Fury of the Phoenix (Kingdom of Xia, #2)

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Fury of the Phoenix (Kingdom of Xia #2)

by Cindy Pon (Goodreads Author)

4.02 of 5 stars 4.02 · rating details · 533 ratings · 132 reviews

The Gods have abandoned Ai Ling.

Her mysterious power haunts her day and night, and she leaves home--with just the moon as her guide--overwhelmed by her memories and visions and an unbearable sense of dread. For Ai Ling knows that Chen Yong is vulnerable to corrupt enchantments from the under-world. How can she do nothing when she has the skill and power to fight at his sid...more

Hardcover, 362 pages

Published March 29th 2011 by Greenwillow Books (first published March 10th 2011)

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Jun 02, 2011 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: bea-2011, books-i-own, signed-books

I absolutely loved Silver Phoenix, so when I heard there was to be a sequel/companion novel, I was ecstatic!

One of the things I loved about Silver Phoenix.... and I know this sounds a little strange... but it was the wonderful descriptions of the food! And on page two when I read about sticky rice, candied yams, dumplings and lotus buns, I knew it was going to be epic!

Fury of the Phoenix is such a different story from it's predecessor. It's still just as beautifully written, but we get to witnes...more

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Jun 18, 2011 Ri rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, fantasy, asian, favourite, highly-anticipated, diversity-in-fiction, white-washed

I won a ARC of this much anticipated sequel to Silver Phoenix. Like everyone, I am sad about the book cover. I guess it says it all. The white-washing sucks. I want to have a rant but lets talk about what's inside the book... But what is inside is inspiring, engaging and beautiful as the poetic pose envelopes the reader into Cindy Pon’s world and her character’s feelings.

At the opening, Ai Ling manages to get on the ship that Chen Yong is on to go to Jiang Dao and from henceforth an adventure a...more

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Mar 29, 2011 catherine james rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, arcs-galleys-review, trt-reads, fiction, kids-tweens-teens, favorites, keepers

I must confess: I LOVED Cindy Pon’s 2009 debut YA novel Silver Phoenix. So when she graciously offered a review copy of the sequel, Fury of the Phoenix, I (literally) started bouncing up and down with glee.

As with in the first novel, the heroine Ai Ling again embarking on a treacherous journey; but whereas she was previously fleeing an unwanted engagement in search of her missing father, this time Ai Ling is on a mission of protection. She has been warned in a dream that the young man Ai Ling l...more I must confess: I LOVED Cindy Pon’s 2009 debut YA novel Silver Phoenix. So when she graciously offered a review copy of the sequel, Fury of the Phoenix, I (literally) started bouncing up and down with glee.

As with in the first novel, the heroine Ai Ling again embarking on a treacherous journey; but whereas she was previously fleeing an unwanted engagement in search of her missing father, this time Ai Ling is on a mission of protection. She has been warned in a dream that the young man Ai Ling loves, Chen Yong, will not survive the trip to his father’s homeland without her.

Although she manages sneak aboard the Gliding Dragon after its departure, she is quickly discovered by the ship’s captain and presented to Chen Yong after claiming to be his sister. Though Chen Yong confirms Ai Ling’s story, he’s clearly not happy to see her and soon informs Ai Ling of his betrothal to another girl. Despite the pain of this heartbreak, Ai Ling is determined to keep Chen Yong safe.

Interspersed with the narrative of Ai Ling and Chen Yong’s voyage, is the story of a young eunuch in the Emperor’s palace. As we follow two star-crossed lovers across the ocean, we also follow this character rise to a position of unmatched power as he transforms from an ambitious, cunning, flawed, but loving individual into the terrifying monster Ai Ling faced in Silver Phoenix: Zhong Ye.

