#kaul hilo the man you are

[realtrashcan]

I think the green boens saga is genuinely one of the best trilogies I have ever read and it is SO in my head like shut up!!!!

[irresistiibles]

plotting/starter call under the cut! they're lightly capped at four per muse but if you have a good idea and it isn't last minute i'm happy to add it. i'll also being doing memes at the start of the event, so don't feel like you have to go crazy. like and i'll come to your dms or reply with some starters and i'll get to queueing! glad to see so much love and hype for the event!

achilles : unaware any change has occurred

achilles is technically a lord but is currently serving as a knight and thinks this has been his life forever. he's fine with it though he does think he deserves a higher up position than what he currently has and isn't thrilled he has to do this service as a knight for image or whatever it is that got him there. he is probably some sort of officer or commander not just one of the guys in the crowd. he spends a little too much time at the tavern starters (2/4): hades, patroclus

angel dust : aware things have changed

aware something happened but doesn't know how to explain it and is really worried he took something since everyone else is acting normal. he's also worried about how to find drugs here and will be very on edge all the time. starters (3/4): sir pentious, niffty, vaggie

asami sato : unaware any change has occured

working as a blacksmith and having a good time with it honestly. sure, it's less high tech than what she's used to back home but asami loves to learn new crafts and get used to new environments. actively involved in guild life and she's probably poking around with magic and monsters more than she should as well. starters (1/4): ben skywalker

ben hargreeves : unaware any change has occurred

honestly he's got no magic but would sign himself up to be a wizard's apprentice so fast. like that seems cool of course that's what he's doing. he likes adding ingredients to potions and chilling. absolutely will approach magical monsters even if he shouldn't starters (1/4): klaus hargreeves

clara oswald : unaware any change has occurred

she's happier now than she had been in modern washington. this is way more interesting to clara. she's working as a tutor but is absolutely getting too involved in nobility politics, and could get caught up trying to overthrow someone. also very interesting in the magical creatures all over the place starters (0/4):

deena johnson : unaware any change has occurred

a farmer who lives on the outskirts of town. she's really good with animals, and is probably one mistake away from being accused of witchcraft for one reason or another. she's not doing any witchcraft, but it probably way too comfortable talking to people who are. starters (1/4): rosamund du prix

emery anden : aware things have changed

he is very concerned with everything going on, especially in the medical field, and it's not making him feel great about the chances he's actually aware of his real life in modern washington also. get this man some help (not leaches please) starters (1/4): kaul hilo

fizzarolli : unaware any change has occurred

truly living up his best life as a jester for charlie. i would say they're a pretty well acclaimed jester in general, so even though he's a court jester they will come and perform in taverns when possible, and he's really just thriving in this sort of environment. starters (2/4): louise belcher, charlie morningstar

glinda upland : unaware any change has occurred

your local witch, but glinda has a very good reputation. she doesn't do any curses, just things like charms, good luck potions, healing spells, love potions, what have you. she's very chill and not worried about any accusations cause she's very good at keeping people happy and on her side starters (3/4): fiyero tiggular, lee hongjo, elphaba thropp

gu zi : unaware any change has occurred

you know what i'm committing. he's living as a rat catcher, and is honestly pretty chill about it. he absolutely also tries to befriend some of the bigger monsters and creatures running around washington even though he's got basically no way of defending himself. starters (0/4):

inej ghafa : unaware any change has occurred

she's actually gone from trying to work a respectable job in the modern day to going back to thievery and criminal activity. it's just easier and she doesn't trust as easily here with magic way more available and difficult to deal with starters (2/4): nimona, dom toretto

irina yang : aware things have changed

knows things changed suddenly, but has realized this is a great way to start scamming people. anything she can remember about the modern world she's selling as information, and they're also just kind of pretending to be a witch because she's got enough magic to get away with it, and when they ask for something she can't do, they're just putting drugs in potions. starters (0/4):

jang man wol : aware things have changed

she's working as an inkeeper but she's very upset to be back in the past. she already lived through this era! been there done that! where's her phone? her dramas? she will absolutely be complaining about this to anyone who will listen even if they think she's mad starters (0/4):

jin ling : unaware any change has occured

nobility. probably a whole king and very stressed and unhappy about it. made a ruler very young and has no idea what he's doing. he can't catch a break even when he's not home okay. starters (2/4): wei wuxian, jin guangyao

jonathan sims : aware things have changed

he's going to become fully aware after the event. right now he's still unaware of his real life but he's aware of his life in modern washington and knows this is not right. probably accidentally became a local prophet because of how he's just starting to Know things now, but he's mostly running around trying to figure out what the fuck is going on starters (0/4):

kyoshi : unaware any change has occurred

she's probably gotten herself involved with a local crime group because with her luck she would absolutely catch too much attention and get kicked out from her nice servant job. give her a crime group to join, she's got way too many morals and will be annoying but she's also good muscle. another one of my characters who's one wrong statement away from a witch hunt starters (1/4): jester lavorre

luo qingyang : unaware any change has occurred

living her best farmer life. she's got a bunch of chickens and is truly just chilling. is a good place to go to if anyone needs to hide from monster hunters or a witch hunt starters (0/4):

