I found the beginning of this story slow, dull, and laden with unnecessary detail. I just kept thinking, "Urgk, politics. Bo-ring." But I know that long stories often start slowly, so I decided to stick with it. Boy am I glad I did, because the middle and end are fantastic.
I liked how the protagonist's description of himself as a donkey sort of set a tone for the story, and recurred subtly several times, including towards the end when he calls himself an enormous ass. I loved the powerful ending that recast the entire story. I loved how, though we saw little of what Princess Taiko (yeah, I suck at Japanese phonetics) actually did, she was richly characterized for us through the eyes of her brother and lover.
Most of all, though, I find myself at a loss for words to describe why I loved this story. I can point to very few elements and say, "Yes, that's it; that's what made it great." There are too many tiny things that pull together to create in me a gushing, nearly irrational positive reaction. This is my new favorite Podcastle.
That doesn't change my opinion that it could have been edited down, just a little; the beginning could have had more of a hook; but overall I must say to the author, "Well played". I'll be checking out those links in the liner notes for sure.
