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A review by fishbelly
The Emperor's Knife by Mazarkis Williams
3.0
A plague that strikes folks seemingly at random is at the heart of the tale in The Emperor's Knife. This plague covers the victim in odd, geometric designs that slowly cover the body. At some point, the victim becomes a mindless automaton, attacking people for some unknown purpose.
The novel alternates view points amongst a variety of characters: the emperor who secretly has the plague, his prince brother hidden and imprisoned as the emperor's heir, a chieftan's daughter chose to wed the price, the emperor's "knife" (his personal assassin), and others as well.
The book is well-written, the character's are fleshed out and believable, and the world is interesting and unique. Yet for some reason, the characters didn't resonate with me. I simply didn't care what happened to them.
Do I think it's the fault of the author? No. I do believe Williams is a talented writer and has created a fine debut novel. Just like meeting a new person, sometimes a reader and a book just don't click.
The novel alternates view points amongst a variety of characters: the emperor who secretly has the plague, his prince brother hidden and imprisoned as the emperor's heir, a chieftan's daughter chose to wed the price, the emperor's "knife" (his personal assassin), and others as well.
The book is well-written, the character's are fleshed out and believable, and the world is interesting and unique. Yet for some reason, the characters didn't resonate with me. I simply didn't care what happened to them.
Do I think it's the fault of the author? No. I do believe Williams is a talented writer and has created a fine debut novel. Just like meeting a new person, sometimes a reader and a book just don't click.