The Goblin Emperor

I don't think I would have read this if it wasn't part of a book-club reading list. I found the title more than a little off-putting. The image it conjured up was of a grotty chieftain avoiding being stabbed in the back somewhere under the Misty Mountains. Not my cup of tea. I was wrong on this count.

The premise is not made clear in the blurb – but is actually very intriguing (this is all Chapter 1 stuff, no spoilers): Years ago the Elven Emperor was forced into a political marriage to secure peace with the neighbouring Goblin lands. Marriage was how such treaties were made, so a Goblin Princess married the Elven Emperor. She was his sixth wife and so could be safely swept under the carpet after the legally obligated nuptials. She was sent to live her life in an isolated forest to be forgotten. Everyone was rather surprised when an Elf-Goblin halfbreed prince was born, but as he had a gaggle of older half-brothers he could be safely ignored. That is until an airship crash wiped out the Royal Family, leaving our little halfblood prince as the heir to the throne.

I'd happily give 4.5 stars for the scenario. After Chapter 1 my head was spinning with the possibilities, how was this plot going to develop? Was our Prince going to be hunted down by rivals, desperate to stop him reaching the capital? Would he assume the throne and have to face down a popular uprising due to his Goblin blood? Would he in fact be the great peacemaker between these ancient rivals, bringing them together at last?

The answer is that he gets on an airship, flies to the capital in a few paragraphs, and then pretty much does nothing.

Possible Spoilers ahead (but not much).

OK, there's some letter writing, some key building projects he pushes through and some functions he attends. Yes there is some opposition and some courtiers scheme away, but really he just learns the ropes with a couple of stumbles along the way, but nothing really to write home about.

That's right. Nothing. Happens.

It's a well written, deeply thought out, intricate nothing. If you are interested in the bureaucracy of a fantasy world, or some very polite manoeuvring in the royal court, you might like it. If you want world-building and a likeable enough character then you might enjoy this book, but I've got to say I need Plot as well as Character and Setting. This has only two of the three. I think I found him selecting his outfits the most gripping scenes in the book.

I guess that's what made it so disappointing – I like the character, I love the setting, I just wanted something to happen.