Ballad of Sword and Wine: Qiang Jin Jiu Vol. 2 by Tang Jiu Qing: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads

Ballad of Sword and Wine by Tang Jiu Quing

The second volume picks up where the previous left, i.e. right after the bedroom scene. The book description says the men part as enemies, but that’s not the case. Shen Zechuan simply leaves as if nothing has happened. He’s not affected by what took place between him and Xiao Chiye at all, which irks the latter greatly, prompting him to tempt the first at every opportunity.

But things have changed between them and the men find themselves scheming together. It doesn’t show outward though, and Shen Zechuan even manages to manipulate matters so that Xiao Chiye is suspected of a wrongdoing, with the full knowledge and co-operation of the latter. Shen Zechuan even makes sure that Xiao Chiye doesn’t come to a permanent harm.

There’s abundant of court intrigue going on too. Someone is making several attempts at the emperor’s life, and the heroics of Shen Zechuan in saving him help his star to rise in the court. He can’t become complaisant though, and has to work relentlessly to keep his scheming going.

Both men are busy and it keeps them apart. Whenever they come together, heat begins to build, leading to some of the most erotic non-sex scenes I’ve read in a while. The indifference Shen Zechuan affects is only a show and Xiao Chiye can melt him in moments. The two are brilliant together, in and out of bed, matching each other in scheming and passion.

The story is much more compact than in the first book, taking place during a couple of months. A lot happens during it, and at the end, the men are better off than after the first. And like the first book, this ends in a middle of what promises to be a good bedroom scene. It’s as well written and logical with all the complicated court issues as the first, keeping me entertained throughout. I’ll definitely read more.

There are adaptations and then there’s this

Have you ever watched a TV adaptation of a book that you like, which has changed the entire premise, much of the plot and some of the characters, has a completely different ending and a lousy sound quality, and still somehow manages to be better than the original? I hadn’t either, until I watched a Chinese TV series Guardian - Zhen Hun (2018). Some spoilers ahead, especially about the ending.

Promo photo of Guardian with Zhu Yilong and Bai Yu.

Guardian by Priest is a Chinese boylove web novel from 2012 that’s recently been published in English for the first time. It was in three volumes, and I review them here, here and here. It tells the story of two gods who meet at the creation of the world. One is a soulless creature of the underworld, Ghost King, accidentally created by the god of mountain, Kunlun, with other gui. Kunlun ends up sacrificing himself to keep Chaos, Ghost King’s twin, from getting free from the underworld. Distraught, Ghost King makes a deal with gods: Kunlun gets to reincarnate endlessly while he guards the seal on Chaos and the two will never meet.

Promo banner for Guardian by Priest.

Ten thousand years later in present day China, the two meet. Kunlun is now Zhao Yunlan, director of a Special Investigation Department that investigates supernatural crimes, with no knowledge of his past. Ghost King is Shen Wei, a mild-mannered professor of mythology, who knows who Zhao Yunlan truly is and has met him often in his true form as a Soul-Executing Emissary from the underworld. Romance ensues. But Chaos is about to get free again, and another sacrifice is needed to stop it from happening. This time Ghost King is determined to make sure he’s the one who dies to protect the man he loves.

The TV series has none of that. I can only presume that government censorship and rules about what can be shown on Chinese TV had a huge role in changing the premise. Instead of a fantasy about gods and mythological creatures, it’s sort of sci-fi, at least on the surface. All the gods and supernatural entities are now aliens with psychic powers who came to earth ten thousand years ago. Science is emphasised instead of magic and supernatural. Shen Wei, who is an alien called Black Caped Envoy, battled with his twin, Night King, and sealed all aliens to a subterranean world where they’ve been ten thousand years. In present day, Zhao Yunlan is a head of a department that investigates crimes by escaped subterraneans. Shen Wei is a professor of physics. And Night King is about to get free and challenge humans once again.

Promo photo of Guardian with full cast.

For the same reason, the TV series couldn’t openly be a gay romance either. In the book, Zhao Yunlan pursues Shen Wei relentlessly from the start. There are kisses and bedroom scenes, though behind the doors. Bonus chapters show the two living their normal lives as a couple. Everyone is very accepting, and those who aren’t are communicated with until they are.

Nevertheless, the romance is the backbone of the series as well. And it works perfectly. The director had taken a leaf out of the playbooks of Jane Austen adaptations. Passionate emotions are supressed with ruthless determination and only surface in the characters’ struggle to contain them, perfectly portrayed by the expressive faces of the actors. Fleeting touches get a greater meaning than they would otherwise have.

Promo photo of Guardian with Zhu Yilong and Bai Yu.

In forty episodes, there’s a lot of room for the relationship to develop. We are shown how the men constantly put the other’s safety and wellbeing before their own, often to a detriment of their own health. 

Promo photo of Guardian with Zhu Yilong and Bai Yu.

But instead of declarations of love and happily ever after, we get the only way the two have for expressing their love: self-sacrifice for the other and for the mankind. It only works in fiction (don’t try it in real world), and even though it’s not what I would’ve wanted for them, it’s an amazingly satisfying ending.

