THE EMPEROR AND THE ENDLESS PALACE

An interconnected story set during three separate timelines is narrated by Dylan J. Locke, Will Dao, and Telly Leung. In 4 BCE, courtier Dong Xian is undone by court machinations; in 1740, innkeeper He Shican unintentionally lets a calamity loose; and in modern-day Los Angeles, college student River is sure he has met a brand-new acquaintance before. Locke portrays Dong Xian as canny and carefree, but it soon becomes clear he is well out of his depth at the Han court. Dao initially gives He Shican an air of melancholy, which quickly transforms into infatuation when he meets a mysterious stranger. Leung depicts River as hesitant yet eager but ultimately unwilling to lose himself. A final melancholy epilogue narrated by Locke pulls all the threads together. K.M.P. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2024]