The Art of Prophecy

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I enjoyed this book a lot. It felt like I was reading a wuxia movie like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon or House of Flying Daggers. The intriguing plot had several twists and an ensemble cast of compelling (if not always likeable) characters. I like that one protagonist is an older lady; you don't see too many adults on epic adventures in fantasy. Even the one-and-done characters made an impression. The story opens with Ling Taishi, one of the greatest war masters of her generation, meeting Jian, the Chosen One who’s prophesied to defeat the Eternal Khan, the immortal god-king of the Katuia hordes. She’s not impressed. The boy is spoiled, arrogant, and not ready for the challenge. Just when she decides to train him, unexpected events prove the prophecy was a sham, and the boy’s existence becomes a political problem. That’s all you need to know - a more in-depth synopsis would only spoil part of the fun. And if I somehow miraculously survive all that, I’m pretty sure I’d die of starvation or dysentery by the end of the week. What follows is a story more wondrous than any prophecy could foresee, and with many unexpected heroes: Taishi, an older woman who is the greatest grandmaster of magical martial arts in the kingdom but who thought her adventuring days were all behind her; Sali, a straitlaced warrior who learns the rules may no longer apply when the leader to whom she pledged her life is gone; and Qisami, a chaotic assassin who takes a little too much pleasure in the kill. Jian was the child of prophecy, living a lavish lifestyle and believing himself to be the future saviour of his people. But the prophecy was wrong and now Jian has been betrayed, by both his beliefs and those who have always protected him. He now must live either on the run or in disguise and never able to trust those who surround him. Figures from his past seem intent on returning, no matter how hard he tries to do so though, and it remains unclear who is there to help and who is there to hinder his escape.

Let’s discuss your characters. Can you tell us a bit more about Jian and Taishi? What inspired their personalities? It has been foretold: A child will rise to defeat the Eternal Khan, a cruel immortal god-king, and save the kingdom. To save the kingdom, an unlikely band of heroes rise: Taishi, an old grandmaster who swore her days of battle were over; Sali, a warrior re-evaluating her allegiances; and Qisami, an assassin with questionable values. Together, the four embark on a journey more wondrous than any prophecy could foresee.One of our favourite questions here on the Fantasy Hive: which fantastical creature would you ride into battle and why? That last third really did a good job of bringing together the threads of the first two acts in a compelling way that was fun to read about, while also throwing an anchor into where the series was going to go from here. I like a fantasy that has a clear and direct aim, but it also set up a lot of possibilities and established a world that felt expansive enough to be able to adequately juggle some of the subplots that were also teased. Engrossing worldbuilding, appealing characters, and a sense of humor make this a winning entry in the Sanderson canon. Without giving away spoilers, I would say the philosophy behind prophecies in the book very closely mirrors my own. The thing that destiny is that, if something has to happen, then someone has to make that choice, which means that this person had to have grown up in a way to be perfectly situated at that time, at that place, and in that certain mindset to make that decision based upon everything that has happened in their life.

The Art of Prophecy is an exploration of the power of prophecies; do you believe in prophecy and fate? This was an intriguing setup, but I felt that this was the best part of the book and that it became less compelling once Taishi and Jian went their separate ways. My favorite element of The Art of Prophecy was the dynamic between the two, whose mentor/mentee relationship had a rough start given that Taishi publicly humiliated her pupil and dismissed his previous teachers. Jian is not used to being challenged or viewed as a human being rather than a divine one, and he hates that Taishi treats him like a mere teenage boy and even dares to suggest he could improve. Taishi was also the most interesting character to me: an experienced older master who lost an arm, has power over wind, and is just kind of grumpy and over everyone’s crap. Yet beneath her grouchy exterior, she does have a soft spot for Jian and wants what’s best for him, even when he’s cross with her for ruining his luxurious lifestyle. An epic fantasy ode to martial arts and magic—the story of a spoiled hero, an exacting grandmaster, and an immortal god-king from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lives of Tao.I liked how the prose was descriptive without going overboard and removing me too far from the events at hand. The action scenes were a delight to read and they played out in my imagination like a good martial arts film. I got vibes of my favorite martial arts movies like Come Drink With Me, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, and House of Flying Daggers. An ambitious and touching exploration of disillusionment in faith, tradition, and family-a glorious reinvention of fantasy and wuxia tropes."-Naomi Novik, New York Times bestselling author of A Deadly Education And that prophecy did anoint a hero, Jian, raised since birth in luxury and splendor, and celebrated before he has won a single battle.

Overall, I rate this book a 4/5. I loved the cast of older women, found the premise really fun, and the story, especially the fight scenes, extremely engaging.My feelings about the worldbuilding were similar to that of most of the characterization: though there were some intriguing concepts introduced, they were surface level and weren’t fleshed out enough. The various fighting magics sounded like they could have been visually fantastic, and I did love learning about Sali’s people’s customs in her earlier chapters—what was expected of her (which I won’t discuss for fear of spoiling too much) and the mobile cities that set them apart from the “land-chained.” But as someone who wants societies and people with dimension in the stories I consume, these were not expanded on enough for my taste. A whirlwind tale rich with politics and fantastical martial arts . . . Chu tells a refreshing coming-of-age story with a ‘chosen one’ who faces real challenges to become a hero.” —Robin Hobb, author of the Fitz and the Fool Trilogy the things that are foretold; these include the prophecies of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel. Included Honest answer? Look; I’m a writer. I spend the majority of my hours sitting in front of a computer. I am unemployable for just about every other job. My dumb ass isn’t going to last one day in the world of the War Arts Saga. The Art of Prophecy blew my mind. Its delicious blend of wuxia, epic fantasy, and drama works on every level. Excellent characterization makes the story memorable and impossible to put down. It’s at once pulpy and profound, and it never forgets to have fun.