Series: Dandelion Dynasty ("Grace of Kings")

[SFFBC, Ancillary Mod]

Series thread for the Dandelion Dynasty:


The Grace of Kings >> First impressions | Final thoughts
The Wall of Storms
The Veiled Throne
Speaking Bones


Please use spoiler tags and tell us which book and chapter/page/% you're discussing. Feel free to chat about the first book in this thread, but also check out the spoiler thread (Final thoughts) after you've finished, to see if there's anything you'd like to add there :)


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[Sarah, The Unsettled]

Buddy read for The Dandelion Dynasty starting with The Grace of Kings on Feb 19th!

I’ll be starting on the 19th, but if anyone else has already started please feel free to come share thoughts as you go!

[Cheryl L]

I was really in the mood for fantasy and Thistlefoot hadn't come in yet so I started The Grace of Kings. I'm about halfway through (Ch28) and am not finding it to be a page-turner.

There are so many character threads going at one time that it's hard to get attached to any of the characters. I do like Kuni and Jia very much though.

(view spoiler)[ Surprising no one, I'm irritated by the lack of female characters. Jia is great but is relegated to staying at home with the kids and falls into the tired trope of being wholly fulfilled with being a mom. I thought we were going to get to enjoy Kikomi's role for the rest of the book. When Liu kills her off, I may have groaned audibly and resisted the temptation to throw the book. Why is it so hard for male fantasy authors to write women with agency??

Also, the fantasy seems kind of thin in this book. We have an occasional chat among the gods but I'm looking for some magic and mythical creatures. (hide spoiler)]

[Sarah, The Unsettled]

Just a heads up- I am going to start today I think. Im working my way through a collection of short stories but don’t want to start another novel before this.

[Sarah, The Unsettled]

Cheryl L wrote: "I was really in the mood for fantasy and Thistlefoot hadn't come in yet so I started The Grace of Kings. I'm about halfway through (Ch28) and am not finding it to be a page-turner. ..."

I didn’t click the spoiler yet, but I had sort of prepared myself for the possibility that this one was going to be slower. As I understand it most readers are in agreement that the first book is the weakest but the subsequent books are very good. Luckily it also looks like the shortest (ha).

Hope it picks up a bit for you in the second half!

[WTEK]

I have to say that I tried to get into this book, but after 100 pages it just wasn't doing it for me. Since some of it was the writing style, and some it because I didn't really like anyone except maybe Kuni (and 60 of those 100 pages didn't even have him in it) I decided to dnf this. At least for now.

[Sarah, The Unsettled]

WTEK wrote: "I have to say that I tried to get into this book, but after 100 pages it just wasn't doing it for me. Since some of it was the writing style, and some it because I didn't really like anyone except ..."

Thats fair! Thanks for chiming in anyway.

I only read the first chapter so far but I really loved it. It painted such a vivid picture and I also liked Kuni’s character and his friend Rin. I thought their dynamic was fun.

I have read Liu before though (his collection of stories called The Hidden Girl), and I do like his writing, so maybe that’s helping?

[Beth]

I started yesterday! I agree, it's definitely a slower book but that can be good sometimes. I'm really enjoying the Chinese influence - makes a nice change from generic medieval Europe - and I'm excited to see where this goes.

The exposition is maybe a little heavy at the moment but I'm guessing that's because there's a lot of introduction needed to what I can tell is a very detailed world.

Also loving the fact that the map isn't north-orientated. I dunno, it's just a fun little difference.

[Sarah, The Unsettled]

Beth wrote: "I started yesterday! I agree, it's definitely a slower book but that can be good sometimes. I'm really enjoying the Chinese influence - makes a nice change from generic medieval Europe - and I'm ex..."

Glad you could join! I agree I’m also finding the Chinese influence refreshing. I love the (minor world building spoilers) (view spoiler)[ descriptions of the airships with the silk and the oars. (hide spoiler)]


I am through page 92 (Chapter 6)? (Plot points!) (view spoiler)[That escalated quickly! We went from newly crowned emperor to emperor betrayed and dead, to these advisors murdering the heir and usurping the power from the youngest. And now we have these two new people raising a rebellion…. All in less than 100 pages! (hide spoiler)]

Overall I’m really enjoying it. I don’t really mind that the chapters are fed in almost vignettes? But I can see why that wouldn’t be for everyone.

