BOOKS | Review: The Tomb of Dragons by Katherine Addison

Name: The Tomb of Dragons (The Cemeteries of Amalo #3, The Chronicles of Osreth #4)

Author: Katherine Addison

Publisher: Solaris

Date published: March 2025

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, steampunk, mystery

Pages: 380

Rating: 4/5

This review contains major spoilers.  

Thara Celehar has lost his ability to speak with the dead. When that title of Witness for the Dead is gone, what defines him?
While his title may be gone, his duties are not. Celehar contends with a municipal cemetery with fifty years of secrets, the damage of a revethavar he’s terrified to remember, and a group of miners who are more than willing to trade Celehar’s life for a chance at what they feel they’re owed.
Celehar does not have to face these impossible tasks alone. Joining him are his mentee Velhiro Tomasaran, still finding her footing with the investigative nature of their job; Iäna Pel-Thenhior, his beloved opera director friend and avid supporter; and the valiant guard captain Hanu Olgarezh.
Amidst the backdrop of a murder and a brewing political uprising, Celehar must seek justice for those who cannot find it themselves under a tense political system. The repercussions of his quest are never as simple they seem, and Celehar’s own life and happiness hang in the balance.

- From Goodreads. 

I really enjoyed this story in the Cemeteries of Amalo series, it continued the excellent character development of the previous books, had wonderful subtle humour woven throughout the narration, and included another intriguing mystery. There were only a couple of things that kept it from being five stars and they didn't really stop me from enjoying the reading experience.

First I was quite surprised that Iäna didn't turn out to be a love interest for Thara, as it had seemed to be building towards that in the first two books, but I did like that their friendship was still shown to be very important and it was nice to see two male characters who were allowed to show their feelings for each other and care for each other intensely, even when it wasn't romantic. I also did like the love interest that was introduced for Thara, Captain Olgarezh. He was very captivating and I would have been fascinated to learn more about him, and I thought the relationship that built between him and Thara was very sweet. My only problem was that it felt like we didn't really get enough time to see their relationship, and the end of the book did feel quite abrupt, so it felt like the story cut off before we really got the chance to see how they would be together.

That was my only other problem with the book, that the ending happened quite suddenly. It felt like not everything had been properly resolved with each character and like we hadn't seen the end of all their journeys. It does make me wonder if this is not the last we'll see of these characters and if we'll see them again in future books.

It was delightful to briefly return to the royal court for part of the book, and especially delightful to see Maia again. It was interesting to see him outside of his own persepective and wonderful to see him continue to be such an excellent emperor. It made me want to see more from him again, even if he's not the main character, in another book, although it would be amazing if he was! I certainly hope everythig goes well with his wedding!

Overall, although there were a couple of things that stopped me from rating this as highly as the other books in the series, I still really enjoyed it and think it's worth reading and I'm still excited to read any further books set in this world! 

BOOKS | Review: The Grief of Stones by Katherine Addison

Name: The Grief of Stones (The Cemeteries of Amalo series #2, The Chronicles of Osreth series #3)

Author: Katherine Addison

Publisher: Solaris

Date published: July 2022

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, mystery, steampunk

Pages: 330

Rating: 5/5

Celehar’s life as the Witness for the Dead of Amalo grows less isolated as his circle of friends grows larger. He has been given an apprentice to teach, and he has stumbled over a scandal of the city - the foundling girls. Orphans with no family to claim them and no funds to buy an apprenticeship. Foundling boys go to the Prelacies; foundling girls are sold into service, or worse.

At once touching and shattering, Celehar’s witnessing for one of these girls will lead him into the depths of his own losses. The love of his friends will lead him out again.

- From Goodreads.

Thara was once again a great choice for narrator in this book, he is a very sympathetic character and you understand his point of view as well as his friends', and he is great at describing what is happening around him. He has good judgement and a wonderful heart.

It was lovely to see his friendships grow with people like Anora and to see him find new friendships with people like his apprentice and to see him admit to actually wanting to stay in Amalo. When we first met him in The Goblin Emperor he was such a lost and lonely character, so sad and heartbroken, and now he's starting to find his place. He's still got a lot to struggle with and in this book he faces more events that brought him heartbreak, but he definitely doesn't have to face it alone anymore.

My favourite relationship in the book is definitely his with Iana, how much the two of them clearly care about each other, how careful they are about respecting each other but how there also always seems the possibility of something more, it's so sweet and tender.

The book was also good at dealing with multiple mysteries and all of them linking together to create a satisfying ending and keep up an exciting pace that made you want to keep reading. I have found this is true throughout all of the books in the world of The Goblin Emperor and I think it shows that Katherine Addison is a very skilled writer, and I look forward to any further books that build on this world and show us more of it.

