Laith
This is Book 3 of The Dandelion Dynasty, sequel rules apply, so expect me to meander.
I put off reading this for nearly two years; you wouldn't think I'd want to do that given my glowing review of Wall of Storms. But each entry in the series has grown longer and more verbose, so much so that this thousand-page-epic, is just the first half of the conclusion of what was supposed to be a trilogy. I must admit that I didn't find the prospect of having to read through a 1,000-page introduction to the conclusion of the series all that enticing, each book in this series is already a major time commitment. So I gave myself a break, I didn't want to make this read a grind by being in the wrong headspace, and I would encourage people to pace themselves similarly with this series. It was the right call because enormity aside, these books are undeniably some of the best things going in contemporary fantasy-that comes hand in hand with an increased difficulty, it requires the reader to focus.
On the off chance that you clicked on this review having never read Ken Liu, it's important to note that his style is remarkably different from what's found in typical fantasy fare. He really sticks to the idea of a multi-generational story, and isn't afraid to pause the development of various elements to introduce new characters and viewpoints that come to reframe and evolve the recurrent themes and story threads of the series. It's rarely done in storytelling, given that adding new characters late in a story tends to kill the pacing, but this is the third time that Liu has managed to pull off the magic trick, though to a lesser degree of success here.
That's where Veiled Throne opens, reintroducing a minor Lyucu character named Goztan and then shifting further down to focus on her son Kinri. As this happens, the larger conflict for the future of the Dara continent simmers in the background. Returning characters continue on from Wall of Storms: Thera's mission on the Lyucu continent, Jia's rule as Empress-Regent, as does Tanvanaki and her troubled occupation of the invaded Dara islands. In this environment of war, intrigue, and complex politics, the climax/cusp of the story incredibly and unexpectedly focuses on a cooking competition.
I assume anyone contemplating/completing book 3 of this series has come to really enjoy Liu's fresh take on the fantasy epic, I know that's the case for me. But I need to be up front about the realities of reading a book like this, chiefly that despite what I said about Liu's talent for introducing new characters, there are some major speed bumps in this book. It took me a solid month to work through this book, and it's got a lot to do with just how choked the first 200 pages are by all new additions. A necessarily large portion of this book is devoted to these introductions, while also simultaneously laying the framework for the next massive entry in the series. It's a lot of exposition and dialogue that you will not care about at the outset; Liu is constantly breaking immersion to remind the reader that this book serves doubly as a foundation for the sequel/finale.
Where the book shines, and really this is true for all prior entries, is in how it rewards diligent readers who can make it past the first 200 or so pages. Once the story gets going, I haven't a single complaint, it becomes an entirely immersive and wholly unique reading experience.
Veiled Throne never once stops being interesting, Liu is constantly shading in his world with the smells, tastes, and sights unique to the various cultures of its inhabitants. I've always found the concept of a re-imagined story of modernity to be the most compelling aspect of this series, the sense of ingenuity and discovery each development imparts is really incomparable to anything else in Fantasy. Pair that wholly unique concept with some of the best prose available in the genre, and you've got a recipe for instant success. The in-universe poetry and mythos is on another level of detail and quality, managing to deliver authenticity that matches The Silmarillion without the need for an entirely separate codex. Beyond the mythos, when it comes to how Liu addresses the core topics of the series, presenting his musings on love, morality, and power, it becomes clear that this really is some of the most contemplative writing in the series, and in fantasy writ large.
Separate from the beauty and function of the writing, Liu has always exceeded expectations when it comes to writing both lovable and hate-able characters. This book is no exception, and specifically it's the new character of Cutanrovo that knocked my socks off. They're originally introduced as a "predictable political rival villain #3" type of character, but by the end of the novel they've morphed into a personification of madness and brutal fanaticism. I can't really put to words how visceral and terrifying and hate-able she is, suffice to say that chapter 23 was unforgettable. Liu manages to compel that same level of investment into all of his character by the end, making sure to extend the reader's interest into the protagonists' cohort, "The Blossom Gang" just as effectively as with Cutanrovo.
My only complaint, if you can even call it that, is that this series really isn't meant for the novice/casual reader. As good as the prose is, it's difficult and densely packed with in-universe poetry and metaphors; more-over, a lot of topics/subjects that are focused on aren't what I would call light reading. So much of what this book talks about mirrors the problems of our own world, and that can be exhausting to confront for over a thousand pages. I would class this alongside Prince of Nothing and The Masquerade series in terms of content, theme, and difficulty.
This book is not an easy read, but it is a great read. I have to dock points for pace and density because no first quarter of any book should be a grind, but I won't write it off because everything that follows is nothing short of cinematic. The prose is incredible, the characters are rendered with compelling detail, and the in-universe mythos is one of the most immersive I've ever read.
