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Phoenix Extravagant

Yoon Ha Lee

3.77 · Rating details · 602 ratings · 231 reviews

Dragons. Art. Revolution.

Gyen Jebi isn’t a fighter or a subversive. They just want to paint.

One day they’re jobless and desperate; the next, Jebi finds themself recruited by the Ministry of Armor to paint the mystical sigils that animate the occupying government’s automaton soldiers.

But when Jebi discovers the depths of the Razanei government’s horrifying crimes—and the aw ...more

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Hardcover, 416 pages

Published October 20th 2020 by Solaris (first published October 15th 2020)

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· 602 ratings · 231 reviews

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Jul 12, 2020 Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy-all, netgalley-all

I wanted to read this book because of the mechanical dragon (Arazi). Unfortunately, we didn’t get to the dragon parts until almost 40%. But after that, it was pretty much ongoing. I loved Arazi so much!

I enjoyed some of the characters but wasn’t pulled in by anyone really. I did love Jebi and some others but I still wasn’t totally pulled into the story. I also got confused a lot as Jebi was either, Jebi or they. I have read a few books like that and it was fine but this one was a bit more confus ...more

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Jan 31, 2020 Acqua rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc, sibling-device, aoc, best-romance, unpredictable, fantasy, love-cover, q-allcast, yfnb, qn

Sometimes a worldbuilding is as steampunk as it is folktale, and sometimes a family is an obstinate non-binary artist, a prime duelist and a philosophical mecha dragon, and isn't that just perfect?

Phoenix Extravagant is the story of Gyen Jebi, an artist married to their profession (read: kind of... oblivious about anything that isn't art) as they get caught in the middle of political machinations involving a revolutionary movement in Hwaguk, a fantasy country heavily inspired by Korea under Japa ...more

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Apr 15, 2020 Bradley rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, 2020-shelf, steampunk

See that dragon on the cover? Yep. It definitely stole the show.

As for the story, I think I want to classify this as a silkpunk tale feeling quite like the Korean-Japanese occupation, with automatons, a simple magic system, and an overarching theme of rebellion.

The main character wasn't one I really grew into, however, and the romance was only slightly interesting to me. I enjoyed the intrigue more. I especially liked the whole thing more when we got to a certain automata.

I should mention one th ...more

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Apr 25, 2020 Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, ks, review-copy

4.5 Stars
Video Review: https://youtu.be/ehEWq2Y7vC8
I basically loved every aspect of this novel. As a rare standalone in the fantasy genre, this book held a wonderful complete, satisfying story. I almost felt it could have been longer, but mostly because I enjoyed it so much that I would have loved to spend more time with the characters in this world.

The main characters were complex, well developed and generally quite likeable. I appreciated reading from the perspective of a nonbinary person, 4.5 Stars
Video Review: https://youtu.be/ehEWq2Y7vC8
I basically loved every aspect of this novel. As a rare standalone in the fantasy genre, this book held a wonderful complete, satisfying story. I almost felt it could have been longer, but mostly because I enjoyed it so much that I would have loved to spend more time with the characters in this world.

The main characters were complex, well developed and generally quite likeable. I appreciated reading from the perspective of a nonbinary person, which is not a something I see enough in fiction. It took me a while to get use to the plural pronouns, but I appreciated that it challenged my outdated understanding of language and grammar. I also really enjoyed the inclusion of a dragon character because I really love reading SFF stories that include these non human perspectives.

The author's science work is known for being dense and complicated. So it was a welcome surprise to find that this fantasy novel was very accessible and easy to understand. I loved the magic system in this world where objects were brought to life by painting sigils on them. As a hard magic system, we learn that the magic comes from the grammar and pigments used to create these symbols which made the magic feel more grounded. The story doesn't spend a lot of time on the rules of the magic system, yet it provided enough information to provide a solid understanding for the reader.

This is my first time reading Yoon Ha Lee, but it certainly won't be my last. I am now eager to read his science fiction trilogy, which starts with Ninefox Gambit. This author is clearly a talented storyteller and I want to become immersed in more of his worlds.

This novel included so many of the tropes and themes that I love in fantasy, reminding me of other favourite fantasy books like The Poppy War, The Traitor Baru Cormorant and Eltantris. This is probably not the most original fantasy narrative, but it's the kind of fantasy story I would happily read again and again.

I would highly recommend this one to anyone looking to become immersed in an eastern inspired fantasy world told from the intimate perspective of a well developed queer character.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher, Rebellion Publishing. ...more

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May 14, 2020 Mike rated it it was amazing

This was absolutely wonderful.

Having read the Machineries of Empire, which I describe as a New Weird space opera, I was expecting the same kind of mind twisting here. Don't get me wrong, I *like* New Weird, so I wouldn't have been upset, but I was nevertheless surprised by how easy to read this was.

This book is set in a thinly disguised secondary world version of Korea, occupied by a thinly disguised secondary world Japanese Empire. The protagonist is Jebi, a not-Korean artist just trying to get This was absolutely wonderful.

Having read the Machineries of Empire, which I describe as a New Weird space opera, I was expecting the same kind of mind twisting here. Don't get me wrong, I *like* New Weird, so I wouldn't have been upset, but I was nevertheless surprised by how easy to read this was.

