Avatar, the Last Airbender

July 15, 2019
The origins of Kyoshi, from the beloved television series Avatar: The Last Airbender, have been shrouded in mystery--until now. Orphaned Kyoshi is treated as an outcast in the small coastal village of Yokoya. To survive she works in the mansion of Avatar Yun as his servant and companion. When she accompanies Yun to a treaty negotiation, violence breaks out, unleashing Kyoshi's hidden earthbending capabilities and throwing doubt on Yun's legitimacy. Yun and Kyoshi engage in a ritual to find out who the true Avatar is only to be betrayed by one of his mentors, Jianzhu, forcing Kyoshi to flee. With the help of Rangi, a Firebender warrior and friend, they now must evade Jianzhu and his extensive network. Kyoshi receives tutelage from a group of bandits, the self-proclaimed Flying Opera Company, in hopes of taking revenge on Jianzhu. As with the original, a mix of East Asian cultures provides the template for character profiles and worldbuilding. Yee (The Epic Crush of Genie Lo, 2017) artfully weaves in political entanglements as well as complex cultural identities to fully immerse readers in Kyoshi's world. The pace strikes a careful balance between page-turning conflicts and revelations of Kyoshi's past. Each page is efficient in its storytelling, furthering the plot without lessening the suspense. Knowledge of the original series is ideal for full enjoyment An action-packed tale that answers some long-awaited questions; fans will look forward to the promised sequel. (Fantasy. 12-16)

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