I would be farther but I’ve been distracted by an injured dog. Worrying about keeping him still and making sure he’s comfortable and getting water etc.

Taking him to the vet tomorrow so we can hopefully get him on the road to recovery and I can focus more on reading.

[Bonnie]

Beth wrote: "Also loving the fact that the map isn't north-orientated. I dunno, it's just a fun little difference.

There is a northern-oriented one available on the author's website:



(Hope your dog is doing OK, Sarah)

[Cheryl L]

Oh boy, I'm halfway through The Grace of Kings, and it is going to be a chore to finish it. I'm incredibly bored. I continue to like Kuni and Jia but am turned off by the roles of the two (!!!!) female characters. (I swear, it feels like there are about 200 male characters.) I feel like the bulk of the book is a bunch of dudes running around the islands doing war stuff here and there. Yawn ...

[Cheryl L]

Oh boy, I'm halfway through The Grace of Kings, and it is going to be a chore to finish it. I'm incredibly bored. I continue to like Kuni and Jia but am turned off by the roles of the two (!!!!) female characters. (I swear, it feels like there are about 200 male characters.) I feel like the bulk of the book is a bunch of dudes running around the islands doing war stuff here and there. Yawn ...

[Sarah, The Unsettled]

Bonnie wrote: "Beth wrote: "Also loving the fact that the map isn't north-orientated. I dunno, it's just a fun little difference.

There is a northern-oriented one available on the author's website:



(Hope your..."


Thank you Bonnie! That’s so kind. He tore a ligament. I guess it’s not one that heals easily. So pain meds for the next couple weeks and we’ll see where that gets us.

[Sarah, The Unsettled]

Cheryl L wrote: "Oh boy, I'm halfway through The Grace of Kings, and it is going to be a chore to finish it. I'm incredibly bored. I continue to like Kuni and Jia but am turned off by the roles of the two (!!!!) fe..."

If you need to DNF, no judgement on my part.

I am aware that I do kind of like this sort of fantasy/story once in awhile. The Last Kingdom series comes to mind. I don’t know if this is quite as “fun” as that or if there are sooo few female characters, but I kinda like all the war and battles sometimes and it’s been awhile since I’ve read one.

[Beth]

@ Bonnie - Ah cool, thank you! It's interesting how it makes it look very different, even though I could turn my head sideways and it would be the same map. Maybe that's just me... 😅

@ Sarah - Yes, the worldbuilding is fantastic! And it's surprising how fast everything moves, even though the book as a whole feels slow-paced. Maybe because there aren't really "action scenes" in the way that some authors write them? (I hope your dog gets better quickly, I'm sure you're taking good care of him ♥)

I'm about 18 chapters in now. Just had the thing a couple of chapters back with (view spoiler)[Jizu surrendering the city then setting himself on fire and ohhh man that got to me (hide spoiler)].

Mata's character design is super cool and Kuni is exactly the sort of protagonist I love reading about in fantasy. I kinda know what you mean, Cheryl, about it being a bit man-heavy. I'm choosing to believe it's like a lot of history in that women were there doing super important things and just not being written about!

It's an unusual style for a novel. I was talking to my husband (who is a bit of a history nut) and we realised it's written almost like more of a dramatisation of a historical chronicle than a standard novel. I think once I settled into viewing it like that, I started getting a lot more comfortable with it.

I understand the later books in the series smooth that out and become a bit more "normal" so I'm really looking forward to seeing that transition.

[Bonnie]

Beth wrote: It's an unusual style for a novel. I was talking to my husband (who is a bit of a history nut) and we realised it's written almost like more of a dramatisation of a historical chronicle than a standard novel. I think once I settled into viewing it like that, I started getting a lot more comfortable with it

I was just coming here to ask about that.
I'm at Chapter 15.

