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The Crane Moon Cycle #1-2
The Crane Moon Cycle 1-2
Across wars and worlds, through death and life, in mortal and immortal hearts, the binding holds.
Aili Fallon is determined to escape her past, and won't let anything get in the way of her training as a combat nurse. But when the woman she loves binds her with blood and disappears in flames, she gambles with her own existence to find her again.
Crossing into a forgotten life and death, Aili is bound by a curse a thousand years in the making. As human wars rage and demons hunt the immortal and defenseless phoenix, Aili and her beloved Liu Chenguang fight to heal the wounds of two lives, with their own hearts and millions of mortal souls at stake.
The Crane Moon Cycle Duology contains the full books of The Phoenix and the Sword and The Shoreless River, a complete epic fantasy of love, loss, and redemption, set in a world of spiritual powers, past lives, and beings of myth and legend.
Aili Fallon is determined to escape her past, and won't let anything get in the way of her training as a combat nurse. But when the woman she loves binds her with blood and disappears in flames, she gambles with her own existence to find her again.
Crossing into a forgotten life and death, Aili is bound by a curse a thousand years in the making. As human wars rage and demons hunt the immortal and defenseless phoenix, Aili and her beloved Liu Chenguang fight to heal the wounds of two lives, with their own hearts and millions of mortal souls at stake.
The Crane Moon Cycle Duology contains the full books of The Phoenix and the Sword and The Shoreless River, a complete epic fantasy of love, loss, and redemption, set in a world of spiritual powers, past lives, and beings of myth and legend.
793 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 17, 2023
About the author
J.C. Snow
5 books55 followersJ. C. Snow (she/her) is a queer fantasy author who lives with her wife, child, dog, and a wild garden in the Bay Area. She writes novels and stories centering queer characters, usually with plenty of fight scenes, love stories, trauma and healing. She holds a doctorate in Religious Studies from Columbia University and has also published extensively on the history of race and religion in the United States. Her current non-fantasy-writing life goal is to be certified as a scuba diver.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
October 5, 2025
Rep: Sapphic and Achillean
This is unlike most fantasy I’ve read, and that’s exactly what makes it so special. Inspired by danmei and xianxia traditions, this story feels folkloric in its telling: slow, meandering, and deeply atmospheric. It’s not the kind of book you rush through; instead, you let the prose and imagery wash over you.
The writing is gorgeous, and the world is steeped in mythology and spiritual power. The characters don’t always behave in ways a Western fantasy reader might expect, and that creates a sense of distance at times, but it fits perfectly with who they are and the tradition the story comes from. In some ways, this duology felt more like experiencing a piece of art than reading a straightforward narrative.
The themes of love, sacrifice, and redemption play out across lifetimes and wars. I found myself reminded of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh; similarly beautiful, haunting, and mythlike in its scope.
I was embarrassingly late in getting to this ARC, but I’m so glad I finally did. This duology is lovely, memorable, and unlike anything else on my shelves. If you’re looking for a fantasy that feels like folklore brought to life, this is one to savor.
Thanks to the author for the complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.
This is unlike most fantasy I’ve read, and that’s exactly what makes it so special. Inspired by danmei and xianxia traditions, this story feels folkloric in its telling: slow, meandering, and deeply atmospheric. It’s not the kind of book you rush through; instead, you let the prose and imagery wash over you.
The writing is gorgeous, and the world is steeped in mythology and spiritual power. The characters don’t always behave in ways a Western fantasy reader might expect, and that creates a sense of distance at times, but it fits perfectly with who they are and the tradition the story comes from. In some ways, this duology felt more like experiencing a piece of art than reading a straightforward narrative.
The themes of love, sacrifice, and redemption play out across lifetimes and wars. I found myself reminded of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh; similarly beautiful, haunting, and mythlike in its scope.
I was embarrassingly late in getting to this ARC, but I’m so glad I finally did. This duology is lovely, memorable, and unlike anything else on my shelves. If you’re looking for a fantasy that feels like folklore brought to life, this is one to savor.
Thanks to the author for the complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.
September 10, 2023
That J.C. Snow took her inspiration for her Crane Moon Cycle duology, contained in full in this omnibus edition, from Chinese genres including danmei and xianxia is obvious, and there is much here that should appeal to fans of these.
Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I should probably mention that I've tried, largely at a couple of dear friends' behest, to get into these genres before, to no avail. However, the beautiful cover and enticing blurb convinced me to give this a try anyway, to see if it might succeed where previous attempts failed.
The world these two novels are set in is intriguing, I particularly liked the spirit realm setting which is beautifully realized and enchanting. The supernatural elements on the whole were fascinating and what made the books come alive for me, recapturing my interest repeatedly when it began to wander.
Wander, however, it did, and quite frequently.
Ultimately, I'm the type of reader who will not get sucked into a story unless I get attached to (or at least deeply intrigued by) the characters, and that just wasn't the case here. After spending 800 pages with these characters I still don't feel like I know them more than superficially, nor am I particularly invested in their fates or either of the romances. Both the characters themselves and their relationships needed more depth and complexity.
I also had some issues with the pacing. There are 800 page books that are so fastpaced and riveting they feel half as long, and there are 800 page books in which the pace often drags so much they feel twice as long. This one fell into the latter category for me. On occasion the story moved so slowly I had to make a conscious effort to avoid just skimming a few chapters because it felt like nothing relevant was happening for long stretches at a time. Staying engaged with the story took a lot more work than it should.
All in all, this was a well written book with an intriguing premise, enjoyable elements, and plenty of potential it didn't always live up to. It was also, I suspect, a case of "It's not you, book, it's me."
*** I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. ***
Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I should probably mention that I've tried, largely at a couple of dear friends' behest, to get into these genres before, to no avail. However, the beautiful cover and enticing blurb convinced me to give this a try anyway, to see if it might succeed where previous attempts failed.
The world these two novels are set in is intriguing, I particularly liked the spirit realm setting which is beautifully realized and enchanting. The supernatural elements on the whole were fascinating and what made the books come alive for me, recapturing my interest repeatedly when it began to wander.
