What do you think?
Rate this book
Death and Resurrection
The award-winning writer of Tea With the Black Dragon and other acclaimed novels returns to fantasy with the intriguing story of Chinese-American artist Ewen Young who gains the ability to travel between the worlds of life and death. This unasked-for skill irrevocably changes his life -- as does meeting Nez Perce veterinarian Dr. Susan Sundown and her remarkable dog, Resurrection. After defeating a threat to his own family, Ewen and Susan confront great evils -- both supernatural and human -- as life and death begin to flow dangerously close together.
336 pages, Paperback
First published November 28, 2011
6 people are currently reading
180 people want to read
About the author
R.A. MacAvoy
18 books199 followersRoberta Ann (R. A.) MacAvoy is a fantasy and science fiction author in the United States. Several of her books draw on Celtic or Taoist themes. She won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 1984. R. A. MacAvoy was born in Cleveland, Ohio to Francis and Helen MacAvoy. She attended Case Western Reserve University and received a B.A. in 1971. She worked from 1975 to 1978 as an assistant to the financial aid officer of Columbia College of Columbia University and from 1978 to 1982 as a computer programmer at SRI International before turning to full-time writing in 1982. She married Ronald Allen Cain in 1978.
R.A.MacAvoy was diagnosed with dystonia following the publication of her Lens series. She now has this disorder manageable and has returned to writing. (see http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/non...)
R.A.MacAvoy was diagnosed with dystonia following the publication of her Lens series. She now has this disorder manageable and has returned to writing. (see http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/non...)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
January 9, 2012
It has been a really, really long time since I read any R.A. MacAvoy. It's been so long that I barely remember what she's like as a writer. Answer, as of the present: not exactly like other fantasy writers.
Ewan Young lives in Washington State. He's Chinese-American ("Yuan", in earlier generations); he paints for a living; he part-time runs a martial arts school; he has a twin sister and a terrible ex-girlfriend and a cute nephew and this is the sort of novel where those people will orbit through his life, a lot, in various ways. It's urban fantasy, but that's to give the people somewhere to meet.
See, Ewan has a near-death experience and get Buddhist Superpowers! I am very, very wary of Buddhist Superpowers. See, when I was a kid I was a stone-cold fanatical Spider Robinson fan... Well, long story short, it can be done poorly. This book does it well. What we have is a four-novella series (in one volume) about (unsurprisingly) death and Resurrection (Resurrection is the *dog's* name). (Or maybe three novellas and a coda.) Ewan deals with spirits, ghosts, monsters, the souls of mixed-up teenagers, and so on -- but, like I said, these are not stories about how Ewan is a magical superhero. They're four things that happen to him; and meditation turns out to be helpful, as it usually does for him. If you're expecting modern urban fantasy, you will be left off-balance, but I liked these.
Ewan Young lives in Washington State. He's Chinese-American ("Yuan", in earlier generations); he paints for a living; he part-time runs a martial arts school; he has a twin sister and a terrible ex-girlfriend and a cute nephew and this is the sort of novel where those people will orbit through his life, a lot, in various ways. It's urban fantasy, but that's to give the people somewhere to meet.
See, Ewan has a near-death experience and get Buddhist Superpowers! I am very, very wary of Buddhist Superpowers. See, when I was a kid I was a stone-cold fanatical Spider Robinson fan... Well, long story short, it can be done poorly. This book does it well. What we have is a four-novella series (in one volume) about (unsurprisingly) death and Resurrection (Resurrection is the *dog's* name). (Or maybe three novellas and a coda.) Ewan deals with spirits, ghosts, monsters, the souls of mixed-up teenagers, and so on -- but, like I said, these are not stories about how Ewan is a magical superhero. They're four things that happen to him; and meditation turns out to be helpful, as it usually does for him. If you're expecting modern urban fantasy, you will be left off-balance, but I liked these.
December 16, 2011
It was great. The only reason I marked it 4 instead of 5 stars is because it seemed more like linked short stories than a novel. I enjoyed the writing, the spirit world, the martial arts, the characters and the humor. I hope it becomes a series. There's sure a lot more to explore, and there is room for another shaman-like character in the urban fantasy genre. In fact it's more refreshing than vampires and zombies and shape-changers. And I like characters who are earnest and don't have to rely on put-downs and cynicism for their humor. Thank you so much, and please write another one!
