I’ve absolutely loved everything I’ve read that’s come from the Rick Riordan Presents publishing imprint. So, I was incredibly excited when I got the approval email from NetGalley (thank you!) for Tiger Honor.
This is the sequel to Dragon Pearl, which I read in 2020 and really enjoyed. Sadly, I didn’t enjoy this one nearly as much. I think a part of that is because it’s been so long since I’ve read Dragon Pearl that I didn’t recognize the characters from that book in Tiger Honor until almost halfway through the story. I think I might have enjoyed it more had I gone into the story knowing the connection between Sebin and their family and Min from Dragon Pearl.
This story follows Sebin, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, just before they have been accepted into the Thousand World Space Forces. They dream of following in their Uncle’s footsteps and becoming a ships captain. But on their very first day as a cadet, things go completely wild and the ship they are on comes under attack. The rest of the story is what follows and how Sebin handles this.
My biggest issue with this book was that I had no idea what was going on until more than halfway through the book. Sebin is out onto a ship and they rightfully see all sorts of suspicious things before even getting onto the ship. So, we’re left with a sense of something not being right, but what that something is isn’t shared until a decent way through the story. There’s so much happening in the first half of the story that it feels fast paced, but I felt like I couldn’t enjoy all the action because I had no clue what was happening. I’m not sure if I would have felt differently had the first book been more fresh in my mind.
Now, there were still many things that I liked about this book. I think the fact that this story follows a non-binary main character is absolutely amazing. I also absolutely loved all of the folklore and mythology that was included in the story. I think there was less of it than there was with Dragon Pearl, but I really enjoyed leaving about Sebin’s family and the traditions of Tiger shifters.
Overall, this was still an enjoyable and exciting story that I think will be well received. I really liked Sebin. They were such a different perspective from Min in the first book. I really think they bought something new to the story. And even though I felt like I dint know what was happening half the time, I think this was still a really engaging story and I will absolutely be recommending it in the future.

Tiger Honor by Yoon Ha Lee follows Juhwang Sebin, a nonbinary tiger spirit who longs to follow in their Uncle Hwan's footsteps and become a captain in the Space Forces. Sebin is shocked when news arrives that their uncle has been accused of treason. To make matters worse, Sebin's first day as a cadet includes a run in with a certain fox spirit, a hijacking, and learning some hard truths about their family.

I loved that this book fleshed out Hwan's character a bit through Sebin. Hwan is the villain of this series, but we get to see him as the military hero and role model for Sebin, and watch as Sebin discovers their uncle's bad side. There's also a lot about how family and peer pressure as well as prejudice and misunderstandings can cause good people to make bad choices. Loyalty to their clan has been trained into Sebin, and I really felt for their struggle between loving their uncle and knowing what he was doing was wrong.

The worldbuilding in this series is so great - I love the descriptions of the ships, the thought behind Gating and hydroponics, and the blend of magic, Korean mythology, and military spaceships. However, I do wish we got to know more about the other supernaturals. In this book, we meet a celestial named Euna, who can survive in a vacuum, and an imugi named Namkyu, who has healing abilities. There's also a shaman and a special dog. But overall, we don't learn much more about these characters than who they are and maybe a couple of character traits.

The beginning of the book is a bit slow, since it starts with some action and then flashes back until we meet back up with the action. But once we're in the thick of things, it's fast-paced and has so much wonderful drama.

I'm very excited that there's going to be another book - I want more Min and Sebin working together.

Rating: 4.5

This second tale from the Thousand Worlds gives us a young relative of the villain of the first book, trying to restore their family’s honor. Themes of loyalty to family are strong in this book, and Sebin has to figure out when loyalty to family has to be set aside. Sebin also is forced to confront prejudices—such as those against Foxes—in order to do what is right.

It was good to see Min return, and see that she is thriving, although not without challenges. But this story is Sebin’s and I might like it even more than the first book. Watching Sebin try so hard to do right by both family and the Space Forces, with all the challenges that entails, was enjoyable.

As with the first book, the secondary characters are all well-drawn. Again, Sebin’s fellow cadets are a varied and interesting group. Our protagonists are not superior to the other characters, just different, and they are able to recognize that each person has skills to bring to the table. I also enjoyed seeing the antagonist come to a realization about his behavior.

As with Min, Sebin’s resolution is not entirely tidy, but it is satisfying.

Possible Objectionable Material:
Some violence, not graphic. No swearing, no romance. Sebin and other characters are nonbinary and use they/them pronouns, and this is taken as a matter of course, nothing exceptional. Those who have strong ideas about gender might find this offensive. And, of course, mythology and magic may offend some readers.

