Fury of the Phoenix

March 15, 2011

Ai Ling's second adventure is every bit as sensuous as Silver Phoenix (2009) in a tale that moves between two times and two cultures. Chen Yong, Ai Ling's unattainable love interest from her previous world-saving adventure, is traveling on a quest to find his unknown foreigner father. Ai Ling has premonitions of danger and stows away to join Chen Yong on his journey to the Europe-inspired country of his father's birth. Ai Ling's developing powers will be instrumental in fighting off pirates and sea monsters, but they may also be causing her strange dreams. These dreams, of her old antagonist Zhong Ye, appear as interleaved chapters within Ai Ling's own adventure. In these historical visions, Zhong Ye is not the archvillain defeated so recently. Instead, he's an eager young power player in the Empire's distant past, his search for success touched by love and betrayal. Zhong Ye's tragic history, like Ai Ling's own, is grounded in sensuous and carnal detail. The meals alone—from perfectly spiced beef tongue in one country's past to sugar-encrusted almonds in another land's present—can be more enthralling than Ai Ling and Zhong Ye's parallel quests. The intertwining of the two histories is rushed and chaotic, but lush detail will enthrall, from tantalizingly detailed food to gruesome demonic tortures. (Fantasy. 14 & up)

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May 1, 2011

Gr 9 Up-This sequel to Silver Phoenix (Greenwillow, 2009) continues the adventure of Ai Lang, now 18, who follows her heart by sneaking onto a ship carrying Chen Yong, bound for the land of his father. Ai Ling is trying to protect him from the harm she was warned about in a dream. Interwoven into the story is the tale of Zhong Ye and his rise to power in the Emperor's palace and his love for Silver Phoenix. How the lives of Ai Lang and Zhong Ye are bound together makes for an intriguing story. Pon engages readers immediately. Set during the Xi Xia dynasty (1038-1227), the novel is sensuous and descriptive, and even readers unfamiliar with the first book will find themselves unable to put this one down.-Kathy Kirchoefer, Prince Georges County Memorial Library System, New Carrollton, MD

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2011
Grades 9-12 Full of passion and fury, the sequel to Silver Phoenix (2009) brings Ai Ling into the spotlight again as she tries to fight an evil spirit that possesses her and save the young man who has won her heart. This book picks up where the previous volume left off. Ai Ling has killed the death eater, Zhong Ye, but now he resides in her spirit. Her love, Chen Yong, is off to search for his father, and Ai Ling finds a reason to join him on the voyage. But interwoven into this tale is the story of Zhong Ye and how he became the monster whose thirst for power cost him both his beloved Silver Phoenix and his humanity. A bit more confusing than the previous book, this nonetheless has many of the same strong elements: action embroidered by the otherworldly, the search for both love and family, and, most importantly, a brave and true heroine who will entice readers. Readers who were dazzled by Ai Ling the first time out will not be disappointed.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)