SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

This is the selection from our "overlooked fantasy authors" poll!
What are your initial thoughts?

Please, leave all specifics (ex. about characters, plot, identified tonal or tense shifts etc) for the full discussion thread, up in a few days.

Content warnings for those who would like them: (view spoiler)[ rape, body horror/graphic violence (some eye harm), lots of death (including children), loss of loved ones, suicide, miscarriage. (hide spoiler)]

I love this book! One of the best I've ever read. I have about 15% left and will have it done by lunch. It's like an anime/manga in novel form, with a splash of superheroes. I'll likely read the other books by this author.

I too, really enjoyed the book. There were a couple dead spots but mostly great.

I'm currently reading it (halfway through) and have really been enjoying. Elemental magic is just tons of fun to read! It has some really fleshed out characters too!

In the newsletter you mentioned a map, Allison. Would you please share that image or a link?

Glossary online
Map online

I've read the first chapter, and the style feels "fanfic-y"--not in a bad way, and in some ways it's good. It's brisk and easy to read. Maybe a little careless at times?

I haven't been caught short by a lot of the terminology as some GR reviewers have been. Half of it or so is Japanese forms of address, nouns, etc. that I've soaked in via osmosis from watching too much (subtitled) anime. The rest has been fairly easy to parse via context.

I like the emotional stance of the narrative. It feels warmhearted.

Beth wrote: "I've read the first chapter, and the style feels "fanfic-y"--not in a bad way, and in some ways it's good. It's brisk and easy to read. Maybe a little careless at times?

I haven't been caught shor..."

I was concerned at first when I saw that GINORMOUS glossary, but I actually haven't used it once. There are enough context clues to help, really :)

Yeah I was worried when the author made a point of telling us where the glossary is online, but I didn't look at it even once.

I like it so far. However, while I do enjoy the obvious manga inspiration, the rather excessive use of Japanese words and expression makes it feel like a fanfic written by a weeaboo. Hopefully the writer will tone it down later.

I'm liking the world (what we've seen so far) and the characters that are being developed too.

Overlooked? This is making all kinds of waves in SPFBO.

It was an intriguing but raw book.

Bender wrote: "Overlooked? This is making all kinds of waves in SPFBO."

It has under 1000 ratings on Goodreads, so it's not exactly popular yet. The theme specified that the book hasn't won any awards and isn't a bestseller, but of course people will still vote for something they've heard (good things) about.

I am struggling with this one. The walls of italic text, indicating one language over another, is driving me mad. And I am struggling with the terminology, something I'm not used to doing. Normally I can roll with weird fantasy/sci-fi terminology no problem, but this book is testing that.

I will say that part of it is that this is not for me. I'm just not a huge anime fan, and the description that this is anime in book form is pretty spot on.

Anat wrote: "...it feel like a fanfic written by a weeaboo. Hopefully the ..."

The author is Asian-american so I don't know if I agree with that assessment, but I understand the hangup.

Picked this up yesterday and planning on starting in on it this morning! I'm very excited bc I just finished reading The Priory of the Orange Tree, which I really enjoyed, and from the synopsis this seems like it might have a similar setting/feel.

This didn't remind me of The Priory of the Orange Tree at all, but I hope you enjoy Cori :)

Yeah, roughly a chapter in now and I can very much see that :P. Regardless, I'm enjoying it so far!

I tried this and found the beginning very slow, giving it a second shot.

Yeah, the terminology is bothering me too. Don't mind some of it when it's useful (i.e. no easy English term available) and well-defined in the text, but this is not often the case here. I'd much prefer "wind masters" to fonyaka or whatever the term is, for instance. The changed time terminology, while easy to figure out from context, is awkward, and I can't think of a good reason it should be changed - the worldbuilding is not significantly enhanced by it. The Japanese is less bothersome, but there are still some instances in which the English term would more than suffice.

So far I like it. It reminds me a bit of Red Sister with the school and the (mostly) medieval setting.

The setting actually bothers me. Because it's partly feudal Japan and partly modern Japan and there's no real explanation as to how the two worlds meld together. The casual inference to modern technology while still in a very old fashioned setting is jarring, and I don't really like it.

I've been thinking it over and I think I'm DNF-ing this one. I'm about 30% through and I'm not enjoying it at all.

I had to ILL this and am still waiting for my copy... Hope it arrives soon!

Melani wrote: "The setting actually bothers me. Because it's partly feudal Japan and partly modern Japan and there's no real explanation as to how the two worlds meld together. The casual inference to modern tech..."

Melanie, the book takes a huge turn at 35%
It got much better from that point

Twila wrote: "Melani wrote: "The setting actually bothers me. Because it's partly feudal Japan and partly modern Japan and there's no real explanation as to how the two worlds meld together. The casual inference..."

Good to know. I think I see what's coming (I gave it another shot at lunch) and I'm curious enough to keep going now. It's probably never going to be a favorite but I'll finish it.

Twila wrote: "Melanie, the book takes a huge turn at 35%
It got much better from that point"

I'm enjoying it as is, so this is a great sign!

The "swords + TV/electricity/etc." tech mismatch isn't a deal-breaker for me, but it does feel like the world-building is somewhat lacking. Maybe this is filled out better in the long run, and would a good topic for the spoiler thread. ;)

I'm just about to start it now. I was already excited to start, and all of the first impressions so far just make me think I'll love it.

There's a group of people gushing about this book. I'm somewhere in Ch6/7. Since I have to read it vs listening, I've been slow to make it a priority.

