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206th out of 814 books
—
663 voters
Dragon in Chains (Moshui, the Books of Stone and Water #1)
by
Daniel Fox
From award-winning author Daniel Fox comes a ravishingly written epic of revolution and romance set in a world where magic is found in stone and in water, in dragons and in men–and in the chains that bind them.
Deposed by a vicious usurper, a young emperor flees with his court to the small island of Taishu. There, with a dwindling army, a manipulative mother, and a resentfu...more
Deposed by a vicious usurper, a young emperor flees with his court to the small island of Taishu. There, with a dwindling army, a manipulative mother, and a resentfu...more
Paperback, 399 pages
Published
January 27th 2009
by Del Rey
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It's hard to fairly evaluate this as a stand-alone book, because it's clearly intended to be the foundation for a trilogy. As such, most of the book is spent world-building and introducing the characters and conflicts that will, I'm sure, be at the heart of the next two books.
Unfortunately, there wasn't enough in this book to make me buy the rest of the series. There were a lot of characters, so many that none of them were able to develop well during the course of the book. There were a lot of p...more
Unfortunately, there wasn't enough in this book to make me buy the rest of the series. There were a lot of characters, so many that none of them were able to develop well during the course of the book. There were a lot of p...more
"Dragon in Chains" is the first novel in a new series by Fox, set in a fantasy world with trappings of the Orient. We follow a half-dozen protagonists through great changes in their lives at a time of turmoil in the world: the young boy Emperor and his mother the Dowager Empress have been chased from the capital by an army of rebels and have fled to the small island of Taishu where Jade is mined.
The strait between the mainland and the island is said to hold a chained dragon, but the monks respon...more
The strait between the mainland and the island is said to hold a chained dragon, but the monks respon...more
"A fascinating look into a world that is largely ignored in western fantasy fiction, Daniel Fox's "Dragon in Chains" is a welcome detour into the realm of Chinese culture and mythology. Fox masterfully weaves several complicated storylines, each centered on a different young man -- the boy Emperor fleeing a deadly rebel General, a jade miner with supernatural strength and endurance, and a maimed river rat who uses his mind and magical chains to keep a great dragon imprisoned beneath the waves. T...more
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I read this book just after Liz Williams' Snake Agent- and it might have been a bit wrenching to go from modern China/cyberpunk to mystic medieval China.
I did enjoy the book though, and more as it went on and the different character threads began to pull together. At first, the fragmentation of character viewpoint kept changing the story's pace; when I wanted more about a certain character they would disappear and I'd have to do a mental reset. The dragon was almost too menacing; once she's free...more
I did enjoy the book though, and more as it went on and the different character threads began to pull together. At first, the fragmentation of character viewpoint kept changing the story's pace; when I wanted more about a certain character they would disappear and I'd have to do a mental reset. The dragon was almost too menacing; once she's free...more
I was disappointed in the novel Dragon in Chains. In this story, the mother and generals of the young emperor have forced him to flee his palace and he crosses the waters to the island of Taishu. While crossing, he purchases a fisherman’s granddaughter, Mei Feng, to be his concubine. Concurrently, a boy named Han, who has been sold after just “escaping” one form of drudgery to the pirate ship Shalla, is used in a raid on an important forge where a large slave is set free from huge chains. The sl...more
Basically there is only one really good thing about this book: the writing style is really beautiful and very fitting for the setting. At some points it feels more like reading a Chinese ballad than reading a modern novel. The author has a way with pretty words.
Sadly enough he can't put that to good use.
The plot is incredibly slow and still winding. Nothing much happens but it still is twisted enough to not have you know where exactly it's supposed to go. Only on the last 50 pages does the story...more
Sadly enough he can't put that to good use.
The plot is incredibly slow and still winding. Nothing much happens but it still is twisted enough to not have you know where exactly it's supposed to go. Only on the last 50 pages does the story...more
http://www.rantingdragon.com/dragon-i...
