Into the Riverlands

Starred review from August 1, 2022
Historian cleric Chih returns in Vo’s spellbinding third Singing Hills Cycle novella (after When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain). This time, Chih and their companion Almost Brilliant, a bird with near-perfect memory, wander into the riverlands of Anh, where an encounter with a bully brings them together with two young women: a martial artist skilled in a rare style and her sworn sister, a self-proclaimed “ugly girl.” The four of them accept an elderly couple’s offer to escort them through the land’s winding trails, though their guides have no patience for the myths and rumors that Chih collects. When they come upon the remains of a man killed in the fashion of one of those very myths, Chih finds that they can no longer just passively record stories—they’re in one. Vo expertly weaves myths and histories of this fantastical land throughout, while also offering readers a deeper understanding of Chih themself, a character who may have been left as a framing device in lesser hands. The result is a pitch-perfect series installment.

Starred review from August 1, 2022

The third novella in Vo's Crawford Award-and Hugo Award--winning "Singing Hills Cycle" (after When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain) continues to follow cleric Chih as they travel through the empire of Ahn, collecting stories for their monastery, which is devoted to the preservation of history. On a little-used trail through the Singing Hills, Chih is accompanied on their journey by two young sisters (one of them a martial artist) and a local middle-aged couple, who take turns telling tales to ease the journey. One such story is the local legend of two martial artists, Wild Pig Yi and Gravewraith Chen, who fought over the treasure carried by the beauteous Nin but banded together to face a dangerous gang. It's a good story that Chih is determined to preserve, but when the party reaches their destination, the cleric learns that not all good stories are true--or over. Like the previous books in the series, this one rides the knife edge between telling a story and being in the middle of it and explores how tales become legends. VERDICT Vo's (The Chosen and the Beautiful; Siren Queen) latest is highly recommended for readers of the previous books in the series and anyone who likes high fantasy inspired by Imperial China or wuxia movies and stories.--Marlene Harris

Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2022
In Vo's newest installment of the Singing Hills Cycle, cleric Chih is continuing their adventures, collecting history, stories, and folklore for their abbey. This time, they're adventuring through the rough-and-tumble Riverlands, a land of legendary martial artists, bold threats, and epic showdowns. Chih is self-described as not brave and not always virtuous, but always curious. So when they join a group of travelers heading down a road that has a dangerous reputation, they use the opportunity to soak up the travelers' stories--from the exploits of the much-feared Hollow Hand criminal band to the victories of "ugly woman warrior" Wild Pig Yi or Gravewraith Chen and his hammer. Reality and myth intertwine, and Chih increasingly has to wonder if they really see the people they're traveling with. The novella is written in Vo's rich, lovely language, and it's nice to have such a wonderful fantasy series be totally accessible in standalone volumes. The mixture of allegory and realism in Chih's story this time around is particularly satisfying. Fans of folklore-inspired fantasy will eat this one up.

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