yoon ha lee fan here! their books are just amazing. the worldbuilding and imagination in their books is unmatched. so rich in detail and every fantasy nerds dream! loved this one!

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc and finished copy from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Tiger Honor

Author: Yoon Ha Lee

Book Series: Thousand Worlds Book 2

Rating: 5/5

Diversity: Chinese Characters, Nonbinary Character mentioned, Deaf Sapphic Characters mentioned

Recommended For...: middle grade readers, sci-fi, Chinese mythology inspired and based

Publication Date: January 4, 2022

Genre: MG Sci-Fi

Recommended Age: 10+ (violence, abandonment)

Explanation of CWs: There is some violence in this book. There is also some abandonment of family in this book.

Publisher: Rick Riordan Presents

Pages: 247

Synopsis: Sebin, a young tiger spirit from the Juhwang Clan, wants nothing more than to join the Thousand World Space Forces and, like their Uncle Hwan, captain a battle cruiser someday. But when Sebin's acceptance letter finally arrives, it's accompanied by the shocking news that Hwan has been declared a traitor. Apparently, the captain abandoned his duty to steal a magical artifact, the Dragon Pearl, and his whereabouts are still unknown. Sebin hopes to help clear their hero's name and restore honour to the clan.

Nothing goes according to plan, however. As soon as Sebin arrives for orientation, they are met by a special investigator named Yi and his assistant, a girl named Min. Yi informs Sebin that they must immediately report to the ship Haetae and await further instructions. Sebin finds this highly unusual, but soon all protocol is forgotten when there's an explosion on the ship, the crew is knocked out, and the communication system goes down. It's up to Sebin, three other cadets, and Yi and Min to determine who is sabotaging the battlecruiser. When Sebin is suddenly accused of collaborating with the enemy, the cadet realizes that Min is the most dangerous foe of all...

Review: This is a wonderful sequel to Dragon Pearl! I loved seeing Min again and I am excited to see how Sebin will fit into the story. The book is inspired by Chinese mythology and I loved seeing Sebin’s backstory and how his family clan is female led. The book had a great plotline and I loved seeing Sebin’s development. The character development is great. The world building is marvelous. And I can’t wait for the next book!

The only thing I didn’t like is the pacing is a bit too fast in places and I wanted more of Sebin’s inner conflict and the end scene.

Verdict: It’s great! Highly Recommend.

I read DRAGON PEARL (if you don’t have the book, you can get it here) when it first came out a while ago and it was undoubtedly the best middle grade novel I had read that year, so when I saw that Yoon Ha Lee was coming out with a second book in the series (I thought it was going to be a standalone!), I knew I HAD to get my hands on it as soon as possible. It did not disappoint.

I’ve always loved how inclusive the author’s writing has been and this was no different, from nonbinary characters to the characters wearing pronoun badges, and even sign language representation!

This book centers Sebin, a young kid who wants to join the Space Forces, just like their Uncle Hwan, who they looks up to. On a day that should have been positive (acceptance day!), Sebin finds out Uncle Hwan has been declared a traitor to the Space Forces. Sebin can’t believe their life-long idol is a bad person, and sets out to find their uncle, who is missing and hopefully clear his name in the process.

As the plot progresses, we get to see Min from the first book and her personality brings a lot of much-needed light to a book in which the narrator reminds me of an old man (not a bad thing, I think Sebin and I have the same energy). I think the plot of this book was definitely more simplistic than the first one, but with all of the worldbuilding and character development, I didn’t think it mattered in the end.

Overall, fantastic read and I’m so glad I started 2022 off on the right foot. 5/5.

Tiger Honor is a mythological sci-fi adventure that explores the bounds of loyalty and the complications of competing interests. The main character Sebin has to decide if their oaths to their family outweigh their dedication to the Space Force. They want to do what’s right, but the real trick is figuring out what the right thing even is.