I keep thinking "OK we have everyone in place now, everything set up for a really awesome story" and then there's another round of little... historical tidbits. Does it ever kick in to a standard narrative or is it like this, a ~dramatization of historical chronicles in Chinese style~, the whole way?

@Cheryl I don't think it's the lack of women so much as the lack of... throughline?i don't know how to articulate this? for the characters we've got.

[Bonnie]

Back to maps... Curious.
Is anyone reading a print book? What map does the regular book include?
Not the color one, I wouldn't think.

[Sarah, The Unsettled]

I am reading a print book! (The UK paperback version, its cover is much prettier than the US one.)

It has a greyscale Westward oriented map.

[Bonnie]

Sarah wrote: "I am reading a print book! (The UK paperback version, its cover is much prettier than the US one.)"

Oo, that is nice

[Beth]

Same! Isn't it the prettiest book cover you've ever seen? 😍

[Sarah, The Unsettled]

IT IS! I bought all 4 from the UK. If I’d been able to find the hardcover versions at an affordable price I would have gotten those, but I’m happy with the paperbacks.

[Eva]

The focus on male characters comes from the first book closely following the historical events (just with some fantasy elements added). I think this gets much more egalitarian in the other books when it‘s more free style.

[Bonnie]

Chapter 28
Well, looks like (view spoiler)[little Emperor "Righteous Force" Erishi is toast. Now what will happen with the Xana Empire? (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 29
I find Mata Zyndu's (view spoiler)[remorse and guilt regarding the Princess Kikomi & Phin Zyndu situation very moving. And that tale was quite interesting. (hide spoiler)]

[Sarah, The Unsettled]

I’m sorry I know I’m behind everyone. Having a tough week, but I took today off so hoping to play catch up.

Chapter 11
(view spoiler)[I love that Pira is not the typical/standard councilor usurping the throne, and that he’s doing this out of a desire for revenge rather than a desire for power.

I also laughed when Crupo sent the tax collector guy to oversee the army because he was sick of the requests. Especially since his motivation for getting rid of the requests was to draft some grand plan for governance. Like, yeah, you’re off to a great start guy. 😂 (hide spoiler)]

[Bonnie]

Chapters 41/42 (80%)

{grumpily} I can see now that I will be tempted to keep going and read more of the series. I don't want to! I have too much else to read like "assigned" books!
😁

[Bonnie]

Chapter 43

Women
(view spoiler)[For a long time there was only Jia, and later Princess Kikomi. Now we finally have more female characters:
* auxiliary companies in the army
* Soto - Jia's housekeeper (and a Zyndu aunt)
* Lady Risana (formerly smokecraft magician, now Kuni's partner)
* Mira - Mata Zyndu's love interest (now possessing the cruben dagger)
* Marshal Gin Mazoti (formerly orphan, thief, cupa player, soldier)
(hide spoiler)]
I like the facets and alternate identities that layer their characters.

[Sarah, The Unsettled]

Beth wrote: "@ Bonnie - Ah cool, thank you! It's interesting how it makes it look very different, even though I could turn my head sideways and it would be the same map. Maybe that's just me... 😅

@ Sarah - Yes..."

Thank you for the kind words. He seems to at least be free of the pain so that’s something.

I just passed the part you referred to him your spoilers (view spoiler)[Jiza surrendering- he is a character I was looking forward to following in the future if he had been taken captive. (hide spoiler)] just wanted to say that it got me too.

And I think you and your husband are right about the historical dramatization. I don’t mind it though? Like by flitting from scene to scene we’re only getting the important parts.

[a.g.e. montagner]

This saga looks interesting but... 35 hundred pages?

[CBRetriever]

Bonnie wrote: "Women
For a long time there was only Jia, and later Princess Kikomi. Now we finally have more female characters:
"

Chapter 40?

(view spoiler)[Gin Mazoti (hide spoiler)] was one of my favorites

[Sarah, The Unsettled]

Chapter 28

I love (view spoiler)[that they basically just rode Gigantic Narwhals into battle. I’ve been wondering this whole time what a cruben was and now I know. I hope it’s not the last we see of them. (hide spoiler)]

[Sarah, The Unsettled]

Bonnie wrote: "Chapter 43

Women
For a long time there was only Jia, and later..."

