This Chinese-inspired fantasy gave me a fluttery heart from the moment that I saw its cover. Let's be honest, it's a great time to be a reader in this movement of own voices books. I couldn't wait to see how Mary Fan would blend this rich history, a bit of steampunk, and a heavy dose of fantasy into something new. To say I was excited for this book probably doesn't even cover it, but we'll leave it at that. I was ready to be swept away.

Now, in all fairness, I am an extremely character driven reader and Anlei took a long while for me to actually enjoy. It's not that she's a bad character, by an means. Fan has created a young woman who is bright, fierce, and full of honor. Anlei isn't afraid to speak her mind, or to step into the face of danger to protect others. However the first third or so of the book it almost felt like Anlei's character was trying too hard to be the exact opposite of a Mary Sue. She was fierce and combative to the point of it feeling like she was a cardboard version of what she wanted to be. That was rough for me. As the story went on though, and I followed her through her adventures, I fell more in love with her attitude. If only a little more polish had been given to the dialogue that she had with a lot of other characters at the beginning, I feel like we could have started off on a better foot.

In terms of world building, which is my second necessity in fantasy reads, this one fell a little short. While the steampunk aspects were absolutely stunning (mechanical dragons anyone?), there wasn't enough explanation of Anlei's world to really make things feel solid. I tripped along with her as she flew across her land, headed for danger, but I never really felt like I was actually there. If I could wish for anything, it would be more time to really sink into the world and find my place in it. Maybe the finished book will have a map inside, which would be amazing! I would have loved to feel like I was actually there with Anlei.

The last thing I want to address is the plot, and this is a touchy one because I don't want to give anything away for potential readers. I'll simply say that this is a rich story, full of mythology, but it definitely drags in places. I honestly believe that this story could have done with some tightening up. Watching Anlei and Tai travel around and battle evil was fantastic. Following along with their banter and their harrowing adventures was a lot of fun. However some of their journey, and some of their dialogue, felt more forced than it should have. It made the book drag at times to the point I needed to skim ahead, but it didn't stop me from reading on.

Truthfully, I did enjoy my time with this book. Maybe not quite as much as I had originally hoped, but it was still so refreshing to get lost in such a culture rich story. If you're a fan of fantasy that has strong women and epic battles, this is a story for you.

Stronger than a Bronze Dragon was a strong read but there was something missing that didn't make me LOVE it. The characters were great, especially our heroine, and the romance was sweet. Mary Fan did a wonderful job writing and bringing this world to life, but towards the end it felt slightly predictable.

I loved Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon. What an interesting and unique story.

First off I loved the main character Anlei. I know I’ve said in previous reviews how much I enjoy an imperfect character. Anlei is strong and resourceful and a great asset to her village but she also can be very selfish and closed off. She mentions her difficulty of making friends but it’s partly because she struggles to think beyond herself. At the same time though, she is very loyal and considerate. She wants fame and recognition but she also has the ability to asses someone else's situation. Instead of rushing headfirst into being a hero, she considers how this can help the person and herself both out. As the story progresses I think she really starts to see this in herself as more of a flaw instead of something to be proud of. That doing something heroic can mean something more to you than the fame that comes with it. I just really loved her character.

Tai is also a great character. I loved the way he banters with Anlei and is able to push her buttons. I think he sees more to her than even she sees. He respects her abilities and treats her like an equal. Which I think is something that she craves being more interested in adventuring instead of settling down and getting married. Plus he’s got that mysterious thing going for him. Who is this Tai.

I loved the story and I felt that it was fast paced. I think Mary Fan could have spread over another book if she really wanted to but I also think it’s perfect as a standalone. Although I wouldn’t mind seeing other adventures, if not even Anlei and Tai in the same world. Perhaps Anlei’s sister. I do love a story that takes you on an adventure that isn’t what it seems, just to bring you back around to look at things in front of you in a new angle. I also really enjoyed the lore that went along with the world as well as has that perfect Steampunk flare. Flying Mechanical Dragons! Again it would be interesting to see some more parts of this in other books. How many real Dragons are there? What were the other artifacts being collected?

I really enjoyed this book and it’s the perfect blend of things that I needed in a standalone Fantasy.

Side note. It didn’t matter to me how Mowang was described. I kept picturing him looking like the demon on the cover of my brothers Dungeons Master Guide D&D book.