This is Book 3 of The Dandelion Dynasty, sequel rules apply, so expect me to meander.
I put off reading this for nearly two years; you wouldn't think I'd want to do that given my glowing review of Wall of Storms. But each entry in the series has grown longer and more verbose, so much so that this thousand-page-epic, is just the first half of the conclusion of what was supposed to be a trilogy. I must admit that I didn't find the prospect of having to read through a 1,000-page introduction to the conclusion of the series all that enticing, each book in this series is already a major time commitment. So I gave myself a break, I didn't want to make this read a grind by being in the wrong headspace, and I would encourage people to pace themselves similarly with this series. It was the right call because enormity aside, these books are undeniably some of the best things going in contemporary fantasy-that comes hand in hand with an increased difficulty, it requires the reader to focus.
On the off chance that you clicked on this review having never read Ken Liu, it's important to note that his style is remarkably different from what's found in typical fantasy fare. He really sticks to the idea of a multi-generational story, and isn't afraid to pause the development of various elements to introduce new characters and viewpoints that come to reframe and evolve the recurrent themes and story threads of the series. It's rarely done in storytelling, given that adding new characters late in a story tends to kill the pacing, but this is the third time that Liu has managed to pull off the magic trick, though to a lesser degree of success here.
That's where Veiled Throne opens, reintroducing a minor Lyucu character named Goztan and then shifting further down to focus on her son Kinri. As this happens, the larger conflict for the future of the Dara continent simmers in the background. Returning characters continue on from Wall of Storms: Thera's mission on the Lyucu continent, Jia's rule as Empress-Regent, as does Tanvanaki and her troubled occupation of the invaded Dara islands. In this environment of war, intrigue, and complex politics, the climax/cusp of the story incredibly and unexpectedly focuses on a cooking competition.
I assume anyone contemplating/completing book 3 of this series has come to really enjoy Liu's fresh take on the fantasy epic, I know that's the case for me. But I need to be up front about the realities of reading a book like this, chiefly that despite what I said about Liu's talent for introducing new characters, there are some major speed bumps in this book. It took me a solid month to work through this book, and it's got a lot to do with just how choked the first 200 pages are by all new additions. A necessarily large portion of this book is devoted to these introductions, while also simultaneously laying the framework for the next massive entry in the series. It's a lot of exposition and dialogue that you will not care about at the outset; Liu is constantly breaking immersion to remind the reader that this book serves doubly as a foundation for the sequel/finale.
Where the book shines, and really this is true for all prior entries, is in how it rewards diligent readers who can make it past the first 200 or so pages. Once the story gets going, I haven't a single complaint, it becomes an entirely immersive and wholly unique reading experience.
Veiled Throne never once stops being interesting, Liu is constantly shading in his world with the smells, tastes, and sights unique to the various cultures of its inhabitants. I've always found the concept of a re-imagined story of modernity to be the most compelling aspect of this series, the sense of ingenuity and discovery each development imparts is really incomparable to anything else in Fantasy. Pair that wholly unique concept with some of the best prose available in the genre, and you've got a recipe for instant success. The in-universe poetry and mythos is on another level of detail and quality, managing to deliver authenticity that matches The Silmarillion without the need for an entirely separate codex. Beyond the mythos, when it comes to how Liu addresses the core topics of the series, presenting his musings on love, morality, and power, it becomes clear that this really is some of the most contemplative writing in the series, and in fantasy writ large.
Separate from the beauty and function of the writing, Liu has always exceeded expectations when it comes to writing both lovable and hate-able characters. This book is no exception, and specifically it's the new character of Cutanrovo that knocked my socks off. They're originally introduced as a "predictable political rival villain #3" type of character, but by the end of the novel they've morphed into a personification of madness and brutal fanaticism. I can't really put to words how visceral and terrifying and hate-able she is, suffice to say that chapter 23 was unforgettable. Liu manages to compel that same level of investment into all of his character by the end, making sure to extend the reader's interest into the protagonists' cohort, "The Blossom Gang" just as effectively as with Cutanrovo.
My only complaint, if you can even call it that, is that this series really isn't meant for the novice/casual reader. As good as the prose is, it's difficult and densely packed with in-universe poetry and metaphors; more-over, a lot of topics/subjects that are focused on aren't what I would call light reading. So much of what this book talks about mirrors the problems of our own world, and that can be exhausting to confront for over a thousand pages. I would class this alongside Prince of Nothing and The Masquerade series in terms of content, theme, and difficulty.
This book is not an easy read, but it is a great read. I have to dock points for pace and density because no first quarter of any book should be a grind, but I won't write it off because everything that follows is nothing short of cinematic. The prose is incredible, the characters are rendered with compelling detail, and the in-universe mythos is one of the most immersive I've ever read.