Song of Silver, Flame Like Night (Song of the Last Kingdom #1) by Amélie Wen Zhao -- Restarting August 25th 2025

[Jenn]

In a fallen kingdom, one girl carries the key to discovering the secrets of her nation’s past—and unleashing the demons that sleep at its heart. An epic fantasy series inspired by the mythology and folklore of ancient China.

Once, Lan had a different name. Now she goes by the one the Elantian colonizers gave her when they invaded her kingdom, killed her mother, and outlawed her people’s magic. She spends her nights as a songgirl in Haak’gong, a city transformed by the conquerors, and her days scavenging for what she can find of the past. Anything to understand the strange mark burned into her arm by her mother in her last act before she died.

The mark is mysterious—an untranslatable Hin character—and no one but Lan can see it. Until the night a boy appears at her teahouse and saves her life.

Zen is a practitioner—one of the fabled magicians of the Last Kingdom. Their magic was rumored to have been drawn from the demons they communed with. Magic believed to be long lost. Now it must be hidden from the Elantians at all costs.

When Zen comes across Lan, he recognizes what she is: a practitioner with a powerful ability hidden in the mark on her arm. He’s never seen anything like it—but he knows that if there are answers, they lie deep in the pine forests and misty mountains of the Last Kingdom, with an order of practitioning masters planning to overthrow the Elantian regime.

Both Lan and Zen have secrets buried deep within—secrets they must hide from others, and secrets that they themselves have yet to discover. Fate has connected them, but their destiny remains unwritten. Both hold the power to liberate their land. And both hold the power to destroy the world.

Now the battle for the Last Kingdom begins.

[Kay-Mika]

Started this one and so far I like it

[Maisha]

Up to chapter 6 (view spoiler)[So far I'm really enjoying this book. The magic system is pretty impressive. I don't know much about Chinese culture and mythology. But the storyline is really easy to follow.
I'm loving both Lan and Zen. I wonder what that strange character seared in her arm means. What power, which secret had her mother left her with? (hide spoiler)]

[Kay-Mika]

I'm at like ~50% and it is really good, even if at some parts she had some repetitiveness in it

[Kay-Mika]

Chapter 6
(view spoiler)[ I wonder which of the four demon gods Lan can summon? (hide spoiler)]

[Kay-Mika]

chapter 19
(view spoiler)[Not the Elantians again-_-
But I'm glad they found what Lan's mother hid for her (hide spoiler)]

[Kay-Mika]

Chapter 29
(view spoiler)[ And they get captured -again. It's somehow boring. (hide spoiler)]

[Kay-Mika]

Chapter25
(view spoiler)[ Well, the real question is: Why did the emperors want the clans and their magic gone? Why these reductions? These laws? Why forbid a certain kind of magic? (sorry, I read the book in German, so.. I have to "translate" everything back into english) (hide spoiler)]

[Kay-Mika]

Chapter26
(view spoiler)[ Zen agrees to a deal with the Black Turtle. This can only end badly. But I get where he is coming from. (hide spoiler)]

[Kay-Mika]

Chapter31
(view spoiler)[ "Luke, I'm your father" XD
Sorry, I know this is supposed to be a very intense and tragic moment, but all I can think of is the over-the-top-acting in a telenovela, where it gets revealed that the poor, orphaned girl is the long, lost daughter of the rich guy. XD (hide spoiler)]

[Kay-Mika]

Finished
(view spoiler)[ I actually liked it, even if I don't really care for Lan and Zen. I just want to know if they can save Zen and if Tai and Shàn'jun get their happy end and what happens with Dilaya. Even if I didn't like her at the beginning. (hide spoiler)]

[Maisha]

Chapter 25 (view spoiler)[ "They remained like that, lying side by side, gazing at each other and marveling at the small miracle of two lives having crossed, two souls having found each other in this vast world"
I'm swooning. The romance is soo perfect! 😭 (hide spoiler)]

[Maisha]

Kay-Mika wrote: "chapter 19
Not the Elantians again-_-
But I'm glad they found what Lan's mother hid for her"

(view spoiler)[ I was scared for them. But at least Lan is figuring out her song magic (hide spoiler)]

[Maisha]

Kay-Mika wrote: "Chapter31
"Luke, I'm your father" XD
Sorry, I know this is supposed to be a very intense and tragic moment, but all I can think of is the over-the-top-acting in a telenovela, where it gets reveale..."

(view spoiler)[ I agree with you on this. It felt cliche. I mean they could share a special bond as mentor-mentee..Luke didn't need to be her father to emphasize her grief -.- (hide spoiler)]

[Maisha]

Kay-Mika wrote: "Finished
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I loved the characters. They weren't anything special, just your typical YA fantasy characters. But I had read a Ya fantasy after ages. So honestly really enjoyed it despite its cliches xD (hide spoiler)]

[Kay-Mika]

Maisha wrote: "Kay-Mika wrote: "Finished
[spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

it was enjoyable, but then again, I have a hard time falling for the main characters in general....

[Jenn]

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Date changed. Restarting August 25th 2025. Happy Reading ☺

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[Gohnar23]

@Anshika?