Today I’d like to review one of my favorite series of all time, the Their Bright Ascendancy books by K Arsenault Rivera. This is an adult, Asian-inspired fantasy trilogy composed of The Tiger’s Daughter, The Phoenix Empress, and The Warrior Moon. I just finished the final book on April 20th, and I’m still just floored by the perfection of the ending and wishing there was more!
The books follow two women who meet in their childhood. Shizuka is the niece of the emperor, and Shefali is the daughter of the leader of a Mongol-inspired steppe people. Their mothers are the closest of friends, so naturally they want their girls to be friends as well. Except that when they first meet as children, Shizuka tries to kill Shefali. Later on, the people around them start to notice that these girls may be more than they appear, particularly when, at eight years old, they manage to kill a savage tiger.
These books have so much going for them! The prose is, first and foremost, amazing. It’s very flowery, especially in the first book when you’re just getting adjusted to the author’s writing style. If you’re not a fan of metaphors, reader beware! Despite the poetic, detail-oriented language and the way that the point of view and tense changes for each perspective, the author does an excellent job of leading the reader through the story. I didn’t find myself confused at any point in the three books, even when the books jump between third and second person. And the second person? It is artfully done!
In addition to the solid mechanics of the books, the characters and plot are out of this world. You will feel for every single character you come across. It doesn’t matter if it’s the main characters your rooting for, the despicable villains, or the well-fleshed out side characters. They’ll feel like real people, and you’ll wonder if you could stand to be around some of them if they were! The author weaves the plot along within these character arcs and succeeds in creating an epic masterpiece.
One of the biggest pluses for this series is the LGBT representation. Multiple characters could be described as LGBT, and the way they are portrayed is respectful and empowering to the real-world community. Additionally, the women in these books take the forefront: they drive the plot, they’re strong willed, they’re brave, and they’re leaders. Some balance femininity with necessary heroics, while others, at their core, are gritty and powerful.
As far as negatives go, there aren’t many. I’ve read other reviews from people who feel that the series is filled with appropriation of Asian cultures. You can see this in using real world words and names, but changing their meaning to fit within the context of the author’s world. You can also see this in the animal imagery and the customs of different cultures in the books, just to point out a few of the things that could have been more original. That said, I feel like the representation in the book far outweighs the lack of cultural sensitivity that some readers sense in the text.
Overall, I am in love with this series and the characters! I finished each book within a week, which is often a big accomplishment for a slow reader like myself. It pains me that this series is already over, but the author has a prequel in the works that I’m waiting impatiently for.
If you want to pick up these books, unfortunately we don’t have copies here in Greenwood, but you can order them through Evergreen today and still support us as we’re starting to get books out into the community again!
Michelle is a member of our Patron Services Department. In addition to being an avid reader, she also is an animal lover and a fan of board games.