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428th out of 1,041 books
—
2,054 voters
Red Phoenix (Dark Heavens #2)
by
Kylie Chan (Goodreads Author)
The second book in Australian author Kylie Chans ingenious urban fantasy sagaa tale of ancient gods and foul demons doing battle in the modern worldRed Phoenix combines Chinese mythology with martial arts, paranormal romance, and magic in a story that takes off like a rocket and never slows down. The action moves from Hong Kong to Europe as heroine Emma Donahoe finds a
...morePaperback, 563 pages
Published
February 1st 2007
by HarperCollins Voyager
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Red Phoenix by Kylie Chan
Dark Heavens Book Two
09/11 - HarperCollins Publishers - Mass Market Paperback, 592 pages
Will our love survive should we are parted for an eternity?
Emma Donahoe saw herself as ordinary until an extraordinary man came into her life and changed everything. She was hired on to be the nanny for John Chen’s daughter not the wife of John, Xuan Wu, Dark Lord of the North, God of Martial Arts, and mightiest demon killer of all time. But she is engaged to the Lord and now everyone...more
Dark Heavens Book Two
09/11 - HarperCollins Publishers - Mass Market Paperback, 592 pages
Will our love survive should we are parted for an eternity?
Emma Donahoe saw herself as ordinary until an extraordinary man came into her life and changed everything. She was hired on to be the nanny for John Chen’s daughter not the wife of John, Xuan Wu, Dark Lord of the North, God of Martial Arts, and mightiest demon killer of all time. But she is engaged to the Lord and now everyone...more
I've been struggling to decide how many stars to give this one. I gave the first in the series 5 stars because of its sheer readability, despite its many flaws, but I'm giving this one 4 because I do think the flaws count for something despite its readability. I found the main character annoying at times -something about her prevented me from really connecting with her. I find the characters of Simone and Leo somehow more compelling and endearing than that of Emma. We are told repeatedly how ext...more
Same old, same old. This doesn't really go anywhere from book 1 apart from lots more random encounters with the same gnashing of teeth before and afterwards, the same stating of the obvious and nothing really being learned. By the end of book 1 I realised that there really were no stakes - emotional or otherwise - since most of the characters are Gods and can do anything at all, then there is nothing really that can stand up to them. Every time anybody gets hurt, they get healed and around we go...more
There's probably nothing I can say to describe this book more succinctly than the comment I made in one of my status updates: that it makes me think of the unholy lovechild of Mortal Kombat and a pulp paranormal romance (and actually, thinking about it, a young Cary Hiroyuki-Tagawa makes a nice visual representation of John Chen too!)
I think the story would have been an immeasurably better read if the author stopped the constant Mary-Sueing with Emma, started giving her some genuine flaws and de...more
I think the story would have been an immeasurably better read if the author stopped the constant Mary-Sueing with Emma, started giving her some genuine flaws and de...more
One thing I usually hate about sequels, is that the author always feels the need to recap the last book and rehash physical descriptions of the characters before they can get on with the story. For someone who is reading the books in quick succession, this can be quite tedious. Not so with Kylie Chan's books. Without a backwards glance, she dives right into the adventures of Emma Donahoe as she battles demons, protects the ones she loves and tries to figure out one important question: what the b...more
I decided that after my rather harsh review of White Tiger I would give the second book in this series a chance just to see if the author decided that over-writing a novel to make it a very long novel, is not the way to keep readers happy. Some readers enjoy a sparer sort of prose. Well Ms Chan still uses pages and pages to describe something that could have/ should have taken just paragraphs. I almost get the feeling that the author thinks her readers are not the sharpest knives in the drawer a...more
Kylie Chan's second entry in the Dark Heavens trilogy is a middle book in pretty much every sense of the word. It starts in the middle of the story and, while it deepens and broadens the world around the heroes, it doesn't really conclude anything. At least White Tiger had a certain resolution in terms of getting people back to start.
This book in more ambitious and deserves credit for it. I did enjoy reading this book, but it's really more build-up to the, hopefully, rousing conclusion in Blue...more
This book in more ambitious and deserves credit for it. I did enjoy reading this book, but it's really more build-up to the, hopefully, rousing conclusion in Blue...more
As I said about book 1, genre confusion. People waiting for the steamy consummation of the romance are going to be disappointed- the author's discomfort with sex scenes is clear. I think she could learn to write more intense love scenes without going explicit- it is really what people expect after a long build up.
