I'm frequently asked to name my favorite book or to list my top ten, and mostly I just get stumped by that question. I love so many books for so many different reasons and they shift in my estimation as this one moves up or that one moves down and all fully dependent on what has wowed me recently. But there is one book I read seven years ago that has consistently been a go-to for me when asked for a favorite. The book was Katherine Addison's award winning The Goblin Emperor, which I think I described at the time as a fantasy, political procedural, set in a world that is so expertly designed and built that I was enthralled from the very first words to the last. And then I waited in hopes of a sequel. And waited. And waited. And then my hope was realized - and the worry began. Would it live up to the first novel? What if it didn't? The worries were unwarranted, as this new novel set in the same world is just as excellent, if for different reasons.
Thara Celehar, a major character introduced in the first book, gets his own starring role here in his new home in the city of Amalo. He is a Witness for the Dead which means he has the ability to capture last experiences and events from those recently deceased and is often called in by families dealing with legal issues or even by the local "police" to help with violent deaths. Thara is compassionate and authentic and takes on each new assignment with a will to do his very best for the living and the dead. And he pursues his calling with a passionate honesty, even when it is painful to himself. This is a fantasy novel and a mystery novel and even has a bit of romance. It's also a quieter, more contemplative novel than the first, but mesmerizing nevertheless. For fans of The Goblin Emperor, this will be a must. If you haven't read that and don't feel like going back, that's fine too, as this sequel is a complete story in and of itself.