REVIEW: The Wall of Storms by Ken Liu
Publishing Information: Paperback (Arc); 680pgs
Publisher: Saga Press; 4 Oct 2016
ISBN: 978-1481424301
Series: The Dandelion Dynasty #2
Copy: Provided by publisher
Reviewer: Tyson
Amazon
Synopsis: "In the much-anticipated sequel to the “magnificent fantasy epic” (NPR) Grace of Kings, Emperor Kuni Garu is faced with the invasion of an invincible army in his kingdom and must quickly find a way to defeat the intruders.
Kuni Garu, now known as Emperor Ragin, runs the archipelago kingdom of Dara, but struggles to maintain progress while serving the demands of the people and his vision. Then an unexpected invading force from the Lyucu empire in the far distant west comes to the shores of Dara—and chaos results.
But Emperor Kuni cannot go and lead his kingdom against the threat himself with his recently healed empire fraying at the seams, so he sends the only people he trusts to be Dara’s savvy and cunning hopes against the invincible invaders: his children, now grown and ready to make their mark on history."
The long awaited sequel to The Grace of Kings (review here) was a real coup when I was able to receive an advanced copy of the book; however, when the doorstop arrived at my house I wasn't able to dedicate the time it needed and had to wait until I went on vacation to give it my full and undivided attention.
Wall of Storms takes place a few years after the events of the last book. Kuni Garu has become Emperor of the isles and is now known as Emperor Ragin. He has instituted many reforms but is still looking to make changes that will benefit the realm, not just the nobility. One such reform is to allow women to serve in government and achieve some of the highest posts available, provided they pass the examinations. It is here where we meet our newest character, Zomi Kidosu, a young woman who is secretly trained by one of the greatest philosophers and tacticians in the regime, Luan Zya. She easily scores high in the examination and earns her place as a government advisor and soon takes on an even greater role in the Dandelion Dynasty.
Kuni's children also take on a major role in the book. His two sons are ying and yang. One thirsts to make his name in war and the other has his nose firmly in ancient books of philosophy where his daughter Thera, shows the most promise to rule. She is quick thinking and has the knowledge to draw on history in order to see the bigger picture. Kuni's wife Jia and consort Risana are also promenintly featured in the book with Empress Jia providing the political intrigue that keeps the reader guessing throughout the book.
Wall of Storms takes a little while to get into and the overall plot isn't uncovered until you are a few hundred pages in but once you see how all the individual parts form the whole, the book really starts to take on a life of its own and becomes difficult to put down. I think one of the reasons the book was so good was that the women in the novel truly shine. They aren't just there to help prop up the male characters but are actual individuals with goals and schemes that will shape and rock the empire. Their actions have implications in the larger story.
Liu's writing is also a major enjoyment. His style is rich and elegant and makes for amazing prose. Some readers will probably find that it can bog down the story but Liu's book is meant to be savored and only leads to further indulgence for many. The Wall of Storms is an amazing follow up and proves once again that Liu is at the top of the game. If you haven't started this series, you need to as his storytelling and writing is some of the best in the genre. Highly recommended.
Overall 10/10
Comments
Post a Comment