The Grace of Kings

The Dandelion Dynasty

By: Ken Liu

Narrated by: Michael Kramer

Length: 21 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

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.

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 both find themselves the leaders 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.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2015 Kenneth Yukun Liu. All rights reserved. (P)2015 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

meh

only listened because I'm a fan of kramer. books okay I couldn't really get into it till the last nit, so I'm going to give the 2nd book a try.

Beautiful story telling

The structure and flow of this book is a treat to immerse yourself in. I listened to the entire book while working on my embroidery and it kept me inspired and working for the entire length. I broke my heart when the story ended even though the story had run it’s full corse. I can’t wait to start the next book in the series.

Should have been several books

Wonderful story. Left me wanting more. Some books are 800 pages and should have been 300. This book was 800 pages and should have been three or four books of 800 pages. If they were I would have listened to them all.

...

Painful middle. Kramer couldn't save this one. Would not rec. war descriptions were the best part.

A Wonderfully Imaginative Tale of Sweeping Scope

What did you love best about The Grace of Kings?

The world building, and mixture of cultures is wonderfully imaginative. Adding Airships to a story might give you the impression that the book will lean on all the tired old steampunk tropes, but nothing could be further from the truth. Ken Liu has managed to create something entirely fresh and new.

The novel leans heavily on backstory and expository passages, interspersed with brief dialog. However, due to the style and the light touch with which this is done, it never bogs the story down or detracts from the action. Generally I don't like when writers employ this style, but I think it works in this case.

From a plot perspective, the plot primarily moves forward due to a series of incredible luck on the part of the main character, Kuni Garu. The solutions to the problems he encounters are often the fortunate combination of finding someone with just the right preternatural skill, while his opponents adopt a weakness of thought and strategy they have never shown previously. I still enjoyed Kuni Garu's successes, the solutions just seemed a bit too convenient.

The only thing I found somewhat disappointing was the transformation of the secondary character, Mata Zindu. In the opening acts he is an admirable and believable character, but gradually transforms into a more one dimensional fool. The events that precipitate this fall are well defined and well told, but I just thought it would have been more interesting if we had any reason to continue to root for Mata as well as Kuni, and we never do.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I didn't really have a favorite character, although I really liked all of Kuni's advisors and compatriots. If I had to pick, I would say Tazu, because Michael Kramer's performance of the Trickster God was particularly fantastic.

Have you listened to any of Michael Kramer’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Michael Kramer was excellent as always. I particularly enjoyed his performance as the Trickster God, Tazu. He really lent the character a sense of menacing bravado, and desire to have fun at the expense of others.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I had several extreme reactions during specific scenes. There moments where I laughed out loud, and moments that caused me to catch my breath in horror.

Froth with surprising depth

What fun! This book is elegant, passionate, and just plain fun to listen to, both because of Ken Liu's magnificent writing, and because Michael Kramer is a master of his art of narration. This book is the sketch of a master, where deft strokes draw the reader into completing a picture that is full of emotional depth, moral complexity, and deeply realized characters, all of whom one ends up rooting for, knowing all the while that it's impossible for all of them to find their happy ending.
A tour de force!

Michael Kramer can bring even this story to life.

Even if the story isn't that great Michael Kramer can tell it like it is.

Epic History Meets Contemporary Fantasy

I think some of the reason that people don't like this book as much is that they don't seem to know what the author was going for. This book reads something like a mix between a ancient historical epic with elements of modern fantasy storytelling mixed in. As someone who loves each of those things on its own, I was fascinated and enthralled by Liu's mix of the two kinds of stories. It is different than most fantasy books these days, but I loved it. maybe it is because I am also a history nut and love reading the old epics too, but this was one of my favorite books I've read in a long time.

like reading a fictional history textbook

the world is beautifully built, and the description is vivid, but there is not solid characters to experience the story through. it's not an enjoyable read.

An Interesting Choice From Liu - Hard To Put Down!

By all accounts, this book should not work. It's not really a novel, in the conventional sense.

Rather, it is a (fictional) historical account of the rise and fall of many different powers over decades in the island nation of Daru, and it reads almost like a mythological retelling. It actually reminded me the most of Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology, though this story is based on Chinese history instead of Norse.

The story bounces around between many different characters and stories, and can at times be difficult to keep up with. Eventually, though it settles on two specific characters - Kuni and Mata - and their friendship, eventual falling out, and their ultimate battle for the heart of Dara.

I initially was unsure if I would like it, and I still don't view it as a 5 Star read, but it did eventually hook me pretty hard, and I enjoyed myself. I really like the character of Kuni (feels like an Asian Matrim Cauthon), and the story got very good.

Even though this is essentially one large Prologue/Backstory for the rest of the series, I enjoyed it much more than expected. Michael Kramer's narration is great, as always.

I recommend the book, but with the caveat of knowing what you are in for - this book is different!