I had no idea how much missed Ai Ling, her story and the sumptuous beauty of Cindy Pon’s writing until I picked up FURY OF THE PHOENIX. Ms. Pon takes us into completely unexplored territory, both literally (with Ai Ling leaving Xia to explore Jiang) and figuratively, as we mine the history and circumstances that shaped Zhong Ye’s villainy. Fury of the Phoenix is a perfect example of a sequel at its best: diving further beneath the surface of characters we love; an expansion and enrichment of the established world; and a brand new, engrossing story, satisfying not just in and of itself, but also one that enhances the series as a whole. Ms. Pon didn't just match my hopes with Fury of the Phoenix, she exceeded far beyond anything I ever could have imagined. This one's headed right for the keeper shelf, just like it's predecessor.(less)

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Jul 19, 2012 Matt Heppe rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Fury of the Phoenix is the sequel to Silver Phoenix and follows Ai Ling and Chen Yong as they travel to Jiang Dao (Chen Yong’s birth father’s homeland). The novel is split between Ai Ling’s and,unexpectedly, Zong Ye’s perspectives. Zong Ye (the villain of Silver Phoenix) returns in spirit form to haunt Ai Ling. The great thing about the Zong Ye character is that we learn of his origins and he becomes a complete character. In Silver Phoenix he was just “The Bad Guy” and we didn’t know much about...more Fury of the Phoenix is the sequel to Silver Phoenix and follows Ai Ling and Chen Yong as they travel to Jiang Dao (Chen Yong’s birth father’s homeland). The novel is split between Ai Ling’s and,unexpectedly, Zong Ye’s perspectives. Zong Ye (the villain of Silver Phoenix) returns in spirit form to haunt Ai Ling. The great thing about the Zong Ye character is that we learn of his origins and he becomes a complete character. In Silver Phoenix he was just “The Bad Guy” and we didn’t know much about him. In Fury of the Phoenix he becomes a real person. Ultimately not a nice one, but a real one. He’s a great character.

Ai Ling spends much of her part of the novel either on board the ship taking her and Chen Yong to Jiang Dao or in in Jiang Dao itself. I have only two minor complaints with the novel and both have to do with setting. The opening scene of the novel has Ai Ling very improbably boarding and stowing away on a sailing vessel (at sea). It is impossible for me to imagine it happening as described and put me off in the first chapter. The second complaint has to do with the country of Jiang Dao. The author states in the afterword that Jiang Dao is not supposed to be Europe. Unfortunately, Xia is so clearly inspired by ancient China that I was constantly attempting to figure out which European country was supposed to be Jiang Dao. Don’t do this. Jiang Dao is a completely fabricated country containing an assortment of elements of European culture.

Here’s the good news: Fury of the Phoenix is excellent! It reads as a straight-up, grown-up fantasy novel and I was completely engaged throughout. The story of Ai Ling and Chen Yong’s journey and relationship was well-written and perfectly paced. Having said that, I was even more engrossed by Zong Ye’s story of his descent into evil. If a major draw of Silver Phoenix was setting and action, the big draw of Fury of the Phoenix is character and discovery (and a great lead-up to a thrilling climax). I highly recommend both books and look forward to the author’s next work.(less)

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Mar 25, 2012 Lia Tan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: almost-a-favorite

Usually people don't like the sequel as much as they liked the first book but for me it was the other way around. I actually really liked this book. The first one was okay for me but this was just great! I think it was mainly because I got to see more of Zhong Ye's side of the story rather than Ai Ling's and finally Ai Ling and Chen Yong are together because the first one just left me kind of hanging, no dangling, on that. Hanging is usually good but dangling not so much.

After reading this, I ac...more

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Nov 06, 2011 Kiera Beddes rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-lit, fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Oct 20, 2011 J.Elle rated it 2 of 5 stars

Well, I have the fury of a phoenix right now (How furious do phoenix's get? Because that one in Harry Potter seemed very kind and helpful and really into saving people's lives and not so much into fury. So I don't have the fury of that phoenix. I have the fury of a meaner phoenix.) because I read the book before this and totally disliked it and I specifically mentioned in that review that I would not be reading this book. So now I’ve been humbled because I did read it after making that public st...more

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Oct 19, 2011 Sarah rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: asian-inspired

Meh. I'd just finished rereading its predecessor Silver Phoenix so I picked this up on the pretense of finishing up what was published in the series so far. And well, I'm left unsatisfied. Everything just seemed to come naturally to Ai Ling (though, to be fair, that's explained later on), which made her seem like a Mary Sue (which, okay, she was). I don't think I've ever had a firm grip on her character either; she's always seemed so inconsistent. One minute, she was feisty; the next, she was fr...more

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Apr 07, 2011 Chartzell12 rated it 2 of 5 stars

For me, this book suffered from several things.