This book is set in a thinly disguised secondary world version of Korea, occupied by a thinly disguised secondary world Japanese Empire. The protagonist is Jebi, a not-Korean artist just trying to get buy. They've learned not-Japanese and adopted not-Japanese mannerisms and even taken a not-Japanese name, to make it easier to get work. (Non-gendered pronoun use is deliberate: Jebi is non-binary, which their culture is fine with and the not-Japanese occupiers are just kinda baffled by.) All of this infuriates their sister, who's late wife died fighting the not-Japanese invasion.

Jebi hears of a job offer from the not-Japanese Ministry of Armor, responsible for producing weapons, armor, and, most importantly, the magically powered soldier and tank automata constructs that made the conquest of not-Korea so easy. They're offered a job painting the magical glyphs that make these constructs work ("offered" in the sense of "the secret police know where your sister lives" kind of offer). Once they've accepted this kind offer, they find out what their assignment is: the Ministry is having trouble with the automata dragon they've constructed, and it's Jebi's job to find the problems in the controlling glyphs and correct them.

Now, automata are made to be mindless, mute golems, executing their instructions perfectly. But while working on fixing the dragon's glyphs, he secretly adds the glyphs that will give the dragon a voice.

What follows is a truly wonderful story of many different kinds of love. The love of Jebi for art, the love between Jebi and their sister, the inconvenient love that Jebi develops for a high-ranking Ministry member, and what might possibly be my favorite love between person and dragon outside of Hiccup and Toothless.

But this isn't a light-hearted book by any means. Colonialism is a heavy theme, and cultural erasure. Yoon Ha Lee managed to upset me in a way that no book has really ever been able to, when Jebi learns the secret behind the pigment used to make the glyphs. Yoon, if you happen to read this, that was seriously upsetting. Loyalties are tested all over the place, and the line between good guys and bad guys gets more than a little blurry in places.

One thing this is *not* is a book about trans rights. Jebi's non-binary gender identity is simply an accepted part of who they are. No struggles for acceptance. This is neither a feature or a bug: stories about that kind of struggle are important, but stories showing non-binary as a normal and accepted part of society are valuable as well.

I'm not sure if this book will have a sequel or not. It doesn't need one: the story ends on a perfect note as far as I'm concerned, but Yoon left themselves room for one. I kind of hope there isn't a sequel, honestly. This book was wonderful all on its own. ...more

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Nov 04, 2020 laurel [the suspected bibliophile] rated it really liked it

Shelves: arcs, lgbtq, fantasy, 2020-read, ownvoices

4.5 stars.

Dragons. Art. Revolution.

Jebi isn't a revolutionary. They're an artist, and they just want to paint, dammit. So when they're turned away from the painting exams, thrown out of their house after their sister finds out their adoption of another man, and they get an offer from the Ministry of Armor to paint—they take it. Granted, they have little choice, but they take it.

"If standing on principle means that you lose the people those principles are meant to protect, what's the point?"

I. Lo ...more

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Apr 04, 2020 Silvana rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fyeahfantasy, sff-2020-reading-challenge, z-2020-fantasy-novel-novella, poc-diaspora-authors, netgalley, stand-alones, asian-sff-authors, lgbtqia, freebies

It pained me to give three stars to a Yoon Ha Lee work. Maybe because I read many better stuff from him. It might not be fair to compare this with his Machineries of Empire series, but it is just not as enthralling or engaging. It has no level of complexities like in MoE. The main character, Jebi, was not as colorful as Jedao, to say the least. In fact, they made me feel morose from start to finish. If I have to treat it as an individual book, giving it another star would be a huge stretch.

The s ...more

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Dec 04, 2020 Cathy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

“Gyen Jebi isn’t a fighter or a subversive. They just want to paint.
One day they’re jobless and desperate; the next, Jebi finds themself recruited by the Ministry of Armor to paint the mystical sigils that animate the occupying government’s automaton soldiers.“

My first thought was that this was inspired by China, maybe HongKong, but I adjusted that thought to Korea, after having come across a Kimchi pot. And that turned out to be right, when I looked up the author‘s website.

“It’s about a nonbina “Gyen Jebi isn’t a fighter or a subversive. They just want to paint.
One day they’re jobless and desperate; the next, Jebi finds themself recruited by the Ministry of Armor to paint the mystical sigils that animate the occupying government’s automaton soldiers.“

My first thought was that this was inspired by China, maybe HongKong, but I adjusted that thought to Korea, after having come across a Kimchi pot. And that turned out to be right, when I looked up the author‘s website.

“It’s about a nonbinary painter teaming up with a pacifist mecha dragon against an evil empire (as one does), and it takes place in a magical version of Korea during the Japanese occupation.“

I liked the setting of a magical realm based on real countries. The „depths of the Razanei government’s horrifying crimes“ weren‘t quite as horrifying as I had expected. Ok, the creation of the pigments was a little horrifying, if you have an appreciation of art.

Fascinating dragon. I would have loved for Arazi’s character to have been developed more deeply. Alas, with the story told purely from Jebi‘s POV, that wasn‘t possible. I would also have liked to see more of Jebi’s particular brand of magic. And to have seen Jebi setting other automatons free. It almost looked as if they would do it once or twice...

Neither the conquered Hwaguk or the Razanei were purely black or white, there were nuances that kept it multifaceted. The characters were depicted with enough depth to make them feel real. It didn‘t make it easier to like one or dislike the other. No cardboard cutouts in this novel. Bongsunga and Hak were prime examples of that dichotomy.