April 18, 2012
Just read RA MacAvoy's new book, DEATH AND RESURRECTION. I really enjoyed it! Really! MacAvoy hasn't forgotten how to write! I really liked Ewen (the main character) and the secondary characters were well drawn. I enjoyed how MacAvoy made one police character a poet and the other a Mormon. I enjoyed the way Susan dyed her hair blond (she is Indian or part-Indian and fiercely defends her right to dye her hair any color she chooses).
I admit, not too crazy about the wolf-dog hybrid. Not usually crazy about super-obedient super-tough dogs in books. The writers seldom seem to know what real dogs are like and so they act like programmable robots instead of like real dogs. PLUS WOLF HYBRIDS ARE NOT SUPER OBEDIENT. Adding wolf blood does not exactly make a dog easy to train, hello? Although to be fair MacAvoy implied that there was not a lot of wolf in that dog. Still didn't like it.
But that's me, and personal. Here's a more substantive comment: this book is kind of like a novella plus some related stories, rather than an actual novel.
See, there's this big bad evil thing? And it gets defeated. And everything after that, which is about half the book, seems like an afterthought. Or really a series of disconnected afterthoughts. If I'd been editing this book -- and I definitely do not claim major editing mojo -- but it seems obvious to me that MacAvoy should have either a) put the defeat of the big bad evil thing at the end, or b) had some other problem that was in some way worse than the big bad evil thing, was foreshadowed early, and was dealt with in the second half of the book.
As it was . . . every part of the book was enjoyable, but it doesn't seem very coherent as a single work. Plus, nothing after the defeat of the monster carries the increased sense of danger or urgency or importance that you would expect to see as a story builds toward the end. It's as though you climb up a mountain . . . and then rather than being carried over a cliff by an avalanche, just clamber calmly down the other side.
So . . . hard to rate this book. I liked it! I will re-read it! I recommend it! But all with caveats.
I admit, not too crazy about the wolf-dog hybrid. Not usually crazy about super-obedient super-tough dogs in books. The writers seldom seem to know what real dogs are like and so they act like programmable robots instead of like real dogs. PLUS WOLF HYBRIDS ARE NOT SUPER OBEDIENT. Adding wolf blood does not exactly make a dog easy to train, hello? Although to be fair MacAvoy implied that there was not a lot of wolf in that dog. Still didn't like it.
But that's me, and personal. Here's a more substantive comment: this book is kind of like a novella plus some related stories, rather than an actual novel.
See, there's this big bad evil thing? And it gets defeated. And everything after that, which is about half the book, seems like an afterthought. Or really a series of disconnected afterthoughts. If I'd been editing this book -- and I definitely do not claim major editing mojo -- but it seems obvious to me that MacAvoy should have either a) put the defeat of the big bad evil thing at the end, or b) had some other problem that was in some way worse than the big bad evil thing, was foreshadowed early, and was dealt with in the second half of the book.
As it was . . . every part of the book was enjoyable, but it doesn't seem very coherent as a single work. Plus, nothing after the defeat of the monster carries the increased sense of danger or urgency or importance that you would expect to see as a story builds toward the end. It's as though you climb up a mountain . . . and then rather than being carried over a cliff by an avalanche, just clamber calmly down the other side.
So . . . hard to rate this book. I liked it! I will re-read it! I recommend it! But all with caveats.
March 2, 2014
You won't be disappointed with this book.
There's nothing more intriguing than a outwardly simple book that has many layers subtly crafted inside - or does it? It's very Zen, and maybe that's the point. Or is it? *grins sheepishly*
To me, the magic of Ms. MacAvoy's books is that those are genuine questions, asked with a non-cynical purity and crafted with a spare, evocative plot that reminds you why you love to read. To be challenged and rewarded at the same time, but not satisfied, which is a good thing in this case.
So what's the plot of the book? Honestly, the back cover blurb is all you need to need to know to get started. I don't want to spoil the read for you.
