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Loading... Thirteen Orphans (2008)by Jane Lindskold
Pretty obviously a book about a culture from outside that culture. Yuck. Also, the whole reaction to a character being black turned me right off.  GinnyTea | Mar 31, 2013 |  Please, having the characters sign a treaty on the 4th of July, & viewing it as auspicious? From a Chinese cultural perspective, I think not. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetraphobia Not bad otherwise. (  ) alclay | Mar 31, 2013 | Urban fantasy that takes mahjong as the basis for its system of magic. The backstory is almost unimportant: a few generations ago, in another world that grew out of events in ours, a group of magically-talented nobles fled with their emperor and took refuge here on Earth. Now someone is trying to steal the inherited identities of their descendants. Like everything else I've read by Jane Lindskold, the characters are appealing, the dialogue crisp, and the plot keeps moving -- but the quality of the writing is a little wasted on the book's superficial themes. Still, it's a fun light read. (  ) bezoar44 | Aug 12, 2012 | A patchy but entertaining book, with a really nifty central concept rooted in Chinese history and mythology but playing out in the modern US (and some interesting things to say about the contrast between the two). Flaws include too much exposition, which could be quite repetitive at times, a slow-moving plot in which very little happens for long stretches, and some awkward characterisations (like many reviewers, I found the older characters considerably more interesting than the younger ones, who frequently rang a little false). However, it really shines during some gripping and imaginative sequences utilising the mahjong and Chinese zodiac imagery, and I definitely want to read the sequel. ( )1  salimbol | Jun 25, 2012 | First in a series. I objected a little bit to the severity of the cliffhanger, but I recognize that's a fine line in writing a series that's plot rather than character driven. That said, I like the world-building. The magic/mythology is new to me (a combination of mahjongg and chinese astrology), and the characters are likable and interesting. I recommend this if you're fantasy-novel inclined. omnia_mutantur | Nov 30, 2011 | no reviews | add a review
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