I enjoyed the light romance. Vei was my favourite character. And her family were great side characters. Jebi wasn‘t the smartest or most aware cookie. I think some might find Jebi annoying in their ineptness and rather unpolitical stance regarding the conflict in their country. The childlike naivety was rather charming for me.

So there is plenty of potential for a possible sequel. Fingers crossed. Which I would read, although it took me a good while to get through this book. I enjoyed the writing, it just wasn‘t compelling enough to drag me through the story at a higher speed. Despite the plot it was a rather chilled affair for me.

I received this free e-copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review, thank you! I am late, I know, I know.... ...more

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Aug 21, 2020 Silvia rated it really liked it

Shelves: rep-nonbinary-gfluid-gqueer, arc, f-nonbinary-romance, netgalley-to-review, sent-for-review, dragons

I was sent this book as an advance copy by the publisher via NetGalley for reviewing purposes, but all opinions are my own.

3.75 stars

I can finally say I've read my first Yoon Ha Lee book! And I thought it could have gone a lot worse, considering the short stories I've read by him, but also it could have gone slightly better? I confess I was hoping to give this book 5 stars.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. I am not good at summarizing what this story is about because there's many themes I was sent this book as an advance copy by the publisher via NetGalley for reviewing purposes, but all opinions are my own.

3.75 stars

I can finally say I've read my first Yoon Ha Lee book! And I thought it could have gone a lot worse, considering the short stories I've read by him, but also it could have gone slightly better? I confess I was hoping to give this book 5 stars.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. I am not good at summarizing what this story is about because there's many themes (colonization, art and so much more) that I truly believe is best to find out for yourself. But it is a beautiful story with an unlikely protagonist, Jebi, a nonbinary artist who's really not fit to deal with everything thrown at them, and often gets sidetracked because they must paint at inconvenient times (Jebi's actual thought process at seeing mud or their own blood: must use it as paint. now!) or because they are frankly a little too horny for their own good (but who can blame them when the object of their yearning is a beautiful sword-wielding woman).

Choosing Jebi as the protagonist was a choice that could have backfired but it made the book more interesting. Jebi is one of us, they don't know how to deal with politics and revolutions, they want to stay out of it and they keep making mistakes when thrown in the middle of things. If you're someone who tends to be frustrated with protagonists you might want to extend some mercy to Jebi and be understanding of them, and put yourself in their shoes.

I suspect a lot of people will come to this novel because of the mecha dragon shown on the cover (it's me, I'm people), and they won't be disappointed! While I would have loved for Arazi to have more page time, I still loved it and found its relationship with Jebi to be one of the highlights of the book. Arazi's outside might be an automaton but it is a real dragon, with dragon skills and knowledge. Its curiosity about the world through Jebi's senses was so cute and I truly wouldn't mind a book only about their friendship.

The thing that most worried me going into this, only having read two of YHL's short stories, was the writing style. The stories I read were really complicated and as much as I wanted to get along with the style it just made me feel like I was on a different (lower, much lower) level. My friend said the writing was very different here so I started the book without being too scared, but with the knowledge that YHL's usual writing is much different I couldn't help but notice how he kind of, forgive me for not knowing a better term, dumbed it down. Which is good!!! This writing will definitely appeal to a broader public and I didn't have a problem with it, except when things were explained a little too much for my tastes. I hate being spoon-fed information about the character's emotions, information that is already or can be made clear (with gestures, dialogues, tones) without overly explaining. I don't think this is something that happened a lot, but it really stood out to me whenever it was unnecessary.

The "too much information" could have, in my opinion, be used elsewhere in the text. I confess that as much as I loved Arazi I still had a hard time getting a handle on its character at the beginning because I was left completely on my own to figure out its tone whenever it said something, and it already had the whole mysterious mecha dragon / real dragon entity thing going on, so a little help figuring out their personality would have been nice.

Overall, this not being the author's usual writing style, I thought some aspects of the book felt like a colorful painting where the colors had been stripped of their vibrancy. What suffered mostly was how relatively little I was made to care about some of my favorite things in fiction (sibling drama, queer romance, relatable protagonist), to the point where throughout the book I had to remind myself to care instead of just caring. But the book made up for it with its story, its intriguing and frankly horrifying concepts (if you love art....prepare for pain), its normalized queerness (probably one of the most normalized across all planes - sexuality, gender, polyamory - that I've seen so far). Plus it's obvious that even through a more simple writing style YHL is a great writer, so I still highly recommend reading this (and I'll be sure to try and read some of YHL's previous non-short-story works too). ...more

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Oct 15, 2020 imyril rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This tale of a reluctant revolutionary, unsuited for rebellion but burdened by guilty debts and a compassionate heart, is unexpectedly wholesome for a book about overthrowing a repressive government. A secondary-world fantasy, Phoenix Extravagant is inspired by the Japanese occupation of Korea, but with 100% more mechanical dragons and a delightfully queer society that includes a non-binary protagonist, non-heterosexual on-page relationships and an adorable poly family.