Who Might Like This Book:
Those who like space, adventure, mythology, and learning about other cultures. Those who read the first book should enjoy seeing “what happened next.”

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing and ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. This review is also at https://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/2022/01/welcome-to-thousand-worlds.html

Tiger Honor picks up about a year after the end of Dragon Pearl, but this time around, instead of following Min, we are following Sebin, a tiger spirit whose uncle was the villain from the first book. All Sebin has ever wanted was to join the Space Forces, and when the day finally comes that they get their invitation to join, they also receive the devastating news that the uncle they've always looked up to is now a fugitive and has been stripped of his captaincy. We follow Sebin as they join the forces as a cadet, and has to figure out for themself what happened to their uncle and what honor and family truly means to them.

This was unfortunately a very disappointing sequel to what is one of my favourite middle grade books of all time. While I loved the representation not only of non-binary and queer characters in this book, but also sign language, good representation does not make a good book, unfortunately.

I think what went wrong here for me personally is that I just don't think Sebin is as charming or as interesting of a character as Min was. I did like the idea of following someone who is on the opposite side of the characters we've come to love from book 1, but I felt like the execution was just not there. Sebin's character growth, while somewhat satisfying to see by the end, did not feel impactful for me because they spent the majority of the book with a huge superiority complex and looking down on everyone else because their family was more prestigious than theirs or they deemed them an inferior species to them. Again, I do think Sebin shows growth by the end of the story, but by that point, I honestly didn't really care.

I also think just by comparison, this book was not as complex and well-developed as the first book. Dragon Pearl was an incredibly fast-paced, charming story that was also thematically rich. This was just not the case in Tiger Honor. It's fundamentally a much simpler story, and the pacing felt a lot slower. It didn't have the bigger picture elements that the first book had and didn't really do much to tie in the events that were happening to the world at large, which I think was one of the greatest strengths of Dragon Pearl.

All in all, I don't think this is a terrible book - it's a pretty okay, singular space adventure. It very much feels more like an episode within a story rather than a fully fleshed out story in and of itself. It's just disappointing since I really think Dragon Pearl is one of the best middle grades out there, and I was really looking forward to this one.

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Tiger Honor is the second book in the Thousand Worlds series by veteran Sci-Fi writer, Yoon Ha Lee. This series is published through the Rick Riordan Presents imprint. The first book, Dragon Pearl, was released in 2019 and was my favorite Middle Grade release of that year. At the time when I read it, I thought it was a standalone.

I was so happy when I heard the news that we would be getting more in this world; best described as a Space Opera inspired by Korean mythology. In this installment we follow a young tiger spirit, Sebin, who dreams of joining the Thousand Worlds Space Forces just like their Uncle Hwan, who they greatly admire.

But on the day that Sebin's acceptance letter arrives, another letter arrives as well and the news it brings is not good. According to this letter, their Uncle Hwan abandoned his duty in search of the legendary Dragon Pearl and has thusly been branded a traitor. His current whereabouts are unknown.

As Sebin heads off to their orientation, they decide that no matter what, they'll find the truth, hopefully clearing Uncle Hwan's name and returning honor to their clan in the process. As you may expect, however, things do not go as planned for sweet Sebin.

This story is full of action and a ton of heart. Sebin is such a cinnamon roll, who is easy to become attached to. The pace is super quick, and I'll be honest, at times I found myself a little lost. Even though that's the case, it always came back around for me and I had a lot of fun reading it.

For me though, this wasn't quite as enjoyable a story as the first book, in that it lacked a bit of the humor that I always felt when following, Min, the protagonist of Dragon Pearl. Sebin, I would say, is more of an old soul, a bit more serious than Min was, and the narrative reflected that, making this story feel more mature than your average Middle Grade.

With this being said, Lee's writing, as would be expected, is impressive. The complex mix of Sci-Fi with Mythological elements was so well done. Additionally, the characters Lee develops are extremely likable. You root for them when you're supposed to, you dislike them when you are supposed to and you certainly love them when you are supposed to. Chef's kiss.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Disney Audio and Rick Riordan Presents, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This one left off in a great place. This could be it, but I am really hoping for more in the Thousand Worlds. There are endless possibilities as to where this series could go!!

Sebin, a young tiger spirit from the Juhwang Clan, dreams of joining the Space Forces like their Uncle Hwan, but when the Clan receives news that Hwan has betrayed the Space Forces and become a traitor Sebin can't believe it. The matriarch of the clan uses Sebin's acceptance to the Space Forces to further her mysterious agenda and Sebin wants to prove that they can serve with honor and maybe clear his uncle's and clan's name. Things go sideways almost immediately upon Sebin's arrival on the ship the Haetae when they meet Special Investigator Yi and their assistant Min. Hwan may not be missing after all. Sebin must choose between what they know is right and their family.