Promo photo of Guardian with Zhu Yilong and Bai Yu.

There is also more room for character development. In the book, the side characters weren’t given enough time for their own stories and relationships to develop. In the series all the side characters were given ample screen time and good personal stories that were only hinted at in the book. Zhu Hong, the main woman character who was sidelined in the book, had a good arc from a woman besotted with Zhao Yunlan to a leader of her people, and I was especially happy with how the friendship/relationship of Guo Changcheng and Chu Shuzhi played out. It was portrayed as a found family and brotherhood, but it was the secondary romance in the series that was only hinted at in the book.

Promo photo of Guardian with Xing Peng and Jiang Mingyang.

All of this was done on rather cheap looking sets, with fairly simple CGI and truly bad sound editing where the voices of the actors were dubbed by different people in post-production. Those knowledgeable of the production informed me that the company ran out of money before the series was finished, and it showed. All the money probably went into the clothing of Shen Wei who looked stylish throughout the series, although other characters’ wardrobes improved towards the end too.

Promo photo of Guardian with Gao Yuer.

Nevertheless, the sum grew beyond its parts. A lot of it is thanks to the excellent actors portraying Zhao Yunlan (Bai Yu) and Shen Wei (Zhu Yilong, who portrayed four different characters, even if three were basically the same person), but it’s also because the story was given time to grow. The publishing format of web novels tends to make the stories a tad confusing at times, because there’s no returning to earlier chapters for editing after publishing. Much of the book is taken by Chinese creation mythologies and other stories, which were fine but didn’t really advance the story.

Compilation of Zhu Yilong as Black Caped Envoy, Shen Wei, young Black Caped Envoy and Night King.

The book began as an urban fantasy about supernatural investigations and turned to an epic fantasy, after which the spooky atmosphere of the first book disappeared. The TV series kept the investigations going throughout, even if they were never as scary as in the first book. The chainsmoking of Zhao Yunlan was replaced by constant munching of lollypops, which they managed to turn into a mildly erotic moment at one point. 

Promo photo of Guardian with Zhu Yilong and Bai Yu.

The romance was slightly forceful in the book, whereas the stolen touches and fleeting moments of intimacy in the series truly made an impact. The contrived way the series tried to keep from mentioning anything supernatural got a bit comical at times, but it didn’t lessen the enjoyment. The ending was a bit hasty in both, but both were good. A kiss on screen would’ve been perfect, but it wasn’t to be. And so, in the end, I liked the TV series more. Both are good, but one is better.

Photo of Guardian with Zhu Yilong and Bai Yu.

Books are available through Seven Seas Entertainment and on most retail sites. The TV series is on Youku streaming service with (badly translated) English subtitles.

Here’s a bonus video on YouTube someone has compiled of the best moments between the men.

And for those who are still on X, one of my favourite scenes I couldn’t find anywhere else.

You’ve Got Mail: The Perils of Pigeon Post Vol. 1 by Blackegg: review

4/5 stars on Goodreads

You've Got Mail: The Perils of Pigeon Post by Blackegg

There’s been some upset among fandom of Chinese danmei novels for the publication of this book due to negative comments about gays by the author, and many will skip it. I considered the same, even though I haven’t personally read the comments so that I could judge myself, but the premise of the book is so bizarre that I had to read it anyway. And for what it’s worth, there’s no negative attitude to gays in the book itself.

If you’re considering reading, know that this isn’t a typical BL romance heavy on angst, pining, secondary plots and anything else but the romance. This is straight up erotica, or porn even. It goes immediately to business and stays on it the whole book. It’s good porn though, so if you’re looking for that, you won’t be disappointed.

For those of you who like to skip spicy scenes, there’s an actual story too. It’s a melancholy one that makes you want to wrap your arms around the main character and squeeze him until he’s happy. Wu Xingzi lives in a remote village far from the empire’s capital, making a meagre living as a magisterial advisor, which is mainly a secretarial job. He has no family, no property, and no one who he would care for or who would care for him back. And as he’s gay—which is allowed in the empire—there haven’t been any opportunities for him for romance in his small village either. At 39, he’s lost his will to live and has bought a burial plot and has decided to end his life the day he turns 40 in a way that is least inconvenient for the villagers.

Fate intervenes in the form of a young man to whom Wu Xingzi decides to confess his feelings before he dies. The young man tells him about a society for gay men who seek life partners through pigeon post system, and since Wu Xingzi has nothing to lose, he decides to try it. To his bewilderment, when he sends introductory letters for men that he deems suitable for him, he receives pictures of their dicks in return.

For someone who’s been deprived of human contact for all his life, it’s a stunning and energising event. He immediately abandons plans for finding a life partner, or killing himself for that matter. Who would want him anyway, as he’s plain, shy, old, and has no prospects. Instead, he writes to every single member of the society to collect all their dick pictures. But one day, when he goes to collect the latest haul, one of the men shows up in person.

