diverse magic structure loaded with possibilities. But he also makes wonderfully believable characters that are diverse and varied. And to cap it off, the story is really interesting as well!

In short, the three pillars: world, character, and story, are all strong and accounted for. I cannot recommend this story enough. It's short, but I've already listened to it 3 times, loving it more and more. Please listen!

Cat and mouse heists - my favorite

I love cat and mouse heist stories like The Thomas Crown Affair or Ocean’s Eleven. This novella adds a bonus layer of fantasy. My favorite part is the final act, when the true results of a long con are revealed.

How Do You Forge a Soul?

This Fantasy novella is a treat for anyone who loves character based fiction.

BOOK DETAILS:
The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson, read by Angela Lin, published by Recorded Books (2012) / Length: 3 hrs 55 min

SERIES INFO:
This is a standalone novella. (It takes place on the same world as Elantris, which is part of Sanderson's larger Cosmere, but is unconnected.)

SUMMARY:
If you are someone who prefers books with lots of action, then this probably isn't for you. The only action is fairly brief, and doesn't come until towards the end. I, however, loved it for the way it explored both character and (non-romantic) relationships.

My question in the title has a double meaning. It stands both for Shai's profession as an art/soul forger and for forging in the sense of "making or shaping." One of the underlying themes of the story has to do with how the Emperor's soul developed the way it did the first time, and how the littlest decisions can put you on a path.

I have added the Diversity tag since, like many of Sanderson's other works, this has fantasy versions of Asian characters and cultures. (He spent two years in Korea as a young man.)

CHARACTERS:
Shai: I always struggle with protagonists who are criminals. I don't believe that crime should be portrayed as fun, harmless or even just acceptable. This book doesn't really go into that; it is more about what constitutes art and the ethics of that.

The aspect of Shai I found most interesting was the way she (beyond temporarily changing her own soul magically, or even just using a typical con artists ability to play a role) would reframe her own reactions by mentally chosing to become someone who was capable of dealing with her current situation calmly.

Gaotana: I love his complexity. He just wants to do what is best, but is also judgemental.

I usually include a section on the romantic relationship in this section. There isn't one here, but relation- ships are nevertheless a central theme. Gaotana is the hub around which things turn. His relationship with Shai, and with Ashravan. There is also a subtle message about the way we see people vs the way they are.

Allthough he is the next thing to dead from before the book starts, Ashravan, remains a central character. I like that, Emperor or not, he actually loved his wife.

WORLDBUILDING:
As usual, Sanderson builds a unique magic system with internally consistent rules and natural drawbacks. I love the discussion as to whether there is less merit to a work of art created using magic than to one created with actual paints. I'm sure this parallels arguments that digital artists deal with.

The novella takes place almost entirely within the palace, and mostly within a single room, and yet there is a feeling of a whole world behind it. And Shai's talent gives a natural opportunity to explore the objects in the room and what she can do with them.

PLOT:
I am not a big reader of short fiction. This novella was the perfect length for me though. The beginning sucks you in as everyone is afraid of something. It then takes its time to explore the themes, before ending with a perfect blend of action and emotion.

HIGHLIGHTS / CAUTIONS:
--Shai & Gaotana's last moments together
--The very end with Gaotana alone


I COULD HAVE DONE WITHOUT: a bit of fantasy language swearing (and the explanation of the word's meaning) / the concept of the blood magic *shudder*

OTHER CAUTIONS(?): It is mentioned that a married guard is having an affair / There is some brief somewhat brutal violence

NARRATION:
Character voices differentiated = Yes / Opposite sex voices acceptable = Yes, I especially enjoyed Gaotana's voice which really captured the essence of his character / Phrasing, Pacing & Pronunciation = Good, I think I heard 2 small mispronunciations / Emoting = Good / Speed = listened on 1.25, my usual.

Loved it!!

Fascinating, brilliant story. Great narrator. So much thought packed in a short book. Another great Sanderson read!

A Delightful Snack

Bought this on a whim. Needed something to listen to on a drive. My best buy this month! The story is a bit short, only a bit over 3 hours. But for a daily deal price it was we worth it.

The story focuses around a woman named Shai who can forge items. The author is able to seed enough small details on how this happens to make it aceptable to the mind/reader. Shai is asked to fix the soul of a the emperor. Aman she has never met. The female lead is clever and finds a way to outwit those who wish her harm while a tempting something that was thought to be impossible.

This is an excellent example of how a story can be powerful and rememberable without being drawn out.

Great novella. Sanderson at his best

Excellent concept and execution. Like a delicious meal that I expect I will enjoy many times.

Never disappoints!

I loved the story line! It brought to life by the narrators, completely! I recommend Brandon Sanderson's books to everyone I know! This one, has absolutely made the list! "Elantris" was my 'hands down' favorite book of his and I loved making the subtle connections while listening to "The Emperor's Soul." His world building is better than I've ever experienced!

Very creative and entertaining

This is wonderfully well written and creative story telling.

Shai is a magical “forger” using mediums and soul stamps to forge art, both small and large. If she knows the make-up elements of her subject she is able to recreate it. She is caught as a result of a betrayal. On the eve of her scheduled execution the official arbiters, offer Shai a deal if she will forge a new soul for the secretly comatose Emperor. Although her Soul-Forgery skill is considered an abomination, the arbiters are willing to use it to help them retain their positions of power.

Shai agrees to the project which would allow her freedom… and life. She is ever the opportunist. The arbiters are cautious about her skills as several believe that she is skilled enough to change even the fabric of her cell to make an escape. They go to great lengths to secure her. Shai does plan to forge an escape but she is under constant watch. She is supervised by Gaotona, a man who respects the quality of her skills but disdains her use of them for forgery – not recognizing her form of art.

Shai is offered secret deals by a power-hungry arbiter. She fears that even if she accepts the offer the woman will have her killed before letting her go free. It may take all of Shai’s excellent skills to fashion a way out of her situation and she has a limited amount of time and resources.

This story is wonderfully creative, imaginatively plotted, beautifully written and executed. I kept seeking times to listen as I was fascinated by Shai’s mind maneuvering and the rapport she builds with Gaotona. The story is full even though it is short. By the end my thoughts were “author Brandon Sanderson is an artist”. I recommend this to readers who enjoy a skillfully crafted mystery and fantasy.

Audio Notes: Angela Lin is a narrator who is new to me. Her voice captured the character of Shai and the twisting nuances of the story. The narration enhanced an already excellent work. I would be glad to listen to other books she has narrated.

Wow

Compelling characters, intriguing magic system, incredible story. I loved it, and highly, highly recommend it.

a surprising masterpiece

it was an unexpectedly wonderfully deep story. i highly recommend to fans of warbreaker and elantris :)