Wander, however, it did, and quite frequently.
Ultimately, I'm the type of reader who will not get sucked into a story unless I get attached to (or at least deeply intrigued by) the characters, and that just wasn't the case here. After spending 800 pages with these characters I still don't feel like I know them more than superficially, nor am I particularly invested in their fates or either of the romances. Both the characters themselves and their relationships needed more depth and complexity.
I also had some issues with the pacing. There are 800 page books that are so fastpaced and riveting they feel half as long, and there are 800 page books in which the pace often drags so much they feel twice as long. This one fell into the latter category for me. On occasion the story moved so slowly I had to make a conscious effort to avoid just skimming a few chapters because it felt like nothing relevant was happening for long stretches at a time. Staying engaged with the story took a lot more work than it should.
All in all, this was a well written book with an intriguing premise, enjoyable elements, and plenty of potential it didn't always live up to. It was also, I suspect, a case of "It's not you, book, it's me."
*** I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. ***
April 13, 2026
This was a tricky one to rate, a lot of good stuff here, but also expected something else and had a couple of things that I couldn't get into.
The first book felt a bit dry for my taste, it lacks the type of interactions that add familiarity, character and human attachment to the story. The second book feels more polished and worked better in this sense, but it reaffirmed my very subjective disappointment with both books. I was expecting a strong sapphic story, which in book one, turned very quickly into a m/m story and in book two, we got a more important emphasis (way more) in the other m/m story with just a bit here and there of the other set of characters. Even after the climatic part at the end, we never revisit them. At all. This felt very weird and its fine having the other main m/m story, my problem was that I couldn't get into it, I am all in with murderous charming psychos, but Zhu Guiren didnt work for me. I felt so disconnected between the character on itself and the interactions in book two. That being said, Zhu Guiren has a very cool story development.
I loved the setting, the magical elements and beings were so intriguing, very ambitious, but at some point it started to thin out and at critical situations, it became deus ex machina. Parts of the characters stories had very interesting conflicts and situations that I wish were addressed or explored more.
It was an uneven experience, but I see lots of potential. After book one and two, I kind of distrust the blurbs, so I am having doubts about reading book three, but it is likely my curiosity will prevail.
The first book felt a bit dry for my taste, it lacks the type of interactions that add familiarity, character and human attachment to the story. The second book feels more polished and worked better in this sense, but it reaffirmed my very subjective disappointment with both books. I was expecting a strong sapphic story, which in book one, turned very quickly into a m/m story and in book two, we got a more important emphasis (way more) in the other m/m story with just a bit here and there of the other set of characters. Even after the climatic part at the end, we never revisit them. At all. This felt very weird and its fine having the other main m/m story, my problem was that I couldn't get into it, I am all in with murderous charming psychos, but Zhu Guiren didnt work for me. I felt so disconnected between the character on itself and the interactions in book two. That being said, Zhu Guiren has a very cool story development.
I loved the setting, the magical elements and beings were so intriguing, very ambitious, but at some point it started to thin out and at critical situations, it became deus ex machina. Parts of the characters stories had very interesting conflicts and situations that I wish were addressed or explored more.
It was an uneven experience, but I see lots of potential. After book one and two, I kind of distrust the blurbs, so I am having doubts about reading book three, but it is likely my curiosity will prevail.
Read
August 23, 2023I have struggled a lot with this duology. I considered DNF'ing several times through my reading, but I decided to stick to the end, if only because the author has stated that their biggest inspiration has come from Danmei authors - which is actually where my inspiration has come from, in the last few years. I'm an avid reader of the Danmei genre, be it set in a historical, fantasy or contemporary setting, and the mention of Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou - my favourite Danmei author - kept me reading.
But instead of an ARC, I felt like I was reading a first draft of something that might just have some potential, given a lot more work was put into it. For me, as a reader, this duology needs to be re-read, re-written, edited severely, in order to bring out the potential I could just glimpse through all the stage directing, excess of adverbs, cluttered prose that was overbearing in the way the author feels the need to explain every single detail - said detail placed in the gestures and movements of the characters, like a script or something - leaving nothing to the imagination, as if the author fears the reader to be too stupid to make up the scenes in their mind. The worldbuilding would gain from more thought put into it, and the characters are in need - for me - of a lot more work, in order for them to become real and kindle emotions in me as a reader. I'd have liked a lot more internal dialogue, in detriment of so much that felt completely unnecessary in terms of the narrative, because there wasn't even much of a plot to it - except on the final 20% to 15% of the duology, where suddenly, everything starts happening, and convenient solutions or problems jump out of nowhere for the sake of perhaps adding a little action to a tale that's been... well, pretty much expositional, in my opinion. I'm a character driven reader, hence my longing for more depth in the protagonists - as it is, I couldn't care less about them, found no chemistry whatsoever between the couples, didn't give a toss wether they lived or died. Having been used to be brought to tears in some much beloved Danmei novels because of the characters, I missed having that happen here. The relationships felt very stale, very bland, where is the angsty longing Danmei authors kindle in their readers, where was that burning of my stomach, that 'ughhhh, will you won't you, kiss already' angst that slow burn's meant to awake in the readers? I felt none of it, and for me, the story would gain so much from having a bit more work done on those characters in order to have readers pine and ache and long for their passion - because for me, there was absolutely no passion between the characters that I could feel.
Again, I will reiterate that there's potential here, and if I had been reading this as a first draft, I'd say the author had something in their hands, provided more work was put into it. As it is, a finished work, for me it fails the mark completely
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Did Not Finish
October 13, 2023I like this book, but it's just too slow-paced for me and doesn't hold my attention. It would be great for people who like slow-paced queer epic fantasy with past lives and reincarnation. You get a F/F and a M/M ship for the price of one!