Guan Shanjin is a young general and a hero of the empire after pacifying the southern border. He’s beautiful beyond belief and feared by all for his bad temper. He’s also the owner of Wu Xingzi’s favourite dick. Guan Shanjin spots Wu Xingzi by chance and is stunned by how much he resembles the only person he loves, his teacher Mr. Lu. His teacher is a clever man who keeps Guan Shanjin in a leash but who has no intention of ever starting a relationship with him, not that Guan Shanjin understands it.

All the relationships Guan Shanjin has ever had are with men who look like Mr. Lu. So he takes Wu Xingzi to bed, much to the older man’s bewilderment and delight. Come morning, Wu Xingzi leaves, so as not to bother the important man he’s not worthy of, something that has never happened to Guan Shanjin before. It triggers a need in him to possess the older man, and before they know, they’ve been in a relationship for a month.

But the whole time, Wu Xingzi expects Guan Shanjin to leave, and has no intention of getting attached to the younger man, which Guan Shanjin cannot fathom, as he’s never been rejected. But when Mr. Lu calls, Guan Shanjin rushes off. Wu Xingzi thinks his life will turn back to normal, and he can return to his dick pictures, but Guan Shanjin has other ideas.

This was a good start to the story. It’s straightforward, with no secondary plots or side characters, but sad at times. Wu Xingzi is a delightful MC with his insecurities, single-minded devotion to his dick pictures, and inability to notice the powerplays of the important people around him. Guan Shanjin is brash and selfish, but his devotion to Mr. Lu, and the nice way he treats Wu Xingzi redeem him. For his part, Mr. Lu is reprehensible and I absolutely must see him get his just deserts.

I don’t often mind the translations of these books, but I raised my brows every time a part of human anatomy was described by its Latin name. Maybe it was the author’s choice too, but I found it odd, considering the book takes place in ancient China.

The ending is a bit abrupt, but it’s not a cliffhanger, just more of the same, with Mr. Lu ruining things for Wu Xingzi, not that the latter understands he’s in a fight over a man, because he doesn’t really want the man. I’m rooting for Wu Xingzi to find happiness and lord over everyone who look down at him, and I hope it’ll be with Guan Shanjin. So I may have to continue with the series, regardless of the author’s behaviour. But you won’t miss a life-changing series if you decide to skip it.

The Husky and His White Cat Shizun Vol. 6 by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads

The Husky and His White Cat Shizun vol 6 by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou

Volume 6 finally brought Mo Ran and Chu Wanning where they’ve been heading all this time: in the bedroom. There was plenty of hot and heavy action, and it was very good, even if Mo Ran managed to keep himself in tight rein and didn’t go all the way. Chu Wanning didn’t immediately turn into a wanton, and even managed to subdue a lust demon even though he wasn’t pure anymore. His forays into seduction were delightful.

The relationship remained slightly uneven outside bedroom. Chu Wanning is the more senior cultivator and Mo Ran’s teacher, and the two never forget that, even though Mo Ran tries his best to seduce his Shizun in compromising places. And Mo Ran is still torn by guilt about what he did in his previous life, and can’t quite be himself with Chu Wanning.

Outside the romance, the hunt for the enemy intensifies. As he reveals more of himself, Mo Ran recognises some of his own dark spells and makes a stunning revelation. Someone else has reincarnated too. But do they know about Mo Ran, and will they come after him specifically, revealing all his horrible deeds to the world. And what will then happen to his relationship with Chu Wanning?

This was an excellent volume, fairly tight and uncomplicated. Much of it was told from Chu Wanning’s point of view, which was a nice change. Knowing there will be several volumes, I didn’t expect a fast solution here, although I can’t see how much longer the author can drag this storyline. There were also scenes of the previous life about Mo Ran’s first steps towards becoming the evil emperor. His treatment of Chu Wanning felt uncomfortably bad, contrasted with their happiness in this lifetime. He almost confesses everything to Chu Wanning too, only to chicken out at the last moment. At this point of the story, I can’t even predict how Chu Wanning will react when he eventually learns the truth—and where his vivid dreams come from.

Guardian: Zhen Hun Vol. 3 by Priest: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads

Guardian: Zhen Hun vol. 3 by Priest

Guardian: Zhen Hun comes to a close in this third volume, which is a refreshing change to other Chinese danmei serialisations with their endless lengths. It picks up where the previous volume left, with Zhao Yunlan having learned about his past as the mountain god, and he and Shen Wei, the Ghost King and Soul-Executing Emissary, having become an item.

But it turns out, Zhao Yunlan—and the reader—is in for a surprise. What took place inside the Merit Tree might not have been true; annoying, if you waded through the long chapters memorising everything in case it mattered later. Someone is lying to Zhao Yunlan, but who and why.

His relationship with Shen Wei hits a bad bump almost immediately too. First, his father keeps avoiding Shen Wei when Zhao Yunlan wants to introduce them, which leads to a revelation about the elder Zhao. Then Zhao Yunlan falls ill and Shen Wei takes care of him, but the medicine he uses horrifies Zhao Yunlan. Instead of explaining, Shen Wei disappears.