The highlight is Arazi the ...more

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Oct 16, 2020 Bob/Sally rated it really liked it

Shelves: lgbtqa, fantasy-heroic

More than just a beautiful story of a nonbinary protagonist and their mechanical dragon, Phoenix Extravagant is a powerful tale of art, identity, imperialism, and family. Yoon Ha Lee deftly juxtaposes the beauty of words with the starkness of plot, the hard edges of his characters with the soft edges of his monster, creating a reading experience that’s as unique as the story being read.

Jebi is an artist and a sibling, inspired by the need to create, but increasingly driven by the need to share t More than just a beautiful story of a nonbinary protagonist and their mechanical dragon, Phoenix Extravagant is a powerful tale of art, identity, imperialism, and family. Yoon Ha Lee deftly juxtaposes the beauty of words with the starkness of plot, the hard edges of his characters with the soft edges of his monster, creating a reading experience that’s as unique as the story being read.

Jebi is an artist and a sibling, inspired by the need to create, but increasingly driven by the need to share the financial burden of family. They resent the Razanei invaders and lament the loss of their people’s culture, but they’re no revolutionary. Even after getting trapped in a job with the Ministry of Armor, it’s not a sudden desire to overthrow the invaders that consumes them, but a horror at seeing the corruption and consumption of Hwagugin art to create weapons.

It takes a while before the mechanical dragon becomes a character, but Jebi and Arazi make an interesting pair. One has chosen nonbinary as a natural choice, and one has had nonbinary thrust upon them by artificial design. Neither wishes to play a role in games of war and rebellion, even though one was created as a weapon and the other groomed to enable such weapons. One is fighting to remain true to family, the other is longing to be part of a family. It’s a bold act of treason on Jebi’s part that allows Arazi to communicate, to express its thoughts, feelings, and desires, but it’s an even bolder act of treason from another person trapped between cultures and worlds that allows for the pivotal escape.

For a story that’s defined by empire, invasion, conquest, and rebellion, Phoenix Extravagant isn’t necessarily about any of them. It’s about people and cultures . . . about identity, choices, and love . . . explored against that backdrop of rebellion. Interestingly, it’s often hard to see good and evil here, despite the overthrow of a people and a consumption of a culture. There are a lot of moral grey areas, a lot of questions about intent, and whether the looming threat of Western invasion is genuine or just a political ploy, there’s no escaping the significance of that fear.

There’s a wonderful point where, in working so hard to free Arazi, Jebi realizes their own people will want to use it as a weapon against the Razanei – or perhaps against the West – and they cannot stop that, but at least they can ensure it has a choice. That moment sums up so much of the story, and in light of the rather surprising ending, the consequences of that choice weigh even more heavily upon the final pages.

https://femledfantasy.home.blog/2020/... ...more

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Jul 16, 2020 Justine rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2020, proofs, fantasy

I'll discuss this book more in depth in an upcoming video review! Subscribe here!

Having read Lee's Ninefox Gambit, I knew that I should expect a few things from Phoenix Extravagant: an incredibly immersive and original world, great characters, and a compelling read. While I enjoyed Ninefox Gambit, his latest novel absolutely blows it out of the water for me.

Lee manages to strike a fantastic balance between darker themes and lightness and humor that makes this book a fast-paced and incredibly fun ...more

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Aug 19, 2020 Mariah marked it as to-read

Shelves: tbr-2020-releases

That cover gives me BSL (Big Shen Long) energy and I'm here for it.
*Imgur is down so please hold for a Shen Long gif* ...more

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Oct 18, 2020 The Captain rated it it was ok

Shelves: fantasy

Ahoy there me mateys! I received this fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .

I read this because mechanical dragon and Yoon Ha Lee. While I loved the dragon and the art magic, I didn't really find meself enthralled with the story itself. I am not sure why. The book was well-written but I didn't get the sense of magic that I received from his other works even when they made me noggin ache. I liked the main character Jebi but think I wo ...more

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Sep 22, 2020 Annemieke / A Dance with Books rated it liked it

Shelves: sci-fi, fantasy, dragons, 3-star, 2020

Thank you to Rebellion, Solaris and Netgalley for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion in anyway.

Yoon Ha Lee is one of those authors that I have been meaning to read their trilogy of but it just hasn't happened. So when I got the chance to read this book by them I had to give it a shot. I think what happened here was an 'Its not you but me' thing.

Phoenix Extravagant is an interesting kind of story about a country that has been colonized by one of it ...more

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May 30, 2020 Andreas rated it really liked it

The cover illustration shows the pacifistic roboter dragon which is animated by magical ingredients, one of them the rare pigment

Phoenix Extravagant for destructive power, as befits an engine of war. Blood Circle, for loyalty to the Empire

Main protagonist artist Jebi additionally applied an extremely common pigment "Talkative Cicada" which let the dragon talk. The dragon is in the control of the Ministry of Armor, and broke and jobless Jebi is hired to fix the dragon. The role of the supervisor ...more

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Mar 31, 2020 charlotte, (½ of readsrainbow) rated it really liked it

Shelves: adult-lit, sibling-angst, favourite-characters, aoc-et-al, lgbt, lgbtq-authors, dystopia-sci-fi, east-asian-characters, other-lgbt, 3-point-5

“You idiot,” Vei explained, “we’re not supposed to take turns collecting injuries.”

On my blog.

