The characters in “The Emperor’s Soul” ponder questions about the metaphysical nature of what Shai’s doing. Transhumanism is a common theme in science fiction, but it’s rarer to see it explored in fantasy. The Emperor’s advisors recruit Shai, a practitioner of a magic system called Forging, to create a magical seal that will reconstruct the Emperor’s memories and personality. An assassination attempt has left the Emperor in a catatonic state, a fact that has been concealed from the public. It’s set in the Rose Empire, a nation with very little connection to the countries featured in Elantris. “The Emperor’s Soul” is a longer and more interesting work. “The Hope of Elantris” is a short story that gives us a sort of “deleted scene” from Fjordell’s attempt to invade Elantris at the climax of the novel. Two of them, “The Emperor’s Soul” and “The Hope of Elantris” take place on Sel, the world of his debut novel Elantris. Brandon Sanderson’s collection Arcanum Unbounded contains short works from across his Cosmere setting.
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