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Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon
When a powerful viceroy arrives with a fleet of mechanical dragons and stops an attack on Anlei's village, the villagers see him as a godsend. They agree to give him their sacred, enchanted River Pearl in exchange for permanent protection—if he'll marry one of the village girls to solidify the alliance. Anlei is appalled when the viceroy selects her as a bride, but with the fate of her people at stake, she sees no choice but to consent. Anlei's noble plans are sent into a tailspin, however, when a young thief steals the River Pearl for himself.
Knowing the viceroy won't protect her village without the jewel, she takes matters into her own hands. But once she catches the thief, she discovers he needs the pearl just as much as she does. The two embark on an epic quest across the land and into the Courts of Hell, taking Anlei on a journey that reveals more is at stake than she could have ever imagined.
With incredibly vivid world building and fast-paced storytelling, Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon is great for listeners who are looking for something fresh in epic fantasy.
Knowing the viceroy won't protect her village without the jewel, she takes matters into her own hands. But once she catches the thief, she discovers he needs the pearl just as much as she does. The two embark on an epic quest across the land and into the Courts of Hell, taking Anlei on a journey that reveals more is at stake than she could have ever imagined.
With incredibly vivid world building and fast-paced storytelling, Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon is great for listeners who are looking for something fresh in epic fantasy.
1 pages, Audio CD
First published June 11, 2019
23 people are currently reading
4730 people want to read
About the author
Mary Fan
59 books370 followersMary Fan is a YA and SFF author hailing from Jersey City. Her books include STRONGER THAN A BRONZE DRAGON (YA steampunk fantasy, Page Street Publishing), the STARSWEPT series (YA sci-fi, Snowy Wings Publishing), the FATED STARS series (YA fantasy, Snowy Wings Publishing), the FLYNN NIGHTSIDER series (YA dark fantasy, Crazy 8 Press), and the JANE COLT trilogy (space adventure, Red Adept Publishing).
She is also the co-editor of the BRAVE NEW GIRLS sci-fi anthologies about tech-savvy teen heroines (proceeds from sales are donated to the Society of Women Engineers scholarship fund). Her short works have been featured in numerous anthologies, including THRILLING ADVENTURE YARNS (Crazy 8 Press), LOVE, MURDER & MAYHEM (Crazy 8 Press), MAGIC AT MIDNIGHT (Snowy Wings Publishing), and MINE! (ComicMix). In addition, she is the editor of Crazy 8 Press's upcoming anthology, BAD ASS MOMS (due out July 2020).
When she's not writing, she can usually be found splitting bags at the kickboxing gym, tangled up in aerial silks, or singing too loudly at choir rehearsal. Find her online at www.MaryFan.com.
She is also the co-editor of the BRAVE NEW GIRLS sci-fi anthologies about tech-savvy teen heroines (proceeds from sales are donated to the Society of Women Engineers scholarship fund). Her short works have been featured in numerous anthologies, including THRILLING ADVENTURE YARNS (Crazy 8 Press), LOVE, MURDER & MAYHEM (Crazy 8 Press), MAGIC AT MIDNIGHT (Snowy Wings Publishing), and MINE! (ComicMix). In addition, she is the editor of Crazy 8 Press's upcoming anthology, BAD ASS MOMS (due out July 2020).
When she's not writing, she can usually be found splitting bags at the kickboxing gym, tangled up in aerial silks, or singing too loudly at choir rehearsal. Find her online at www.MaryFan.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 222 reviews
June 6, 2020
3.5 stars
Stronger than a Bronze Dragon features an acrobat warrior girl named Anlei. Her village has been mercilessly attacked by the Ligui, evil spirits, for years, while the emperor refuses to acknowledge their suffering or send aid. All this changes when Viceroy Kang save the village from another Ligui attack with his advanced mechanical dragons.
But in exchange for the viceroy’s further protection, he wants the village’s magical River Pearl and one of the village girls as his bride—Anlei. But when the River Pearl is stolen, Anlei decides to go after the thief and finds herself on a journey full of more adventures than she predicted. From battling demons in the Courts of Hell to unraveling the mysteries surrounding the pure-spirited Yueshen’s disappearance, this book is full of delightful twists and turns.
I really loved Anlei’s character, because I feel like she was complex and so wholly human. She made selfless sacrifices for the safety of her loved ones, but she also admits multiple times that some of her actions are for her own glory. I personally loved seeing such an ambitious main character be unashamed of that ambition, especially as an Asian girl, and while I may not have completely loved her as a person, I enjoyed her so much as a character, if that makes sense.
Her development and growth were also really nice to read, as well as her conflict between wanting to save her village but also find a way to preserve herself. Marrying the viceroy felt like imprisoning herself, but she believes she’s willing to live in a way she hates in order to protect her people.
On the other hand, I loved Tai, the thief of the River Pearl. He was super funny (and the banter between him and Anlei was so witty and fun), and I just thought he was such an interesting character, especially considering his identity and background. I definitely was invested in him and how his story would play out.
These two characters truly enhanced the plot, which really stood out to me because it was packed with so much action and adventure and was therefore fun and enjoyable for me to read. I wouldn’t have cared about the plot, though, if I weren’t invested in the characters, and Mary Fan made sure that I was.
I also really loved the plot twists that happened in this book! I honestly suck at guessing any kind of plot twist, so I really can’t say whether or not they were predictable, but my sister can tell you how shocked I was at some points, because I was reading the book in the car next to her and just gasped out loud.
However, it was slightly disconcerting when one plot arc was completed halfway through the book, and then another started. They were connected of course, and while it didn’t flow perfectly, it wasn’t horribly disjointed. But it did feel really weird that a whole plot arc was done when you were only halfway through the book.
I also think another component of the book that could have been improved was the development of the villain. They were very much the stereotypical evil character who wants power and doesn’t really have any particular motivation besides just wanting power. And this was pretty noticeable in the book, because there was a scene where the character could have been developed so much further, but wasn’t.
Despite that, this book was still quite entertaining. I was very much in love with the steampunk + magic + supernatural fantasy mix, which was fresh and super well-done. In the book, there’s ghosts and spirits, but also automatons and mechanical creatures, but also dragons and Doctor Strange-like magic (I’m sorry I don’t know how else to describe it). Those things were definitely a highlight for me; it was so unique, and before this I had never seen a book with those particular fantasy aspects combined.
The writing was also really easy to just devour, and it made for quick reading! I usually have trouble with epic fantasies, because I find them difficult to read most of the time, but this was pleasantly different and definitely not hard to read. And I actually didn’t hate the first-person point of view, which I usually do in fantasy (and in general but shh).
There’s also romance, and it’s not a large part of the story for a good chunk of the book. You can tell that there’s going to be a romance (isn’t there always), but it’s definitely not too on-your-nose, which I really appreciated. I wasn’t in love with it, but I didn’t despise it, but I do think that the story might have been stronger if they’d remained friends. (It was just ruined for me a little when one of the characters said “I love you”, after they’d known each other for like. a few weeks maybe. Straights stop being so dramatic!!)
I originally rated this book 4 stars, and ended up taking off half a star when I finished writing this review. I genuinely did enjoy the book overall, but when I started writing all my thoughts down, I realized I had a few more issues with it than I initially thought. But if you’re looking for a really enjoyable, unique fantasy with a lot of adventures and twists, I definitely recommend you pick this up!
:: rep :: Chinese female MC with dyslexia, all-Chinese cast, brown side character
:: content warnings :: parental death, torture, violence (fighting), imprisonment, death
Stronger than a Bronze Dragon features an acrobat warrior girl named Anlei. Her village has been mercilessly attacked by the Ligui, evil spirits, for years, while the emperor refuses to acknowledge their suffering or send aid. All this changes when Viceroy Kang save the village from another Ligui attack with his advanced mechanical dragons.
But in exchange for the viceroy’s further protection, he wants the village’s magical River Pearl and one of the village girls as his bride—Anlei. But when the River Pearl is stolen, Anlei decides to go after the thief and finds herself on a journey full of more adventures than she predicted. From battling demons in the Courts of Hell to unraveling the mysteries surrounding the pure-spirited Yueshen’s disappearance, this book is full of delightful twists and turns.
My new title might be Lady, but even after they scrub me clean, paint my face, and clothe me in silk, I’ll still be little more than a slave.
I really loved Anlei’s character, because I feel like she was complex and so wholly human. She made selfless sacrifices for the safety of her loved ones, but she also admits multiple times that some of her actions are for her own glory. I personally loved seeing such an ambitious main character be unashamed of that ambition, especially as an Asian girl, and while I may not have completely loved her as a person, I enjoyed her so much as a character, if that makes sense.
Her development and growth were also really nice to read, as well as her conflict between wanting to save her village but also find a way to preserve herself. Marrying the viceroy felt like imprisoning herself, but she believes she’s willing to live in a way she hates in order to protect her people.
On the other hand, I loved Tai, the thief of the River Pearl. He was super funny (and the banter between him and Anlei was so witty and fun), and I just thought he was such an interesting character, especially considering his identity and background. I definitely was invested in him and how his story would play out.
These two characters truly enhanced the plot, which really stood out to me because it was packed with so much action and adventure and was therefore fun and enjoyable for me to read. I wouldn’t have cared about the plot, though, if I weren’t invested in the characters, and Mary Fan made sure that I was.
I also really loved the plot twists that happened in this book! I honestly suck at guessing any kind of plot twist, so I really can’t say whether or not they were predictable, but my sister can tell you how shocked I was at some points, because I was reading the book in the car next to her and just gasped out loud.
However, it was slightly disconcerting when one plot arc was completed halfway through the book, and then another started. They were connected of course, and while it didn’t flow perfectly, it wasn’t horribly disjointed. But it did feel really weird that a whole plot arc was done when you were only halfway through the book.
Nothing can truly be fixed. Once broken, nothing will ever be as it was.
I also think another component of the book that could have been improved was the development of the villain. They were very much the stereotypical evil character who wants power and doesn’t really have any particular motivation besides just wanting power. And this was pretty noticeable in the book, because there was a scene where the character could have been developed so much further, but wasn’t.
Despite that, this book was still quite entertaining. I was very much in love with the steampunk + magic + supernatural fantasy mix, which was fresh and super well-done. In the book, there’s ghosts and spirits, but also automatons and mechanical creatures, but also dragons and Doctor Strange-like magic (I’m sorry I don’t know how else to describe it). Those things were definitely a highlight for me; it was so unique, and before this I had never seen a book with those particular fantasy aspects combined.
The writing was also really easy to just devour, and it made for quick reading! I usually have trouble with epic fantasies, because I find them difficult to read most of the time, but this was pleasantly different and definitely not hard to read. And I actually didn’t hate the first-person point of view, which I usually do in fantasy (and in general but shh).
There’s also romance, and it’s not a large part of the story for a good chunk of the book. You can tell that there’s going to be a romance (isn’t there always), but it’s definitely not too on-your-nose, which I really appreciated. I wasn’t in love with it, but I didn’t despise it, but I do think that the story might have been stronger if they’d remained friends. (It was just ruined for me a little when one of the characters said “I love you”, after they’d known each other for like. a few weeks maybe. Straights stop being so dramatic!!)
I originally rated this book 4 stars, and ended up taking off half a star when I finished writing this review. I genuinely did enjoy the book overall, but when I started writing all my thoughts down, I realized I had a few more issues with it than I initially thought. But if you’re looking for a really enjoyable, unique fantasy with a lot of adventures and twists, I definitely recommend you pick this up!
:: rep :: Chinese female MC with dyslexia, all-Chinese cast, brown side character
:: content warnings :: parental death, torture, violence (fighting), imprisonment, death
Thank you to Scholastic for sending me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review! This did not affect my opinions in any way.
All quotes were taken from an unfinished copy and may differ in final publication.
June 13, 2019
If you're a reader of diverse books and want to know what representations this book offers, find the diversity tags here.
CHINESE-INSPIRED FANTASY WITH A REFRESHING TAKE ON WELL-LOVED TROPES
For the first few chapters, I found the characters to be a little too trope-y, namely, “tough cookie” female and arrogant love interest. However, as I continued reading, I began to see them in a new, more positive light. The little complexities in their characters, particularly their individual motivations and desires, allowed them to break out of their trope-y molds, which I really appreciated.
INCREDIBLY UNIQUE WORLD-BUILDING & ENDLESSLY FASCINATING ELEMENTS (FT. MECHANICAL DRAGONS & ANGRY SWORD-WIELDING BRIDES)
I am also extremely happy to note that Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon is a brave and thoughtful commentary on poverty, privilege, social issues, and corruption. With a heroine hailing from a poor village that’s often overlooked by its government, this book portrays poverty in a nuanced way that leaves no room for romanticization or glamorization. More importantly, it depicts harsh truths that need to be addressed: the helplessness of poor communities (e.g. their inability to bite the hand that feeds them), literacy and education as inaccessible privileges, and how politics and the self-interests of those in power contribute to class oppression.
Moreover, the story carefully delves into filial piety, tradition, duty and obligation – themes that are inherently significant to Chinese culture, as well as to some other Asian cultures. I particularly loved the strong family themes and the complexities that come with them.
I don’t think I’m really exaggerating when I say that the steampunk and fantasy elements in this book totally blew me away, and I still haven’t fully recovered! Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon features pure spiritual beings (yueshen), cursed spirit abominations (ligui), demons from literal Hell, cyborg soldiers, and mechanical dragons – and I loved how these creatures were incorporated into this fantastical world. Absolutely brilliant is all I can say, to be honest.
BRILLIANT SUBVERSION OF THE TRADITIONAL HERO’S JOURNEY
At its heart, the plot is about an unlikely hero embarking on a dangerous quest – in this case, literal Hell – for a noble cause. However, it’s also so much more than that. As a whole, Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon is a brilliantly written subversion of the traditional hero’s journey. It is a heartfelt ode to family and to valuing one’s roots (which are typical aspects of a hero’s journey), but it also sparks a thoughtful discourse regarding fighting in the name of nobility and pursuing a cause for the sake of glory. It follows the adventure a hero undergoes to singlehandedly save his loved ones, but it also depicts the necessity of overthrowing a powerful, corrupted system through collective efforts. Most importantly, it is about encouraging women to reclaim their stories and to lead their own adventures.
