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rorikae's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"The Water Outlaws" by S.L. Huang is an action packed fantasy story that centers a group of bandits looking to bring about justice.
Lin Chong is one of the Empire's arms instructors until the day she rejects an advance from a powerful man. When the man says that Lin Chong tried to kill him to cover her rejection, she must escape from those who seek to kill her. She finds a group of bandits, many criminals or who were branded as such, who have created their own society. The group hopes to fight back against the unfair men that have harmed them and they could use Lin Chong's expertise.
Huang does a great job of adapting a martial arts text into an engaging story with fully fledged characters and great action. There were many moments in this story that I wished I could see on screen because Huang has clearly well choreographed them. This story is rooted in its characters, who are easy to care for. Lin Chong is a good protagonist though my personal favorite character was Lu Da.
I also really appreciate a standalone fantasy with a strong plot in a world where so much fantasy is written as a series. Huang does a great job of containing the story while having it fully fill the pages. I will be interested in what Huang writes next as they clearly have a way with characters and action scenes.
Lin Chong is one of the Empire's arms instructors until the day she rejects an advance from a powerful man. When the man says that Lin Chong tried to kill him to cover her rejection, she must escape from those who seek to kill her. She finds a group of bandits, many criminals or who were branded as such, who have created their own society. The group hopes to fight back against the unfair men that have harmed them and they could use Lin Chong's expertise.
Huang does a great job of adapting a martial arts text into an engaging story with fully fledged characters and great action. There were many moments in this story that I wished I could see on screen because Huang has clearly well choreographed them. This story is rooted in its characters, who are easy to care for. Lin Chong is a good protagonist though my personal favorite character was Lu Da.
I also really appreciate a standalone fantasy with a strong plot in a world where so much fantasy is written as a series. Huang does a great job of containing the story while having it fully fill the pages. I will be interested in what Huang writes next as they clearly have a way with characters and action scenes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Deadnaming, and Torture
Moderate: Cannibalism and Sexual assault
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