This is a follow-up to Dragon Pearl, and while you don’t necessarily need to read the first book to enjoy this one, I did sometimes find myself wishing I remembered the first book better—just because I felt like I was always on the edge of remembering something important. (You don’t get real reminders about what happened until about halfway through the book.) Still, I was able to set that aside in my mind and simply enjoy this book on its own.

The book is full of action and intrigue, and it’s easy to root for Sebin as they try to sort out who the true villains are. And all of this on a spaceship. What’s more fun than that?

***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via Rockstar Book Tours so I could provide an honest review. No compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***

I enjoyed this book, as much as I enjoyed the first one. Maybe even more!
Thank you to NetGalley and Publisher for providing me with an Earc of "Tiger Honor" in exchange for an honest review.

**Thank you Netgalley and publisher for giving me an electronic ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

Yoon Ha Lee weaves a tale that will stick with you for days to come. Sebin has the ultimate decision to make, to either bring honor to their family or be loyal to their family. While it is different than Dragon Pearl, we do see Min, and she is helpful in Sebin's decision.

Arc was given by Disney Hyperion & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

This review is being published after the release date (January 4th 2022)


Content/Trigger Warnings: Violence, severe injuries, talk of death, grief, mentions of abandonment (near end of book), hostage situation, attempted forced exorcism


“By the White Tiger of the West, I swear to serve the clan in all matters.”

Creature Factions:
✨ Dragons – Enormous, uses weather magic, can terraform planets
✨ Goblins – Ability of invisibility, mostly secret agents, can also summon food with their wands
✨ Ghosts – Spirits that have unfinished business, most likely haunting someone/something
✨ Tigers – Large in size, strong, fierce, feared by everyone, Sebin and their family
✨ Shamans – Healers, help ghosts crossover
✨ Humans – Like you and me
✨ Fox Spirits – Bad reputation, considered myths, extinct, Min and her family

Other Factions:
✨ Dragon Council – Galactic government
✨ Space Forces – Military, to protect the people and the different worlds
✨ Mercenaries & Pirates – Factions of all kinds trying to survive by whatever means

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, it feels so good to be back in this world! I have missed this world dearly and I had been wondering where or more specifically who would come next in this series. I’m pleasantly surprised by the faction we got to follow and how everything seem to come full circle. Now, I’m just eagerly waiting to see what Yoon Ha Lee has in store for us next!

Our story follows Juhwang, Sebin, who’s been training to enter the Space Forces, in hopes of one day becoming a captain of their own ship like their uncle. In the midst of training and hoping to here back from the Spaces Forces, on whether or not they’ve been accepted into the program, tragedy strikes. Sebin is not only given the good news of being accepted into the program, but now their loyalty will be tested as their beloved uncle has committed treason, and is on the run.

“The White Tiger had told me, pay the price for breaking your oath, but pay it willingly.”

I love the themes we get to see so heavily engraved in this series. There is a strong, consistent theme of family and what it means to love your family so deeply, and at what lengths you’ll go to find out the truth of what’s happening with your family. Looking back on Dragon Pearl, we saw the main character go to great lengths to find out the truth about her brother. Now, we get to see our new character Sebin, not only seeking the truth, but having that inner struggle of loyalty to your family or doing the right thing to prevent others from getting hurt or potentially innocent lives being lost. And one of the most beautiful parts of this theme has been the character growth for the main characters. These family themes are not only consistent int he book, but they’re also key elements to watching the main character grow and come into their own.

Another favorite part of this book was seeing characters from Dragon Pearl return to this one. I loved seeing our favorite gumiho come back and I adored the way Sebin and Min clashed. One of my favorite things is seeing the “enemies to friends” relationship blossom and grow, and the author delivered. Its not a perfect friendship and there was a lot of miscommunication between the two of them, but it was wonderful to see them slowly come to understand one another and the hardships they both had to endure.

“It must be a hundred times worse to have to conceal something so fundamental about yourself.”

