Strike the Zither: 1 (Kingdom of Three)

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Strike the Zither reimagines the Chinese classic Romance of the Three Kingdoms in a way never seen before, with intense twists and turns that pay homage to its inspiration while being refreshingly different. A brilliant exploration of destiny and identity!” - Xiran Jay Zhao, New York Times-bestselling author of Iron Widow it has the perfect amount of war politics, found family, and action. if you loved the poppy war series, specifically kitay and his brilliant mind, you'll love STZ. one of the things i dislike in fantasy books is, for example, when they advertise the mc as a "deadly assassin" but she never does anything in the book to show for it. STZ PULLS THROUGH !! Zephyr is an amazing strategist who will go to lengths to serve her warlordess Xin Ren. you can tell she is really smart and earned her place. i love getting inside her mind Joan He will stun readers with her latest book. Richly layered and highly creative, Strike the Zither offers a world brimming with war, love, and unforgettable characters. A truly magnificent book.’

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The book included a map and character art for four of the FMCs that were totally to die for! Not sure why we didn’t get character art for at least Crow as well, but whatever… This soaring, masterful retelling becomes an epic all of its own... Readers will get lost in this rich, gorgeous, and dangerous world. " Emily Suvada, author of This Mortal Coil I’m a huge fan of Joan He and her works, and this book was one of my most anticipated releases this year. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint! A reimagining of Three Kingdoms, Strike the Zither follows a strategist who will do whatever it takes to change her fate amidst a war where betrayal is always around the corner. They do as they’re told, scowling all the while. They love Ren for her honor, Cloud for her righteousness, Lotus for her spirit. My job is not to be lovable but to get every peasant off the mountain and into the town over, where Ren should already be waiting with the first wave of evacuees, the other half of our troops, and—hopefully—a boat passage south so that I can secure us some much-needed allies. Some say the heavens dictate the rise and fall of empires. Clearly, those peasants have never met me.I struggled to follow the story a bit. Zephyr was supposed to be doing these grand things but I felt like I kept missing them happen and then the scenes would be over. For example, I’m still not sure how Zephyr convinced Miasma to let her join her side because I feel like it would have taken a lot to prove that she defected from her original leader, but she pretty much just walks up and is like “I’m on your side now” and Miasma believes her. It was very weird. Tourmaline nods. “Exactly ten li, a mountain, and a river away from Miasma’s forces. The rain came just as you said it would. It’ll take them at least a day to clear a path, four to go around.” Teens 16 and up in a fantasy world drink wine at feasts. Some excess is shown and hangover symptoms are mentioned. One character frequently drank to excess in the past, when she was not a mortal human. Zephyr, our protagonist (who is based on the character Zhu Geliang), is considered to be the best strategist in the country and serves under Xin Ren, a warlordess. She is ambitious, motivated, and extremely loyal. After being cornered by the enemies in a battle with no escape route, the only way to stay alive is for her to infiltrate the enemy’s army. Will her plan succeed, or will she end up getting herself and her people killed? Since the story is written from Zephyr’s point of view in the first-person narration, Joan He really dives deep into her complex characteristics. Additionally, the novel contains found family and we see characters struggle with their identities and where their loyalties actually lie. On top of that, there is also continuous war and bloodshed happening.

Strike the Zither: Book Review – asia pacific arts Strike the Zither: Book Review – asia pacific arts

Will be the talk of the empire. Think lots of drums and bellowing. Miasma’s generals ran so fast, you’d think we had a hidden force of ten thousand.” The Unfavorite: Sikou Hai's parents favored his older brother Sikou Dun, something which helps fuel Sikou Hai's desire to start a coup.Filled with twists and turns, Strike the Zither is a meticulously plotted, supremely satisfying story that explores identity, legacy, and loyalty in unexpected ways. This is Joan He’s best yet.’—Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of For the Wolf Gasp by gasp, I release my disappointment. Tourmaline, in turn, releases me. She hands me a waterskin. I clutch it, hesitating. Water will wash the name from my tongue, the name I haven’t spoken in six years. This is a Joan He novel, so I already knew to expect plot twists and pain. However, while reading, I really never knew what would happen next. Even if I could predict one part, I had no idea how it would play out. At one point, I told myself it had to be a stopping point so I could sleep, but I couldn’t bring myself to put the book down. I received an ARC from the publisher through Netgalley (thank you, Fierce Reads!). These are my honest opinions, and in no way was I compensated for this review.** Strike the Zither is inspired by the Chinese tale of The Three Kingdoms, something that I have admittedly had no prior experience with. And believe me when I say that it is a twisty tale!