Inspired by the culture and myths of feudal China, Dragon in Chains is the first book in Daniel Fox’s Moshui, the Books of Stone and Water trilogy. Four main characters’ stories are bolstered by a large supporting cast, and the action ranges from a slave boy’s efforts to subdue the chained dragon beneath the sea, to a jade miner caught up in banditry and addiction, to a young fishergirl’s sudden plunge into imperial politics when the young emperor-in-exile...more
Inspired by the culture and myths of feudal China, Dragon in Chains is the first book in Daniel Fox’s Moshui, the Books of Stone and Water trilogy. Four main characters’ stories are bolstered by a large supporting cast, and the action ranges from a slave boy’s efforts to subdue the chained dragon beneath the sea, to a jade miner caught up in banditry and addiction, to a young fishergirl’s sudden plunge into imperial politics when the young emperor-in-exile...more
“Dragon in Chains” (Del Rey, $15, 399 pages) is another first-of-a-series, but happily, it actually has a conclusion – however telegraphed. Still, Daniel Fox manages to meld magic and medieval China in an unusually well-written way, and the story of, not surprisingly, a dragon in chains, a young emperor facing a revolt, and several peasants who find themselves in the middle of great happenings is a solid read.
Fox, however, makes his heroes almost superhuman at book’s end, and without enough setu...more
Fox, however, makes his heroes almost superhuman at book’s end, and without enough setu...more
A very good start to a series with great potential. The story is about a dragon who is imprissoned in China. It has pirates, emperors, fisher-girls, and a whole slew of accompaning characters. The story is very simple, there are no real 'wow!' moments in it, but it has a lot of heart, which I think make up for it. It is the first in a series by Daniel Fox, and while it could go either way, either a wonderful tale or mindless, boring drivvle, I think if Fox continues to develop the characters and...more
A fantasy about an alternate China- with a young emperor deposed from the mainland to an island (Taishu) (sound like Taiwan?). Several converging streams: an old fisherman whose granddaughter meets the emperor and becomes his companion, a jade miner taking a large jade to the city, a pirate captain who captures a boy who encounters a dragon chained in the sea, a vicious usurper hounding the emperor. I would have subtitled this book "Death around every corner" because of all the violent deaths, o...more
I was very please to find a fantasy world based on something other that Feudal Europe. The resemblance to Taiwan is present including a great oriental dragon and sea goddess. The author writes poetry so the story is very beautifully written. The young Emperor fleeing in front of the rebels who want his throne, falls in love with the daughter of a fisherman. So, nice love story surrounded by politics, betrayal and magic.
I enjoyed the suspense surrounding the fate of all the characters and despite...more
I enjoyed the suspense surrounding the fate of all the characters and despite...more
This is a pretty good book. I'd call it a Chinese fairy tale, but there are no fairies. There's jade, an emperor, a dragon, and people who get caught up in events bigger than they are. It's incredibly well-told and an interesting story.
I can't tell if it's the start of a series or not. The book doesn't say specifically, but events are left open at the end for more story to be told. The cover claims that this is an "epic", but at less than 400 pages, I don't think it can fall into that group.
All...more
I can't tell if it's the start of a series or not. The book doesn't say specifically, but events are left open at the end for more story to be told. The cover claims that this is an "epic", but at less than 400 pages, I don't think it can fall into that group.
All...more
This gorgeously written book is the first part of a new fantasy trilogy which draws on medieval China for its inspiration. It's an alternate universe China, of course, and one of the ways in which it's alternate is that magic is real, if largely subtle. Subtle enough that some characters do not realise that the magic is there. Even the dragon of the title is a background menace in this first book, thought of as myth by the people who don't live in her territory, although she's a key part of one...more
This is a book written by a man for a man's enjoyment. It is full of senseless violence with a plot that is apparently being stretched out to make this into a series.
