For the January meeting of the
Chicago Speculative Fiction Community, we discussed “The Grace of Kings” (2015)
by
Ken Liu. The novel had been popping up on my radar a lot
lately—first novel from a writer who's already done some stellar
short work and translations, including the Hugo-winning “Three Body
Problem” by Cixin Liu (no relation), which Phandemonium (and a few Chi-SF members)
discussed back in November at Windycon.
“The Grace of Kings” is an epic
fantasy drawing heavily on the late Warring States period in Chinese
history (200ish BCE). Despite some supernatural/theological,
steampunky, and otherwise fantastic elements, one the whole it
reminded us much more of the geopolitical/historical vein of fantasy,
as opposed to the magical or mythical. Notes on that distinction, as
well as possible spoilers, below:
