©2025 Fable Group Inc.
3.5 

The Grace of Kings

By Ken Liu
The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu digital book - Fable

Publisher Description

One of the Time 100 Best Fantasy Books Of All Time

Two men rebel together against tyranny—and then become rivals—in this first sweeping book of an epic fantasy series from Ken Liu, recipient of Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy awards. Hailed as one of the best books of 2015 by NPR.

Wily, charming Kuni Garu, a bandit, and stern, fearless Mata Zyndu, the son of a deposed duke, seem like polar opposites. Yet, in the uprising against the emperor, the two quickly become the best of friends after a series of adventures fighting against vast conscripted armies, silk-draped airships, and shapeshifting gods. Once the emperor has been overthrown, however, they each find themselves the leader of separate factions—two sides with very different ideas about how the world should be run and the meaning of justice.

Fans of intrigue, intimate plots, and action will find a new series to embrace in the Dandelion Dynasty.

Download the free Fable app

app book lists

Stay organized

Keep track of what you’re reading, what you’ve finished, and what’s next.
app book recommendations

Build a better TBR

Swipe, skip, and save with our smart list-building tool
app book reviews

Rate and review

Share your take with other readers with half stars, emojis, and tags
app comments

Curate your feed

Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communities
app book lists

Stay organized

Keep track of what you’re reading, what you’ve finished, and what’s next.
app book recommendations

Build a better TBR

Swipe, skip, and save with our smart list-building tool
app book reviews

Rate and review

Share your take with other readers with half stars, emojis, and tags
app comments

Curate your feed

Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communities

1579 Reviews

3.5
“Set in a fictional empire inspired by ancient China, The Grace of Kings follows the rise and fall of power after a brutal emperor's death. As rebellion erupts across the islands of Dara, two very different leaders emerge from the chaos-one a noble warrior guided by honor, the other a clever outlaw who plays the long game. Their paths intertwine as allies before splintering into rivals, both determined to shape the future of their fractured world. I did an immersion read with the audiobook and highly recommend it. The narration was incredible and really brought the world to life, especially during scenes packed with political intrigue and emotional stakes. That said, the beginning was a little hard to follow at times because of the large cast of characters and shifting points of view. What surprised me the most was how much biblical imagery I noticed throughout the story. The themes of sacrifice, faith, divine intervention, and moral testing gave a spiritual layer i didn't expect but really appreciated. I'm really excited to see where the rest of the series goes. Thank you to Saga Press for the gifted ebook.”
“This story took a long time for me to connect with. The writing is beautiful with a lot of memorable quotes. However, there were so many characters and places to keep track of with all the political maneuvering, which isn’t my strong suit. Some characters were only heard from every fifth chapter or so making it hard for me to remember who they were and how they fit into the story. Other characters were exciting to read about but were only present for two chapters before exiting the story. Because of this I had trouble connecting with any characters until the last 100 pages. Then I finally became invested in where the story was going.”
Loudly Crying Face“Tough to follow at first, but well worth it.”

About Ken Liu

Ken Liu is an award-winning American author of speculative fiction. His collection, The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories, has been published in more than a dozen languages. Liu’s other works include The Grace of KingsThe Wall of StormsThe Veiled Throne, a second collection The Hidden Girl and Other Stories, and the forthcoming Julia Z series. He has been involved in multiple media adaptations of his work, including the short story “Good Hunting,” adapted as an episode in Netflix’s animated series Love, Death + Robots; and AMC’s Pantheon, adapted from an interconnected series of short stories. “The Hidden Girl,” “The Message,” and “The Oracle” have also been optioned for development. Liu previously worked as a software engineer, corporate lawyer, and litigation consultant. He frequently speaks at conferences and universities on topics including futurism, machine-augmented creativity, the history of technology, and the value of storytelling. Liu lives with his family near Boston, Massachusetts.

Start a Book Club

Start a public or private book club with this book on the Fable app today!

FAQ

Do I have to buy the ebook to participate in a book club?

Why can’t I buy the ebook on the app?

How is Fable’s reader different from Kindle?

Do you sell physical books too?

Are book clubs free to join on Fable?

How do I start a book club with this book on Fable?

Error Icon
Save to a list
0
/
30
0
/
100
Private List
Private lists are not visible to other Fable users on your public profile.
Notification Icon
©2025 Fable Group Inc.
Fable uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB