Review of The Orchid Farmer's Sacrifice

Please use this sub-forum to discuss any fantasy or science fiction books or series.
Forum rules
Authors and publishers are not able to post replies in the review topics.
Post Reply
User avatar
Erin Dydek
Book of the Month Participant
Posts: 1058
Joined: 20 May 2019, 19:07
Favorite Book: Shadowborn
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 328
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-erin-dydek.html
Latest Review: Northern Umbrage by Dennis Lorenz Ph.D.

Review of The Orchid Farmer's Sacrifice

Post by Erin Dydek »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Orchid Farmer's Sacrifice" by Fred Yu.]
Book Cover
4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review


Four powerful Tiger Generals have protected China from the barbarians who threaten from outside the Great Wall. But what defenses will they have against an enemy that intends to strike from within those borders? An army of traitors searches for the elusive Red Crest, and the turmoil surrounding that quest is quickly evolving into a civil war.

Mu Feng, son of Tiger General Mu, has heard rumors of the search for the Red Crest but lacks the military experience needed to aid in defense of his home city. When an evil plot leaves his best friends dead and his sister in the hands of the enemy, Feng must learn the secret of the Red Crest and discover a way to defend all of China from a deadly foe.

The Orchid Farmer's Sacrifice is a Chinese historical fiction novel with fantasy elements by Fred Yu. I loved how this opening novel in the Red Crest series was full of exciting action scenes, various fighting styles, and engaging military strategies. The author provided an excellent protagonist with enormous potential. Feng is a spoiled brat with a lot to learn, and I loved following along with his internal struggles as the external factors kept pounding away at him. I laughed at his tendency to stick to his preference of fine clothes and wine even though his circumstances often forced him to wear discarded or bloodied peasant clothing to accomplish his goals. Still, Feng did what it took to learn to survive and use his natural ability to strategize while applying the new skills he learned in ingenious ways.

When it came to the female cast, Yu did not falter. The women of the Venom Sect, an organization that uses poison as their weapon of choice, were quick-witted and unafraid of getting their hands dirty in a fight. I loved how these women were loyal to their cause as they instructed Feng in their culture and way of life. The skills they taught him were just a few of Feng's incorporated techniques, and I was impressed with how the author used Feng's growing list of resources to help him find the answers he sought.

Occasionally, I became as frustrated as Feng about the lack of answers, but in the end, the author rewarded me with the information that I desired. The conclusion was satisfying with its revelations and provision of new information. With excellent worldbuilding and storytelling throughout the book, I'm incredibly excited about the sequel. In the meantime, I plan to dive into the prequel to gain additional insight about a couple of characters introduced later in the novel.

I did not spot any errors in this well-edited book, and I gladly give it four out of four stars. I'd highly recommend The Orchid Farmer's Sacrifice to readers who love Asian fiction, martial arts, and military strategy. The use of poison as a weapon and the nature of the battle sequences included gory depictions of the results, but there was no course language or sexual content throughout the book.

******
The Orchid Farmer's Sacrifice
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Kingsley Emodi
Posts: 152
Joined: 26 Jul 2021, 02:11
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 17
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-kingsley-emodi.html
Latest Review: Randy the Irresistible by S M Goodier

Post by Kingsley Emodi »

Interesting storyline. Sounds like something I'll enjoy. Great review you have here. Bravo!
User avatar
marta baglioni
Book of the Month Participant
Posts: 607
Joined: 18 May 2021, 12:42
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 41
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-marta-baglioni.html
Latest Review: Shatter Girl by Shay Miranda

Post by marta baglioni »

I love Asian fiction, and the characters seem great! Thank you for the review, I will certainly read this series in the near future :)
Nonso Ok
Posts: 161
Joined: 21 Sep 2021, 03:56
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 24
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-nonso-ok.html
Latest Review: A Murder in Brownsville by Donald Steven Collins

Post by Nonso Ok »

