The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water

by Zen Cho

Zen Cho returns with The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water, a found family wuxia fantasy that combines the vibrancy of old school martial arts movies with characters drawn from the margins of history.

A bandit walks into a coffeehouse, and it all goes downhill from there. Guet Imm, a young votary of the Order of the Pure Moon, joins up with an eclectic group of thieves (whether they like it or not) in order to protect a sacred object, and finds herself in a far more complicated situation than she could have ever imagined.

• ISBN10: 1250269253
• ISBN13: 9781250269256
• Publish Date: 1 July 2020 (first published 23 June 2020)
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 5 April 2024
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: St Martin's Press
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 160
• Language: English

Reviews

[celinenyx]

While I loved the quietness of the story and the queer found-family tropes, the characterization of the characters was thin and the banter seemed hollow to me. Plenty of people love it though

[Quirky Cat]

I received a copy of The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Zen Cho's latest novella, The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water, has been getting a lot of ink, and with good reason. It's a wuxia fantasy with characters that feel larger than life.

What does a group of bandits and a nun have in common? The adventure they're about to have together, of course. And to think it all started with a simple incident in a teahouse. They should have known it'd turn into something bigger.

Before I dive into my review, I just want to say that the cover for The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water is quite possibly one of my favorites, ever. Definitely one of the top covers for the year!

"You hexed a customer?" he roared. He smacked her on the side of the head.
"I didn't say that, Mr. Aw," protested the waitress, rubbing her head. "I just said I didn't deny only."

The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water is a quick and quirky read. That really is the best way I can describe it. It's fun and full of action, quips, and a broad range of characters. It was so much fun to read, and for plenty of good reasons.

Honestly, though, I'm struggling to write this review, despite highly enjoying the novella. It's hard to talk about without delving into the world of spoilers. I can say that it was a blast to read and that I adored many of the characters from these pages.

I can also say that it was a quick-paced read, bordering on lively. And that humor! Oh, I love Zen Cho's writing style and sense of humor. It's absolute perfection. Combined with the surprisingly sweet elements of this tale, and it makes for a delight to read.

I was surprised by the variety of personalities found within the bandit troupe, and everything else they had to offer. Likewise, the world itself is fascinating. It's set in a mythical Asian country, yet it is also clearly a war-torn country. As one might imagine, that adds a lot to the plot here, from complications to motivations.

My biggest regret about The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water is that it ended too soon. It's a novella, I know, so it was bound to happen. But still, I really do wish that it had gone on for just a bit more.

Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks