Quick Word: 2.5 or 3 stars - I couldn't quite decide. The premise was fantastic and there were some aspects of the world building with real potential. I loved the idea of the animal spirit companions, the relational subtext between Kai's old gang members (especially Yun), and the Chinese influences. Despite all of that, I never quite bought into the emotional levels of the novel, or believed in Kai’s affection for his mother, friends, Yun, or even Chen, his pig spirit. I also felt that the merge of fantasy and magical technology was a little shaky, and I couldn’t pick up a vibe from the city atmospheres. ( )

An interesting story idea with a lot of rough edges--this novel would have benefitted from about 100 more pages and some solid editing, as few of the plot lines or characters are truly fleshed out. Kai and Yun travel to the Phoenix Empire to return Princess Lian to Long City when her father the king mysteriously falls ill, but they discover a sinister plot along the way. Again--good ideas, but none of them are fully realized, and Kai is the only 3D character.