Strike the Zither

    

Strike the Zither
By  Joan He

ISBN: 9781250258588
368 Pages
Available in Paperback, Hardcover, Audiobook, and Kindle
Trigger Warning: Violence and Death

Synopsis:

Orphaned at a young age, Zephyr took control of her fate by becoming the realm’s most powerful strategist, serving under a leader whose cause jeopardizes their survival in a war where one must betray or be betrayed.

When Zephyr is forced to infiltrate an enemy camp, she encounters the enigmatic Crow, the only strategist who has ever rivaled Zephyr’s talent. But mastermind though Crow may be, he is no match for Zephyr. She will defy the heavens to win and no one―neither human nor god―can stop her.

Featuring gorgeous map art and black-and-white portraits, Strike the Zither is the first book in Joan He's riveting Kingdom of Three duology that explores human greed and ambition in a war-torn world. Don't miss the epic conclusion in Sound the Gong!

My Thoughts:

Strike the Zither is the first part of a two part fantasy story based loosely on the well known and often adapted Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms (often shortened to Three Kingdoms - which is also the designation for era when the story takes place). There are omissions and distinct changes - most notably that most of the main cast is women, where in the original tale, all of the important players were men. The lead character Zephyr is based on Zhuge Liang, and her lordess Xin Ren is based on the hero Liu Bei. I've actually never had the opportunity to read Three Kingdoms, and in fact have only seen one adaptation - the Taiwanese drama K.O.3an Guo (part of the KO One franchise). And I watched that probably 10 years ago, so I don't remember the entire story. If you are familiar with the Three Kingdoms story, you will definitely see similarities in personas and certain happenings, but there are a lot of differences as well. Strike the Zither completely holds up as an independent story and will be just as enjoyable to readers who are not familiar with the Three Kingdoms story.

The main quartet of characters, like those seen in Three Kingdoms, is a trio of swornsisters and their military strategist. Each of these characters has unique personalities, are likable, and you can empathize with them and their motivations. The focal and secondary players of the story are clearly Zephyr and Xin Ren, so you get more background on them than on the other characters. Miasma, the villain of the story, is written to be perfectly detestable, though her strategist Crow is someone I couldn't decide if I loved or loathed.

The author paints a lovely picture of the scenery with her words (and provides a map in the index for context). She describes the action in vivid detail - which is sometimes quite violent, as to be expected in an epic story about war. Much of this story, however, was not what one would expect. Around halfway through, there is a bit of a twist - that I wouldn't dare spoil - and the narrative shifts drastically. As someone who dislikes when books are overly predictable, I absolutely relished the unexpected change.

I stumbled across Strike the Zither at the local library and the cover art is what drew me in first. I've been on a bit of a Xianxia drama binge lately, and this book looked like it would be right up my alley. If I'm being totally honest, the first couple of pages were a little overwhelming to me. It introduced several of characters very fast, and jumped right into the action; so it took a little while to get my bearings and remember who everyone was. It turns out that when you are reading a book instead of watching a show where you can learn faces, that much information up front can be a lot. Once I got a few more pages in, I was invested in the story and really didn't want to put it down. I finished this book in a week, but only because I was busy. This was the type of book that I could usually complete in one sitting.

Overall, Strike the Zither was a delightful read. As mentioned previously, it is the first of a two part series. It doesn't really end on a cliff hanger, but with an incomplete feeling and a bit of last minute suspense. I cannot wait to start the second half. I was really grateful that I did not discover this book before the library had both volumes.

Parent's Guide:

This book has a lot going on, but isn't too complicated. It is a war epic so there is quite a bit of violence, sometimes graphic. I wouldn't advise this for younger or sensitive readers, but it has a good deal of entertainment value for more mature teens.

Damn Good Chinese Food

 

Damn Good Chinese Food
By  Chris Cheung

ISBN: 9781510758124
208 Pages
Available in Hardcover and on Kindle

Synopsis:

From acclaimed chef Chris Cheung comes a cookbook inspired by growing up in New York's Chinatown—with a foreword by Maneet Chauhan, celebrity chef, author, and judge on The Food Network's Chopped

There is a particular region in today's renaissance of Chinese cooking that is often overlooked: the food of Chinatown.

