The Emperor's SoulThe Emperor's Soul
Score Modern
What it's about
Shai is caught replacing the Moon Scepter with a nearly perfect forgery and must bargain for her life. An assassin has left Emperor Ashravan without a mind, and if he doesn't reappear after his hundred-day mourning period, his faction will lose power. Shai's impossible task: to Forge a new soul for the emperor, in less than a hundred days.
Why it's worth reading
It's one of Brandon Sanderson's most acclaimed shorter works, an ingenious story about art, identity and forgery.
You'll love it if you liked
Mistborn
The Way of Kings
The Lies of Locke LamoraGood to know
It's a novella, readable in an afternoon, and stands alone. It's set in the same world as Elantris.
By the numbers
- Readers95 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller36 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #90 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #352 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #692 of the 2,816 books we rank
Reads as
Adventurous, Epic
More by Brandon Sanderson
The Way of KingsMistborn
Tress of the Emerald Sea
SkywardIf you like this, read next
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The Fifth Season
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Red Rising
OutlanderExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is The Emperor's Soul worth reading?
Yes. It's one of Brandon Sanderson's most acclaimed shorter works, an ingenious story about art, identity and forgery. It ranks #692 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 76.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Emperor's Soul about?
Shai is caught replacing the Moon Scepter with a nearly perfect forgery and must bargain for her life. An assassin has left Emperor Ashravan without a mind, and if he doesn't reappear after his hundred-day mourning period, his faction will lose power. Shai's impossible task: to Forge a new soul for the emperor, in less than a hundred days.
How long does it take to read The Emperor's Soul?
About 4 hours (175 pages), or about 8 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Emperor's Soul?
If you liked it, try Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson or The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch.