I heard raves for this book when it was published 4 months ago, but didn't get around to reading it until now. I loved it. Couldn't put it down. Unless I am very surprised (and delighted) by books over the next months, I will be nominating this for a Hugo.
It's kinda classic fantasy -- there are elves and goblins, an emperor, castles -- but it subverts a lot of the usual. There are no big battles. The ignored, youngest son who is thrust suddenly into the throne has to deal with the burden of being a king, including boring meetings, and not just with plots to overthrow him. In one of those plots, he's saved by the fact that he's treated people decently, rather than by wielding a magical sword.
The world building never seems heavy -- I didn't notice any info dumps. I absolutely ADORE the fact that people have ears that can be raised or flattened, and that's part of the body language the characters read, and struggle to keep "poker-faced".