The Grace of Kings - (Dandelion Dynasty) by Ken Liu (Paperback)

About the Book

"The Grace of Kings, the first book in this epic series, tells the story of two men who become friends through rebelling against tyranny and then turn against each other in defense of irreconcilable ideals. 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, soaring battle kites, underwater boats, magical books, shapeshifting gods, and scaled whales who seem to prophesy the future. Once the emperor has been overthrown, however, the two find themselves the leaders of two sides with very different ideas about how the world should be run and the meaning of justice"--

Book Synopsis

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.

Review Quotes

"A refreshing epic."-- "--The New York Times"

"Ken Liu's The Grace of Kings -- a magnificent fantasy epic. Liu is building a dynasty."--Amal El-Mohtar "NPR Books"

"Liu's combination of elements from China, Polynesia and beyond, told in an epic style, is the kind of Silk Road Fantasy that I've always wanted to read, and love all the more now that I have."--Paul Weimer "SF Signal"

"The epic fantasy genre can only be enriched by more novels drawing from non-Western traditions. Liu's ambitious work expertly blends mythology, history, military tactics, and technological innovation (airships and submarines). "-- "Kirkus Reviews"

"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."--Justin Landon "Tor.com"

"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."--Andrew Liptak "io9"

"The Grace of Kings is grand, mythic and epic, but Liu's "silk-punk" world of trickster gods and giant horned whales is also a delight."-- "Relentless Reading"

"Told in Liu's graceful, intelligent, and literate prose, the novel is a sumptuous Epic feast."--Rob Bedford "SFF 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, a second collection The Hidden Girl and Other Stories, and the forthcoming Julia Z series. 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.