Book Review: She Who Became the Sun by Shelly Parker-Chan

 The tale starts in 1345 in ancient China with the second daughter of the Zhu family hunting lizards and crickets to stave off starvation.  Her brother is said to have a great destiny while she has nothing.  Then her father is beaten to death by bandits and her brother gives up his life.  After this she takes her brother's name Zhu Chongba and flees to the nearby monastery.

As Zhu Chongba, he is obliged to hide his gender, but rises partially on his intense desire to rise.  This time at the monastery when the eunuch general of the Yuan destroys it.

Zhu Chongba joins the rebellion with their Prince of Radiance and his Mandate of Heaven against the Yuan dynasty.  He rises rapidly through a series of near miraculous victories and clever ruses.  Eventually Zhu Chongba learns that their desire is a Mandate of Heaven as well.

This is an interesting story.  The setting seems to be China at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, the Mongol dynasty.  The character interactions are fun and in patterns that remind me of folks I knew in Honolulu.  The world building is also interesting.  It draws on Taoism and Buddhism in clear ways.  The prime minister of the rebels has ministers of both the left and right.  Interestingly, the Mandate of Heaven is a visible sign that inheres to individuals with a great destiny rather than being tied to dynasties.  These individuals can also see ghosts.

This story is well worth reading.  Especially if you want stories informed by Chinese history and culture.

Book Review: Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell

 The story starts in media res as it were, with our main protagonist, Kiem, Prince Royal of Iskat, facing the Emperor.  This is a situation that usually only occurs when Kiem has caused a minor scandal of some sort, which he did often enough as a student he knows how to handle it.  This meeting isn't for a scandal.  Kiem is to marry Count Jainan nav Adessari of Feria from the planet Thea whose Iskan partner, Prince Taam, died a month ago in an accident.  The Emperor explains that this is essential for a treaty renewal that must happen in only a few months when Kiem challenges her on the marriage.  At this Kiem yields, though he commits himself to being kind and understanding with the presumably grieving Jainan.

The idea is to get through the treaty renewal ceremony without hurting Jainan's feelings and giving him time to heal from his loss.  Things don't go to plan.  It turns out the accident that killed Taam was more of a murder and someone tried to pin the blame on Jainan.  Who ever it is, is also trying to disrupt the treaty renewal for unknown reasons.

Kiem is a fun character, a reformed Bertie Wooster sort, with a very competent secretary, Bel.  Jainan is quieter, more self-controlled, and much more analytical.  Jainan has a doctorate in regolith mining, which was less useful than might be expected given his previous partner was managing a major regolith mining operation.  The relationship between Kiem and Jainan is adorably awkward, especially because their unwillingness to talk openly leads to confusion about what each wants from the relationship.

There is one thing that maybe deserves a content warning.  The story includes scenes of domestic violence, though not between Kiem and Jainan.  Other than that, this is a fun story for folks that enjoy gay space operas.