Reviews

Los hilos rojos de la fortuna by Neon Yang

dinah_yukich's review against another edition

4.0

Lovely light read; lovely world; enjoyed the take on prophecy and prophetic ‘magic’ from a not western Euro-centric author. Waffling between three and four stars. I couldn’t put the book down and it was tightly written… with loose ends intentionally showing the depth of the world.

Ultimately giving a four because of the strength of the two books together combined with packing this into a much shorter novella length book… a rarity in modern SFF.

avatarslayoshi's review against another edition

tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

 This felt a lot more rushed than Black Tides, and not as grounded in... anything. I still have no idea how anyone is supposed to start with this story and then go back to Black Tides, I would not be as invested in the characters or the world. Everything fell a bit flat. I probably would've rated this lower if I started here, but at the end of the day I'm glad that it was alright as a sequel (enough for me to want to continue on to the third story). 

wisecraic's review against another edition

adventurous fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

mitskacir's review against another edition

4.0

I'm continuing to enjoy this series - I appreciate how slim each volume is, with Yang packing just enough character development and world building in to engage the reader without adding any unnecessary bulk to the plot line. I was particularly impressed by some of Yang's imagery and turns of phrase in this one - some really beautiful writing.

daumari's review against another edition

4.0

I would strongly suggest starting with [b: The Black Tides of Heaven|33099588|The Black Tides of Heaven (Tensorate, #1)|J.Y. Yang|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1485291538s/33099588.jpg|53763120] as other readers suggest, as I feel its broader scope establishes the world better, but it would make for an interesting backstory prequel ala Machete order for Star Wars if you read this one first (especially since JY Yang wrote this story first before deciding to flesh out the world of Mokoya's twin, Akeha).

The Red Threads of Fortune takes place over a couple of days, four years after the events at the end of Black Tides. Running away but still plagued by ever present grief, Mokoya hunts nagas in the desert with a pack of raptors (I initially thought of birds of prey, but other people see them as dinosaurs? I figured Phoenix was the winged creature on the cover, but maybe I'm taking it too literally...) It's a quick novella, tightly centered around an immediate crisis to the city but juggling various threads of grief together around it.

A particular plot point reminds me of the series Fullmetal Alchemist, and I am curious at what the implications are to the tensing magic system.

And before I go, once again I should point out the glorious cover art by Yuko Shimizu. It's absolutely stunning!

gigireadswithkiki's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I really like how this installment of the Tensorate series directly follows the events of The Black Tides of Heaven. I will admit that I'm not quite as attached to Mokoya as I am to Alekha, but the story was still wildly imaginative and very compelling, and showed a side to Mokoya we had not seen in book 1.

Full of larger than life dinosaurs, Kaiju-esque sieges upon cities, and a romance fraught by secrets, Neon Yang once again provides an action-packed fantasy jam packed with details and political intrigue all in the space of a short story, a feat that I continue to be massively impressed by. And layered on top is a conversation revolving around parental grief that felt gentle and nuanced. 

Suffice to say, Mokoya has slightly risen in my likeability rankings after this book, but the naga and their storylines were definitely my favorite part. 

luanndie's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious sad fast-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

5.0

-Calla. En otra versión del mundo, a lo mejor no nos conocimos nunca. Conocernos ha sido una bendición de la fortuna.
-En otra versión del mundo, vivirías.
-Y, sin embargo, esta es la que tenemos.

Esta historia no hace más que mejorar. Esta  segunda entrega centrada en Mokoya y su proceso de duelo ha sido emotiva, reflexiva, emocionante y al mismo tiempo ha avanzado la trama que se presentaba en la primera novela. Creo que esta entrega ha funcionado mejor para mí porque la primera parte hizo todo el trabajo de crear conexión emocional con los personajes, y al empezar esta segunda novela ya estábamos involucrados al 100% con ellos y pudimos aprovechar las escasas 200 páginas para hacer una exploración más profunda del duelo y la pena. Además, el hecho de que en esta ocasión la historia fuera continua, sin saltos temporales, también funciona mucho mejor. Lo único que eché en falta fue un poco más de presencia de Akeha, pero supongo que lo veremos en las próximas entregas. 

muffycantread's review against another edition

adventurous fast-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

4.0

I liked it! I couldn't put down after I started, but I didn't love the romance. But still really good!

I also thought that Rider's backstory and trauma was very quickly thrown in, I didn't have a lot of time to process it enough to care unfortunately

sofie_kell's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-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

3.5

rashellnicole's review against another edition

fast-paced

4.5

I am SO glad I read this companion novella so close to reading the first in the Tensorate series. We meet back up with Mokoya after the death of her daughter and once she’s fled her husband, as she now hunts the dangerous naga. As she is on the hunt for a particularly massive target, she encounters another naga rider with the same target: Rider. Their chemistry is almost instant. As they unravel the secrets that threaten war within the Protectorate, she must learn to harness her abilities in new ways to protect the future of their world and the people she loves.