Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
Daphne Press (2023), 512 pages
Description
When the prophecy anoints the wrong hero, Jian decides to save the kingdom from a cruel immortal god-king anyway with the help of a ragtag group of allies, including a grandmaster of magical martial arts, a straight-laced warrior, and a chaotic assassin. It has been foretold: A child will rise to defeat the Eternal Khan, a cruel immortal god-king, and save the kingdom. Jian has been raised since birth in luxury and splendor, celebrated before he has won a single battle. When Taishi, the greatest war artist of her generation, arrives to evaluate the prophesied hero, she finds a spoiled brat unprepared to face his destiny. Possessed of an iron will, a sharp tongue Taishi-- and a band of unlikely allies-- will find a way to forge Jian into the weapon and leader he needs to be in order to fulfill his legend. -- adapted from jacket… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member BethYacoub
Uuuuwww eeeee!! This book took a loooong time to get through. That's not to say that it was sluggish or boring, Life just happened and it is a testament to this book's pull that each time I came back to this story I was immediately interested anew.
There are dueling POVs filled to the brim with
Overall:
This addictive story had a lushly detailed backdrop, was character rich, had a few coming of age journeys and ultimately exceeded my expectations. This book tackled The Trifecta of Awesomeness and prevailed.
Character Development + World Building + Writing Quality = The Trifecta of Awesomeness
This story had excellent Character development, nicely formed World building, and descriptive/evocative writing WHICH was well crafted and I, for one, was won over... to the dark side or light side?? No one knows, especially because each side can boast claims to being either light or dark. Confusing? Maybe, I was somewhat confounded too (with my vascillating loyalties ) by who I was ultimately rooting for BUT one thing I can attest to is that this here book was worth the time and emotional Feels illicitted! It had a steady pace but I was a bit sad that this action packed book ended with not a lot of pop, pizzazz, pomp and circumstance other than setting the foundation for book #2... and betrayl... there was that. This tale didn't feel like it was stuck in a groundlaying setup book whose sole existence was to be the foundation for the next book in the series.
My final 2 cents?
I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the lookout for book #2.
~ Enjoy
*** I was given a copy of this book from NetGalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily ***
There are dueling POVs filled to the brim with
Show More
assasins, honor bound murder plots and action aplenty. There are detailed fight scenes that grabbed my attention and made putting the book aside to sleep or eat or shower or live Life with any semblance of normalcy rather difficult. I love the 3 main POVs and their juxtaposition. The way they always seem to cross paths with one another and then narrowly split apart... how their hatred rules their every interaction all while being inextricably caught in each other's gravitational pull. Each main character is alluring in their own right and they compel you to root for them and their cause in equal measures... a confusing (in a good way) feeling since each were honor bound/paid to hate and fight and try to murder each other and I adored them all. I also loved the begrudging/uncommonly respectful alliances that were forged due to weird fascinations.Overall:
This addictive story had a lushly detailed backdrop, was character rich, had a few coming of age journeys and ultimately exceeded my expectations. This book tackled The Trifecta of Awesomeness and prevailed.
Character Development + World Building + Writing Quality = The Trifecta of Awesomeness
This story had excellent Character development, nicely formed World building, and descriptive/evocative writing WHICH was well crafted and I, for one, was won over... to the dark side or light side?? No one knows, especially because each side can boast claims to being either light or dark. Confusing? Maybe, I was somewhat confounded too (with my vascillating loyalties ) by who I was ultimately rooting for BUT one thing I can attest to is that this here book was worth the time and emotional Feels illicitted! It had a steady pace but I was a bit sad that this action packed book ended with not a lot of pop, pizzazz, pomp and circumstance other than setting the foundation for book #2... and betrayl... there was that. This tale didn't feel like it was stuck in a groundlaying setup book whose sole existence was to be the foundation for the next book in the series.
My final 2 cents?
I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the lookout for book #2.
~ Enjoy
*** I was given a copy of this book from NetGalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily ***
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LibraryThing member ladycato
I received an advanced copy via NetGalley.
Art of Prophecy is one of the best books I’ve read this year, a high fantasy delight loaded with incredible fights, moral complexities, and soap opera twists galore. It’s lush and lovely, shattering the usual fantasy tropes from the start: the
Art of Prophecy is one of the best books I’ve read this year, a high fantasy delight loaded with incredible fights, moral complexities, and soap opera twists galore. It’s lush and lovely, shattering the usual fantasy tropes from the start: the
Show More
prophesied hero is a spoiled, poorly-trained brat, and the powerful enemy he is destined to vanquish dies an ignoble death at a common soldier’s hands. Varying points of view create a nuanced perspective of events as the lost hero struggles to stay alive while pursued by assassins with different motivations. Chu's alternate world take on historical China is intriguing and definitely has room for further exploration in later books. Show Less
LibraryThing member eyes.2c
The art of remaking!
I am definitely a fan of Taishi. An old woman who was marking time finds a new passion.
Hilariously underplayed, the spoilt Jian, securely anointed as the child prodigy who will defeat the immortal god-king, the Eternal Khan, has nothing more to show for his training than his
Little does Jian know what he’s in for!
Tropes are given a different look. Hero's are unmade or made anew.
A twisted tale that turns Jian upside down and inside out as he prepares to face a destiny he’s no longer sure about.
A Random House - Ballantine invitation to read via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
I am definitely a fan of Taishi. An old woman who was marking time finds a new passion.
Hilariously underplayed, the spoilt Jian, securely anointed as the child prodigy who will defeat the immortal god-king, the Eternal Khan, has nothing more to show for his training than his
Show More
knowledge of how to hold a sword, and even that is in doubt. So when this brat decides to put down an old lady (who is btw the greatest grandmaster of magical martial arts) he truly has his comeuppance. Still with the way he’s been fawned upon ever since the prophecy it’s no wonder he’s more than a little wet behind the ears and behind the times. And Taishi is only too delighted to have a focus that will enliven her latter years.Little does Jian know what he’s in for!
Tropes are given a different look. Hero's are unmade or made anew.
A twisted tale that turns Jian upside down and inside out as he prepares to face a destiny he’s no longer sure about.
A Random House - Ballantine invitation to read via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
Show Less
LibraryThing member hcnewton
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
WHAT'S THE ART OF PROPHECY ABOUT?
Briefly (cuz, boy howdy, I could go on and on and on about this): There's a prophesied Champion who will save his kingdom from the Eternal Khan, but he's a spoiled brat who is not as skilled a warrior as he
TAISHI
Taishi is almost certainly my favorite new character of 2022*. She's elderly—exactly how old, I don't think we're told. In her prime, she fought the Eternal Khan to a stalemate more than once. Somewhere along the line, she lost the use of one of her arms. Her age and the loss of her arm have slowed her down and made her less effective. But not so slow that anybody but her can tell. She's practically a force of nature. Since then, she's pretty much retired but is strongarmed into checking in on Jian's training. It's hard to say what she's less-impressed with—him or the work of his expert trainers—she's spreading the scorn all around.
* Sure, it's possible the next four months will bring someone better across my path, but not really likely.
She's opinionated, set in her ways, cantankerous, and stubbornly determined. Pity those who try to get in her way. Once she determines that she needs to shepherd and educate Jian, nothing (including Jian) is going to stand in her way.
Taishi's voice—both in dialogue or as it comes across in the narration—is strong, sardonic, and sarcastic. I loved every second of her point-of-view chapters (seeing her through other characters' eyes was just as good, though). I was mildly annoyed every time the point-of-view changed, while still being curious about the other arcs.
WUXIA
Wuxia is my new word for the month—from at least one article online (so it must be true), I'm not a total novice when it comes to this genre—I watched the first two Kung Fu Panda movies with my kids when they first came out. But that's it. So I don't know how much of this story/world is Chu using or playing with or subverting the conventions of the genre. But it looks like he's using several of them, and seems to be having fun with them (at least he's getting the reader to have fun).
I can say that I'm pretty curious about the genre now—and intend to keep an eye out for more opportunities to expose myself to it.
Obviously, one of the defining characteristics of wuxia is the martial arts, and what's the point of a martial-arts-based fantasy without fight scenes? The Art of Prophecy delivers those in spades. Maybe even by the bucket. I've always enjoyed Chu's fight scenes, but these make the stuff in the Tao books look basic. They're just fantastic—and littering them with the quips from the point-of-view character (either expressed or kept internal) made them all the better. I could read these all day.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE ART OF PROPHECY?
I don't know that I can really express how excited I am about this book. The last time I was this enthusiastic about a Fantasy novel was Kings of the Wyld, and I've read some really good Fantasy since then. But this is a whole different level.
I'm going to leave it at that—if I went into the kind of depth I want to, I'd either spend another week or so trying to get it all out (or would never finish because I was dissatisfied with it). I could do a couple of hundred words on the nature of prophecy and free will in this universe alone (and someone smarter than me had better do that soon)—or even the importance of honor, role, and manners (do not try to cut in line around these people). So I'm going to go shallow with this post—this is a great premise—and the execution of the premise is as great. The world-building is fascinating, and the history that's hinted at is some of the best I can remember. I loved every one of these characters (none as much as Taishi, but that's nothing against the others) and feel like I could've read a version of this book that was 50% longer just for more time with them. Probably the best action scenes I've read this year. It's too long to read in a single sitting, but it's the kind of book you want to read in one.