RECOMMENDED!
With a wildly imaginative world where steampunk technology and magic collide and a complex plot that will keep you guessing, Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon certainly makes for a challenging read — but with that challenge comes a truly rewarding experience.
4 stars
* Read the rest of this review in my natural habitat!
CHINESE-INSPIRED FANTASY WITH A REFRESHING TAKE ON WELL-LOVED TROPES
For the first few chapters, I found the characters to be a little too trope-y, namely, “tough cookie” female and arrogant love interest. However, as I continued reading, I began to see them in a new, more positive light. The little complexities in their characters, particularly their individual motivations and desires, allowed them to break out of their trope-y molds, which I really appreciated.
INCREDIBLY UNIQUE WORLD-BUILDING & ENDLESSLY FASCINATING ELEMENTS (FT. MECHANICAL DRAGONS & ANGRY SWORD-WIELDING BRIDES)
I am also extremely happy to note that Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon is a brave and thoughtful commentary on poverty, privilege, social issues, and corruption. With a heroine hailing from a poor village that’s often overlooked by its government, this book portrays poverty in a nuanced way that leaves no room for romanticization or glamorization. More importantly, it depicts harsh truths that need to be addressed: the helplessness of poor communities (e.g. their inability to bite the hand that feeds them), literacy and education as inaccessible privileges, and how politics and the self-interests of those in power contribute to class oppression.
Moreover, the story carefully delves into filial piety, tradition, duty and obligation – themes that are inherently significant to Chinese culture, as well as to some other Asian cultures. I particularly loved the strong family themes and the complexities that come with them.
I don’t think I’m really exaggerating when I say that the steampunk and fantasy elements in this book totally blew me away, and I still haven’t fully recovered! Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon features pure spiritual beings (yueshen), cursed spirit abominations (ligui), demons from literal Hell, cyborg soldiers, and mechanical dragons – and I loved how these creatures were incorporated into this fantastical world. Absolutely brilliant is all I can say, to be honest.
BRILLIANT SUBVERSION OF THE TRADITIONAL HERO’S JOURNEY
At its heart, the plot is about an unlikely hero embarking on a dangerous quest – in this case, literal Hell – for a noble cause. However, it’s also so much more than that. As a whole, Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon is a brilliantly written subversion of the traditional hero’s journey. It is a heartfelt ode to family and to valuing one’s roots (which are typical aspects of a hero’s journey), but it also sparks a thoughtful discourse regarding fighting in the name of nobility and pursuing a cause for the sake of glory. It follows the adventure a hero undergoes to singlehandedly save his loved ones, but it also depicts the necessity of overthrowing a powerful, corrupted system through collective efforts. Most importantly, it is about encouraging women to reclaim their stories and to lead their own adventures.
RECOMMENDED!
With a wildly imaginative world where steampunk technology and magic collide and a complex plot that will keep you guessing, Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon certainly makes for a challenging read — but with that challenge comes a truly rewarding experience.
4 stars
* Read the rest of this review in my natural habitat!
April 27, 2021
i love Tai more than kanye loves kanye
blog review to come :')
>> trigger & content warnings for an unwanted arranged marriage, decapitation, familial death, stabbing, various descriptions of blood, very brief displays of afterlife torture (stone pressing, acid)
>> specific representation includes an almost-all Chinese cast, a south Asian side character
-
HOLD THE HECK UP. WHEN DID THIS COVER REVEAL AND WHY DID MY ASIAN SIXTH SENSE NOT KICK IN
blog review to come :')
>> trigger & content warnings for an unwanted arranged marriage, decapitation, familial death, stabbing, various descriptions of blood, very brief displays of afterlife torture (stone pressing, acid)
>> specific representation includes an almost-all Chinese cast, a south Asian side character
-
HOLD THE HECK UP. WHEN DID THIS COVER REVEAL AND WHY DID MY ASIAN SIXTH SENSE NOT KICK IN
June 11, 2019
Check out more reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...
The Buzz
DRAGONS!! Plus its set in an Asian world. And Mary Fan seems like a popular author. So when my favorite topics came up I knew I had to give it a go...
And I have to say that it annoys me when a title and cover don't really relate to the story. The bronze dragons are incidental world building in the story, which was quite disappointing to me. And a bronze dragon didn't even figure into the story enough for anything or any one to be stronger than it. The cover does give you a general feel for the Chinese story but could have been so much better...
The Premise
Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon is really about deadly martial ghosts. Not bronze dragons. Not magical pearls, though one is featured. Anlei wants to be a warrior like her dead father and is prepared to protect her village with the rest of the guards. A visiting viceroy, a powerful government official, sets her on a totally different path... Right into a thief who threatens the deal she's made. Tai has his own angst over his future but plans on doing something about it. How can Anlei pass up this opportunity to screw off before heading off into matrimony?!
There is some really great foundation here in Qing-dynasty China. It's spun with fantasy and mythology without being too heavy handed about it. The quick thinking and the teamwork really wowed even though the pace was a mess. I appreciated the plot once it was revealed and even though the twists were a little over worked they were fun and gave the book a campy feel. So many popular little details were crammed into this one little standalone. Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon felt like a homage to Asian fantasy, steampunk, mythology, thieves, kickass warrior girls, birth secrets and Chinese culture.
My Experience
I absolutely adore steampunk worlds! And those writers who choose them for a setting typically love them as much as I do. Plus right?! Because they know just what to cram into the story to make it epic. Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon combines steampunk with a Qing-dynasty China. It's interesting but only has the most basic of steampunk details. In that way its quite disappointing. I did enjoy the twist to do with the bronze dragons and other war machines but the story wasn't really a steampunk read.
And then there was the odd balance the world had, partially old-fashioned and partially modern. On one hand Anlei is being sent off to be married to save her village. On the other hand she's been allowed to train and fight the attacking spirits. The way the world viewed women didn't really have any rhyme or reason. It just randomly did whatever to suit what the story needed. Which is contrived. I did enjoy many details of the modern side of the world, like her sister, the machines, the acrobats, the dyslexia. And I found the old-fashioned plot points quite dull and predictable, even though I did like what mythology there was in the story.
I really enjoyed Tai and Anlei's snark toward each other and how their partnership worked. But it also was like a speeding bullet. There were very few obstacles to the big plot points. And their relationship built too fast and was sort of instalove as a result. Hate to love has to have time for events to happen to shift each person's thinking about the other. They have to have bonding moments. This was too swift for that.
And that is what Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon did to me. I would love some aspect of the story and HATE another. It made me feel quite conflicted about my rating. In the end I enjoyed the action and the snark even if the world building failed on some levels.
Why Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon may hit all the right buttons for YOU?
-Spirits!
A fascinating supernatural being with a neat history.
-Steampunk machines!
Loved the battle at the end with all the war machines you could want.
-Banter!
The snark between our leads is quite cute.
-Adventure!
They cross a lot of ground and delve into all sorts of magical secrets.
-Family!
I happen to love when family is all embroiled in different ways.
Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon is a light and fun standalone! It's a homage to the things we love... Asian fantasy, steampunk, mythology, thieves, kickass warrior girls, birth secrets and Chinese culture. The twists may or may not surprise you but they will certainly take you on a reading journey you won't regret with its cute banter...
⋆ ⋆ ⭐⭐⭐ Authenticity
⋆ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Writing Style
⋆ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Plot & Pacing
⋆ ⋆ ⭐⭐⭐ World Building
C+ Cover & Title grade
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. It has not influenced my opinions.
______________________
You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. Read my special perspective under the typewriter on my reviews...
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September 30, 2021
While I enjoyed this book, I can’t say I love it or that anything stood out to make it really stellar. Unfortunately it really didn’t fully grab my attention until after the halfway point, as the beginning half felt rushed at times, then slow, and really the pacing was just off, overall. The second half was much more engaging and interesting, and had some fantastic twists!
A good story, for sure, just not quite enough to keep my eyes glued to the page.
A good story, for sure, just not quite enough to keep my eyes glued to the page.
July 11, 2019
3.5 stars
The Characters: Anlei is undoubtedly one of the most badass heroine I’ve ever encountered. She’s strong not just physically, she’s also strong-willed. She’s focus and really want to achieve what she’s trying to achieve not only for herself, but for her town and family. And by family, it includes avenging her father’s death because of the Ligui (the ghost monsters that antagonize them). I even forgive Anlei for her wishes for the Ligui to attack just so she can have her revenge. The girl lost her father so that’s forgivable even though it’s a bit foolish because she knew they can’t really defeat their enemies. That’s why they needed help from Viceroy Kang.
Speaking of Viceroy Kang, I can’t say much about him without giving away too much of the plot and maybe twists. All I can say is that he’s typical. I’ve read so much about him in other novels, only with different names and maybe different physical appearance but as a character, he’s too familiar. Tai, the young thief, though is more interesting. I instantly like Tai the moment he showed and got me interesting in the coming scenes with him and Anlei.
Aside from these three, I applaud the Chinese warrior girls (including Anlei, of course) that really stood out in this novel. I think the author really did a good job at handling and showing all the badassness of her warriors. You know, without being over the top. It’s just perfect.
WORLD: Duh? PERFECT. So vivid.
The Plot and Writing: The plot is a big the reason of my 3-star rating, in a good way. This book is actually only 2 stars if I didn’t like the plot. This novel has without a doubt a very solid story. Like I can see the author pouring her everything and herself on plotting the whole thing. She made the complex easy to follow. Besides what’s not to like? Chinese rep, Mythology, Steampunk, dragons, ghost monsters- I love all of these stuff. But then I got a problem with the writing.
Maybe you’re thinking, isn’t the plot a product of the writing? Yes it is. If it has a good plot then probably the writing is good. But what I’m saying is, all the elements of the plot is amazing and interesting. Like everything made me want to read the whole freakin’ book even at times I felt bored. And there were those times, I tell you. It’s because the way the story is told seems to be lacking something and I couldn’t figure out what it is at first.
It was bugging me that something is wrong and I couldn’t let it go. So I read reviews on Goodreads and then found something from Amanda and it clicked. The writing is too clunky and it affected the building and the mood of the story. What does that mean? I’m no expert. I haven’t published anything. But as a reader, when we read, there’s this thing inside us that made us read till the end. Like we don’t want to put down the book because we don’t want that thing inside us subside. Call it what you want-excitement or whatever- but that thing is lacking in this book. It’s like in every scene, my emotion have to go back to zero and build up again only to start building again in the next scene. Of course there should be a breathing in the storytelling which is the purpose of ‘chapters’ but there should be something that’s embedded inside the reader so the excitement never dies even though we get to breathe after a chapter. So we keep reading and caring.
This book lacks that element that supports the building of the whole story. Obviously, I’m not doing a great job at explaining this but I tried guys. It’s like so many little things have been cut out in the story that it didn’t get deep in my reader’s heart. It’s like the book only included the most important parts of the story, it cut out the parts that truly make a story comes alive. It has all the parts that a novel should have-from introduction to resolution and everything in between- but it’s lacking on building the connection to the reader. I don’t blame this to the author, let me clear that up. There are many factors that affected this in the editing. I’m pretty sure of that.
Like I said in my one-sentence review, I read a book, I didn’t live in it. It is a book with a good, solid story but it wasn’t alive so the experience is not complete.
Finally, THE ROMANCE: It is okay.
I really hope this book is at least a duology and not a standalone. By the way guys, TAKE MY REVIEW WITH A GRAIN OF SALT. Kindly read this book and hopefully we can talk about your experience.
I was provided a copy by the publisher/author via Netgalley. Thank you.
The Characters: Anlei is undoubtedly one of the most badass heroine I’ve ever encountered. She’s strong not just physically, she’s also strong-willed. She’s focus and really want to achieve what she’s trying to achieve not only for herself, but for her town and family. And by family, it includes avenging her father’s death because of the Ligui (the ghost monsters that antagonize them). I even forgive Anlei for her wishes for the Ligui to attack just so she can have her revenge. The girl lost her father so that’s forgivable even though it’s a bit foolish because she knew they can’t really defeat their enemies. That’s why they needed help from Viceroy Kang.
Speaking of Viceroy Kang, I can’t say much about him without giving away too much of the plot and maybe twists. All I can say is that he’s typical. I’ve read so much about him in other novels, only with different names and maybe different physical appearance but as a character, he’s too familiar. Tai, the young thief, though is more interesting. I instantly like Tai the moment he showed and got me interesting in the coming scenes with him and Anlei.
Aside from these three, I applaud the Chinese warrior girls (including Anlei, of course) that really stood out in this novel. I think the author really did a good job at handling and showing all the badassness of her warriors. You know, without being over the top. It’s just perfect.
WORLD: Duh? PERFECT. So vivid.
The Plot and Writing: The plot is a big the reason of my 3-star rating, in a good way. This book is actually only 2 stars if I didn’t like the plot. This novel has without a doubt a very solid story. Like I can see the author pouring her everything and herself on plotting the whole thing. She made the complex easy to follow. Besides what’s not to like? Chinese rep, Mythology, Steampunk, dragons, ghost monsters- I love all of these stuff. But then I got a problem with the writing.
Maybe you’re thinking, isn’t the plot a product of the writing? Yes it is. If it has a good plot then probably the writing is good. But what I’m saying is, all the elements of the plot is amazing and interesting. Like everything made me want to read the whole freakin’ book even at times I felt bored. And there were those times, I tell you. It’s because the way the story is told seems to be lacking something and I couldn’t figure out what it is at first.
