皇帝魂 (2012)

《皇帝魂》（英语：The Emperor's Soul）是美国奇幻小说作家布兰登·山德森的中篇奇幻小说，作品发想来自于他在2012年来台湾参加台北国际书展时顺道参观了台北国立故宫博物院，受到中国古代收藏家惯于在收藏的字画上盖上私人印章的风俗启发而创作。由于故事中提及了一种使用印章转录图像为媒介的法术系统“魂印”及书中的亚洲文化背景，因此作者将故事背景设定在他的另一部奇幻小说作品《诸神之城：伊岚翠》的背景世界“赛耳”上。

本作在2013年获得了第71届《雨果奖》的最佳长中篇小说奖奖项。

故事背景

故事发生于东方色彩浓厚的玫瑰帝国，麦彭族仿师王珊露（Wan ShaiLu）因为在一次潜入高级官员的办公室偷取画作的行动失风被捕，被迫接受玫瑰帝国掌权的传承派政要们的交换条件，利用以图像改变物体的过去进而使物体产生变化的特殊法术魂印仿造因暗杀事件而失去意识的皇帝的灵魂。

故事就建构在珊一边在监控下进行仿造的准备及和传承派政要的尔虞我诈中。

角色

王珊露

亚绪拉凡

高佟纳

扶拉法

宫廷弄臣

魔法系统

艾欧符文

世界观

玫瑰帝国

弗悠丹

The Emperor's Soul is a fantasy novella written by American author Brandon Sanderson. It was first published in October 2012 by Tachyon Publications. It won the 2013 Hugo Award for best novella. The novella is included in the 2016 Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection.

In 2026, Sanderson teased an adaptation of The Emperor's Soul might happen after his Mistborn movie and the Stormlight Archive TV show, following his deal with Apple TV. The author confirmed that he wrote a "pretty good" script.

Plot

Shai is a thief and practitioner of magical forgery who has been arrested and sentenced to death. The Emperor's corrupt advisors offer to free her if she agrees to forge a new soul for the Emperor, who has been left brain dead by an assassination attempt. She agrees, but plans to escape. She is given 100 days to forge the soul, given only official histories, the Emperor's diary, and Gaotona, the only non-corrupt advisor, a task even she deems impossible. As the two research the Emperor's past together, Gaotona learns more about forgery, a generally detested practice, and the two develop a grudging respect for each other. During this task, Shai realizes the Emperor had once been idealistic, but a life of leisure resulted in his recent indulgence, and resolves to create and tweak the soul as her masterpiece, setting him on a better path. Though many opportunities present themselves, Shai puts off escaping until the work is done, whereupon Gaotona helps her win her freedom against his colleagues' treachery. The Emperor, with the forged soul, resumes his rule.

Setting

The Emperor's Soul is set in the Rose Empire, a nation on the shardworld of Sel. This is the same world in which Elantris was set, though few connections are made to that book within The Emperor's Soul. In the postscript, Sanderson explains that he was inspired to write this story after visiting the National Palace Museum in Taiwan and also by memories from the two years he spent in Korea as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Audiobook

An audiobook version of the book was released on November 2, 2012 by Audible.com, read by narrator Angela Lin.

Reception

The Emperor's Soul won the 2013 Hugo Award for Best Novella. Strange Horizons called it "thoughtful yet exciting" and "difficult to put down," and judged that it deserved its award because of the questions it raises about the nature of art.

The A.V. Club described Forgery as "one of (the) more intriguing (magical systems that Sanderson has created)", but noted that the magic is "far more developed than any of the characters"—while conceding that "the tale is never dull". Tor.com similarly described the work as "enjoyable" and "a worthy addition to Sanderson’s bibliography", and recommended it to "readers who enjoy getting into the intricacies of a magic system", but faulted it as "abbreviated and a bit unbalanced", positing that it would have worked better as a full-length novel.