Writing
I have mixed feelings about the writing of this one and that is it’s main downfall for me. Firstly, I didn’t feel like the world was explained fully and I didn’t get enough info on the Magic System either, so I was a little underwhelmed with that. What I learnt about the world was super interesting and I would love to learn more, however this is a standalone, so won’t be getting that wish granted. I do appreciate that this is a standalone as YA Fantasy standalones are rare! My other issue with the writing is that it was a tad predictable and pretty cliche. I didn’t love the romance as it was pretty close to insta love. Which is a nope from me. It was only a little predictable, mainly with the romance and related things though. I didn’t guess the major plot points but there were things that I guessed..

However, I did enjoy the action, pacing, world and characters. So I didn’t hate this book but there could have been improvements..

Plot
As I previously said there were some predictability, but not a tonne. I did enjoy the plot though, it kept me hooked and it was full of twists and turns. I also enjoyed the pacing, it felt very fast paced which made it easy to read!

Characters
The characters were quite enjoyable even though they were a bit predictable. This is one of those books that you are left wondering if you are supporting the right character and questioning their choices. Which I enjoy personally!

Overall
So overall I enjoyed some things and disliked others. The book was enjoyable, action packed, fast paced, had an interesting world and good characters but there were a few things that could have been improved!

Anlei is eager to defend her village, revel in the fighting, and avenger her father. But then she's traded away with a seemingly useless relic in exchange for protection from a iron-fisted man who only sees her as a pretty performer.

Anlei is dyslexic, reactive, quick to anger, and defensive. Which, I completely love. Some enjoy fighting, and it's not necessarily a bad or weird thing. Anger and conflict is human and needs to be expressed and owned, rather than suppressed or turned passive-aggressive. Give me the fellow blunt girls who don't get what the problem is and find the politics of social interaction annoying.



Little sister inventor
Street performing family
Love the push-pull between family and home, and dreams of exploring
Love Anlei's enthusiastic traveling experiences
Back to back fighting!
LI: Enemies to allies to friends
Flying dragon ships!
LI uses humor and flippancy as a defense mechanism.
Which makes for great banter
So glad to see the girl be the serious broody one!
Their Yoda is a black woman monk.
Journey to Hell, which was interesting and not what I expected. And I had no idea what was coming next.
The! Reveals! Keep! Coming!
Love the Warrioress mythology and the main character being a sidekick on a hero's journey
Such an adorable and positive ending.

The only dragons are mechanical and while integral to the story, we don't get to be involved with them a lot. BUT there's plenty of day to day average teampunkiness, which is the best kind I think.

Great Rating Graphic

My first recommendation is for fans of Mulan and Legend by Marie Lu. But I really need to update my comp titles, so also: perfect for fans of For the Muse of Fire and The Dragon Pearl.

favorite Quotes:

But though he'd let a village die for his pride, for the sake of my home, I swallow mine.


Self-control is a gift for tomorrow. Be kind to your future self.


"Truce?"

"I accept your surrender."


"If we weren't already heading to Hell, I'd toss you in myself."


The dead are to be honored, but the living are to be cherished. Father's words, spoken years ago, echo through my mind. Many choices come down to love or hate. Chose love, every time.

Thanks to Page Street Publishing and NetGalley for the Advance Review Copy in exchange for an honest review.

This sounded like a really cool concept. Steampunk fantasy mixed with Qing dynasty China? Yeah that sounds pretty awesome. It started well too, I was instantly drawn into Anlei’s battle to protect her village and then…

..the Exposition Hammer came crashing down.

Positives:

The setting is interesting and I liked the nods to the cultural aspects and overall, it seemed like a cool world to set a story in.

The cover is really nice?

Negatives:

The writing style just felt strange to me and I couldn’t connect with it. I can’t put my finger on what bothered me about it, but it rustled my jimmies and made it impossible for me to focus on the story.

The bad guy was completely boring and predictable. I worked out what most of the plot twists would be almost immediately. I’m not bragging, they are just really obvious.

I didn’t get a sense of any real chemistry with the love interest. I didn’t really care about the relationships between any of the characters. Sometimes I can live with this if the story or writing makes up for it but in this case…no.

Overall, a cool concept but it just didn’t work for me.

This book just wasn't for me. Following are three reasons why:

1.
There was too much info dumping through conversation, which felt unnatural and too much like telling. I would have preferred this information be given organically through the characters thoughts, actions, and observations as appropriate to the situation.