Zhao Yunlan spends the first half of the book searching for him. When he finally finds Shen Wei, it’s time for the truth to come out. It’s nothing he—or the reader—had expected, and it threatens their relationship. But unlike Shen Wei, Zhao Yunlan has a solution.

But before the men can even take a breather, things turn to worse again. The Great Seal that keeps the gui locked up, starts to break with horrifying consequences. It takes the ingenuity of Zhao Yunlan, Shen Wei, and the entire Special Investigation Department to put things right again. The solution, however, isn’t what Zhao Yunlan would’ve hoped for.

This was a great conclusion. Things weren’t easy for the pair, but they were constantly there for one another and their romance was wonderful. Action was good and exciting, and the members of SID finally became their own persons here, in good and bad. Zhu Hong was suddenly obsessed with Zhao Yunlan, making bad decisions because of it. And Guo Changcheng, who began the story, finally got to shine. His story was nothing I would’ve expected.

There were several extra stories too. Mostly, they continue where the main story left things, giving the members of SID their moments, as well as showing the life after of Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei. There’s also one story set in the men’s past, where we learn how Shen Wei got his family name.

All in all, this was a good, balanced ending for the series. It was the perfect length for the story, but even so, I could’ve read more. The members of SID deserved more page time than they got here, especially Guo Changcheng, and we didn’t get even remotely enough of Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei. I could read at least a volume more.

The Disabled Tyrant’s Beloved Pet Fish vol. 2 by Xue Shan Fei Hu: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads

The Disabled Tyrant’s Beloved Pet Fish by Xue Shan Fei Hu

Volume 2 of The Disabled Tyrant’s Beloved Pet Fish is even cuter than the first. Prince Jing is such a simp while Li Yu believes he’s only helping the prince in order to fulfil the tasks of the computer program, aka ‘the fish scamming system’, in charge of his transmigration journey back to human.

The volume starts where the previous one ended, with Prince Jing realising that Li Yu, the young man who mysteriously appears and disappears in his quarters, is in fact his beloved pet fish Xiaoyu. But instead of being shocked, he concludes Li Yu must be a yao, an animal spirit that can take a human form, on a personal trial. And since Li Yu doesn’t reveal his true identity, he concludes the spirit wants to keep it a secret, so he won’t bring up that he knows the young man and the fish are the same. It causes many silly moments as Li Yu struggles to hide before he transforms back to a fish, believing his identity is still a secret.

Li Yu has no idea he’s supposed to be a yao. He has his hands full with increasingly bizarre demands of the fish scamming system, like indulging with the prince. His rewards include a transformation into a proper koi fish, much to the astonishment of everyone, and learning Prince Jing’s secrets that raise more questions than they solve. But he’s still limited to only two hours as a human every day.

Prince Jing has his own ideas of what it means that the fish is a yao: he must share essence with the young man in order for him to grow. And that means intimate contact. But when he tries to kiss Li Yu, everything goes sideways. Li Yu has no idea what’s come over the prince and finds the whole incident frightening. It leads to maybe the best scenes in the book where the prince tries to make up to the fish who keeps moping. But Li Yu figures out his own feelings in the end and making out with the prince doesn’t sound so bad after all. If only he could stay as a human longer for them to take matters further.

There isn’t as much court intrigue as in the first book, but the other princes fighting to become the crown prince still cause Prince Jing constant trouble. Prince Jing deals with them with the help of his fish. And he’s starting to think that he should try for the crown himself too. But even though he manages to please his father the emperor, there’s no reward. Instead, there’s a great change for Jing and his fish. The book ends there.

This was such a bowl of cotton candy, silly and cute, with occasional darker moments to balance things out. Prince Jing’s amusement with his lover trying to hide his fishness, and secretly helping him, and Li Yu’s obliviousness is fun to follow. There are many silly moments when Li Yu earnestly tries to please the prince, only to make a mess. They are so much fun together. It seems Li Yu will be successful in his overall mission of preventing Prince Jing from becoming a tyrant, but there’s still a lot to come. We’ll see how things go in the next book.

A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads

A Sorcerer Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher

A Sorceress Comes to Call is a gothic horror or fairytale complete with ghosts and headless horses. It takes place in a country manor, but the country and time are a bit vague. It mostly resembles early Victorian England, except everyone is Catholic, and it constantly refers to old world across the sea, so maybe New England with aristocrats, country squires and general Englishness. Or maybe it’s an imaginary place of fairytales.

Cordelia is fourteen and deathly afraid of her mother. Evangeline is a sorceress with the power of taking over Cordelia’s body, making her a puppet her mother operates, a horror she has to often endure. Her mother uses it mostly as a punishment, but Cordelia can never be sure what triggers the punishment. She’s timid, barely daring to breathe wrong, has no friends, and little understanding of how the world works. And she’s not allowed to have any secrets from her mother, and no closed doors between them. She can only confide in her mother’s horse, Falada.

