Starred review...

[desperance]

Hem. This is slightly difficult, on account of (as you all know by now) my next novel is pseudonymous, and I'm not supposed to be spreading the new name about.

However, Publishers' Weekly has just given the book a starred review; so I will over-indulge myself with a discreet quote or two:

"... captures the foggy mysteries of feudal China in exquisite style with this
rich fantasy series opener. Pirate captain Li Ton needs a new ship's boy,
having worn out the old one, so he captures apprentice scribe Han, who
becomes infected with magic in a duel. When Li Ton kills the monks who forge
links to the chain binding an ancient undersea dragon, he and Han are caught
up in a multilayered tale of supernatural creatures, a deposed emperor on the
run and jade that grants extraordinary powers. ...'s concisely elegant style
mirrors the light brush strokes and deep colors of ancient Chinese paintings,
finely balancing detail, emotion and action. Where many Western authors try
and fail to capture the nuances of Chinese culture and mythology, this
melodious tale quietly succeeds."

Hee. I love that. Pirates and dragons and jade, all snared in a paragraph (took me a whole book, forsooth...). And "concisely elegant". That's not what I said about it, but hey. I could be wrong.

Comments

[kateelliott.livejournal.com]

After reading that excellent review, I'm pouting because no one at Del Rey thought to ask me me me for a quote. I mean, then I would have gotten to read it already. Right? Whatever it is, since of course it has nothing to do with you.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Whatever it is, of course it had nothing to do with me. However, I am in the privileged position of being able to tell you that you were top of my list of people-to-ask-for-a-quote, only somehow the ARCs never got sent out to the people on the list. Um. There have been Words Spoken. I am vaguely hopeful that you might yet receive an early copy of the book itself; and if you could bring yourself to utter quotably thereupon, those words might be saved up for the second volume, etc etc...

(Hrrumph. I am sorry, and pissed off, to a degree greater than you can imagine...)

[kateelliott.livejournal.com]

I can imagine. I would also be pissed off. I've decided that the secret to continuing to be able to work in this field is being able to forge forward AGAIN no matter what.

[kateelliott.livejournal.com]

But I am sorry I can't pout any longer. I love pouting.