2.
Chinese words are used without defining them. It was cool for me since I could figure out the words from context and pronunciation (note: I'm not fluent in pinyin, the romanization of Chinese words). However, non-Chinese speakers will struggle to understand some conversations because of this. The use of Chinese words in everyday context—such as xie xie (thank you), qi lai (come quickly), and slow down (can't read my notes for the pinyin)—felt gratuitous. Using the English words would be appropriate in these situations since these words aren't cultural-specific.

3. I couldn't relate to Anlei. Her motivations were not clear, and some of her actions didn't feel appropriate for her station. While I don't expect the MC to respond perfectly to every situation, it definitely would have helped to have her motivations and some of her backstory setup before she rushes into a life-threatening situation (and miraculously comes out unharmed).

DNFed at 8%

Whoa! What a surprising read. I was not expecting this to have steampunk elements to it. I loved that. I hope that this book helps bring it back to the young adult genre.
Essentially the book is about a girl Anlei whose village gets attacked by Ligui and then saved by Viceroy Kang who in turn for further protection wants the villages sacred pearl and one of the village girls hand in marriage. He chooses Anlei. Anlei does not want to go with him but in order to save her village she goes only to have the pearl her village gave him be stolen. Anlei in order to keep the protection goes after the thief and finds he needs it as much as her and so begins our adventure. I found our MC was a very relatable character yes she wants to save her village and family and goes into a forced marriage she despises but she also wants what's best for her and does anything she can to do that. Some would say she is being selfish but who doesn't want to live the life you want to live and not be forced into a life you know you will despise. Tai our thief was so much fun him and Anlei's banter was infectious I just loved it. There is romance in the story but it is not the focus more like a side dish to the plot. My favourite part of the book had to be the steampunk mixed in with the magic and fantasy elements. You would think there would be too much happening on. Like they wouldn't compliment each other, but no the author weaved a complex and twisty story. Yes there were some stereotypical themes in the book but I find you can't escape that in the young adult world, if it works it works.

Overall this was a delightful fantasy with a dash of steampunk.

Is Mary Fan my favourite author? Probably.

I stayed up until 2am on a Friday night to finish this book, & I am so pleased I did. I knew before this that Mary was talented, but Stronger Than A Bronze Dragon has exceeded all expectations. Whenever I thought I knew this story, it changed itself completely & the last half of the book was unbelievably addictive. I read to escape, & this book definitely helped me to achieve that.

⚠️ This book contains a forced marriage & a lot of violence ⚠️

In Stronger than a Bronze Dragon we follow Anlei and her village. We know that she wants to do what's best not only for her family but also her village. We learn what she's willing to do to keep her home safe.

I love the mechanical dragons, that's something I've hardly read about and it's very different, pulled me in. Anlei is strong & moving characters, but my favorite characters were Tai; he was funny, witty and made the story fell fuller. I have to say that Mary Fan's writing was my all time favorite part of this book, her writing is balanced with just enough world build and you could see everything while still letting the story be about the characters. Beautifully done!

I also like that all I knew about this book was that there was a girl wanting to keep her village safe and the mechanical dragons, that's it. It made everything seem more surprising. This book will leave you flying, wanting more!

Anlei has always had a difficult connecting with the people in her village, but her determination to do anything to protect them was admirable. Shes always wanted to be a warrior like her father so having to marry the viceroy and be a obedient decoration in his palace is one of the worse fates she could imagine for herself. I didnt understand why she didnt try harder to figure out how to stop the dark shadows from attacking her village instead of returning to get married. The only reason she discovered the origin of the shadows is because of thiefs intervention which didnt really match her strong and independent personality. I just felt like she gave up too easily. She could have asked the thief to help her, but instead sent him on his way. I thought her actions when the need for revenge set in was a little dramatic, but she does get some significant character growth.

Anlei and her sisters Anshui acrobatic act was pretty awesome. Anshui was such an intriguing character I would have loved to see more of her and her interactions with Anlei. She's very intelligent and has created all kinds of wonderful mechanical gadgets. As for our theif Tai, I thought he had a mysterious air to him that was very captivating. His complicated and lonely past have made it difficult for him to share his secrets. His unlikely alliance with Anlei leads to a slow burn, almost hate to love, romance. He has this very overconfident and teasing personality that make for some great banter between him and Anlei. He cant take anything too seriously, even the possibilty of his own demise which Anlei serious personality finds infuriating. I also really liked the sorceress they meet on their journey and her motherly tendencies toward Tai who hasnt been shown much love in his life.