Cordelia’s world is turned upside down, when her mother announces she’s going to marry a rich squire who has no idea what’s awaiting him, and whisks them off to his country manor. Cordelia must marry well too, so she has to pretend she’s seventeen. She can barely handle being fourteen and outside her village, let alone living in a large manor with servants who are nice to her. But the most difficult thing for her to handle is the freedom of knowing there are locked doors between her and her mother. It triggers fear episodes in her.

Hester is 51 and a spinster, because a decade ago she rejected the man she loves for his own good. But she’s organised her life the way she likes with her brother, the squire, even if her bad knee troubles her. And then everything is ruined by the arrival of Evangeline. Hester knows even before she shows up that doom is on its way, and is determined to stop it at any cost.

Evangeline sets out to seduce the squire. She can’t use magic, because the wedding rites will dissolve it. Hester is equally determined to stop it, so she fills the house with friends, one of whom is the squire’s former mistress. A bad move. Because Evangeline is not above murder. But the one thing Evangeline can’t imagine is that Cordelia would work against her too.

This was a great book. The atmosphere is perfect for a gothic novel, but not too scary for me. Cordelia with her paralysing fear of her mother was a great character to root for, and it was wonderful to see her open up a little with Hester and her nice friends. Hester had her own story, the romance with Richard and the regrets of her past. And Evangeline was perfectly villainous with no redeeming qualities whatsoever.

It’s a fairly long book for the story, but the pace was good and there was never a moment that I would be bored with it. Evangeline with her superior magic was a difficult foe for ordinary people to defeat, but they have the numbers and some unexpected help. The ending is satisfying. All in all, a good read for fans of gothic fairytales with some gory bits.

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

Peerless vol 1 by Meng Xi Shi: review

4/5 stars on Goodreads

Peerless vol 1 by Meng Xi Shi

Peerless starts a new danmei series by Meng Xi Shi. According to the back cover text, it’s set in the same world as their Thousand Autumns series, but in this first volume the connection is mostly the jianghu, as the author calls their martial arts world. Here, jianghu only plays a secondary role though.

The main characters are Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu, leaders of rivalling secret agencies of the new dynasty. Feng Xiao is a martial arts expert, beautiful beyond belief, and self-centered in a way that’s both aggravating and amusing. Cui Buqu doesn’t know any martial arts and he’s sickly and weak, but his mind is sharp. He’s on a secret mission on a remote border town, working under cover when Feng Xiao arrives to town to investigate a murder of a foreign emissary.

Feng Xiao immediately suspects Cui Buqu, who seizes the opportunity to hinder Feng Xiao’s investigation. But soon, the two must start working together. There isn’t love lost between the men, but some kind of respect forms in between the endless bantering.

This was a fun start to a series, and very different from Thousand Autumns. The beginning was a tad confusing, as it was told from the points of view of random characters, and it took several chapters before Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu came to fore. The main plot is a murder mystery, although a convoluted and highly illogical, the suspects springing up at random. The men manage to explain everything in the end though. The start of their relationship is rocky, but very entertaining, each holding their own. And the next mystery is already waiting for them. Looking forward to reading it.

Bananapants by Penny Reid: review

3/5 stars on Goodreads

Bananapants by Penny Reid

Bananapants is a spin-off of Reid’s Knitting in the City series. It’s time for the second generation to have their romances. Once again, we’re in Chicago, but the date seems to be the present day, as if the earlier books took place thirty years ago. It works fine.

It has been quite a long time since I read the original series, and I didn’t remember all the original characters, but since I wanted to find out if this works without reading the originals, I didn’t do a fresher. It wasn’t needed, but I think the nostalgia factor would’ve been stronger if I’d remembered the originals better.

This book is about Ava Archer (daughter of Fiona and Greg) and Des Sullivan (son of Janie and Quinn). They were the bestest friends in childhood, until he ghosted her. It has left a mark on her and she’s incapable of committing to a relationship.

The two meet unexpectedly at a party where neither of them should be. He’s determined to keep things at that, but she has other ideas. And turns out he might have missed her as much as she has missed him, so he’s not entirely against having her around, especially since he might need her help. If only it didn’t put her in mortal danger.

This was an entertaining book with a secondary suspense plot. It wasn’t entirely satisfying romance though, and it didn’t rise to the level of Reid’s best books. Especially the ending was a let-down. Instead of the romance having its emotional climax, it climaxed with the action plot without proper romantic conclusion. The last chapter is actually an epilogue. I don’t know why it wasn’t named as such, as it gives the reader a false hope that there’s a proper conclusion for the romance yet to come. The couple ends at a good place, but I hoped for more. It didn’t give me the emotional rush I expect of romances.

The characters were fine, but Ava wasn’t much different from some Reid heroines. I liked Des with his mental problems and interesting occupation more than her, but it seemed like the romance was based on childhood memories, nostalgia, and fantasies more than getting to know who they’d become. Other siblings were introduced too, so there’s likely more romances to come. Definitely something to look forward to for Reid fans.

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

Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki's Conjecture Vol. 4 (manga) by Toji Aio & Mikage Sawamura: review

4/5 stars on Goodreads

Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki's Conjecture vol 4 manga by Toji Aio & Mikage Sawamura

There have been two volume fours of Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki's Conjecture published this month, first the light novel and now the manga, so I’m not accidentally reviewing the same book twice.

