The Emperor and the Endless Palace
Books | Fiction / Fantasy / Epic
3.2
Justinian Huang
Stonewall Book Award Winner, 2025 "A sweeping triumph in queer romance." -Booklist "What if I told you that the feeling we call love is actually the feeling of metaphysical recognition, when your soul remembers someone from a previous life?" In the year 4 BCE, an ambitious courtier is called upon to seduce the young emperor--but quickly discovers they are both ruled by blood, sex and intrigue. In 1740, a lonely innkeeper agrees to help a mysterious visitor procure a rare medicine, only to unleash an otherworldly terror instead. And in present-day Los Angeles, a college student meets a beautiful stranger and cannot shake the feeling they've met before. Across these seemingly unrelated timelines woven together only by the twists and turns of fate, two men are reborn, lifetime after lifetime. Within the treacherous walls of an ancient palace and the boundless forests of the Asian wilderness to the heart-pounding cement floors of underground rave scenes, our lovers are inexplicably drawn to each other, constantly tested by the worlds around them. As their many lives intertwine, they begin to realize the power of their undying love--a power that transcends time itself...but one that might consume them both. An unpredictable roller coaster of a debut novel, The Emperor and the Endless Palace is a genre-bending spicy romantasy that challenges everything we think we know about true love. AUTHOR'S NOTE: The Emperor and the Endless Palace is a heart-pounding romantasy, full of shocking twists, morally shifty characters, and erotic thrills. When it comes to the romance within this novel, you can expect equal parts mess and swoon, but its central thread is an epic tale of true love against all the odds.
Fantasy
Romance
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More Details:
Author
Justinian Huang
Pages
312
Publisher
Mira Books
Published Date
2024
ISBN
0778305236 9780778305231
Community ReviewsSee all
"A fascinating and dreamlike read with searing romance! Loved the blend of history, folklore, and modern fantasy."
T
Thomas
"3.5 rounded down<br/><br/>Based on the ratings, I went into this one with minimal expectations and I just let it take me on a ride. This debut novel does have its issues. a little bit more editing would've gone a long way, I think. However, based solely upon entertainment value alone, it did its job. You just gotta look past some of the cringe moments and the prose. Also, I think this book suffers from mismanaged marketing in that I don't think its really a romance in the traditional sense, and if that's what you're looking for, I wouldn't recommend. I wish the folklore had been explained a little better, as it was a little confusing. Overall, it was decent."
C H
Chris Hicks