It was bugging me that something is wrong and I couldn’t let it go. So I read reviews on Goodreads and then found something from Amanda and it clicked. The writing is too clunky and it affected the building and the mood of the story. What does that mean? I’m no expert. I haven’t published anything. But as a reader, when we read, there’s this thing inside us that made us read till the end. Like we don’t want to put down the book because we don’t want that thing inside us subside. Call it what you want-excitement or whatever- but that thing is lacking in this book. It’s like in every scene, my emotion have to go back to zero and build up again only to start building again in the next scene. Of course there should be a breathing in the storytelling which is the purpose of ‘chapters’ but there should be something that’s embedded inside the reader so the excitement never dies even though we get to breathe after a chapter. So we keep reading and caring.
This book lacks that element that supports the building of the whole story. Obviously, I’m not doing a great job at explaining this but I tried guys. It’s like so many little things have been cut out in the story that it didn’t get deep in my reader’s heart. It’s like the book only included the most important parts of the story, it cut out the parts that truly make a story comes alive. It has all the parts that a novel should have-from introduction to resolution and everything in between- but it’s lacking on building the connection to the reader. I don’t blame this to the author, let me clear that up. There are many factors that affected this in the editing. I’m pretty sure of that.
Like I said in my one-sentence review, I read a book, I didn’t live in it. It is a book with a good, solid story but it wasn’t alive so the experience is not complete.
Finally, THE ROMANCE: It is okay.
I really hope this book is at least a duology and not a standalone. By the way guys, TAKE MY REVIEW WITH A GRAIN OF SALT. Kindly read this book and hopefully we can talk about your experience.
I was provided a copy by the publisher/author via Netgalley. Thank you.
September 23, 2019
2.5 estrellas
No tenía ni idea de qué trataba este libro cuando lo pedí en Netgalley, solo que se ambientaba en China y tenia toques de fantasía y steampunk. Así que fui sin ninguna expectativa y bueno, no te puedes decepcionar mucho si no tenías las expectativas altas. Una pena que este libro no fuera mejor de lo que pudo ser.
Anlei ha sido criada como acróbata y guerrera. Vive en una pequeña aldea que es constantemente atacada por seres fantasmales que asesinan a sus habitantes. Por eso ella y otras mujeres se han armado para defender a su gente. Hasta que un día en medio de un ataque la ayuda llega del cielo con el poderoso Virrey Kang y su armada de dragones de bronce. Con la condición de proteger la aldea permanentemente, este hombre exige que se le entregue la legendaria Perla del río, un tesoro ancestral del pueblo y además elige a Anlei como futura esposa para sellar el trato. Cuando ella se prepara para renunciar a su vida y asumir su destino, un joven llamado Tai roba la perla del palacio del Virrey y Anlei no se quedará de brazos cruzados.
Con este resumen la historia empieza con mucho potencial. Yo no pude evitar pensar en el manga de Inuyasha (¿se acuerdan de la perla de Shikon?) . En un inicio pensé que la historia iría por un camino muy diferente, pero se fue transformando en una aventura en la que Anlei viaja con el joven Tai y va descubriendo secretos y cosas chungas por el camino. Siendo así las cosas, decidí seguir leyendo, pero a medida que pasaban las páginas me fui dando cuenta que muchas cosas me chirriaban mucho y no me estaban convenciendo nada.
Cuando mis expectativas fueron crudamente destruidas
El aspecto fantástico y steampunk de la historia está un poco cogido por los pelos y está bastante desaprovechado. En el sentido que no parece estar bien integrado con lo que nos quieren contar y solo aparece en momentos puntuales. Los dragones de bronce (está en el título del libro, por R'hllor) no tuvieron la relevancia esperada y pues mi gozo a un pozo. El libro tira más de la fantasía que lo que trabaja con la ambientación china, que también está muy relegada y es más un telón de fondo.
Los personajes tampoco me han convencido. No me desagradaron pero tampoco me gustaron. En un punto ya asumí que tenía una desconexión total con ellos y que eso no cambiaría. La protagonista, Anlei, no me acabó de cerrar y no llegué a sentir un interés genuino por sus problemas. Tai es un personaje tolerable, que con más desarrollo habría estado mejor. El villano es que ni lo menciono porque su personalidad es inexistente y los demás porque salen por un par de páginas y poco más. Anlei y Tai son los principales y bueno, no me convencieron.
La cuestión es que la novela adopta un ritmo de no parar y no hay momentos para que los personajes realmente progresen y la historia se torna muy atropellada. Hay un punto de la trama hacia la mitad del libro en el que crees que ya se cerró un arco importante, pero luego se pasa a otra cosa y es bastante frustrante porque se siente muy antinatural. Encima el romance está bastante instalove para mi gusto y me sobró totalmente.
Se que suena muy negativo todo, pero al libro le habría servido mucho una revisión de escritura y estructura. Hay escenas muy logradas y creo que el libro tiene buenos momentos que podrían haber sido geniales. El nivel de inglés es bastante básico y tiene ciertas menciones a palabras en chino (se torna algo confuso) pero nada que dificulte mucho la comprensión.
Al final Stronger than a bronze dragon habría sido un buen libro de fantasía steampunk si su narración no fuera tan atropellada y sus personajes tuvieran momentos para respirar y crecer . Tiene un cúmulo de ideas que chírrian mucho juntas y por eso no se siente natural. Creo que este es un caso de un gran potencial muy desaprovechado, pero no descarto estar pendiente de las próximas publicaciones de la autora.
*****
REVIEW IN ENGLISH
I received an e-arc copy from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
I was intrigued by the premise of this book because it was set in China and it seemed to be a story with fantasy and steampunk elements. I was so excited to read it. So I went without any expectations and well, you can't be that disappointed if you didn't have high hopes in the first place. It really saddens me that this book was not as good as it could have been.
Anlei has been raised as a warrior-acrobat. She lives in a small village that is constantly under attack of these ghostly beings that kill its inhabitants. That is why she and other women have armed themselves to defend their people. Until one day in the middle of an attack, the help arrives with the powerful Viceroy Kang and his army of bronze dragons. With the promise of protecting the village permanently, he demands the legendary River Pearl, an ancestral treasure of the village and a woman in marriage. Anlei is chosen against her will to seal the deal. When she prepares to give up her life to protect her family and her people, a young man named Tai steals the pearl from the Viceroy's palace and Anlei will go after him to get it back.
When I started reading this, I couldn't help but think about Inuyasha's anime (remember the Shikon pearl? I DID!). At first I thought the history would go a very different way, but it quickly turned into an adventure in which Anlei travels with young Tai and discovers secrets and fantastic stuff along the way. I was not going to give up that easily, so I kept reading but soon I realized that many things were bothering me and I was not enjoying it that much.
The fantasy and steampunk elements were really underdeveloped. They felt not that well integrated into the story. For example, the bronze dragons (it is in the title of the book, by R'hllor's sake) and it did not have the importance that they deserved. The book also leaves its Chinese atmosphere and wordbuilding very stale and dry, which was a major turn off for me.
The characters.. well, they felt kinda flat. I didn't dislike them but I didn't like them either. After a hundred pages, I assumed I had a total disconnection with them and that that would not change. Anlei was a bold and strong-willed girl but I did not feel any genuine interest in her problems. Tai was a tolerable character that with more development would have been a lot better. The villain, well, his personality was non-existent and the other ones just appear for a couple of pages and that is it. Anlei and Tai are the main ones and well, they didn't quite convince me.
I think the mail issue with this book is that the pace is so quick and lets-go-to-places-and-stuff-happens there are no moments for the characters to really grow. There was a plot point towards the middle of the book that is solved and the book could have perfectly ended there, but then it continues with something else and that is quite frustrating because it feels very unnatural. And the romance. Well, it is quite instalovy and I could not care for it at all.
I know I sound very negative here, but the book really needed more editing and work to be great. There are really good scenes (the demonstration in the plaza I could say) and the book has good moments sprinkled here and there. The writing style is quite basic and also has certain mentions of words in Chinese (sometimes it was a bit confusing).
In the end, Stronger than a bronze dragon would have been a good Asian inspired steampunk fantasy book if the pace was not over the place and the characters had moments to breathe and grow. It has a bunch of good ideas that do not mesh together and that's why it doesn't feel natural. I think it had great potential and it saddens me that did not deliver. I will be looking forward to Mary Fan's books in the future though. I want to see what she brings next.
No tenía ni idea de qué trataba este libro cuando lo pedí en Netgalley, solo que se ambientaba en China y tenia toques de fantasía y steampunk. Así que fui sin ninguna expectativa y bueno, no te puedes decepcionar mucho si no tenías las expectativas altas. Una pena que este libro no fuera mejor de lo que pudo ser.
Anlei ha sido criada como acróbata y guerrera. Vive en una pequeña aldea que es constantemente atacada por seres fantasmales que asesinan a sus habitantes. Por eso ella y otras mujeres se han armado para defender a su gente. Hasta que un día en medio de un ataque la ayuda llega del cielo con el poderoso Virrey Kang y su armada de dragones de bronce. Con la condición de proteger la aldea permanentemente, este hombre exige que se le entregue la legendaria Perla del río, un tesoro ancestral del pueblo y además elige a Anlei como futura esposa para sellar el trato. Cuando ella se prepara para renunciar a su vida y asumir su destino, un joven llamado Tai roba la perla del palacio del Virrey y Anlei no se quedará de brazos cruzados.
Con este resumen la historia empieza con mucho potencial. Yo no pude evitar pensar en el manga de Inuyasha (¿se acuerdan de la perla de Shikon?) . En un inicio pensé que la historia iría por un camino muy diferente, pero se fue transformando en una aventura en la que Anlei viaja con el joven Tai y va descubriendo secretos y cosas chungas por el camino. Siendo así las cosas, decidí seguir leyendo, pero a medida que pasaban las páginas me fui dando cuenta que muchas cosas me chirriaban mucho y no me estaban convenciendo nada.
Cuando mis expectativas fueron crudamente destruidas
El aspecto fantástico y steampunk de la historia está un poco cogido por los pelos y está bastante desaprovechado. En el sentido que no parece estar bien integrado con lo que nos quieren contar y solo aparece en momentos puntuales. Los dragones de bronce (está en el título del libro, por R'hllor) no tuvieron la relevancia esperada y pues mi gozo a un pozo. El libro tira más de la fantasía que lo que trabaja con la ambientación china, que también está muy relegada y es más un telón de fondo.
Los personajes tampoco me han convencido. No me desagradaron pero tampoco me gustaron. En un punto ya asumí que tenía una desconexión total con ellos y que eso no cambiaría. La protagonista, Anlei, no me acabó de cerrar y no llegué a sentir un interés genuino por sus problemas. Tai es un personaje tolerable, que con más desarrollo habría estado mejor. El villano es que ni lo menciono porque su personalidad es inexistente y los demás porque salen por un par de páginas y poco más. Anlei y Tai son los principales y bueno, no me convencieron.
La cuestión es que la novela adopta un ritmo de no parar y no hay momentos para que los personajes realmente progresen y la historia se torna muy atropellada. Hay un punto de la trama hacia la mitad del libro en el que crees que ya se cerró un arco importante, pero luego se pasa a otra cosa y es bastante frustrante porque se siente muy antinatural. Encima el romance está bastante instalove para mi gusto y me sobró totalmente.
Se que suena muy negativo todo, pero al libro le habría servido mucho una revisión de escritura y estructura. Hay escenas muy logradas y creo que el libro tiene buenos momentos que podrían haber sido geniales. El nivel de inglés es bastante básico y tiene ciertas menciones a palabras en chino (se torna algo confuso) pero nada que dificulte mucho la comprensión.
Al final Stronger than a bronze dragon habría sido un buen libro de fantasía steampunk si su narración no fuera tan atropellada y sus personajes tuvieran momentos para respirar y crecer . Tiene un cúmulo de ideas que chírrian mucho juntas y por eso no se siente natural. Creo que este es un caso de un gran potencial muy desaprovechado, pero no descarto estar pendiente de las próximas publicaciones de la autora.
*****
REVIEW IN ENGLISH
I received an e-arc copy from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
I was intrigued by the premise of this book because it was set in China and it seemed to be a story with fantasy and steampunk elements. I was so excited to read it. So I went without any expectations and well, you can't be that disappointed if you didn't have high hopes in the first place. It really saddens me that this book was not as good as it could have been.
Anlei has been raised as a warrior-acrobat. She lives in a small village that is constantly under attack of these ghostly beings that kill its inhabitants. That is why she and other women have armed themselves to defend their people. Until one day in the middle of an attack, the help arrives with the powerful Viceroy Kang and his army of bronze dragons. With the promise of protecting the village permanently, he demands the legendary River Pearl, an ancestral treasure of the village and a woman in marriage. Anlei is chosen against her will to seal the deal. When she prepares to give up her life to protect her family and her people, a young man named Tai steals the pearl from the Viceroy's palace and Anlei will go after him to get it back.
When I started reading this, I couldn't help but think about Inuyasha's anime (remember the Shikon pearl? I DID!). At first I thought the history would go a very different way, but it quickly turned into an adventure in which Anlei travels with young Tai and discovers secrets and fantastic stuff along the way. I was not going to give up that easily, so I kept reading but soon I realized that many things were bothering me and I was not enjoying it that much.
The fantasy and steampunk elements were really underdeveloped. They felt not that well integrated into the story. For example, the bronze dragons (it is in the title of the book, by R'hllor's sake) and it did not have the importance that they deserved. The book also leaves its Chinese atmosphere and wordbuilding very stale and dry, which was a major turn off for me.
The characters.. well, they felt kinda flat. I didn't dislike them but I didn't like them either. After a hundred pages, I assumed I had a total disconnection with them and that that would not change. Anlei was a bold and strong-willed girl but I did not feel any genuine interest in her problems. Tai was a tolerable character that with more development would have been a lot better. The villain, well, his personality was non-existent and the other ones just appear for a couple of pages and that is it. Anlei and Tai are the main ones and well, they didn't quite convince me.