The biggest problem was that half the story was about Zhong Ye, who was evil, or at least severely twisted, and died in the last book. His story in this book is about how he got that way. And it wasn't really something I cared about. It's the kind of story that we can guess, and that we don't gain much by knowing.

The other half of the story was dedicated to Ai Ling's feelings for Chen Yong, which haven't exactly changed since the last book. This m...more For me, this book suffered from several things.

The biggest problem was that half the story was about Zhong Ye, who was evil, or at least severely twisted, and died in the last book. His story in this book is about how he got that way. And it wasn't really something I cared about. It's the kind of story that we can guess, and that we don't gain much by knowing.

The other half of the story was dedicated to Ai Ling's feelings for Chen Yong, which haven't exactly changed since the last book. This made it feel as if her character arc wasn't really going anywhere. There was the additional problem of Zhong Ye semi-possessing her, and her temptation to use her power for bad purposes, but neither of these arcs were very compelling. Perhaps if we weren't getting Zhong Ye's backstory at the same time, I'd have been more interested, but the backstory was all about how he didn't start out evil and twisted, and that made me less concerned about what a semi-possessed Ai Ling was going to do.

What I did like about this book, was that one of the plot lines was motivated by a plot hole in Silver Phoenix, which I hadn't even noticed, making it not a plot hole at all but rather a clue that I had missed. I love it when that happens! But it wasn't quite enough. I think I would have preferred a short story to cover this arc, and to tie up the Ai Ling's feelings arc. Zhong Ye's story could be dropped.

And now I'm going to talk about the ending, so don't read if you don't want to be spoiled.

I felt cheated. If part of the character arc for Ai Ling was the temptation to use her powers when she shouldn't, then having her power mysteriously vanish let's her the hook. Did she even learn her lesson? It was good when Chen Yong got mad at her for abusing her power. That was compelling. That it could so easily be blamed on Zhong Ye and then disappear entirely feels like a let down. And maybe I was reading too quickly, but I didn't see any justification for that. Did she burn herself out? Why would we have even thought that was a possibility? It can't be because Zhong Ye and herself are no longer tied, because she had it before she ever met him. It can't be because Silver phoenix left her, because if that's true, then I don't understand how reincarnation works, because that doesn't seem possible, and plus, the goddess had told her that she had her own power, so it couldn't have been due to Silver Phoenix. Also, minor rant - Silver Phoenix the character was boring.And so was Zhong Ye. Together, they were even less interesting, despite the fact that ambitious eunuch and former whore should have been VERY interesting.

All in all, I kind of wish I had stopped after Silver Phoenix. I think I prefer that open-ended conclusion to the way things happened here. This book was just....boring and predictable I guess, which is too bad, because I really liked Silver Phoenix.(less)

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Apr 03, 2011 Katieb (MundieMoms) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-100-book-challenge, mundie-moms-review, signed

Reviewed on MM's-

Fury of the Phoenix is a surprising sequel with it's rich lore, wonderful romance and mild action scenes. Cindy Pon's sequel was far from predictable and one I enjoyed as nothing that happened was what I expected, and I loved that.

I also loved the way in which Cindy ties the lore and the characters from the two books together. Fury of the Phoenix has the perfect ending for the series, though I'll miss reading more about Chen Yong and Ai Ling. These two characters have more of a...more

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Apr 03, 2011 Sherwood Smith added it

Shelves: fantasy

Fury of the Phoenix is the conclusion to the story begun in Cindy Pon's Silver Phoenix. In that book, sheltered, psychically gifted Ai Ling meets Chen Yong, and falls into adventure as they cross Xia to rescue her father. Their adventures draw on Chinese history and custom and mythology, leading to a powerful climax.