There's nothing more intriguing than a outwardly simple book that has many layers subtly crafted inside - or does it? It's very Zen, and maybe that's the point. Or is it? *grins sheepishly*
To me, the magic of Ms. MacAvoy's books is that those are genuine questions, asked with a non-cynical purity and crafted with a spare, evocative plot that reminds you why you love to read. To be challenged and rewarded at the same time, but not satisfied, which is a good thing in this case.
So what's the plot of the book? Honestly, the back cover blurb is all you need to need to know to get started. I don't want to spoil the read for you.
March 12, 2015
I'm a long time fan of R.A. MacAvoy, and I was very happy to read a new book by her. I was first struck by the fact that it didn't seem as well edited as her other stuff, repeated words and metaphors, some awkward sentences, but I loved the story, the characters, and her handling of their personalities and relationships. A lot for me to think about after this one, and to stimulate my imagination. A good read.
"May all be happy.
May all be peaceful and at ease.
May all be safe.
May all be free from fear.
May all know the truth of their own nature."
~Metta Sutta
"May all be happy.
May all be peaceful and at ease.
May all be safe.
May all be free from fear.
May all know the truth of their own nature."
~Metta Sutta
February 12, 2012
so far a lightly humorous paranormal about an artist - turned out to be four gentle mystery/paranormal stories, with a dog. I want more . . .
November 19, 2021
Four interconnected novellas. With simple lenguage, likeable characters and short brush strokes of insght and humor from the cast, it makes a wonderful book. The magic has a system, but it isn't explained, so to make it closer to mysticism, form the chinese zen theme of the book.
The first story is about the capable but humble protagonist getting a visit from chinese thugs that want to use him to send a message to his uncle who has a gambling bet. He beats them up, and the next day finds his uncle shot death on the floor, and then he gets a bullet into his heart. He discovers that he can go in-between worlds, instead of dying.
The second one is about a indian american woman that's trying to find out what happened to her granfather who is a priest who dissapeared. She knows Ewen (the main protagonist) has magical powers she could use to find him, with her dog "resurrection."
The third story is about a sixteen year old problem child who isn't in the hospital for recovery for his addiction (Ewen tried to help him in a previous story by sending him into a peaceful mental state), so Ewen tries to find him. The child is lying on the floor somewhere outside the hospital and when Ewen tries to help him out they change minds, shenaningans ensue.
The fourth one is about bones of children being found, one of the children was a patient of Ewen's sister. The mystery is unfolding while our protagonist are trying to live their daily lives.
I really recommend this book, the summaries don't make justice to this writer. She's very smart at what she does.
The first story is about the capable but humble protagonist getting a visit from chinese thugs that want to use him to send a message to his uncle who has a gambling bet. He beats them up, and the next day finds his uncle shot death on the floor, and then he gets a bullet into his heart. He discovers that he can go in-between worlds, instead of dying.
The second one is about a indian american woman that's trying to find out what happened to her granfather who is a priest who dissapeared. She knows Ewen (the main protagonist) has magical powers she could use to find him, with her dog "resurrection."
The third story is about a sixteen year old problem child who isn't in the hospital for recovery for his addiction (Ewen tried to help him in a previous story by sending him into a peaceful mental state), so Ewen tries to find him. The child is lying on the floor somewhere outside the hospital and when Ewen tries to help him out they change minds, shenaningans ensue.
The fourth one is about bones of children being found, one of the children was a patient of Ewen's sister. The mystery is unfolding while our protagonist are trying to live their daily lives.
I really recommend this book, the summaries don't make justice to this writer. She's very smart at what she does.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2025
Interesting mix of Chinese, Tibetan, and Native American theology in a modern setting. Well semi-modern since people were using MapQuest. A good solid entertaining read. I hope there are more adventures with this cast of characters. Will be looking/hoping for sequels.
May 27, 2012
10 years ago I read RA MacAvoy's Tea With the Black Dragon and fell in love with the intellectual bantering and sly hinting between Mayland and Martha. Then I waited...and waited...(and was thrilled over Twisting the Rope) and finally gave up hope to ever read more of this quirky style of philosophical urban fantasy books that focus more on relationship and what is unsaid than the next Big Bad or action sequence.
