The Emperor's Knife (Tower and Knife Trilogy, #1) by Mazarkis Williams

Oct 13, 2011 Kat Kennedy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fun-fantasy, kat-s-book-reviews

3.5 Stars

This ARC was provided to me by the publishers.

I picked this ARC because the cover kind of reminded me of Assassin's Creed.

Assassin's creed poster

It does. It totally, totally does.

Even the title is kind of the same. The Assassin's Creed, The Emperor's Knife...

So I kind of thought it would be similar in that there'd be an assassin and a couple of sidekicks on a sweeping adventure with a lot of violence.

Actually, it turns out there's a lot more sex. And romance. Then more sex. But mostly romance.

Doesn't Matter. Had sex.

Tuvaini's way...more

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rameau I suppose my only issues arose when the story chopped and flittered around like a child on a major sugar high.

I laughed. The constant jumping between...more
Dec 09, 2011 02:15am

Kat Kennedy I agree Rameau. The author needed to have more happen whilst introducing the characters and it probably needed to be a little tighter in that departme...more
Dec 09, 2011 12:05pm

Dec 03, 2011 ☆Jessie☆ (Ageless Pages Reviews) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, netgalley-arc, 2011-reads, 2011-reviews, reviewed, arc

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Mazarkis Williams tries for a lot with his fantasy debut, the tale of several key people within an ancient but decaying Empire here in The Emperor's Knife. With wildly differing, interesting characters and a shifting point of view between them, Williams certainly begins his story on solid ground - The Emperor's Knife feels new and created rather than rehash or a re-imagining of another, already established place. There might not be the most original...more Read This Review & More Like It On My Blog!

Mazarkis Williams tries for a lot with his fantasy debut, the tale of several key people within an ancient but decaying Empire here in The Emperor's Knife. With wildly differing, interesting characters and a shifting point of view between them, Williams certainly begins his story on solid ground - The Emperor's Knife feels new and created rather than rehash or a re-imagining of another, already established place. There might not be the most original of plot-lines at the heart of the novel, especially for the fantasy genre, but Williams has a way with his words and this is a novel that is quickly engaging, quickly read and quickly finished. I found several aspects of the book to be quite well done and thought-out, but had issues with pacing down the line as well as the too-frequent, often confusing, afmorementioned POV switches.

In the land of the Cerani Empire, life is hard and life is often cruel. That way of life is shown in the culture and personalities of nearly the entire royal family, from the scheming Tuvaini to the emotionally ~~dead~~ withdrawn Nessaket. Sarmin, easily the most sympathetic and likeable guy of the whole book, is the sole survivor of the purge of his 5 brothers, excepting the Emperor Beyon. Broken mentally by seeing his male siblings cut down on Beyon's ascension to power Sarmin has remained in one room his whole life. Sarmin is a surprising character: for a room-ridden Prince that no one knows of you wouldn't expect much but he was by far the nicest and most well-rounded of all the cast. Imprisoned within silk and stone, Sarmin grows from a scared boy into a mature, thinking man. It's not hard to see that I was rooting for him (and even his love interest I didn't care too much for) for a happy ending.

That love interest is the female protagonist of the novel, Mesema. Sent from the tribes outside the Empire to get an heir with the hidden Prince, she is the typical ~~fantasy trope~~ of an tribal fish-out-of-water in a cultured pond. Unkind, judgemental and even kind of racist, Mesema is a tough nut to crack. She knows the dangers of Nooria, and of the Empire (her mother warns her to get pregnant only once and then use a tar(?)/some substance to prevent more pregnancies. My question is: why didn't the previous Emperor's harem do the same if they knew their kids would be murdered when Beyon ascended? Blehhh.) Like the rest of the female characters Amalya, Eldra, Nessaket, I never felt a true affinity for the Windreader of the Felt tribe. She becomes fairly annoying and demanding as her journey progresses, and then almost abandoned after the halfway mark. She seems vastly underutilized in the second part, only popping up at the most random and opportune moments. I liked her best with Beyon, honestly and the romance love triangles are all OVER the place in The Emperor's Knife (Mesema, Beyon, Sarmin; Mesema, Sarmin, Banreh; etc.), though I appreciated her for Sarmin as well. She works best as protagonist when with other characters, with them in charge.

It's also hard to get close to any of these characters, including ones I've not mentioned. Eyul, the royal assassin is a key part to both the past and the present of the Empire and of Sarmin's health, is a decent anti-hero. I wished for more time and more detail from the reticent character but the way too frequent POV shifts, one after another, from Eyul to Sarmin to Beyon to Mesema was disjointing. Nessaket also had potential to be the kind of villain that a reader could really enjoy, but she seemed to be tossed aside in favor of a less compelling, less interesting character the further the novel progressed. There was very little continuous time with just one or two characters at length, instead jumping perspective in what seemed like five page increments. With a lack of any real tension until nearly the very end and character deaths that had little to no impact upon me, The Emperor's Knife is not a novel that cuts to the heart of the reader: it's a bit superficial and the occasional gorey death does a lot to keep interest from flagging. I was also probably more upset by the deaths than excited for the romances because none (welll maybe just one) of them felt entirely believable or honest for the characters within the relationship: I didn't like Mesema and Banreh's interactions, I didn't like Sarmin and his carrier's complications to the plot, etc. The romances just seemed joined with the easiest candidates and I wanted some chemistry.

Much like a favorite of mine, Brandon Sanderson, a prolific author that both manages to write huge intimidating tomes of novels (Way of Kings, anyone? It clocks in at a tidy 1007 pages) and create unique magic systems for them, Mazarkis Williams has at least two different known magical systems in play for his novel. Both of them, in my opinion, are quite inventive and... well, I believe "awesome" is the most applicable word. The pattern marks that appear on the inflicted are much more than they appear to be, and while I won't spoil the ending, I though it was a marvelous spin on the predicted outcome. It's vague and unexplained until it seems almost obvious, and I have to credit William's authorial sleight-of-hand on that magical count. The other magic, which I will go into a bit more, is that of the mages of the Tower. They are few in number and each mage corresponds to a certain element: fire, earth, water, air, spirit. While that aspect of elements for power might not be the most original, Williams' spin on the trope is: the element the mage most relates to is actually an elemental spirit that will be encased within/made part of the mage, fighting to get free as the mage continually siphons off the power of the spirit. I loved this: the mages aren't immortal or all-powerful in this world. They have to trade, to barter away their very lives for a tenuous grip on power for, at most, a few decades of magic. It's an interesting idea for an Empire that relies so on its magic - it's an unsteady and unreliable but essential part of the Cerani Empire.

