Into the Riverlands, by Nghi Vo

This installment is a little different in that our protagonist Chih and her neixin Almost Brilliant are more a part of the legend than a recorder of it, though they are definitely recording. They pick up an unlikely couple (by appearance a princess and a peasant, not true of either) and a likely couple (stern motherly woman and a quiet competent man). They travel to a rough part of the region (the Riverlands) and are sure enough set upon by legendary bandits (the Hollow Hand). Lots of action and good storytelling, so it's a fun read. Nghi Vo has put together a rich setting, the Singing Hills could produce stories for the rest of her career if she can build them carefully.

My Goodreads Review

When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain, by Nghi Vo

A fairly straightforward way to capture an audience that likes stories is to write a book (or series) about collecting stories. The plot drives itself. Nghi Vo continues a very old tradition (One Thousand and One Nights) of telling a story for one's life. I especially liked the tiger characters. Vo makes them very engaging characters, utterly confident of their power and rights as apex predators. Except they're not, quite--intelligent mammoths are part of this tale and a lone small mammoth can take a tiger. And there are big ones. I hope she does more with the mammoths in Into the Riverlands. All in all it's a good read, exciting without too much bite. Enough to make we want to read more.

My Goodreads Review

The Empress of Salt and Fortune, by Nghi Vo

The "protagonist" in this story is Chih, a monk from an order devoted to recording history. The order requires that its clerics take nonbinary pronouns, making it a relatively painless way to include that perspective in the story. But Chih is a listener--the true focus of the story is Rabbit, servant to the empress In-yo, a northern princess from a defeated people. The tale unfolds as a series of stories from Rabbit.

The storytelling style gives the book a very relaxed and easy feel. It's not about action or suspense, since all events happened long ago in the telling. That gives the reveal a bit of a lift. It's a short book, just a night or two of reading, but a good way to pass a little time. Rounding up to 4 stars.

My Goodreads Review