September 3, 2023
I was really torn on this duology. I had a lot of moments where I didn't want to carry on reading, and initially I'd decided to stop after the first book, but then there were also elements that made me curious as to how it would evolve, so there are some positives, and I did manage to finish both books in the end. I do feel awful giving authors any negative feedback, but the value of a review is in its honesty, and I wouldn't have integrity as a reviewer if I gave 4 or 5 stars without meaning it. I'll be as vague as possible in the following review, to avoid spoilers.
Unfortunately, this duology didn't live up to the description or some of the other reviews I've seen online. I am a danmei fan (though there is a discussion ongoing about the appropriateness/validity of gay representation in danmei in general) and I can see where the author got a lot of their inspiration. There are some interesting inclusions of Chinese mythology and it does have good elements of common danmei tropes and of the xianxia genre. However, the world-building, character development, and pacing let it down, and though some of the characters are interesting, the main relationship feels forced, and some of the best characters are there only to give the MC convenient solutions.
After the first chapter, I almost DNF'd it purely on the laziness of the naming of the countries/people (Daxian, Kunorese, Anglish). They didn't work at all, and because of the lack of world-building, you feel simultaneously completely lost, as well as knowing exactly what real-world nations they're meant to represent. The different locations in the story seem ridiculously close together, so that travelling takes hardly any time at all, and yet there is completely distinct geography/flora and segregation of cultures. For example, Daxian and Fallon are close enough to drive between in an evening, but it's a tiny, remote, rural North American-style town with absolutely no Daxian people (commented on by one of the characters. It's like the author tried to glue Chinatown, Gusu from The Untamed, and Kansas all together - perhaps a map or more time on developing the world would help this break in cohesion.
There is a mix of gender, disability and racial representation, some of which was positive and I enjoyed - with better development, it would be interesting to see how a Western/European person would fit into a cultivation danmei story. As a non-binary person, I appreciated the gender-neutral language and characters, and how fluidity was explored, as well as how a partner might navigate the difficulty around changing physical characteristics.
Some of the rep stuck out strangely - one main character is Black, though to my memory wasn't described as such. They only describe the colour of their skin, and because the character has an element of morphing ability, their skin colour is not linked with their identity or culture, so it seems a convenient way to insert a Black character without any thought for the lived experience of the culture. For most of the story, this person is the only Black character around (pointed out as "foreign" for most of it), other than when we first meet them - for no apparent reason, in this first meeting, Black people are servants/slaves on the war boat, even commented as being only referred to as "boy" and looked down on by everyone except the main character. While it could be claimed as a historical reference, the whole situation is not addressed further and adds nothing to the story (other than as a vehicle for pointing out the MC's moral superiority), because the situation changes rapidly and is never revisited, so I question the need for it at all.
I did like the "villain" for the duology and their backstory, which is explored more fully in the second book. They are intriguing, and I enjoyed seeing their characteristics and personality develop. I did find it odd that the focus shifted so completely to them and their relationship during the second book, but it may be that I skim-read more of the MC's sections by then, as I struggled to keep my interest up. I was also a bit thrown by this villain clearly being a neurodivergent-coded character but again it not being said outright. I guess this is due to them being a demon and not requiring human labels or diagnoses, but the stereotypes used are a bit over-done, and it allows a claim of representation without the commitment. Again, if I've missed an in-book character discussion on this, I'm happy to be corrected.
The description of the demon rankings, the types and personalities of the higher demons, and then some of the stronger mythical creatures that appear (very conveniently) are genuinely interesting, and I would have liked more exploration of this. Instead what we are given is repetitive situations of main characters fighting, being healed, and having the same conversations etc, and convenient solutions to any problem that occurs. I really enjoyed the reveal around the refuges, the descriptions of some of the mythical characters, and the design of the spiritual realm - there is a lot here that is worth developing further. But the story and the relationships weren't believable, and they didn't make me care.
Time/pacing is probably the biggest issue with these books, and the reason that it doesn't carry you like a proper danmei series. The pacing is all over the place, and time passes either far too slowly (like the initial few chapters of Aili/Li meeting etc), or (most often) far too quickly in the space of a few lines. When we finally meet Hong Deming and his love interest (which is obvious from the start, I'm not even sure if it's a spoiler), it's an enjoyable read, but then all of a sudden 10 years have passed between one paragraph and the next, and it throws you. There is some enjoyable build up of romantic tension, but not enough to make you care about all the dramatic separation and hardship etc.
The author writes in their summary about their admiration for MXTX, Meatbun, Priest and other danmei authors, and about some of the features of danmei they enjoy. I feel like they were aiming for these key tropes and writing elements, but, having read most of these danmei authors works, I don't feel they've been successful yet. It's trying to be too many other things, and isn't doing any of them well. There are great weapons and fight scenes, wonderful characters like Zhu or the dragons, sweeping landscapes like the tree at Fallon or the spiritual realm, eerie monsters and villains, even some political intrigue. The elements are in there, and even the unusual twist of having those Western characters or locations could work, with refinement. There are clearly solid plot points or character arcs that are fascinating, and kept me turning those digital pages despite my lack of real feeling for the story, so I don't want to dissuade the author from continuing to develop. But it would be a disservice to MXTX and works like MDZS to compare this duology to those books - it's just not in the same league.
Based on these points, my review for these books would be 2/5 for the first book, and 3/5 for the second, so I've rated 3/5 overall. I genuinely thank the author for the effort they have put into this work, as it's no small feat, and I do hope to see the third book out soon, as I'd still be curious as to what happens next - I feel like the writing will continue to improve. Thanks to BookSirens for access to this digital advance review copy - my opinions are entirely my own, honest, and freely given.
Unfortunately, this duology didn't live up to the description or some of the other reviews I've seen online. I am a danmei fan (though there is a discussion ongoing about the appropriateness/validity of gay representation in danmei in general) and I can see where the author got a lot of their inspiration. There are some interesting inclusions of Chinese mythology and it does have good elements of common danmei tropes and of the xianxia genre. However, the world-building, character development, and pacing let it down, and though some of the characters are interesting, the main relationship feels forced, and some of the best characters are there only to give the MC convenient solutions.