madoka kaname : unaware any change has occurred

give me a witch for her to apprentice under! she can't do magic but she can get ingredients, and help make potions, and bring a cat and some good energy along and she would love it a lot okay! she will also defend them as much as she can when the inevitable witch hunt comes along. starters (1/4): homura akemi

mei nianqing : aware things have changed

he's aware things are different but honestly he likes this better so he's kind of keeping his mouth shut i'm afraid. he's thriving as an astrologer/tutor/priest for the rich, and kind of hopes things will stay like this. don't mention how things were different he will gaslight you starters (0/4):

nico di angelo : unaware any change has occurred

he's a priest, does exorcisms and everything. obviously he still has his powers and knows who his dad is, but he just uses that to genuinely be able to help with ghosts and gain trust with people. he's living surprisingly comfortably here. starters (2/4): bianca di angelo, satana hellstrom

nie huaisang : aware things have changed

he knows things have changed but he's not really making that clear to anyone. sure, he'll talk in fantasy about a modern washington, but there's no need to stress everyone out by making them think he's more than just an airhead. he's a lower noble who spends his time chilling and painting. he's very interested in the mythical creatures and will try and adopt a baby dragon starters (1/4): nie mingjue

ning yingying : unaware any change has occurred

apprentice under shen qingqiu and learning about european swords and clothing. the problem with her being more confident and a little bit better at fighting in a world where duels and jousting are possibilities is she keeps considering it. girl is mostly living as a scholar but is ready to brawl do don't encourage her. starters (1/4): sha hualing

pearl: unaware any change has occurred

she's obsessed with the human concept of knights so this is great for her. she is of course serving as a knight, and though i'm sure she's under a specific kingdom but i would love to plot someone who she's specifically guarding. she's very protective and will be willing to throw herself in front of danger without hesitation pls employ. starters (1/4): sella palpetine

roronoa zoro : unaware any change has occurred

working as a bounty hunter/sword for hire again for both humans and mosnters, whatever gets him a paycheck. he'll work for whoever, but he's less inclined to work for people of power, he just doesn't really get along with them that well, and he's mostly looking to fight more than get a massive paycheck. starters (2/4): sanji, sgaeyl

shang qinghua : unaware any change has occurred

advisor to some sort of noble! overworked and a schemer, so if anyone's plotting against nobles he is a good person to go to. he's happy to do a lot of underhanded shit to get rid of people. give me a noble for him to work under. starters (1/4): kaul shae

shi qingxuan : unaware any change has occurred

honestly living a chill life as a barmaid/occasional beggar when funds are low. qingxuan is actually really comfortable and having a fun time with the common people in this form of washington, so it'll be a nice time for them. a good friend to have if you want cheap drinks starters (1/4): syala eren

toph beifong : unaware any change has occurred

technically somehow got herself stuck as a noble lady, and i think it would be funny for someone to plot being the poor knight/guard looking after her because i know toph is quite literally always running away from them and trying to get into fights or start trouble starters (4/4): katara, mai, jamie, zuko

yin yu : unaware any change has occursed

he's a gravedigger lmao, and not obsessed with it for obvious reasons. catch him sulking around in graveyards on the regular. he's staying away from most of the new mythical creatures and is trying to convince the people he knows to stay away from the dragons as well. starters (1/4): astrid hofferson

zagreus : unaware any change has occurred

he's a prince but doesn't actually like doing that and is working a small apothecary job on the side and just hopping he doesn't get recognized. loves going to watch jousting and see if he can get included somehow. starters (0/4):

[mvsicinthedvrk]

starter for kaul hilo & kaul shae // @masqce

"Shae?" he calls out. Even from behind, he can tell that it's his Weather Man-- her familiar posture is undeniable, even if she's missing that familiar sense of jade that he's grown used to. In fact, she's so imperceptible, it's almost as though if Hilo didn't know any better he'd think she didn't have any jade on her at all. But she doesn't turn to speak with him, and he knows she wouldn't dare ignore him, so he gives his sister another chance in case she hadn't heard him the first time he'd called her name. "Shae, what the fuck, I had no clue you were here," he says warmly, but with a simmering sense of impatient anticipation underneath the words. He's kept an eye out for the rest of the clan for the weeks he's been here and hadn't even seen sign of a singular Fist or Finger, much less the trusted members of the clan's inner circle. But now that he knows Shae's here in the city along with him, they can get back to business as usual, of course. "You have no idea how glad I am to see you. I've been waiting." Taking action, too, as much as one man can in a foreign city when there's been no one around to tell him not to-- but ultimately, he couldn't make much progress in stabilizing temporary No Peak operations only as one man.

[hms-tardimpala]

Jade legacy liveblog pt 6:

Anden is NOT thirty-eight

Oh no Tar 😢😢

"I need one of my brothers to live" I'm crying

Oh fuck, Niko. That's what you get for working for a private military firm. I'm so sorry.

So Niko is gonna be even more fucked up than his father, oh dear.