The manga volume 4 starts with the conclusion of the case that was left unfinished in the previous one, about Mana, the “Miracle Girl of Okutama,” the child who survived a tragic bus crash and is now treated like a goddess. Akira takes a personal interest, having been treated similarly in his childhood, the reason why he’s no longer in touch with his family. For the first time, he gets angry even.

Next story takes place during the university spring break. Akira, Naoya and Kenji travel to a wintry mountain area where they investigate a demon cave, only to discover it holds human remains. It turns out to be a rather tragic story of family secrets, but nothing supernatural.

In the aftermath, Naoya comes face to face with the mystery entity inside Akira for the first time, the reason Akira’s eyes change colour, which should be a great revelation for the reader. Unfortunately, the manga doesn’t do the scene justice. The change of eye-colour is difficult to show in black and white illustrations, but there could’ve been other ways to emphasise the importance of the scene. Here, it looks like Akira comes on to Naoya, even though it’s supposed to be a really frightening supernatural event that shakes Naoya badly. Those who haven’t read the light novel will be really confused and maybe led astray in thinking where the relationship between the two is going.

The last story catches up with the vol 4 of the light novel. It’s April and Naoya’s second year at the university has begun. To his chagrin, everyone mistakes him for a first-year student, but at least he still gets to work with Akira. Their next case is about a curse that four office workers have summoned on themselves. It’s cut short just as it’s about to become interesting. Those who have read the light novel will know it has important consequences to Naoya. Readers of manga will have to wait for the next volume.

This was a good but very hasty volume. The pace is very fast and corners are cut, with above-mentioned results. The friendship between Naoya and Akira doesn’t have similar depth here as it has in the light novels either. It also leaves out the extra story from vol 3 of the light novel, which would’ve been an important addition. It’s from Kenji’s point of view, depicting his and Akira’s childhood and the supernatural event that took place years before Akira’s abduction. I hope that’s added to the next manga volume, or it gets a special volume, as it’s very interesting. The artist seems to hint at that in their afterword at least. Illustrations by Toji Aio were good, like always, showcasing the Japanese culture especially well.

Primal Mirror by Nalini Singh: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads

Primal Mirror by Nalini Singh

Primal Mirror is already eighth book in the Psy-Changeling Trinity spin-off series, 23rd in the overall series. The formula has remained the same from the beginning: the romance is set against the backdrop of the politics of the complicated near-future world that threatens the happily ever after. In the original series, the Psy were unchallenged overlords, but in the spin-off, they’re about to go extinct, their annihilation imminent in this book.

Remi Denier is a leopard changeling and the alpha of RainFire pack he’s started. The new pack doesn’t have a high position yet, but they have good connections with powerful groups. He has some trauma in his backstory, but he’s mostly worked them through and they don’t dominate his life or actions. All in all, a mature character and a great romantic hero.

Auden Scott is the daughter of the two worst councillors of the former ruling coalition of the Psys. They hadn’t been above experimenting with their child’s brain in order to give her a more active Psy trait than the one she was born with, which has caused her a permanent brain damage. After her parents’ death, she’s supposedly in charge of the family assets, but she’s all but a prisoner, suffering from memory losses. And she’s pregnant, with no recollection of giving consent to the IVF treatment (the Psy way to procreate).

The two meet by chance, and he’s instantly intrigued by her. She doesn’t know if she can trust him, but as her pregnancy progresses, her mind starts to clear—after a fashion. Because it soon becomes evident, that there are two minds inside her head competing for dominance, a deadly condition for a Psy. But she’s determined to protect her child, and so she decides to put her trust in Remi.

This was a good story. The conspiracy surrounding Auden was complicated and the medical problems weren’t easily solved. The romance progressed slowly, due to her pregnancy and mental condition, but it was lovely. The pack dynamics that are the salt of the series were wonderful, with great new characters introduced for future romances. Kit made an appearance, as did Kaleb. The final battle was rather quick, and the tension among the Psy about their impending mass extinction event didn’t quite come through, as if the ordinary people weren’t aware of it at all. The way it was once again postponed was a bit of a deus ex machina solution, but it worked for the book. Overall, the book left me warm and fuzzy, just like I hoped. This is one of my favourite series and looks like I won’t have to give it up any time soon.

Remnants of Filth: Yuwu Vol. 4 by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads 

Remnants of Filth vol 4 by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou

Volume 4 was heartbreaking, more so, because it began with such a hopeful note. Gu Mang has his memories back and Mo Xi is starting to trust him again. All they need is to flee from the demon bat island and everything will be well. Except, Gu Mang is determined to push Mo Xi away. Even a night of passion brought on by a demonic potion affecting Gu Mang won’t change his mind.

The moment they return home, things start going wrong. Gu Mang is taken into custody for excruciating magical experiments. Mo Xi isn’t there, because he’s investigating the truth about Gu Mang. He learns it too, but almost destroys his own health in the process. The truth isn’t what he had thought, and it sets him against the emperor—never a good place to be. But it might be in vain, because Gu Mang may have lost his mind again. The book ends before we learn for sure.