Also, I wanted to add a little side bit. I did this in Dragon Pearl and I really wanted to state it with this book as well. There’s a lot of Star Trek vibes throughout this entire book. Dragon Pearl had a lot of scenes where it felt like it may have been Star Wars inspired or even pulled inspiration from Mulan or Lilo & Stitch, but in this book, if you’re a Star Trek lover, this book feels like there’s a lot of inspiration pulled from it.

I think the most interesting part of this book was watching Sebin’s character development. We didn’t just see them come into a role of their own as a cadet, but we also see the conflicting feelings they have about many things relating to their uncle. Truly, I think one of the most beautiful things this book did was put an emphasis on how you can still love someone despite the bad things they’ve done, despite how imperfect they are, but still recognizing there’s a right and a wrong, and that its okay to have a lot of conflicting feelings about it as a whole.

“Losing him as a hero was more painful than an injury I had received.”

Of course, we see a lot of diversity throughout this book as well. There’s a few side characters who are non-binary, but our main character Sebin is also non-binary and uses they/them pronouns. We also have a side character who uses sign language. And speaking of disabilities, there’s a normalization of required sign language interpreters by the Space Forces, which I find isn’t often shown in books. It was handled in a very respectable way and I really appreciated that included aspect.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I feel like a power read this book so fast. That might be why I gave it four stars was from this book feeling short compared to the first book in the series. Either way, it was a fantastic read. I recommend this to anyone who’s a sci-fi lover for sure. I’m actually in the process of trying to get my significant other to read this series and they’re a die hard sci-fi lover. Anyway, I really enjoyed it and I think many readers will find themselves falling in love with this world all over again with this sequel!


The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

Students in my school love all the books from Rick Riordan Presents and <i>Dragon Pearl</i> is among their favorites, so I was pleased to see the second book of the series. The mix of Korean mythology and science fiction creates an intriguing setting. There are spaceships and advanced weapons alongside characters carrying swords and training in martial arts. In the midst of all this, Sebin ( a young member of the Juhwang Clan), has eagerly awaited an acceptance letter to become a cadet in the Thousand World Space Forces, but when Sebin reports for duty everything goes wrong. There seem to be saboteurs or rebels on board the ship - explosions, crew cut off, Sebin and the other new cadets are on their own. What does honor demand of Sebin? Is duty to family or to the fleet more important?

Today's young readers have grown up on Star Wars and other space adventures, so running battles through the passageways of a starship or the use of mental or even mystical powers are not uncommon. But the idea of participants in those battles being able to turn into tigers or other forms is a refreshing addition to the possibilities of what can be expected. Although much of the plot centers around Sebin's family and experiences, the other cadets make it more of an ensemble story with each using their own abilities to cope with the emergency and learning to trust one other.

The extraordinary powers and group dynamics may remind readers of Harry Potter or Percy Jackson and their adventures with classmates and friends. As with other books from the imprint, the rich cultural background that is being worked into this series adds layers of meaning and nuance to the reading experience. The ending resolves some of the conflicts within the book, but the larger scene of the Thousand Worlds and the fabled Dragon Pearl still leave many future adventures possible for these characters and their universe.

A tightly written military sci-fi middle-grade novel, that serves as a not-quite-sequel to Lee’s first foray into Middle Grade, Dragon Pearl (read my 3* review here). A year after Min’s adventure into Dragon Pearl, we meet Sebin, a young, non-binary tiger spirit whose life dream is to follow their uncle’s path into the Thousand World Space Force. However, after their uncle’s actions in Dragon Pearl, he’s been labeled a traitor and Sebin is determined to clear his name.

Unlike the grand sweeping adventures of Dragon Pearl, one of my favorite elements of Tiger Honor is the tightness of the plot and pacing. The bulk of the story takes place over only several days, as things go wrong from almost the moment Sebin boards their first ship assignment. While the first 30% of so start fairly slowly to set the scene (Sebin is a very detailed narrator), the pacing quickly speeds up as alliances are made and broken, and hidden identities revealed.

