The blood phoenix by Amber Chen

In this sequel to Of Jade and Dragons it is two years since Aihui Ying’s father was murdered and she managed to be accepted into the guild of engineers in the capital, Fei, to find out why. She is now back on her home island of Larut engaged to the son of the local clan leader while her sister Nian is in the capital, engaged to the high commander of the Antaran Isles, Ye-yang. Ying doesn’t intend to marry and is engineering a submarine while planning her escape when a pirate attack from the Blood Phoenix changes everything. Ying must go back to Fei and use her skills to help engineer a means to defeat the pirates’ deadly submarines while negotiating the relationship with Ye-Yang which was unresolved when she left. Working together to defeat a common enemy Ying and Ye-Yang they find that despite differences they are still attracted; while younger sister, loyal, obedient, Nian finds she has a talent for politics and strategic planning and enjoys working closely with Ye-kan.

There is plenty of action and battles with some interesting twists like the all-female multi nationality pirates with a captain in a wheelchair, but the intervening scenes had too much laboured angst and explaining for me to care enough about the characters. Nian is the only one that seemed to develop, the relationship of central characters Ying and Ye-Yang was confused and stilted and the ending was rushed and unresolved.  As in the first book I enjoyed the use of a rich Chinese cultural background and the engineering aspects. Akba Khan reportedly said engineering should be used for good not evil, but so often in our world, like this one, inventions are harnessed for war and domination, it was sad to read a story so lacking in hope for peace and prosperity.

Themes: Fantasy, war, engineering, relationships.

Sue Speck