BOOKS | Review: The Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison

Name: The Witness for the Dead

Author: Katherine Addison

Publisher: Solaris

Date published: July 2021

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, mystery, steampunk

Pages: 313

Rating: 5/5

When the young half-goblin emperor Maia sought to learn who had set the bombs that killed his father and half-brothers, he turned to an obscure resident of his father’s Court, a Prelate of Ulis and a Witness for the Dead. Thara Celehar found the truth, though it did him no good to discover it. He lost his place as a retainer of his cousin the former Empress, and made far too many enemies among the many factions vying for power in the new Court. The favour of the Emperor is a dangerous coin.

Now Celehar lives in the city of Amalo, far from the Court though not exactly in exile. He has not escaped from politics, but his position gives him the ability to serve the common people of the city, which is his preference. He lives modestly, but his decency and fundamental honestly will not permit him to live quietly. As a Witness for the Dead, he can, sometimes, speak to the recently dead: see the last thing they saw, know the last thought they had, experience the last thing they felt. It is his duty use that ability to resolve disputes, to ascertain the intent of the dead, to find the killers of the murdered.

Now Celehar’s skills lead him out of the quiet and into a morass of treachery, murder, and injustice. No matter his own background with the imperial house, Celehar will stand with the commoners, and possibly find a light in the darkness.

- From Goodreads.

This was a wonderfully intriguing story following one of the side characters from The Goblin Emperor, Thara Celehar. I was worried I would not enjoy this book as much because Maia, the main character of that previous book, was one of the main things that I loved so much about it, but I really fell in love with the main character of this one too. It was really interesting to follow him, see the world from his perspective and see what his life was like in more detail.

I was surprised by the change to first person since The Goblin Emperor was written in third, but it worked well and I enjoyed reading the narrative style.

It was fascinating to see more of the world and different places in this book, I found all the details of where Thara Celehar lived and worked and travelled interesting to learn about. The world in The Goblin Emperor felt real already, but this book allowed us to see more of what we could not in the previous one, with the same intricate detail of the previous book.

I found the mysteries of the story compelling and was excited to read to the end to find the resolutions to all of them. I think they were woven into the story well and I found the conclusions satisfying.

The side characters all felt well-rounded and interesting too, and I became really attached to a couple of them, as well as Thara Celehar. I especially like the interactions he had with Pel-Thenhior, who was a wonderfully lively character.

I am glad to know there is going to be another book after this one as I am always happy to read more from this world and this book has shown me I would love to see more of Thara Celehar and the people he knows. I would definitely like to see another book following Maia, but this book pleasantly surprised me by how excited it made me to see more from Thara Celehar's perspective.

BOOKS | Review: The Missing of Clairdelune by Christelle Dabos

 Name: The Missing of Clairdelune

Author: Christelle Dabos (translated from French to English by Hildegarde Serle)

Publisher: Europa Editions

Date published: 2020

Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy, romance, steampunk

Pages: 512

Rating: 5/5

When Ophelia is promoted to Vice-storyteller by Farouk, the ancestral Spirit of Pole, she finds herself unexpectedly thrust into the public spotlight. Her gift - the ability to read the secret history of objects - is now known by all, and there can be no greater threat to the nefarious denizens of her icy adopted home than this.

Beneath the golden rafters of Pole's capitol, she discovers that the only person she may be able to trust is Thorn, her enigmatic and emotionally distant fiancé. As one influential courtier after another disappears, Ophelia again finds herself unintentionally implicated in an investigation that will lead her to see beyond Pole's many illusions to the heart of a formidable truth.

- From Goodreads.

I enjoyed how The Missing of Clairdelune continued to build on the world that had been introduced in A Winter's Promise, the first book in The Mirror Visitor series. It added detail to what we already knew whilst also introducing us to new places and people.

The plot was once again exciting and intriguing, with a fascinating mystery to solve that had a satisfying resolution while also leaving open some plot lines for the next book. 

I loved how this book continued to develop the relationship between Ophelia and Thorn, how they slowly began to know and understand each other a little better, especially towards the end when Ophelia began to show how she was starting to know Thorn better than anyone else did, recognising his mannerisms, understanding his habits, and realising his motives, even if she did not always realise how well she was beginning to know him.

I also enjoyed how Ophelia's relationships with other people continued to develop, how she strengthened her friendships and even some familial relationships. She also continued to develop as a character, becoming more sure of herself and bring out the best parts of herself. She is a very loveable, kind-hearted character and I was glad she began to not let herself be underestimated.

The book had a thrilling climax and ending, which was completely unpredictable and had me invested with every moment. It has me really excited to read the next book to see what happens after that ending and how the story continues for Ophelia and Thorn.