Personally, I had mixed opinions about Sebin. On one hand, their strive for honor in all things, to read and follow every rule assigned, will easily make them a fan favorite to overachieving students (like myself, had I read this as a child). On the other hand, their strictness to rule-following did get frustrating at times. I did wish the rest of the cast was more fleshed out since the focus of this book was very much Sebin, but I can easily see further development in future novels in this world.

Amusingly, I think reading this book as an early twenty-something (very much not the target demographic here), it’s amusing to recognize that Sebin and their fellow cadets are very much child soldiers shuttled along to fight in wars. That being said, this is a MG novel and as an adult, a strong suspense of disbelief is required. I loved that Sebin and the other cadets are regarded with full respect from their adult commanders and their age was never a factor when presenting information to the adult characters.

Overall, I rate this a 4/5. The pacing starts slowly but quickly kicks into high gear as the puzzle pieces settle into place. Lee has once against constructed a vivid military sci-fi world inspired by Korean mythology.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. This was a Great sequel and strong enough to be a stand a lone book if you have not read the first. I am a fan of the authors adult novels and I was excited to read this series. This was a very different viewpoint to the main character in the first book and it was great to see the world from a new set of eyes. I loved the mythology mixed in to the novels and I look forward to reading the next one.

Tiger Honor is the sequel to Dragon Pearl, and like Dragon Pearl, has a basis in Korean mythology and culture. The main character, Juhwang Sebin, is the youngest member of the Juhwang (Tiger) clan, and as such, can transform into a tiger at will; members of their society have the ability to shift into various shapes or demonstrate special abilities based on their ancestry. With society in the midst of civil war, Sebin joins the military of the Thousand Worlds as a cadet-trainee at 13, and is directed to uphold the honor of her family - especially given that her uncle's recent actions led to him being charged with treason and stripped of his rank. Pulled in multiple directions, by her duty to the Thousand Worlds as well as to her family, Sebin has to decide where to give her ultimate loyalty.

I greatly enjoy novels with a basis in the mythology of various cultures, and this was no exception; the intertwining of Korean mythology with a futuristic space adventure was very well done. The culture of the Thousand Worlds is very inclusive, to the point of having color pins indicating the wearer's preferred pronouns. The only problem I had with that last is that there are so many non-binary characters - at least half of the characters in the novel - that it was sometimes hard to follow which "they" was being referred to.

Book 2 in the Thousand Worlds series featuring Korean mythology by Yoon Ha Lee. When I realized that this is book 2, I went and read book 1, Dragon Pearl, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Chronologically, what happens here is after what happens in book 1. So, I would recommend reading the series in order. But, unlike most other books in this genre, this book features a different main character.
This one introduced us to Sebin of the Juhwang Tiger Clan: 13 years old and hoping to get into the Space Forces to follow Uncle Hwan's footsteps. On the day of their acceptance, they also learned that uncle Hwan has been declared a traitor for trying to steal the mythical Dragon Pearl. Then, on their first day as a cadet, before even being sworn in, Uncle Hwan engineered a takeover of the battle cruiser Sebin is in. So, we have a choice between loyalty to the Space Forces or loyalty to family.
As always, the elements of Korean mythology are fascinating and interesting. It's not unusual in this universe to have tiger spirits, fox spirits, celestial beings, and ghosts. We are also introduced to shamans and mercenaries. Sebin has to learn to overcome their innate distrust of foxes, for example, and work together with different beings towards a greater good. The book is action-packed and fast-paced. I could easily imagine this as an animated action-in-space movie.

**Thank you to the publisher for giving me an ARC via NetGalley for an honest review!**

Representation is so important and I'm completely thrilled that Sebin got a book of their own. There didn't feel like there was quite as much action and adventure in this title as there was in DRAGON PEARL but I still enjoyed the story well enough.

Probably better than book one (Dragon Pearl). Every book I ready by Yoon Ha Lee impresses me more than the last, honestly. And I *really* loved Phoenix Extravagant. I adore Sebin. Nonbinary protagonists are my JAM, always. MG with no romance is also chef's kiss. If you like SF, mythology, or complicated families, give this series a shot. I do recommend book 1 before this one, though.