It's a mixed bag for The Emperor's Knife for this fantasy fan. I liked the worldbuilding that was present: quiet but with an Arabic or Asian touch, especially the shifting sand dunes and relentless heat made for a newish locale with imported homages from the real world. I loved the magical aspects and limited appearance they had on the plot and characters, I just wished for more oomph, for better female characters and less POV jumping. There's a lot to enjoy in this world and these characters, I just want there to be more to it. Less hiding, more showing to Eyul, Govnan, the Pattern Master, etc. It's thoroughly engaging if not the most action-packed fantasy fare, with an ending that left me mildly anxious for the second in the series. I'd tell any hardcore fantasy fan to give The Emperor's Knife at least a try - it has potential to grow into a truly epic story with flawed, real characters. Here's hoping for book 2. (less)

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Dec 08, 2011 Tim Lewis added it

Premise: Beyon became emperor of Cerana and after his brothers were killed by the hands of the Emperor’s Knife, an assassin with the lone rights and ability to kill nobles as a part of his holy duty. At least that was what was supposed to have happened. Beyon’s brother Sarmin was secretly spared and locked away in a tower. The problem is that because of his seclusion Sarmin might be going mad and all these machinations are happening by the schemes of those closest to him.

There is a pattern in an...more Premise: Beyon became emperor of Cerana and after his brothers were killed by the hands of the Emperor’s Knife, an assassin with the lone rights and ability to kill nobles as a part of his holy duty. At least that was what was supposed to have happened. Beyon’s brother Sarmin was secretly spared and locked away in a tower. The problem is that because of his seclusion Sarmin might be going mad and all these machinations are happening by the schemes of those closest to him.

There is a pattern in and through everything. In fact, there is a literal pattern of geometric designs being written on people’s skin, on the walls of Sarmin’s tower, and even in nature in the grasses and sands. It is a strange magic that is not natural, and the Pattern Master behind it has sinister intentions. If only anyone could figure out what those intentions are and who is behind the blue and red colored tattoo-like patterning being written on the Cerani people. When someone becomes a Carrier of the pattern, they become sick and die, or they can be controlled to do things against their will, even murder. It is Emperor Beyon’s law that anyone with the pattern be put to death at the hand of Eyul, the Emperor’s Knife, but when it is discovered that the markings have spread to the emperor himself, choices must be made.

A Felting girl, Mesema, of the steppes is being wedded to Sarmin to give an heir to Cerana that Beyon has been unable to give, but she discovers more about the pattern that others have missed. Mesema, Sarmin, Beyon, and Eyul must stand against the Pattern Master, but trusting anyone is a challenge, including each other. There are strange magics in Cerana, along with many competing gods and religions. Even the Emperor’s Knife contains some sort of magic, but is the Emperor’s Knife the man, Eyul, or is it the knife itself that contains the power?

Themes: Loyalties are ever-changing in the Cerani Empire. People have ambitions and bloodlines are important, but even those can’t always be relied upon. Even family relations mean little when it comes to keeping position and standing in the empire, between mother and son, brothers, cousins, and between husbands and wives.

Closely related to loyalty is the inherent politics in an epic fantasy novel between nations and royalty. When forming alliances with surrounding nations there is an exchange of power, both militarily and familial. We find these politics in the foreground, such as in the marriage deal between Mesema’s father and Cerana, and in the background in the motivations of each character.

We also see glimpses of romantic love and brotherly love, and of the intimacy of real relationships with people. People come and go in our lives but certain relationships stay with us for a lifetime, even after those people are long gone. This happens in The Emperor’s Knife in the form of distance and death, and the longing for those loved ones can be felt in every instance.

Pros: There are so many characters in The Emperor’s Knife that are complex and interesting with dark pasts and internal struggles that make them each real and human. I was impressed with the strong female characters in a male-dominated world that were not necessarily feminist but also didn’t come across as weak-willed. I appreciated the use of romantic and sexual relationships done in a subtle and intimate way that didn’t come across as crass or perverted. The matter-of-fact expression of killing and death carried with it a sense of cost and loss that keeps it far away from being gratuitous. The magic systems of both the pattern and the elemental magics are interesting enough to set this book apart from most others right off the bat.

Cons: The depth of the pattern magic system seemed much less than that given of the elemental spirit magic of the mages from the Tower. Perhaps the author is saving more of this for later books, but I wish more explanation was given into the back story of how the pattern works or at least its implications. Is it connected to blood and sacrifice as it seems to imply? This is less of a con than implied since I liked the magic structure even in the amount that was revealed to us. One thing that might be confusing to some American readers is the use of some British English spellings, such as organise, waggon, and colour, but this is something that is easy to read over and forget.

Recommendations: The Emperor’s Knife has a Middle Eastern style to it that is refreshing, with a magic system that is intriguing yet seems so much deeper than the author showed us in this first book. Replete with political intrigue and mystery, The Emperor’s Knife is a story I will remember and that will keep me thinking after the book is closed. By the end of the story I was still wondering who to trust. I only wish I could pick up book two right now and keep reading. This is a strong and daring undertaking of a debut novel from Mazarkis Williams.(less)

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Jul 25, 2012 Bastard rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

http://bastardbooks.blogspot.com/2012...

"Ambitious" is often the word I've seen used to describe Mazarkis Williams' debut novel, The Emperor's Knife . I find myself agreeing with that assessment. It's the first of The Tower and Knife Trilogy, which I recognize to be a fitting describer alluding to multiple aspects of what's found within the pages, and perhaps hints at what's to come.

