Author: Victoria Goddard | Narrator: Grant Cartwright
Runtime: 38h 00m | Genre: Cozy Fantasy, Slice of Life, Epic Fantasy, Political, Court Intrigue, Found Family, Mythology
Following decades of bureaucratic devotion, former secretary Kip embarks on an epic quest across the world to find his retired Emperor and friend.
Spanning a staggering thirty-eight magnificent hours, *At the Feet of the Sun* is Victoria Goddard’s colossal, deeply moving sequel to the underground cozy fantasy classic The Hands of the Emperor. Where the first book chronicled the quiet, transformative power of bureaucratic administration and radical empathy within the imperial palace, this monumental continuation transforms into a sweeping mythological pilgrimage across the wide world. Having successfully retired from his lifelong post as the Emperor's right hand and overseen the peaceful transition of the realm, Cliopher 'Kip' Mdang embarks on an epic solitary journey to find the Last Emperor, who vanished into self-imposed exile.
Kip’s travels take him across sun-drenched archipelagos, trackless magical deserts, forgotten temples, and ancient dreaming realms where myth and history bleed together. Along the way, he encounters forgotten gods, magical poets, reclusive sorcerers, and ordinary people whose lives were touched by the quiet reforms he penned decades earlier. Goddard’s prose is a marvel of patience, philosophical wisdom, and emotional generosity, elevating platonic soul-mates, found family, and the dignity of public service into the realm of high heroic myth. The relationship between Kip and his former master remains one of the most sublime portraits of platonic devotion ever committed to fantasy literature. Despite its immense length, the narrative maintains an intimate, warm hearth-fire quality that wraps around the listener like a heavy woven blanket.
In audio, narrator Grant Cartwright delivers an awe-inspiring marathon performance. His gentle, resonant cadence captures Kip’s boundless humility, intellectual brilliance, and deep longing with heartbreaking authenticity. For listeners who prize character-driven immersion, rich folklore, and long, meditative audiobooks that reward patience with profound emotional payoff, *At the Feet of the Sun* is an irreplaceable masterpiece that provides unmatched credit value.
Lays of the Hearth-Fire Reading Order: • The Hands of the Emperor (Book 1 – 31h 37m) • At the Feet of the Sun (Book 2 – 38h 00m)
Grant Cartwright’s narration across thirty-eight hours of At the Feet of the Sun is an extraordinary feat of vocal endurance and poetic grace. Cartwright reads Goddard’s philosophical, dialogue-rich prose with measured serenity and deep emotional warmth, never rushing even during intense mythological encounters. His voicing of Cliopher Mdang exudes quiet integrity and sorrowful devotion, while his ancient emperors and desert travelers carry distinct vocal gravity. The acoustic clarity and soothing timbre make this massive epic a sublime, deeply restorative audio experience.
*Note: Narrators may differ across regional releases and audiobook editions.