This vivid asian inspired world had some compelling steampunk and fantasy elements woven in. The pearl has some different magic properties, but they werent explored as much as I would have liked. I also wish we got to know more about the river dragon it came from. The magic in general was kind of vague. Im not usually one for steampunk, but I thought the mechanical dragons were pretty cool. On their journey we get to visit some interesting places like the temple the sorceress resides at and the courts of hell were Tais people are trapped. The contrast between the two places and the disturbing way the underworld was described made for an immersive experience. I thought the stories about the great warrioress and the lunar spirits known as the Yueshen were fantastic. I also enjoyed the dark shadow monsters known as the Ligui and the sense of danger they brought to the world.

The fact that we got two epic quests instead of just one created an engaing pace and an entertaining story. Anlei and Tai have to defeat two antagonists and the stakes get higher with each one. Tai wants to free his people from the court of hell while Anlei wants to protect her village from the Ligui. Only together will they stand a chance of achieving their goals. This gave the story a stronger together theme that I really enjoy, but see often in young adult literature. Despite predicting most of the twists and turns I still found them exciting. I liked that the story was all wrapped up in a standalone with a satisfying ending. I do see potential for more books in this world and the authors writing was enjoyable so Id like to see what else she comes out with. I could definitely use some more teasing banter in my life.

Would have shared my review on Amazon but they refuse to take any reviews for this product at this time.

As soon as I saw the word "dragon" in the title of this book, I added it to my tbr. Luckily, it still looked interesting after I actually read the summary. Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon turned out to be a refreshing and unique fantasy story with some steampunk elements.

I loved the world-building. Fan created a fantastic world and I loved finding out new tidbits about it throughout the story. I was left with a few remaining questions but for a YA novel, the world-building was pretty good. The characters were also intriguing, although it took some time for me to warm up to Anlei. I enjoyed the romance - the banter was engaging and it was so much fun to see how their feelings changed toward each other.

However, the writing style didn't really work for me. I'm sure that it will work for some readers but I felt like the writing style kept me at a distance from the story. I was never able to just immerse myself in the world and the characters. Plus the pacing for the plot was a bit wonky. About halfway through, I legitimately thought that the book was going to end. And then it didn't.

While there was another conflict that needed to be resolved, it wasn't really well developed. I never understood the villain's motivations and the story just wasn't given the time to breathe that it needed. Secrets were being revealed left and right and the reader just wasn't given time to process one before the next was revealed. I think there was definitely enough plot for this book to be split into a duology, particularly since it already has two very distinct story arcs.

Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon was an intriguing Chinese-inspired fantasy that melded steampunk and fantasy. There were some elements of the story that didn't work for me but I think that many readers will love this one.

*Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

**Thank you to Page Street Publishing and Netgalley for giving me an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

2.5/5 stars

Unfortunately, this book was not entirely for me. I don't know if it was just how the characters were written or the particular prose style of the author, but I found I could not connect to the main characters, and that meant that I had a hard time rooting for them. I also felt that the villains were a bit "flat" -- I couldn't understand their motivation other than just being evil, which never quite works for me. I do think others would probably enjoy this book, and it has a wonderful and richly laid-out setting that I did thoroughly enjoy. There was a lot of action but I wasn't drawn in enough to the book to care. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read the book and share my feedback. I would absolutely try others by this author, but this one wasn't for me!

It is said that the River Dragon resides in the dark waters of the river Dailanjaing. Anlei has grown on the legend that the village was blessed with this great dragon's favor and he bestowed upon the village an enchanted pearl. However, in recent times, the village of Dailan has suffered at the hands of the illusive Ligui. They are shadowy creatures made of myths and nightmares that attack under the cover of night and disappear at will.



Under these dire circumstances, a viceroy appears with the promise to protect the village under the conditions that the enchanted pearl is turned over to his possession and he is to marry a village girl of his choosing. In order to protect her sister, mother, and fellow villagers, Anlei must put aside her mounting horror in the sake of duty.



Until a thief steals the River Pearl.



As her future diverges like the mighty river beside her village, Anlei must channel her inner warrior spirit to become stronger than a bronze dragon.