The Cerani Empire faces its greatest threat, an epidemic spreading through the population that allows an unknown e...more

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Dec 19, 2011 Honour rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: high fantasy, assassins, prince locked in a tower, magicians, mages, court politics

Recommended to Honour by: netgalley

Shelves: reviewed-by-moi

3.9 stars.
The Emperor's Knife is a good book, but it is not a fantastic book. The best thing about this book is how it gives at least four very different characters enough time and sufficient voice to introduce and explain themselves to us. And you need to understand them if you hope to understand the book.
Its strongest point has to be the intricate court politics that keeps the reader on tenterhooks as a coup, many years in planning, is finally carried out.
The Emperor's Knife is Eyul, an assass...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Anne Lyle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

The Emperor’s Knife is one of a flush of Middle-Eastern-inspired fantasies that came out in 2011 – an encouraging trend, since that milieu has been sadly neglected in the genre despite being a rich source of myth and story formerly very popular in the West. The setting is a secondary world rather than the historical Middle East, but with its deserts, grand viziers and palace intrigue it manages to capture an Arabian Nights feel whilst allowing Williams a broader palette for storytelling.

The cent...more The Emperor’s Knife is one of a flush of Middle-Eastern-inspired fantasies that came out in 2011 – an encouraging trend, since that milieu has been sadly neglected in the genre despite being a rich source of myth and story formerly very popular in the West. The setting is a secondary world rather than the historical Middle East, but with its deserts, grand viziers and palace intrigue it manages to capture an Arabian Nights feel whilst allowing Williams a broader palette for storytelling.

The central conceit of the book is the Pattern, a magical analogue of the elaborate pattern of a Persian rug. The Pattern is generally believed to be a disease: once it appears on a victim’s skin (somewhat like a tattoo), the person either dies or becomes a kind of zombie, physically alive but with their old personality gone. However there’s literally much more to the Pattern than meets the eye, and the characters of The Emperor’s Knife became enmeshed in it in ways they never imagined.

Four main characters carry the narrative: Prince Sarmin, who has been kept locked in a tower since childhood as a secret backup in case his brother the emperor fails to produce an heir; Eyul, the emperor’s Knife, i.e. assassin; Tuvaini, the obligatory scheming grand vizier; and Mesema, daughter of a nomad chieftain and intended bride of Sarmin. These four offer very different and often opposing perspectives on events, and the frequent switches between the four helps to keep the story moving along even when not much is happening in an individual’s timeline.

The narrative pace did sag somewhat in the second quarter; it felt like Williams was struggling to fill the time whilst all the pieces moved into position, resulting in several scenes where characters had long conversations that didn’t amount to much. It didn’t help that some of these conversations were almost too realistic, wandering around a topic that neither character wanted to discuss—or even think about—directly, and in one case I was left very confused as to what was actually going on. However once everyone got back to the capital city the pace started to pick up and I read the second half of the book in a couple of days.

Also, whilst the characters were generally interesting and well-developed, I felt that the assassin Eyul lacked something. Maybe it was just a combination of the aforementioned confusing scenes, Eyul’s own repressed personality and my being unwell whilst reading the book, but his emotional arc didn’t quite work for me.

Flaws aside, though, there’s a lot to enjoy in this book. Prince Sarmin is a delightfully gender-reversed Rapunzel, spurred into action by unexpected visits to his lonely tower, and Mesema is the kind of strong female character I love to read about: not a “kickass warrior babe” male fantasy but a resourceful young woman coping admirably with the scary new world she’s been thrown into. Also, the magic of the Pattern is pleasingly organic, woven into the fabric of the world, its mysteries unrolling before the reader like a…(OK, enough with the Persian rug metaphors! Ed.) *ahem*

In summary, if you’re looking for an action-packed fantasy epic you’re going to be disappointed by this book. If on the other hand you enjoy a character-driven tale of political intrigue as subtle and intricate as the Pattern itself, I can strongly recommend it. It’s a solid debut, and I’ll certainly be picking up the next book in the series.(less)

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May 07, 2013 Meera rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

I was surprised by how good this book was! It's a little like "A Game of Thrones" with it's intricate court schemes, but with a lot more magic. I particularly like the pattern magic, but I hope the elemental side will be developed in the next book.

The characters were solid and well developed. There were a few plot points that didn't seem quite right, but considering this is Williams' debut novel it's not so surprising and I expect his/her writing will mature.

Although this is the first in the t...more

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Mar 10, 2013 Cindy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Actual rating: 3,5 stars

I'm all for shaking up the usual Fantasy setting and Williams has done a wonderful job accomplishing just this. We enter a Middle Eastern scenery with the matching silk robes and exotic weather and buildings, while being introduced to the rather harsh culture of the Cerani Empire. (They ride camels! I was so used to reading about characters riding horses it didn't sink in at first. Off course they're riding camels in the desert, that's kind of logical, but it was still a...more Actual rating: 3,5 stars

I'm all for shaking up the usual Fantasy setting and Williams has done a wonderful job accomplishing just this. We enter a Middle Eastern scenery with the matching silk robes and exotic weather and buildings, while being introduced to the rather harsh culture of the Cerani Empire. (They ride camels! I was so used to reading about characters riding horses it didn't sink in at first. Off course they're riding camels in the desert, that's kind of logical, but it was still a nice "ha!" moment for me.)

Political intrigue is a central theme in "The Emperor's Knife", but interweaved is the imaginative plot of a disease threatening to overwhelm the people of the Cerani Empire. And it's not just any disease, but a blue/red Pattern of circles, crescent moons, triangles, diamonds, ... that slowly spreads over the body and when complete, kills you or makes you a puppet doing the bidding of the Pattern Master. Big thumbs up for this original idea, the mystery about the Pattern and it's Master got me hooked right away.