The current emperor is a boy (teenage?) who is a puppet for his mother who really rules. They have been chased out of the city by rebels and are regrouping on an island. The emperor's people are violent and spend all their time raping and pillaging the town for no reason as the people are more than willing to just give them what the...more
The current emperor is a boy (teenage?) who is a puppet for his mother who really rules. They have been chased out of the city by rebels and are regrouping on an island. The emperor's people are violent and spend all their time raping and pillaging the town for no reason as the people are more than willing to just give them what the...more
Jul 19, 2009
Terence
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommended to Terence by:
SF Book Club blurb/reviews
Shelves:
sf-fantasy
I have belonged to the SF Book Club for close to thirty years now and through them have read some of my favorite books - Downbelow Station; the first 5 Chronicles of Amber, aka "the good ones" (IMO); Butterfly and Hellflower; the original Conan stories; The Swordswoman and Consider Phlebas, among others. Most of them were "risks" - I didn't know the authors at the time and was relying on the blurb and just possibly the cover art. Dragon in Chains is another one of those risks. I knew (and still...more
Dragon in Chains takes place in an Asian-inspired fantasy universe where a dragon has been chained beneath the ocean, and an emperor flees to an island to escape rebels who wish to claim his life. The story is mainly told through three primary PoVs: a crippled slave boy who is bound to the dragon and must keep her chained, a fishergirl who becomes the emperor's concubine, and a jade-miner who falls into dire straits trying to bring a gift to the emperor.
Overall, I felt the book was pretty good....more
Overall, I felt the book was pretty good....more
Well-written book, but set in a grim world. I admire that but am not sure I enjoyed it exactly.
Also- my copy arrived with over 30 pages missing from the middle, and while Amazon said they would replace it (I'd bought it from them), they also said that in general they would NOT do that even for defective books if the defect took more than 30 days to discover.
Also- my copy arrived with over 30 pages missing from the middle, and while Amazon said they would replace it (I'd bought it from them), they also said that in general they would NOT do that even for defective books if the defect took more than 30 days to discover.
This book, and its sequels, can be rather difficult to get into. The style of writing is a bit slow, and very much influenced by an Eastern mind set, which can make it feel a bit alien at first.
Once I got used to it, that very oddity of voice became one of my favorite parts of the series.
Once I got used to it, that very oddity of voice became one of my favorite parts of the series.
A retelling of a Chinese myth, very interesting. Written in such a was you feel like you are listening to a story told to you by your elders. I read the book in pieces, not one sit down session like I normally do, which helped with the flow of the narrative. I highly recommend this book.
Dragon in Chains is a well-written novel, with an intriguing setting right in my wheelhouse. A fantasy in an ancient faux-China? Sign me up!
Unfortunately, it never took off for me. Reluctantly I put the book down after 150 pages. I wanted to like it, but it worked best as a sleep-inducer. Too bad.
Unfortunately, it never took off for me. Reluctantly I put the book down after 150 pages. I wanted to like it, but it worked best as a sleep-inducer. Too bad.
My favourite of the holiday reading, this had intriguing female characters, a realistic look at the effect of war on civilians, a medieval-Chinese flavoured world and prose that was sometimes poignantly poetic.
Nice read. I love the way the author portrays the relationship of the mountain people with jade as well as the emperor's sole claim over it. It was so unique and lovingly grounded in Asian tradition. Mai's character is also great. A strong girl who grows up as a fisherwoman on her grandfather's boat who then becomes the emperor's consort. There was a great interplay between her finding ways to control her lord and the kingdom without turning into a bitter and slutty queen/consort who rules from...more
the best book i've read in 10 years! Each page is crafted with care and the characters seem to come alive. Good and evil, love and hate, an imaginary time and place becomes historical fantasy fiction. LOVED it!!!
Wanted to like this more than I did, but it's a matter of taste vs good book / bad book. I have reading friends I know would like it much better. But in the end just couldn't keep my interest to finish.
This lyrical Asian fantasy is set in world both brutal and beautiful, and is a rewarding read. Fox not only writes well, he tells a ripping good story. Looking forward to the sequel.
It's more like 4 1/2 stars. For fans of Daniel Abraham's Long Price Quartet and Lian Hearn's Tales of the Otori...
Beautifully written and engaging, with an interesting setting I thought handled respectfully and well.
Hard for me to hate a fantasy book involving dragon boats. Not entirely a stand-alone volume.
A modern Chinese mythology, first novel in series?, enjoyable read.
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