White Tiger
(Dark Heavens #1)
by Kylie Chan
fantasy, chick lit
copyright 2006
read in November 2015
rated 6/10: read to pass the time
This is a book about love. And friendship. And family.
Oh, and it's also a fantasy, with super-powerful characters -- good and bad, of course -- from the Chinese pantheon. Plus the girl next door, you know, the one who learns to fight, who probably has her own super-powers, the girl who will marry the king... But not in this first book.
The story is set in Hong Kong. There is a brief visit to Australia, because the heroine is Australian. You get the distinct impression that the author likes both places -- and also likes the people in both places. It makes for pleasant reading.
In fact, the entire book -- almost 600 pages -- makes for pleasant reading. Sure, there's violence and death. But the dead characters are demons or gods and will come back to life, eventually. More central characters may be severely injured but they will soon be healed.
Threats and violence and sudden, reversible, death. These are just the occasional interludes amongst the romance, the good life, the exploration of this fantasy world.
The characters are likeable... Saccharine sweet, but likeable. A central character is the little girl... Everyone protects the little girl... It could be because she will grow up to be the most powerful person in this pantheon. Or it could be that everyone protects her because she is such an absolutely sweet little girl...
There are several characters who are, I guess, like Chekov's gun. (I think that's the correct trope... I hope that's the right word :-) What I mean is, if someone mentions that there is a gun in the top d drawer, then that gun must eventually be used. There are several characters who occasionally appear. Are they just a social interlude ? People whose purpose is to gasp in surprise at the heroine's situation ? I just hope that, like Chekov's gun, they eventually play some significant role... But it's not in this first book of the series.
And that's why I've rated White Tiger as just "read to pass the time". It's never boring... but nothing much happens. The scene is set but there is very little action. Unless you count the drawn out romance as "action" !
And why not ?!
Book one sets the scene, develops the heroine, introduces both the romance and its difficulties. There is, of course, some clothes shopping and wearing. Goodness, it turns out that the heroine really is quite attractive ! :-)
It's easy to read. Quite enjoyable. But very definitely book one of a series.
Read White Tiger to pass the time. Or commit yourself to reading several books in the series... Book one is enjoyable. I suspect that books one to N would be more satisfying. Unless it becomes a never-ending saga... Which is quite possible.
I enjoyed the book. I would have enjoyed it more of there were some sort of (even minor) conclusion.
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Oh, wait ! The author if Australian ! (Well, okay, I knew that all along.) And she presents a positive view of one small part of Australia ! (As well as an obvious liking for Hong Kong.)
If, like me, you are biassed... Give this book a bonus mark !
Rated 7/10: well worth reading. Especially if -- like me -- you like to support good "local" authors :-)
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"Let not the sands of time get in your lunch" ... per Ginger Meggs
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