After the first chapter, I almost DNF'd it purely on the laziness of the naming of the countries/people (Daxian, Kunorese, Anglish). They didn't work at all, and because of the lack of world-building, you feel simultaneously completely lost, as well as knowing exactly what real-world nations they're meant to represent. The different locations in the story seem ridiculously close together, so that travelling takes hardly any time at all, and yet there is completely distinct geography/flora and segregation of cultures. For example, Daxian and Fallon are close enough to drive between in an evening, but it's a tiny, remote, rural North American-style town with absolutely no Daxian people (commented on by one of the characters. It's like the author tried to glue Chinatown, Gusu from The Untamed, and Kansas all together - perhaps a map or more time on developing the world would help this break in cohesion.
There is a mix of gender, disability and racial representation, some of which was positive and I enjoyed - with better development, it would be interesting to see how a Western/European person would fit into a cultivation danmei story. As a non-binary person, I appreciated the gender-neutral language and characters, and how fluidity was explored, as well as how a partner might navigate the difficulty around changing physical characteristics.
Some of the rep stuck out strangely - one main character is Black, though to my memory wasn't described as such. They only describe the colour of their skin, and because the character has an element of morphing ability, their skin colour is not linked with their identity or culture, so it seems a convenient way to insert a Black character without any thought for the lived experience of the culture. For most of the story, this person is the only Black character around (pointed out as "foreign" for most of it), other than when we first meet them - for no apparent reason, in this first meeting, Black people are servants/slaves on the war boat, even commented as being only referred to as "boy" and looked down on by everyone except the main character. While it could be claimed as a historical reference, the whole situation is not addressed further and adds nothing to the story (other than as a vehicle for pointing out the MC's moral superiority), because the situation changes rapidly and is never revisited, so I question the need for it at all.
I did like the "villain" for the duology and their backstory, which is explored more fully in the second book. They are intriguing, and I enjoyed seeing their characteristics and personality develop. I did find it odd that the focus shifted so completely to them and their relationship during the second book, but it may be that I skim-read more of the MC's sections by then, as I struggled to keep my interest up. I was also a bit thrown by this villain clearly being a neurodivergent-coded character but again it not being said outright. I guess this is due to them being a demon and not requiring human labels or diagnoses, but the stereotypes used are a bit over-done, and it allows a claim of representation without the commitment. Again, if I've missed an in-book character discussion on this, I'm happy to be corrected.
The description of the demon rankings, the types and personalities of the higher demons, and then some of the stronger mythical creatures that appear (very conveniently) are genuinely interesting, and I would have liked more exploration of this. Instead what we are given is repetitive situations of main characters fighting, being healed, and having the same conversations etc, and convenient solutions to any problem that occurs. I really enjoyed the reveal around the refuges, the descriptions of some of the mythical characters, and the design of the spiritual realm - there is a lot here that is worth developing further. But the story and the relationships weren't believable, and they didn't make me care.
Time/pacing is probably the biggest issue with these books, and the reason that it doesn't carry you like a proper danmei series. The pacing is all over the place, and time passes either far too slowly (like the initial few chapters of Aili/Li meeting etc), or (most often) far too quickly in the space of a few lines. When we finally meet Hong Deming and his love interest (which is obvious from the start, I'm not even sure if it's a spoiler), it's an enjoyable read, but then all of a sudden 10 years have passed between one paragraph and the next, and it throws you. There is some enjoyable build up of romantic tension, but not enough to make you care about all the dramatic separation and hardship etc.
The author writes in their summary about their admiration for MXTX, Meatbun, Priest and other danmei authors, and about some of the features of danmei they enjoy. I feel like they were aiming for these key tropes and writing elements, but, having read most of these danmei authors works, I don't feel they've been successful yet. It's trying to be too many other things, and isn't doing any of them well. There are great weapons and fight scenes, wonderful characters like Zhu or the dragons, sweeping landscapes like the tree at Fallon or the spiritual realm, eerie monsters and villains, even some political intrigue. The elements are in there, and even the unusual twist of having those Western characters or locations could work, with refinement. There are clearly solid plot points or character arcs that are fascinating, and kept me turning those digital pages despite my lack of real feeling for the story, so I don't want to dissuade the author from continuing to develop. But it would be a disservice to MXTX and works like MDZS to compare this duology to those books - it's just not in the same league.
Based on these points, my review for these books would be 2/5 for the first book, and 3/5 for the second, so I've rated 3/5 overall. I genuinely thank the author for the effort they have put into this work, as it's no small feat, and I do hope to see the third book out soon, as I'd still be curious as to what happens next - I feel like the writing will continue to improve. Thanks to BookSirens for access to this digital advance review copy - my opinions are entirely my own, honest, and freely given.
August 9, 2023
The Phoenix and the Sword
For the fans of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night comes another epic cultivation fantasy from the pen of J. C. Snow. The Phoenix and the Sword is a queer romance fantasy inspired by the Chinese contemporary genre of xianxia (pronounced syen-sya) and many Chinese web novelists in the danmei genre. Xianxia, literally translated as „Immortal Heroes“, are stories based on Chinese folklore. These stories have many different spiritual beings (demons, ghosts) and immortal protagonists. According to the author, in xianxia novels, human beings can develop spiritual powers and even become deities with the help of meditation, hard work, and talent. Xianxia novels are closely related to wuxia (pronounced ooh-sya) novels, which include protagonists training in Chinese martial arts, and internal energy cultivation, to gain a supernatural fighting ability.
In The Phoenix and the Sword, we follow Aili Fallon, a combat nurse about to be dispatched to a battlefield. Right before her disembarkment, she meets an enchanting woman who calls herself Tairei. Tairei reveals her true name is Liu Chenguang, but the rest of her life story is veiled in mystery. Despite her friend's protests, Aili trusts Chenguang and discovers incredible things about her past life and concealed power. With the help of Chenguang's courageous sibling, Tainu, Aili is whisked off through a Phoenix gate into the unknown world of the Spirit Realm. Tainu and Aili journey through the unpredictable Spirit Realm to reunite with Chenguang. But when the two women's paths cross again, they will discover one cannot escape their past, no matter how unbelievable it may be.