I'm a big fan of Williams' writing! There are lots of writers that can write fairly good, but don't give me that extra, special feeling. Mazarkis Williams is definitely in the group of authors that can write beautifully. I love the way she describes everything and how she can make her character's thoughts sound so philosophical and put so much meaning in them.

Although I enjoyed the story, I didn't get a "wow" feeling while reading it. There's definitely room for improvement and some growing. I can't really pinpoint a real problem, but I missed some sort of connection with the story, it could have used more depth on some occasions. I'm really frustrated I can't put a definite 'why' on the problem, I want to give the author an explanation if a make a remark about their book.
At times the story confused me a bit, everything happening at a rather fast-moving pace, which is where I missed the depth sometimes, this especially in the second halve of the book. Williams did succeed in surprising me about certain decisions the characters had to make (Eyul and Amalya) and I would have liked more of these shock moments in the second halve.
The ending was good, but not as explosive as I'd hoped it would be. I kind off already guessed who the Pattern Master was (but not why he did it). But still, I'm curious about the rest of Sarmin and Mesema's story.

I'm starting the second book, Knife Sworn, in a few minutes and I'm really hoping I can find what's missing in the first one in there.
(less)

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May 09, 2013 Brandon Zarzyczny rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book, but I think that my biggest problem with it was that I didn't really like any of the characters. The setting also lessened my enjoyment of the book a bit (just personal preference), but at the same time I enjoyed how different the middle-eastern style of the world was. There isn't too much world building in this book, and the magic system is never explained or developed as much as I would have liked. It's really just some sort of symbiotic relationship with a demon (or somet...more

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Dec 09, 2011 rameau rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Recommended for: Insomniacs. No, really.

Recommended to rameau by: NetGalley

Shelves: arc-galley, fantasy, read-in-2011

The cover is pretty, isn't it. It makes you think of assassins who live in a mountain empire and in castles covered in mist. It makes you think about creeping in the night and on empty streets. It makes you think of all the things an assassin or an Emperor might use his power for. Oh, that's just me?

Let's look at the blurb instead.

It looks... lengthy. Just a tad too long to really read though before picking up the pretty cover and removing the money from your purse to the retailer's, to publis...more

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Mar 04, 2013 Katy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Katy by: Netgalley

Shelves: ebook, net-galley, galley-for-review

Please note: I read and reviewed this book in December, 2011 from a copy I received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Just adding that disclosure and formatting.

My Synopsis: The Empire, with its capital in the city of Nooria, is the strongest power around. Beyon, the emperor, was brought to power one blood-soaked night when, after the death of his father, all his brothers were killed in order to prevent any problems with the dynasty. Well, all but one – Sarmin was kept alive, as a...more

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Dec 17, 2011 Marc Aplin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Never judge a book by it’s cover… that’s the rule, right? Kinda broke it on this occasion. Yes, I know, I am a respected(?) reviewer of Fantasy literature and shouldn’t let such things draw me any longer… but damned, this is a beautiful, beautiful book. Yes, there is that now very, very common hooded man on the cover, but also, there is a beautiful city in the distance and these two are washed over with a kind of midnight blue. Most impressively, there are some beautiful, almost tribal type patt...more

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Nov 17, 2011 Shaheen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley

Read the full review here.

This is a wonderfully woven tale that centres on the politics in the Emperor's court. The story is told from the view of four major characters: Prince Sarmin, who has been imprisoned all his life as insurance in case his brother, Emperor Beyon, leaves no heir; Mesema, a plains-woman from the north and Sarmin's intended bride; Tuvaini, the High Vizier, and Eyul, the titular Emperor's Knife (the royal assassin). These four characters are very well written and drive the st...more Read the full review here.

This is a wonderfully woven tale that centres on the politics in the Emperor's court. The story is told from the view of four major characters: Prince Sarmin, who has been imprisoned all his life as insurance in case his brother, Emperor Beyon, leaves no heir; Mesema, a plains-woman from the north and Sarmin's intended bride; Tuvaini, the High Vizier, and Eyul, the titular Emperor's Knife (the royal assassin). These four characters are very well written and drive the story superbly. In particular, Tuvaini and Eyul are conflicted men with ambiguous morality, and this makes them the most interesting characters. In contrast, Sarmin and Mesema are genuinely good people who struggle to keep abreast of court intrigue, but are powerful in their own ways.

At less than 400 pages this novel is short for a fantasy novel of such large scope. It is heavily driven by its characters and was enjoyable to read. However, I feel that many important aspects have been left out for the sake of brevity - and the reading experience would have been much more enjoyable if more time was taken to explain a few aspects. The system of magic - the Pattern - is unexplained throughout the whole novel. The wielder is himself the conduit through which magic enters the world, but the manipulation of the Pattern is not explained, and it is unclear why the Pattern is such a bad thing after all. It requires blood sacrifice of some kind, but it seems the Pattern Master controls who dies - and thus the evil is not the magic itself but the wielder. And yet those affected by the Pattern are killed by law because they can be used by the Pattern Master - an unknown man who controls the Empire through obscure magic.

All of the intimate encounters in the book came across as very rushed and somewhat lacking in emotion. For example, Eyul discusses treason against the Emperor with the young mage he is travelling with (and is attracted to), when they are suddenly overcome with passion. Immediately afterwards, however, the pair continue their discussion of treason as though nothing occurred. Mesema's experiences are similarly disjointed; she admits she loves her fellow plains-man Banreh and has feelings towards Sarmin but feels intimidated by Beyon. And yet when he makes advances towards her she willingly accepts and loses her virginity to the Emperor. For a novel which is driven by its characters, I found the intimacy between characters was not in keeping with their natures, and feel that if the scenes were cut down in the editing process, then the novel would have been better them. (less)

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Jan 06, 2013 Nick Brett rated it 1 of 5 stars

New author and new publisher, I really wanted to enjoy this but sadly failed to.

I bought this on it's release and since then have picked it up many times before putting it down and reading something else and I only finished it this Christmas through determined effort and insufficient pleasure.