Stronger Than A Bronze Dragon's plot was full of twists that seemed to coil around a dragon's tail. Mary Fan was able to incorporate folklore, steampunk, and fantasy elements into a scintillating read that will delight readers. I particularly enjoyed Anlei's character growth and her resolute spirit that allows her to tackle the fiercest of monsters-including her own quest for revenge. Overall, Stronger Than A Bronze Dragon was full of Mary Fan's authentic world building that made for an empowering read!

Beautiful and strong writing. A mythology feel for fans of Percy Jackson. This book went in a direction I am uncomfortable with but so many would love and devour every page. You will need and want to know more.

Stronger than a Bronze Dragon is a story about Anlei who wants to be a warrior like her dead father. She is with guards whose job is to protect the village from the evil spirits called Ligui, who had been mercilessly attacking her village for years. The Emperor refuses to acknowledge their suffering or send aid so it was the guards' duty to protect the village as best as they can. But one day Viceroy Kang arrives with his mechanical dragons and fleet and saves the village from another Ligui attack. He promises to provide aid to the village from further attacks but in return, he wants the village's magical River Pearl and one of the village girls as his bride. He chose Anlei as his bride and takes her to his city. When the River Pearl is stolen, Anlei decides to go after the thief and return it to the Viceroy so that he doesn't break his promise to protect her village. But she never knew that by going after the thief, she will embark herself on a journey full of adventures and spirits.

What I Liked
============================
1) I loved the overall concept of the book. It is not just fantasy, rather a mix of elements. There are mechanical cyborgs, automatons, paranormal Ligui, Yueshen spirits and the River Dragon mythology. It was certainly a refreshing take and it was fun to read about a world where science and magic work simultaneously.
2) Stories with enemies to lovers trope are my favourite. Though the duo in this book were not exactly enemies, I loved their journey. The initial banter between Anlei and Tai was full of sarcasm, wit and sass and enjoyed reading their story.
3) I loved how the author has portrayed our MC, Anlei, as a strong warrior. I a world where girls were married in quite young age, Anlei was devoted to protecting her village from Ligui. She is a badass heroine, a heroine you would love.
4) I fall in love with Anlei, not in the beginning, but throughout the story, slowly. I thought her to be quite proud in the beginning but later I loved her determination, courage and will to sacrifice.
5) It was amazing how both Anlei and Tai were devoted to their communities and were ready to do anything for them. Their love and loyalty for their family and village made them perfect for each other.
6) I really appreciate the author to put the Anlei’s wish to be the hero of her own quest in the story. For ages, women have been suppressed and they are supposed to compromise in almost everything. The war stories often celebrate male heroes. There are hardly enough stories where women are the real heroes. I really loved how Anlei wanted to travel the world and wanted to be the hero of her adventures.
7) The pace of the story was quite good. Generally, in fantasy books, initial chapters are loaded with the world-building and the introduction of the characters and sometimes, the new world and the dynamics can be confusing and thus makes the pace of the story a little slower. but in this book, the world-building has been introduced nicely as the story progresses. The reader doesn't have to make an extra effort to understand the world and thus the book feels quite fast-paced. The action scenes in the story were written quite well too.
8) I loved how the author has delivered the concept of stories, that they have several versions and in each version, there could be a different hero. People modify stories as per their will. While some believe in them, for others they are just stories. For some the characters are heroes but for a few, they are mere characters.
9) The concept of poor vs. rich has also shown beautifully. Anlei's village was not getting protection from the Ligui just because it was poor and far-away. The emperor was not interested. This shows how in our community the rich always succeeds and the poor has to sacrifice in order to get closer to the rich.
10) I really appreciate how the romance wasn't a large part of the story. You can tell from the first encounter of Anlei and Tai that there would be love between them, but I was glad it didn't take the centre-stage in the story.

What I didn’t like
=============================
1) I wasn't able to understand the true purpose of Viceroy Kang, what he actually wanted. He was like a typical villain who was just power hungry. There wasn't any real motivation. I wish his side was explored a bit more and his character was developed in a much better way.
2) I was able to predict most of the turning points, so there was no surprise element for me.
3) The title and cover don't really relate to the story. There was no actual bronze dragon or anyone to be stronger than it. The dragons mentioned in the book were mere mechanical and were part of the Viceroy Kang's fleet. I wish there was an actual dragon.