Tia is too cute for this world and this family. See, I want a clanless future for her.

One thing I don't get is why we see so little of Jaya, if she's going to become the Pillar now.

Please, Ru is such a good son, I don't want him to be traumatized.

Okay, but. But. What if this epic 25-year long mafia war ends not by one side destroying the other, but by peace-making? What if. What kind of pillars will Ayt Ato and Jaya/Niko(?) be? Could the current generation end the war? Or the next? Because this war started when Ayt Mada had Kaul Lan killed. And the new generation doesn't even know Lan. He's not even a memory. What remains of this war when its protagonists die? Could peace come out of all this? Fuck, what an interesting book.

KAUL SHAELINSAN IS FUCKING UNKILLABLE, FUCK YEAH!

Oh she might never wear jade again. From a pragmatic and clan family, that family os so damaged and weakened. The only jade warrior left in the original generation is Hilo. He's starting to be quite alone.

Also today we learned that Hilo killed the man who was supposed to have an arranged marriage with his little sister and never told her. King.

[thexgrayxlady]

What I read in May 2024

Hummingbird Salamander by Jeff VanderMeer - 4.50/5.00

This book is the embodiment of the feeling that the world is ending, and you have to go to work tomorrow.

This is a tense eco-thriller with a messy, complicated main character. The book follows an unreliable narrator, security consultant "Jane Smith," while she blows up her life to follow the mystery surrounding a taxidermied hummingbird in a storage unit. The main character is neither likable nor particularly relatable and I love her for it.

The writing is beautiful and the book is fast paced and surprisingly easy to read. The action scenes are brutal and visceral, there was one scene in a warehouse that was horrifying and I could not look away.

The ending is a little disappointing, but I still loved the book as a whole.

Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells - 4.00/5.00

This was a fun little murder mystery that was unfortunately hampered by being a midquel. I appreciate that some of the humans were less stupid and annoying. I'm still not very interested in action that happens mostly in Cyberspace, but there was less of that this time around.

Jade Legacy by Fonda Lee - 5.00/5.00

This book pulls the camera back and spans decades in the life of the Kauls and brings the Green Bone Saga to a stunning conclusion.

The characters are so deep and complex. I love watching them make choices, even really bad choices, because it's what's consistent with their character. Even when they're not always likable decisions. Seeing Wen come into her own and take over pop culture was a neat storyline. Anden growing more comfortable and confident in his own skin and his skills as a doctor is such a big change from the unsure kid he was in the first book. Even though you start to feel his age, Hilo is still a terrifying badass and his moments of good strategy show how far he's come. I liked watching the next generation grow up and find their own place in the world. Watching the Kauls shape the city streets and eventually their country as a whole is so compelling.

The antagonists are fascinating and you really do have the feeling that if this story were from their point of view, they would be the heroes. I liked the parts where Jeun teamed up with the new Horn of the Mountain clan to solve bigger problems.

Bero remains my favorite little cockroach man. He should be dead. He should be dead so many times over. He's responsible for so much shit. But he's just some guy. He's just the worst little guy.

The passage of time in this novel lends it a great sense of scope and scale. Even though it's over seven hundred pages long, it feels like it goes by too quickly, in a good way. You just want to linger with the characters you've come to love for just a little while longer.

Borne by Jeff Vandermeer - 4.75/5.00

What can I say? I needed another hit after Hummingbird Salamander.

This post-apocalypse throws the reader right into the deep end with little explanation and I love it. Set in the ruins of a city ruled over by the giant mutant bear Mord and the specter of The Company, the protagonist Rachel scavenges an organism from Mord's fur and against the wishes of her partner, takes it in.

Borne starts out surprisingly cute and charming, to the point where you can almost forget that as good as it is at imitating humans, it isn't one. His close bond with Rachel is what holds this story together, even as that bond becomes strained and uneasy. The end of part two hits like a truck, especially because you already know what's going on, but to see it said out loud is devastating.

Vandermeer is so good at writing toxic, but compelling people. And as the story progresses, you see Rachel and her partner Wick drift apart and come back together on a brutal trek across the city.

There's so much of this book that winds up being simultaneously gross and beautiful. The urban warfare between Mord and his smaller clones and The Magician and her fucked up mutants is fascinating as a backdrop for the story. Even amidst the giant bears and shapeshifting anemones and leviathans, the most surreal bits of the story wind up being the flashbacks to before the world ended.

I also loved the bestiary at the end, complete with illustrations.

The Obsidian Tower by Melissa Caruso - 3.50/5.00

After really enjoying Swords and Fire, I was excited to start Rooks and Ruin. While I don't think that the sequel series is quite as good as the original, I appreciate that I don't feel like I need to have read the first series to know what's happening.

I appreciate that the author doesn't waste time and just gets right to the plot. I really like that while Caruso's heroines both greatly value diplomacy, Ryx feels very different from Amalia. Vaskandar feels different from Raverra and the setting, a mixed up castle added onto by the whims of witch lords, was really cool. I like how aware Ryx is of the political realities of her standing, their world, and her friendships. Ryx is very sheltered, so you understand why she's sometimes too trusting and I appreciated the instances in which her trusting nature comes back to bite her.

