A complex, hard-hitting, epic martial arts journey.
In a Chinese-inspired fantasy world, a teen on the path to personal glory discovers his role in the complex world around him.
For the past decade, Jun and his father, Li Hon, have lived in West Longhan, exiled from their East Longhan home and separated from Jun’s identical twin, Sai, and the boys’ mother for illegally practicing martial arts. Jun embraces martial arts, training daily at the Iron Core school in hopes of winning the Guardians’ Tournament: Guardian of the Scroll of Heaven is a powerful and influential position with access to the emperor. Li Hon, blaming martial arts for destroying his family, instead pushes Jun to take the imperial exams and try to join the civil service. So Jun sneaks aboard the wagon of travelling performer Chang, a blind flutist, and his daughter, Ren. His plan is to leave town, win the tournament, and prove his father wrong. Jun’s journey skillfully weaves together his martial arts training and his gradually expanding political worldview as he realizes the impact he could have as Guardian. The unpredictable plot twists and innovative magic system, which incorporates religious elements, are intriguing and, along with Jun’s realistic emotional development and reactions, create a gripping narrative. The romance between Ren and Jun is low-key; the story focuses more on familial and platonic relationships, and the depiction of the family’s separation and its impact on both Jun and his father is nuanced and believable.
A complex, hard-hitting, epic martial arts journey. (map) (Fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9781250902672
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 28, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2024
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
An unwieldy but emotionally intense fantasy.
In the Riew siblings’ debut, inspired by their Korean grandparents’ experiences during Japan’s early-20th-century colonization of Korea, a hunt is on for the last surviving tiger.
In the Tiger Colonies, this fantasy world’s version of occupied Korea, tigers have been nearly wiped out by the Dragon Empire. These oppressive rulers believe that tiger ki, or powers, strengthen the Tiger people, and therefore, the animals must be exterminated. Lee Seung, who’s from a poor Tiger family, works for the wealthy Chois, a Tiger family who collaborate with the Dragons. Choi Eunji might live in material comfort, but her home feels like “a cage” thanks to her parents’ high expectations and control of her every move. She offers to tutor Seung for the Adachi Training Academy’s entrance exam; graduates attain elite, powerful positions. In return he’ll help Eunji experience life outside her cloistered manor. Despite their class differences, both teens long for freedom, but Seung fails the exam, and their paths diverge. They reunite during a frantic search for the last tiger—but are their motivations aligned? Some plot developments feel contrived, and the introduction of real historical elements at times feels deliberately educational rather than naturally emerging from the story. Nevertheless, the story vividly highlights the plight of Koreans during a traumatic era.
An unwieldy but emotionally intense fantasy. (authors’ note, diary excerpts) (Fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: July 29, 2025
ISBN: 9798217002047
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Kokila
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2025
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