So I picked up MacAvoy's recently published Death and Resurrection and felt well-rewarded for the wait.
Ewen (Yuen) Young is a sensitive painter and kung fu martial artist living in Washington State. He has modest ambitions, occasionally helping out his psychiatrist twin sister with particularly difficult cases wiht his strange ability to take people to a "special place" he had constructed in his mind.
His Uncle Jimmy, also the master of his kwoon (martial arts school) is murdered and Ewen himself suffers a mortal wound. Ewen goes to an inbetween place, his special place, but instead of dying, he returns to life.
But his Uncle Jimmy's shady dealings pale in comparison to the two, major obstacles facing Ewen now; a dark spirit with a lust for the blood of holy men and a kwoon full of students eager to make Ewen their new sifu.
Into this mix add a police duo of serious but open-minded men, a veterinarian with an uncannily prescient dog, a brother-in-law who explains all of Ewen's powers and foes in terms of Tibetan Buddhism, and the murdered shaman-uncle of the beautiful veterinarian, and you get Death and Resurrection.
This book, like Tea with the Black Dragon, isn't written to draw you down the first-person path of a series of fights culminating in a face off against the enemy. It's not first person, and while there is an awesomely detailed and choreographed battle scene involving katana, severed bamboo shoots, and tomahawks, that isn't the point. We don't get into the head of Ewen or his veterinarian friend enough to really feel like we're walking in their shoes.
Rather, it's glimpses (really the book has three, linked stories) into the lives and conversations of Ewen and friends.
The Tibetan philosophy weaving together with Pacific Northwest Native beliefs, as well as the Chinese kung fu was just an added bonus.
I was a bit dissatisfied with how the focus at the end shifted on to Ewen's sister (albeit I understood Ewen and Susan's roles had ended in that particular story) as she discovers the very last murderer. I wanted to end with Ewen and Susan. Also, sometimes I felt removed, either culturally or generationally from the characters. (The little boy says "pish" and a lady's style is described as "Peruvian-Connection") However, this was still a gem of book that somehow made graphic violence, death, and evil...genteel.
This Book's Snack Rating: Like spicy Thai kettle chips for the slightly odd flavor of urban fantasy couple with the satisfying crunch of Ewen's character
So I picked up MacAvoy's recently published Death and Resurrection and felt well-rewarded for the wait.
Ewen (Yuen) Young is a sensitive painter and kung fu martial artist living in Washington State. He has modest ambitions, occasionally helping out his psychiatrist twin sister with particularly difficult cases wiht his strange ability to take people to a "special place" he had constructed in his mind.
His Uncle Jimmy, also the master of his kwoon (martial arts school) is murdered and Ewen himself suffers a mortal wound. Ewen goes to an inbetween place, his special place, but instead of dying, he returns to life.
But his Uncle Jimmy's shady dealings pale in comparison to the two, major obstacles facing Ewen now; a dark spirit with a lust for the blood of holy men and a kwoon full of students eager to make Ewen their new sifu.
Into this mix add a police duo of serious but open-minded men, a veterinarian with an uncannily prescient dog, a brother-in-law who explains all of Ewen's powers and foes in terms of Tibetan Buddhism, and the murdered shaman-uncle of the beautiful veterinarian, and you get Death and Resurrection.
This book, like Tea with the Black Dragon, isn't written to draw you down the first-person path of a series of fights culminating in a face off against the enemy. It's not first person, and while there is an awesomely detailed and choreographed battle scene involving katana, severed bamboo shoots, and tomahawks, that isn't the point. We don't get into the head of Ewen or his veterinarian friend enough to really feel like we're walking in their shoes.
Rather, it's glimpses (really the book has three, linked stories) into the lives and conversations of Ewen and friends.
The Tibetan philosophy weaving together with Pacific Northwest Native beliefs, as well as the Chinese kung fu was just an added bonus.
