No one thought the exiled half-goblin son of the emperor would ever inherit the throne. Not even Maia himself. But when his father and three brothers are killed in an airship crash (which may not have been an accident), Maia is thrust into an environment for which he is ill prepared. With no friends nor allies to guide him, the new emperor struggles to find supporters amidst those who would see him deposed, or worse dead...
I love The Goblin Emperor. It's not your standard fantasy story. You will not find an epic quest to right wrong here, nor an end of the world prophecy to fulfill, nor a climatic battle of good and evil. This book is all about the characters, how they evolve and relate to each other. Especially for Maia, the Goblin Emperor. His is simply the story of a young man, though hated for most of his life, who is trying to be a good man in a situation for which he was never groomed to fill. Don't let that stop you from reading this story, however. There are intense moments as Maia navigates the political waters of the throne. The writing is a beautiful and often poignant. You will find a little magic, a little steampunk, and a great deal of growth. One of my favorites of 2014.
Fans of the orphan heroes of N.K. Jemisin's The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms and Robin Hobb's The Assassin's Apprentice may enjoy this lighter story.