But overall, I like this series very much. In this book I see more of what *I* read PNR and contemporary fantasy for, which is authors delving into the motivations of creatures who are...more
But overall, I like this series very much. In this book I see more of what *I* read PNR and contemporary fantasy for, which is authors delving into the motivations of creatures who are...more
Absolutely loved it! It took me 5 hours straight to read this book. 560 pages. That's how good it was.
Again, non-stop action, fantastic battles, lots of intense situations, and Emma! Oh. My. God. I would never have thought in a million years she can be that. I was blown away.
Emma and John have some really sweet moments, and there is a lot going on. Obviously now, that she is Regent, there are plenty of assassination attempts on her life, especially on behalf of One Two Two aka Simon Wong, a disg...more
Again, non-stop action, fantastic battles, lots of intense situations, and Emma! Oh. My. God. I would never have thought in a million years she can be that. I was blown away.
Emma and John have some really sweet moments, and there is a lot going on. Obviously now, that she is Regent, there are plenty of assassination attempts on her life, especially on behalf of One Two Two aka Simon Wong, a disg...more
Jan 23, 2013
Cami
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
demons,
dragons,
gods,
library-book,
martial-arts,
paranormal,
read-in-2013,
series,
shape-shifters
I found this book interesting but somewhat hard to read as the whole way of Chinese living is so foreign to me. The gods, the way the people talk, and the way they live is so different from my own, it often is confusing and doesn't make sense to me.
One thing that really bothers me is how frequently the characters end up shouting at each other. Every time I read that, I simply shook my head. I don't believe that they would be shouting at each other so much, especially in some of the circumstances...more
One thing that really bothers me is how frequently the characters end up shouting at each other. Every time I read that, I simply shook my head. I don't believe that they would be shouting at each other so much, especially in some of the circumstances...more
I'm torn about this book and the reason is the same as for first book. It was good read, the story is interesting, some parts are adorable, but I would like to scratch out another ones.
Emma is still annoyingly remarkable, so no improving here and gold coins aren't big help. Some details I don't get. Example -> magical wards. If they are so easily breakable, what good they are for? I feel like they are so useless and make them is waste of time and effort. Well, details. Even so, I like the wa...more
Emma is still annoyingly remarkable, so no improving here and gold coins aren't big help. Some details I don't get. Example -> magical wards. If they are so easily breakable, what good they are for? I feel like they are so useless and make them is waste of time and effort. Well, details. Even so, I like the wa...more
This was even better than White Tiger. The plot thickens, we go deeper into the world & philosophy of the Taoist Gods and learn about the workings of the different kinds of energies used in the highest forms of Martial Arts. I want to learn Qui Gong now.
The main characters deepen and new abilities blossom along with questions about who or what they really are. The 'real' world of Hong Kong is is clearly portrayed so that you feel you are there, and it's beautifully mixed with the paranormal...more
The main characters deepen and new abilities blossom along with questions about who or what they really are. The 'real' world of Hong Kong is is clearly portrayed so that you feel you are there, and it's beautifully mixed with the paranormal...more
Another intersting read. Entertaining and quite imaginative! I am very curious to find out what Emma really is. Like the first book - White Tiger, I found the story a bit stretched and at the point of climax, the story ended unfinished. I was so hooked onto the story and chasing its development, that the sudden ending left me puzzled and definitely hungry for more. It was afterward when I got onto KC's website that I realised the Dark Heaven is a trilogy. Now, I can't wait to start Book 3 - the...more
I was wonderfully relieved to begin this book and realize that it picks up just where the first book leaves off. In Red Phoenix, the story really finds its stride- the characters have been introduced, revelations have been made- and the action is nonstop. I found myself especially impressed at the depth of the love story between the main characters, accomplished with none of the sleaze that often accompanies romance in novels. An impressive work!
While this had a few more slow spots than the non-stop action of the first book, it had some nice character development too. I felt the mystery was drawn out a little too far (the supposedly smart characters should have figured some things out sooner or at least talked about them sooner), but since I like the characters, it didn't irritate me as much as it might have in another book. The mythology continues to be enjoyable and solid.