I was a bit dissatisfied with how the focus at the end shifted on to Ewen's sister (albeit I understood Ewen and Susan's roles had ended in that particular story) as she discovers the very last murderer. I wanted to end with Ewen and Susan. Also, sometimes I felt removed, either culturally or generationally from the characters. (The little boy says "pish" and a lady's style is described as "Peruvian-Connection") However, this was still a gem of book that somehow made graphic violence, death, and evil...genteel.
This Book's Snack Rating: Like spicy Thai kettle chips for the slightly odd flavor of urban fantasy couple with the satisfying crunch of Ewen's character
December 10, 2014
This is MacAvoy's return to writing after almost two decades (during which she struggled with debilitating illness). A contemporary fantasy with elements of a mystery/thriller like her most well-known work, Tea with the Black Dragon, Death and Resurrection is the story of Ewen (Yuen) Young, an Asian-American artist and student of the martial arts who gains the ability to enter into Bardo, the realm that spirits pass through after death on their way to the next phase of their journey, after being shot in the heart and revived after dying. Young is not a total stranger to psychic phenomena - he has had a strong connection with his twin sister all of his life, and has had an ability to help people by taking them with him into an imaginary space - an ability he sometimes uses to help his sister in her psychiatric practice - and is eventually able to use his new abilities to resolve the situation that led to his being shot.
The novel is told in episodic format, with four sections. As the novel progresses, first the police detectives who became involved with Ewen (and aware of his special gifts) following his shooting turn to him for help with a case of serial murders that turns out to be more supernatural than natural.
While the narrative of the novel deals with learning to use power and, and more importantly, using it well in the service of others, the core of the story is about learning to open the heart - about love and relationship, between family, friends, lovers, between healer and those in need of healing, and - as one might expect - death and resurrection. Of life, of hope, of love.
The novel is told in episodic format, with four sections. As the novel progresses, first the police detectives who became involved with Ewen (and aware of his special gifts) following his shooting turn to him for help with a case of serial murders that turns out to be more supernatural than natural.
While the narrative of the novel deals with learning to use power and, and more importantly, using it well in the service of others, the core of the story is about learning to open the heart - about love and relationship, between family, friends, lovers, between healer and those in need of healing, and - as one might expect - death and resurrection. Of life, of hope, of love.
September 2, 2014
It's really 4 novellas wrapped together, with a bit of a unifying theme enough to call it a novel. I found the first one (which I had previously read a different version of as In Between when Subterranean Press published it a little while ago) to be really excellent, a great meditation on family and life and death. The second "season" was similarly great, very wintry and all about love and fear and magic. The last two didn't do as much for me, and a lot of the final ending seemed a bit too much "and they lived happily ever after".
I do still hope that MacAvoy writes more for us, and I think there's still plenty to explore with the characters in these books. There's a lot of great character development, not only for the protagonist, throughout all four sections of this book, and I'd be happy to read another story about any of the people we met here.
I do still hope that MacAvoy writes more for us, and I think there's still plenty to explore with the characters in these books. There's a lot of great character development, not only for the protagonist, throughout all four sections of this book, and I'd be happy to read another story about any of the people we met here.
June 3, 2018
Ewen Young finds his uncle shot dead on the floor of his uncle's Kung Fu school, and then promptly gets shot himself. Despite dying, Ewen comes back with a new and unwelcome ability to move between life and death, though it does prove useful in protecting his family from the gangster who killed his uncle. He meets Susan Sundown and her dog Rez and go off hunting a malign Indian spirit murdering holy men, and has a few other adventures while he's at it. This feels like four novellas strung together, though the stringing is smooth, and the adventures are fun and extremely enjoyable, mixing up martial arts and meditation various types of mysticism.
August 29, 2014
Subtle, complex, reflective. Internal plots have their own tension; the overall conflict resolution feels less like a space opera and more like MacAvoy's 'Tea With the Black Dragon'. This is a good thing. Physical debility and writing are not a good combination, and I hope her health has improved; it's been a long time between books.
September 16, 2014
It's good to have you back, Ms MacAvoy.
January 11, 2023
Buddhist (elements include Tibetan Buddhism, bardo, meditation,...), and even a little native american spiritualism thrown in "urban" fantasy alongside martial arts. I liked the combination, and what she did with the intersect.