This is quite an adventurous story told in two timelines. One timeline is set in the present day, focusing on exploring the newly unraveled connection between Aili and Tairei; the other timeline is set in a distant past depicting the life of a cultivator of the Crane Moon sect. The cultivator's name is Hong Deming. The transition from the first into the second timeline is well-incorporated and smooth. We watch as Hong Deming befriends and slowly falls in love with Crane Moon's curious new servant. Perhaps the new servant holds great power, but who will help him unleash it?
Despite the rocky start, J. C. Snow's debut novel is everything promised in the blurb. The first few chapters were overwhelming, and the world-building is not strong. I did not know The Phoenix and the Sword was a cultivation fantasy, so being thrust into a magical world with specific terminology was confusing. Having read one cultivational fantasy before, I was more familiar with the magic system. For all readers who have not read xianxia before, I suggest searching the glossary of terms used in wuxia and xianxia. The novel will not ease you into the magical world of Crane Moon duology.
In regards to world-building, it could have been better established inside the story. This book would benefit a map, even the most simply sketched one. Most of the plot happens in specific cities or places, but I had a problem with the general geographical orientation. The author mentions rivers, cities, and mountains, which remain unsubstantial as we have no idea where those places are, concerning the characters' current location. Regardless, I think my issue does not play an important role in the overall enjoyment of the novel. Since this is a romance first, fantasy second novel, do not expect much political intrigue or social commentary. I liked the pacing of the story. The story is fast-paced, action-packed, with fearless main characters, but the love story is slower. Aili and Chenguag's love story is messier, more complex, and restrained in contrast to the openly shown and more liberated relationship between Hond Deming and the servant.
The Shoreless River
The Shoreless River continues the story of Aili Fallon and Liu Chenguang while expanding the story of the two side characters, Tainu and a demon called Zhu Guiren. In the first book, Zhu Guiren was a mere nuisance. He was painted as a villain who ruined the lives of our main characters. However, in this book, his character gets a lot of backstory and becomes more complex. Throughout the events of The Shoreless River, we witness Zhu Guiren's slow transformation and his befriending Tainu. The two of them get into an emotionally rich, extremely tangled relationship. The story revolves around Zhu Guiren, Tainu, and Liu Chenguang helping Aili break free of her demons and get acquainted with her incredible new power. It is about unlikely friendships and finding love where one least expects it.
Despite its adventurous tone and many action scenes, I did not enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed the sequel. Zhu Guiren and Aili get plenty of fighting scenes to the point of it becoming repetitive and dull. On the other hand, Tainu and Liu Chenguang are the exact opposite, spending most of their time healing Zhu and Aili. Since the background of the Crane Moon duology is a war, Liu Chenguang poses as a healer and tirelessly saves people's lives. Chenguang drains her energy over and over again, attempting to help every person she encounters, to the point of Guiren asking her why she does it. Guiren does not understand that Chenguang's life path is one of healing. It is equivalent to Hippocrates' oath. His life path consisted of causing people pain and getting stronger from it. Yet all three characters offer him a chance to mend his past mistakes and grow from them.
J. C. Snow's writing improves greatly in The Shoreless River. She provides more information on the magic system – how qi and cultivation work and how it influences the characters' well-being. It saddens me to say I did not enjoy this book as much as the first. I wish Aili and Chenguang got a more developed love story because it was cut short in both books. Due to the complexity of Tainu and Guiren's relationship and their insecurities, it was almost draining to read about them. Despite not enjoying this book, I still think J. C. Snow has a lot of potential as a writer, and I hope she writes more fantastical stories.
I gave the first book 4 stars, and the second one 3 stars. Since I have to give a star rating to the whole duology and not the books separately, I am rounding up my rating to 4 stars.
Thank you to BookSirens, and J. C. Snow for the free review copy!
For the fans of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night comes another epic cultivation fantasy from the pen of J. C. Snow. The Phoenix and the Sword is a queer romance fantasy inspired by the Chinese contemporary genre of xianxia (pronounced syen-sya) and many Chinese web novelists in the danmei genre. Xianxia, literally translated as „Immortal Heroes“, are stories based on Chinese folklore. These stories have many different spiritual beings (demons, ghosts) and immortal protagonists. According to the author, in xianxia novels, human beings can develop spiritual powers and even become deities with the help of meditation, hard work, and talent. Xianxia novels are closely related to wuxia (pronounced ooh-sya) novels, which include protagonists training in Chinese martial arts, and internal energy cultivation, to gain a supernatural fighting ability.
In The Phoenix and the Sword, we follow Aili Fallon, a combat nurse about to be dispatched to a battlefield. Right before her disembarkment, she meets an enchanting woman who calls herself Tairei. Tairei reveals her true name is Liu Chenguang, but the rest of her life story is veiled in mystery. Despite her friend's protests, Aili trusts Chenguang and discovers incredible things about her past life and concealed power. With the help of Chenguang's courageous sibling, Tainu, Aili is whisked off through a Phoenix gate into the unknown world of the Spirit Realm. Tainu and Aili journey through the unpredictable Spirit Realm to reunite with Chenguang. But when the two women's paths cross again, they will discover one cannot escape their past, no matter how unbelievable it may be.
This is quite an adventurous story told in two timelines. One timeline is set in the present day, focusing on exploring the newly unraveled connection between Aili and Tairei; the other timeline is set in a distant past depicting the life of a cultivator of the Crane Moon sect. The cultivator's name is Hong Deming. The transition from the first into the second timeline is well-incorporated and smooth. We watch as Hong Deming befriends and slowly falls in love with Crane Moon's curious new servant. Perhaps the new servant holds great power, but who will help him unleash it?