Overall
=====================
Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon has its share of flaws but still I really enjoyed it. If you love things like Asian mythology, strong and kickass warrior girls, witty banter, unique world-building, steampunk elements, magic, thieves, birth secrets and adventures, then this story is for you. Though it started as a revenge story, it is more than that. It is a story about community and family, about love and sacrifice and what it means to be the hero of our own story. It is a fast and fun standalone which will certainly entertain you.

I must admit, steampunk is one of the subgenres that I haven’t been exposed to much. So when I saw this book, I took my chance. And boy, it was more than worth it.

From plot to setting to characters, Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon was and had everything I wanted in a Fantasy. It threw together a mix of elements I never thought would go so well together – magic, lore, machines – all played in a backdrop inspired by Qing dynasty China. Mary Fan’s careful plotting shone throughout, all the twists and turns making the adventure joyride that was this book even more enjoyable.

But it didn’t start out that way for me.

While they ultimately ended up growing on me, for the first few chapters of the book Anlei and Tai seemed too troupe-y: Anlei playing the strong female character card who can and will kick anyone’s ass and Tai taking on the role of the charming but arrogant love interest. As the story progressed and their backstories were spilled though, I began to understand their motives and their nuances. Yes, Anlei is a tough girl, stubborn and incredibly capable but she’s also a daughter and a member of their small village’s community. She craved glory and adventure the same way her blood called for her to avenge her father’s murder, to protect her family, her village, and her people.

Tai, meanwhile, has a complicated history. Half-yueshen (pure spiritual beings who has free reign over the moon) and half-human, I think he doesn’t really know his place in the world. The yueshen won’t accept him into their realm because he’s half-breed, while his father hid him, foisting his care onto his servants. He likes to think the best of the family left to him and uses laughter and humor as both an armor and mask to hide behind.

It was wonderful watching Anlei and Tai grow close to each other. Even though they started out as begrudging allies (more from Anlei’s side rather than Tai’s,) the two eventually discover that they have more in common than they first thought. Both have noble causes, and the subsequent trials and hardships they faced together only served to peel back more and more layers of their characters. I couldn’t help but like them.

Though this was a mostly solid story, there were still a few details that could have been improved. The villain, Viceroy Kang, comes to mind immediately. As the main antagonist, he was typical – power-hungry and cruel – and unimpressive. It was a shallow rendering of a character that’s supposed to provoke our protagonists into taking action. His motivations were only briefly touched, and it left me with a few unanswered questions: Had he always planned the things he’d done even before he married Tai’s yueshen mother? Is that why he caught her and married her in the first place? I can live with these questions, but they’re just pesky enough to bug me.

The quick pace combined with the number of plot threads Fan tossed into the story could also sometimes be overwhelming. There were just too much happening at one single time, and, admittedly, I had to put the book down a couple of times to catch my breath and gather my thoughts.

Overall, Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon was an exceptional stand-alone that blended together steampunk and fantasy. This was one of the most vividly and creatively imagined stories I’ve read in a while. Though there were a few parts that could have been improved, they were minor and didn’t hinder me from enjoying the book. This one comes with high recommendations from this self-confessed fantasy lover.

“A flying ship, stolen from the viceroy's fleet. A young thief on a fantastical quest. And a decision so wild, I can hardly believe I made it.
 “


Rating: 3.5 Stars
 

Source: Huge thanks to The Royal Polar Bear Reads for hosting an International Blog Tour and Page Street Kids for kindly providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.







Stronger than a Bronze Dragon and me ... well, we had a rough start. I had trouble connecting to the world and to Anlei (our MC) at the very beginning. But fortunately, that changed relatively quickly.


The book starts with Anlei and a friend of hers (somewhat) being on the lookout for Ligui, the evil spirits that attack the village and talking about what happens, and how it shouldn't be necessary for the woman to join the guard as it is not really appropriate. However, it becomes clear right away, that that is exactly what Anlei craves. Being a warrior and getting to fight for glory and adventure.


She is driven by hate and thoughts of revenge since the Ligui killed her father. While I understood her hurt and anger very well, she acted in a way I usually can't stand. When the Ligui attack she leaves her friends fighting one huge monster alone to chase the murderer of her father, completely blinded by her rage and that results in nearly getting the others killed. And that's a pet peeve of mine ...




“Somewhere far away, a girl's voice calls, "Anlei! Come back!"
The words are a meaningless buzz beneath the blood thundering in my ears. All I know is that my father's killer is at last within reach. And, by the Gods of Heaven and Earth, I will destroy him. Like the legendary Warrioress, I will slay my enemy and reap the glory.
(...)
I don' care if there are other guards who could fight him-- this victory will belong to me alone.

