The Poppy War: A Novel

R. F. Kuang

May 2018 · The Poppy War Book 1 · HarperAudio · Narrated by Emily Woo Zeller

About this audiobook

An AudioFile Magazine Best Audiobook of 2018!

A Library Journal, Paste Magazine, and ENTROPY Best Books of 2018 pick!

Washington Post ""5 Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Novel of 2018"" pick!

A Bustle ""30 Best Fiction Books of 2018"" pick!

“I have no doubt this will end up being the best fantasy debut of the year [...] I have absolutely no doubt that [Kuang’s] name will be up there with the likes of Robin Hobb and N.K. Jemisin.” -- Booknest

A brilliantly imaginative talent makes her exciting debut with this epic historical military fantasy, inspired by the bloody history of China’s twentieth century and filled with treachery and magic, in the tradition of Ken Liu’s Grace of Kings and N.K. Jemisin’s Inheritance Trilogy.

When Rin aced the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies—it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard—the most elite military school in Nikan—was even more surprising.

But surprises aren’t always good.

Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school.

For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . .

Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late.

Ratings and reviews

I was excited to find this series when I started but unfortunately about 3/4 of the way through the author lost me. The story became confusing and new characters introduced that weren't fleshed out enough to know who they were. I lovehow it began thigh so maybe you'll have better luck!

I did not like this book. It was just a recap of real life martial arts stores and beliefs put into a mystical world and bathed in cruelty. Most of this book is found in the history of how Kung Fu was started and then the focus of how the phoenix in kung fu only represents complete destruction. That is why in the 5 animals of Shaolin hungar, you only learn the hidden form of the Phoenix after you have mastered the other animals, than master dragon style. Then you learn the deadly form of the phoenix. Only the most stable of mind and soul should learn the deadly art of killing ruthlessly. I feel like this book was just a rip off of Chinese martial arts put into a baby killing ruthless story

A great book about war and the cost of it beyond money, lives. I read this months ago, but it still had enough of an impact that I wanted to rate it. After I finished the book, I had to read the sequel, which was also excellent.

About the author

Rebecca F. Kuang is the #1 New York Times and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of the Poppy War trilogy, Babel: An Arcane History, and Yellowface. Her work has won the Nebula, Locus, Crawford, and British Book Awards. A Marshall Scholar, she has an MPhil in Chinese Studies from Cambridge and an MSc in Contemporary Chinese Studies from Oxford. She is now pursuing a PhD in East Asian Languages and Literatures at Yale, where she studies diaspora, contemporary Sinophone literature, and Asian American literature.