So good, and so short, it’s practically a tease. I would devour an entire book just filled with random vignettes about Conju’s life with Kit and His Radiancy.4 s Eric537 30

Another short story (less than 100 pages) explaining the background of the Emperor's ("Lays of the Hearth") attendant/groom/servant. Lots of diversity in the characters.

I take exception to some of the tags Amazon/Goodreads places on some books and stories in the one word descriptions. The tags to me seem blatant. They reflect very little on the tales.3 s Lisa112

love this view of Kip!

It’s so funny to see a young conju and Kip in the early days. Conju is so strict and Kip so arrogant, having read all of the other books I know those traits will be mellowed by age and friendship, but it’s enjoyable to see the. At the forefront here. And always with adoration for his radiancy.

Do yourself a favor and pick up the hands of the emperor if you haven’t already. It’s more than well with the commitment. 3 s Hanners126 3

Wtf Conju is so lovable. Giving him and Kip a coworkers-to-friends slow burn with a little miscommunication trope thrown in slaps so hard. Goddard really knows how to character.2024-faves2 s lindsey264 2

conju you sassy prissy little man you are so gay i love youfantasy1 Miche D175

bought this the second it came out and was not disapointed. it was fascinating seeing things through Conju's point of view, which were absolutely NOT how Cliopher would have us believe. That said, it's more of explanatino of everything that happened than an actual story, most things are described than actually taking place. Still loved it and worth the read.

3rd person.1 Rachel794 60

I was wondering…

It always seemed interesting to me that Kip and Conju got along, considering how different they are. This is the story of how Conju came to court, and how it all happened! Totally works this way, too — I feel if the introduction had been different, they never would have spoken, or at least not for quite a while.1 Miriam Mulcahy32 5

Did not want that to end. 1 Ay 1,069 32

Good. Read the hands of the emperor before this one.1 Fran52 8

Can we PLEASE talk about how much I adore Conju. Aside from Kip, obviously, he's my favourite member of the imperial household, and I really d this novella about Conju's early days after the Fall. It's such a striking contrast, the Conju we see in HOTE and this young Conju, foppish courtier, deeply lost, despairing, and yet coming into his own against this backdrop of both personal tragedy of loss and substance abuse and intermundial crises of The Worlds Falling Apart. It maybe made me weep a bit. Conju finds purpose beyond himself, finds use for his finnicky temperament and anxious tendencies, falls in love with an Ideal but then learns to love the man beneath it. He /needs/ to be needed. (Also TEREC but I can't bear to think of that yet).

Aside from Conju's own past, this novella gave us a much better view in to the practical realities in the palace after the Fall (the time distortions, the lack of contact with the outside world, all the magical weirdness). The terror of it all doesn't come through the same way in Petty Treasons, perhaps because Kip is so immediately practical, even as he suffered terrible in the Fall's aftermath. It also gives a clearer picture about His Radiancy after the Fall, and the priest-wizards, and how the imperial fiction of the divinity of the emperor became reality after the Fall (and how this eventually leads us to the events of HOTE).

And of course, it's always a delight to see Kip from an outsiders perspective. I understand Kip's temperament and goals so deeply, so to see him as this widely disd rural commoner upstart from Conju's perspective is both funny & endearing because we know they go on to be such good friends, but also a little heartbreaking when we consider the isolation and loneliness Kip experienced early in his career, those innumerable years he just glosses over as 'no big deal' in HOTE.devotion-fealty-and-ineffable-bonds fantasy faves ...more1 Joe Kessler2,053 59

Another interesting little Nine Worlds / Lays of the Hearth-Fire prequel novella that sheds light on a minor character from The Hands of the Emperor -- in this case, his Radiancy's esteemed personal valet Conju an Vilius -- but isn't quite robust enough of a story to stand fully on its own. Instead, we get an abbreviated look at the cavalier's arc in the wake of the Fall: losing himself in empty debauchery, realizing his life could still have purpose despite its losses, entering the Emperor's staff, working his way up to his desired position, and unexpectedly befriending his lord's idealistic new secretary Cliopher, whom he initially mistrusts and looks down upon. It's a tale with the same cozy fantasy vibes as most of this series, and I love how the protagonist dedicates himself to an ideal of competency and then goes about steadily achieving it, almost those great wordless montages on Better Call Saul. It's also amusing to see a more skeptical perspective on how Kip's early bureaucratic reforms would have appeared from the outside, after getting to know them so intimately in Hands.

This plot runs roughly simultaneously with the book Petty Treasons, and a few scenes even repeat, albeit from our new POV. I think the title probably works best in conjunction with prior releases that for readers seeking a deeper understanding of how certain interpersonal dynamics originally came into effect, although I can't yet speak for how it's informed by the volume Terec and the Wild, which tracks the hero's younger days and his ill-fated romance with a boy from his homeland. That composite feel for this saga can sometimes make it a challenge to assign ratings to individual entries, but this one ultimately seems a worthy addition to the rest. I'll give it three-and-a-half stars, rounded up.

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https://lesserjoke.home.blog Alexandra350 66

Diving into this Nine Worlds novella was a pleasure! (This one is set before the events of The Hands of the Emperor and there is a crossover with Petty Treasons.) I really enjoyed Conju’s POV – I hadn’t quite connected with this character before, to be honest. It was unexpected and refreshing.

I am really impressed by how well Victoria Goddard creates distinct voices for her POV characters in all her books.