This book creates some nice symmetries, while deepening the story: this time, Chen Yong is in search of his father. Ai Ling joins him on a ship. As the two learn how to deal with shi...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Aoi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, hf-china

"Fury of the Pheonix" is a much more mature and well written sequel to the "Silver Pheonix". When we left her last, Ai Ling watched Chen Yong off on his journey to meet his birth father,the former diplomat to Xian. Later, she is warned in a dream that she must rush to protect Chen Yong, who will not survive the journey without her.

Sneaking aboard his ship, Ai Ling makes herself a part of the crew posing as Chen Yong's sister. Battling demons and sleeping in cramped quarters tucked close togethe...more

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Dec 17, 2011 Elizabeth rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction-fantasy, fiction-romance, fiction-ya

This one is honestly hard to judge. I loved it — totally happy ending, totally deserved! — but if you hadn't read Silver Phoenix, this would make no sense whatsoever. So: rockin' sequel, but not actually a good standalone *book*.

Ai Ling is awesome wearing an awesome coat. I kind of adore her a lot. And I love how much she loves food. I am less than thrilled that she loses her supernatural power by the end, because I really would've liked to see a heroine make choices and use a magical power whic...more

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Nov 06, 2011 Katie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, genre-youngadult, genre-speculative, setting-secondaryworldfantasy

This book was a lot different from Silver Phoenix, but I still really enjoyed it.

In Silver Phoenix Ai Ling went on an amazing and perilous adventure, meeting brothers Chen Yong and Li Rong along the way. Their journey is magical, taking them to several otherworldly locations and exploring Ai Ling's budding magical abilities. There is plenty of action and drama. Fury of the Phoenix is a much quieter and introspective novel. While there is some action in the middle and at the end, most of the book...more

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Dec 04, 2010 Dani Marescotti rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fantasy lovers and young adult readers

Shelves: 8th-grade, different-time-period, fantasy, school-read, series, strong-heroine, supernatural, young-adult-slash-adult, demons, paranormal-romance, 4-stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. First off, I’d like to say that I highly recommend reading the first book in this series first. I read the second without reading the first and it really took away from the plot by adding confusion and leaving me nonplussed over which parts were intentional or if it was just me.
Fury of the Phoenix, the companion to Silver Phoenix, by Cindy Pon, started off by introducing Ai Ling, the pain protagonist’s “gift” as she “throws” her spirit into another’s to avoid a near-rape-scene, if you could call...more First off, I’d like to say that I highly recommend reading the first book in this series first. I read the second without reading the first and it really took away from the plot by adding confusion and leaving me nonplussed over which parts were intentional or if it was just me.
Fury of the Phoenix, the companion to Silver Phoenix, by Cindy Pon, started off by introducing Ai Ling, the pain protagonist’s “gift” as she “throws” her spirit into another’s to avoid a near-rape-scene, if you could call it that, I wouldn’t even say it progressed enough to be a near-rape. Ai Ling’s resourcefulness is then displayed as she manages to steal away onto a ship that had just left its harbor and the plot starts.
The whole book alternates between Ai Ling’s perspective, the heroine helping her friend search for his father, and Zhong Ye’s perspective, a young eunuch in the Emperor’s palace, trying to claim the emperor’s attention and move up the status ladder.
This book has just about everything, romance via sexual tension, action and adventure as their ship is attacked by sea spirits and another character has to face a centuries old monster, and fantasy as the author beautifully describes the different kingdoms of futile Asia, the valor and sacrifice that come with alchemy, and she interweaves Chinese myths into the story, adding a slightly dark and horrifying tint to the otherwise cheerful tale.
The plot is simple enough on its own, but the author displays a complex vocabulary in all the right places, making the main character seem older than she initially comes off. There’s minor swearing in the story, I can only recall one instance in which the author used a cuss word, but there are several mentionings of women’s chests. There are numerous sexual innuendos throughout the story, some of which coming about when a few characters are naked, when two characters have to share a small bed for several weeks after they’d already been harvesting romantic thoughts, and the mentioning of being an eunuch (men who have been rendered impotent) and how to become one and the angst of wanting to have a lover, but unable to be one. Also the Emperor has two great weaknesses; women and drinks. In his palace there are dozens of concubines, which are basically prostitutes or courtesans reserved for the Emperor’s sexual needs and he’s pretty much drunk all the time. But there’s nothing really graphic or anything, it’s just innuendos and hints. I’d say a mature sixth grader could read it, but I don’t think the average sixth grade parent would be happy to find their child reading this book. The back of the book says ages 14 and up, and I’m going to have to say 14 or 13, but only because the vocabulary is very high-leveled; I didn’t even understand all the words.
The plot was well driven and very meticulously thought out so that all the strings come together at the right time as the main character journeys to the underworld and much confusion is lifted. The characters are all very likeable and when they get hurt you worry, when they’re sad, you’re sad, when they make a mistake and you can tell it won’t end well for them you want to grab them by the shoulders and shake them. All the characters were very relatable and realistic, and I especially liked that Pon gave Ai Ling some ferocity in a time that women were treated as nothing more than servants that helped create an heir. I’m all about strong female characters.
Over all, I gave this book four stars, and am going to read the first book and buy this one when it comes out.

