The Grace of Kings

Ken Liu

Apr 2015 · The Dandelion Dynasty Book 1 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this eBook

One of the Time 100 Best Fantasy Books Of All Time

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. Hailed as one of the best books of 2015 by 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 action will find a new series to embrace in the Dandelion Dynasty.

Ratings and reviews

The Grace of Kings is masterful in its ability to match worldbuilding and political intrigue with slow-boil, complex, utterly human characters. It is also of that rare breed of first volumes in a multiple volume set that is able to full satisfy the standalone reader and multiple volume lover alike. Ken Liu had already proven his worth to the world of genre literature. Lauded as a masterful short story writer and utterly welcome in his introduction of tried and new voices of Chinese literature alike, his impact has been felt for years. With this first novel, he has cemented himself as a new masterful voice not only in genre writing but in the greater literary world. We have much to look forward to in the next installment of The Dandelion Dynasty.

Given that there are plenty of great sf and fantasy reads out there, I am mystified by the acclaim received by this book. Sure there is an epic sweep, but it is not interestingly epic. The characters are flat and predictable, and the plot drags along slowly. Given the billing and the awards received, I was hoping for a great series but was disappointed.

excellent read, I love the fresh perspective on characters in a fantasy setting. there's swords, magic & gods but not as in most stories. the author gives the perspective from the commoners on how the main characters change the world.

About the author

Ken Liu is an award-winning American author of speculative fiction. His collection, The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories, has been published in more than a dozen languages. Liu’s other works include The Grace of Kings, The Wall of Storms, The Veiled Throne, and a second collection The Hidden Girl and Other Stories. He has been involved in multiple media adaptations of his work, including the short story “Good Hunting,” adapted as an episode in Netflix’s animated series Love, Death + Robots; and AMC’s Pantheon, adapted from an interconnected series of short stories. “The Hidden Girl,” “The Message,” and “The Oracle” have also been optioned for development. Liu previously worked as a software engineer, corporate lawyer, and litigation consultant. He frequently speaks at conferences and universities on topics including futurism, machine-augmented creativity, the history of technology, and the value of storytelling. Liu lives with his family near Boston, Massachusetts.