Although there are two chapters left in River of Stars (I swear, I'm keeping track because of anticipation, not because I can't wait to be finished!), it looks like the book will end with a whimper on the level of empires.
When faced with a choice between rebellion leading to the restoration of Kitai's old glory and capitulation leading to an era of peace, Ren sets aside his dream and purpose. Certainly a noble gesture, but not the greatest end when you've been pumped up by all of the talk of retaking historical Kitai.
Of course, once more, building the reader up to a height of sensation similar to that of his characters and then taking the ground from under them, however gradually, seems to be what Kay does best. It lends an element of realism to the story, too.
After all, the wildest fantasy stories tend to forget that individuals exist within structured societies. These structures, in turn, inform and limit their actions. Acting outside of them might appear grand and gratifying, but it also puts the sensations that they feel outside the scope of the average reader, since most will probably never actually step out of their society's bounds. Such characters are fine fodder for escapism, but escapism isn't nearly as gratifying as a story filled with characters that you can empathize and sympathize with.
However great the post that Ren achieved, and however powerful he is militaristically, his following the emperor's orders and leaving a siege that would have been a sure thing is what most responsible, ultimately peace-minded, war leaders would do.
What I'm nonetheless hoping for, though, is that we don't get any more of the story from, Hang Hsien's perspective. He is the son of the old prime minister (Hang Dejin), and comes across as a character that Kay either struggled with or added in after the fact to flesh things out. Perhaps that sense is just his character's doubt and lack of full conviction coming through, though.
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