On my bedside table..

I have a really large stack of books on my bedside table right now. It's seriously out of control. The one I started today was The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison (aka Sarah Monette).

I will be honest, I did not have high hopes for this book. However I am enjoying it so far. It seems to have created some buzz online as well. Here is the description from Amazon---

"The youngest, half-goblin son of the Emperor has lived his entire life in exile, distant from the Imperial Court and the deadly intrigue that suffuses it. But when his father and three sons in line for the throne are killed in an "accident," he has no choice but to take his place as the only surviving rightful heir.

Entirely unschooled in the art of court politics, he has no friends, no advisors, and the sure knowledge that whoever assassinated his father and brothers could make an attempt on his life at any moment.

Surrounded by sycophants eager to curry favor with the naïve new emperor, and overwhelmed by the burdens of his new life, he can trust nobody. Amid the swirl of plots to depose him, offers of arranged marriages, and the specter of the unknown conspirators who lurk in the shadows, he must quickly adjust to life as the Goblin Emperor. All the while, he is alone, and trying to find even a single friend . . . and hoping for the possibility of romance, yet also vigilant against the unseen enemies that threaten him, lest he lose his throne–or his life"
                                                                                                     

It is an interesting concept. However I'm finding it little hard to get into, the names are pretty much all gibberish-- and all similar. I have been trying to figure out who is who. It's not just the character names, it's locations, titles and buildings. It's hard to imagine the landscape and the city when you are just totally confused. I am hoping when I get further in it will be easier. I will type of a full review when I finish it!