Rep: East Asian inspired characters and setting, nonbinary mc, lesbian and bi side characters, side polyamory

Galley provided by publisher

I want to open this review up by telling you what not to expect from this book. Because I know from the experience of not really getting Yoon Ha Lee’s writing style in Ninefox Gambit, how people might not like this one, his first fantasy novel. (And because I know ...more

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Dec 13, 2020 Barb in Maryland rated it really liked it

Shelves: sf-f-goodies

Very clever, with an interesting magic system.
I liked the author's fantasy world: an alternate universe, centered in a version of late 19th century Korea/Japan/China, all vividly presented.
It takes a while for our hero to find their right path. Watching Jebi become aware of what is actually happening is very satisfying. Arazi, our automaton dragon, is absolutely delightful. But my favorite character is Vei, female duelist (think katana, not pistols).

There is lots of action, political intrigue, ...more

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Nov 16, 2020 Yuna rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fantasy

A lot to like here. The way politics is handled is layered, and though Hwaguk is the most sympathetic there's no simplistic good and evil here. The magic is interesting without getting too lost in its own details, and I liked the mechanic of destroying art to make magic pigment. Was hoping we'd see a bit more exploration of agency in the automata beyond Arazi though, especially since Jebi wonders about it on a few occasions.

But ugh. Jebi. How can someone so competent also be so utterly lacking A lot to like here. The way politics is handled is layered, and though Hwaguk is the most sympathetic there's no simplistic good and evil here. The magic is interesting without getting too lost in its own details, and I liked the mechanic of destroying art to make magic pigment. Was hoping we'd see a bit more exploration of agency in the automata beyond Arazi though, especially since Jebi wonders about it on a few occasions.

But ugh. Jebi. How can someone so competent also be so utterly lacking in common sense? When it helps make conflict in the plot I guess. I like a lot of what their character represented: they care about art and history, they care about other people's feelings and well-being, they care about protecting someone's agency even if that's an automaton dragon. They're not particularly special--it wasn't clear to me if their manipulation of the pigments was specifically their talent or something in theory any artist could've done--they're a good artist but it didn't seem like the artist equivalent to Vei's dualist prime. But they're not a super fighter or a genius or anything like that. In many ways they're average and somewhat relatable because they're not always on their game in every situation. And I liked that they represent the view of one who doesn't have fervent feelings either way about the war and Hwaguk's being occupied by Razan. Like, it affects them yes because hello colonized state, but also not? They're not gungho about the rebels or getting cozy with the overlords...they're just trying to make money to pay the bills.

All good things! But OMG could they be annoying at times. So many "oops I shouldn't have said/done that" or "oops, I should've remembered/thought of that first." And their ineptitude got played for laughs a bit too much for my taste. I liked the complexities of their relationship with Vei, but I didn't feel much of the romance. Too often I was like...why does Vei like them? She's awesome, and Jebi is kind of...their memory sucks if it provides conflict for the plot. ...more

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Dec 26, 2020 Rachel (Kalanadi) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020-releases, fantasy

3.5 stars

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Jan 04, 2021 Annikky rated it really liked it

I am a big fan of Yoon Ha Lee’s Machineries of Empire series, for its originality and mindfuckery. In comparison, Phoenix Extravagant is almost conventional, despite the ‘they’ pronouns and an unusual source of magic. It is a nice Korea/Japan-inspired fantasy and I loved the dragon (the dragon pushes it up to 4 stars), but it doesn’t have the complexity and emotional impact of his best work.

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Jul 10, 2020 iam rated it it was amazing

Shelves: gays-with-dragons, lgbtqia, arc, author-of-colour, nonbinary-genderqueer-fluid, transgender

Awesome story about a nonbinary artist thrown into political machinations featuring art, automaton dragons and revolution in an East-Asian historical fantasy-ish setting.

Content warnings include: occupation and colonialisation, oppression and discrimination, destruction of art, blackmail, more or less obvious hostage situations, earthquake, violence and death, battle, imprisonment, torture, casual fatphobia, non-explicit sex on-page. Mentions of: death of parents, death of spouse.

This is one o ...more

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Nov 03, 2020 belle ☆ﾐ (thisbellereadstoo) rated it really liked it

Shelves: diverse, asian-rep-or-author, lgbtaq, ebook, read-2020, standalone, 2020-releases

check out my thoughts and aesthetics inspired by the book on my blog~

In Phoenix Extravagant, the people in the Ministry of Armor combines glyphs and pigments to activate automatons. These mechanical beings act as soldiers alongside humans. Based on the glyphs drawn on the masks, these machinations are mostly subservient to the creators, the Razanei government. Devoid of emotions and choice, these machines are just animated machines until Arazi.

Immediately, I was intrigued by the mechanical drago check out my thoughts and aesthetics inspired by the book on my blog~

In Phoenix Extravagant, the people in the Ministry of Armor combines glyphs and pigments to activate automatons. These mechanical beings act as soldiers alongside humans. Based on the glyphs drawn on the masks, these machinations are mostly subservient to the creators, the Razanei government. Devoid of emotions and choice, these machines are just animated machines until Arazi.

Immediately, I was intrigued by the mechanical dragon on the cover. The concept of withdrawing pigments from historical artefacts to animate the automatons was appalling yet fascinating. Different sigils were drawn upon the machines to emulate certain characteristics. For instance, most of the patrolling mechanical soldiers were painted with no “response” sigils, which meant that they cannot acknowledge whoever was talking to them.

