The Emperor's Soul

NEW 10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION FEATURING BONUS CONTENT
HUGO AWARD WINNER

Includes:

• Deleted prologue: 'The Imperial Fool'
• Prologue commentary from the acclaimed podcast Writing Excuses
• An original introduction from the publisher

When Shai is caught replacing the Moon Scepter with her nearly flawless forgery, she must bargain for her life. An assassin has left the Emperor Ashravan comatose, a circumstance concealed only by the death of his wife. If the emperor does not emerge after his hundred-day mourning period, the rule of the Heritage Faction will be forfeit and the empire will fall into chaos.

Shai is given an impossible task: to create — to Forge — a new soul for the emperor in fewer than one hundred days. But her soul-Forgery is considered an abomination by her captors. She is confined to a tiny, dirty chamber, guarded by a man who hates her, spied upon by politicians, and trapped behind a door sealed in her own blood. Shai’s only possible ally is the emperor’s most loyal councillor, Gaotona, who struggles to understand her true talent.

Time is running out for Shai. Forging, while deducing the motivations of her captors, she needs a perfect plan to escape…

'The forgery was a masterpiece, an almost perfect replica of a priceless work of art. The minor inconsistencies were all but impossible for even an expert to detect. However, Shai had been betrayed. Now awaiting execution, Shai would be reprieved if she could do the impossible. As a Forger, Shai is a skillful artist who can apply complex magical glyphs to rewrite the history of the item to change it completely. Although Forgers are despised, the Empire needs Shai to accomplish the unthinkable: to Forge a new soul for the Emperor. Verdict: Sanderson, the best-selling author of the Mistborn Trilogy and The Way of Kings, has set this novella in the same world as Elantris, one of his earlier novels, but it is totally independent. Fantasy fans will love both the compelling story and the creative magical setting.' — Library Journal

'Sanderson proves to be an exceptionally talented writer in the pages of this book ... The Emperor’s Soul is one of those rare high fantasies that feels fresh and is filled with a sense of wonder.' — Charles de Lint, Fantasy & Science Fiction

'A fascinating study of clashing beliefs, another inventive magic system, and highly entertaining action sequence, The Emperor’s Soul is the book I would recommend to anyone who wants to find out for the first time what Sanderson is all about.' — Fantasy Book Review

'If you’re going to pick up one book by Brandon Sanderson, this should be it.' — The Illustrated Page

'A wonderful balance with the world, characters, and magic building.' — Open Book Society

'Fast-paced, clever, and fun.' — Fantasy Book Critic

'Just absolutely magical and engaging.' — Hidden in Pages

'An excellent fast read, highly recommended for readers looking for unique story worlds and magic systems.' — Flight of the Dragon

'It truly is a work of art.' — Pendemon