I am glad I bought myself a copy of this book. It stayed just as charming as the sample I originally read stated out.
Zilan is a poor girl from a small town in the south of a China based on the historical Tang Dynasty with a few changes. She wants to be a Royal Alchemist, to study and provide the empire with the best alchemy can provide. Because she hasn't passed the exams to be recognized as an alchemist yet, she makes money by raising the dead, a form of alchemy that is illegal. She's very good at it and is completely self taught. She lives with her aunt, uncle and cousins.
Her cousins want to become scholars, a path to a government position with better financial prospects than being merchants. All three take preliminary exams in their district, but they have to travel to the capital for the final exams.
This is a fantasy. Raising the dead is one fantastical element. Another is "life gold", a substance made out of gold, lead, blood and gi. This is what the Royal Alchemists do, since the life gold must be made daily. The Royal Family and nobles and certain other rich people eat the life gold. As long as they do that, they do not age. That is as close as they can get to being immortal. The life gold does not protect them from accidents or poisons.
The Empress has decided she will live forever, so she sets out to kill all the other members of the Royal Family. At the start of our story, all except two girls and the crown prince have been eliminated. He has some suspicions about what is going on, so he sought out Zilan to resurrect him if he should die. She now has more involvement with the Royal Family than she wants.
This is the first book in a series. There are cliffhangers or questions that want answers. However, this story is as complete as it needs to be. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Zilan is a poor girl from a small town in the south of a China based on the historical Tang Dynasty with a few changes. She wants to be a Royal Alchemist, to study and provide the empire with the best alchemy can provide. Because she hasn't passed the exams to be recognized as an alchemist yet, she makes money by raising the dead, a form of alchemy that is illegal. She's very good at it and is completely self taught. She lives with her aunt, uncle and cousins.
Her cousins want to become scholars, a path to a government position with better financial prospects than being merchants. All three take preliminary exams in their district, but they have to travel to the capital for the final exams.
This is a fantasy. Raising the dead is one fantastical element. Another is "life gold", a substance made out of gold, lead, blood and gi. This is what the Royal Alchemists do, since the life gold must be made daily. The Royal Family and nobles and certain other rich people eat the life gold. As long as they do that, they do not age. That is as close as they can get to being immortal. The life gold does not protect them from accidents or poisons.
The Empress has decided she will live forever, so she sets out to kill all the other members of the Royal Family. At the start of our story, all except two girls and the crown prince have been eliminated. He has some suspicions about what is going on, so he sought out Zilan to resurrect him if he should die. She now has more involvement with the Royal Family than she wants.
This is the first book in a series. There are cliffhangers or questions that want answers. However, this story is as complete as it needs to be. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.