The beginning is mesmerising, with Conju sitting at his work table, thinking of his family that is gone forever. The old heartbreak mentioned in the other books is so vividly and achingly described here.

“let himself remember the bright summer mornings and the cozy winter afternoons, and all the whispered promises that would never be fulfilled.”

There is so much character growth in these 80 pages (too short!). After the magical apocalypse of the fall, Conju is broken, handling his trauma in predictable ways. But then there is the Emperor, who is… interesting. Might it not be a good idea for the Emperor to have “a stable core of people loyal to him”? Conju gains ambition because he wants to somehow help someone he admires from a distance. This is awesome. Dear book, can I hug you?

And I didn’t even know that I wanted a delightful, delicious story of Conju and Cliopher meeting and getting to know each other. Yet here it is, and it makes me happy.fantasy favorites18 s10 comments Tanya1,045 18

That the Emperor was their sun was metaphorical, a statement of political fiction or theology: that he would burn or blind those who got too close simple fact. [loc. 299]Another Goddard novella, focussing on Cavalier Conju enazo Argellian an Vilius and his life before he became the Emperor's Groom of the Chamber. The story begins with Conju having survived the catastrophic Fall of Astandalas, and spending the year, or century, afterwards -- the period during which the Emperor was in a magical sleep -- drinking his way through the supplies in the palace, and hanging out with a bunch of disreputable and debauched fellow survivors. (All his actual friends are dead.) Then the Emperor wakes, and Conju sobers up and discovers an ambition: to become one of the inner circle who tend to His Radiancy, a man notoriously particular -- Conju himself -- about his attire and appearance. And does not care for mindless obedience, or for the prison of etiquette.Woven through that story is Conju's grief for his lost love Terec; his occasional dalliances; his skills as a perfumier and arbiter of fashion, and and his growing friendship with a quiet fellow at court, who is only later revealed to be the Emperor's new secretary. And it becomes obvious that Conju has quietly manipulated circumstances -- a rumour here, a choice there, a morsel of gossip -- to the benefit of his lord.This was a delight to read: I love the way that Goddard brings secondary characters to life, and her depiction of the beginnings of friendship between Conju and Kip (and the beginnings of something more rareified between Conju and His Radiancy) is understated. Especially good to see Conju discovering that in fact he does have a sense of humour.After reading this I dipped into The Hands of the Emperor to see how Conju had matured. But one does not just 'dip into'...fantasy femalewriter novella Jill Carroll325 1 follower

Not a place to start, obviously, but a lovely companion to Petty Treasons, after finishing The Hands of the Emperor. Oh Conju, you fussy thing.fantasy Gingerly-Reading59

lovely short novella, enjoyed Conju's change from shock-induced revelry to strict but passionate dressing/caretaking of his Emperor. also enjoyed his rampant gay flings! was hoping for more court intrigue and working his way up the ranks--the story could have benefitted from more complexity in this (and other) areas. I understand it was probably just meant as a cute character study but I can't help but yearn for more intrigue and complexity!adult-fantasy novella Eva588 22

I had a soft spot for Conju since the very beginning of HOTE so I might be a bit biased, but this little novella had me go through the whole screaming-crying-throwing-up cycle several times, and it's barely 80 pages long. I just adore the way Victoria Goddard writes characters who are deeply complicated and sometimes unashamedly unpleasant, yet so infuriatingly, overwhelmingly loveable.favorites5 s V Louise21 1 follower

Wonderful

Another delightful vignette about the early days of establishing the Emperor's household after the fall of Astandalas.
Conju, a minor courtier has lost his family in the Fall and for a long time loses himself in debauchery. When the emperor wakes from his coma, Conjunction starts to find a new focus. Kate41

I have found every single other book in the Lays of the Hearth-Fire to be compulsively readable, basically literally unable to put them down, reading them obsessively to get to the hearts of the stories and the characters.

And this... was really not that. But it was a very quick read that enhances a character, at least. Jesse685

A fun little diversion into Conju's world, and a nice companion to the main series books. As with many of these novellas (novelettes?) it's more of an amuse-bouche than a meal, and I do wish there had been more to it, but still fun for fans of the series. Definitely read at least The Hands of the Emperor before reading this. Donna2,610 32

Absolutely loved this look into Conju's life after the Fall and how he comes into the Emperor's service and meets Kip. Any time I step into Goddard's world my stress level drops and it's being wrapped in a cozy blanket and handed a cup of tea. Her books just make me so happy.fantasy read-in-2023 short-story-anthology-novella Jennybeast3,680 14

Nice to have some more background on Conju -- I do so enjoy the characters in this series, and it's a pleasure to have them more fleshed out. Not a lot happens, but it's a good vignette of the time after the fall and before things settled. lgbtq scifan short-stories ...more ellen17

not the best in this series. very vague. adds an interesting dimension of fae unreality and then ignores it in favour of oblique gesturing at overwrought courtly fealty that we already got large doses of from other novellas. Cat483

Conju <3queer read-2023 speculative E284

Very nice, if slight, introduction to Conju. Fascinating to see how other characters than Kip reacted to the fall. Jeanne SauvageAuthor 12 books9

So good! Good to get a bit of Conju's story.fantasy Silverin256 40

7.5/10??2023 2023-read castle ...more Carina206

Such a sweet little tease of a story. Conju full length feature whennnn Rhode PVD2,423 26

Heartily enjoyed. It’s a beautifully done character sketch plus the start of a friendship. I especially d the perfume making scene. fantasy wilson1,125

more goddard cannot arrive fast enough. need more. Kim619 11

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