Review of The Orchid Farmer's Sacrifice

Erin Dydek · Post by **Erin Dydek** » 14 Oct 2021, 07:50

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Orchid Farmer's Sacrifice" by Fred Yu.]

4 out of 4 stars

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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.

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The Orchid Farmer's Sacrifice
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Kingsley Emodi · Post by **Kingsley Emodi** » 16 Oct 2021, 02:26

Interesting storyline. Sounds like something I'll enjoy. Great review you have here. Bravo!

marta baglioni · Post by **marta baglioni** » 16 Oct 2021, 04:00

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 · Post by **Nonso Ok** » 16 Oct 2021, 13:12

Seems like you had fun reading this; it definitely sparked my interest in the book. Thank you.

Shivali Y · Post by **Shivali Y** » 19 Oct 2021, 00:20

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 · Post by **collinsogw555** » 19 Oct 2021, 09:58

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.

Clare Jose · Post by **Clare Jose** » 21 Oct 2021, 12:43

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!

Lakdim · Post by **Lakdim** » 26 Oct 2021, 11:39

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 · Post by **John Karanja 1** » 26 Oct 2021, 14:11

Military affairs are very complex in war time, and the plot here is clearly expressed. Thank you for the good review.

NetMassimo · Post by **NetMassimo** » 29 Oct 2021, 15:42

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!

Kammeuchechukwu Mark Okereke · 13 Nov 2021, 17:23

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 · Post by **ellimctreph** » 14 May 2022, 21:42

Yu definitely has a hand for world building. Great book, and great review.

Stevenmusk · Post by **Stevenmusk** » 08 Jun 2022, 13:43

This book has a good structure and plot. It has a good flow. It seems interesting and captivating. Thanks for the review.

Shelby Ayres · Post by **Shelby Ayres** » 03 Aug 2022, 23:38

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 by **Joshua Sawders** » 14 May 2024, 08:04

"Well, y'know, after readin' this here review, I gotta say, this book sounds like a real page-turner, y'know? It's got everything – action, martial arts, military strategy, and even a touch of fantasy. The protagonist seems like a real character worth rootin' for, and I reckon the inclusion of strong female characters is a bonus. Seems like the book's got plenty of worldbuildin' goin' on too. Based on what I'm hearin', I'd say this one's definitely worth a read, especially if you're into Asian fiction. Can't wait to get my hands on it myself!" Unpredictable twists, kept me on edge.