This book was mostly from Gu Mang’s point of view. And it’s such a different story than the reader has been led to believe. The love story we’ve thought was one-sided was very real for him too. But he’s a realist and knows that a slave and a nobleman can never be together, and so he’s pretended to only toy with Mo Xi. Here, in his thoughts, he can confess his love. But he doesn’t reveal it to Mo Xi. For his part, Mo Xi, having learned the truth, is more willing than ever to declare his love publicly. Only, he never gets a chance to do that either.

This was an intense volume that wrung the reader dry. But at least there was the great spicy scene at the beginning of the book, and the knowledge that the men love one another. Now there’s the agonising wait to learn if it’s too late; whether Gu Mang has lost his mind for good or if there’s still hope for the men.

Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki's Conjecture (Light Novel) vol. 4 by Mikage Sawamura: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads

Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki's Conjecture vol. 4 by Mikage Sawamura

This series has become a comfort reading of mine, and I read the latest volume in one sitting. In my defence, these light novels aren’t very long. Volume 4 has a subtitle Thus, the Gates to the Spirit Realm Open, which describes the contents fairly well.

It’s April and Naoya Fukamachi has begun the second year of his studies at the university in Tokyo where he studies folklore with Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki. They’ve spent most of the spring break travelling together, but Naoya is still slightly anxious that Akira won’t need his help anymore in investigating supernatural incidents. He shouldn’t have worried.

There are only two—long—chapters. In the first one, a popular story to frighten children surfaces at a workplace. In it, one summons a hag or a curse or enters another dimension if they perform required things on April 4th at 4:44—number four being ominous, as it’s pronounced like death. Four people at the workplace have performed the summons and bad things have started to happen to them.

It doesn’t take Akira long to unravel the mystery, which once again turns out to have a mundane origin. But the case proves important to Naoya, because he meets another person like him who can hear lies due to similar events as his. Having someone with whom to talk about it makes a great impact on him. He also makes an effort to become more sociable, even if it’s only with one friend.

In the second chapter, Akira’s uncle comes to visit, and Naoya learns a lot about Akira and his past—although the reader doesn’t find out until during the extra chapter at the end. He’s the only family member who cares about Akira, and he’s relieved to learn that there are people looking after his nephew.

Together with Ken-Ken, the four travel to a seaside town where fishermen claim to have seen mermaids. It appears to be a hoax, until they meet a little boy who tells them that his mother has become a mermaid and returned to the sea. Dismissing it as a story first, they soon learn that things might be more complicated than they believed. And for the first time, they may have encountered a being who isn’t quite human.

In the extra story, we learn about Akira’s youth in England with his uncle. It’s a slightly sad story, revealing sides of Akira the reader hasn’t known before, but hopeful too, as Akira heals from his trauma with the help of his uncle and his found family. We still don’t learn more about the being inside Akira, or what happened to him when he was abducted, but it’s becoming certain that the mystery is supernatural in origin. I’m eager to read more.

A Bitter Taste by Josh Reynolds: review

3/5 stars on Goodreads

Bitter Taste by Josh Reynolds

A Bitter Taste is the fifth book in Daidoji Shin Mystery series set in the Rokugan Empire of the Legend of Five Rings game world. It’s an Asia inspired historical world divided in clans where honour is important, but women are equal and powerful, and same sex relationships are allowed. No knowledge of the game is needed, but the series, especially this book, builds on the previous books, so don’t start here. (Mild spoilers ahead.)

This has been a favourite mystery series of mine, and I was eager to read the latest addition. And it delivered—up until the very end. I wasn’t happy with how the book ended, especially since this seems like the final book in the series.

The beginning of the book finds Daidoji Shin, the Crane Clan representative in the City of the Rich Frog, sulking, because his grandfather has ordered him to marry. He’s not eager to do so and doesn’t have a candidate in mind, let alone feelings for anyone, but the order is absolute.

His day turns to worse, when he learns that the auditor his grandfather had sent to put him to rights has been murdered and Shin is the only suspect.

It’s only the start of Shin’s troubles. His cousin has arrived to town, ready to drag him back home in chains if necessary. The only thing stopping him is the murder investigator, someone with whom Shin has had a very personal relationship. Since it didn’t end well, he doesn’t have high hopes for a fair investigation. He needs to solve the murder himself.

What starts as a straightforward murder case turns more and more complicated at every step. Shin realises there’s been a conspiracy against him from the moment he arrived to town, the roots of which stem from long before. As he unravels it, he learns that people close to him he has trusted absolutely weren’t who he thought they were. Unable to believe it, he allows himself to be lured into a trap to expose the people responsible, no matter what it means to him personally. After some tense scenes, everything ends in a very satisfying manner.

And then the aftermath ruins it for me.