Despite the rocky start, J. C. Snow's debut novel is everything promised in the blurb. The first few chapters were overwhelming, and the world-building is not strong. I did not know The Phoenix and the Sword was a cultivation fantasy, so being thrust into a magical world with specific terminology was confusing. Having read one cultivational fantasy before, I was more familiar with the magic system. For all readers who have not read xianxia before, I suggest searching the glossary of terms used in wuxia and xianxia. The novel will not ease you into the magical world of Crane Moon duology.
In regards to world-building, it could have been better established inside the story. This book would benefit a map, even the most simply sketched one. Most of the plot happens in specific cities or places, but I had a problem with the general geographical orientation. The author mentions rivers, cities, and mountains, which remain unsubstantial as we have no idea where those places are, concerning the characters' current location. Regardless, I think my issue does not play an important role in the overall enjoyment of the novel. Since this is a romance first, fantasy second novel, do not expect much political intrigue or social commentary. I liked the pacing of the story. The story is fast-paced, action-packed, with fearless main characters, but the love story is slower. Aili and Chenguag's love story is messier, more complex, and restrained in contrast to the openly shown and more liberated relationship between Hond Deming and the servant.
The Shoreless River
The Shoreless River continues the story of Aili Fallon and Liu Chenguang while expanding the story of the two side characters, Tainu and a demon called Zhu Guiren. In the first book, Zhu Guiren was a mere nuisance. He was painted as a villain who ruined the lives of our main characters. However, in this book, his character gets a lot of backstory and becomes more complex. Throughout the events of The Shoreless River, we witness Zhu Guiren's slow transformation and his befriending Tainu. The two of them get into an emotionally rich, extremely tangled relationship. The story revolves around Zhu Guiren, Tainu, and Liu Chenguang helping Aili break free of her demons and get acquainted with her incredible new power. It is about unlikely friendships and finding love where one least expects it.
Despite its adventurous tone and many action scenes, I did not enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed the sequel. Zhu Guiren and Aili get plenty of fighting scenes to the point of it becoming repetitive and dull. On the other hand, Tainu and Liu Chenguang are the exact opposite, spending most of their time healing Zhu and Aili. Since the background of the Crane Moon duology is a war, Liu Chenguang poses as a healer and tirelessly saves people's lives. Chenguang drains her energy over and over again, attempting to help every person she encounters, to the point of Guiren asking her why she does it. Guiren does not understand that Chenguang's life path is one of healing. It is equivalent to Hippocrates' oath. His life path consisted of causing people pain and getting stronger from it. Yet all three characters offer him a chance to mend his past mistakes and grow from them.
J. C. Snow's writing improves greatly in The Shoreless River. She provides more information on the magic system – how qi and cultivation work and how it influences the characters' well-being. It saddens me to say I did not enjoy this book as much as the first. I wish Aili and Chenguang got a more developed love story because it was cut short in both books. Due to the complexity of Tainu and Guiren's relationship and their insecurities, it was almost draining to read about them. Despite not enjoying this book, I still think J. C. Snow has a lot of potential as a writer, and I hope she writes more fantastical stories.
I gave the first book 4 stars, and the second one 3 stars. Since I have to give a star rating to the whole duology and not the books separately, I am rounding up my rating to 4 stars.
Thank you to BookSirens, and J. C. Snow for the free review copy!
July 6, 2023
As this is an omnibus edition containing both The Phoenix and the Sword and The Shoreless River, my reviews of the books individually can be found on the associated pages. That said, I have some overarching thoughts on the “full story” so to speak that I wanted to share for anyone coming across the omnibus before the individual books.
The omnibus edition is THICK. I mention this to its credit; this story spans countries, centuries, and lifetimes, but it doesn’t read that way. It’s not dry or dragging or boring. It’s a marathon through the development of relationships, wars between nations and immortals, and loss and recovery, but JC Snow masterfully balances action and tension with rest and reflection. This story took me on an epic adventure to and through a fantastic world that never once stopped feeling real.
Unlike many a fantasy novel in which plot or characterization suffer compared to the vibrance of the worldbuilding, the characters of the Crane Moon Cycle are complex and believable. Their relationships are multidimensional and evolve in response to both their backgrounds and their individual journeys. Normally I’m hesitant to read anything I see referred to as centering around redemption arcs or found family, not because I inherently dislike either of these things, but so often they feel forced and cheap. Not this time. Much like real life, the trust and affection between these characters develop over time and as a result of their (changed) behavior. There is actual struggle and conflict and conversation and redemption to give the conclusion to this tale a satisfying weight.
I feel privileged to have spent the time I did with it, and know it will continue to live rent-free in my head until the next time I get to visit characters and places that have grown on me as much as they did each other.
The omnibus edition is THICK. I mention this to its credit; this story spans countries, centuries, and lifetimes, but it doesn’t read that way. It’s not dry or dragging or boring. It’s a marathon through the development of relationships, wars between nations and immortals, and loss and recovery, but JC Snow masterfully balances action and tension with rest and reflection. This story took me on an epic adventure to and through a fantastic world that never once stopped feeling real.
Unlike many a fantasy novel in which plot or characterization suffer compared to the vibrance of the worldbuilding, the characters of the Crane Moon Cycle are complex and believable. Their relationships are multidimensional and evolve in response to both their backgrounds and their individual journeys. Normally I’m hesitant to read anything I see referred to as centering around redemption arcs or found family, not because I inherently dislike either of these things, but so often they feel forced and cheap. Not this time. Much like real life, the trust and affection between these characters develop over time and as a result of their (changed) behavior. There is actual struggle and conflict and conversation and redemption to give the conclusion to this tale a satisfying weight.
I feel privileged to have spent the time I did with it, and know it will continue to live rent-free in my head until the next time I get to visit characters and places that have grown on me as much as they did each other.
July 13, 2023
The book doesn't miss a beat from the off-set with steel ripping flesh within the first few pages, and with dark forces lurking in the shadows, the tension only escalates.
A forbidden love is set ablaze with a chance meeting of blood. Aili is forced to make decisions that not only affect her immediate future , but the fate of humankind.