I think the mail issue with this book is that the pace is so quick and lets-go-to-places-and-stuff-happens there are no moments for the characters to really grow. There was a plot point towards the middle of the book that is solved and the book could have perfectly ended there, but then it continues with something else and that is quite frustrating because it feels very unnatural. And the romance. Well, it is quite instalovy and I could not care for it at all.
I know I sound very negative here, but the book really needed more editing and work to be great. There are really good scenes (the demonstration in the plaza I could say) and the book has good moments sprinkled here and there. The writing style is quite basic and also has certain mentions of words in Chinese (sometimes it was a bit confusing).
In the end, Stronger than a bronze dragon would have been a good Asian inspired steampunk fantasy book if the pace was not over the place and the characters had moments to breathe and grow. It has a bunch of good ideas that do not mesh together and that's why it doesn't feel natural. I think it had great potential and it saddens me that did not deliver. I will be looking forward to Mary Fan's books in the future though. I want to see what she brings next.
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1645808644i%2F7494844._UX200_CR0%2C6%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
June 12, 2019
3.5 stars, rounded to four because dragons
Anlei's village is under attack from strange ghost monsters—and all seems well when the viceroy swoops in and saves them with his fleet of mechanical dragons. Until he demands the village's famed (and worthless) River Pearl as tribute—and one of the villagers to take as his bride. No one is more surprised than Anlei when he chooses her, and she's dragged to the province's capital to be wed. All bets are off, however, when a mysterious thief steals the River Pearl. Anlei decides to save her village and capture the thief and the Pearl—except the thief has a good reason to steal it...
Aside from the Chinese-based world, this is a pretty standard YA fare. Only the Chinese influenced world-building and the steampunk nature of automatons, mechanical dragons and flying ships distinguish this one from the scores of YA fantasies with painfully similar plots.
This is literally the plot (spoilers removed): super special girl is special and Not Like Other Girls™️ because she is a warrior and wants to fight and be free from societal obligations placed on women. Her village is attack and she saves them, then is forced to marry the Powerful Man for ~reasons~. She goes on a quest, meets The Boi, and they have adventures and must save the entire world from Evil. There is a giant plot twist . After about two weeks of knowing each other, girl and boi love each other fiercely and do anything to save each other. The end.
Anlei is nothing special in terms of YA heroines. She's the best warrior on the planet, and a fantastic acrobat, despite never practicing either of these things on page. She also is dyslexic, which was an interesting twist, but I rolled my eyes because she used it to explain that she wasn't a simple-minded peasant, she just couldn't read because characters took extra concentration. Simple peasant girl basically told her noble-born love interest that she's not like the other people in her village. I put that poorly but it annoyed me. Also, her younger sister is a genius inventor.
Tai is your generic YA love interest. Mysterious. Tragic background. Soft-hearted but also heroic. Very smart. Wields a staff. Obviously a prince of some sort. Did I mention the tragedy?
There's also the Magical Black Character trope, so that was fun.
And a powerful dude who wants to marry Anlei because she'd make a beautiful bride but...why? Like, literally. Why? Sure she's pretty and has spirit but his motivations for wanting to marry her just made no sense whatsoever. He pretty much spends the entire book twirling his mustache (I don't know if he actually has a mustache, but his queue or whatever).
Anywho, these are all the negatives.
The positives!
That cover (and the title) are absolutely gorgeous.
I did enjoy the plot quite a bit. I was entertained and engaged throughout, even if there was nothing too special (it went through beats rather methodically) going on. Being predictable doesn't mean bad. I did like the Asian steampunk part of it, and how these integrated with the plot and the world. I also liked the ghosts and spirits.
Also, there's a good discussion throughout the book about the fate of women. In the story there is a legend of a famous Warrioress, who had many amazing adventures and was rewarded with marriage to a king and the end of her story. Anlei is worried that marriage will be the end to her own story, and is tired of the hero's journey—there are numerous parallels, as Tai is the one given the magical sword, it is Tai's quest she is joining, and Tai who will be the one remembered in legend for saving the people.
Overall, this wasn't a ~great~ book but it wasn't bad, either. It was enjoyable, if laden with tropes (and wooden characters) that it couldn't quite overcome, and had an interesting concept with steampunk dragons and ghosts/spirit people.
If you overlook the prerequisite forced twu wuv 4eva aspect, it's a solidly standard YA fantasy novel.
I think if I had read this five years ago, I would have enjoyed it a whole lot more.
I received this from NetGalley for an honest review.
Anlei's village is under attack from strange ghost monsters—and all seems well when the viceroy swoops in and saves them with his fleet of mechanical dragons. Until he demands the village's famed (and worthless) River Pearl as tribute—and one of the villagers to take as his bride. No one is more surprised than Anlei when he chooses her, and she's dragged to the province's capital to be wed. All bets are off, however, when a mysterious thief steals the River Pearl. Anlei decides to save her village and capture the thief and the Pearl—except the thief has a good reason to steal it...
Aside from the Chinese-based world, this is a pretty standard YA fare. Only the Chinese influenced world-building and the steampunk nature of automatons, mechanical dragons and flying ships distinguish this one from the scores of YA fantasies with painfully similar plots.
This is literally the plot (spoilers removed): super special girl is special and Not Like Other Girls™️ because she is a warrior and wants to fight and be free from societal obligations placed on women. Her village is attack and she saves them, then is forced to marry the Powerful Man for ~reasons~. She goes on a quest, meets The Boi, and they have adventures and must save the entire world from Evil. There is a giant plot twist . After about two weeks of knowing each other, girl and boi love each other fiercely and do anything to save each other. The end.
Anlei is nothing special in terms of YA heroines. She's the best warrior on the planet, and a fantastic acrobat, despite never practicing either of these things on page. She also is dyslexic, which was an interesting twist, but I rolled my eyes because she used it to explain that she wasn't a simple-minded peasant, she just couldn't read because characters took extra concentration. Simple peasant girl basically told her noble-born love interest that she's not like the other people in her village. I put that poorly but it annoyed me. Also, her younger sister is a genius inventor.
Tai is your generic YA love interest. Mysterious. Tragic background. Soft-hearted but also heroic. Very smart. Wields a staff. Obviously a prince of some sort. Did I mention the tragedy?
There's also the Magical Black Character trope, so that was fun.
And a powerful dude who wants to marry Anlei because she'd make a beautiful bride but...why? Like, literally. Why? Sure she's pretty and has spirit but his motivations for wanting to marry her just made no sense whatsoever. He pretty much spends the entire book twirling his mustache (I don't know if he actually has a mustache, but his queue or whatever).
Anywho, these are all the negatives.
The positives!
That cover (and the title) are absolutely gorgeous.
I did enjoy the plot quite a bit. I was entertained and engaged throughout, even if there was nothing too special (it went through beats rather methodically) going on. Being predictable doesn't mean bad. I did like the Asian steampunk part of it, and how these integrated with the plot and the world. I also liked the ghosts and spirits.
Also, there's a good discussion throughout the book about the fate of women. In the story there is a legend of a famous Warrioress, who had many amazing adventures and was rewarded with marriage to a king and the end of her story. Anlei is worried that marriage will be the end to her own story, and is tired of the hero's journey—there are numerous parallels, as Tai is the one given the magical sword, it is Tai's quest she is joining, and Tai who will be the one remembered in legend for saving the people.
Overall, this wasn't a ~great~ book but it wasn't bad, either. It was enjoyable, if laden with tropes (and wooden characters) that it couldn't quite overcome, and had an interesting concept with steampunk dragons and ghosts/spirit people.
If you overlook the prerequisite forced twu wuv 4eva aspect, it's a solidly standard YA fantasy novel.
I think if I had read this five years ago, I would have enjoyed it a whole lot more.
I received this from NetGalley for an honest review.
October 19, 2019
Mini audiobook review
3,5 stars
OK guys I don’t really know why I give this one only a 3,5 stars instead of a 4 or 4,5 .
I just had a hard time getting into the story despite Emily Woo Zeller’s stellar narration.
I think my main problem was Anlei as she was rash, reckless, acting before thinking and she wanted glory. If all heroes in fantasy usually end up with some glory the fact that Anlei was so focused on becoming a legend seemed childish to me.
Yet I am aware that others will find it very honest and refreshing.
To me it simply was annoying.
Her quest for greatness and always running into danger gave us action scenes upon action scenes without really being prepared. It felt a bit “pushed” on the reader.
Does that mean that Anlei had no redeeming qualities? Of course not! She was compassionate, courageous and caring. She also was a great warrior.
I also loved that she wanted more for her. Even if she was a young woman she aspired to become a warrior, all traits I love in a female character.
If I needed time to warm up to Anlei I fell for Tai immediately.
Tai is a morally grey character as he is a thief but he is oh so charming!
I loved how cocky he was and he was a master at sarcasm and irony. He had a “devil may care” attitude and laughed in the face of danger. He had swagger and boy was it attractive!
I also loved how loyal he was, to a fault maybe.
When these two meet, Anlei is chasing him as he stole something and they will battle right away. Every encounter was explosive until they became forced allies.
Both will embark on a quest that will lead them till the mouth of Hell and beyond.
There is action, battles, betrayals and a fantastic steampunk worldbuilding.
So aside my issues with Anlei what was missing? I can’t pinpoint my problem just that sometimes it felt like stop and go. It lacked some smoothness maybe?
It also did not help that I had guessed some of the big secrets when I usually am clueless about these things! I wanted to shake Anlei and tell her to just open her eyes!!!
Now the book really kicked in the last 20 percent due to Anlei’s huge character’s growth and the deeper bond between Anlei’s and Tai. I can honestly say that in these last 20 percent I did not want to stop listening to the book and felt totally invested!
But I have never written a book so I don’t want to make you dismiss this book as it gets many excellent reviews and has many qualities. I guess it just did not totally “clicked” with me.
Have you read that book? What did you think of it?
Thanks for reading.
Sophie
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3,5 stars
OK guys I don’t really know why I give this one only a 3,5 stars instead of a 4 or 4,5 .
I just had a hard time getting into the story despite Emily Woo Zeller’s stellar narration.
I think my main problem was Anlei as she was rash, reckless, acting before thinking and she wanted glory. If all heroes in fantasy usually end up with some glory the fact that Anlei was so focused on becoming a legend seemed childish to me.
Yet I am aware that others will find it very honest and refreshing.
To me it simply was annoying.
Her quest for greatness and always running into danger gave us action scenes upon action scenes without really being prepared. It felt a bit “pushed” on the reader.
Does that mean that Anlei had no redeeming qualities? Of course not! She was compassionate, courageous and caring. She also was a great warrior.
I also loved that she wanted more for her. Even if she was a young woman she aspired to become a warrior, all traits I love in a female character.
If I needed time to warm up to Anlei I fell for Tai immediately.
Tai is a morally grey character as he is a thief but he is oh so charming!
I loved how cocky he was and he was a master at sarcasm and irony. He had a “devil may care” attitude and laughed in the face of danger. He had swagger and boy was it attractive!
I also loved how loyal he was, to a fault maybe.
When these two meet, Anlei is chasing him as he stole something and they will battle right away. Every encounter was explosive until they became forced allies.
Both will embark on a quest that will lead them till the mouth of Hell and beyond.
There is action, battles, betrayals and a fantastic steampunk worldbuilding.
So aside my issues with Anlei what was missing? I can’t pinpoint my problem just that sometimes it felt like stop and go. It lacked some smoothness maybe?
It also did not help that I had guessed some of the big secrets when I usually am clueless about these things! I wanted to shake Anlei and tell her to just open her eyes!!!
Now the book really kicked in the last 20 percent due to Anlei’s huge character’s growth and the deeper bond between Anlei’s and Tai. I can honestly say that in these last 20 percent I did not want to stop listening to the book and felt totally invested!
But I have never written a book so I don’t want to make you dismiss this book as it gets many excellent reviews and has many qualities. I guess it just did not totally “clicked” with me.
Have you read that book? What did you think of it?
Thanks for reading.
Sophie
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March 19, 2019
I think I will forever be in love with Asian fantasy okay
Maybe it's because there is just SO MUCH complicated history to pull inspiration from. Maybe it's because katanas always gave me heart-eyes as a wee child. Maybe it's because I first saw Mulan and thought "finally a girl I really connect with". Either way, pretty much anything Asian-centric or inspired usually has my entire heart and soul . And while this book didn't get the entirety of that from me like I had hoped, it got pretty close!!
B U T
For some reason I thought this was part of a series?? So when there came a point that I thought the book would be winding up for a cliffhanger finale, I kept getting confused by the end of one plot arc leading into another! Also, while this was intense and epic and like a classic Asian saga featuring much travel and monsters . . . it kinda felt a bit too long in some areas. I kept wanting a few scenes tightened (or possibly even skipped) as they kind of felt out-of-place in the overall story. It was these few pacing/plot issues that kept me from fully loving this book.
Also there is a sad, sad lack of any food in here!! For some reason, the majority of the Asian fantasies I read usually have at least ONE lavishly described meal that I can drool over and dream of crisp roasted duck and ginger noodles . . . and then just face reality and hit up my local Chinese take-out for dumplings. So the lack of food descriptions, or really the lack of the characters actually EATING, during their long, crazy adventure made this feel a bit flat. Also, there is a great lack of bronze dragons, especially for a book that literally has them mentioned in the title . . .
And now some bullet points because I am lazy and forgetful:
- Anlei is fierce . . . but at some times I found her a little too fierce?? Lighten up, girl!
- Tai was pretty much the right blend of suave and mysterious and sassy. Did I find this a bit cliche at times? Oh, yes. Did I really care? Nah, son.
- I guess this is meant to be steampunk but all the mentions of mechanics seemed a bit awkward??
- honestly the whole arranged marriage plot arc could have not existed cause it was weird
- I am a little grumpy about plot decisions
- again about Anlei but I'm sorry but she was just always I'M TOUGH!! I CAN FIGHT!! I GOTTA DO REVENGE!! ANGST AND ANGER!! And so even though I super enjoyed her and Tai's banter as their relationship blossomed, it just really ended up feeling super cliche to me in an unenjoyable way . . .