A bit different (compared to what I've read, though probably not entirely unexpected if you've read 'tea with a black dragon' also by the author as I had done before). And easy to read -- except some moments where it was a little too cringey/obvious... Maybe causalities of an author trying to turn out work at a pace appropriate for income or else impatience or skill. Or maybe times turning on a bit has made them more so than they were.
Interesting. But not, I think, `a classic' -- at least in any literary sense.
It's split into parts (4, I think), each is really a different story, but following on with the same characters. In my opinion it's a shame it finished on the fourth one, which has the least interesting/funky elements in - particularly for the readership likely to go for books like this. It makes those elements feel a smaller part of the book after you finished, having had that buffer at the end. We don't see anything new, it just seems to exist to tie the characters up.
A bit different (compared to what I've read, though probably not entirely unexpected if you've read 'tea with a black dragon' also by the author as I had done before). And easy to read -- except some moments where it was a little too cringey/obvious... Maybe causalities of an author trying to turn out work at a pace appropriate for income or else impatience or skill. Or maybe times turning on a bit has made them more so than they were.
Interesting. But not, I think, `a classic' -- at least in any literary sense.
It's split into parts (4, I think), each is really a different story, but following on with the same characters. In my opinion it's a shame it finished on the fourth one, which has the least interesting/funky elements in - particularly for the readership likely to go for books like this. It makes those elements feel a smaller part of the book after you finished, having had that buffer at the end. We don't see anything new, it just seems to exist to tie the characters up.
September 19, 2017
I fell upon this previously overlooked book by R.A. MacAvoy as a long-time fan who really, REALLY missed her! I loved this book, but would have enjoyed it even more if I'd known from the beginning that it is more like four novellas than a single novel. Looking forward to re-reading, with that understanding. It collects the stories of Ewen Young, a Chinese-American artist who practices martial arts, meditates - and finds he can travel between the worlds of life and death.
July 2, 2019
Kung Fu fighting, the afterlife, astral travel, departed spirits, demons/demon possessions, Native American and Buddhist spiritual beliefs, souls switching bodies, murder mysteries, moral lessons, and lots of bloody gorey action scenes! I loved it.
June 24, 2018
Amiable, episodic, intellectual horror story with lots of likeable characters and a cozy finish.
May 18, 2022
I was expecting sci-fi or time travel. It’s interesting if meandering but nothing phenomenal out of body or even meta
June 11, 2022
A great premise is dragged down by bland and lifeless prose.
January 11, 2012
One of the reviewers here said somewhere that this book reminds her more of a short story collection and I can sort of see what she meant - there are few links in between certain scenes and none between the four chapters.
However, Ewen Young and his powers are always part of the story. I would say the first part of the book has Ewen as the total focus, the second part has his eventual love Susan and her dog Rez as the focus and the third part switches back to Ewen (and his sister's former patient Jacob) and the fourth part is clearly shining a spotlight on Ewen's sister Lynn herself.
The fourth part was shortest and, while it had the most horrific crime, it was the least developed crimewise, it was more of a sort of coda to the further development of Susan's and Ewen's courtship and development for Lynn and her son Toby.
Like in Twisting the Rope MacAvoy shines a light on the way special children can be treated by their families, this time she has emotionally problematic teenagers in her sights, alcoholism and drying-out clinics for youngsters (and the total helplessness you experience when someone signs you in there and leaves you totally in the hand of strangers) and a positive look at hospices for the dying.
The narrative doesn't flow as well as it did in Twisting the Rope or Tea with the Black Dragon, still this is recognisably Urban Fantasy a la de Lint or Emma Bull. And the author still has a great way with images and interesting characters so I hope this sells well enough we will get more MacAvoy.
However, Ewen Young and his powers are always part of the story. I would say the first part of the book has Ewen as the total focus, the second part has his eventual love Susan and her dog Rez as the focus and the third part switches back to Ewen (and his sister's former patient Jacob) and the fourth part is clearly shining a spotlight on Ewen's sister Lynn herself.