The superb writing by "J.C Snow " allows the plot and the world to develop through the story's well built characters, and even though the unique magic system that is in play is spectacular , the fantasy aspects aren't there just to carry us through.
War is portrayed through fantastical realism with the weapons being not of this world but the loss couldn't be any more real. Even though the magic system allows for wounds to be healed, "Snow" allows this to portray the true nature of mental health, as some wounds aren't visible and some can not always be fixed.
The finish line of the book is clear but is open for a revisit to these characters with some may wanting a tighter knitted finale.
Overall an exceptional tale which I expect to propel J.C Snow into a highly recognised name.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
A forbidden love is set ablaze with a chance meeting of blood. Aili is forced to make decisions that not only affect her immediate future , but the fate of humankind.
The superb writing by "J.C Snow " allows the plot and the world to develop through the story's well built characters, and even though the unique magic system that is in play is spectacular , the fantasy aspects aren't there just to carry us through.
War is portrayed through fantastical realism with the weapons being not of this world but the loss couldn't be any more real. Even though the magic system allows for wounds to be healed, "Snow" allows this to portray the true nature of mental health, as some wounds aren't visible and some can not always be fixed.
The finish line of the book is clear but is open for a revisit to these characters with some may wanting a tighter knitted finale.
Overall an exceptional tale which I expect to propel J.C Snow into a highly recognised name.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 5, 2023
An honest review for an arch!
What can I say other than this story is so rich, complex, and full! I enjoyed it immensely. This a behemoth of a duology but not a singular moment is full. The story held my attention throughout because of the character development and beautiful world building. And if the little snippet at the end is to go by there may be a third novel related to the stories and I really hope that’s true because I am here for it!
The “magic” system is really fascinating to me, especially concerning the arrays. I don’t want to give any spoilers so I won’t elaborate but how they are made was a really neat idea. How the phoenix’s and demons have opposing cultivation systems essentially makes for such an interesting dynamic. The world building interlaced with the magic system was so intricate a lovely. It played so well together.
The novel centers around a great love story that transcends time, and at the same time manages to not be the entire plot either. The character develop of our main group of characters so so in depth. At times it’s heart breaking and other times it’s so sweet. The author manages to pull off the found family concept without making it cheesy which I really enjoyed.
I absolutely recommend this duology! It’s such a fun and fascinating read!
What can I say other than this story is so rich, complex, and full! I enjoyed it immensely. This a behemoth of a duology but not a singular moment is full. The story held my attention throughout because of the character development and beautiful world building. And if the little snippet at the end is to go by there may be a third novel related to the stories and I really hope that’s true because I am here for it!
The “magic” system is really fascinating to me, especially concerning the arrays. I don’t want to give any spoilers so I won’t elaborate but how they are made was a really neat idea. How the phoenix’s and demons have opposing cultivation systems essentially makes for such an interesting dynamic. The world building interlaced with the magic system was so intricate a lovely. It played so well together.
The novel centers around a great love story that transcends time, and at the same time manages to not be the entire plot either. The character develop of our main group of characters so so in depth. At times it’s heart breaking and other times it’s so sweet. The author manages to pull off the found family concept without making it cheesy which I really enjoyed.
I absolutely recommend this duology! It’s such a fun and fascinating read!
March 29, 2024
The Crane Moon Cycle by J.C. Snow is a wonderful epic fantasy novel duology filled with queer characters, slow-burn romance, and a deep historical world.
Aili and Nora are preparing to ship out as military nurses, but before they do, they take opportunities to meet other queer women. In doing so, Aili meets an unusual woman and falls in love, only to have this woman vanish from her life. Finding her again involves an unreal world and plumbing the depths of their shared history. Along the way, they team up with other immortal beings with a shared and intertwined story of their own.
The two books in this duology span centuries, though they focus on two main time periods. The lengthy history, though, gives the tale a truly epic feeling. And the characters, though possessing varying degrees of immortality, feel very human and real, despite their long lives, which only adds to their complexity. The story is along the lines of a danmei (Chinese gay romantic fiction) with a very slow-burn romance with no explicit elements. This duology is great for fans of queer romance, historical fiction, and complicated, realistic characters!
The author provided me with a copy of this book for review consideration.
Aili and Nora are preparing to ship out as military nurses, but before they do, they take opportunities to meet other queer women. In doing so, Aili meets an unusual woman and falls in love, only to have this woman vanish from her life. Finding her again involves an unreal world and plumbing the depths of their shared history. Along the way, they team up with other immortal beings with a shared and intertwined story of their own.
The two books in this duology span centuries, though they focus on two main time periods. The lengthy history, though, gives the tale a truly epic feeling. And the characters, though possessing varying degrees of immortality, feel very human and real, despite their long lives, which only adds to their complexity. The story is along the lines of a danmei (Chinese gay romantic fiction) with a very slow-burn romance with no explicit elements. This duology is great for fans of queer romance, historical fiction, and complicated, realistic characters!
The author provided me with a copy of this book for review consideration.
July 31, 2023
The Crane Moon Cycle had me gripped from its early pages, and only kept pulling me deeper as it went on.
The cast of characters were wonderful and nuanced and so much fun to explore, and that's due to a combination of great characterisation, fascinating mythology, and some incredible character growth. Just when I thought I was having as much fun as I could have, new characters come in to add to the experience.
One day, I'll have a favourite who's not a grumpy "bad guy" with a secret fond heart, although Ailil was a close second.
The mythology and worldbuilding within this world was so endlessly fascinating, particularly when with the initial perspective shift. The conflict that ensued for our modern characters and how that was handled not only in the moment, but continued to be relevant in a realistic way throughout the story, was very well done.
Will definitely be putting this one on the reread list.
The cast of characters were wonderful and nuanced and so much fun to explore, and that's due to a combination of great characterisation, fascinating mythology, and some incredible character growth. Just when I thought I was having as much fun as I could have, new characters come in to add to the experience.
One day, I'll have a favourite who's not a grumpy "bad guy" with a secret fond heart, although Ailil was a close second.