Like many of his predecessors, chef Chris Cheung was inspired by the place where he grew up, lived, worked, and ate. From take-out orders at tiny hole-in-the wall teahouses to the lush green vegetables piled high at the markets, celebration dinners at colossal banquet halls to authentic home-cooked meals, Chinatown’s culinary treasures and culture laid the groundwork for his career as a chef and serve as the creative force behind this book.

In addition to learning the technique to make his widely revered dumplings, this cookbook includes fifty mouth-watering dishes that pay homage to the cooking traditions of Chinatown and celebrate this remarkable, resilient neighborhood. Cheung shares his thoughtful tour de force takes on timeless Chinese classics like potstickers, spring rolls, wonton soup, General Tso's chicken, beef and broccoli, scallion pancakes, har gow (shrimp dumplings), chicken chow mein, salt-and-pepper shrimp, lobster Cantonese, egg cakes, congee, and dozens of other delicious, authentic recipes perfect for cooks of all skill levels.

Through personal insights, stories, and recipes, the author walks you through the markets, restaurants, and streets, providing a stunning portrait of this important cuisine and its countless contributions to American culture.

My Thoughts:

Damn Good Chinese Food is a fountain of knowledge about the history of Chinese food and Chinatowns as a cultural phenomenon. If you want to know how your favorite Chinese dishes came to be, this book may teach you that. The book is split into chapters in a way that feels more like a literature book than the standard "chapter is a food category" cookbook format. The entire first two chapters are dedicated to covering and Chinese cooking tools and techniques. You don't even get to a recipe until chapter three. 

Once you do get to the recipes you will see that there are several familiar recipes to be found in this book, as well as some new ones. If you can find them. The book reads like a food/recipe blog, where there is all this exposition and background, and then a recipe thrown in the middle of it all, or at the end of it all. This is great if you really love all that history and exposition, but I know very few people who go out and buy a recipe book for the history - or who think fondly of the food blog format. Personally, I love learning history and interesting facts about foods I like, though I would prefer it much more if that information came as a footnote, or after the recipe. Because when I am looking for a recipe, usually that is because I am on a mission to cook and want it to be easy to find. And in this book (at least in the Kindle format that I was provided) the recipes are NOT easy to find. They are in the middle of walls of text and there is nothing to warn you that the recipe is about to start. It is not on a fresh page. The dish title is not repeated. It just jumps into it. And then you are back to another wall of text about the next dish. Except when you aren't. Some of the dishes get the elaborate treatment, and then some don't. Instead they fall back to back with another recipe. It feels very off balance.

The writer also covers cultural issues. He touches on the recent wave of xenophobia and Asian hate that has sprung up as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. This is nice because it is something that people should be having a conversation about. He also accuses all anti-MSG people of being xenophobic. This is not so nice because it is massive generalization. Sure, just like with everything, there are people out there who probably fit into this description, however there are also people who do not. Lumping all those people together is irresponsible, because it causes people to not take others seriously when they walk into a restaurant and say that they cannot have something with MSG for very valid health reasons. This puts those people at risk. You may not believe it, but it happens all the time. People with food allergies often don't get taken seriously because servers and cooks will take it upon themselves to believe that diners are just "following fads" and they will put things in their food that can poison them. In some cases it's gluten. For me it's nuts. For my mother it's MSG. I remember all through my time in middle school and most of high school, her getting headaches so bad that she had to lay in her room in complete darkness for 6-8 hours, crying in pain. Until the doctor told her that she had an allergy to MSG. We started checking every label and cut out all food with that and the headaches went away. For some people, MSG toxicity is very real.

There was one other thing that I can only assume is a result of awareness of or concern for cultural differences. Scattered throughout the book are occasional pop culture and American culture references. Sometimes they make sense, but sometimes they don't work at all. For example, at one point the writer refers to his Old School Chinatown Vegetables dish as the "Bionic Man" of vegetable dishes, and that is a concept that (at least the older readers) can relate to. Then at another point he refers to Joong as "wraps of Khan" and says they "may allow you to live long and prosper." Which, as an offhanded comment in a non-geek themed book, is a stretch. Phrases like that always remind me of the scene from 30 Rock where Steve Buscemi is trying to blend in with the high schoolers.