The fourth part was shortest and, while it had the most horrific crime, it was the least developed crimewise, it was more of a sort of coda to the further development of Susan's and Ewen's courtship and development for Lynn and her son Toby.
Like in Twisting the Rope MacAvoy shines a light on the way special children can be treated by their families, this time she has emotionally problematic teenagers in her sights, alcoholism and drying-out clinics for youngsters (and the total helplessness you experience when someone signs you in there and leaves you totally in the hand of strangers) and a positive look at hospices for the dying.
The narrative doesn't flow as well as it did in Twisting the Rope or Tea with the Black Dragon, still this is recognisably Urban Fantasy a la de Lint or Emma Bull. And the author still has a great way with images and interesting characters so I hope this sells well enough we will get more MacAvoy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2012
I'm so, so happy to see a new book by MacAvoy, after a gap of almost 20 years!
The first of the four parts hooked me immediately, with a fascinating and original main character -- artist and martial arts practitioner Ewen Young -- and an absorbing and sometimes eerie storyline. I think it compares well with the best of MacAvoy's excellent writing back in the 1980s. Beautiful stuff, very potent, very wise.
The other sections felt a little weaker to me, seemingly intended mostly as introductions to other main characters. And I'm guessing this is the first of an open-ended series, so there's not a lot of growth or change going on here; it's all beginnings. I'm not a big fan of this kind of series, but I'll read MacAvoy in whatever form I can get!
And I won't mind meeting Ewen Young again in any case -- he's a great character, and the page just lights up when he's on it. I'm less excited about the other members of the cast, but maybe they'll grow on me. Assuming I'm right about it being a series, that is, and that the publisher decides to continue with it. Fingers crossed!
The first of the four parts hooked me immediately, with a fascinating and original main character -- artist and martial arts practitioner Ewen Young -- and an absorbing and sometimes eerie storyline. I think it compares well with the best of MacAvoy's excellent writing back in the 1980s. Beautiful stuff, very potent, very wise.
The other sections felt a little weaker to me, seemingly intended mostly as introductions to other main characters. And I'm guessing this is the first of an open-ended series, so there's not a lot of growth or change going on here; it's all beginnings. I'm not a big fan of this kind of series, but I'll read MacAvoy in whatever form I can get!
And I won't mind meeting Ewen Young again in any case -- he's a great character, and the page just lights up when he's on it. I'm less excited about the other members of the cast, but maybe they'll grow on me. Assuming I'm right about it being a series, that is, and that the publisher decides to continue with it. Fingers crossed!
January 9, 2013
3 1/2 stars, mostly for developing characters and the novelty of the plot: a mixture of murder mystery with elements of Kung fu fighting and fantasy realm bits . This is a series of interesting takes on the old theme of "the martial artist who doesn't go looking for trouble but it seems to seek him". Our protagonist, Chinese-American Ewen Young, finds he can travel to an in-between place that exists between life and death. This feat is used by him to his advantage and also to his disadvantage during the course of the book.
I thought R. A. MacAvoy did a good job in depicting her main characters and enjoyed her strong female characters. Some of the minor characters were heavily typecast, an example, the ex- girlfriend who comes across as the ugly cheerleader. The worst bits in this book could have been fixed through good editing. Occasionally a character says something she just would not say. Example, Susan says "We've something in common". Too British. She would have really said, "We've got something in common". American Northwest. There were some other cases of poor editing that are grammatically jarring but altogether the book was an enjoyable read with a strong finish.
I thought R. A. MacAvoy did a good job in depicting her main characters and enjoyed her strong female characters. Some of the minor characters were heavily typecast, an example, the ex- girlfriend who comes across as the ugly cheerleader. The worst bits in this book could have been fixed through good editing. Occasionally a character says something she just would not say. Example, Susan says "We've something in common". Too British. She would have really said, "We've got something in common". American Northwest. There were some other cases of poor editing that are grammatically jarring but altogether the book was an enjoyable read with a strong finish.