That being said, I feel like Ryx trusted the Falconers too quickly and her bonds with them don't feel earned. I also wish she felt more like the other Vaskandrans.

Legacy of Kings by Eleanor Herman - 1.00/5.00

Cards on the table, I am a board certified, card carrying horse girl, so I'm naturally biased towards Alexander the great. So when I say that this book is probably read to people at CIA black sites, I mean it.

The characters are all whiny and annoying and too many of them have POVs. Jacob and Hephestion are both really stupid and fall for the dumbest tricks and traps. Katerina is aggressively bland and kind of a bad friend. I sometimes forgot that Zofia existed outside of her chapters, which have no impact on the plot. Alexander is whiny and I do not want to hear him talk about how hot is mom is again. Cynane is the only character I liked, if only because she's so edgy she loops back around to being hilarious.

The plot is kind of all over the place and lacks a good sense of time or scale. Things just kind of happen, then they work out fine. I don't think that the hunger games sub-plot is necessary. Katerina has a voyage to an old mentor to learn to use her powers and an entire training montage nearly entirely off page, only to come back for the last battle, all in the last fifty pages.

[shallanspren]

kaul hilo is an entertaining as fuck character and i love LOVE reading his povs. do i also want to hit him with my car? yes.

[feysandfeels]

Kaul Hilo what a man you are to only be fictional

[phaedraismyusername]

10 Characters, 10 Fandoms, 10 Tags

Aw thank you for the tag @griever-receiver I know this is a 'does what it says on the tin' kinda thing but Im just gonna apologise upfront because this feels like it's gonna be a nightmare lol

Balalaika (Black Lagoon)

Garrus Vakarian (Mass Effect)

Solas (Dragon Age)

Toph (ATLA)

Hilo/Kaul Hiloshudon (Green Bone)

Teal'c (Stargate)

Riza Hawkeye (FMAB)

DEATH (Discworld)

Power (Chainsaw Man)

En (Dorohedoro)

I don't have 10 tags and I have no idea if anyone else has done this as this was my top notification and all I've done since is stare blankly at this post so feel free to ignore for any reason at all lol

@lapinlunairegames @kalorphic @lifesupreme-if @magiciansvoyage @enspey @beyondthedreamdimensions @becksterr @honeypeabrain

[mvsicinthedvrk]

He should know exactly what Hilo wants him to say-- or at least the sentiment he wants the younger man to express. Some kind of genuine apology? A small measure of regret for all the trouble he'd caused? Maybe even with a little respect thrown in, for good measure. Not this careful, PR-coded, bullshit tone, Hilo thinks. As tense as he'd been when approaching his cousin, though, his offensive attitude deflates slightly when the other claims he's not even sure who Hilo is. It's like living in a nightmare, first with Shae having selective amnesia, then Wen not recognizing him at all, and now the same with Andy? "You think you don't know me?" he asks, insistent for the other to repeat his statement so he can make sure he understands correctly. He goes on with restless energy: "No Peak, Janloon, the Kauls. Shae, Lan-- does any of that ring a bell? I'm your cousin, I don't know what's wrong with you."

Anden immediately tensed up, watching his pack of cigarettes get thrown on the ground. He was quickly irritated, those were expensive after all, but he pulled himself back from that quickly, especially when the man immediately mentioned his full name. "I don't know what you want me to say." Anden said, tone calm and almost apologetic as he took a careful step back, trying to diffuse the situation. A strange man knowing his full name and having him alone on the streets couldn't mean anything good, and it was important the he stayed careful and polite. His eyes flitted behind him, trying to take in his best escape route if that was necessary. "I'm not even sure who you are, but I promise I'm not looking for trouble." If it was just aggression he wouldn't be as concerned. Despite how he looked Anden could defend himself, but the fact this stranger knew who he was and seemed to have something out for him specifically definitely left him on edge.

[bookingforfun]

Jade Legacy begins with the aftermath of Jade War. In Jade Legacy, Kaul Hilo (Pillar of No Peak) confronts a new reality in which jade is now being commercialized and then weaponized by non-Kekonese in other parts of the world. His sister Shae, the clan’s weather man, is responsible for forecasting the slow war between global superpowers and its effects on Kekon, persuading private businesses and national policies to align with No Peak, and personally dis­mantling the Mountain’s continued advantage over the clan. The next-generation Kauls face their own problems in addition to inheriting their parents’ battles in Jade Legacy. Kaul Niko (Lan the former Pillars son, and Hilo’s nephew ) questions his birthright as the future Pillar of No Peak and his purpose for wearing jade. Kaul Niko’s younger brother Ru has to reconcile being born into a powerful Green Bone family with his genetic nonreactivity to jade (he is a “Stone Eye” like his mother Wen). Their younger sister Jaya has to constantly assert her place among Kekon’s traditionally-male warrior class (although she definitely doesn’t have a problem reminding anyone of her abilities 😁). There are so many things that I want to say about this book but it’s one of those books that you have to experience for yourself. Jade Legacy is HEAVY on the politics, so if you aren’t into fantasy that focuses on political maneuvering and scheming, then you’ve been warned 😁. One thing that I appreciated the most about this book was how the reader has the opportunity to see each characters growth from the first book, Jade City. For example, Hilo (my favorite 😁) was a hot head , ready to fight anyone at any time but as his role in the Clan changed and he became a husband and father you get to see his compassionate side. I could go on and on y’all 😁. I absolutely loved this trilogy, however I recommend the audiobook for Jade War, (the second book in the trilogy) only because it’s extremely heavy on politics and it can get a little hard to follow at times, but it is definitely worth the time and the narrator is excellent 👍🏾. Have you read this trilogy yet? If so, Let me know what you thought about this gem . ✌🏾 (at Atlanta, Georgia) https://www.instagram.com/p/CaaGYGlLfPT/?utm_medium=tumblr