- okay I do really like the banter in here!!
- also THE FIGHTING was epic
- I wished there had been more dragons of all kinds
And also some thoughts on Anlei & Tai :
For some reason I kept getting like fanfic Zutara vibes from them, minus of course the heavier angst + bending.
They were quirky enough that I did genuinely ship them. I loved their banter scenes. I enjoyed seeing how their relationship blossomed and grew into the final product. And while I kinda wished maaaaaybe there'd been some slightly steamy moments (I live for a very odd, specific type of sexual tension okay) it was still cute and light and thankfully didn't take over the plot.
A N Y W A Y S
Even though it felt like the author was trying too hard on many levels, this was still very good. It delivered what I wanted, which was an action-y Asian-inspired tale with some dragons, epic fight scenes, a decent adventure plot, a cutesy rivals-to-more romance, and magic to make me happy enough.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review
Maybe it's because there is just SO MUCH complicated history to pull inspiration from. Maybe it's because katanas always gave me heart-eyes as a wee child. Maybe it's because I first saw Mulan and thought "finally a girl I really connect with". Either way, pretty much anything Asian-centric or inspired usually has my entire heart and soul . And while this book didn't get the entirety of that from me like I had hoped, it got pretty close!!
B U T
For some reason I thought this was part of a series?? So when there came a point that I thought the book would be winding up for a cliffhanger finale, I kept getting confused by the end of one plot arc leading into another! Also, while this was intense and epic and like a classic Asian saga featuring much travel and monsters . . . it kinda felt a bit too long in some areas. I kept wanting a few scenes tightened (or possibly even skipped) as they kind of felt out-of-place in the overall story. It was these few pacing/plot issues that kept me from fully loving this book.
Also there is a sad, sad lack of any food in here!! For some reason, the majority of the Asian fantasies I read usually have at least ONE lavishly described meal that I can drool over and dream of crisp roasted duck and ginger noodles . . . and then just face reality and hit up my local Chinese take-out for dumplings. So the lack of food descriptions, or really the lack of the characters actually EATING, during their long, crazy adventure made this feel a bit flat. Also, there is a great lack of bronze dragons, especially for a book that literally has them mentioned in the title . . .
And now some bullet points because I am lazy and forgetful:
- Anlei is fierce . . . but at some times I found her a little too fierce?? Lighten up, girl!
- Tai was pretty much the right blend of suave and mysterious and sassy. Did I find this a bit cliche at times? Oh, yes. Did I really care? Nah, son.
- I guess this is meant to be steampunk but all the mentions of mechanics seemed a bit awkward??
- honestly the whole arranged marriage plot arc could have not existed cause it was weird
- I am a little grumpy about plot decisions
- again about Anlei but I'm sorry but she was just always I'M TOUGH!! I CAN FIGHT!! I GOTTA DO REVENGE!! ANGST AND ANGER!! And so even though I super enjoyed her and Tai's banter as their relationship blossomed, it just really ended up feeling super cliche to me in an unenjoyable way . . .
- okay I do really like the banter in here!!
- also THE FIGHTING was epic
- I wished there had been more dragons of all kinds
And also some thoughts on Anlei & Tai :
For some reason I kept getting like fanfic Zutara vibes from them, minus of course the heavier angst + bending.
They were quirky enough that I did genuinely ship them. I loved their banter scenes. I enjoyed seeing how their relationship blossomed and grew into the final product. And while I kinda wished maaaaaybe there'd been some slightly steamy moments (I live for a very odd, specific type of sexual tension okay) it was still cute and light and thankfully didn't take over the plot.
A N Y W A Y S
Even though it felt like the author was trying too hard on many levels, this was still very good. It delivered what I wanted, which was an action-y Asian-inspired tale with some dragons, epic fight scenes, a decent adventure plot, a cutesy rivals-to-more romance, and magic to make me happy enough.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review
June 27, 2019
"This is what I was born to do: fight evil."
Things I Liked:
✑ Haters-to-Lovers trope with lots of snarky banter (snarky banter always gets me)
✑ Dyslexia Representation!!!
✑ Action, action, and more action! There are a lot of great action sequences + an epic quest to the Courts of Hell
✑ China-inspired fantasy + steampunk elements + robot dragons = the coolest concept ever
Things I Liked... Less:
✑ Clunky conversations and awkward pacing
✑ THE INFODUMPING IS STRONG WITH THIS ONE
✑ The fantasy/steampunk elements didn't mesh together well...it felt too forced. I love the concept, but not the execution
✑ Many characters were flat and underdeveloped
✑ Ibsituu was too much of a fix-it-all character (Ex Machina)
✑ Anlei didn't really grow or develop that much as a character, I feel like?
---------------------------------------------
Novels & Waffles Blog・Twitter・Instagram・Bloglovin'
Things I Liked:
✑ Haters-to-Lovers trope with lots of snarky banter (snarky banter always gets me)
✑ Dyslexia Representation!!!
✑ Action, action, and more action! There are a lot of great action sequences + an epic quest to the Courts of Hell
✑ China-inspired fantasy + steampunk elements + robot dragons = the coolest concept ever
Things I Liked... Less:
✑ Clunky conversations and awkward pacing
✑ THE INFODUMPING IS STRONG WITH THIS ONE
✑ The fantasy/steampunk elements didn't mesh together well...it felt too forced. I love the concept, but not the execution
✑ Many characters were flat and underdeveloped
✑ Ibsituu was too much of a fix-it-all character (Ex Machina)
✑ Anlei didn't really grow or develop that much as a character, I feel like?
---------------------------------------------
Novels & Waffles Blog・Twitter・Instagram・Bloglovin'
dnf
January 6, 2020I don't remember how far I got, it's been awhile, but I'm clearing out my shelves on here by going through my 'pick back up eventually' shelf and seeing which ones I feel as if I will get back to someday and others that I won't.
Unfortunately, this is one that I don't think I'll get back to someday so I'm calling it a DNF. It wasn't bad, it's just not something I'm in the mood to read and don't think I will be anytime soon.
Unfortunately, this is one that I don't think I'll get back to someday so I'm calling it a DNF. It wasn't bad, it's just not something I'm in the mood to read and don't think I will be anytime soon.
July 2, 2019
WHAT I ENJOYED ABOUT THIS BOOK:
• It's an Asian-inspired steampunk fantasy
I haven't read many steampunk books but I really enjoyed this reading experience. Inspired from Qin-dynasty China, the world written by Mary Fan sits in between the modern and traditional era where mechanical dragons and arrange marriages coexist. The Asian-inspired setting really made my heart take flight because THIS IS THE CONTENT I SIGNED UP FOR. Stronger than a Bronze Dragon pays homage to Asian culture and I loved it so much for that.
• This book is full of angst
Yes we've got snarky little cinnamon rolls in this book. Anlei, the protagonist, is a stabby village girl intent on seeking adventure. She wants to make name for herself as a warrioress who slays monsters and protects her village from all evil. I loved how she didn't shy away from the thrill of the fight. Her desire to claim glory for herself may not be likeable for some but I admire her for it. I felt really empowered while reading about Anlei. Somehow, I wanted to break off a table leg and wield it as a sword to fight mosquitoes and flying cockroaches. Well, they're a far cry from all the demons Anlei has vanquished but they're the only things my boring life can offer for now.
(Just a little PSA: killing mosquitoes is challenging. You have to give me a little credit for having the courage to defeat those little bloodsuckers.)
Then there's Tai. He's the male protagonist with a mysterious past. I adored reading his snarky lines and I did love his banter with Anlei. However, I didn't really ship them as a couple. They have great chemistry as friends but I couldn't reconcile the image of them being *together*. Maybe it's just me though. I'm quite picky with my ships nowadays.
• DRAGONS
The first time I read this book's title, I immediately clicked that "WANT TO READ" button on goodreads. That button is a blackhole, y'all. I don't recommend being friends with it.
Anyway, I was interested with Stronger than a Bronze Dragon at first sight because when I see a word that starts with letter D and ands with an N on a book title, that baby goes into the TBR pile immediately. Well, dragons don't play a pivotal role in this book but I still appreciated their presence (there are mechanical dragons and sort-of-ethereal dragons here y'all). Don't mind me. I'm trash for the smallest dragon appearances in all forms of media.
• All hail Mary Fan for the descriptive writing
This book has very rich descriptions which further cemented its plot. I'm a very sensory reader and the descriptions really helped me in imagining the settings and the scenes. I also applaud Mary Fan for incorporating mythology in this book. Aside from dragons, there are ghosts, moon spirits, monsters and demons which added more dimension to the story.
More insights:
I had some issues with the pacing and felt a bit disconnected to the characters when I reached the end but this one is still a fun standalone to read. Despite the predictablity of the plot twists, I still appreciated the over-all angsty feel of the book. I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ALL THE READERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO FEEL EMPOWERED. Let's travel to Hell and back with these fierce protagonists!
• It's an Asian-inspired steampunk fantasy
I haven't read many steampunk books but I really enjoyed this reading experience. Inspired from Qin-dynasty China, the world written by Mary Fan sits in between the modern and traditional era where mechanical dragons and arrange marriages coexist. The Asian-inspired setting really made my heart take flight because THIS IS THE CONTENT I SIGNED UP FOR. Stronger than a Bronze Dragon pays homage to Asian culture and I loved it so much for that.
• This book is full of angst
Yes we've got snarky little cinnamon rolls in this book. Anlei, the protagonist, is a stabby village girl intent on seeking adventure. She wants to make name for herself as a warrioress who slays monsters and protects her village from all evil. I loved how she didn't shy away from the thrill of the fight. Her desire to claim glory for herself may not be likeable for some but I admire her for it. I felt really empowered while reading about Anlei. Somehow, I wanted to break off a table leg and wield it as a sword to fight mosquitoes and flying cockroaches. Well, they're a far cry from all the demons Anlei has vanquished but they're the only things my boring life can offer for now.
(Just a little PSA: killing mosquitoes is challenging. You have to give me a little credit for having the courage to defeat those little bloodsuckers.)
Then there's Tai. He's the male protagonist with a mysterious past. I adored reading his snarky lines and I did love his banter with Anlei. However, I didn't really ship them as a couple. They have great chemistry as friends but I couldn't reconcile the image of them being *together*. Maybe it's just me though. I'm quite picky with my ships nowadays.
• DRAGONS
The first time I read this book's title, I immediately clicked that "WANT TO READ" button on goodreads. That button is a blackhole, y'all. I don't recommend being friends with it.
Anyway, I was interested with Stronger than a Bronze Dragon at first sight because when I see a word that starts with letter D and ands with an N on a book title, that baby goes into the TBR pile immediately. Well, dragons don't play a pivotal role in this book but I still appreciated their presence (there are mechanical dragons and sort-of-ethereal dragons here y'all). Don't mind me. I'm trash for the smallest dragon appearances in all forms of media.
• All hail Mary Fan for the descriptive writing
This book has very rich descriptions which further cemented its plot. I'm a very sensory reader and the descriptions really helped me in imagining the settings and the scenes. I also applaud Mary Fan for incorporating mythology in this book. Aside from dragons, there are ghosts, moon spirits, monsters and demons which added more dimension to the story.
More insights:
I had some issues with the pacing and felt a bit disconnected to the characters when I reached the end but this one is still a fun standalone to read. Despite the predictablity of the plot twists, I still appreciated the over-all angsty feel of the book. I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ALL THE READERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO FEEL EMPOWERED. Let's travel to Hell and back with these fierce protagonists!
August 12, 2019
MY RATING⇢ ☆2.5☆STARS - GRADE= D+
FEATURING⇢
Asian Inspired Fantasy
A Magic System
Steampunk-ish
Iron Dragons
Splash of Romance
Stand-Alone
With Audio Performed by Emily Woo Zeller
MY THOUGHTS⇢
I wanted to like this, but it just never grabbed me, I liked the idea of the story more than the actual story. It had many elements including mechanical dragons, that never really came to life for me. Fantasy lovers who are tired of the same old cliched romance might like this because, while it has a splash of romance, it doesn't overshadow the story at all; and only comes into play towards the end.
I think the biggest reason I couldn't get into this was Emily Woo Zeller's narration. Her voices were altogether too whispery, gruff or high-pitched squeaky, like make your ears pop kind of squeaky. That is the reason I listened to this at a speed of 1.65. Which in turn made it difficult to follow the action scenes, although they could have been written in a way that was difficult to follow as well. Sadly, I just didn't care that much to find out.
THE BREAKDOWN⇢
Plot⇢ 3/5
Narration Performance⇢ 2/5
Characters⇢ 3/5
The Feels⇢ 1.5/5
Pacing⇢ 2.5/5
Addictiveness⇢ 2.5/5
Theme or Tone⇢ 3/5
Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 2.5/5
Backdrop (World Building)⇢ 2.5/5
Originality⇢ 2/5
Ending⇢ 2.5/5 Cliffhanger⇢ Nah...
_____
Book Cover⇢ Hey, it has a Dragon on it, and I've needed one of those for a Reading Challenge for forever now.
Setting⇢ A fantastical realm with a name I more than likely missed...and I'm not sure how it would've been spelled, anyway.
Source⇢ Audiobook (Library)
Length⇢ 11 hours, 19 minutes
FEATURING⇢
Asian Inspired Fantasy
A Magic System
Steampunk-ish
Iron Dragons
Splash of Romance
Stand-Alone
With Audio Performed by Emily Woo Zeller
MY THOUGHTS⇢
I wanted to like this, but it just never grabbed me, I liked the idea of the story more than the actual story. It had many elements including mechanical dragons, that never really came to life for me. Fantasy lovers who are tired of the same old cliched romance might like this because, while it has a splash of romance, it doesn't overshadow the story at all; and only comes into play towards the end.