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May 19, 2013 Miz Lizzie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: asian, boats, fantasy, metaphysics, mythology, reincarnation, road-trips, young-adult, romance

Fury of the Phoenix is the best kind of sequel. The first book, Silver Phoenix, was complete unto itself but the second book deepens and expands upon the original story in a completely believable and satisfying manner. Ai Ling sets off recklessly on an adventure again. This time, a dream convinces her that she must follow Cheng Yong as he is in danger on his journey to find his birth father in Jiang. As she joins him on the boat, pretending to be his sister, Ai Ling finds Zhong Ye continues to h...more

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Apr 14, 2011 Melissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is a beautiful second book for Ai Ling and Chen Young. The first book, The Silver Phoenix had more a lush and lyrical world that revolved in the background. Since this book mostly takes place on a ship, it does not have that same background, so the characters become all important. This is good as the characters were captivating. This is not to say that the last third of the book didn't capture that same lushness as the first once they landed. It did. You were able to see strange lands...more

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May 28, 2011 Cyndy Aleo rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Cindy Pon's Silver Phoenix: Beyond the Kingdom of Xia was a really good book. A great book, even. But its sequel, Fury of the Phoenix is breathtaking (and no, I'm not exaggerating in the slightest). While Silver introduced us to the inimitable Ai Ling, Fury continues her journey, as well as giving us the back story behind the evil Zhong Ye and Ai Ling's previous incarnation, the titular Silver Phoenix.

Without giving too much away, Pon gives us a character that was the very personification of evi...more Cindy Pon's Silver Phoenix: Beyond the Kingdom of Xia was a really good book. A great book, even. But its sequel, Fury of the Phoenix is breathtaking (and no, I'm not exaggerating in the slightest). While Silver introduced us to the inimitable Ai Ling, Fury continues her journey, as well as giving us the back story behind the evil Zhong Ye and Ai Ling's previous incarnation, the titular Silver Phoenix.

Without giving too much away, Pon gives us a character that was the very personification of evil, inexplicably craving the company of Silver Phoenix -- in any incarnation -- for centuries in Zhong Ye. Yet in Fury, she reveals depths to the character, layer by layer, and inch by inch. We meet him as a conniving eunuch, desperate to win the favor of the emperor any way he can, starting with his castration. We can see the blind ambition that would have led to the monster Ai Ling killed at the end of Silver Phoenix. But what we could never have understood without Pon's masterful storytelling, is how he could have ever claimed to love Silver Phoenix, the maid to one of the emperor's concubine's.

Ai Ling has followed Chen Yong on a ship bound for what may be the home of Chen Yong's birth father. She is heartbroken at the news of his betrothal, determined to keep him safe after having a vision that he was in danger, and horrified at her temporary dabbling in black magic to try to bring Chen Yong's adopted brother back to life. As the story unravels, taking twist after surprising twist, more of Zhong Ye's relationship with Silver Phoenix is revealed as Ai Ling's own secret she's been keeping from Chen Yong comes between them. The book's climactic scene is simultaneously heartbreaking and uplifting, and I sobbed as I read, something usually reserved for tragic movie deaths.