[mvsicinthedvrk]

Was that [MACKENYU]? Oh no no, that was just [KAUL HILOSHUDON], a [CANON CHARACTER] from [THE GREEN BONE SAGA]. They are [TWENTY SEVEN] years old, use [HE/HIM], and [ARE] aware that they are not actually from Washington DC. Too bad they can’t stray from this city for long.

the first book of this series is 500 pages long and i read it in mostly one sitting; when i say these characters have a chokehold on me i am not exaggerating sadly. that being said, this is kaul hiloshudon, aka hilo, and there are minor spoilers under the cut for jade city book 1

how long has your character been here

he's been here maybe a handful of days at most. still trying to get his bearings here.

what is your character’s job

uhhhhh yeah so being that he just showed up, hilo doesn't have an official job, but obviously he's going to try to establish No Peak here as well, who gives a fuck if this is dc and not kekon he can't not do what he can to reestablish the clan

where has your character been pulled from in their fandom

the end of book 1, jade city, just after his falling out with anden

has any magic affected your character

nope, all of his jade-given abilities are still in play, and he has all of his memories up through where i pulled him from.

and any other information you might find useful for us and the other members to know:

basically, for those of you unfamiliar, the green bone saga is about warring clans in a city on an island called kekon, set in ambiguously modern day but not so modern that they have cell phones. think like 70s/80s rival gang vibes.

hilo's from the kaul family, the heads of No Peak clan. his grandfather was the Pillar (the clan leader), and since his father had died, hilo's older brother lan became the Pillar. hilo acted as the Horn, who was in charge of military operations in the clan, the head of defending their areas of the city and protecting the businesses of their investors and supporters. basically, he was the head of the brawn of the operation, not really involved in or experienced with the politics of it all

SPOILERS TW: after his older brother lan's untimely death, hilo is left to become the Pillar, a position that he's certainly not as comfortable with, but which he takes because of his dedication to his family and to No Peak. he is also out for revenge against the rival clan that contributed to his brother's death, and wants to-- if not destroy them completely, then at the very least make sure his own clan doesn't fall at their hands.

he's a very skilled fighter, in part due to his skill in wielding jade, which helps enhance a variety of abilities (Lightness, Strength, Channelling, Deflection, Perception, etc). in kekon, when you beat another green bone, you can rightfully take their jade and add it to your own collection; hilo embeds his pieces of jade into the skin of his collarbone.

personality information: his sheer passion is what stands out most-- his passion for defending his family and for defeating his enemies, especially. he's equally passionate about violence and love. he can be charming if he wants to be, but can be just as aggressive and abrasive and he tends to be incredibly impulsive if not held back. he says he'll forgive you, but he'll also forget he said that two weeks later, because he really won't ever get over any perceived slight or betrayal; he's very sensitive and will take offense to almost anything. he's described as believing he loves his family more than they love him. he attempts to do right by those who are loyal to him.

in terms of plots, possible ideas for connections: definitely business associates, he'll be very boldly offering the protection of his one-man clan lmfao, he'll also need neighbors, some kind of friends he can get along with, people to train/practice fighting with, people to genuinely butt heads with, people who will encourage him to give into his impulses, people who can try to help him make some better/more thoughtful decisions, all sorts of options for plots and connections.

[hms-tardimpala]

Jade Legacy liveblog pt 5:

I fully support Niko's decision to work outside of the clan, but NOT AT THIS COMPANY WTF. Also, I hate to see the Kaul family destroyed 😢

Jesus, even when Anden's got a stable boyfriend, it's not quite the right man for him. When will my boy be happy???

Maik Tar, what are you doing?!

Good Hilo, good. Niko will be mad when he'll discover he's being watched, but at least Hilo is acting like a father.

How is Bero 36???!? He's supposed to be sixteen 😭

Ru is so well-adjusted for now, how is he going to be fucked up?

Yeah, let's talk about Jaya, we barely know her. Hmm I don't dislike her, but I sort of almost do...?

So now Maik Tar has jade again. Not good. FUCK HE KILLED JON REMI!! I knew it was a plot! Who is he working for? Hilo? Not Ayt Mada?!

Anden did what? Why would he want to have Remi killed? So long later? Come on, Anden, I want your version.