Which is to say that it comes across as trying too hard. And really, it takes something away from the experience. Not a lot of kitchen cooks are going to know what a DK Milly Maker is, or understand how it could have anything to do with cooking. Because it doesn't - it's a sports reference. Of which there are a few of in this book. The author makes claims like "Like Barry Bonds, a fish on tofu can hit seventy-three home runs a year." Which, again, seems like a grasp at relevance. One recipe actually ends with the final instruction line "Watch some baseball." We get it, you want Americans to relate to your recipes. Alongside the sports references are a scattering of tv references (like the Bionic Man and Trek mentions) but the one that caught my eye and gave me the most pause was where, in regards to lychees, the author said "blessed be the fruit." Ummmm, that's a big no. Not only does that not make sense in the context as a pop culture reference but it is not really something any man should be writing into his work considering the source of the quote. It made me uncomfortable about the whole thing and, rather than making the whole book more relatable as intended, it just widened the disconnect. My advice is to skip the random references and let your recipes speak for themselves. Americans love food. That's all they need to relate to you.

Overall, the book is... ehhh. The history is cool, but misplaced. As a cookbook it is disorganized but the recipes are sound. However it's hard to read it as a cookbook when it reads more like a food blog. Or a high school essay, complete with the last chapter being a textbook perfect essay summary, recapping every little thing previously mentioned.

I received a complimentary preview copy of Damn Good Chinese Food via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Parent's Guide:

I mean, it's a cookbook. 😅 But if they are interested in food, it does teach a lot of great things.

Learn French With Alice In Wonderland

Learn French With Alice In Wonderland
By  French Hacking

ISBN: 9798480774283
173 Pages
Available in Paperback and Hardcover

Synopsis:

Do you want to learn French without it feeling like studying? Do you want to learn French with a fun, familiar, and nostalgic story from your childhood?

Enjoy this timeless classic full of fantastical tales and ridiculous riddles. Originally published in 1865 by Lewis Caroll, this magical story is about a young girl who disappears down a rabbit hole into a whimsical world of nonsense and mockery.

This is a bilingual French/English book. On the left side of the page is the text in French and beside it on the right is the English translation. This allows you to read more and waste less time flicking the pages of a dictionary. As well as learning new words and broadening your vocabulary, you’ll learn phrases in context that you can use in real life.

French Hacking has translated, uniquely formatted and re-created the images of Alice in Wonderland to give French learners the most enjoyable experience.

Relive the story of little Alice and the fantastic creatures she encounters along her epic journey down the rabbit hole, this time in French! Meet unforgettable characters like the White Rabbit (le Lapin Blanc), the Cheshire Cat (le Chat du Cheshire), the Mad Hatter (le Chapelier), and the Queen of Hearts (la Reine de Cœur).

Learning French doesn't only have to be about grammar and verb tenses. Take your French to the next level by reading. Reading books in French is proven to be one of the fastest ways to reach fluency. It actively involves the visual cortex in the learning process that makes vocabulary more memorable, as well as being a lot more fun!

My Thoughts:

Learn French With Alice in Wonderland is a cute way to learn French with a story that most the world is familiar with. On some of the pages there is original artwork, which is colorful and fits the feel of the book. The format of the book itself is not intimidating, which is a plus in books designed to help you learn/ The text in the book is broken up into clear paragraphs so that one can read a little at a time, and the translations are right next to the story for the reader to compare or reference.

The French translations are accurate and easy to follow. Some bits have translations that don't match up because instead of doing a literal translation, they added a traditional French rhyme. I wish that, for the sake of learning the language, they would have chosen to use a literal translation in these spots - or at the least would have added notes with an English translation of the French rhyme used - seeing as the point of the book is to use the two sets of text to learn the opposite language. It seems pointless if the words on one side of the page don't mean the words on the other side.

That being said, books like this are a clever idea and this one is really well done. I have actually never once read Alice in Wonderland, so I wish that I had been given access to the full story, rather than a three chapter preview - but what I read was great. If you are learning French (or English as a native French speaker) then this book is definitely worth checking out.

I received a complimentary preview copy of the first 3 chapters of Learn French With Alice in Wonderland via Booksprout in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Parent's Guide:

This is a great option for kids! Alice in Wonderland has long been considered a kid's book, and immersion is a great way for kids to learn foreign languages, so Learn French With Alice in Wonderland is a great option for teaching your children a second language.

