A review by erinbookbug
The First Step by Tao Wong

adventurous lighthearted

4.0

A Thousand Li, #1: The First Step by Tao Wong (Audiobook read by Travis Baldree)
Genre: Fantasy, Xianxia / Wuxia 

Rating: Teen
Source: Audible 

Published: 2019

Tags: Setting - Ancient China, Cultivation, Army Conscription, Sword Fighting, Martial Arts Training, Meditation, Education, Sect Life, Quests, Friendship, Rivals & Enemies, Monsters & Demons, Spirit Beasts, Immortals, Bandits

Characters: Long Wu Ying 

Summary: Long Wu Ying never expected to join a Sect or become a real cultivator. His days were spent studying, planting rice on the family farm and spending time with his friends. Fate, however, has different plans for Wu Ying and when the army arrives at his village, he and many other members of the village are conscripted. Given the opportunity to join the Verdant Green Waters Sect, Wu Ying must decide between his pedestrian, common life and the exciting, blood soaked life of a cultivator.

Join Wu Ying as he takes his first step on his Thousand Li journey to become an immortal cultivator.

This was a very enjoyable read. The audiobook was well done and the pacing of the story itself was well thought out. I really liked they way the cultivation methods and training was described as Wu Ying progressed through his first year of education. The depictions of sword fights and martial arts in general were also quite well done. 

The first half of the book is about Wu Ying leaving his small farming village and joining a large cultivation sect. The second half is about a quest Wu Ying undertakes on the orders of a vindictive elder in his new sect. Both halves of the story flow very seamlessly into each other and the ending is a satisfying conclusion for the first book in a series. 

If you enjoy Chinese fantasy, especially of the cultivation variety, than your should check this book out. It is also part of a fairly long series which I am already planning to continue reading.