[livingasaghost]

Yesss talk to me about Jade City. Character ranking? Fave scene? Predictions? PLEASE

THIS IS THE BEST ASK I’VE GOTTEN IN WEEKS THANK YOU KIND SOUL

if anyone is curious i do have a very extensive jade city playlist and it is my pride and joy

okay so objectively there will be spoilers so like...anyone who hasn’t read jade war plz keep scrolling

i’ve read a few books since i picked up this series so forgive me bc i am not going to be eloquent at all but oh my GOD this series is like so unexpectedly brilliant?? like i do not normally go for mafia books or the godfather or any of that bs but THIS BOOK? immediately from page one i was just fully invested in the kaul family and the further we go in the series the more i just want them all to be happy and get their revenge UGH

so like character ranking? i guess it’s like... hilo > anden > shae > wen > lan ?? i can’t really remember any of the minor characters or anything but literally even this list feels so fake because i was SO DEVASTATED when lan died UGH what a great twist

there are SO MANY good scenes but i think my favorites are (no particular order) 1) when hilo and shae basically team up to kill all those people after lan’s pronounced dead 2) when shae has her duel with whatsherface and kicks ASS 3) the big duel at the end of JC where hilo is like almost going to die and then he’s like NOW and anden swoops in like a badass and kills that guy 4) THE SCENE AT THE END OF JADE WAR WHEN HILO AND SHAE BATTLE IT OUT AND HILO TELLS HER TO LEAVE AND SHE’S LIKE HELL NO BITCH I AM YOUR WEATHER MAN 5) oh my god the scene where shae realizes she has to kill whatshisface and then she just fucking snaps his neck WOOSH

do i have predictions? not really. i am so HYPED to see how barrow (barro? i read the audiobook) and hilo finally reach their conclusion and hilo figures out that barrow is actually the guy who stole lan’s jade (SPEAKING OF; THE SCENE WHERE HE BURIES THE ONE KID ALIVE....GODDAMN) like THAT SCENE IS GOING TO BE SO WILD!!! i really hope wen is okay and i wanna see anden like finally get his resolution somewhere. i think that the mountain pillar is DEFINITELY going to die at some point, unclear who is going to kill her...hmmm i don’t know there’s just so many things to wrap up. 

anyway i just fucking love HILO like i can’t explain it but he’s so sweet and also blood-thirsty? he protects his own but also he will kill you if you cross him??? i’d die for this man and his wife and his family 

[bookshopkat]

Asian Fantasy Novels for the Lunar New Year

Photo by Thyla Jane

Happy Year of the Ox!  The Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, is a major celebration in many Asian countries.  Marking the first new moon of the lunar calendar, this celebration lasts for days and is a time for family and friends, lantern festivals, dragon and lion dances, gifts of money, fireworks, and feasts.  There’s something enchanting about the Lunar New Year, with its bright lanterns lining every street and its sparkling starbursts lighting the night sky.  At its heart is tradition, cultural beliefs, and a mixture of mythology and magic.  Simple charms are used to bring good luck and drive away evil.  The supernatural has a firm place amid the celebrations, from shoe-stealing ghosts in South Korea to Vietnamese kitchen gods to the lion-like monster Nian in China.  As such, this holiday presents a marvelous opportunity to both celebrate various Asian cultures and conjure a sense of wonder.  So, to celebrate the Lunar New Year, here are four fantasy novels rooted in Asian culture and lore.

Jade City by Fonda Lee

On the island of Kekon, jade grants those with the ability to wield it special powers, but promises pain and death for anyone lacking the right genetics who tries to use it.  As a result, jade smuggling is a profitable business and those families with the capacity to use the mineral, called Jade Bones, make up the highest class of society. But now ordinary citizens are somehow gaining the ability to use jade, and it is throwing the society of Kekon into turmoil.  As suspicion fuels inter-clan warfare among the noble class, the future of the island nation hangs in the balance.  In the midst of this chaos stands three siblings. Kaul Lan, the new, young, peace-loving leader of his family, finds himself faced with the uncomfortable necessity of bloodshed as he tries to steer his clan through these uncertain times.  Lan’s brother, the hot-tempered and passionate Kaul Hilo, is like a warrior straight out of old tales: honorable, protective, and hungry for battle and glory.  Their sister, Shae, is an independent modern woman who chose to cast aside her jade along with her traditional roles in favor of freedom and marriage to an outsider.  Added to this cast of characters is Wen, Hilo’s forbidden lover, who is burdened by the combination of coming from a disgraced family and being a rare Stone Eye, a supposedly cursed person completely immune to jade.  All four have their differences and disagreements, and the tension between them mirrors the growing strain in their homeland at large.  It will take them all, however, to find out who is responsible for the dangerous drug allowing non-Jade Bones to wield the sacred stone before it is too late.

This is a novel that bridges high fantasy and urban fantasy, weaving a tale of heroism, betrayal, and intrigue against the backdrop of a thoroughly modernized enchanted society. Lee’s narrative is intricate and interesting, her world building is exceptional, and her magical system is comprehensive and intelligent.  Running throughout the entire tale are elements of Chinese myth and culture, with folklore concerning gods and monsters playing a vital part.  Complex, well-written, and engaging, Jade City is grand and unique fantasy adventure.