Agent of Artifice

Agent of Artifice
by S. Evan Townsend

ISBN: 9781937593186
302 Pages
Available in Paperback and on Kindle


Synopsis:

In this sequel to Hammer of Thor, the story of the adepts continues as told by Michael Vaughan. On the surface, Michael Vaughan looks like an ordinary guy - he has lots of money and loves chasing women. Appearances can be deceiving though. In reality, Michael is a rouge adept sent on a mission to assassinate Fidel and Raul Castro in Havana. Using spells, he is able to infiltrate the enemy bases but things don't go according to plan and he is caught. His talisman is stolen from him, leaving him in a weakened state, fighting for his freedom and to reclaim his life.

My Thoughts:

Agent of Artifice has an abundance of colorful Cuban imagery and historical insight. It paints a picture of life on the streets of Havana in the mid 1950s. As with Hammer of Thor, the historical images are greatly detailed, but there is a good balance of fantasy as well, so the "non-fiction" elements aren't really overbearing.

The main character is an everyday Joe, so to speak. He shows his flaws in a manner that makes him seem more human and likable. In fact, all of the characters have their own well developed personality and traits. You get a feeling for who the characters are and the interactions between them are believable.

This book is a non-stop action movie in text format. Vaughan takes you on a trek from Cuba to the US and back again, with never a dull stop along the way. There are plenty of well written battles and a ton of other action packed scenes involving poker games and character relations.

One thing that was noticeably different in this sequel was how the time line of the events was handled. In the first book in the series, everything was done in a linear fashion, while in Agent of Artifice, the story jumped around, having "flashback" moments and then coming back to the present. Often, this can be confusing, but I think it was handled well. There were very few moments where I got confused with the order of events or which characters were present in the current time and place.

Overall, I thought that this was a great story. Agent of Artifice is an exciting adventure that you will not want to put down until the end. It is a worthy sequel to Hammer of Thor, with plenty of action and intrigue to keep you on the edge of your seat. I can't wait to see what is next for this series.

I was contacted by the writer and given a free copy of Agent of Artifice in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Parent's Guide:

Agent of Artifice, like it's predecessor, is an excellent read for the older youths, like high school and college students. It is a good clean book - full of action but devoid of graphic violence and foul language. The writing is complex and younger kids would find themselves lost in the detail and historical descriptions and probably be bored easily.

Hammer of Thor

Hammer of Thor
by S. Evan Townsend

ISBN: 9781937593049
380 Pages
Available in Paperback and on Kindle


Synopsis:

The humans like to think they are in control, while really, they are manipulated and controlled by magic users who live among them, known as adepts. The adepts see the rest of humanity as below them. No government can control them and no authority can stop them. Some adepts are good, while others are evil. All are powerful. Many adepts use ancient relics called talismans to increase their power. The most powerful talisman in the world is The Hammer of Thor. When Hitler steals it from its rightful owners, the Valkyrie, an American adept called Francis Kader is reluctantly drawn into the effort to retrieve the Hammer from the Nazis. He sets out on a journey that leads him to a confrontation with Thor himself. What can this adept do to defeat an immortal god?

My Thoughts:

Hammer of Thor is a treasure of historical and cultural insight. It brings forth images of life in America and Europe during World War II. It gives intelligent and well researched descriptions of the technology that was available at that time, in a serious yet somewhat humorous manner. The historical images are greatly detailed, but there is a good balance of fantasy as well, so the "non-fiction" elements aren't really overbearing.

The characters are interesting and make you want to like them - even some of the bad guys. To be honest, I was rooting for Morgan. Each character had it's own well developed personality and traits. Often in books with as many characters as this one has, they become a blur at a point and you forget who is who beyond the main three or four. This was not the case here. Each character had enough distinct and memorable traits that it was easy to distinguish who they were when they returned after several chapters' absence.

There is a plethora of action to keep you on your toes. Kader hops from continent to continent throughout the book and never seems to see an uneventful moment. The battle scenes are well written, and you can imagine the actions unfolding in front of you, like you are watching a movie. Even the less eventful scenes are detailed in such a manner that you feel involved.

Hammer of Thor is a non-stop adventure from beginning to end. It sets the bar high and does not disappoint. There is action and intrigue, and it always leaves the reader guessing. With many books, I figure out the ending long before I get there, but with Hammer of Thor this was not the case. Every turn was a surprise.

I was contacted by the writer and given a free copy of Hammer of Thor in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Parent's Guide:

Hammer of Thor is an excellent read for the older youths, like high school and college students. It is a good clean book - full of action but devoid of graphic violence and foul language. The writing is complex and younger kids would find themselves lost in the detail and historical descriptions and probably be bored easily.