BOOKS | Review: A Winter's Promise by Christelle Dabos

 Name: A Winter's Promise

Author: Christelle Dabos (translated from French to English by Hildegard Serle)

Publisher: Europa Editions

Date published: 2019

Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy, romance, steampunk

Pages: 492

Rating: 5/5

Long ago, following a cataclysm called “The Rupture,” the world was shattered into many floating celestial islands. Known now as Arks, each has developed in distinct ways; each seems to possess its own unique relationship to time, such that nowadays vastly different worlds exist, together but apart. And over all of the Arks the spirit of an omnipotent ancestor abides.

Ophelia lives on Anima, an ark where objects have souls. Beneath her worn scarf and thick glasses, the young girl hides the ability to read and communicate with the souls of objects, and the power to travel through mirrors. Her peaceful existence on the Ark of Anima is disrupted when she is promised in marriage to Thorn, from the powerful Dragon clan. Ophelia must leave her family and follow her fiancée to the floating capital on the distant Ark of the Pole. Why has she been chosen? Why must she hide her true identity? Though she doesn’t know it yet, she has become a pawn in a deadly plot.

- From Goodreads.

A Winter's Promise was a wonderfully unique story with so much to be intrigued and delighted by. The world was so expansive and well developed and I am already excited to discover more about it in the next books in the series. The arks were so interesting to learn about and the cultural differences between them were fascinating.

The characters were also wonderful, each of them distinct in their personalities, some of them absolutely awful people while still being thrilling to read about, some of them immediately loveable and I adored every moment with them on the page.

The dynamic between Ophelia and Thorn was so interesting and I am really curious to see how their relationship develops over the series. I had no idea what to expect from each interaction between them but I enjoyed every one and enjoyed seeing them learn more about each other. Ophelia was such an endearing character who I really adored, even when she was making mistakes or doing something I would not do. Thorn was unpredictable and mysterious, and while a lot of characters hated him, and Ophelia was confused by her feelings towards him, I liked him a lot and I am excited to see more of him in the rest of the series.

Overall, this was a really delightful book. Very funny at some moments, very emotional at others, with an exciting plot and intriguing characters. If you like the Studio Ghibli movies, you will definitely like this as it has the same beautiful worldbuilding and immersive atmosphere. It is also a great book for anyone who enjoys political drama and court intrigues. 

BOOKS | Review: The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

Name: The Goblin Emperor
Author: Katherine Addison
Publisher: Solaris
Date published: 21st March 2019 (first published 1st April 2014)
Genre: Fiction, fantasy, steampunk
Pages: 480
Rating: 5/5
Note: This review contains mild spoilers.

Even on the throne, you're only as good as your wits—or your heart.
Maia, the youngest, half-goblin son of the Emperor, has lived his entire life in exile, distant from the Imperial Court and the deadly intrigue that suffuses it.
But when his father and three sons in line for the throne are killed in an “accident”, he has no choice but to take his place as the only surviving rightful heir.
Surrounded by sycophants and overwhelmed by the burdens of his new life, he can trust nobody. Amid the swirl of plots to depose him, offers of arranged marriages, and the spectre of the unknown conspirators, he must quickly adjust to life as the Goblin Emperor. 
- From Goodreads.

I really loved The Goblin Emperor and found it to be such a joy to read. It was so refreshing to have a main character be so considerate and to know he did everything he did because he wanted to be a good person. It did not feel boring or dull, and I really rooted for Maia because he was so thoughtful and sweet, and I could easily see why the other characters came to like him too. I think his kindness made him brave and it kept me turning the pages as I hoped to see the success of his endeavour to be a good emperor for his people.
There were a lot of details, characters and place names to remember in the story, so I found the list of names at the beginning of the book very useful, and I felt so invested in the story and enjoyed the development of the characters so much that I did not get too caught up in the details and managed to understand what was happening in the story. I think this is the kind of book I will read over and over again and spot new details each time.
I thought the world building was truly excellent. The elves and goblins, the technology and airships, the traditions and different ways of being religious, were all written about in such an interesting and unique way, I felt truly immersed in the world.
There was only a small amount of romance, but what there was in the slow beginnings of a relationship between Maia and Csethiro, the woman he is set up in an arranged marriage with, was very compelling. I think the way they came to slowly learn more about each other and gradually came to care about each other was very endearing and sweet.
I really loved how language was used so inventively in the story, the society that Maia was suddenly thrown into was very strict and formal with how they used words, and when he slipped up or intentionally used language in a way he was not supposed to it was a clever way of showing his personality and how he did not want to get too caught up in being emperor and the power that came with that.
Overall I fell completely in love with this book and it quickly became a favourite that I will be happy to read again many times. It was hopeful and uplifting and it was wonderful to read such a kindhearted character succeeding against all odds.