It is a fantasy with deep and complex politics, against a consuming evil known as the 'pattern' - princes locked in towers, visions and infanticide. The Emperor's Knife is an assassin who takes blood on beh...more

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Dec 07, 2012 Lucinda rated it 5 of 5 stars

This remarkable, extraordinary fantastical masterpiece will have you glued to the page as you loose yourself within a magical world…

This has to be one of the best and most outstanding debut novels I have ever encountered, and which has totally blown me away hence I am finding it hard to express my feelings with just mere words. Mazarkis Williams is the most spectacular author whose accomplished writing style, combined with inspired creativity and flair is just exceptional and whose work has real...more This remarkable, extraordinary fantastical masterpiece will have you glued to the page as you loose yourself within a magical world…

This has to be one of the best and most outstanding debut novels I have ever encountered, and which has totally blown me away hence I am finding it hard to express my feelings with just mere words. Mazarkis Williams is the most spectacular author whose accomplished writing style, combined with inspired creativity and flair is just exceptional and whose work has really touched my heat; as an devoted reader to the fantasy genre. The cunning and clever plot that twists and turns to keep you guessing throughout until the very end is truly original, and which sends chills down your spine as you become lost within a tale that is so complex and surprisingly so wonderful. This beautiful book has the most beautiful, exquisite and striking covers I have ever seen and which really does in essence bring fantasy to life! Even the back cover image is so mysterious and mystical that it made me gasp the first time that I clapped eyes on it; just mesmerizing.

Book one of the ‘tower and knife’ trilogy begins in the Cerani Empire where a deadly plague is attacking all citizens both young and old, which marks its victims with a fragment of a greater pattern. All those who are marked with this pattern are sentenced to death, under the laws of Emperor Beyon. The Emperor sickens and his brother, Sarmin, the once forgotten Prince is remembered. Sarmin’s mother has chosen him a bride; a chieftain’s daughter from the Northern plains, and he waits for her in the shadows of the Emperor’s sick bed. One then encounters Mesema who is a windreader and a being who roams freely across these lands, until that is when she comes into conflict with the Imperial Court whose protocols and strict ruling is greatly disliked. Eyul is burdened with his troubles and his tiresome service to the throne, hence he serves the Emperor by bearing his Knife and seeking out a cure to these strange markings that have brought death on his people….As violence and conflict reigns supreme and the King’s task (for the Emperor) begins, there are only 3 individuals who stand in the way of this deadly enemy; a lost prince, a world-weary killer and a young girl from the steppes…whom once saw a path through the pattern.

This complex web and labyrinth of interconnecting threads leading to different, interesting characters is a real treat and one that makes this ambitious work just exceptional! Full of personality and originality this new work is totally unique within its genre, and which gave me Goosebumps for I am so excited about this author!! A brilliant tale of magic and mystery that is the first installment in an epic new series…I cannot wait to now read book 2 ‘Knife-sworn’ and delve back into Mazarkis Williams tremendous, phenomenal world. If I could rate this MORE than 5 stars I definitely would for it was such an intensely gripping, absorbing and exciting read that is something I urge you to discover too!!

AMAZING & will leave you lightheaded and totally spellbound!!!

*I would like to take this opportunity of thanking Nathan Washor for hosting a giveaway of ‘The Emperor’s Knife’ on his book blog…http://zcreed.com. I concider myself to have been extremely privileged and so lucky to have won a copy of this amazing book.*

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Nov 23, 2012 Emmanuel rated it 4 of 5 stars

A magic of Many.
A review of “The Emperor’s Knife” by Mazarkis Williams.

When discussing fantasy with a thorough reader it is hard to come up with an element or idea he has not already read in some other book. This is why, in general; the ability of writers to come up with innovative ways of delivering these ideas keeps marveling me. I’m not implying “The Emperor’s Knife” is not a thing of novelty. What I’m saying is that the struggle to protect the realm from the menace of a hidden enemy has been...more A magic of Many.
A review of “The Emperor’s Knife” by Mazarkis Williams.

When discussing fantasy with a thorough reader it is hard to come up with an element or idea he has not already read in some other book. This is why, in general; the ability of writers to come up with innovative ways of delivering these ideas keeps marveling me. I’m not implying “The Emperor’s Knife” is not a thing of novelty. What I’m saying is that the struggle to protect the realm from the menace of a hidden enemy has been brought to life in a new way throughout the pages of this book.

“The Emperor’s Knife” is a book of magic and yet magic is not its main focus. It is a book of politics, of schemes and hidden players and yet, it is much more. “The Emperor’s Knife” is a tapestry made of the hopes and fears of its many characters, characters shackled by their power, by their duty, by their greed, by their fears and the fears they inspire. And a unique as they are, these all too real characters are naught more than lines and shapes in the greater pattern of their enemy.

Reading this book put me in mind of those people who make shapes out of string, and you never know what shape will be revealed until that last tug of the string is made. I like to consider myself an experienced reader and being able to predict how things will end. But on many occasions the answers that were being hinted at were those I had not had the questions for.

One other interesting thing about the story is the detail poured into each character to such extent that I could not point one over the others as being the main character. This does not mean there is not someone to root for, or to relate to. Be it the old assassin weighed down by age as much as he is tormented by the things he was made to do; be it the young bride traded as a currency on the scales of statehood or the Emperor and his brother, both lonely and isolated. One by the power he wields, the other by fear of the powers he might one day command.

