Art of Prophecy

*I received a free review copy in exchange for an honest review of this book. 

Jian is the Hero of Prophecy, the central figure of an entire religion. But the prophecy was wrong, a new master says he's not ready to fight, and it seems like everyone wants him dead.

I savored this, I genuinely didn't want it to be over because it does so many things so well. Jian starts out as a kind of annoying kid and then gradually transforms into a less annoying young person who has finally had to make hard decisions and live with the consequences. Taishi is a war artist who teaches Jian because his former teachers were mucking it up and she couldn't stand for it. She's curmudgeonly and extremely competent in that way that fits her character, and her dynamic with Jian is what he needs without being what he wants. 

The worldbuilding is rich and detailed, with an immersive style where things are only explained as the characters have reason to think of that specific detail, and even more is conveyed through their interactions. The various factions are introduced gradually and it was pretty easy to keep track of everyone because they have distinct and memorable backgrounds and goals which are shown when they first appear. I generally have a lot of trouble keeping track of character names but I did much better this time because of how they were handled. 

The explanation for how the prophecy could go wrong is nuanced and fits the world so well, it's really well done. The plot has slower times of travel or hiding, punctuated by violence when the various factions run into each other. They have different things they want which all center on a couple of people, and some of those goals are fundamentally incompatible. The pacing is good, the calm times are usually filled with smaller bits of character growth (something Jian sorely needs). 

This is fantastic, a must-read for lovers of fantasy, revolution, and assassins. I'm looking forward to the sequel!

More like 3.5 stars, rounded up.

I admit, I got sucked in by another pretty cover. I have a thing for striking black and white art.

Jian is told from an early age that he's the chosen one, the one who is expected to do great things and save the people based on prophecy alone. The problem is that he was raised knowing this, and as a result grows up spoiled, unprepared, and basically untrained. Taishi, an elderly martial arts master sent to test him on his preparedness, is stunned and disgusted to find out what's been made of their once-in-a-lifetime champion, and becomes his teacher to make things right. Along the way, this master/student duo meets up with skeptical side characters who disagree with Jian's Chosen One role, and things decidedly do not go as planned.

This book definitely reminded me of high flying fantastical wuxia films I've seen in the past. There's lots of magical martial arts involved, drunken style references, and a good bit of sometimes slapstick humor. The cast is large and interesting for the most part, though I had some side characters I liked more than others. The setting is definitely inspired by Imperial China, but varied enough that I didn't get a been-there-done-that vibe. The Chosen One trope, evident from the book's description, is turned on its head in an interesting (if not unexpected) way, which was refreshing to read.

All that said, this book just didn't hit the right notes for me to rate it much higher. The writing style was just okay, a bit flat for what I generally read. The book was also very long and a bit meandering in its many different plot lines, and the constant shifting of viewpoints were sometimes hard to keep up with. It definitely had an anime/wuxia feel to parts, which I really appreciated, but sometimes in other parts just didn't work.

I highly recommend this book if you're into high flying wuxia epics, particularly because this is the first book of a series. Maybe pass on it if you're looking for depth and nuance, though.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.