Tears of the Wind by Phung Lam

This collection of short stories is a touching as it is magical.  Taking place on the fictional Island of Wishes, each tale explores human nature and the deepest desires people harbor in dark corners of their minds. From a lonely heart seeking solace to a soul hungry with ambition, this anthology explores the not only the power of wishes, but the question: what would people do if the one thing they truly wanted most could be theirs?  It’s basically impossible to find an English version of this book, and I had to rely on the Smart Book translation application for the ebook format.  That led to some odd phrasing in portions of the text, but the collection was nonetheless enjoyable. That is because Lam writes not only with imagination but also with a keen understanding of humanity.

The narratives are dreamlike, the content somewhat akin to magical realism and the tone ultimately surrealistic.  Ranging from heartrending to horrifying, Lam weaves stories about the darkest parts of ourselves, when we harbor wishes we dare not name, as well as about the unforeseen and often terrible consequences of getting exactly what we think we want.  The author explores the nature of love, the power of longing, and the baser side of our very nature. It’s an engaging collection that seems, and its core, to turn upon one basic thought: be careful what you wish for.

The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo

Set in late-nineteenth-century Malaya, on the island of Borneo, this novel sparkles with folk beliefs and superstitions.  Li Lan is a spirited girl and only child from a family wrapped in what can only be called genteel poverty.  Her life is certainly not perfect—her mother is dead, her father, although loving, has allowed his grief to lead to opium addiction, and her marriage prospects are extremely limited—but things aren’t so very bad.  Apart from occasional longings for beautiful new clothing such as she sees other wealthier girls sporting, Li Lan would be reasonably content if it weren’t for one thing: her father has asked her if she would like become a ghost bride.  He says it almost as a joke, but the moment he speaks the words, the wheels of fate start to turn. The rare tradition of ghost brides is meant to mollify the spirits of wealthy young men who died without marrying, and it presents both tempting and terrifying prospects. While accepting would mean financial help for her aging father as well as a place for Li Lan herself in one of Malacca city’s most affluent households, it would also mean giving up any dreams of love, passion, or children of her own.

Li Lan, of course, refuses, especially when she starts to develop feelings for another decided living man.  But the choice may not be as easy as the thinks.  She finds herself haunted by Lim Tiang Ching, her spectral suitor, and he is determined to have her.  Tiang Ching, the young woman soon learns, was selfish and cruel when he was alive, and death hasn’t improved him. Desperate, Li Lan seeks the help of a local wise woman, and unwittingly finds herself embroiled in a supernatural struggle where ghosts are all too real and her only hope hangs on a mysterious young man who may be more than he seems, and who is most definitely keeping secrets.  On top of that, she begins to realize that the Lim family is harboring some dark secrets of their own, and one of them may be deadly.  

Choo’s narrative is imaginative as well as brimming with cultural folklore and traditions.  A blend of mystery and fantasy, it is engaging from start to finish.  Many of the characters are interesting and a little quirky, although a couple feel less well developed and there were a few moments when I felt the protagonist was a bit too flighty for my tastes. Nonetheless, this is a fun, entertaining fantasy book, perfect for an evening of light reading with a cup of tea or coffee at your side.

When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller

This is a truly wonderful novel blending together magical realism, mythology, family drama, and a deeply touching coming of age tale. It’s a beautifully written and imaginative narrative where opposites don’t so much collide as they do interweave in a complex dance.  Dreams tangle with reality, childhood blurs with adolescence, Korean tradition intersects with modern America, folklore mingles with daily life, and stories become solid enough to touch. Through it all runs a profound understanding of emotion and the human spirit.

Lily has always loved visiting her Korean grandmother, catching stars to learn what stories they hold and listening to traditional tales from their ancestral homeland.  This, however, is different.  Now Lily, along with her mother and her sister, are moving in with the old woman because Lily’s grandmother is sick, and isn’t getting any better.  A new city, a new school, and new fears about her beloved relative would all be difficult enough, but Lily has another problem: upon arriving, she sees a tiger straight out of one of her grandmother’s tales.  This is both a metaphor for many things: words unsaid, terminal illness, fear, and long-ago mistakes.   It is, however, also an introduction of the magical real.  Upon informing her grandmother about the big cat, Lily begins unraveling the old woman’s greatest tale yet, and takes the first step in a personal journey to discover family secrets and leave her childhood behind.  As marvelous as it is heartfelt, When You Trap a Tiger addresses conflicts between generations and cultures, as well as the reconciliation of the past, through the lens myths and storytelling. At its core, this is a novel about the power of both love and stories, as well as about one girl finding herself.

Perhaps one of these books will make an excellent companion over the next several days as celebrations of the Lunar New Year progress. Blending Asian folklore with a sense of the fantastic, these works may prove to be the perfect way for those not immersed in these festivities to still capture a bit of the season’s spirit.  Readers hungry for an interesting narrative that is a little out of the ordinary will likely find any one of these to be a feast for the imagination, as well as a wonderful way to start of the Year of the Ox.  Happy Reading!

