Ahhh I really wanted to love this book. Tordotcom rarely fails me. This book was an unfortunate DNF for me, as the writing style wasn't exactly my style.

Interesting and well written, but not very impactful or memorable. And I feel a little iffy about the queer rep. 2.5 stars

The novel is a fun and engaging story for anyone who enjoys wuxia tales, or adventure stories of any kind. It follows a group of bandits who have a nun join their group as they navigate survival in a world at war with itself. This is a shorter work by Cho, but just as rich and deep as her other works.

It starts off slow and kind of dense, but once the action begins, it's hard to resist the story as it drives forward. It reads as a true epic, one that makes you feel the world really has been reshaped as you read it. Would recommend.

uxia bandit fantasy inspired by the histories of China and Malaya. Fun but a few too many characters to really connect with all of them. Guet Imm stands out, as do a few of the “found family” promised. ★★★½/5 stars.

Bandits, magic, and found family? So glad I signed up for this delightful little book, because I really enjoyed it! It was just delightful. It was charming, even with its violence at times, had lovely relationships, and managed to even create a wonderful and expansive world in a mere 170 pages. Such a great one for fantasy lovers who want to enjoy a quick read.

This is the first wuxia book I've read. I really liked the found family theme, and I'm always down for queer, Asian-inspired (although that doesn't quite feel like the right word) fantasy, so it was a pretty nice. I'm looking forward to what this author does in the future (and shoutout to the absolutely gorgeous cover art).

The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho
When Zen Cho releases a new book, you get that book. The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water is a delightful, compact, fast-paced stunner, full of Chinese and Malaysian fantasy worldbuilding, queer characters, and a loosely wuxia-inspired plot. Set against the background of a revolution and resistance, the book explores the ways that you can never really escape your past, or hide your true nature. If you want to play out these wuxia fantasy tropes, complete with romance and found family, check out Hearts of Wulin, a playable version of which is currently available right now as a playtest—an unfinished preview of the game, which I hope entices you to preorder the full book!

Now, because a tropical mythical island vibe echoes throughout Pure Moon, which is full of jungles, shrines, spies, and references to Malaysian history, let’s dig into some Malaysian game to help fill in the shapes of many people’s cultural understanding. Keris & The Dream by Nana, a short single-person game about a symbol and sacred object is perfect for Pure Moon, which also trades in sacred things. When dealing with colonialism, one of the ways to both understand and dismantle it is to look at maps. Borders are invented things, and never is this more clear than in a country bound up in foreign-drawn boundary. Orichalcum is a map-making game by Justin Quirit where the Empire has been destroyed by their own folly in a land not their own. You play as Exiles, and work to remake the map in the image of you and your ancestors. Another map-making game, this one about queerness, safety, and travel, is Across This Wasteland With You, by Diwata ng Manila and Pamela Punzalan, both pillars of the #RPGSEA (Role Playing Games of South East Asia) community. This two-person game is about queer lovers striving to reach The Safe Place, and paired with the queer bandits, nuns, and surrounds of Pure Moon, this is the game you play after you finish the novel and want to know what happens next.

Finished this in one sitting and I am pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed reading. Thought this book would be action-heavy but it was more of a character-driven fantasy and thought-provoking.

Lau Fung Cheung and Tet Sang are bandits, but they are still men of honor and decency. When a customer becomes hostile with the waitress at a coffeehouse, they intervene on her behalf. But they didn't expect the waitress to follow them, hoping to tag along on their adventures. Guet Imm is a nun in the Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water, and certainly not a person the bandits expected to live and fight alongside.

The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water was written with a true understanding of how novellas work. The reader knows that there is a wider world at play for these characters, but this particular story is about just a few people, their goals, and their relationships with each other. This is a wuxia-inspired (martial arts) story. While there is some fighting, it is mostly about slowly trusting the people around you and discovering where you belong. Zen Cho excels at subverting your expectations--where you expected a battle, you find an exploration of faith; where you expect a moment of great importance, you find yourself chuckling instead. It's heartwarming to witness Guet Imm and Tet Sang reveal their secrets to each other, but I wish I had felt more of a connection to the characters.

The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water
By Zen Cho
Tor.com Publishing June 2020
176 pages
Read via Netgalley

I had no idea what wuxia is and honestly I still don’t know but what I do know is that this book was a gorgeous ride and one I definitely need to get on again..

It was lovely and interesting and it hurt when it ended and I hope to read so much more from the author.

Thanks so much for the opportunity and thank you for the chance to read this ARC.

I found this to be delightfully different and very engaging. My rating 4.5.

