The Grace of Kings
core novel 2015 The Dandelion Dynasty
Record
| First published | 2015 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | novel |
| Canon status | core |
| Reader rating | 3.80 (31,961 ratings, collected 2026-09-14) |
| First-edition ISBN | 9781481424271 |
Synopsis
The Grace of Kings, published in 2015, is the first novel in Ken Liu's Dandelion Dynasty series, set in the archipelago of Dara, a secondary world drawing on Chinese history and mythology and featuring silk-draped airships. The story follows Kuni Garu, a charismatic bandit and small-time con man, and Mata Zyndu, a proud and formidable warrior from a once-powerful noble family destroyed by the ruling empire. As rebellion spreads against the tyrannical Xana empire and its emperor, Kuni and Mata become close allies, joining forces amid a wider uprising involving rival warlords, shifting loyalties, and intervening gods who take sides in mortal affairs.
Where it sits
- Universe: The Dandelion Dynasty
- Series: The Dandelion Dynasty core; position 1 of 4 in the series' recorded order
- Author: Ken Liu
Notes
- From the series record (The Dandelion Dynasty): New author record. A 'silkpunk' epic fantasy quartet drawing on Chinese history and mythology (a fantastical retelling of the Chu-Han Contention), originally announced as a trilogy that grew to 4 volumes per the author's own account. The Grace of Kings WON the 2016 Locus Award for Best First Novel and was a 2016 Nebula Award for Best Novel nominee (both verified via sfadb.com); The Wall of Storms placed 3rd in the 2017 Locus Award (Fantasy Novel) poll. Completed with Speaking Bones (2022).
Neighbouring works
Publication order and internal chronology are tracked as two separate orderings and are never conflated: a book's place in one says nothing about its place in the other.
- Publication order, within the series The Dandelion Dynasty: position 1 of 4: next The Wall of Storms (2016)
Sources
← The Dandelion Dynasty dossier · All universes
Part of the Library. Fields without an identified source are omitted, never guessed.