The Emperor and the Endless Palace

At once page-turning and deeply thoughtful, Huang’s excellent debut conjures a sweeping gay love story that unfolds across multiple timelines. In 4 BCE China, a low-ranking clerk is tasked with capturing the young emperor’s attention. The assignment initiates a story of love and betrayal, destined to echo through centuries. In 1740 China, an isolated and curious innkeeper is drawn to assist an intriguing young man and his grandmother, which requires bringing in the help of a former lover. Finally, present-day L.A. sees a semi-closeted college student drawn into queer high society by a mysterious artist who has, somehow, captured the student’s face over the ages. As Huang toggles between periods, these seemingly unrelated narratives intricately weave together, revealing a powerful story of romance reincarnated that feels impressively epic in scope, given the limited page count. Drawing deeply from Chinese history and myth to create a central couple readers will have no choice but to root for, this mesmerizing debut is not to be missed. Agent: Dan Milaschewski, UTA. (Mar.)