Tales of the celestial kingdom

Tan returns to the spellbinding world of her Celestial Kingdom duology (beginning with Daughter of the Moon Goddess, 2022) with this collection of nine stories set before, during, and after the novels. The first section, "Dusk," deepens readers' understanding of Xingyin's parents in three stories, contextualizing their fateful decisions: Houyi's slaughter of the 10 sunbirds and Chang'e's drinking of the immortality elixir to save herself and her baby. The next section, "Twilight," spans both books in the duology and recounts important moments and fierce battles from the perspective of other characters, particularly key romantic figures, Liwei and Wenzhi, who weigh their feelings for Xingyin against their duty to family. The final section, "Dawn," portrays Wenzhi's mortal life after his reincarnation and his eventual reunion with Xingyin; the final story serves as a swooningly romantic epilogue to the duology. These insightful character studies and interesting side stories are perfect for readers ready to reimmerse themselves in Tan's magical storytelling, especially those who have longed for a proper ending to Xingyin and Wenzhi's tale.

Tan returns to the fanciful world of her bestselling Celestial Kingdom duology (after Heart of the Sun Warrior) with this vibrant collection of nine stories each highlighting behind-the-scenes perspectives from her main characters. The moon goddess Chang'e narrates two prequel tales--"Rise of the Sunbirds" and "Goddess of the Moon"--sharing glimpses of her time with her husband, Houyi, before she became immortal. For his part, Houyi, the great archer and commander of the emperor's army, reveals his unwavering loyalty to his duty in "The Ten Suns." In "The Snow Ginseng Root" and "A Rival's Spirit," Liwei begins to realize his feelings for series heroine Xingyin but comes to understand that giving her what she truly wants means helping his romantic rival. Soldier Wenzhi fights side-by-side with Xingyin in "Battle with the Bone Devil" before reuniting with her during peace time in "Sun Moon Teahouse." Finally, Xingyin herself gets a happily ever after in "Home" after watching her mortal beloved lose his memories. The tales are driven more by introspection than by plot, and though they offer few surprises, they represent a welcome chance to revisit favorite characters. This is a gift for series fans. Agent: Naomi Davis, BookEnds Literary. (Feb.)