Stop wasting time reading about it, start reading The Art of Prophecy.
---
WHAT'S THE ART OF PROPHECY ABOUT?
Briefly (cuz, boy howdy, I could go on and on and on about this): There's a prophesied Champion who will save his kingdom from the Eternal Khan, but he's a spoiled brat who is not as skilled a warrior as he
Show More
believes—and he's even less skilled than he needs to be. But that's okay, because the prophecy is broken—or wrong. The greatest living practitioner of magically-enhanced war arts has decided to take over his training and protection. Two incredibly dangerous women from very different backgrounds and for very different reasons have decided he needs to die.TAISHI
Taishi is almost certainly my favorite new character of 2022*. She's elderly—exactly how old, I don't think we're told. In her prime, she fought the Eternal Khan to a stalemate more than once. Somewhere along the line, she lost the use of one of her arms. Her age and the loss of her arm have slowed her down and made her less effective. But not so slow that anybody but her can tell. She's practically a force of nature. Since then, she's pretty much retired but is strongarmed into checking in on Jian's training. It's hard to say what she's less-impressed with—him or the work of his expert trainers—she's spreading the scorn all around.
* Sure, it's possible the next four months will bring someone better across my path, but not really likely.
She's opinionated, set in her ways, cantankerous, and stubbornly determined. Pity those who try to get in her way. Once she determines that she needs to shepherd and educate Jian, nothing (including Jian) is going to stand in her way.
Taishi's voice—both in dialogue or as it comes across in the narration—is strong, sardonic, and sarcastic. I loved every second of her point-of-view chapters (seeing her through other characters' eyes was just as good, though). I was mildly annoyed every time the point-of-view changed, while still being curious about the other arcs.
WUXIA
Wuxia is my new word for the month—from at least one article online (so it must be true), I'm not a total novice when it comes to this genre—I watched the first two Kung Fu Panda movies with my kids when they first came out. But that's it. So I don't know how much of this story/world is Chu using or playing with or subverting the conventions of the genre. But it looks like he's using several of them, and seems to be having fun with them (at least he's getting the reader to have fun).
I can say that I'm pretty curious about the genre now—and intend to keep an eye out for more opportunities to expose myself to it.
Obviously, one of the defining characteristics of wuxia is the martial arts, and what's the point of a martial-arts-based fantasy without fight scenes? The Art of Prophecy delivers those in spades. Maybe even by the bucket. I've always enjoyed Chu's fight scenes, but these make the stuff in the Tao books look basic. They're just fantastic—and littering them with the quips from the point-of-view character (either expressed or kept internal) made them all the better. I could read these all day.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE ART OF PROPHECY?
I don't know that I can really express how excited I am about this book. The last time I was this enthusiastic about a Fantasy novel was Kings of the Wyld, and I've read some really good Fantasy since then. But this is a whole different level.
I'm going to leave it at that—if I went into the kind of depth I want to, I'd either spend another week or so trying to get it all out (or would never finish because I was dissatisfied with it). I could do a couple of hundred words on the nature of prophecy and free will in this universe alone (and someone smarter than me had better do that soon)—or even the importance of honor, role, and manners (do not try to cut in line around these people). So I'm going to go shallow with this post—this is a great premise—and the execution of the premise is as great. The world-building is fascinating, and the history that's hinted at is some of the best I can remember. I loved every one of these characters (none as much as Taishi, but that's nothing against the others) and feel like I could've read a version of this book that was 50% longer just for more time with them. Probably the best action scenes I've read this year. It's too long to read in a single sitting, but it's the kind of book you want to read in one.
Stop wasting time reading about it, start reading The Art of Prophecy.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Shrike58
On the whole, I really liked this brick, which is simultaneously a homage to the "wuxia" genre, and a send-up of the whole notion of destiny. There is very little that I'd mark it down for, but, at a certain point, to have four POV characters bouncing around on their separate ways makes one wonder
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how Chu is going to bring it all together. Narrative drive does sort of dissipate about two-thirds of the way in, but Chu needs some in-book time to allow his alleged chosen one to stew in their juices. Still, I'm interested in all the characters and I'm looking forward to see how it all comes together. Show Less
Awards
Audie Award (Finalist — Fantasy — 2023)
Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year (Science Fiction and Fantasy — 2022)
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Adults (Selection — 2022)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2022
ISBN
1837840032 / 9781837840038
Local notes
When a prophecy about the identity of the Chosen One is revealed to be untrue, a motley quartet of outcasts arise to try and save the kingdom.