The setting of Phoenix Extravagant was inspired by Korea under the Japanese imperialism. Under the Razanei government, Hwaguk’s culture was destroyed and the land was renamed Administrative Territory Fourteen. A rebellion is on the rise. There were details showing the aftermath of the war and colonisation on the people in Hwaguk.

The main character isn’t incredibly impressive. Gyen Jebi is an artist not a fighter. He had no interest in politics, but was inadvertently pulled into it. Jebi’s relationship with his older sister, Bongsunga, had been sour especially when she found out that he secretly went for an examination to enter the Ministry of Art. Essentially, he was going to work for the enemy. Without any political agenda, Jebi only did that because he wanted a roof over their heads and food on the table.

Arazi, the philosophical pacifist mechanical dragon, is my favorite character. It was created to be a war tool for the country of Razan but Jebi gave it a conscious. Similar to Jebi, it has no interest in the upcoming war between the Hwagugin rebels and the Razanei government. Nonetheless, it was pulled into the situation.

Yoon Ha Lee beautifully incorporated queerness into Phoenix Extravagant‘s society. Inside the book, there were a non-binary protagonist, same-sex relationships and a polygamy family. Queerness is just there; it wasn’t explicitly stated and normalised within the society.

Phoenix Extravagant was so different from Yoon Ha Lee’s middle grade standalone, Dragon Pearl, which I liked. Regardless, I adored this steampunk mixture with magic. The author crafted this well-written standalone with the themes of revolution, art and effects of colonisation. I await for Yoon Ha Lee’s future works. ...more

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Apr 26, 2020 Lukasz rated it liked it

Shelves: 2020, dragons, alternate-history

3.5/5
Just look at his cover - magnificent, isn’t? Dragons are cool, but automatic dragons are something else.

Phoenix Extravagant, set in a fantasy version of Korea during the Japanese occupation, revolves around politics, war, and rebellion. Instead of showing the conflict through the eyes of devious politicians or fighters, it follows Gyen Jebi, a non-binary painter destined (or rather maneuvered) to shift the scales of the conflict. A delightful change from the smash and bang seen often in oc 3.5/5
Just look at his cover - magnificent, isn’t? Dragons are cool, but automatic dragons are something else.

Phoenix Extravagant, set in a fantasy version of Korea during the Japanese occupation, revolves around politics, war, and rebellion. Instead of showing the conflict through the eyes of devious politicians or fighters, it follows Gyen Jebi, a non-binary painter destined (or rather maneuvered) to shift the scales of the conflict. A delightful change from the smash and bang seen often in occupation narratives. Gyen wants to paint, and they care little about politics or war.

The Empire of Razan conquered Hwaguk and transformed it into Administrative Territory Fourteen. Gyen’s sister, Bongsunga, has revolutionary ties. She feels betrayed when her sibling registers for Razanei name, hoping it’ll allow them to secure a job. Jebi accepts an offer from the Razan government’s defense sector. His job involves reducing classic Hwagugin artworks to magical pigments necessary to program the behaviors of automata used to control the populace. A neat magical system. Without getting into details, Gyen ends up teaming up with a mecha dragon against the government.

The world, while inspired by history, is extravagant, atmospheric, and mysterious. The book tackles the theme of colonialism and various forms of response from colonized nations (resistance, acceptation, partial assimilation). As mentioned before, politics happen in the background but influence Jebi’s life to the point where they can’t remain impartial. The choices they face and erratic actions they make pulled me through the novel.

While they unravel the mysteries surrounding recent massacre, they grow involved with the lives of a sizable cast of characters, including Arazi - a sentient mecha dragon. Gyen’s actions are never thought-out. They react on impulse and often finish in even bigger troubles.

Lee does a fine job breathing life into each of the protagonists, imbuing them with hidden depths that slowly reveal over the course of the book. That said, Gyen’s relationship with Vei felt slightly forced. I didn’t feel any chemistry between them. In contrast, Gyen and Arazi banter made me regularly smile.

Even though I liked the book, it has a few downsides. First, it’s somewhat predictable. Second, the climax of the book moves at jet speed but it doesn’t resolve all conflicts, and I would expect a stronger closure from a book marketed as a standalone.

Despite its stumbles, Phoenix Extravagant was well worth the time spent reading it. It’s fun and entertaining. I wouldn’t mind seeing more entries in this well-crafted world. The open (sort of) ending gives hope Arazi will return. Fingers crossed.

...more

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Apr 04, 2020 Katie rated it really liked it

Shelves: sci-fi, net-galley, books-with-singular-they, asian-sff, lgbtq, arc, 2020, plague-reads

O.O that ending

Anyone who's read my blog will know that I'm a huge fan of Yoon Ha Lee's work. From the Machineries of the Empire trilogy to his short story collections, I've read and loved them all. As such, when I saw word that a new book was being written, I knew I had to get my hands on it as soon as possible. Ironically, I was telling myself I wouldn't request any more titles until I cleared my backlog, but I just couldn't resist. And I was certainly not let down. A huge thanks to Rebellion/ O.O that ending

Anyone who's read my blog will know that I'm a huge fan of Yoon Ha Lee's work. From the Machineries of the Empire trilogy to his short story collections, I've read and loved them all. As such, when I saw word that a new book was being written, I knew I had to get my hands on it as soon as possible. Ironically, I was telling myself I wouldn't request any more titles until I cleared my backlog, but I just couldn't resist. And I was certainly not let down. A huge thanks to Rebellion/Solaris for approving this title on NetGalley for me, despite requesting it so late in the review cycle.

