When the Emperor Dies - 1st Edition/1st Printing

New York: Random House. Fine in Fine dust jacket. 1981. First Edition; First Printing. 1/4 Cloth. 0394514580 . A first Printing of the First Edition with bumped corners, otherwise in Fine condition in a like dust-jacket; When the Emperor Dies tells the story of the last days of the corrupt and tyrannical emperor of the fictional Eastern Empire. The emperor is a sick man, and his advisors know it. They scheme and backstab to keep their positions and power, but the emperor's health is deteriorating. When a trusted advisor suggests that the emperor abdicate (truncated) in favor of his young son, the other advisors are outraged. They threaten the advisor with dismissal and imprisonment, but the advisor persists. The emperor finally agrees to abdicate, but only if he can appoint his own successor. The advisors can't agree on a candidate, so they start to kill each other. In the end, the young son is appointed emperor and the empire collapses.; 8vo; 393 pages . (Inventory #: 58258)