A few scenes of a fairly grisly nature make this not recommended for younger YA readers, but I'm still reeling at how absolutely amazing this book is ... and dying to know what might come next for these characters.(less)

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Apr 22, 2011 Bonnie at A Backwards Story rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, 2011, fabulous-books

Lush and full of adventure, Cindy Pon’s Phoenix duo will take you to a world like you’ve never seen. The books have a very Asian flare, full of Chinese roots, yet they take place in Pon’s own world, Xia. If you’re a fan of high fantasy and anything like me, these books will be impossible to put down once you get started. While Silver Phoenix was my favorite of the two, I loved Pon’s latest novel, Fury of the Phoenix, too. I didn’t realize how much I missed Xia and its inhabitants until I re-read...more Lush and full of adventure, Cindy Pon’s Phoenix duo will take you to a world like you’ve never seen. The books have a very Asian flare, full of Chinese roots, yet they take place in Pon’s own world, Xia. If you’re a fan of high fantasy and anything like me, these books will be impossible to put down once you get started. While Silver Phoenix was my favorite of the two, I loved Pon’s latest novel, Fury of the Phoenix, too. I didn’t realize how much I missed Xia and its inhabitants until I re-read Silver Phoenix. It was like coming home and catching up with an old friend, one I’d neglected for far too long. Because I took the time to re-read (which I can’t always do), I had an easier time slipping into the sequel.

What first captured me about Cindy Pon was her way of creating a world that’s very Chinese at its heart, yet in a world of its own. Even better, her descriptions are lush and detailed, painting an image that’s easy to visualize. Best of all is the lore. At first, I truly thought mythical creatures such as Life Seekers and Zhen fish were from traditional Chinese folklore, but in an upcoming interview with Pon, I discovered that all of these beings came from her own imagination. Silver Phoenix is heavier on this aspect, which I think is why I love it best. It has all of the traditional elements epic, sweeping fantasies do and I couldn’t put it down for a moment, even upon my second time reading the book. For those new to the series, Silver Phoenix revolves around a courageous girl named Ai Ling who runs away from home rather than be married off to a horrible old neighbor. She flees for the palace, hoping to save her father, and is soon accompanied by two brothers named Chen Yong and Li Rong. She finds out that the Immortals have set a course for her and if she doesn’t fulfill her destiny, her father—and the entire kingdom—will soon be destroyed.

Fury of the Phoenix is a companion novel that reunites us with Ai Ling and Chen Yong, as well as other characters from the first book. The story is split in two and weaves back and forth between the past and the present. In the present, Ai Ling sneaks onboard a ship and follows Chen Yong to Jiang Dao, a far away country that reminded me of when people traveled to the New World. Along the way, Pon weaves more mystical demons such as Sea Shifters, giving the story a sense of the flavor that made Silver Phoenix so special. In the first book, I really wanted Ai Ling and Chen Yong to wind up together, but it isn’t until Fury of the Phoenix that my wait paid off. There’s so much tension building between our favorite couple; I was constantly on the edge of my seat just hoping that things would work out this time around.

On top of that, Pon merges a second perspective into the novel, one that tells the story of Silver Phoenix and Zhong Ye. At first, I didn’t want to know more about Zhong Ye, but by the novel’s end, I had really come to understand and appreciate why he became so twisted later in life. After reading Silver Phoenix, I never thought I could care for him as a person. Pon’s storytelling is so tight, that while all isn’t forgiven, there’s still room to embrace this flawed man. I also loved learning the back story of Silver Phoenix, which was only hinted at in the first book despite the fact that the novel was named after her. At first, flipping back and forth between the past and present was jarring, but I soon settled in and found myself wanting to read more about the plight of both sets of characters.

Pon is talented when it comes to developing characters and their personalities. I truly cared about everyone and will truly miss these characters now that Ai Ling’s story has come to a conclusion. I feel bereft and can only hope that there will be more books set in the world of Xia, even if they don’t revolve around everyone I’ve come to know and love. If you’re looking for a high fantasy novel full of mystery, intrigue, and romance, check out Pon’s Phoenix duo; you won’t regret it!