Mar 30, 2011
Shadowspirit369
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
people who have read the first one. and over 13 yr olds
Recommended to Shadowspirit369 by:
myself. I searched for it after reading the first
Second in the Dark heavens trilogy and one of those books where the sequal doesn't disopoint. I have to say though for those people out there who pick a book in a series and read it no matter which book it might be. My recomendation? - read the first one first and the last one last. Otherwise you wont understaand it. this is a very good book. Kylie Chan gets the suspense just right!!
Feb 07, 2013
Hershel Shipman
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fantasy,
urban-fantasy
AS usual I powered through a book without much thought. Still loving the apparently well researched Chinese mythology and taoist influences in the story. Also the main character's true nature alludes me and apparently everyone else. 1 more book in this trilogy and 2 more trilogies after that to find out.
Another excellent book in the series. It had me reading it swifter than many books, and as soon as I was done I dived directly into the last book of the trilogy, Blue Dragon.
Excellent characters, a fun read, and turns of phrase that are often very quotable. And I will have to remember to ask for a gold coin the next time I am called remarkable... :)
Excellent characters, a fun read, and turns of phrase that are often very quotable. And I will have to remember to ask for a gold coin the next time I am called remarkable... :)
It's not often that a sequel is better than the original book but I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
All the setting up in White Tiger comes to fruition and the book seems faster paced and has more depth to the story. I'm still not convinced I'll read much more fantasy as I struggle to come to terms with the "unbelievable" story but this has been a fun read and I'm ready to start the third of final book and excited as to how the plot will evolve. Hope the ending doesn't disappoint though
All the setting up in White Tiger comes to fruition and the book seems faster paced and has more depth to the story. I'm still not convinced I'll read much more fantasy as I struggle to come to terms with the "unbelievable" story but this has been a fun read and I'm ready to start the third of final book and excited as to how the plot will evolve. Hope the ending doesn't disappoint though
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Red Pheonix is only the second in this trilogy of trilogies and with just as much romance and action as the first, it is a book that I have read over and over and still find myself just as excited as the first time I ever read the book.
I am really enjoying this series. I find her writing easy to read and the characters believable and engaging.
I am also impressed with her fight scenes - she writes believable action. Not quite gritty enough for me but good!
I am also impressed with her fight scenes - she writes believable action. Not quite gritty enough for me but good!
This is the second book in the series, and the first one I happened across. Marvelously fun to read, a good story that brings Chinese mythology into the modern world.
2.5 stars - same problems as the first book with writing style, plus a bit repetitive. Will finish the series, but not sure about the next trilogy.
Found this book tedious to read, the writing almost got worse from the first book in the series. I think I will give up on the series at this point.
I thoroughly enjoyed the second book but not as much as the first. Never the less I managed to finish it in a day. Must have been good.
I am devouring these books as I'm really enjoying where they are heading, how un-trite they are and the exposure to Chinese gods.
Amazing! Incredibly well researched and an excellent blend of mythologies. I fell in love with the characters
Wish I could write more but can't right now. Basic gist is as follows: Emma continues her journey with the Chan family with some nail-biting moments throughout. It kept me interested and I do want to find out how this all ends so we'll see how the story continues to develop over the next few books and then some.
I, for one, appreciate the casual writing style of Kylie Chan, it's refreshing. Yet she can still write a reasonable action scene. It's early days in the series (this only being book 2) s...more
I, for one, appreciate the casual writing style of Kylie Chan, it's refreshing. Yet she can still write a reasonable action scene. It's early days in the series (this only being book 2) s...more
Outstanding reads! Can't wait till her next three come out. Will the turtle find the snake?
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Kylie doesn't participate in the Goodreads network. You can find her fanpage on Facebook or visit her website at www.kyliechan.com.
Kylie Chan married a Hong Kong national in a traditional Chinese wedding ceremony in Eastern China, lived in Australia for ten years, then moved to Hong Kong for ten years and during that time learnt a great deal about Chinese culture and came to appreciate the custom...more
More about Kylie Chan...
Kylie Chan married a Hong Kong national in a traditional Chinese wedding ceremony in Eastern China, lived in Australia for ten years, then moved to Hong Kong for ten years and during that time learnt a great deal about Chinese culture and came to appreciate the custom...more
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