I love italics and even I thought that was a poor choice.

I also agree that the story comes across as something written on one of the writing forums and most likely polished for publishing. It does seem like an anime in book form or wire-fu martial arts story. =)

I like the two characters and abilities. Some of the cultural settings are a bit heavy handed. There are a couple of things that I am curious to see play out for the characters.

Since two groups I belong to are reading the book, I'm going to take it as a sign to finish it. LOL =D

Ben wrote: "Anat wrote: "...it feel like a fanfic written by a weeaboo. Hopefully the ..."

The author is Asian-american so I don't know if I agree with that assessment, but I understand the hangup."

Sorry if the word is offending, not my intention. afaik weeaboo is non-Japanese person obsessed with Japanese culture (mostly anime I guess?) and the author is clearly not Japanese. I found the writing style is comparable to that of (anime/manga) fanfics that I've come across before, that's all I meant.

I'm enjoying this so far, although I'm only about 7% in. The use of italics is obnoxious, but I'm very intrigued by the world-building and characters.

Anat wrote: "Ben wrote: "Anat wrote: "...it feel like a fanfic written by a weeaboo. Hopefully the ..."

The author is Asian-american so I don't know if I agree with that assessment, but I understand the hangup..."

M.L. Wang is a woman of mixed descent who's lived in Japan (although she was born in the US), so I think weeaboo cannot be applicable. Especially since it's a derogatory slang term, which (just like the n word) can sometimes be embraced by people it is used about, but has strong derogatory connotations when used by outsiders ("unhealthy obsession with Japanese while shunning one's own ethnicity and culture, but without true understanding of Japanese, which leads to racist stereotyping in their portrayal of what they claim to love"). And it never really applies to mixed race people who've lived in Japan.

She also says "I’m alive to write this story because, in 1937, in a Jiangsu Province village outside Nanjing, a Japanese bullet missed my great grandmother when she bent down to get a cooking pot. Certain events in The Sword of Kaigen harken back to the Nanjing Massacre, holding true to the guiding principle behind the Theonite universe: the mile walked in another’s shoes. What if you had been on the other side? What if it had been your family?"

That hardly sounds like a white girl who only chose a Japanese-inspired fantasy setting due to an obsession with anime. And the martial arts aspects come from her being a martial artist *by profession*, not from watching stuff on TV. By the way, she also painted the cover herself.

Eva? Anat already apologized and clarified. That's all really cool information, and I'm glad to have it, but it feels a bit pointed. We prefer to give folks a bit of room to make mistakes (who hasn't accidentally said something before?) So, thanks for sharing! But let's not make an issue of something that isn't one anymore :)

Spoiler thread is open!

My initial first impression was that there was a lot of info dump going on, but now that I'm about 30% into it, I think it was necessary. At this point I'm set up to where I know about the world and we can get on with the story.

Bobby, I agree about the info-dumping. I'm about 25% in now and ready for things to get rolling.

The middle act is worth the build up.

Meredith wrote: "Bobby, I agree about the info-dumping. I'm about 25% in now and ready for things to get rolling."
Me too. I'm ready to get on with it.

Having gotten through the beginning, I'll just say that after about 30% through, things get going and I have been unable to put the book down.

I definitely did not realize this would be in a setting with a high school and video games. Not sure how I feel about it (I tend to prefer fantasy to be absent modern things). But so many few positively and I’ve wanted to try it for a while. Only a few pages in.

Okay now I’m about 30 pages in and I’m sold. Very much enjoying the setting and ideas already. Want to know more.

I saw this is prequel? Looks like a trilogy or more, but book 3 said 2019 and I don’t see it anywhere. Has anyone read the two that are out?

I think this is a standalone written for an established world by author.

The other two books are about characters that have a teeny tiny part in this book. I think the other books are more YA though?

This is a standalone prequel to what was meant to be a trilogy but Wang feels that it's gotten away from her and is unable to bring the series to a close. She's apologised, but fans of the series could be waiting more than a decade for the end of the series.

Got it. I see on her blog she’s shelved it for a while. Glad this one is a standalone. Excited for more.

I started this a few days ago. So far slow going, I'm interested, but I can't stop reading the news. I also seem to be unable to concentrate on the many names (of countries?) so instead of locating everything on the map like I usually do, I just read over them - I hope, I don't have to pay for it later in the novel.

Overall, a very interesting world with well-developed characters. However, and I'm unsure if it's a positive or a negative for others, I very much felt like I was reading kung-fu theater instead of being glued to the TV on Sunday afternoon as a young person. In many ways, the themes felt very over the top, but then the characters felt very grounded and solid.

Sabrina wrote: "I started this a few days ago. So far slow going, I'm interested, but I can't stop reading the news. I also seem to be unable to concentrate on the many names (of countries?) so instead of locating..."

There's really only three you need: Takayubi, the main village; Kaigen, the name of the empire that governs Takayubi; and Ranga, an antagonist.

Perfect - thank you Ryan very helpful!

I sadly can't read this as I have it on hold from the library and the library is closed for the foreseeable future. :( Hopefully next month I can read it.

@Westiegirl: if you have Kindle Unlimited, then it's included for free (2.99 if not), so that might be an option if you're okay with an ebook under the circumstances. :-)

Eva wrote: "@Westiegirl: if you have Kindle Unlimited, then it's included for free (2.99 if not), so that might be an option if you're okay with an ebook under the circumstances. :-)"

Thanks!