Guet Imm is a young votary (like a nun) who has taken work at a tavern after her temple home was raided and burned. A group of thieves, who consider themselves more than bandits, stops in the tavern and one of their group, Tet Sang, can’t help but interfere when Guet is abused by a customer. After the ensuing brawl, Guet attaches herself to the band of misfits insisting that she has nowhere else to go. Tet tries to discourage Guet as the band is on a mission to deliver certain booty to a buyer in another town. They will have to dodge gangs of bandits as well as military troops along the way.

Guet manages to put off any sexual advances by an explicit threat of retribution. Even though she is a bit of a nuisance, and not particularly skilled, Guet begins to endear herself to the rough band. Eventually, she discovers secrets and interferes with the plans of thieves. Dangers are narrowly escaped and, while Guet is trying to make amends, more secrets are revealed.

I was not familiar with “wuxia fantasy” which apparently means ‘martial-arts chivalry or martial arts heroes’. I totally enjoyed the story, even with its few risqué elements. The characters, especially Guet and Tet, are well developed and the relationships and dialog are entertaining and humorous. There is an unexpected delightful mix of adventure, wit, charm, and magic. I recommend this to readers who enjoy a fun, Asian adventure.

Source: 2020 NetGalley.

omg that ending!! I really liked this one, especially the characters and their relationships with one another. FOUND FAMILIES ARE THE BEST.

Rating: 3.5 stars

A fun, if sometimes confusingly written, wuxia fantasy with lots of unexpected character twists. This one is sure to delight many.

I'm always a sucker for wuxia. Queer wuxia? Even better. Also the cover is pretty. The only thing that I wanted was more.

Zen Cho's latest novella, The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water, has been getting a lot of ink, and with good reason. It's a wuxia fantasy with characters that feel larger than life.

What does a group of bandits and a nun have in common? The adventure they're about to have together, of course. And to think it all started with a simple incident in a teahouse. They should have known it'd turn into something bigger.

Before I dive into my review, I just want to say that the cover for The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water is quite possibly one of my favorites, ever. Definitely one of the top covers for the year!

"You hexed a customer?" he roared. He smacked her on the side of the head.
"I didn't say that, Mr. Aw," protested the waitress, rubbing her head. "I just said I didn't deny only."

The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water is a quick and quirky read. That really is the best way I can describe it. It's fun and full of action, quips, and a broad range of characters. It was so much fun to read, and for plenty of good reasons.

Honestly, though, I'm struggling to write this review, despite highly enjoying the novella. It's hard to talk about without delving into the world of spoilers. I can say that it was a blast to read and that I adored many of the characters from these pages.

I can also say that it was a quick-paced read, bordering on lively. And that humor! Oh, I love Zen Cho's writing style and sense of humor. It's absolute perfection. Combined with the surprisingly sweet elements of this tale, and it makes for a delight to read.

I was surprised by the variety of personalities found within the bandit troupe, and everything else they had to offer. Likewise, the world itself is fascinating. It's set in a mythical Asian country, yet it is also clearly a war-torn country. As one might imagine, that adds a lot to the plot here, from complications to motivations.

My biggest regret about The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water is that it ended too soon. It's a novella, I know, so it was bound to happen. But still, I really do wish that it had gone on for just a bit more.

I loved this! Novellas are so magical, Zen Cho writes an amazing modern-day fairy tale that is fully fleshed out in so much little time. This is perfect for people that want a quick and amazing read!

I love Zen Cho and this book lived up to all of my expectations. The twist/reveal regarding one of the characters and the way it was handled in terms of language made me so happy. I would love a follow on novel.

I really enjoyed the found family trope of this book, as well as the interesting, fantasy take on wuxia. That said, I think it's important to get the recommendations right on this one. It doesn't quite have the action-oriented take that a lot of people will be expecting. Instead, it's a slower burn, with a more family-oriented story, rather than an action-packed romp that many readers will be expecting. Best of all, it's diverse, welll-written, and has well-rounded characters with personalities and backstories. It's definitely something I'll be recommending.

I have not read Zen Cho before, but she is well know for her fantasy novel, The Sorcerer's Crown, so it was an easy request when I saw this novella available on Netgalley.

The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water is a fantasy novel set in Imperial China during wartime, and focuses on a bawdy band of men just doing the best they can when they are joined by Guet Imm, a member of The Order who is also struggling to find her footing after her temple is destroyed. Guet Imm, however, soon realizes she might be getting more than she bargained for, as do the men in letting her join their adventures.

I really enjoyed the upbeat tone of the novella and the witty, playful dialogue is so much fun, however I do think these things separated the reader a bit too much from the high stakes of the times these characters live in. I also appreciated how Cho incorporated LGBTQ characters into her story in a natural way, without much fuss. Overall, an enjoyable quick read to spend an afternoon with.