Dragon's Pupils - The Sword Guest

Dragon's Pupils - The Sword Guest
by Martin Chu Shui

ISBN: 9781921578472
300 Pages

Available in Paperback and on Kindle


Synopsis:

Liz is a half Australian and half Chinese girl growing up in Australia. her primary focus in life is environmental issues, particularly watching her friend’s handsome brother, who is an environmental activist. When, on the eve of her fourteenth birthday, a catastrophic accident sets thousands of ancient monsters loose, Liz's world changes forever. Suddenly Liz finds herself wishing she had paid more attention to her father's numerous ancient Chinese stories, as she finds that she must learn many new skills and call on all of her Chinese heritage to prevent the monsters from destroying Earth. Aided by her twin brother Henry and her best friend Sue, Liz sets out to discover why the monsters exist and how to stop them. Can she learn enough about a world she has ignored to stop the monsters in time?

My Thoughts:

I want to start off by saying this: The Sword Guest is an exciting and original story, and I thoroughly enjoyed it once I got into it.

The narration in The Sword Guest is abundant with cultural lore. I love seeing the various ancient Chinese stories that bring forth images of the Great Wall and days long gone. There is plenty of action to keep you entertained as well. The battle scenes are descriptive without going so far as to be overbearing. The varieties of monsters and villains and the interactions with them are interesting. I found myself surprised when vampires came into the story, but liked the way that they were written. It was a refreshing change to the more human vampires portrayed in so many novels today.  

The characters are well all developed, each having their own desires and dreams. Most importantly, they were likable. Focusing on the main three characters Liz, Henry, and Sue - I found myself at moments questioning the believability of their actions. Not their "super hero" actions - this is a book after all - but rather their everyday, "normal" actions. There was something about the way these fourteen year old children were running around, sometimes without parental consent, at potentially dangerous environmental rallies and protests, that irked at me a little. Even when they asked for consent, it was no big deal, like it was an every day occurrence. I loved that they were impassioned about their cause, but it still felt a little too farfetched. However, saying this, I have never been to Australia and I do not know the cultural differences. Children are raised differently across the world, and it is very possible that this is what the writer experienced growing up in Australia.

This book was written to target an adult market or a teen / young adult market, and it will be much better received in the youth department. The action and story is there, but many adults may find it hard to relate to heroes in their early teens. 

There was one notable thing that confused me while reading this story - the use of parentheses. In most books, a reader will come across a phrase or word that they do not understand, and they will have to look it up. There are several words in The Sword Guest that may have that effect on readers. Yet, I noticed on some of the simpler ones, there is an explanation within the writing, in parentheses. To me, this is seen as an editorial note, and it is distracting because it pulls you out of the story. As I read, the use of parentheses cropped up a few times, either defining a phrase or giving a background explanation of something occurring. It just seemed to me like there had to be a better way to put that information in there that would not bring the reader so abruptly out of the narration.

Aside from the parentheses, the biggest issue I had with The Sword Guest was the number of spelling and grammar errors - the first one as early on as two pages into the story. I came to discover that there were several such errors throughout the book. Now, I don't see this as all the fault of the writer. Writing a book is a long and arduous process, and a writer needs to have a good support system of editors and proofreaders behind them. This book was in need of a little more editing before publication. With a bit of polish, it would be perfect.

A while back, I was contacted by the writer and given a free copy of The Sword Guest in exchange for a fair and honest review. To be honest, when I was approached to review the book, I agreed knowing very little about it. I don't even recall if I read the synopsis first. I made a claim that I would review anything, and I planned to stick to it. I am really glad that I got to read this book though, because it had all of the elements of a good book - interesting characters, good background and lots of lore, a few surprises, and plenty of momentum. I am definitely looking forward to more from this writer.

Parent's Guide:

The Sword Guest is an ideal fantasy novel for young readers. The writing is not too difficult, but also not so simplistic that it gets boring. It has plenty of things to keep them entertained, as well as reminders to be environmentally conscious. I would highly recommend this book to preteens and teens - particularly those who enjoyed novels like those in the Goosebumps series. It does not use foul language, however,  there are a number of violent encounters, some of which are graphic. I would advise parental discretion based on the age of the child and how easily they are affected by visual imagery.