[sunfortune]

Ok I’m a different jade city anon. already got to That Part and wanted to talk about it, if spoilers are ok. I actually stopped reading after That Part. Essentially: I thought Lan was the only one making sense. It was interesting with him b/c i liked seeing how he dealt with being outplayed and amping up the stakes. W/out him, the tension is gone. Im worried the rest of the book is just gonna be people duking it out on the battlefield w/out a vision. Whats the draw/tension now? I do like Andy

omg fellow lan stan FINALLY!! i was a one man lan nation over here lmfao

okay. i kind of agree with you but i dont think That Part hurt the FIRST book in terms of the writing (even though it broke my HEART, like i was UPSET for like a week) bc the book recuperates with shae and hilo’s characters quick. and the hurt of That isnt just brushed aside like a lot of other books do. so even though it upset ME the book did pull through that i just ended up thinking it was such a ballsy move. and i still really liked book 1

that being said though! i agree with you that it did hurt it but it hurt the SECOND book. the first book has a solid plot the whole way through even with all the shit. the second book theres a lot of parts that felt like they were all over the place. and they had those in the first book too but lan being that levelheaded constant in the family dynamic kind of grounded that in the first book. and you really FEEL the lack of his presence in the second one when theyre just doing regular shit. it always feels like something is missing in the dynamic. 

also i really was just bored with the “starting the next generation of kauls” stuff in book 2. like we barely know the current generation -_- 

plus hilo was just so much more fun as the horn </3

[paradife-loft]

Jade War liveblog, ch31 through ch35

- yeeeessss, I definitely suspected the duel would end with someone surrendering. while I uh,,,,, have no illusions about Fonda Lee being unwilling to kill a POV character mid-book (lmao), it didn’t feel structurally like that’s what she was going to do here, and a surrender after people put up a good showing wouldn’t be too bad a loss of face! definitely like the additional detail of Mada losing part of her ear too, that’s a nice touch.

- also I really am into how Hilo had stayed up all night to make military preparations to violate the clean blade, god. like it would have been terrible!! but it’s so delightful character-congruent - and really interesting, the way the two remaining Kaul kiddos are “un-Kekonese” in certain ways both, but in almost opposite directions (Shae trying to get away from the strictures of her family, and Hilo in that he doesn’t give a fuck about honor or rules if anything threatens his family).

- ngl some of the very things that drive/drove me nuts about Shae & her decisions are like.... exactly related to the ways we’re very similar, hah. cutting off her nose to spite her face, going and doing things bc her family disapproves, being too damn stubborn about wanting something of her own? like, yeah, real XD it’s just that in her circumstances, the rebellious thing to do managed to coincide with things that I, in my circumstances, think are Bad and Disloyal, lol.

- I continue really loving the contrast Anden notes between Kekonese culture and “Kespie” culture <3 also hello there, parallels to certain tensions among Japanese-Americans re: serving in the military during WWII!

- “You’re a visiting student, why didn’t you stay in the basement with the others where it was safe? You should’ve let the Green Bones handle it. If you’d been hurt or killed, what would we tell your family?”  --> ok, but this also seems like another distinction between Keko-Espenian culture and Anden’s home culture & esp upbringing as a Kaul! bc while Shae & Hilo certainly would have been upset for Anden to be hurt (or esp killed), I feel like “got hurt while protecting his community/makeshift clan from outsiders trying to assault them” would be seen as an entirely reasonable, understandable thing to do, that they’d be proud of him for. if perhaps disgruntled that it would have been avoidable if he was wearing jade :P

- “It was sometimes hard for Anden to remember that Rohn Toro was not actually a clan Fist, that he had to earn money in an ordinary job” --> laughing a little too hard at that tbh, I really like Rohn Toro the more I see of him

- “When he’d rushed into danger, the Pillar’s son had been forced to protect him. If their relationship lasted, would this always be the case?” --> ahahaha wellllll I had asked earlier what circumstances might arise to force Anden back into wearing jade, the way Shae was in book 1? I think I’m seeing glimmers now :)

- “He had no template for how to be a member of the Kaul family, indeed, how to be a Kekonese man at all, without jade.” --> MMM YES HELLO THERE I SEE A DELICIOUS GENDER CONSTRUCTION??? :D yes I like it thank.

- Fonda Lee show me the Forbidden Trans History in Kekon pls :3333

- aahhhh one thing I wish this book had is a better sense of how each POV chapter matches to one another in the broader timeline???? bc with this last bit of the Dauks asking Anden to get aid from the Kauls, I’m SO curious if Shae’s already put her plan in motion to establish an offshoot branch of the Ship Street office in Port Massy yet or not? 

- I just realised, there’s a fairly large implicit context for why I’ve been so down on Espenia from even the start of the series that I haven’t mentioned here or I think to anyone else yet thusfar? namely, that their having the military base on Euman Island on Kekon, has enough surface similarities to the US having a military base on Okinawa, that it also brought along all my emotional baggage from those similarities as well.