Jade Fire Gold

by June C.L. Tan

3.5 out of 5

Synopsis

In an empire on the brink of war...

Ahn is no one, with no past and no family.

Altan is a lost heir, his future stolen away as a child.

When they meet, Altan sees in Ahn a path to reclaiming the throne. Ahn sees a way to finally unlock her past and understand her arcane magical abilities.

But they may have to pay a far deadlier price than either could have imagined.

Ferocious action, shadowy intrigue, and a captivating romance collide in June CL Tan’s debut, a stunning homage to the Xianxia novel with a tender, beating heart, perfect for fans of The Bone Witch and We Hunt the Flame.

Review

Ahn and Altan find themselves as unlikely allies in helping Altan reclaim the throne; especially as one will have to kill the other in the end.

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The narrative is split between Ahn and Altan.

Ahn is a peasant girl from a starving village near the ever-expanding desert.

The only family she has is her poorly grandmother, and Ahn can't afford the medicine any more. In an attempt to save her grandmother, Ahn tries (and fails) to steal a sword to sell. This ends with Ahn revealing that she has forbidden magic, and getting taken by a band of violent priests to the capital.

Altan was once the heir to the throne, but this was stolen by his uncle. All of Altan's family have been killed, and everyone thinks he is dead.

He learns of a Life Stealer - a rare and deadly magic-user, and plans to kill them to break the curse of the desert threatening the empire.

This started really well. I enjoyed the world that had been created. That magic existed, but was vilified, and only Diyeh priests can use it, making them an even more formidable force "keeping the peace".

The first half of the book, Ahn and Altan go about their separate stories, and fate only weaves them together later. At first I was disappointed at this separation; but in the end, I thought it was a very strong choice. You get to know the characters better, and the side characters and larger world are established.

The not-so-good.

I thought the pacing slowed a bit when they finally came together and went on an (unnecessary) journey; giving Ahn and Altan time to get to know each other, but it was hard to stay invested.

I thought the romance between them was understated in their words and actions (i.e. no mushiness - I like having no mushiness); but at the same time it was overstated in the narrative.

I also thought that the story wavered a little with what it wanted to be. For the most part, it felt like it was going to make a strong stand-alone; then changed its mind and became the first book in the series, giving a rather diluted ending.

Overall, this was a 3.5 out of 5 for me. It had some interesting storylines, and I'm interested in reading the rest of the series.

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