I think the biggest reason I couldn't get into this was Emily Woo Zeller's narration. Her voices were altogether too whispery, gruff or high-pitched squeaky, like make your ears pop kind of squeaky. That is the reason I listened to this at a speed of 1.65. Which in turn made it difficult to follow the action scenes, although they could have been written in a way that was difficult to follow as well. Sadly, I just didn't care that much to find out.
THE BREAKDOWN⇢
Plot⇢ 3/5
Narration Performance⇢ 2/5
Characters⇢ 3/5
The Feels⇢ 1.5/5
Pacing⇢ 2.5/5
Addictiveness⇢ 2.5/5
Theme or Tone⇢ 3/5
Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 2.5/5
Backdrop (World Building)⇢ 2.5/5
Originality⇢ 2/5
Ending⇢ 2.5/5 Cliffhanger⇢ Nah...
_____
Book Cover⇢ Hey, it has a Dragon on it, and I've needed one of those for a Reading Challenge for forever now.
Setting⇢ A fantastical realm with a name I more than likely missed...and I'm not sure how it would've been spelled, anyway.
Source⇢ Audiobook (Library)
Length⇢ 11 hours, 19 minutes
June 10, 2019
Disclaimer: I received this ARC courtesy of Page Street Kids through NetGalley. I am grateful for the opportunity to review an ARC for my readers, but this will not influence my final rating. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and based solely on the book.
Stronger than a Bronze Dragon hooked me on two keywords. “Dragon” and “thief.” I’m a sucker for books with either of those. The fact that the book is based on Chinese culture was an added bonus. I know nothing and I mean nothing about the Courts of Hell, but trust that I was ready to learn.
I will say I definitely got my two keywords in this book. The bronze dragons make many appearances and our thief is a key player early on. But I could predict everything. StaBD followed every trope line you would expect in a warrior girl/thief boy fantasy novel.
My frustration is really that the book has potential. Anlei is a passionate girl who hungers for a chance at adventure. Early in the book she realizes that the domestic life is not for her—especially unusual in a time when women are expected to wed young and be obedient.
When it comes down to it, though, the writing felt less like exploring scenes and more like pushing BIG MOMENTS at the reader. Anlei is kidnapped, Anlei escapes, Anlei saves an orphaned child, Anlei falls in a river, Anlei–* I love action scenes, really I do, but after a bit I was hungering for descriptive and introspective scenes.
*I made these up to avoid spoilers
Another thing that didn’t quite click with me was the narrative voice. StaBD is written in first person—a.k.a. Anlei’s voice—and while Anlei is seventeen years old, the though process shown to the reader is more similar to that of a thirteen or fourteen-year-old. Anlei acts without thinking, speaks without considering the feelings of others, and often scolds herself in her head in simplistic language. (Like a young child repeating what a parent has said.) It reads so oddly and often stilted. Honestly, I would recommend this book to younger readers for its tone and narration. It doesn’t read like upper YA, and I can see older teens having trouble connecting to Anlei.
One other thing: everything was so simple! Any struggle that arises, a solution is always found within seconds. (Even when it wouldn’t be logical.)
I think this book requires slight suspension of disbelief, which is an odd thing to say when reading fantasy. The world-building could have used a bit more development, as not all the details are understandable/believable even within Fan’s own universe.
Stronger than a Bronze Dragon hooked me on two keywords. “Dragon” and “thief.” I’m a sucker for books with either of those. The fact that the book is based on Chinese culture was an added bonus. I know nothing and I mean nothing about the Courts of Hell, but trust that I was ready to learn.
I will say I definitely got my two keywords in this book. The bronze dragons make many appearances and our thief is a key player early on. But I could predict everything. StaBD followed every trope line you would expect in a warrior girl/thief boy fantasy novel.
My frustration is really that the book has potential. Anlei is a passionate girl who hungers for a chance at adventure. Early in the book she realizes that the domestic life is not for her—especially unusual in a time when women are expected to wed young and be obedient.
When it comes down to it, though, the writing felt less like exploring scenes and more like pushing BIG MOMENTS at the reader. Anlei is kidnapped, Anlei escapes, Anlei saves an orphaned child, Anlei falls in a river, Anlei–* I love action scenes, really I do, but after a bit I was hungering for descriptive and introspective scenes.
*I made these up to avoid spoilers
Another thing that didn’t quite click with me was the narrative voice. StaBD is written in first person—a.k.a. Anlei’s voice—and while Anlei is seventeen years old, the though process shown to the reader is more similar to that of a thirteen or fourteen-year-old. Anlei acts without thinking, speaks without considering the feelings of others, and often scolds herself in her head in simplistic language. (Like a young child repeating what a parent has said.) It reads so oddly and often stilted. Honestly, I would recommend this book to younger readers for its tone and narration. It doesn’t read like upper YA, and I can see older teens having trouble connecting to Anlei.
One other thing: everything was so simple! Any struggle that arises, a solution is always found within seconds. (Even when it wouldn’t be logical.)
I think this book requires slight suspension of disbelief, which is an odd thing to say when reading fantasy. The world-building could have used a bit more development, as not all the details are understandable/believable even within Fan’s own universe.
January 29, 2019
Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon, which is maybe the best book title ever, is another powerhouse from Mary Fan, one of the best YA authors out there today. This book's got romance, vivid descriptions, an amazing heroine, and some totally badass action sequences you won't soon forget. A great book from a great writer. Loved it.
dnf
May 28, 2019DNF @ 30%
**I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own**
This really didn't work for me. The story telling felt very clunky. It just seemed several scenes pasted together that seemed like the "highlights" of a book without much time in between scenes to get immersed into the world more or connect with the protagonist. It's frustrating that the protagonist doesn't plan anything on her quest and that she doesn't really seem to care about anyone else other than doing what she wants. I know that teens are smarter than this. I do like the steampunk element in an Asian fantasy setting, but that was the only thing I liked about it. I can see teens enjoying this, but it really wasn't for me.
**I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own**
This really didn't work for me. The story telling felt very clunky. It just seemed several scenes pasted together that seemed like the "highlights" of a book without much time in between scenes to get immersed into the world more or connect with the protagonist. It's frustrating that the protagonist doesn't plan anything on her quest and that she doesn't really seem to care about anyone else other than doing what she wants. I know that teens are smarter than this. I do like the steampunk element in an Asian fantasy setting, but that was the only thing I liked about it. I can see teens enjoying this, but it really wasn't for me.
June 4, 2019
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon is a story that will leave you shouting from the rooftops. It's a story with a heroine you will fall in love with. She has a noble heart and a passionate sense of determination, even when it lands her squarely in trouble. There's a fire in her soul to do what's right, even when it's not acceptable. While, her journey imparts the importance of support, of trust and honesty, and of doing what's right especially when it's hard.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon is a story that will leave you shouting from the rooftops. It's a story with a heroine you will fall in love with. She has a noble heart and a passionate sense of determination, even when it lands her squarely in trouble. There's a fire in her soul to do what's right, even when it's not acceptable. While, her journey imparts the importance of support, of trust and honesty, and of doing what's right especially when it's hard.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
May 28, 2019
I'm a history buff. I'm Chinese. I love both of these separately and together. I'm down.
June 15, 2019
4.5 stars
This is a story about Anlei, an acrobat warrior who refused to follow the usual path of girls in her time, but is forced to marry a powerful viceroy in order to save her village.
This book has a slow start but I appreciated it because it provided the backstory which made me understand Anlei more. She's still grieving the loss of her father and she wants to seek revenge. I admire Anlei's character because of the love and dedication that she has for her family and her village. She'll do anything, even marry the viceroy, and give the enchanted River Pearl, in exchange for protection for her people from the attacks of the Ligui.
The River Pearl was stolen by a young thief, Tai. A mysterious boy, who desperately needs it to save his people. He is such a lovable character, and I loved the playful/witty banter between him and Anlei. Their chemistry made me enjoy reading this book more.
The only thing that I felt lacking was a bit of a backstory for the villain as I would've wanted to understand his motivations/reasons. But with its plot twists, the combination of steampunk and magic, the Asian representation, and the world-building, you surely won't regret reading this! Thanks to NetGalley and Page Street Kids for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
"Self-control today is a gift for tomorrow. Be kind to your future self."
"Many choices come down to love or hate. Choose love, every time."
"Nothing can truly be fixed. Once broken, nothing will ever be as it was."
"And though you can't repair something entirely, you can mold it into something better."
Soundtrack: Fire and the Flood by Vance Joy
This is a story about Anlei, an acrobat warrior who refused to follow the usual path of girls in her time, but is forced to marry a powerful viceroy in order to save her village.
This book has a slow start but I appreciated it because it provided the backstory which made me understand Anlei more. She's still grieving the loss of her father and she wants to seek revenge. I admire Anlei's character because of the love and dedication that she has for her family and her village. She'll do anything, even marry the viceroy, and give the enchanted River Pearl, in exchange for protection for her people from the attacks of the Ligui.
The River Pearl was stolen by a young thief, Tai. A mysterious boy, who desperately needs it to save his people. He is such a lovable character, and I loved the playful/witty banter between him and Anlei. Their chemistry made me enjoy reading this book more.
The only thing that I felt lacking was a bit of a backstory for the villain as I would've wanted to understand his motivations/reasons. But with its plot twists, the combination of steampunk and magic, the Asian representation, and the world-building, you surely won't regret reading this! Thanks to NetGalley and Page Street Kids for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
"Self-control today is a gift for tomorrow. Be kind to your future self."
"Many choices come down to love or hate. Choose love, every time."
"Nothing can truly be fixed. Once broken, nothing will ever be as it was."
"And though you can't repair something entirely, you can mold it into something better."
Soundtrack: Fire and the Flood by Vance Joy
April 10, 2019
When I came across this book on Netgalley the cover immediately drew my attention. A Dragon and the typography of the yellow title. I like. Of course the title mentioning a dragon helped. There are dragons in here, just not quite the way you’d think. That didn’t stop me from enjoying this splendid standalone novel.
This book has everything. It is a strange mixture of steampunk, paranormal, magic, and do I dare say, a touch of mythology. There are air ships, steampunk dragons, pearls gifted by a dragon, uncommon fantasy creatures, hell, unwilling brides, thieves. There is so much jammed in this book that it is a little overwhelming at times. Sometimes it maybe had too much. With that I mean that some elements could have used more room to be fitted in world building wise.
Having said that though, there is an incredible pace throughout this book. It keeps going and going and going. I just kept on turning and turning and turning the pages, just to keep up. Yet there was enough room left to explain the world satisfactory and characterize the characters. Seeing as this novel is under 400 pages AND a standalone that is quite a feat. The plot doesn’t stop with the initial quest though initial I felt that we were building up to that moment. Somehow she managed to hold onto that feeling as we build up to the actual ending.
Our main character Anlei is a bit of a spitfire, getting the chance to fight in the guard of her village, it is one of the things she wanted the most. However when she gets offered up as a bride to a powerful older man to save her village definitely she feels she has no other choice but to accept. It does not go easy for her and she ends up going on her first and quite probably her final adventure.
While I liked Anlei, I loved Tai. He is the kind of character I am always drawn. The humor and endless teasing. He was able to draw it out of Anlei too which was great to see. I loved how they were put together because they weren’t opposites. In fact Anlei recognized a lot of herself in him that helped her grow and see her own behavior in a different light. I think that was a great way to go about it.
Overall a great fantasy standalone.
This book has everything. It is a strange mixture of steampunk, paranormal, magic, and do I dare say, a touch of mythology. There are air ships, steampunk dragons, pearls gifted by a dragon, uncommon fantasy creatures, hell, unwilling brides, thieves. There is so much jammed in this book that it is a little overwhelming at times. Sometimes it maybe had too much. With that I mean that some elements could have used more room to be fitted in world building wise.
Having said that though, there is an incredible pace throughout this book. It keeps going and going and going. I just kept on turning and turning and turning the pages, just to keep up. Yet there was enough room left to explain the world satisfactory and characterize the characters. Seeing as this novel is under 400 pages AND a standalone that is quite a feat. The plot doesn’t stop with the initial quest though initial I felt that we were building up to that moment. Somehow she managed to hold onto that feeling as we build up to the actual ending.
Our main character Anlei is a bit of a spitfire, getting the chance to fight in the guard of her village, it is one of the things she wanted the most. However when she gets offered up as a bride to a powerful older man to save her village definitely she feels she has no other choice but to accept. It does not go easy for her and she ends up going on her first and quite probably her final adventure.
While I liked Anlei, I loved Tai. He is the kind of character I am always drawn. The humor and endless teasing. He was able to draw it out of Anlei too which was great to see. I loved how they were put together because they weren’t opposites. In fact Anlei recognized a lot of herself in him that helped her grow and see her own behavior in a different light. I think that was a great way to go about it.
Overall a great fantasy standalone.
June 29, 2019
Anlei’s village is constantly under threat of attack and death. When Viceroy Kang arrives with mechanical dragons in tow and offers to lend his protection in exchange for the River Pearl and a bride, Anlei is chosen to marry him. When a thief steals the River Pearl, Anlei resolves to go after him to recover the one thing that may help keep her people safe.
Stronger Than A Bronze Dragon had a lot of potential with its fascinating premise, its strong-willed (and dyslexic!) heroine, and fluid writing. However, what lets this book down is its one-dimensional characters and pacing. I loved the first one hundred or so pages where we were steadily being acquainted with the protagonist, her motivations, and her family. When she is chosen to be the viceroy’s bride, I was especially excited to see the “fish out of water” trope unfold – but we didn’t get any of that.
Instead, the author launches into action sequence after action sequence, giving very little time between these fast-paced moments for our characters to develop. What I really struggled to take seriously was how whilst our characters were in mortal peril, they would be bantering and exploring deep character history in those moments? I kept thinking, “This wasn’t the time to try and develop your characters,” and it was… really annoying. But at the same time, these moments were the only ones left to give our characters some semblance of dimension, because the ‘quieter’ moments were either non-existent or wasted, so I had to make do.