 
“


BUT after that first fight we get to know her better. Especially when she talked to her family, her mother and little sister Anshui. Her motivation becomes clearer, beyond the thoughts of revenge. We get to see her difficulties with emotions and conveying them correctly. I loved seeing that. Her sister Anshui is adorable and I love the strong bond they have. Anlei can do and say things that hurt other people without really meaning to, she interprets things differently and she knows it but is still confused by that.




"That's not what I meant!"
"But it's what your words implied." I press my fist to my lips. So often, the meaning of my words comes out all wrong, but this is the worst thing I've ever said even though I didn't mean to say it.

(...)

"I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean it." 
"I know." Mother looks up. "You must watch your words, Anlei. And you must consider the perspective of others."
"Yes, Mother." But understanding the unspoken meaning behind words, like reading, is something I can only accomplish with great focus and effort. I wonder if I'll ever learn how to do what comes so naturally to everyone else.

 


That was the moment when I started liking her, rooting for her and understand her. Not to say that I didn't have any more moments when I wanted to shake some sense into Anlei but I enjoyed that instead of being annoyed. Mary Fan managed to turn something I usually despise into the very reason why I liked the character which is truly amazing.


There is also another instance of this. The scene where Anlei is deciding to sacrifice all her wishes for glory and adventure, to hand herself over to marry the Viceroy to secure his protection of Dailan, her village and when she looks back at that. She talks about how she never envisioned the life of a wife for herself, but that of a Wariorress. This could very easily turn into one of those dreaded 'not like other girls' moments but Anlei is still respecting the choice and wish to be a wife ... and it seemed real.
These are only details at the beginning of the book, but I thought I should mention them since they are part of the reason why I liked the book as much as I did.



Mary Fan describes the world around Anlei very beautifully. I could see the huge dragon ships sailing through the air. I could feel the dread she feels while being prepared for her wedding.
As you can tell by the synopsis though, a thief steals the dragon pearl, the main thing the Viceroy wanted in exchange for his protection and so Anlei escapes to steal it back.


I loved the dynamic between Tai, the thief, and Anlei from their very first meeting. He doesn't reveal anything lightly, has a lot of secrets but he makes up for that in charm ... and in having so much fun at making Anlei mad. ^^
Their banter was what made the whole middle part of the book entertaining.


I have to say though ... I could have done without the romance. It wasn't bad by any means, and it didn't take over the plot at all but I loved their friendship and would have been content with them staying that way. But I'm not mad at the romance either. They had a few cute moments after all.


The first quest ends roughly in the middle of the book which surprised me a little but I appreciated it. If the journey to hell would have been dragged out longer the book would have probably become a little boring.
We see Anlei's character traits again very clearly during the fight in hell, her longing to be the hero and her craving glory, her jealousy that Tai gets all that and she will be forgotten. I can totally see how that might not be for everyone but I really liked it. It was very in character for her and it felt real.


I'm not gonna say a lot about what happened after as to not spoil you but I really enjoyed the ending. We get to learn more about Tai and who he really is, how he deals with stress, anger and sadness ... and it may very well break your heart. Just a little.
Also, Anlei's inability to say 'the right thing' or to comfort him ... very relatable.



The world Mary Fan created is inspired by Chinese mythology and I enjoyed exploring it alongside Tai and Anlei. The spirits, Yueshen and Ligui, the steampunk elements, the connection between magic and science ... those are all things I loved about this book.


We get a few stories they have been told as children and it was amazing to read those. I really like when books include these. It makes everything seem just that much more real.


I could predict a lot of the twists and I'm a bit disappointed by the Viceroy and his motivations (or rather ... what we got with Anlei, the view behind her facade and why she is who she is ... we didn't get that with the viceroy and I would have loved to see that.) I like the villains or antagonist to have clear and understandable reasons for doing what they're doing. More than just ... well, they're evil.