What an incredible follow up to Dragon Pearl! I love the diversity within the books and also the fact that the main character in a middle grade novel is non binary. This is such wonderful representation for young readers. The luscious blend of science fiction and Korean mythology made for an incredibly atmospheric and immersive read!

Can I just give Sebin a hug? I quickly got lost into the character (I know nervous and committed young people with ethics bigger than they are tall) and I felt every breath and decision as they weighed the pros and cons trying to cobble together what is right and wrong, good and evil. What an excellent book as a stand alone (I haven't read Dragon Pearl) even! I can't wait to tell people to read this book. Thanks to NetGalley and Disney Publishing for an arc.

Family honor is mightily important to the Juhwang clan, but thirteen-year-old Sebin finds themself caught between their alliance to blood and their desire to serve in the armed forces. For as long as they can remember, Sebin has dreamed of joining the Thousand Worlds Space Forces and finding a place aboard a starship bound for destinations unknown. Sebin’s long-awaited acceptance into the Forces arrives on the same day as a notice of their Uncle Hwan’s treasonous actions, and Sebin is left puzzling out the behavior of the uncle they have looked up to for their entire life. Sooner than they expect, Sebin is given a bunk on board the space cruiser Haetae, where they must determine once and for all where their true loyalties lie.

This middle grade science fiction adventure is especially well suited to readers who appreciate a straightforward narrative and an abundance of high-intensity action sequences. The book itself is well-written, effortlessly incorporating Korean culture, non-binary characters, and supernatural elements into the story. Taking place over a relatively short amount of time, the plot focuses on one primary event with very little tangential conversation or delay. Newer middle grade readers will find this design to be particularly engaging as there is a limited amount of information to track as the story continues. Shapeshifting, questionable alliances, and supernatural occurrences taking place in the vastness of space make this a unique and memorable novel for middle grade readers.

Many elements of Korean folklore and mythology are found throughout the novel, and a pronunciation guide at the end of the book helps improve readers’ understanding of the myriad potentially unfamiliar words included within the narrative. Sebin fills an interesting role in that they must choose for themselves how they will proceed in an unprecedented situation when a blood oath binds them to their family even as their heart desires another path. The fact that Sebin can become a tiger adds a fascinating element to the story, particularly because they often refer to the smells of feelings they encounter, giving readers pause when these moments arise. Inclusive and exciting, this story is a great fit for middle grade science fiction fans who are looking for an unexpected twist to the genre.

I honestly had trouble with Dragon Pearl, and ended up not finishing it because of the many twists and turns. Tiger Honor is a more straightforward space adventure, with Sebin trying to prevent catastrophe on his very first day as a cadet. The cast is small and easy to keep track of, with fantastical elements blending in seamlessly along the futuristic space scene. Overall, Tiger Honor is a fast-paced, sci-do adventure, perfect for elementary and middle school students who are fans of any of the Rick Riordan Presents stories.

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<p>Review copy provided by the publisher. Also I have known the author since the beginning of forever.</p>
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<p>One of the problems with writing a lot is that it's hard enough to have people compare your work to other people's work--you can quite justly object that you are not someone else and cannot be expected to write their stories--but an entirely different kind of frustrating to have it compared to your own previous work. And I...loved <em>Phoenix Extravagant</em> more than anything else Yoon has written. And <em>Tiger Honor</em> is not <em>Phoenix Extravagant</em>.</p>
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<p>But it's not trying to be. It's a different category--middle grade--a completely different genre and tone and characterization. Sebin is a young would-be spacefarer--spacefaring <em>officer</em>--in a long tradition of proud tiger spirits in their family serving in the Space Forces. They are just preparing to start their cadet term when disaster strikes: their admired Uncle Hwan, a respected officer in the Space Forces, is disgraced, stripped of his rank. Instead of using their time as a cadet <em>only</em> for the usual purposes of learning the ways of Space Forces and gaining a toehold on the ladder to fame and glory, Sebin now has to do those things <em>and</em> attempt to figure out what went so badly wrong with the relative they so admired. Surely he can't be guilty of the things he's accused of--so what happened? And who among the other cadets and officers can Sebin trust?</p>
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<p>Sebin is believably guarded and focused, given their upbringing in the ruthless Juhwang Clan. The other cadets' characters are mostly hinted at in outline, but that's totally appropriate for the shape and length of the story. This is related to Lee's previous MG book, <em>Dragon Pearl</em>, which I haven't read yet, but now I want to--it worked perfectly well in this order, leaving me wanting more, but it seems like knowing more about the titular object would also have made this an interesting story. Not everything can be <em>Phoenix Extravagant</em>, and not everything should. <em>Tiger Honor</em>, like its protagonist, comes into its own as it progresses and is very much what it needs to be in itself.</p>
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This book was a departure from the first book as it was from a different POV especially since this was different type of animal spirit. I appreciated how motivated and mature Sebin is. I did find myself frustrated with them at times but had to remind myself that they don't know the things I knew. It was nice to see characters from Dragon Pearl and continuing the story, in a way. From the way it ended, I'm interested to see if there will be a continuation of this story from Sebin's, Min's or someone new's perspective.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This middlegrade sequel to Dragon Pearl was filled with action and adventure, and was such a fun ride! Set in space and with parts of Korean mythology woven in, the story picks up after the events of the first book. The main character this time is Sebin, a young Tiger spirit, who must choose between loyalties and gets thrust into action on THEIR FIRST DAY of joining the Thousand Worlds Space Forces. I know, right? Their first day!