Thank you to NetGalley for a preview copy of the eaudio & ebook in exchange for an honest review.

The follow-up to Dragon Pearl, set in the Thousand Worlds setting, follows a 13-year-old non-binary tiger shifter as they enter the Space Force. The beginning of the book delves into the family politics of this powerful tiger clan. Family is the most important aspect in the clan and loyalty. The villain from Dragon Pearl is Sebin's uncle. The conflict, thus, stems from the predicament of choosing to stay loyal to family or to the Space Force.

This addition to the Thousand Worlds, fell flat for me. We didn't have much time to make new friendships when Sebin gets to the Forces. I loved the beginning and really felt the relationships with the clan to be strong. Sebin repeatedly laments the lack of encouragement, and I don't think they would give up on the dream of praise so quickly.

I would have liked the new relationships to develop more before all the action started. Much of the book takes place over one day, Sebin's first day on a ship. It happened so quickly, that I didn't get attached to anyone.

Thank you so much, NetGalley, Disney Publishing Worldwide and Rick Riordan Presents, for the chance to read and review this book in exchange of an honest review.

Sebin is a young tiger spirit from the Juhwang Clan and wants to join the Thousand World Space Forces and like their uncle Hwan, captain a battle cruiser in the future. But when Sebin's acceptance letter arrives, they discovers Hwan has been declared traitor after abandoning his duty, stealing a magical artifact, the Dragon Pearl, and disappearing. Sebin is determined to clear their uncle's name and to bring honor to their clan, but when Sebin arrives for orientation they are met with by a special investigator named Yi and his assistant, a girl named Min, informing Sebin they must report to the ship Haetae and to await instructions. When there's an explosion, the crew is knocked out and the communication system goes down, Sebin, three other cadets, Yi and Min have to find who is sabotating the battle cruiser. When Sebin is then accused of collaborating with the enemies, they will have to do anything in their power to find out the truth and the real enemy.

Tiger Honor is the companion to the best- selling novel Dragon Pearl, a brilliant, intriguing and skillfully written space opera, inspired by Korean mythology with a nonbinary tiger spirit, the nephew of the villain.
The story is fantastic and I loved how the author talked about and expanded the worldbuilding, already known from Dragon Pearl, introducing captivating new characters, in a story filled with twists, secrets, lies and so much more. Sebin is a brilliant main character, I loved everything about this book, so unputdownable, a truly sci-fi adventure.
I've also found absolutely intriguing how it was inspired by the Korean mythology, it was such a pleasure to learn new things.
So recommended it!

I was kindly sent a digital ARC via Netgalley from the publisher though all thoughts are my own.

This was a wild ride of a book with high stakes mostly set on a ship in space with magic, shape-shifting and an attempt at mutiny.

Highly recommend this book and looking forward to reading more in thus world.

Trigger warnings: violence, injuries, death, sabotage

This is the second book by Yoon Ha Lee in the Thousand Worlds series under the Rick Riordan Presents banner. This time we have the perspective of a Tiger. But not just any Tiger. The nephew of our villian from the last book. This twist on sequels worked wonderfully and adds a complex layer to the world building. The Korean mythology is once again done well and manages to imbue the entire world without being forced or out of place. One I will continue to recommend to my students!

Thank you to Yoon Ha Lee, Disney Publishing, and Netgalley for an advanced ecopy in exchange for an honest opinion.

A great second book to a new series in the Rick Riordan presents. I love the expanded world of mythology that we are getting but from authors of belonging to the culture that those myths come from.

An exciting middle grade fantasy space adventure. I loved seeing the Korean mythology brought to life and the space ship hijacking and subsequent defense gave me Illuminae Files vibes in the best way. I did feel like Sebin's voice was a little too mature for a supposed 13 year old, but it was still an enjoyable read. Very fast paced and entertaining!