2020 Reread
If you were the wall, what would you rather be? Dreary and dull, or alive with paint?

Bumping the ratings up from 4 to 5 stars because this story hits all the marks. In so few pages Sanderson is able to craft a deep and full story, provide some hints to the Cosmere and have a loose connection to Elantris itself.

Original 2016 Read

Her ancestors had worshiped rocks that fell from the sky at night. The souls of broken gods, those chunks had been called. Master craftsmen would carve them to bring out the shape.

"Mistborn: Secret History" changed my opinion of novella's Sanderson has done and "The Emperor's Soul" was an incredible read and glad to have given it the attention it deserved. Interesting characters, political deception, and a complicated process known as Forging was expertly crafted and executed in very few pages.

My interest in the Cosmere is growing and there are some subtle references to that universe here, it was nice to be taken back to the Elantris world, albeit very indirectly (Shai running in to the red armored prince Hrathin in the halls). Sanderson says you don't need to read all his books to enjoy them individually but I am enjoying seeing Cosmere references placed in each.

"The Emperor's Soul" was a fast and fun read and I'm glad that I took a few hours to read this fun story.