All in all, there is no reason not to read this book and a lot of reasons to read it. The plot is a marvel of complexity but from what the prologue of the next volume lets us glimpse of following events, it may well not be the apex of the serie.(less)

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Aug 21, 2012 Tia rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: never-finished, weird

Giving this book two stars was a mercy kill. No joke and the only reason I even gave it an extra starwas because Williams writing was phenomenal-at times. But man. Did I really find this in the YA section? Not only was the sex scenes strange, but I kept wondering why they all were placed in the book in the first place. One, possibly two were needed to make the story but some others were just overkill and gross. Also, it took me FOREVER to read. Over a week. I'm a marathon reader. I will stay up...more Giving this book two stars was a mercy kill. No joke and the only reason I even gave it an extra starwas because Williams writing was phenomenal-at times. But man. Did I really find this in the YA section? Not only was the sex scenes strange, but I kept wondering why they all were placed in the book in the first place. One, possibly two were needed to make the story but some others were just overkill and gross. Also, it took me FOREVER to read. Over a week. I'm a marathon reader. I will stay up till 3 am to finish a book I love. But The Emperor's Knife just did not hold my attention. I was committed to finishing it though. No matter the cost (the ten cents fine from the Library was a big motivator). Then I got to the end of Chapter Forty and I just stopped. I was disgusted. It made me so angry, I didn't even care that I was only 16 pages away from the end (which I did skim). (view spoiler)
But for all that, I still have to say that I was enthralled at times by Williams writing and even though I found some of it to be too complex for my little peon brain at times. But I can honestly say that at times, his attention to detail was the only thing I loved about the book.(less)

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Jul 15, 2012 Clay rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sf-fantasy

The formula is pretty constant: Volume I sets the stage, and ends in crisis; Volume II takes us further along the path but with no resolution; and the final book settles all scores, sometimes in fewer than 10 pages.

There’s a reason for the formula, of course – it’s effective. Readers enjoy the longer form because not only does it develop the characters in more depth than a single novel, it also allows the necessary world-building (either in sci/fi or fantasy) to be fleshed out.

That said, the for...more

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Jun 25, 2012 A.E. Marling added it

If you love NK Jemisin's innovative prose, you may enjoy the way Mazarkis Williams paints with words. At times, the reader is given an impression of what is happening, a flavor, a flash of color, rather than told with commonplace sentences.

I think the cover of the Emperor's Knife might cause false expectations. Yes, the story includes an intriguing assassin who is servant to the empire, but he is but one of four viewpoint characters, who receive more or less equal time. The other is a prince hel...more

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May 24, 2012 lafon حمزة نوفل rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Nobody

I feel cheated. The Emperor's Knife rambled along, including lots of sex (that somehow managed to not sound like they were having sex; quite an accomplishment I can tell you), something about a pattern magic, or some sort of astral projection type thing going on. As you can probably tell Williams had me thoroughly confused throughout the entire story, except on the most major of points. The one who was responsible for it all. Honestly this is one of the most boring books I have ever read. Also f...more

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Jan 05, 2012 Annette Gisby rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fantasy fans

Shelves: fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Fantasy is one of my favourite genres, as our groaning bookshelves can testify. I even like all the archetypes, tales that tell the same story just in a slightly different manner. That's not to say I don't fantasy books that are different, I like those too. Sometimes it can be difficult to find original fantasy, but with The Emperor's Knife that isn't a problem. I love the Emperor's Knife as a title, such a good one for a royal assassin!

Our fantasy tale takes us to a land that I think has more o...more Fantasy is one of my favourite genres, as our groaning bookshelves can testify. I even like all the archetypes, tales that tell the same story just in a slightly different manner. That's not to say I don't fantasy books that are different, I like those too. Sometimes it can be difficult to find original fantasy, but with The Emperor's Knife that isn't a problem. I love the Emperor's Knife as a title, such a good one for a royal assassin!

Our fantasy tale takes us to a land that I think has more of an Eastern flavour, rather than the usual western Europe, medieval-type feel. The book has four main point of views, Prince Sarmin, locked up as a child and kept as security in case the emperor has no heirs who is slowly going mad from his incarceration. Mesema a young girl from the grasslands being brought to the city for an arranged marriage with Prince Sarmin; Tuvaini, the emperor's advisor and Eyul, the titular character - the royal assassin.

There is a plague spreading through the empire, one that covers its victims in strange geometric patterns and no one is immune - not even the emperor. When the marks start appearing, the young emperor Beyon, has all of his body slaves killed and hopes no one will notice. Those not killed outright by the disease, become Carriers, their wills not their own but that of the pattern master who uses them as weapons. The law means death to any who carry the marks, but what to do with the man who made those laws and now bears the marks?

This was a wonderful epic tale that sweeps you up and keeps you turning page after page to see what happens. The world building is very good, you see the different landscapes, customs and different religions of the different tribes and peoples, they are not all the same and the differences make for interesting reading. The book has a bit of everything, romance, treachery, betrayal, political intrigue.

The characters are well-drawn and complex with their own desires and cares, no cardboard cut-outs here. Each has their own ideas and their own role within the world and when a chapter is from a particular character's point of view, you know it is that character, those chapters have their own individual voice (even though the book is told from a third person narrative).

A fascinating tale from start to finish.

Annette Gisby

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May 07, 2013 Ashley Marie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: into-the-wild-blue, fantasy

Meh.

The Good: Such a cool premise. There's a plague that writes patterns on the skin of victims, who eventually die or become pseudo-zombie "Carriers."

The Bad: What a god-damn mess of a plot. Stuff just happened, with no real build up of tension, or really any rhyme or reason for why stuff was happening.

The Ugly: Mazarkis Williams couldn't write an interesting female character if I did it for him. He lost me at the description of the Felting women putting padding on their butts...for no apparent...more

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Jan 04, 2012 Simon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Now, I've always believed that assassins in a fantasy setting goes really well together if done correctly. Besides, who doesn't love reading about deadly and silent killers of the night? I remembered when I first saw the Night Angel trilogy by Brent Weeks. I saw the cover and immediately purchased the first book. It has been one of the best fantasy series I've read to date about assassins. With The Emperor's Knife, I've tried to duplicate that success. Well, I've failed. More correctly, the book...more Now, I've always believed that assassins in a fantasy setting goes really well together if done correctly. Besides, who doesn't love reading about deadly and silent killers of the night? I remembered when I first saw the Night Angel trilogy by Brent Weeks. I saw the cover and immediately purchased the first book. It has been one of the best fantasy series I've read to date about assassins. With The Emperor's Knife, I've tried to duplicate that success. Well, I've failed. More correctly, the book has failed me instead. The cover sure does look enticing doesn't it? Well, that's pretty much all the book has going for it.