The mythology and worldbuilding within this world was so endlessly fascinating, particularly when with the initial perspective shift. The conflict that ensued for our modern characters and how that was handled not only in the moment, but continued to be relevant in a realistic way throughout the story, was very well done.
Will definitely be putting this one on the reread list.
November 10, 2025
4.5 stars
I enjoy watching Chinese dramas with fantastical elements, though I do wish that they weren't so overwhelmingly straight, so when I discovered this duology I was really excited. And it's true that it hit the spot with the amazing world-building and action scenes and the focus on queerness, but less so with the sapphic romance. I started the story with the impression that the emphasis would be on the sapphic couple with some achillean representation. It's pretty much the opposite: So, if you want a lesbian Chinese drama in book form you'll be a bit disappointed, but if you want a queer Chinese drama then you should definitely give this book a try.
I enjoy watching Chinese dramas with fantastical elements, though I do wish that they weren't so overwhelmingly straight, so when I discovered this duology I was really excited. And it's true that it hit the spot with the amazing world-building and action scenes and the focus on queerness, but less so with the sapphic romance. I started the story with the impression that the emphasis would be on the sapphic couple with some achillean representation. It's pretty much the opposite: So, if you want a lesbian Chinese drama in book form you'll be a bit disappointed, but if you want a queer Chinese drama then you should definitely give this book a try.
September 21, 2023
The Crane Moon Cycle has a beautiful blend of raw emotion and blissfully well-defined worldbuilding. I really enjoyed J. C. Snow’s writing style and the unapologetic queer romance. At times this was a little choppy with the various scenarios, but ultimately she pulled it together to create the most wholesome ending. The characters quickly began to feel like home as they were undeniably relatable: all badass and confused as Hell. It was a delightful world to get consumed by and it was hard to wake up from the journey and realise their stories had come to an end. There were some moments when the plot felt slightly under-polished and clunky, but all things considered, Crane Moon will forever have a chokehold on me… Even if the blood did make me squeamish.
Thank you for the absolute honour of getting an ARC of this heartwarming duology!!
Thank you for the absolute honour of getting an ARC of this heartwarming duology!!
February 14, 2024
A lovely duology with a great cast of characters and epic adventure! I loved the magic system here and how beautiful the world was! I'm a sucker for reincarnation romances and this one lived up to what I was hoping for! Definitely had my heart ripped out by some of these passages! I would give 5/5, but I struggled with the pacing here and there. But a great read with lovely, unapologetically queer romance!
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August 30, 2023A well-paced delve into Chinese-inspired Xianxia cultivation fantasy, set in a parallel world where demons feed on the horrors of war and following several sympathetic, if at times mulebrained phoenixes who do their best to survive and heal those they can.
An enjoyable read, highly recommended for those looking for an introduction into the Xianxia genre.
An enjoyable read, highly recommended for those looking for an introduction into the Xianxia genre.
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July 28, 2023Full review here: https://enthralledbylove.com/2023/07/...
This book was very interesting. It's an adult portal fantasy, some portions of it set in a relatively contemporary secondary earth setting, that both repelled and attracted me alternately. It has cool world-building, and very cool magic based around pheonixes, demons, and the powers of their blood and their choices, spanning characters and relationships whose ties cross time, death, and bodies. I found the magic of the phoenixes and demons and their blood to be very interesting, and I really liked some of it, though there are some other things I'm really not so sure about. The love between some of the characters and in their hearts, and their commitment was also very interesting, and I thought the way the past of someone who's done some very bad things was revealed and came together made sense and was well-done: not like some cases where a villain has a tragic, heroic sob story and it just doesn't work. This wasn't that.
It'll take me some time to put all my thoughts together though, so full review coming later.
This book was very interesting. It's an adult portal fantasy, some portions of it set in a relatively contemporary secondary earth setting, that both repelled and attracted me alternately. It has cool world-building, and very cool magic based around pheonixes, demons, and the powers of their blood and their choices, spanning characters and relationships whose ties cross time, death, and bodies. I found the magic of the phoenixes and demons and their blood to be very interesting, and I really liked some of it, though there are some other things I'm really not so sure about. The love between some of the characters and in their hearts, and their commitment was also very interesting, and I thought the way the past of someone who's done some very bad things was revealed and came together made sense and was well-done: not like some cases where a villain has a tragic, heroic sob story and it just doesn't work. This wasn't that.
It'll take me some time to put all my thoughts together though, so full review coming later.
December 25, 2023
I have some mixed feelings about this book. It was very difficult to get through because it was dragged out too much. This really only needed to be one book, not a duology. The story of the two finding each other again felt so…odd in how it was told. The behavior of Liu towards the main character in the very beginning made me feel uncomfortable. The behavior of the main character towards Liu in the beginning was uncomfortable. I guess I would describe it as creepy? I soon loved their romance and dynamic as the book went on, but the odd taste in my mouth from the beginning just never went away. I truly feel it could have been written better in the beginning and their behavior, it was just too odd trying to describe it to a friend. The romance later on (if you know you know, no spoilers here) was just way too cute. It was one of the few romances I adored while reading, as I tend to not be super fond of them in books (just neutral). The two couples in the book were just too cute, and I loved that. Additionally, the book had such unique fantasy elements! I loved the different plot devices and goals. However, it was, again, much longer than it needed to be. There was too much dragging in the middle of the book that made it a struggle to get through. In all, I only have two complaints, but I am very glad I read the book. It was very unique!!
December 4, 2023
I WANT TO READ MORE!!!! With that said, I really ducked chores to read this book. Fantastical fantasy, YES. Thrilling, YES. In this book, it is clear that each and every one of us do things that satisfies ourSELVES. Is this selfish? Ah, that's an age old question that I'll leave to others to ponder. I like the way Ms. Snow brings to light that good exists in evil and evil exists in good. The book was written smartly and in good taste. "The Shoreless River", here I come! I do recommend this book as a "good read". Actually, this book was a GREAT read!
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