Lord of Emperors (and The Sarantine Mosaic overall) lacks the dramatic rise and fall of Kay’s other works and doesn’t quite crescendo the way they do, but I felt it improved on Sailing to Sarantium. Over six-hundred compelling pages about an artist getting swept up in political machinations is a feat. And as with most of Kay’s work, I love his dialogue. Especially the way his characters say so much in what they don’t say. Some truly great moments just from one character talking to another.