Prophecies -- Fiction. |
Magic -- Fiction |
Heroes -- Fiction. |
Antiheroes -- Fiction. |
Martial artists -- Fiction. |
Quests (Expeditions) -- Fiction. |
Fantasy fiction. |
Martial arts fiction. |
Predictions |
Heroism |
Anti-heroes |
Aikidoists |
Judo participants |
Judoists |
Judoka |
Karateists |
Karateka |
Available:
Library | Shelf Number | Shelf Location | Status |
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Searching... Bridgewater Public Library | SCI FI CHU, W. | SCIENCE FICTION | Searching... Unknown |
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Searching... Norfolk Public Library | F CHU, W. WAR V1 | FICTION | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Wareham Free Library | F CHU | SCIENCE FICTION | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
A "superb fantasy saga" (Helene Wecker) of martial arts and magic, about what happens when a prophesied hero is not the chosen one after all--but has to work with a band of unlikely allies to save the kingdom anyway, from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lives of Tao
"An ambitious and touching exploration of disillusionment in faith, tradition, and family--a glorious reinvention of fantasy and wuxia tropes."--Naomi Novik, New York Times bestselling author of A Deadly Education
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Gizmodo, Kirkus Reviews, The Quill to Live
So many stories begin the same way: With a prophecy. A chosen one. And the inevitable quest to slay a villain, save the kingdom, and fulfill a grand destiny.
But this is not that kind of story.
It does begin with a prophecy: A child will rise to defeat the Eternal Khan, a cruel immortal god-king, and save the kingdom.
And that prophecy did anoint a hero, Jian, raised since birth in luxury and splendor, and celebrated before he has won a single battle.
But that's when the story hits its first twist: The prophecy is wrong.
What follows is a story more wondrous than any prophecy could foresee, and with many unexpected heroes: Taishi, an older woman who is the greatest grandmaster of magical martial arts in the kingdom but who thought her adventuring days were all behind her; Sali, a straitlaced warrior who learns the rules may no longer apply when the leader to whom she pledged her life is gone; and Qisami, a chaotic assassin who takes a little too much pleasure in the kill.
And Jian himself, who has to find a way to become what he no longer believes he can be--a hero after all.
Reviews (3)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Bestseller Chu (The Lives of Tao) opens his ambitious War Arts Saga series with one-armed, aging Ling Taishi, the "greatest war arts master of her generation," taking on a new student, Wen Jian. Jian is the Chosen One, prophesied to defeat the Eternal Kahn, immortal god-king of the Katuia Hordes, and Taishi offers to prepare him for this task--just in time to learn that the Kahn is already dead. Taishi, desperate not to repeat the failures that lead to her son's death, hides Jian in a war arts school while she travels across the Enlightened States to discover why the prophecy fell through. Though Act I seems like by-the-numbers wuxia built on the tired trope of an unqualified man unbelievably surpassing a skilled woman at her life's work, things pick up as the focus shifts from bland hero Jian onto a number of fascinating female characters, including two who want to kill him: Salminde "Sali" the Viperstrike of the Katuia, who seeks both her missing sister and the reincarnation of the Khan; and the mercurial Maza Qisami, an expert assassin known as a shadowkill. The epic scope of the worldbuilding, along with the sheer number of fight scenes, will delight Chu's fans. Agent: Russell Galen, Scovil Galen Gosh Literary. (Aug.)
Kirkus Review
A prophecy is unexpectedly foiled and a chosen hero cast adrift in this first of a fantasy trilogy inspired by Chinese martial arts films. Elderly, one-armed, but still incredibly able war artist Ling Taishi is invited to view the progress of the Champion of the Five Under Heaven, prophesied to be the doom of the Eternal Khan, foe of the Zhuun Empire. Taishi discovers that the so-called hero, Wen Jian, is a poorly trained spoiled brat; nevertheless, she sees some potential in him and resolves to train the boy herself. Then a Zhuun foot patrol blunders into the naked, profoundly drunk Khan and kills him themselves, turning Jian into a political liability and forcing the new master-disciple team to go on the run. Under an assumed name, Jian toils resentfully as a novice and servant at a war artist school; Taishi dodges assassins and searches for the temple where the prophecy was made to learn how and why it failed. Meanwhile, Salminde, an elite warrior and close friend of the late Khan, looks first for her sister and then for some way of helping her people, forced into indentured servitude in the aftermath of the Khan's death. Author Chu uses his knowledge and experience as a martial artist, stuntman, and actor to craft an exceptionally easy-to-visualize work with expertly blocked fight sequences; it's impossible not to picture how everything would look on screen (of course, the trilogy has already been optioned for television). This novel is squarely directed at kung fu, wuxia, and wire-fu fans who adore Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Hero; The Legend of Drunken Master; Kung Fu Hustle, and the like, providing a story with an epic sweep punctuated with dashes of humor and sharp-edged banter. Although Jian provides the initial spark for the plot, the novel is marvelously dominated by strong women, including the hot-tempered and fierce Taishi, who occasionally learns that rudeness is not always the best policy; the passionate, grieving Salminde, searching for meaning after her world has ended; and the mercurial, psychopathic shadow assassin Maza Qisami. Dramatic, fun, thoughtful, clever, and (literally) punchy. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Library Journal Review
Chu's (The Fall of Io) wuxia-inspired epic fantasy novel tells the story of Wen Jian, who grew up being told that he was the Hero of Prophecy, destined to save his people. When he discovers that his true fate may be different than anticipated, he must find a new path. This exciting and snarkily told tale is populated with numerous characters, and intertwining plot threads are made easily navigable by Natalie Naudus's well-paced narration. Naudus voices the spoiled hero in training, the cynical martial arts master, the dutiful enemy, and the whimsical but sociopathic assassin with equal believability. Naudus's performance brings real tension to the conflicts between each of the four main protagonists, making it difficult to know exactly whom to root for by the end. Listeners can only hope that Chu doesn't make them wait too long for the next book. VERDICT Clocking in at almost 19 hours, this is a hefty book, but listeners will be captivated by the intricate worldbuilding and satisfying character development. An engrossing series starter that is highly recommended for fans of Ken Liu, Yong Jin, and Nghi Vo.--Matthew Galloway