Last discussion for The Goblin Emperor as a part of Wyrd and Wonder. I’m sad this is my last discussion post for the month, but I am so happy I got to participate in this read-along hosted by Lisa. There are just a few final questions for this week which will *contain spoilers for chapter 26-the end of The Goblin Emperor*.
For anyone who missed the previous discussion posts, you can catch up here:
- The Goblin Emperor: Read-Along Week #1
- The Goblin Emperor: Read-Along Week #2
- The Goblin Emperor: Read-Along Week #3
Let’s start with Maia’s grandfather! What do you think of the Avar, and his budding relationship with Maia?
Honestly, I’m surprised Maia’s grandfather was so great. I was expecting him to be a villain or at least an unpleasant person. Nope, he seemed like the ideal grandfather aside from the fact that he let his daughter die alone for an arranged marriage. Oh, yeah–that. Even with the Avar’s excuse, I’m still mad about it. I think he and Maia will be able to work through the past, but I doubt Maia will ever fully understand or forgive why the Avar would abandon his daughter.
Overall I thought having Maia’s grandfather in the last part of the book was a great ending. Maia finally has some allies and is reunited with his relatives. Maia had a rough beginning, but with his grandfather ruling a neighboring kingdom, the future looks good.
Another plot against Maia is foiled… Were you surprised by the reveal of Tethimar as the one behind the late emperor’s murder? And what are your thoughts on this reveal, in light of the way this part of the story played out?
I was surprised! There were lots of suspects, and I was expecting a less stereotypical villain. I guess it’s a good thing I was thrown off. It made the book more interesting. Plus, I’m glad Tethimar won’t be a problem for Maia anymore. I think making Tethimar into the enemy made the book into one of those feel-good comfort reads. Maia faced trials, and managed to handle them! For some books, a perfect ending can feel unrealistic, but I thought it was done well in The Goblin Emperor.
For all of the enmity that’s shown to him, our emperor has a much more hopeful nickname by the end… Looking back, are you satisfied with/pleased by the way Maia handled all of these situations in which he had to make or break relationships? Was there anything you were left questioning or that you feel should have gone differently?
Yes, I was very happy with how Maia handled coming into the throne and becoming a confident emperor. Even when Maia made decisions that were frustrating I fully understood his motivation. I’m especially happy with how Maia handled the treachery he encountered from Tethimar, Shevean, Dahzis, and Chavar. He didn’t hesitate with their punishment, but he didn’t let his anger dictate his decisions. From the start, Maia wanted to be a different emperor than his father, and he managed to keep that in mind even when one of his nocherai betrayed him.
There’s nothing I would change about how this story ended. I think if people closer to Maia ended up being enemies the ending would have been more interesting, but less satisfying. The happy ending is really what makes The Goblin Emperor one of the most wholesome books I’ve ever read.
And as always, feel free to add any other thoughts/feelings on the book in general, now that it’s over!
I loved this book! Thanks again to Lisa at Dear Geeks Place for hosting this wonderful discussion.
My favorite part of The Goblin Emperor was all the loveable characters. Maia, specifically, is a morally upstanding protagonist, but that’s not his entire personality. I love that the author made Maia a virtuous character with depth and character development. There aren’t a lot of books that successfully pull that off, so I found The Goblin Emperor especially refreshing.
I remember finishing this book and having mixed feelings about wanting a sequel. I would like to see how Maia handles some of the unresolved issues in his kingdom and how his relationship with his new empress develops. On the other hand, The Goblin Emperor works so well as a standalone that a second book might just feel like an extended epilogue. Thoughts? Do you think there are enough unresolved conflicts to warrant a second book?
May your days be full of magic and dragons,
Peyton
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Peyton