Agreed with your points about the women Bonnie. I do think Liu is making an effort with them, it’s just a shame it doesn’t become apparent until so late in the book.

[Sarah, The Unsettled]

CBRetriever wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "Women
For a long time there was only Jia, and later Princess Kikomi. Now we finally have more female characters:
"

[spoilers removed] was one of my favorites"

One of my favorites too! Could you mark this as Chapter 40? I think that’s where that was revealed.

[Beth]

Sarah wrote: "Chapter 28

I love [spoilers removed]"

That chapter was so epic! I love that most of this book is low fantasy, historical in tone and so on, and then you get moments like this 😆

It's like reading the foundation myth of a real country and I'm into it.

[Beth]

Bonnie wrote: "Chapter 43

Women...
I like the facets and alternate identities that layer their characters.


I've not got as far as you, Bonnie, but I'm finding the few female characters really interesting. A lot of modern fantasy and historical fiction has a tendency to show female empowerment by making them reject typically female-coded roles (they want to be warriors, not have children and do embroidery!), but I like the fact that Liu gives his female characters agency within their societal positions.

Also (view spoiler)[I can only dream of having a fraction as much bravery as Kikomi. It's like most of this is a history textbook and then suddenly out of the blue there are moments that just shatter me (hide spoiler)].

[Sarah, The Unsettled]

Beth wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Chapter 28

I love [spoilers removed]"

That chapter was so epic! I love that most of this book is low fantasy, historical in tone and so on, and then you get moments like this 😆

It..."

Right?! I get why it doesn’t feel like fantasy to some but the fact that it’s low fantasy sprinkled with moments like this almost made it feel *more* magical to me if that makes any sense.

And agreed about the female characters and Kikomi especially.

[Beth]

Chapter 45

@ Bonnie, I absolutely know what you mean about female characters now! (view spoiler)[Gin Mazoti (hide spoiler)] is amazing!

I keep thinking we must have met all the characters by this point but Liu keeps surprising me. And even more surprising, it works 😆

I'm still sad that (view spoiler)[Mata appears to have gone down this path and fallen out with Kuni. There was such promise in him, and his fixation on nobility and honour was almost cute when Kuni was channelling it into being something positive. I don't like that he's become a cruel tyrant - I want their friendship back! (hide spoiler)] Can't deny it's epic though.

[Cheryl L]

Bonnie wrote: "Women
"

Well, thank goodness for that! I needed to put the book down, but it's been nagging me to pick it back up. I wanted to take a break (view spoiler)[ after the death of Kikomi, which made me want to scream. (hide spoiler)] and read a few other things first. I'm on Ch 31 now.

I'm curious what others thought of Chapter 30, Masters of Pan. Kuni's behavior was so uncharacteristic. (view spoiler)[ It felt like he had landed on the Island of the Lotus Eaters. That the gods were mixed up in tempting him was interesting. (hide spoiler)]

[Beth]

Cheryl L wrote: "I'm curious what others thought of Chapter 30, Masters of Pan. Kuni's behavior was so uncharacteristic."

Hmm that's an interesting one. My interpretation would be (view spoiler)[that it shows he's human. He's never been a good person exactly, even though he's intensely likable. Before he met Jia and became a duke he was lazy, a gambler, etc. I think circumstances had for a long time forced him to be a lot more controlled and in Ch. 30 the pressure just got to him and needed to be released. Doesn't mean I'm not a bit disappointed in him, but I think it's also OK to be disappointed. He's not some mythical hero, just an ordinary guy trying to make the best of a complicated situation. The very fact that we can be disappointed must show that we still like him and believe him to be a better person than that. (Also interesting that it took a god to tempt him before he would do something like that.) (hide spoiler)]

I'd be interested to hear other people's opinions as well though.

[Sarah, The Unsettled]

Beth wrote: "Cheryl L wrote: "I'm curious what others thought of Chapter 30, Masters of Pan. Kuni's behavior was so uncharacteristic."

