Emperor Mage

May 22, 2018 8:24 AM - by Tamora Pierce

"Sent to Carthak as part of the Tortallan peace delegation, Daine finds herself in the middle of a sticky political situation. She doesn't like the Carthaki practice of keeping slaves, but it's not her place to say anything -- she's just there to heal the emperor's birds. It's extremely frustrating! What's more, her power has grown in a mysterious way. As the peace talks stall, Daine puzzles over Carthak's two-faced Emperor Ozorne. How can he be so caring with his birds and so cruel to his people? Daine is sure he's planning something. Daine must fight the powerful Emperor Mage, knowing that the safety and peace of the realm depend on stopping Ozorne's power-hungry schemes."
posted by Eyebrows McGee (2 comments total)

This is possibly my favorite Daine book. I love it when she loses her temper. Dinosaurs stomping through palace walls! Rats get to have all the food! (Though I wonder why rats somehow don't get along with Daine when every other animal does, including mice. It's kind of weird. I don't think it's because they are the Graveyard Hag's, either, because the hyenas like Daine fine, and they're even more that goddess's than the rats are.)

Also, it's hard to worry about her safety when you see how she can reach out to her animal friends for help basically whenever. Though the Graveyard Hag's "gift" sure does help in both widespread distruction and Daine not worrying too much if her animals are okay. (Though she gets sad when the dinosaur bones are destroyed, knowing it's just her sadness while they are as fine as they were before helps.)

Also, so much love for the Graveyard Hag. Gotta love a goddess who goes in the tricky crone direction and has no interest in being pretty or young appearing.
posted by Margalo Epps at 1:59 PM on May 22, 2018 [1 favorite]

Daine the walking, talking weapon of mass destruction is pretty much the best thing ever.

Not sure about the rats, it is weird that she doesn't get on with them. They do say they don't like anyone who's not a rat, but all the other animals see her as one of them.

And I do like the way Rikash's promise/curse is worded.
posted by asperity at 11:49 AM on June 2, 2018