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May 06, 2011 Rosa added it

Shelves: books-i-gave-up-on

My chief descriptor would be "inoffensive" - not horribly written, reasonably likable heroine, ok love interest - but too much like what came before, & ultimately not worth my time... also, I still think (as with the first book) that the supernatural/fantastical elements don't feel all that organic to the story, and seem more like crutches to sidestep obvious plot holes. For example, throughout the story, the heroine usually displays some latent supernatural ability that conveniently exactly...more

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Aug 21, 2012 Enna Isilee (Squeaky Books) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, possible-12-in-12

I loved this book even more than the first. Although when you break down the two parallel stories into their parts very little happens, when you put this book together with the first it is an amazing ride.

Although less fantastical and "epic," FURY OF THE PHOENIX is the epitome of masterful character creation. I think I will now dub Cindy Pon the master of creating the sympathetic villain. By the end of this book I WAS IN LOVE WITH THE VILLAIN! When does THAT ever happen?!

I think this book is bes...more

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Jan 17, 2012 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 25, 2011 Lymsleia rated it 2 of 5 stars

As much as I enjoyed the first book, I have to say that Fury just didn't live up to it. Sure, it was a quick, entertaining read that only rarely got boring, but that is unfortunately the best I can say about it. Where the first book's pacing problems were that there were too many episodic adventures, here it's the opposite; nothing much happens in Ai Ling's life for the first 300 pages - or in Zhong Ye's life, for that matter, because half of the book was about the early life of book 1's main an...more

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Sep 24, 2011 Mare rated it 4 of 5 stars

Went to Harperteen & read the first 73 pg... Finally got book, I must admit I liked it better then book 1. Don't get me wrong book 1 has it's qualities but sometimes I was lost in all the detail.
In Fury of the Phoenix, I was immediately drawn in wanting to know what was going to happen to Ai Lang and Chen Yong on their journey to Jiang. At first, I wasn’t too happy how Zhong Ye’s story was interwoven sporadically but once I got to the end it made sense. I needed to understand him, his story...more

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Feb 24, 2011 Faye rated it 5 of 5 stars

'Fury of the Phoenix' is the second book in the 'Kingdom of Xia' books. It's incredible. I loved it more than the first one...if that's possible? lol. It was engaging in multiple ways and it never left me feeling....unsatisfied! 'Fury of the Phoenix' is completely captivating and it's an immaculate companion novel to 'Silver Phoenix.' I was compelled to read page after page! I always wanted to know what was going to happen next. Since I'm reviewing an ARC copy that I was fortunate enough to win...more 'Fury of the Phoenix' is the second book in the 'Kingdom of Xia' books. It's incredible. I loved it more than the first one...if that's possible? lol. It was engaging in multiple ways and it never left me feeling....unsatisfied! 'Fury of the Phoenix' is completely captivating and it's an immaculate companion novel to 'Silver Phoenix.' I was compelled to read page after page! I always wanted to know what was going to happen next. Since I'm reviewing an ARC copy that I was fortunate enough to win (thank you Harper Teen!) and it's not released until March 29th, 2011-based on what Cindy's website says-I won't be including any quotes or giving away TOO much information. Which pains me because I want to tell you all everything!

'Fury of the Phoenix' basically picks up where 'Silver Phoenix' left off. There is a small time frame that is skipped over but I get the feeling nothing too exciting happened. And, anything that did, we are filled in on! Again, this story is (mostly) told through Ai Ling as she starts out on a new journey/adventure. I do have to say, that through 'Silver Phoenix' and 'Fury of the Phoenix' we always get to read about Ai Ling's overzealous love of food. Which is not a bad thing! It gives a little humor to the story through the sad parts. It just cracks me up that through all the turmoil and trauma, if she smells food, she's like a basset hound and can sniff it out. And man can she eat! lol. I love that about her! : )

In 'Fury of the Phoenix' we get to learn a great deal more about Silver Phoenix. I was super excited about it! I know that that's one thing that a lot of people were wanting so, you'll be super happy with 'Fury of the Phoenix.' Not only do we get to learn about Silver Phoenix BUT we also get to learn about Zhong Ye. There is a lot of in-depth information and stuff we get to read about. Particularly, how Zhong Ye went from being some nobody, farmer's son to the emperor's most trusted advisor. And, how Silver Phoenix gets thrown into all of it.

