"In this addictive queer, feminist epic fantasy, Huang ( Burning Roses) brilliantly retells the 14th-century Chinese classic Water Margin for a 21st-century audience. . . . The author's background as a Hollywood stunt performer enriches the kinetic action sequences, which are both easy to follow and thrilling to read. This wuxia eat-the-rich tale is a knockout."-- Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Huang's new epic fantasy moves at a breakneck, adrenaline-filled pace that makes it difficult to put down, and the convincing, broad cast of characters powers the plot forward amidst cunning turns of strategy and shocking, dark twists. . . . Fans of Iron Widow, by Xiran Jay Zhao (2021) and She Who Became the Sun, by Shelley Parker-Chan (2021) will eat up this new adventure about justified anger and fierce female warriors."-- Booklist, starred review

"Delightfully queer and furiously feminist eat-the-rich historical fantasy about a band of marginalized thieves with magical powers who set out to protect the disenfranchised from imperial forces. It's rollicking good fun with a blade-sharp edge."-- Publishers Weekly, Best Books of 2023