Scan barcode
queer_bookwyrm's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
4 ⭐ CW: violence, blood, gore, sexual assault, death, torture, cannibalism
The Water Outlaws by S.L. Huang is a Chinese historical fantasy based on classic martial arts wuxia literature. This was sort of like a very queer and female centric Robin Hood meets Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. This was an excellent book! We get found family, no romance, and plenty of queer characters.
We follow Lin Chong, a female master arms instructor to the emperor's soldiers and guardsmen. When she becomes victim to the Marshall's sexual advances and rebuffs him, she is branded a criminal and sent away. On her way to a work camp, Lin Chong discovers that the Marshall has contracted her guards to kill her, but she is rescued by Lu Da, the Flower Monk, a member of the outlaw bandits Liangshan.
Since Lin Chong's rescue, she has been connected to the power of Lu Da's god's tooth, an object that gives the wearer great power over energies. She finds she has a new awareness and enhanced abilities to the fighting skills she already possesses. Once at the stronghold of Liangshan, Lin Chong must face her struggle between wanting true justice and not wanting to be involved with criminals, but she is very much disenfranchised from the government. We also see a story about the grand Chancellor's quest for power beyond all imagination by researching the manufacture of god's teeth.
This was a great story of found family, and of how the state is not always to be trusted blindly, that those in power often abuse it. It's also a story of redemption. Liangshan may be made of criminals, but their over all goal is justice for the oppressed and abused. Liangshan is a place where women get to hold power, and trans and nonbinary people can be themselves. We see several side characters who are known as "wind riders," those who go between genders. There are mentions of lesbian characters as well. Lu Da is definitely my favorite. She's a big lug of a woman with a fiercely loyal heart. She is kind of like a big muscular golden retriever.
It was a bit slow in the middle, but I quite enjoyed this wuxia story. It's my first time with this genre, but I appreciate learning about different cultures and martial arts practices. I would definitely read another book by this author.
The Water Outlaws by S.L. Huang is a Chinese historical fantasy based on classic martial arts wuxia literature. This was sort of like a very queer and female centric Robin Hood meets Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. This was an excellent book! We get found family, no romance, and plenty of queer characters.
We follow Lin Chong, a female master arms instructor to the emperor's soldiers and guardsmen. When she becomes victim to the Marshall's sexual advances and rebuffs him, she is branded a criminal and sent away. On her way to a work camp, Lin Chong discovers that the Marshall has contracted her guards to kill her, but she is rescued by Lu Da, the Flower Monk, a member of the outlaw bandits Liangshan.
Since Lin Chong's rescue, she has been connected to the power of Lu Da's god's tooth, an object that gives the wearer great power over energies. She finds she has a new awareness and enhanced abilities to the fighting skills she already possesses. Once at the stronghold of Liangshan, Lin Chong must face her struggle between wanting true justice and not wanting to be involved with criminals, but she is very much disenfranchised from the government. We also see a story about the grand Chancellor's quest for power beyond all imagination by researching the manufacture of god's teeth.
This was a great story of found family, and of how the state is not always to be trusted blindly, that those in power often abuse it. It's also a story of redemption. Liangshan may be made of criminals, but their over all goal is justice for the oppressed and abused. Liangshan is a place where women get to hold power, and trans and nonbinary people can be themselves. We see several side characters who are known as "wind riders," those who go between genders. There are mentions of lesbian characters as well. Lu Da is definitely my favorite. She's a big lug of a woman with a fiercely loyal heart. She is kind of like a big muscular golden retriever.
It was a bit slow in the middle, but I quite enjoyed this wuxia story. It's my first time with this genre, but I appreciate learning about different cultures and martial arts practices. I would definitely read another book by this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gore, Cannibalism, Death, Violence, and Torture
Moderate: Sexual assault
chioma_a's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
i'd never heard of the the water margins before reading this and it was a really cool introduction to the story and to the wuxia genre as a whole. loved the evolving motives of lin and the bandits, it felt like a perfectly lined up domino effect. and huang didn't pull any punches in the fight scenes, i could really see the cinematic over-the-top style in their movements. really enjoyed it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Sexual harassment
turrean's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
An epic fantasy set in ancient China, with reluctant heroes, righteous monks, outlaws, and villains battling it out over the soul of the empire. The audiobook narrator was fantastic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Torture, Violence, Gore, Sexism, Death, Sexual assault, and Injury/Injury detail
megan1002's review
adventurous
dark
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I have no words for how good this book is.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, and War
Minor: Cannibalism
dreadspawn's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Torture, Blood, War, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexism, Gore, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cannibalism
jmichaelw28's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The Water Outlaws is a great, rollicking read. It is a classic tale of heroic banditry with a great deal of fun and fantasy added in.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault
chantaal's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism, Gore, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Murder, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, and War
Moderate: Classism and Suicidal thoughts
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
badgersallthewaydown's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, War, and Violence
rundells's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Violence, Sexual assault, and War