So, I don't want to give away too much. But, I do want to say that, for those of you who liked or loved 'Silver Phoenix' you will LOVE 'Fury of the Phoenix.' It's amazing! And, I really hope that Cindy is going to continue to write YA novels and that we will see more from her in the future. I love the way she writes!(less)

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Aug 03, 2012 Nafiza rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

This book explained why Silver Phoenix did not contain all the details that I so needed. This one was slower in its pace and plot and there were moments when the switch from the present to the past was jarring. However, I appreciated that Pon took the time to return to Zhong Ye and tell his story and let us understand the man behind the villain.

Even in the first novel, I got the sense that Pon was a lot more sympathetic to Zhong Ye than I felt he was created to be and I wondered why. Fury of the...more

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May 04, 2013 ❄ Sophia Lin ❄ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

Original Review posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts

Note: Formatting is lost due to copy and paste.

*Warning: May contain minor spoilers from the previous novel*

Remember the evil sorcerer by the name of Zhong Ye from the previous novel, Silver Phoenix? In Fury of the Phoenix, the sequel to Silver Phoenix, it's been a few months after Zhong Ye's death and Ai Ling receives warning from a dream that Chen Yong is in danger. Knowing that, Ai Ling finds a way to try and find him.

During Ai Ling's journey, w...more

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Mar 29, 2012 Tiffany rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

4.5/5 stars
I'm not really sure why I'm not giving this 5 stars. I super-liked it. Maybe because in the beginning I was a bit bummed that half the book was back story. But half way through, I was enjoying the back story parts as much as the current story parts. Like the book before it, it was full of adventure and excitement on every page. The love story twists, turns, and blossoms into such sweetness! I do wish in the end there would have been some real decisions confirmed, but the sweet, teasin...more

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Nov 26, 2011 Victoria rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: young adults who enjoy reading Silver Phoenix

Shelves: young-adult, science-fiction, fantasy, leaves-awesomeness-behind, best-characters, best-endings, books-that-i-love, made-me-laugh, action-adventure, books-reviewed, treasure-keeps, heroines-i-love-and-respect, heroes-i-admire-and-respect, favorites, cover-i-love, best-couples, 2011-favorites, kick-ass-heroines, rainy-day-re-reads

Fury of the Phoenix is an absolutely engrossing, captivating, and thrilling novel. I had enjoy reading Silver Phoenix and so captivated by the book's plot and history, I had to go check out the second book of the series. It turns out that Fury of the Phoenix is much better than the first book of the series. The writing was beautiful, average, and has many spectacular descriptions that I enjoy reading. I love the characters in the story. Ai Ling and Chen Yong are amazing characters just like befo...more

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Jun 29, 2011 Danielle rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am super happy right now! I found this in my library and absolutely had to check it out despite the fact I have about a million other library books checked out along with my summer reading list aka books on my shelf that I have yet to read. Anyways can't wait to start it!

Finished! Enjoyed it! Not as much action as the first but just as awsome. At first I wasn't sure if I would like the parts about zong ye but surprisingly I did and it all made sense at the end of the book. I actually felt bad...more

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About Cindy Pon

my debut, SILVER PHOENIX : Beyond the Kingdom of Xia was released by greenwillow books / harpercollins on april 28, 2009.

Fury of the Phoenix is out April 2011 and a children's picture book with my chinese brush art will follow.

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on the day of her first betrothal meeting--and rejection--ai ling discovers a power welling deep within her. she can reach into other people's spirits, hear their thought...more

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“The punishment of vertical rending was given to those who had destroyed marriages to satisfy their own lust.” — 6 people liked it

“There are thousands of other women to choose from. You understand me? And this court runs on ambition alone.” — 3 people liked it

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Fury of the Phoenix (Kingdom of Xia #2)

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