Hmm that's an interesting one. My interpretation would be [spoilers remove..."

I’d agree with this take in regards to chapter 30. I am curious to see where the (view spoiler)[plot lines of the gods are headed overall. I read some reviews that were annoyed by their presence, but it doesn’t really seem any different to me than a Greek retelling having Apollo/Athena/whoever mixed up in it. In fact I rather enjoyed it when one of the gods would show up. I also liked that Liu oftentimes handled it subtly by just dropping a note about their cloak or the animal on their shoulder. (hide spoiler)]

[Cheryl L]

I think this is why it's so easy to like Kuni. He's pragmatic and gregarious and clearly has a good heart. I do feel like he would not have ended up where he did in Ch30 without the influence of the gods.

I'm not much of a fan of Mata though. He's just to rigid for me. I understand he serves an important purpose in the story.

[Sarah, The Unsettled]

Wanted to check in with everyone and see how we were doing? I know it was a slog for some, but some of us were still interested in continuing the series.

What were we thinking for time frames for The Wall of Storms? I don’t want to wait *too* long but I’m not in a rush either.

[Olga]

Just came across a very fresh review of The Grace of Kings by Daniel Green.
https://youtu.be/j2nofaq_dD4?si=DxiMl...

Just in case someone is interested.

[Sarah, The Unsettled]

Thanks for sharing Olga. I am so envious of those Broken Binding editions of Dandelion Dynasty books. They are so beautiful.

[Nicole]

Sarah wrote: "Wanted to check in with everyone and see how we were doing? "

I'm a little silent in the thread at the moment because i was behind everyone and I'm just now catching up to the first spoilers that people were posting. I plan on continuing on, I'm just waiting for my book order for the rest of the series to come in (i don't use amazon for books so it takes a little longer.) I'm open for any start time, maybe mid-month again?

Also, Broken Binding is planning on doing a re-print in a different color way.

[Cheryl L]

Olga wrote: "Just came across a very fresh review of The Grace of Kings by Daniel Green.
https://youtu.be/j2nofaq_dD4?si=DxiMl...

Just in case someone is interested."

Thanks, Olga! I love Daniel's reviews and other content.

Update after watching said review: I'll definitely finish this book but still wish there were more female characters. Even if women had to follow relatively narrow paths, they could still use their intellect and have agency.

[Cheryl L]

Sarah wrote: "Wanted to check in with everyone and see how we were doing? I know it was a slog for some, but some of us were still interested in continuing the series.

What were we thinking for time frames for..."

I am going to finish Grace of Kings but probably at a bit of a slow pace. I'll have to determine if I'll continue the series once I'm closer to the end of book 1.

[Sarah, The Unsettled]

Cheryl L wrote: "Olga wrote: "Just came across a very fresh review of The Grace of Kings by Daniel Green.
https://youtu.be/j2nofaq_dD4?si=DxiMl...

Just in case someone is interested."

Thanks, Olga! I lo..."

You do have things to look forward to in this book!

[Sarah, The Unsettled]

I see I jumped the gun a little bit- I didn’t realize people were still reading. Please don’t feel rushed- still happy to discuss whenever you finish. I’ll check back in later this month and maybe we can shoot for sometime in mid-late April if we all feel good about that.

[Cheryl L]

I thought I would consume the rest of the Grace of Kings quite slowly, but I read 75 pages today and am on p450, Ch39. As soon as I get to the parts with Jia, Soto, and now Risana my interest is sparked anew.

I don't much care for the sections with Mata. (view spoiler)[ He is just so rigid and entitled. Perhaps good in a war, but absolute crap in running a country. I'm looking forward to having Kuni back from his island exile. (hide spoiler)]

[Beth]

Sarah wrote: "Wanted to check in with everyone and see how we were doing? I know it was a slog for some, but some of us were still interested in continuing the series."

I definitely want to continue! Some time later this year would be great so I don't forget everything before I get to the next book, but totally happy to wait for others to be ready. I kinda devoured the latter half of it... 😅