From the first chapter, it's clear that this world is heavily inspired by the Japanese (the Razanei) occupation of Korea (the Hwaguk) in the 20th century. A major theme in this book is colonialism. Namely, this book hits two major points, the first being the response of the colonized people. Through different characters, Lee shows responses ranging from open resistance (Bongsunga), reluctant integration (Jebi), to open assimilation (Hak). Pheonix Extravagent also explores the behavior of the colonizers and the discrimination faced by the Hwaguk. As the summary implies, much of this commentary is done through the lens of art, in the perceived value of art styles from different nationalities, art theft, and art destruction.

For fans of the Machineries of the Empire trilogy, the worldbuilding and the magic system will seem the most familiar. The Razanei rely heavily on their automata, automated machines that can obey basic commands, tireless and un-swayed by human emotion. These automata are brought to life by special pigments, made from the destroyed works of dead Hwaguk artists, are used to form glyphs that command the automata. From having read some of Lee's short stories, this is a concept Lee's explored before. However, Phoenix Extravagant has really expanded that concept with the horrifying background of the pigments and made it truly fascinating to read.

Of the characters, Jebi, our non-binary, pacifist, "I just want to paint" artist was my favorite. From their introduction, it's clear that Jebi just wants to paint, and if it has to be for the Razanei government and he has to adopt a Razanei name, so be it. Unfortunately for Jebi, making a living as an artist is difficult and instead of working as a typical salaried artist, they get dragged into a secret military project, the dragon automata Arazi. Naturally, having met Arazi and realizing this dragon is sapient, they hatch a plan to break him out. One of my favorite aspects about Jebi it's very obvious they have no idea what they're doing. Every plan, every action, is tinged with a sense of 'oh fuck I hope this works' and 'holy shit that worked?'. Lee captures the extremely erratic behaviour of artists extremely well, from the 2AM bouts of inspiration to the hours upon hours of staring at a blank sheet of paper. There are some hilarious scenes where Jebi uses this to convince the Ministry guards to let them into places 'because artist things, y'know?'. And the Ministry guards, apparently used to this behavior, just rolls with it. Jebi embodies peak Chaotic Dumbass Energy and I love them.

Aside from Jebi, there are Vei, the Ministry of Armor's Duelist prime, Jebi's project manager and later lover, Bongsunga, Jebi's older sister, and Arazi, the dragon automata. I enjoyed Vei's character as the rational one of the pairing. Jebi's unabashed pining for her was extremely cute to read. However, as the two of them got closer, I felt like there was a lack of chemistry. I think this is largely due to a lack of Vei ever really showing affection for Jebi beyond dialogue. Bongsunga took longer to warm up to and early on I just thought she was a hardass. However, we get more of her backstory and her activities in the second half of the book and I found myself appreciating her pragmatism and dedication to her people, even if it meant going beyond her personal stakes. Arazi, was, as expected, extremely lovable. Arazi comes off as a young sheltered, though mature child, constantly asking Jebi to explain sensations that he cannot experience. And also he's a dragon. What more can a reader want?

Besides the lack of chemistry, one minor point I had issue with was the more fantastical elements. For a book so mired in practicality, the more fantasy elements like the Celestials just chilling out on the Moon or the Razenai trying to build something to travel to the moon seemed almost out of place.

Overall, I rate this book a 45. Yoon Ha Lee brings together a stark and fascinating world inspired by the Japanese occupation of Korea in the 20th century. The characters, Jebi, Vei, Bongsunga, and Arazi are all extremely lovable, though I had issues with Jebi and Vei's chemistry. I will have to say, that ending was, uh, unexpected. ...more

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May 10, 2020 Bogi Takács added it

Review coming soon (IY"H)
___
Source of the book: Print ARC from the publisher ...more

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Jul 12, 2020 Adri rated it really liked it

Shelves: ownvoices, queer-lit, arc, favorites, buddy-read

CWs: Familial disownment, depictions of colonization, incurred notions of racial supremacy, instances of beating, descriptions of injury and violence

Yoon Ha Lee has an incredible, beautiful mind, and I always feel lucky for any span of time that I get to live inside it. Phoenix Extravagant is a unique and ambitious story about non-binary artist and life-long pacifist, Gyen Jebi, wanting to be paid for their art when they're unceremoniously drafted into the Razanei's military to paint the gly CWs: Familial disownment, depictions of colonization, incurred notions of racial supremacy, instances of beating, descriptions of injury and violence

Yoon Ha Lee has an incredible, beautiful mind, and I always feel lucky for any span of time that I get to live inside it. Phoenix Extravagant is a unique and ambitious story about non-binary artist and life-long pacifist, Gyen Jebi, wanting to be paid for their art when they're unceremoniously drafted into the Razanei's military to paint the glyphs that activate the automata army. Let me say it louder: this story has a soft enby protagonist who's basically a magical coder. And that's badass.

