/lit/ - Literature

>>20594647
Speaking Bones, The Dandelion Dynasty #4 - Ken Liu (2022)

Now that I've finished the series, I can safely say that this is one of my all-time favorites. Each book never failed to delight in a new and exciting way. There were many times that I had slow down how quickly I was reading to better savor the experience, but the tension was difficult to resist. I didn't grow weary no matter how long I read. As I wrote about the first book in the series, and about a few other series, I'm unable to tell how much my enjoyment is because it's exactly what I personally enjoy and is probably the same for many others who have now read the entire series. Everything about this is far greater than the sum of its parts, which makes it difficult for me to point to any particular part that makes it truly great.

The advancement of technology through scientific endeavor has been marvelous. Every time a new technology was developed I was astounded by its ingenuity. It presented a wholly different way that technological progress may have been ordered than what it was for us. I didn't feel that the extended scenes that explain in detail were overly long or unneeded, but I can see how they could limit appeal.

The character drama was splendid. I greatly enjoyed every single perspective. There were times when it was ridiculous, but in the best way possible that had me ecstatic due to its audacity. At other times it was realistic in that it paid no heed to expectations of a fantasy series. There are no heroes, only narratives of heroism. Success is not guaranteed and death may come at any time to anyone.

There were many meaningful discussions that examined the relationship between the people, the organization of their societies, their material culture, and their systems of belief. All is approached with empathy and understanding. There's no praise or condemnation, as such valuations are for the reader to decide upon. Much of this series relies upon the reader to actively engage with the narrative and create their own meaning.

The ending was almost everything I could have wanted it to be. There were a few unresolved questions I still had, but almost anything can be better for personal preferences, but sometimes we may be wrong about what's for the best. The biggest surprise I had from this series was that there was a lot that I wanted and expected it to be, but that's not what I got. Instead, I was shown a better way and given what I didn't know that I wanted.

The two single sentences that explain the essence of the series are these:
"History has no plot, and kings do not follow character arcs."
"I want to tell a story that the people don't expect, a story of empathy that encompasses the world."

Rating: 5/5