Ultimately, I ended up skimming through a lot of the last hundred pages. All the twists were twists I predicted within the first seventy pages, so not even those could keep me interested. I’m sad, because I wanted to like this, but alas, you don’t get everything you want.
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Stronger Than A Bronze Dragon had a lot of potential with its fascinating premise, its strong-willed (and dyslexic!) heroine, and fluid writing. However, what lets this book down is its one-dimensional characters and pacing. I loved the first one hundred or so pages where we were steadily being acquainted with the protagonist, her motivations, and her family. When she is chosen to be the viceroy’s bride, I was especially excited to see the “fish out of water” trope unfold – but we didn’t get any of that.
Instead, the author launches into action sequence after action sequence, giving very little time between these fast-paced moments for our characters to develop. What I really struggled to take seriously was how whilst our characters were in mortal peril, they would be bantering and exploring deep character history in those moments? I kept thinking, “This wasn’t the time to try and develop your characters,” and it was… really annoying. But at the same time, these moments were the only ones left to give our characters some semblance of dimension, because the ‘quieter’ moments were either non-existent or wasted, so I had to make do.
Ultimately, I ended up skimming through a lot of the last hundred pages. All the twists were twists I predicted within the first seventy pages, so not even those could keep me interested. I’m sad, because I wanted to like this, but alas, you don’t get everything you want.
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
June 11, 2019
have to say it was very refreshing to read this book. I love fantasy and I quite enjoy reading Europe/Western inspired fantasy but reading one that is Asian inspired, it gives you so many new things and this book did just that. I adored the vibes this Asian inspired, steampunk mixed with magic story gave me. It kept me on turning the pages and it kept on my toes to see what is going to happen. There were a couple of elements that were predictable but I was ultimately fine with it, it served a purpose in the story after all. I definitely think we need more standalones in the fantasy genre so I was so happy to read this one. It wraps up quite well and I was definitely satisfied with the ending.
More on the blog: https://berriesandbooksblog.wordpress...
More on the blog: https://berriesandbooksblog.wordpress...
August 8, 2019
3.5 stars.
Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon follows Anlei, whose village was just saved by a powerful viceroy with a fleet of mechanical dragons, and the villagers see him as a godsend. They agree to give him their sacred, enchanted River Pearl in exchange for permanent protection—if he’ll marry one of the village girls to solidify the alliance. Anlei is horrified when the viceroy selects her as a bride, but with the fate of her people at stake, she sees no choice but to agree. Anlei’s noble plans are changed, however, when a thief steals the River Pearl for himself. Knowing the viceroy won’t protect her village without the jewel, she takes matters into her own hands. But once she catches the thief, she discovers he needs the pearl just as much as she does. The two travel across the land and into the Courts of Hell, taking Anlei on a journey that reveals more is at stake than she could have ever imagined.
While this book has a lot going for it, I have to say—Anlei and Tai are such wonderful characters, and really drove this book forward for me. Anlei was so incredibly realistic and complex. She was frustrating and selfish at times, and was the first to admit it, but that’s something I really appreciate about her. She’s not the perfect, selfless heroine YA authors love to write about, and I’m always going to appreciate when authors make their characters realistic. Tai was my favorite, though, and so lovely. He’s one of the most complex and interesting characters I’ve read about in a while. Plus, I’m a sucker for characters who have gone through hell and come out on the other side still being kind and fun and good. I also thought his dynamic with Anlei was done really well, and even though I didn’t adore the instalove, I still thought their romance was sweet and I loved the banter between them.
On top of that, I loved the worldbuilding. It’s basically a steampunk version of China, and it was so much fun. I love reading about Asian-inspired worlds in general, because I think they make for excellent and beautiful stories, but this was even more wonderful to read about. Steampunk isn’t a genre I reach for too often, but Fan did such a good job creating this world that I couldn’t help but love it. She also included so many interesting fantasy elements (mechanical creatures, ghosts, spirits, dragons, and so much magic), and it was such a unique and fun combination.
My only real complaint (and why I couldn’t give it four stars) is because of the pacing and the writing. This book started out super slow, and then once it got into the meat of the story, it never slowed down at all, and I’m not a huge fan of stories that are paced like that. I think it would’ve done well with some breaks and slower chapters. As for the writing, even though it could be beautiful, it sometimes felt a little awkward and all over the place. Overall, though, it was a solid book and I really enjoyed reading it!
representation ↠ chinese main character with dyslexia, all-chinese cast, and a south asian side character.
content warnings ↠ death of a parent, torture, violence, and an unwanted, arranged marriage.
“My new title might be Lady, but even after they scrub me clean, paint my face, and clothe me in silk, I’ll still be little more than a slave.”
Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon follows Anlei, whose village was just saved by a powerful viceroy with a fleet of mechanical dragons, and the villagers see him as a godsend. They agree to give him their sacred, enchanted River Pearl in exchange for permanent protection—if he’ll marry one of the village girls to solidify the alliance. Anlei is horrified when the viceroy selects her as a bride, but with the fate of her people at stake, she sees no choice but to agree. Anlei’s noble plans are changed, however, when a thief steals the River Pearl for himself. Knowing the viceroy won’t protect her village without the jewel, she takes matters into her own hands. But once she catches the thief, she discovers he needs the pearl just as much as she does. The two travel across the land and into the Courts of Hell, taking Anlei on a journey that reveals more is at stake than she could have ever imagined.
While this book has a lot going for it, I have to say—Anlei and Tai are such wonderful characters, and really drove this book forward for me. Anlei was so incredibly realistic and complex. She was frustrating and selfish at times, and was the first to admit it, but that’s something I really appreciate about her. She’s not the perfect, selfless heroine YA authors love to write about, and I’m always going to appreciate when authors make their characters realistic. Tai was my favorite, though, and so lovely. He’s one of the most complex and interesting characters I’ve read about in a while. Plus, I’m a sucker for characters who have gone through hell and come out on the other side still being kind and fun and good. I also thought his dynamic with Anlei was done really well, and even though I didn’t adore the instalove, I still thought their romance was sweet and I loved the banter between them.
On top of that, I loved the worldbuilding. It’s basically a steampunk version of China, and it was so much fun. I love reading about Asian-inspired worlds in general, because I think they make for excellent and beautiful stories, but this was even more wonderful to read about. Steampunk isn’t a genre I reach for too often, but Fan did such a good job creating this world that I couldn’t help but love it. She also included so many interesting fantasy elements (mechanical creatures, ghosts, spirits, dragons, and so much magic), and it was such a unique and fun combination.
My only real complaint (and why I couldn’t give it four stars) is because of the pacing and the writing. This book started out super slow, and then once it got into the meat of the story, it never slowed down at all, and I’m not a huge fan of stories that are paced like that. I think it would’ve done well with some breaks and slower chapters. As for the writing, even though it could be beautiful, it sometimes felt a little awkward and all over the place. Overall, though, it was a solid book and I really enjoyed reading it!
representation ↠ chinese main character with dyslexia, all-chinese cast, and a south asian side character.
content warnings ↠ death of a parent, torture, violence, and an unwanted, arranged marriage.
June 16, 2019
“A flying ship, stolen from the viceroy's fleet. A young thief on a fantastical quest. And a decision so wild, I can hardly believe I made it.
“
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Source: Huge thanks to The Royal Polar Bear Reads for hosting an International Blog Tour and Page Street Kids for kindly providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Stronger than a Bronze Dragon and me ... well, we had a rough start. I had trouble connecting to the world and to Anlei (our MC) at the very beginning. But fortunately, that changed relatively quickly.
The book starts with Anlei and a friend of hers (somewhat) being on the lookout for Ligui, the evil spirits that attack the village and talking about what happens, and how it shouldn't be necessary for the woman to join the guard as it is not really appropriate. However, it becomes clear right away, that that is exactly what Anlei craves. Being a warrior and getting to fight for glory and adventure.
She is driven by hate and thoughts of revenge since the Ligui killed her father. While I understood her hurt and anger very well, she acted in a way I usually can't stand. When the Ligui attack she leaves her friends fighting one huge monster alone to chase the murderer of her father, completely blinded by her rage and that results in nearly getting the others killed. And that's a pet peeve of mine ...
“Somewhere far away, a girl's voice calls, "Anlei! Come back!" The words are a meaningless buzz beneath the blood thundering in my ears. All I know is that my father's killer is at last within reach. And, by the Gods of Heaven and Earth, I will destroy him. Like the legendary Warrioress, I will slay my enemy and reap the glory.
(...)
I don' care if there are other guards who could fight him-- this victory will belong to me alone. “
BUT after that first fight we get to know her better. Especially when she talked to her family, her mother and little sister Anshui. Her motivation becomes clearer, beyond the thoughts of revenge. We get to see her difficulties with emotions and conveying them correctly. I loved seeing that. Her sister Anshui is adorable and I love the strong bond they have. Anlei can do and say things that hurt other people without really meaning to, she interprets things differently and she knows it but is still confused by that.
"That's not what I meant!" "But it's what your words implied." I press my fist to my lips. So often, the meaning of my words comes out all wrong, but this is the worst thing I've ever said even though I didn't mean to say it.
(...)
"I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean it." "I know." Mother looks up. "You must watch your words, Anlei. And you must consider the perspective of others." "Yes, Mother." But understanding the unspoken meaning behind words, like reading, is something I can only accomplish with great focus and effort. I wonder if I'll ever learn how to do what comes so naturally to everyone else.
That was the moment when I started liking her, rooting for her and understand her. Not to say that I didn't have any more moments when I wanted to shake some sense into Anlei but I enjoyed that instead of being annoyed. Mary Fan managed to turn something I usually despise into the very reason why I liked the character which is truly amazing.
There is also another instance of this. The scene where Anlei is deciding to sacrifice all her wishes for glory and adventure, to hand herself over to marry the Viceroy to secure his protection of Dailan, her village and when she looks back at that. She talks about how she never envisioned the life of a wife for herself, but that of a Wariorress. This could very easily turn into one of those dreaded 'not like other girls' moments but Anlei is still respecting the choice and wish to be a wife ... and it seemed real. These are only details at the beginning of the book, but I thought I should mention them since they are part of the reason why I liked the book as much as I did.
Mary Fan describes the world around Anlei very beautifully. I could see the huge dragon ships sailing through the air. I could feel the dread she feels while being prepared for her wedding. As you can tell by the synopsis though, a thief steals the dragon pearl, the main thing the Viceroy wanted in exchange for his protection and so Anlei escapes to steal it back.
I loved the dynamic between Tai, the thief, and Anlei from their very first meeting. He doesn't reveal anything lightly, has a lot of secrets but he makes up for that in charm ... and in having so much fun at making Anlei mad. ^^ Their banter was what made the whole middle part of the book entertaining.
I have to say though ... I could have done without the romance. It wasn't bad by any means, and it didn't take over the plot at all but I loved their friendship and would have been content with them staying that way. But I'm not mad at the romance either. They had a few cute moments after all.
The first quest ends roughly in the middle of the book which surprised me a little but I appreciated it. If the journey to hell would have been dragged out longer the book would have probably become a little boring. We see Anlei's character traits again very clearly during the fight in hell, her longing to be the hero and her craving glory, her jealousy that Tai gets all that and she will be forgotten. I can totally see how that might not be for everyone but I really liked it. It was very in character for her and it felt real.
I'm not gonna say a lot about what happened after as to not spoil you but I really enjoyed the ending. We get to learn more about Tai and who he really is, how he deals with stress, anger and sadness ... and it may very well break your heart. Just a little. Also, Anlei's inability to say 'the right thing' or to comfort him ... very relatable.
The world Mary Fan created is inspired by Chinese mythology and I enjoyed exploring it alongside Tai and Anlei. The spirits, Yueshen and Ligui, the steampunk elements, the connection between magic and science ... those are all things I loved about this book.
We get a few stories they have been told as children and it was amazing to read those. I really like when books include these. It makes everything seem just that much more real.
I could predict a lot of the twists and I'm a bit disappointed by the Viceroy and his motivations (or rather ... what we got with Anlei, the view behind her facade and why she is who she is ... we didn't get that with the viceroy and I would have loved to see that.) I like the villains or antagonist to have clear and understandable reasons for doing what they're doing. More than just ... well, they're evil.
The strong points of this book are definitely the two main characters and the world. I loved how different Anlei and Tai are, how they both deal with their feelings in their own ways and still find a way to connect with each other
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Source: Huge thanks to The Royal Polar Bear Reads for hosting an International Blog Tour and Page Street Kids for kindly providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Stronger than a Bronze Dragon and me ... well, we had a rough start. I had trouble connecting to the world and to Anlei (our MC) at the very beginning. But fortunately, that changed relatively quickly.
The book starts with Anlei and a friend of hers (somewhat) being on the lookout for Ligui, the evil spirits that attack the village and talking about what happens, and how it shouldn't be necessary for the woman to join the guard as it is not really appropriate. However, it becomes clear right away, that that is exactly what Anlei craves. Being a warrior and getting to fight for glory and adventure.
She is driven by hate and thoughts of revenge since the Ligui killed her father. While I understood her hurt and anger very well, she acted in a way I usually can't stand. When the Ligui attack she leaves her friends fighting one huge monster alone to chase the murderer of her father, completely blinded by her rage and that results in nearly getting the others killed. And that's a pet peeve of mine ...
“Somewhere far away, a girl's voice calls, "Anlei! Come back!" The words are a meaningless buzz beneath the blood thundering in my ears. All I know is that my father's killer is at last within reach. And, by the Gods of Heaven and Earth, I will destroy him. Like the legendary Warrioress, I will slay my enemy and reap the glory.
(...)
I don' care if there are other guards who could fight him-- this victory will belong to me alone. “
BUT after that first fight we get to know her better. Especially when she talked to her family, her mother and little sister Anshui. Her motivation becomes clearer, beyond the thoughts of revenge. We get to see her difficulties with emotions and conveying them correctly. I loved seeing that. Her sister Anshui is adorable and I love the strong bond they have. Anlei can do and say things that hurt other people without really meaning to, she interprets things differently and she knows it but is still confused by that.