The excerpt sounds interesting, am I right? But as you read the book, that "cancer" hardly seems all that it cracks up to be. While it's true that no one would want to get marked by the pattern, the author just doesn't do that good of a job throughout the book portraying the doom and gloom of that fact. To sum up things quite nicely, the book is about a prince who is locked in a tower while his brother emperor sits on the throne a marked man. A person conspires against the emperor to remove him from his throne and a whole chain of events follow one another all in the while some are trying to figure out what the pattern means. Again, everything sounds pretty interesting on paper but reading the story is a different thing. The world itself in The Emperor's Knife is seriously lacking from my viewpoint. The author does go over details about individual places very well, for example, the interior of the castles and whatnot. Overall though, you just don't really get a sense that here in the palace, the center of an entire kingdom ruled by the emperor, is a kingdom at all! What I'm trying to say is that the only people that seems to exists in the story are the main characters themselves. There is no grand feeling of an open market place bustling with merchants and whatnot. There is hardly any mention about how the actual people's lives are throughout the kingdom.

What the author does do well for the most part is developing individual characters. What he doesn't do well is developing character relationships with one another in the story. Certain times, characters do not even spend enough time with one another in the story to build a relationship of any kind. For example, Eyul, Tuvaini and Beyon hardly see each other in the story yet you're suppose to believe that everyone hates one another. Things just don't gel together. Another example is between Sarmin, Masema and Grada. Throughout the book, they never meet one another. Then when they finally do, it seems as if they were long lost lovers finally reunited. It just doesn't make sense and in a way seems very cheesy and cheap.

Action wise, it's pretty much non-existent save for a couple of fights between Eyul and a couple of Carriers. I was disappointed in this purely because I thought the book had more to do with assassins. I mean, did you see that cover? Instead we get to read about Eyul, the emperor's "knife-sworn", reminiscing about his old assassin days. So if you were also expecting to pick up this book hoping to read about assassins slitting people's throats in alleyways and whatnot, you'll be sorely disappointed. Seeing how the assassin part disappointed me, I got a little bit of excitement when I found out that mages were involved. Particularly, mages who can possess a certain elemental power within them (earth, wind, fire, water). Well, that excitement was very short lived again because mages takes a back seat throughout the story.

All in all, I really can't see myself recommending The Emperor's Knife. There were some interesting parts, particularly in the beginning, but then as I read on, things got boring and fast at that. And no, I'm not an immature fantasy reader who only revels in books that talks about sword fighting and killing. The characters spend way too much time traveling and to make things worst, they travel in the desert where nothing surrounds them! Hardly what you would call exciting. I do see potential in the author, however. His writing abilities is actually pretty good. It's just that he needs to learn how to make things more interesting. Also, he needs to learn how to build and shape a world for his characters. There is a lot of talk about emperors ruling kingdoms by doing this and that but you don't have any idea how that world actually looks and behaves like because it's completely dead and non-existent.(less)

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Mar 07, 2013 Matt Brady rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a nice surprise, in some ways, and a bit of a drag in others. I’ve found that I’m a lot less tolerant of fantasy as I get older. I’ve lost my patience for it, and I’m often quicker to give up on a fantasy novel than I am with any other type of story. I feel like there’s a laziness in many fantasy novels, a kind of short-hand that authors will rely upon rather than doing the actual work. Too many well-worn tropes, bland characters, silly made-up names, generic stereotypes and lazy worldb...more This was a nice surprise, in some ways, and a bit of a drag in others. I’ve found that I’m a lot less tolerant of fantasy as I get older. I’ve lost my patience for it, and I’m often quicker to give up on a fantasy novel than I am with any other type of story. I feel like there’s a laziness in many fantasy novels, a kind of short-hand that authors will rely upon rather than doing the actual work. Too many well-worn tropes, bland characters, silly made-up names, generic stereotypes and lazy worldbuilding. It’s not that I need a fantasy writer to be breaking conventions and subverting clichés, but I do look for someone who has used their imagination and put real thought and effort into this made-up world. Someone who pays attention to broader things, like characterisation, but also doesn’t lose sight of those little details, those tiny little flourishes that, when strung together, can really bring the story to life. Most of all, when I read a fantasy novel these days, I want a writer that has a clear vision for their story, and the skill to tell it. Mazarkis Williams definitely has the former, but falters a bit with the latter.

The Emperor’s Knife starts with a lot of promise. There’s well drawn (if not terribly original) characters, an engaging premise, and a Middle Eastern inspired setting that feels more authentic than I’ve seen in other recent works. An Empire in peril, an ageing and remorseful assassin, a scheming vizier – there’s nothing particularly original there, but it’s told well, and most of the characters are more interesting that the stereotypical roles they seem to fill at first glance. As I worked my way through the first third of the story, I was actually getting excited... and then the problems started.

As the story becomes larger, and more characters are added, the writing becomes inconsistent. Sometimes the prose flows well, simple and straight-forward with a few nice flourishes, very readable, but at other times there is a lack of clarity, especially in the problematic middle part of the book, which was often muddled and confusing. Pacing is another problem, and as a result the various storylines don’t really weave together neatly in the climax as they should, but instead sort of crash together. It felt like Williams was struggling to tie everything together and keep the story moving forward, and as a result, the sudden epiphanies and realisations that some characters have in the second half of the book feel a little clumsy and unearned, while some key plot developments are rather rushed.

Despite those problems, I did enjoy parts of the book, and I think Mazarkis Williams has potential. He’s trying to do something a little different, and has an interesting take, and that’s enough to earn the book an extra star from me.
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Nov 02, 2011 Serena rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Both the blurb and the cover got me hooked, and I read The Emperor's Knife as soon as it came out. Mazarkis Williams had created a world full of intrigue and danger, full of potential to make the book a hit. However, the plot and the characters ruined it. The Emperor's Knife alternated between different point of views, which I really liked since it gave me some insight into the story. The religion angle is intriguing as well, with the concept of God and gods.