This story is set against the backdrop of colonization and war, and it makes you think about the boundaries we draw around ourselves and the contradictions we have to navigate that inevitably shape our choices. Especially in terms of the magical "grammar" Jebi is charged with formulating to animate the automata soldiers, it has to be meticulous work, because when two commands conflict, that creates the space for unpredictability, and unpredictability is the very catalyst of choice itself. And when given that choice and that awareness, the automata creature Jebi is working with changes their world fundamentally, just by existing with agency.

Yoon Ha Lee always has such an eye for developing emotional drama as well, whether it's with complicated familial bonds, dangerous lovers, or social dilemmas. The way they're able to bring each chapter to its absolute height and cut away at such delicious moments of tension is really an art form in and of itself. I found myself extremely invested in these characters and their choices, and how those choices were being challenged as war begins to come to the forefront.

There's a wonderful tenderness between Jebi and the dragon Arazi as well, who is only beginning to come into its consciousness. Yoon Ha Lee has such a delicate hand when it comes to developing personal relationships, and it was nice to have a counterpoint of affection against all the fear and destruction. On one hand, Jebi is trying to figure out how to escape their colonizers, and on the other hand they're experiencing the joy of discovery each time they describe to Arazi how taffy tastes or what the sky looks like. That relationship is really something to latch onto as the drama builds and unfolds.

Additionally, gender is handled with such thoughtfulness in this story. Assuming someone's gender or misgendering someone basically doesn't happen in this world. There's never a misstep; Jebi is always referred to correctly and with neutral terms, which is so nice to see. The narration also doesn't arbitrarily gender flat characters or side characters either. For example, instead of saying, "the man said to the woman," it would say something like "a person with a lower-pitched voice spoke." And it's really that easy, isn't it? Queerness is purely incidental in this story. You have characters of different genders and sexualities, and representation for polyam familial structures as well, and it's not a big deal.

My only notes for the story are how some scenes feel a little random as opposed to purposefully built-up, and there are also some interesting character moments that only happen off the page, which I wish we could see. The way magic and art are connected is really fascinating as well, and I would've like to see that pushed a little bit more.

But overall, this is a stunning and complex story (as if Yoon Ha Lee knows how to write any other kind) that challenges the traditional hero's journey in times of war. As a pacifist and self-described apolitical person, Jebi is confronted with their beliefs, and forced to think critically about their role in this revolution against the Razanei. And in being confronted with those things, it would seem like taking up arms would be the "natural progression" for their story arc, but Yoon Ha Lee shows us other possibilities. The story makes us think about what is the every day person's role in times of war, and whether there is value in being able to see the individual for exactly who they are instead of as just a number or an enemy. Jebi is learning where their power truly lies and what their abilities could become depending on the choices they make, which is really interesting to think about.

The ending initially brought me pause, but then I remembered that Yoon Ha Lee is meticulously deliberate in the way they shape narrative. And the way this story ends makes me think about how completeness is not something that is owed to the reader. Just because you don't get to see the bigger picture from beginning to end doesn't mean the story and the character is not worthwhile, and indeed it makes you consider the contrast between the span of one life and the broader story of the world, which will always outlive us. It would be easy to say that I want more, which I would not object to, but I also like being challenged, and ultimately that is always what Yoon Ha Lee does best. ...more

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Jul 12, 2020 Kathy rated it really liked it

This is a compelling blend of technology and magic, filled with art, rebellion, lust, love, plot twists, and complex characters. I highly recommend it if you like non-binary protagonists, dragons, getting paid for your art, and the allure of a duel.

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Nov 22, 2020 Bertie (LuminosityLibrary) rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2000s, 2020, 4, fantasy, magic, lgbt-author, trans-nonb-author, lgbt, lgbt-protag, poc-author

Review to come! This was great! I loved the non-binary MC, dragon automation, sword-wielding girlfriend and anti-imperialism! Also, the magic based around art was really interesting! It was a bit slow at parts, and I didn't like Jebi as much as I'd hoped but I really enjoyed it! Definitely need to read more of Yoon Ha Lee's stuff! ...more

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Oct 18, 2020 Azrah rated it it was ok

Shelves: adult-sff, arcs-physical, reviewed

**I was provided with an ARC through the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

CW: violence, interrogation/torture, death, themes of colonialism, cultural erasure

Inspired by the annexation of Korea by Japan, Phoenix Extravagan takes place in Hwaguk, a country colonised by the Empire of Razan. We follow Jebi an apolitical and unemployed artist who has been trying to do their best to get by, even if it involves appeasing to the Razanei mannerisms and way of life. However, a fall out with the ...more

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About Yoon Ha Lee

Yoon Ha Lee

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Yoon Ha Lee is an American science fiction writer born on January 26, 1979 in Houston, Texas. His first published story, “The Hundredth Question,” appeared in Fantasy & Science Fiction in 1999; since then, over two dozen further stories have appeared. He lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Books by Yoon Ha Lee

Ninefox Gambit (The Machineries of Empire, #1)

Raven Stratagem (The Machineries of Empire, #2)

Revenant Gun (The Machineries of Empire, #3)

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“Since you’re so keen on working for the conquerors, you might as well rely on them for your housing too. I’m not going to share my roof with a collaborator.” — 0 likes

“The studio also featured a large wall calendar with cryptic abbreviations, presumably reminders. Also doodles of gears, sprockets, and malformed genitalia, because artists were artists.” — 0 likes

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