The strong points of this book are definitely the two main characters and the world. I loved how different Anlei and Tai are, how they both deal with their feelings in their own ways and still find a way to connect with each other

Stronger than a Bronze Dragon by Mary Fan is an Asian inspired tale that follows Liang Anlei on her quest to save her village from the ravages of the demonic Ligui. Anlei is one of the few women serving in the Dailan Guard, protecting the village from the nightly predations of the Ligui. When the Viceroy of the province offers the protection of his personal army in exchange for Dailan's sacred River Pearl, the deal is sealed with a marriage pact and Anlei is chosen to be his new bride. The fierce Anlei is unhappy at the prospect, especially since the Viceroy makes it clear he views her as property. When the River Pearl is stolen, putting Dailan's protection at risk, she goes after the thief. Tai isn't what she expects though, and needs the Pearl just as desperately as she does to save his own people. She agrees to go with him and help, then return the Pearl to the Viceroy. In doing so, Anlei ends up on an adventure that leads her all the way to the Courts of Hell to confront Mowang and learn the truth of the Ligui, a truth more terrible than she once thought.

I rather enjoyed this story! I love the Asian inspired culture, patterned after the ancient Chinese dynasties. People from other cultures show up too. 'Westerners' in passing, and African in the form of Ibsituu, a magic user. She was one of my favourite characters. I absolutely adored the steampunk elements, with the magically driven clockwork dragons and automatons. Especially the dragons! And there are airships as well! Visiting the mythical Courts of Hell was neat, again, inspired by Chinese myth. It was a little surreal too, especially the hallucinations the demons induced.

I liked Anlei well enough. At times, her impulsiveness annoyed me. She put others at risk too often by not thinking before acting, including risking the Viceroy's protection for her people. Tai the thief, on the other hand, was too adorable and I sympathised with his feelings of being unwanted, and how it shaped his childhood, and adulthood. His carefree nature was hiding such deep wounds. While I believe that the circumstances the pair faced together could forge a bond of love quickly, I find it difficult in this case, given Anlei's personality and disposition. I believe Tai could, but I kinda feel Tai deserves better too. Anlei has dyslexia, and it was neat to see how that played into the story. It didn't feel a contrived element either, but just a part of who she was. The time felt too short for such an adventure, even given the speed the airships offered travel. Everything seemed building to reaching Mowang, but that wasn't the end of the story, and the last bit felt rushed and thrust a background character into the forefront.

If you enjoy Asian influenced fantasy, and steampunk elements, be sure to check this read out! I look forward to seeing the writer grow into her own, and I'd definitely read future books. Especially if they have the clockwork dragons!

***Many thanks to Netgalley and Page Street Publishing for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. Reviewed as part of the Fantastic Flying Book Club Blog Tour.

“Self-control today is a gift for tomorrow. Be kind to your future self.”

Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon is fast paced and adventurous with enriching cultural context and beautiful world building. It’s a book I devoured in mere days and one I would happily gift to a friend. This action packed story kept me on my toes and grabbed my attention from page one. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the wonderful cultural aspect that brought the story to life. The writing is absolutely beautiful and creates a richly-developed world with interesting characters and far-off adventures.

“My new title might be Lady, but even after they scrub me clean, paint my face, and clothe me in silk, I’ll still be little more than a slave.”

Anlei is a strong and fierce protagonist who thrives on adventure. She’s determined to avenger her father’s death against the dangerous Ligui that killed him, all while trying to determine what her future is going to look like. And her image of her future disappears when the viceroy chooses her as his next bride. Her whole world, her whole reason for wanting revenge, takes a sharp and surprising turn with the viceroy’s announcement. And though she wants to say no to being the viceroy’s wife, she obliges to save her village and get the viceroy’s army to protect her people. That, right there in my opinion, is a characteristic that makes for a brave protagonist.

Even though Anlei cares about her future and her life, she’s willing to sacrifice it all to make sure her people are protected from the Ligui. And even when the River Pearl (the whole reason the viceroy went to Anlei’s village) gets stolen by a masked thief, Anlei puts it in her hands to follow the thief and get the River Pearl back, all to make sure her village is safe. This journey leads to a further understanding of who Anlei really is and who she is destined to be.

“For so long, my life was dictated by forces beyond my control. Even when I sought justice for my father, I was controlled by a rage tied to another. But that’s over now. From now on, only I define my destiny.”

The relationship between Anlei and Tai starts out rough but playful and as they learn to trust one another, their relationship turns into something more. The journey the two take together is dangerous and long, but provides ample time for both of them to understand one another. Anlei and Tai both want to save their village with the River Pearl and, in doing so, have to learn how to work and trust one another.

Mary Fan did a wonderful job with this book and I look forward to reading her other work. Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon is available in stores now!