Sadly, the characters didn't quite l...more

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Jun 16, 2012 Leah Petersen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This one's hard to judge for me. On the one hand, I couldn't put it down and know I'll buy the next one. At the same time, over and over again the character's actions felt forced, too fast. Not that anyone ever acted in a way I didn't think was plausible...eventually. But the change of heart, the bold, brave decision, the sacrifice, whatever usually happened without enough set up. All of a sudden the decision was made without any debate or struggle. It was very frustrating, especially because th...more

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Apr 25, 2013 JJ DeBenedictis rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a well-written book with interesting characters and a refreshingly nothing-like-Tolkien world.

The story is set in the palaces of a desert empire, and it centres around an unhappy emperor, his half-mad brother, the brother's intended bride, an ethical assassin and an unethical vizier. Throw in a little magic, a little lust, and a lot of people jockeying for more power than they have, and you wind up with a satisfying story of political intrigue and how it can warp a family.

I enjoyed all...more

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Dec 27, 2012 Nick rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: meh

Overall: It's a good, mostly fun read. I'll be putting the second book on my "To Read" list. But it's not a must read.

Story: This was the strongest part of the book and what kept me turning the pages. I was always interested in seeing what happened next. There was good pacing with very few dull moments.

Characters: The characters and their development were all weak. I could feel the attempt at developing the characters, but it fell short. I felt like I was jumped into each of their story lines a...more

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Apr 01, 2013 MMOGC rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, magic

If there's one thing I can be certain of about my taste in books, it is that I can never resist a tale of dark fantasy -- especially one involving magic, assassins, and court politics. That Mazarkis Williams does it all in such a unique way is an extra added bonus.

It's going to be a little tough to describe this book without revealing too much, but here are the basics: across the Cerani Empire, a disease is spreading throughout the populace, manifesting as geometric forms and lines that spread a...more If there's one thing I can be certain of about my taste in books, it is that I can never resist a tale of dark fantasy -- especially one involving magic, assassins, and court politics. That Mazarkis Williams does it all in such a unique way is an extra added bonus.

It's going to be a little tough to describe this book without revealing too much, but here are the basics: across the Cerani Empire, a disease is spreading throughout the populace, manifesting as geometric forms and lines that spread across the skin. The afflicted quickly worsen and lose control, becoming part of an overall "pattern" and losing themselves to will of the "Pattern Master". All those marked are believed doomed and put to death, so you can imagine the resulting freak-out when it is rumored that Emperor Beyon himself has begun exhibiting the tell-tale marks.

Only a few people at court know the truth about Beyon being marked by the pattern, amongst them the Emperor Mother Nessaket, the crafty vizier Tuvaini, and the royal assassin Eyul. Of course, the question is, are these Beyon's loyal subjects there to help him, or might they actually be harboring their own ideas on just who should take the throne?

Also, one would definitely not want to be a younger male child in this particular royal family. Following tradition, Beyon's brothers were all killed the day their father died and he took the throne; that is, all except Prince Sarmin, who was kept locked up in a tower as a secret backup -- just in case. One of the many schemes set in motion in this book involves the arranged marriage of the secret lost prince to a daughter of a Felt chieftain, a young Windreader seer named Mesema. Thus this intricate tale of court intrigue is woven together through the eyes of all these characters.

And out of all of those characters, I think I have to say I enjoyed Mesema's narrative the best. On the surface, a story about a young girl being packed off to a foreign land to marry a total stranger is nothing new, but while many other reviewers have found her characterization to be on the weaker side, I actually felt most connected to her. It was a curious development, considering the male-dominated cast, but quite honestly, a very clear personality profile of Mesema emerged for me in her dialogue and interactions, whereas I felt all the other characters felt bland in comparison, almost like they were missing something.

A similar sensation arose when I though about my feelings about the book overall. The Emperor's Knife features some gorgeous writing and superb storytelling, but once again, a part of me just wanted a little more. More action, perhaps? More excitement, more emotion, more "edge"? I know I hit upon several dry spots in the book which lost me briefly, and part of the reason for this is the frequent jumping around of points-of-view and scene changes. Rather than keeping me on my toes, my focus was instead hindered by the confusion of always trying to figure out where I was and who I was following. I'm happy to say the book finally finds its groove in its last quarter, though; from then on, the momentum was like one of an unstoppable freight train gloriously hurtling me all the way to the end.

The book's world, too, is something I want to talk about. I already mentioned that the writing was gorgeous, and this is immediately clear from the way the author can bring beauty to what is otherwise a barren desert setting. There is one particular scene involving flowers in bloom and their sweet perfume amongst the sandy dunes that I know I will always remember. The skill with which the descriptions are handled are such that I have no problems envisioning it all in my mind.

As it also turns out, one of the most impressive things about this book are its magic systems, something I did not expect at all when I first picked this up. Recently, fantasy authors have been coming up with all kinds of incredible stuff, and the "pattern concept" in The Emperor's Knife is probably one of the more unique ones I've read about in the last few years. First of all, the pattern disease itself has a sort of magical basis behind it, but there are also these mages in this book that harness their powers by sucking that energy from elemental spirits that they "imprison" within them. And it is most definitely not a symbiotic relationship, I can tell you that.

Over all, despite some issues with pacing, this was a wonderful fantasy debut from Mazarkis Williams.

Check out this review and more like it at The BiblioSanctum.(less)

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Jan 02, 2013 PhoenixFantasy rated it 1 of 5 stars

I’ve got a feeling this one is a bit of a Marmite situation. You’re either going to love it, or hate it. From the blurb, The Emperor’s Knife sounds amazing, and it should’ve been 100% my cup of tea, but in all honesty I really struggled to finish it. It felt similar to Brett’s The Desert Spear in terms of backdrop, and with that Middle Eastern style it felt much fresher than the vast majority of the ‘hooded figure on the cover’ end of the genre. Add to this the concept of the mysterious disease...more

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The Emperor's Knife (Tower and Knife Trilogy #1)

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