Lord of Emperors is a must-read for those who love epic stories of political maneuvering and ancient empires. With masterful prose, Kay weaves a tale of artists and monarchs, conspiracy and passion, against the backdrop of a city that's constantly on the verge of war. The book's greatest strength lies in its characters - complex figures whose loyalties are forever divided between family, friends, and the greater good. As you follow Crispin, Valerius, and the other citizens of Sarantium, you'll find yourself fully invested in their fates, and eagerly turning pages until the last surprising twist.

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• World Fantasy Award Nominee for Best Novel (2001)
• Mythopoeic Fantasy Award Nominee for Adult Literature (2001)
• Sunburst Award Nominee for Canadian Novel (2001)

The thrilling sequel to Sailing To Sarantium and the concluding novel of The Sarantine Mosaic, Kay's sweeping tale of politics, intrigue and adventure inspired by ancient Byzantium. Beckoned by the Emperor Valerius, Crispin, a renowned mosaicist, has arrived in the fabled city of Sarantium. Here he seeks to fulfill his artistic ambitions and his destiny high upon a dome that will become the emerror's magnificent sanctuary and legacy. But the beauty and solitude of his work cannot protect his from Sarantium's intrigue. Beneath him the city swirls with rumors of war and conspiracy, while otherworldly fires mysteriously flicker and disappear in the streets at night. Valerius is looking west to Crispin's homeland to reunite an Empire -- a plan that may have dire consequences for the loved ones Crispin left behind. In Sarantium, however, loyalty is always complex, for Crispin's fate has become entwined with that of Valerius and his Empress, as well as Queen Gisel, his own monarch exiled in Sarantium herself. And now another voyager -- this time from the east -- has arrived, a pysician determined to make his mark amid the shifting, treachearous currents of passion and violence that will determine the empire's fate.

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