The Poppy War Collector's Edition - A Novel

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Babel and Yellowface comes an all-new, fully illustrated, collector's edition of R. F. Kuang's debut novel, The Poppy War. Considered one of Time Magazine's 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time, the story of orphaned Rin's rise to power gets a fresh look with a full-wrap illustrated jacket and black-and-white interior art by JungShan Chang throughout, plus embossed case, designed end papers, and sprayed edges.

When Rin aced the Keju-the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies-it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn't believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin's guardians, who believed they'd finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard-the most elite military school in Nikan-was even more surprising.

But surprises aren't always good.

Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power-an aptitude for the nearly mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive-and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school.

For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark awa y . . .

Rin's shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late.

Rezension:

"The book starts as an epic bildungsroman, and just when you think it can't get any darker, it does [...] Kuang pulls from East Asian history, including the brutality of the Second Sino-Japanese war, to weave a wholly unique experience." - Washington Post

"Kuang ambitiously begins a trilogy that doesn't shy away from the darkest sides of her characters, wrapped in a confectionery of high-fantasy pulp. [...] The future of Rin in this world may appear quite dark, but that of the series seems bright indeed." - New York Daily News

"Battles. Bloodshed. Drugs. Amazing, amazing characters. Read it!" - Peng Shepherd, author of The Cartographers

"[The Poppy War is] strikingly grim military fantasy that summons readers into an East Asian--inspired world of battles, opium, gods, and monsters. Fans of Ken Liu's The Grace of Kings will snap this one up." - Library Journal (starred review)

"Debut novelist Kuang creates an ambitious fantasy reimagining of Asia n history populated by martial artists, philosopher-generals, and gods [...] This is a strong and dramatic launch to Kuang's career." - Publishers Weekly