I enjoyed these stories and thought overall that they were quite well written. All of the stories were from a male character's perspective, but each one had a heartfelt message about the trials, misfortunes, and disappointments one's life can take. The Palace Thief was my favorite, and I am looking forward to watching the movie version entitled "The Emperor's Club" starring Kevin Kline. I would definitely try another of Canin's books, most particularly "For Kings and Planets", which was a New York Times bestseller.