I won't give away any spoilers, but the story is jam packed with adventure and interesting side characters. I'm impressed that even in middlegrade novels meant for the 8-12 age range, there are morally grew characters that must weigh choices that have great impact to their own lives and society.

There were two slight criticisms (nitpicking really) that I had. The first was that Sebin's tiger family did not seem realistic. The second was that I wish there were just a little bit more leading up to the events of that epic day. Maybe another couple of chapters of backstory would've made me even more sympathetic to Sebin.

All in all, a great read!

I loved this book! Sebin's a great character and I loved the way that pronouns were such a normal thing. I loved the way that Sebin changes over the book, to mindlessly believing their uncle to being a bold, new character. They're sweet and I really enjoyed how the conflict was resolved. This is such a great book!

Good sequel! Very action packed from the start plus featuring a few of your favorite characters from book one. Sometimes the actions of the main character are frustrating but this is also a 13 year old kid whose learning that not everything your family teaches you is worth following. You have to forge your own path and opinions. Unwavering loyalty isn’t everything. Good lesson for kids to learn! And the adults reading too.

This is such a solid sequel to Dragon Pearl. Following a new main character, the events after the first book flow easily into this book, and even though it's been awhile since I read Dragon Pearl, I found myself jumping back into the world with ease. I appreciated the character growth of Sebin, and seeing a new lens into the world with the Tiger spirits. All in all, definitely pick this up if you've picked up the Dragon Pearl. If you haven't read the Dragon Pearl yet, I will always recommend it for those looking for a heartfelt middle-grade sci-fi with really cool folklore magic intertwined with the sci-fi technology. Thank you Netgalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide/Rick Riordan Presents for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Excellent companion novel to Dragon Pearl! I loved diving back into Korean folklore in space. Sebin can't wait to get sworn into the Thousand World Space Forces, but doesn't expect to battle their traitorous uncle, Hwan in the process. Sebin has to make the decision that will save themselves and others, but end their career before it starts or join forces with their uncle and turn their back on their dream. A great story between loyalty to blood family and the family you create, Great sci-fi for middle school classrooms.
Thanks NetGalley and Disney Publishing

I have not read Dragon Pearl and think that would have helped a bit with context but wasn’t required!
This was such a fun adventure and a very quick read. I love that this has been created, as it incorporates gender identity in a way that is not a realistic fiction coming out story but a magical space adventure. What a gem!
I loved the incorporation of Korean mythology and language.
As a short, thinner looking book I think I can easily sell this to library patrons and reluctant readers looking for a fast paced, adventurous read.

Yoon Ha Lee does it again: create an engrossing, Korean-inspired fantasy sci-fi filled with adventure, heart, and deep truths for middle grade readers. In this companion book to Dragon Pearl, set in the same world, Sebin is a tiger spirit invited to join the prestigious Space Force. On their first day of service, Sebin is caught in an ambush that might be spearheaded by his disgraced uncle. In the twists and turns that result, Sebin must determine whether it is more important to be loyal to their family or to their new fleet. Highly recommended!

KOREAN MYTHOLOGY IN SPACE! How exciting is that!! I had really high hopes for this book as a big fan of the Percy Jackson series and it did not disappoint. One thing I wished we got more of was the mythology aspect. It seemed like the main thing was that some humans have animal spirits and can transform into animals but I wanted MORE. I think I was missing some context as it has been a while since I have read the first book to understand the world building and some characters so I suggest readers so back and get a refresher before diving into this book. Sebin struggles with the honor of his family and his dream of being a space cadet. Which will he choose? I loved his character arc and feel that it was explored very well. Sebin goes through many dilemmas and his choices are very admirable. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT BOOK!