The Throne of the Five Winds

by S. C. Emmett

Overview

"Intricate, elegant and sharp as a blade―The Throne of the Five Winds is sweeping political fantasy at its finest." ―Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne

Two women are forced to navigate a treacherous imperial court determined to consume them in this sweeping and richly detailed first book of an East Asian-inspired epic fantasy series.

The imperial palace―full of ambitious royals, sly gossip, and unforeseen perils―is perhaps the most dangerous place in the Empire of Zhaon. Komor Yala, the lady-in-waiting to the princess of the vanquished kingdom of Khir, has only her wits and a hidden blade to protect herself and her charge, who was sacrificed in marriage to secure a tenuous peace.

Soon, Komor Yala and the Khir princess find themselves pawns in the deadly schemes for the throne. And when the emperor falls ill, a far bloodier game begins...

A single hidden blade could alter the course of history in this epic tale of ambition, honor, and sacrifice, perfect for fans of The Tiger's Daughter and The Grace of Kings.

Praise for the Hostage of Empire series:

"With a deliberate pace and fine attention to details of dress and custom, Emmett weaves a masterful tale of court intrigues." ―Booklist (starred review)

"Action and intrigue takes place within a layered and beautifully realized fantasy world that will appeal to readers of K. Arsenault Rivera's The Tiger's Daughter."―B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog

Hostage of Empire
The Throne of the Five Winds
The Poison Prince
The Blood Throne
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316558280
Publisher:	Orbit
Publication date:	10/15/2019
Series:	Hostage of Empire , #1
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	351,120
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

S. C. Emmett is a pseudonym for a New York Times bestselling author.

Editorial Reviews

Winter 2018

Lady-in-waiting Komor Yala and princess Mahara, who was forced to marry the enemy to assure the cooperation of her vanquished people, are virtual prisoners in the treacherous imperial palace. Then the emperor falls ill. First in the medieval Asia-inspired "Hostage of Empire" series from Lilith Saintcrow, writing pseudonymously; with a 50,000-copy first printing.

Library Journal

08/12/2019

Emmett debuts with a lackluster, exhaustingly overwrought epic fantasy inspired by East Asian cultures. Ashan Mahara, princess of Khir, and her lady-in-waiting, Komor Yala, travel to Zhaon, where Mahara’s marriage to a prince of Zhaon is intended to unite the two warring countries. However, this union isn’t met with much enthusiasm in Zhaon. While mourning her brother, who died in the war, Yala solemnly takes the duty of protecting and comforting Mahara as they navigate their new palace and politics, assessing veiled threats and finding allies. Assassination attempts lead Yala to accept help from Gen. Zakkar Kai, who’s also been threatened, and Third Prince Takshin, who has no loyalty to his family; these connections hint at a love triangle but are never adequately developed even as individual friendships. When Yala is mistaken for Mahara and kidnapped, Kai and Takshin hunt for her, drawing closer to discovering who is behind the assassination attempts. Emmett’s convoluted background history and descriptions leave out important information and sometimes interrupt the scene, delaying the progress of what might otherwise have been a strong tale of intrigue. An overwhelming number of characters creates a dense story with an exciting final chapter that arrives much too late. Agent: Miriam Kriss, Irene Goodman Literary. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

"Intricate, elegant and sharp as a blade — The Throne of the Five Winds is sweeping political fantasy at its finest."—Tasha Suri, author of Empire of Sand

"With a deliberate pace and fine attention to details of dress and custom, Emmett weaves a masterful tale of court intrigues."—Booklist (starred review)

"Brimful of thrilling palace drama and menacing court intrigue."—Kate Elliott, author of Black Wolves

"Action and intrigue takes place within a layered and beautifully realized fantasy world that will appeal to readers of Evan Winter's The Rage of Dragons and K. Arsenault Rivera's The Tiger's Daughter."—B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog

From the Publisher