February 8, 2013
I love MacAvoy's work, and I was very excited to see there was a new book by her. Unfortunately, I don't think it's up to the standards set by the Lens of the World trilogy, or Tea with the Black Dragon, or even lesser works like The Third Eagle. It's a readable account of a young Chinese-American kung-fu master in our contemporary world who discovers that he has mystical powers, and gets embroiled in conflict with a few different foes, along with his gang of helpers. There's not much to it other than that -- some snappy, action-packed scenes and it's always readable, but not a lot of the inventive world-building that characterizes Lens... with its clear focus on gender roles, class, race, language and identity, or the psychological depth of Tea... -- both of which share similar premises of a central character with more-than-human abilities.
June 30, 2012
It's been a long time since R.A. MacAvoy published a book. Death and Resurrection is her new book, very different from her past work, with violence that is almost graphic. This set of novellas is placed in the Pacific Northwest, mostly, and it explores the nature of reality, of consciousness as well as race. I don't recall from her previous books that the dialogue was so stilted at times. But that is really the only problem with this book. Using martial arts, Native American lore and place well, she crafted a highly readable book, especially for teens.
September 22, 2012
MacAvoy's "Tea with the Black Dragon" is one of my all-time favorite fantasies, so I was glad to see something new from her. However, while I read and enjoyed this book, it seemed disjointed and more circular than linear. And Ewen, the hero, often make me want to smack him upside the head. Not exactly a novel but not exactly linked short stories either, it was also fairly flat in tone, so that reading it was like taking a road trip with many side-trips and no idea whether a destination would be reached or even whether there was a destination at all.
October 27, 2012
The novelette "In Between", read by me earlier this week, is actually part of this novel. And it makes more sense in this context. (Btw, if you've read In Between, the version in the novel is ~slightly different)
This novel is presented in 4 parts, and is all about the same characters as In Between, though many new ones are introduced. There is a bit of magic involved, but not in the 'traditional' sense.. no spells are cast, etc.
A good read. I'm a fan of R.A. MacAvoy now. Will read anything she writes!
This novel is presented in 4 parts, and is all about the same characters as In Between, though many new ones are introduced. There is a bit of magic involved, but not in the 'traditional' sense.. no spells are cast, etc.
A good read. I'm a fan of R.A. MacAvoy now. Will read anything she writes!
August 5, 2012
"May all be happy.
May all be peaceful,and at ease.
May all be safe.
May all be free from fear.
May all know the truth of their own nature."
~Metta Sutta
There's a lot to like about this book. Ms.MacAvoy begins with wishing her readers well with the Metta Sutta, and that bodes well for me and my tastes, plus there's some great fight scenes, a bit of refinement, and a dog named Resurrection. Give it a look see, why don't you?!
May all be peaceful,and at ease.
May all be safe.
May all be free from fear.
May all know the truth of their own nature."
~Metta Sutta
There's a lot to like about this book. Ms.MacAvoy begins with wishing her readers well with the Metta Sutta, and that bodes well for me and my tastes, plus there's some great fight scenes, a bit of refinement, and a dog named Resurrection. Give it a look see, why don't you?!
June 8, 2013
The parts of this book are distinct enough to feel like a series of novellas involving the same characters and setting, much like a mystery series. It's a very intriguing and appealing series with a very interesting metaphysical plot line. In many ways I was sorry to see it end, though its unique twist on a happy ending made me laugh out loud. I have read only a few books by this author before, and long ago. I rather lucked into this one. Time to seek out more!
Want to read
January 16, 2015Whoa! R. A. MacAvoy. New book!
She's my most favourite slightly unfavourite author ever. Is that a new category? I feel she never caught the mainstream because she was too tightly written. Most writers are always trying to clean and tighten things up. MacAvoy was just too good with that.
So it was almost perfect then too tight.
Fave book, Tea With the Black Dragon. Awesome. I would have to say that she is one of my fave authors ever.
She's my most favourite slightly unfavourite author ever. Is that a new category? I feel she never caught the mainstream because she was too tightly written. Most writers are always trying to clean and tighten things up. MacAvoy was just too good with that.
So it was almost perfect then too tight.
Fave book, Tea With the Black Dragon. Awesome. I would have to say that she is one of my fave authors ever.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews