I really like this book. The first half is amazing but the second half hares off on a political maneuvering/war thing that wasn't near as interesting. When I reread it, I usually skim the second half. ( )

I read this after I voted for it in the SciFi and Fantasy Book Club poll for December, it looks like it doesn't have much chance of being picked and I a huge fan of CJ Cherryh, Asian culture and ancient warfare. This book didn't disappoint, it really could have been split into two books the first a master/apprentice tale and the second an action packed war story. I'd recommend this book highly to fans of The Tales of the Otori series by Lian Hearn. ( )

I loved the first half, but felt the second half dragged a bit. ( )

A re-read for me, I've owned a paperback copy for many years, but recently acquired the ebook version.

A pseudo-Oriental low fantasy that's well worth reading.

An aging warlord is living the life of a hermit having retreated from politics after the death of his childhood sweetheart who was married to the Imperial Heir by order of the old Emperor, and executed for adultery along with the Regent after the death of the old Emperor. Greedy and self-seeking men have seized power, and rule in the young Emperor's name even though the regency should have ended.

A peasant girl comes and disturbs his solitude, seeking revenge on one of the Regent's cronies who has killed her lord and her brothers. She persuades the warlord to train her in the arts of war and swordsmanship in exchange for acting as his servant. The warlord would prefer her to share his bed but she refuses and he is too honourable to force the matter although he thinks it would be best for her in the long run to give up the desire for revenge and become a wife and mother, if not a nun. (Although not explicitly stated, it's likely she was raped on her journey across the Empire and fears intimacy.)

The first half of the book deals with her training and the growing attraction both have for each other. It's quite slow-moving - it covers the period of about 2 years. The pace picks up dramatically in the second half when the couple leave their retreat and head to exact retribution on the Regent's crony. On the way, they manage to raise the provinces to rebel and attack the capital and the Regent, and against all odds, they succeed in destroying the Regency.

At the time, it read like a breath of fresh air amid the reams of pseudo medieval high fantasies in vogue at the time. Re-reading it after the space of a couple of decades, the relationship between the warlord and the peasant girl now comes across as a bit pervy given the age difference between the two, but there is a historical precedent in the age difference given that many women died in childbed, and were 'replaced' after a suitable period of mourning. Oddly, it's not the first book I've read recently with the same plotline - Hambly's Darwath series springs to mind, and Peter S Beagle's [b]In Calabria[/b].

Recommended

Wow. We certainly get down in the mud and blood with this. No training montage here - 2/3rds of the book is Taizu's training, and Shoka/Saukendar's dealing with the whole matter. It takes him a long time to move from limited, cut-down training to pushing her to her limits and beyond - that's where a lot of the mud and blood come in, as she realizes he's coddling her and pushes him to the next level. It's a single POV - we never get Taizu's take on things, it's all Shoka. It's also a detailed description of long-term sexual harassment - Shoka never quite pushes, but he never lets up either. I don't think Taizu was forced into anything, but she was certainly never allowed to forget what Shoka wanted. Then the last third or so of the book is Taizu going out to deal with the man who destroyed her home and family, and Shoka insisting on coming along - and then things snowball. I found the dragon rumor the most amusing part. And a happy ending, of sorts - I don't think they'll get their peaceful mountain home anymore, but it'll be a good bit better than trying to fit in at court, for both of them. ( )