The series has always focused on the mysteries. Shin starts as a gambler and someone who likes the company of women, but the mysteries always take precedence, and during the course of the series there’s been no romances. There have been a couple of characters that could’ve become the romantic interest, but nothing serious. I didn’t mind. I never liked the one mainstay possibility, and Shin’s never indicated any romantic interest in them anyway.

This was bound to change here because of the order to marry. And the appearance of the old flame was interesting. They were given their own POV chapters and proved themself to be a great potential partner to Shin. I was looking forward to it even.

And then, in the aftermath, they’re sent away without so much as a token of reminiscing and what ifs. Instead, Shin chooses the worst possible person fairly out of the blue—the reader has insight into Shin’s thoughts, and there has been no indications. Romantic feelings are expressed. Reader is to believe they’re genuine.

I found this a great let-down that lowered my rating of the book. Before the aftermath, I was anxious that this would be the last book in the series, but now I’m sort of fine with it. He's in a good(ish) place, even if I’m not happy for him.

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

Gravity Lost by L.M. Sagas: review

4/5 stars on Goodreads

Gravity Lost by L.M. Sagas

Gravity Lost is the second book in Ambit’s Run sci-fi series that began with Cascade Failure. The series is set in fairly far future in a space-faring world ruled by the Trust and the Union for profit, with the neutral Guild keeping peace between them with its rangers.

Ambit’s crew, Guild rangers Eoan the AI captain, Nash the mechanic/doctor and Saint the XO have spent months on a space station waiting for Jal, the former ranger they rescued in the previous book, to recover and connect with his family. They’re preparing to leave, when someone abducts Jal’s sister, Regan, sending the crew on a rescue mission.

Someone wants Dresdyn, the agitator the crew captured in the previous book, and so the crew has no choice than to break him free from prison, making them fugitives in Guild’s eyes. But the abductor evades them at every corner, luring the crew into a trap. They have unexpected help though: Dresdyn wants the abductor dead as badly as the crew wants to free Regan. And it turns out, the enemy is someone closer to them than any of them could’ve imagined.

This was a good book, but not quite as exciting as the first one. The entire universe wasn’t at stake, the action was more limited, and the death-defying situations were smaller, although more personal. While it was easy to sympathise with Jal’s need to find his sister, it didn’t give the reader a similar sense of urgency, and while there was a very personal betrayal again, the reader wasn’t connected with them the same way than in the previous book, where there were chapters from the traitor’s point of view even. And we didn’t learn anything new about the main characters.

Nevertheless, the world remained interesting, the characters were as loveable as before, and the narrative was rich and good. While the characters didn’t have similar arcs as in the previous book, the reader cared for them and rooted for each of them, even Dresdyn. The ending was good and left the crew in a new place. I’m interested in reading more about their adventures.

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

Thousand Autumns Vol. 5 by Meng Xi Shi: review

5/5 stars on Goodreads

Thousand Autumns vol 5 by Meng Xi Shi

Thousand Autumns: Qian Qiu has ended with the fifth volume. It ended like it began, more focused on the politics of the empire and the cultivation world (called jianghu in this series, “rivers and lakes”, like the author explains in the afterword), and on the questions of morality and human nature than on the romance.

At the beginning of the volume, Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi help Puliuru Jian to free his children from being held hostage by the emperor, and subsequently to seize the throne. It’s a fairly fast affair, compared to some in the previous volumes.

From there, the men part ways and Shen Qiao finally heads back to Xuandu Mountain to handle the traitors in his sect and to assume the leadership once again. But he’s barely done when he learns that Yan Wushi has challenged the best cultivator in the world, Hulugu of the Göktürk Khagnate, to a duel. Everyone knows it’ll be to death, and so Shen Qiao rushes to be by Yan Wushi’s side.

At this point, I thought the romance would finally bloom, but no. Only in the final paragraphs of the last chapter does Shen Qiao show some emotions towards Yan Wushi, but it isn’t until the last of the seven epilogue chapters before the men finally become a couple. Even then, they both remain true to their characters.

The story began with Yan Wushi trying to corrupt Shen Qiao to prove that everyone would put their self-interest first, a thread that prevailed over the romance throughout the story. In the end, he was forced to admit that Shen Qiao was unique, and therefore worthy of his admiration, the basis of his romantic feelings. Why Shen Qiao would love him in return was never clear, but his ability to forgive was great and Yan Wushi managed to manipulate Shen Qiao into missing him. Of the two, Yan Wushi changed more, but only with Shen Qiao. Their coming together was kind of cute, but if the reader is looking for high emotions, great declarations, and carnal relations, they’re bound to be disappointed.

The main story is followed by several short stories that show that while the men never settle down to living together, they remain a couple and always return to the other after roaming the empire. The stories aren’t very romantic or emotional either, but they show cute glimpses of the men’s lives from past and future.

Despite the lack of great romantic emotions, I was satisfied with the ending and the series as a whole. It remained true to its premise, the political plots were interesting, and as I realised early on that the romance wouldn’t be there, I wasn’t disappointed with what I got. I’m happy where the men ended up, and the lives they live seem interesting and rather carefree. After everything they went through, they deserve happiness.