Seems like you had fun reading this; it definitely sparked my interest in the book. Thank you.
Shivali Y
Posts: 96
Joined: 02 Sep 2021, 02:27
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 51
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-shivali-y.html
Latest Review: Sound of Redemption by William John Rostron

Post by Shivali Y »

Haven't really read any Asian historical fiction, but this sounds like the right place to start! This book sounds very interesting, and that cover is beautiful. Thanks for a great review!
collinsogw555
Posts: 211
Joined: 02 Aug 2021, 18:03
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 18
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-collinsogw555.html
Latest Review: Bama Boy by Bobby Morrison

Post by collinsogw555 »

The title got my attention as a great warrior would have to defend their city from the enemy who is with the city. This certainly would be a fun read for me. Thanks for the review.
User avatar
Clare Jose
Book of the Month Participant
Posts: 759
Joined: 17 Mar 2021, 23:01
Favorite Book: Let's Pretend This Never Happened
Currently Reading: Pride and Prejudice
Bookshelf Size: 196
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-clare-jose.html
Latest Review: Not Fishy Enough by Briton Kolber

Post by Clare Jose »

The interesting plot, world-building and the inclusion of things like martial arts and military strategy all interest me immensely. I feel like I'll have a lot of fun reading this.
Thank you for a great review!
Life is short, break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that made you smile."
User avatar
Lakdim
Posts: 1
Joined: 26 Oct 2021, 11:23
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by Lakdim »

I've read a lot of Chinese novels, but this book seems to be very interesting. Thank you very much for the review
John Karanja 1
Posts: 93
Joined: 07 Jul 2021, 04:39
Favorite Book: The Cadence of Excellence
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 11
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-john-karanja-1.html
Latest Review: Building A Coaching Culture by Andreas Von Der Heydt

Post by John Karanja 1 »

Military affairs are very complex in war time, and the plot here is clearly expressed. Thank you for the good review.
User avatar
NetMassimo
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 6579
Joined: 24 Jul 2019, 06:37
Currently Reading: Flinx's Folly
Bookshelf Size: 419
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-netmassimo.html
Latest Review: Three Bullets by Charles Alexander
2024 Reading Goal: 60
2024 Goal Completion: 26%

Post by NetMassimo »

This seems like an engaging historical novel with fantasy elements, a must-read for readers who like this kind of Chinese stories. Thank you for your great review!
Ciao :)
Massimo
User avatar
Uchechukwu Okereke
Posts: 147
Joined: 01 Oct 2021, 05:30
Currently Reading: The Aftermath Of The King
Bookshelf Size: 42

Post by Uchechukwu Okereke »

This book really makes you appreciate the worldbuilding of certain authors who do so without over narrating a portion or all of the story sequences. Feng is certainly a genius character who lives off the trills of being pushed around in life's wave. I really cannot wait to get to it. Great review!
ellimctreph
Posts: 144
Joined: 16 Mar 2022, 05:38
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 26
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ellimctreph.html
Latest Review: Bluewater Walkabout by Tina Dreffin

Post by ellimctreph »

Yu definitely has a hand for world building. Great book, and great review.
Stevenmusk
Posts: 836
Joined: 29 May 2022, 12:15
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 60
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-stevenmusk.html
Latest Review: Under the Blue Moon by Joan Schweighardt

Post by Stevenmusk »

This book has a good structure and plot. It has a good flow. It seems interesting and captivating. Thanks for the review.
User avatar
Shelby Ayres
Book of the Month Participant
Posts: 353
Joined: 09 May 2022, 00:02
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 50
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-shelby-ayres.html
Latest Review: The Wrong Side of the Room by Norman Mathews

Post by Shelby Ayres »

The title and cover are extremely eye-catching and captivating. I like when the author leaves the reader questioning and then has all the answers at the end of the book. I look forward to reading this book. Great review!
Post Reply

Return to “Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books”