"That's not what I meant!" "But it's what your words implied." I press my fist to my lips. So often, the meaning of my words comes out all wrong, but this is the worst thing I've ever said even though I didn't mean to say it.
(...)
"I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean it." "I know." Mother looks up. "You must watch your words, Anlei. And you must consider the perspective of others." "Yes, Mother." But understanding the unspoken meaning behind words, like reading, is something I can only accomplish with great focus and effort. I wonder if I'll ever learn how to do what comes so naturally to everyone else.
That was the moment when I started liking her, rooting for her and understand her. Not to say that I didn't have any more moments when I wanted to shake some sense into Anlei but I enjoyed that instead of being annoyed. Mary Fan managed to turn something I usually despise into the very reason why I liked the character which is truly amazing.
There is also another instance of this. The scene where Anlei is deciding to sacrifice all her wishes for glory and adventure, to hand herself over to marry the Viceroy to secure his protection of Dailan, her village and when she looks back at that. She talks about how she never envisioned the life of a wife for herself, but that of a Wariorress. This could very easily turn into one of those dreaded 'not like other girls' moments but Anlei is still respecting the choice and wish to be a wife ... and it seemed real. These are only details at the beginning of the book, but I thought I should mention them since they are part of the reason why I liked the book as much as I did.
Mary Fan describes the world around Anlei very beautifully. I could see the huge dragon ships sailing through the air. I could feel the dread she feels while being prepared for her wedding. As you can tell by the synopsis though, a thief steals the dragon pearl, the main thing the Viceroy wanted in exchange for his protection and so Anlei escapes to steal it back.
I loved the dynamic between Tai, the thief, and Anlei from their very first meeting. He doesn't reveal anything lightly, has a lot of secrets but he makes up for that in charm ... and in having so much fun at making Anlei mad. ^^ Their banter was what made the whole middle part of the book entertaining.
I have to say though ... I could have done without the romance. It wasn't bad by any means, and it didn't take over the plot at all but I loved their friendship and would have been content with them staying that way. But I'm not mad at the romance either. They had a few cute moments after all.
The first quest ends roughly in the middle of the book which surprised me a little but I appreciated it. If the journey to hell would have been dragged out longer the book would have probably become a little boring. We see Anlei's character traits again very clearly during the fight in hell, her longing to be the hero and her craving glory, her jealousy that Tai gets all that and she will be forgotten. I can totally see how that might not be for everyone but I really liked it. It was very in character for her and it felt real.
I'm not gonna say a lot about what happened after as to not spoil you but I really enjoyed the ending. We get to learn more about Tai and who he really is, how he deals with stress, anger and sadness ... and it may very well break your heart. Just a little. Also, Anlei's inability to say 'the right thing' or to comfort him ... very relatable.
The world Mary Fan created is inspired by Chinese mythology and I enjoyed exploring it alongside Tai and Anlei. The spirits, Yueshen and Ligui, the steampunk elements, the connection between magic and science ... those are all things I loved about this book.
We get a few stories they have been told as children and it was amazing to read those. I really like when books include these. It makes everything seem just that much more real.
I could predict a lot of the twists and I'm a bit disappointed by the Viceroy and his motivations (or rather ... what we got with Anlei, the view behind her facade and why she is who she is ... we didn't get that with the viceroy and I would have loved to see that.) I like the villains or antagonist to have clear and understandable reasons for doing what they're doing. More than just ... well, they're evil.
The strong points of this book are definitely the two main characters and the world. I loved how different Anlei and Tai are, how they both deal with their feelings in their own ways and still find a way to connect with each other
June 11, 2019
3.5 stars
Pros:
- steampunk GOODNESS
- amazing Chinese-inspired world (I'm actually quite proud of myself because I understood some of the Chinese words used)
- if you're looking for a fun quest story, this is for you!
- though I wouldn't say that the characters are ground-breaking or that we haven't seen them in other adventure/fantasy stories before, they are well-developed and likable
Cons:
- i felt like the main characters declared their love for each other too quickly, and I think the circumstances of the declaration would've been way way more impactful if it were one of friendship instead of romantic love
I received an e-arc via Netgalley for my participation in the blog tour hosted by Fantastic Flying Book Club, so thank you to FFBC & the publishers for that! Check out my stop on June 12th!
March 14, 2019
So this is the first Mary Fan book I've read. I've come across some reviews of her other books. I now know she is an author to look out for though. This was just, WOW!
The book synopsis and cover sucked me in right away, I just I knew I just had to read it and that I would love it.
This book has everything from steampunk, magic and badass heroine plot twists and amazing world building. Its seriously everything. You have to read this book, like today!! NOW!
You will fall for Anlei and this story instantly.
Overall this book was fantastic and I 100% Recommend it! I plan on hunting down a hardcover of it, I need this book forever on my shelves!
*This book was given for honest review by netgalley*
The book synopsis and cover sucked me in right away, I just I knew I just had to read it and that I would love it.
This book has everything from steampunk, magic and badass heroine plot twists and amazing world building. Its seriously everything. You have to read this book, like today!! NOW!
You will fall for Anlei and this story instantly.
Overall this book was fantastic and I 100% Recommend it! I plan on hunting down a hardcover of it, I need this book forever on my shelves!
*This book was given for honest review by netgalley*
Read
December 8, 2019DNF @ page 75
February 19, 2019
I'm a massive fan of Mary Fan, who wrote one of my favorite YA SF books of all time, Starswept (see my review!). So when I saw the announcement for this book, I knew I just had to read it. A hero's journey through a fantastical Qing dynasty China, where we have steampunk technology mixed with magic, a lady warrior who wields a dangerous blade... this is the exact book I needed in my life, and it was perfect in every way.
Anlei is one of those fierce Warioress characters who jump out of the page. A village girl, trained as an acrobat and struggling with dyslexia, trying to find her place in a village where a woman's place is in the home. It is a vocation she respects, but knows deep down is not for her. Being able to fight for her village takes courage, but not so much courage as when asked to marry a complete stranger in order to solidify the promise of protection for her people.
Tai, a thief with many mysteries up his sleeves, is the perfect foil to her character. He always seems to have the perfect joke or quip to catch her off guard. They make a perfect fighting pair, a team built on respect and trust. I loved seeing the two of them fight together both with a sword or with their words.
And the magic, the technology - the concept itself is so cool. I love the idea of giant bronze dragons soaring through the air, ships propelled along the breeze, swords harnessing ancient magic. All this to fight an enemy straight out of a nightmare.
Once again, Mary Fan proves she is the master of twists. She manages to take a story that seems to be going one direction, then swing it around until it is going another - while making me wonder how I couldn't have seen it before. This book constantly keeps you on your toes!
While I haven't read many Chinese tales, I feel like Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon reads like a cross between YA fantasy and a Chinese hero's ballad, almost poetic in a sense, a journey to save one's people, an ode to family, culture, and tradition, in the face of massive danger. The author's writing is somehow even more lyrical than in her Starswept books, which I assumed we musical simply from the fact they were about music - turns out Mary Fan can bring this same music to Steampunk China.
If you're looking for a story you will never have seen anywhere else, with characters you can fall in love with while simultaneously want to fight alongside with, then you are going to love Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon.
June 18, 2019
Full review on: Flipping Through the Pages
Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon is a story about Anlei who wants to be a warrior like her dead father. She is with guards whose job is to protect the village from the evil spirits called Ligui, who had been mercilessly attacking her village for years. The Emperor refuses to acknowledge their suffering or send aid so it was the guards’ duty to protect the village as best as they can. But one day Viceroy Kang arrives with his mechanical dragons and fleet and saves the village from another Ligui attack. He promises to provide aid to the village from further attacks but in return, he wants the village’s magical River Pearl and one of the village girls as his bride. He chose Anlei as his bride and takes her to his city. When the River Pearl is stolen, Anlei decides to go after the thief and return it to the Viceroy so that he doesn’t break his promise to protect her village. But she never knew that by going after the thief, she will embark herself on a journey full of adventures and spirits.
Content & trigger warnings: Parental death, torture, violence, death, imprisonment
Diversity: All Chinese cast, female MC with Dyslexia, Brown side character
What I Liked
=====================
1) I loved the overall concept of the book. It is not just fantasy, rather a mix of elements. There are mechanical cyborgs, automatons, paranormal Ligui, Yueshen spirits and the River Dragon mythology. It was certainly a refreshing take and it was fun to read about a world where science and magic work simultaneously.
2)Stories with enemies to lovers trope are my favourite. Though the duo in this book were not exactly enemies, I loved their journey. The initial banter between Anlei and Tai was full of sarcasm, wit and sass and enjoyed reading their story.
3) I loved how the author has portrayed our MC, Anlei, as a strong warrior. I a world where girls were married in quite young age, Anlei was devoted to protecting her village from Ligui. She is a badass heroine, a heroine you would love.
4) It was amazing how both Anlei and Tai were devoted to their communities and were ready to do anything for them. Their love and loyalty for their family and village made them perfect for each other.
5) The pace of the story was quite good. The world-building has been introduced nicely as the story progresses. The reader doesn’t have to make an extra effort to understand the world and thus the book feels quite fast-paced. The action scenes in the story were written quite well too.
6) I loved how the author has delivered the concept of stories, that they have several versions and in each version, there could be a different hero. People modify stories as per their will. While some believe in them, for others they are just stories. For some the characters are heroes but for a few, they are mere characters.
7) I really appreciate how the romance wasn’t a large part of the story. You can tell from the first encounter of Anlei and Tai that there would be love between them, but I was glad it didn’t take the centre-stage in the story.
What I didn’t like
========================
1) I wasn’t able to understand the true purpose of Viceroy Kang, what he actually wanted. He was like a typical villain who was just power hungry. There wasn’t any real motivation. I wish his side was explored a bit more and his character was developed in a much better way.
2) I was able to predict most of the turning points, so there was no surprise element for me.
3) The title and cover don’t really relate to the story. There was no actual bronze dragon or anyone to be stronger than it. The dragons mentioned in the book were mere mechanical and were part of the Viceroy Kang’s fleet. I wish there was an actual dragon.
Overall
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Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon has its share of flaws but still I really enjoyed it. If you love things like Asian mythology, strong and kickass warrior girls, witty banter, unique world-building, steampunk elements, magic, thieves, birth secrets and adventures, then this story is for you. Though it started as a revenge story, it is more than that. It is a story about community and family, about love and sacrifice and what it means to be the hero of our own story. It is a fast and fun standalone which will certainly entertain you.
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Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon is a story about Anlei who wants to be a warrior like her dead father. She is with guards whose job is to protect the village from the evil spirits called Ligui, who had been mercilessly attacking her village for years. The Emperor refuses to acknowledge their suffering or send aid so it was the guards’ duty to protect the village as best as they can. But one day Viceroy Kang arrives with his mechanical dragons and fleet and saves the village from another Ligui attack. He promises to provide aid to the village from further attacks but in return, he wants the village’s magical River Pearl and one of the village girls as his bride. He chose Anlei as his bride and takes her to his city. When the River Pearl is stolen, Anlei decides to go after the thief and return it to the Viceroy so that he doesn’t break his promise to protect her village. But she never knew that by going after the thief, she will embark herself on a journey full of adventures and spirits.
Content & trigger warnings: Parental death, torture, violence, death, imprisonment
Diversity: All Chinese cast, female MC with Dyslexia, Brown side character
What I Liked
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1) I loved the overall concept of the book. It is not just fantasy, rather a mix of elements. There are mechanical cyborgs, automatons, paranormal Ligui, Yueshen spirits and the River Dragon mythology. It was certainly a refreshing take and it was fun to read about a world where science and magic work simultaneously.
2)Stories with enemies to lovers trope are my favourite. Though the duo in this book were not exactly enemies, I loved their journey. The initial banter between Anlei and Tai was full of sarcasm, wit and sass and enjoyed reading their story.
3) I loved how the author has portrayed our MC, Anlei, as a strong warrior. I a world where girls were married in quite young age, Anlei was devoted to protecting her village from Ligui. She is a badass heroine, a heroine you would love.
4) It was amazing how both Anlei and Tai were devoted to their communities and were ready to do anything for them. Their love and loyalty for their family and village made them perfect for each other.
5) The pace of the story was quite good. The world-building has been introduced nicely as the story progresses. The reader doesn’t have to make an extra effort to understand the world and thus the book feels quite fast-paced. The action scenes in the story were written quite well too.
6) I loved how the author has delivered the concept of stories, that they have several versions and in each version, there could be a different hero. People modify stories as per their will. While some believe in them, for others they are just stories. For some the characters are heroes but for a few, they are mere characters.
7) I really appreciate how the romance wasn’t a large part of the story. You can tell from the first encounter of Anlei and Tai that there would be love between them, but I was glad it didn’t take the centre-stage in the story.
What I didn’t like
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1) I wasn’t able to understand the true purpose of Viceroy Kang, what he actually wanted. He was like a typical villain who was just power hungry. There wasn’t any real motivation. I wish his side was explored a bit more and his character was developed in a much better way.
2) I was able to predict most of the turning points, so there was no surprise element for me.
3) The title and cover don’t really relate to the story. There was no actual bronze dragon or anyone to be stronger than it. The dragons mentioned in the book were mere mechanical and were part of the Viceroy Kang’s fleet. I wish there was an actual dragon.
Overall
================
Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon has its share of flaws but still I really enjoyed it. If you love things like Asian mythology, strong and kickass warrior girls, witty banter, unique world-building, steampunk elements, magic, thieves, birth secrets and adventures, then this story is for you. Though it started as a revenge story, it is more than that. It is a story about community and family, about love and sacrifice and what it means to be the hero of our own story. It is a fast and fun standalone which will certainly entertain you.
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