Scions of the Black Lotus: The Complete Tales of the Floating World

A Legends of Tivara Epic Sword and Sorcery

By: JC Kang

Narrated by: Natalie Naudus

For an imperial assassin, assignment as a courtesan in the Floating World seems like a waste of her talents...until killers target her clan sisters.

In the legendary Floating World, wars are waged with wit, the strongest soldier can be bound with threads of silk, and flesh is the currency by which life, death, and freedom can all be purchased.

Half-elf Jie bemoans her temporary assignment as a Night Blossom in the most sought-after house, even if it's the perfect cover for her real work as an assassin in the emperor’s service. When killers target her clan sisters, it leads to a convergence of threats that could topple an empire.

The Complete Tales of the Floating World Includes six books and two bonus stories:

• Thorn of the Night Blossoms
• White Sheep of the Family
• Interlude (Bonus Story)
• Wretches of the Trench
• Temptress of Fates
• Last Heir of the North
• Interlude 2 (Bonus Story)
• Last Bloom of the Jade Lotus

©2020 Dragonstone Press, LLC (P)2020 Dragonstone Press, LLC

A Pleasant Surprise

When I first hit play and within a minute or two I turned it off. It sounded really tinny and hissy. I checked my sound settings...all was normal. Tried again. I cringed, turned it off & was going to return it. But...that first min or two had piqued my interest. I decided to listen for a few mins and see if I could tolerate it. Boy am I glad I did. This is a rich, engaging story with great characters, well developed. It's decidedly for an open minded adult listener, as the context is quite sexual. It is NOT smutty or romance novel-ish, but presented quite tastefully and casually as the setting in which the story takes place. I very highly recommend it.

Fascinating Series!

This boxed set includes the six books in the Scions of Black Lotus Series, a Dark Fantasy. The characters are intriguing. The world building is unique, original, and complex. The storyline is fascinating, and captivating. Natalie Naudus did a wonderful job with the narration.

Awesome series!

Love this series of novellas! From the start the intrigue and action are fantastic, the characters well developed and the world building fascinating. I absolutely loved the setting in a Chinese inspired high fantasy world. Natalie Naudus was outstanding in the narration!

Fast paced and intense

This book doesn't stop from with in the 1st few lines. I feel the ending was just perfect. I think this could be a window into a world that actually exists. I really enjoyed this series.

Incredible Eastern-themed fantasy spy thriller

Although far from what I expected, this is a phenomenally told tale that does an excellent job of setting the stage for Mr. Kang's Dragon Songs Saga.

This was my first exposure to narrator Natalie Naudus and I have to say I'm damned impressed! Her voices are fantastic, and even the male voices are at least somewhat believable. Her vocal inflections are expertly crafted, and her tempo shifts are subtle but effective.

Now, before I go farther do note that I have NOT read the Dragon Songs Saga, so naturally there are likely to be nuances and Easter eggs that I have missed. But especially for a collection of such a short books the character development is absolutely fantastic.

Within just a few minutes I felt I had a keen grasp of who Jie is and what she's about.

Of course, then I was introduced to the east Asian-inspired spy network that forms the backdrop of this series and I realized that nothing is going to be what it seems!

There is some incredible world building here and the culture is quite fascinating.

There are so many twists and reversals throughout these stories that it's easy to become lost in them. Every time you think you know what's going on, something changes everything all over again.

Over the course of the books we're introduced to do many questions, so many mysteries that at times I wondered if there would even be enough time to answer them all.

I have to admit that on that front I am thoroughly impressed. Not only did the books answer every question I had, but managed to do it in completely unexpected ways that left me reeling!

Normally I have criticisms of pretty much every book, but honestly without feeling nitpicky the only thing I can say is I wish each book had been longer! (not that a 24-hour audiobook collection is in any way short!)

Looking at it now, and seeing the complete story of the series, the overarching plot and mystery that have finally come out, I have to say my mind is fairly well blown.

I am so, so, so anxious to see audio editions of Mr Kang's main Dragon Songs series now!

And speaking of the ending(s), each book manages a phenomenal ending that I couldn't be happier with. But in the last two there are endings in both a flashback sequence and the in the present, and both climaxes come off brilliantly in ways that bring the whole arc to a close in so much more satisfying a way than I ever thought possible.

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant series that I cannot recommend strongly enough! Seriously, read everything by JC Kang. This man is a phenomenal author!

I definitely recommend this book to readers who enjoy Eastern-themed fantasy, those who enjoy spy thrillers, those who enjoy quick and snappy pacing in their fantasy, and especially to those who are fascinated by morally gray characters.

A Unique and Thrilling Fantasy Laced with Mystery

My first step into JC Kang's series started with Scions of the Black Lotus. I expected the strong and resourceful Jie, but I did not expect such a wonderfully developed cast and world building! I was captivated and kept in the dark on the elaborate webs that JC Kang weaves with his words. If you are looking for an original world full of details and a cast of characters that are strong, resourceful, and intelligent. . . then this series is a must!

I pride myself on being able to predict the outcomes of a story, and yet this book bruised my ego in the most pleasantly surprising of ways. I could not predict the outcomes, and each book in this mini series revealed a deeper and deeper web of truths. I couldn't stop listening until I had uncovered them all!

The narrator for this audio book is talented and uses different tones and voices to indicate each character. Her voice is enjoyable to listen too and keeps you drawn in.

I highly recommend adding this book to your must read list. It breaks conventions and crosses former boundaries that are to be celebrate!

binge

So I have previously read and then listened to all the book. I enjoyed all the books together with the added short stories. This series focuses on when Tian joined the black lotus and more background into Jie's past.

Mysterious and beautiful

An incredible journey of political intrigue, mysterious figures, and steamy encounters, Scions of the Black Lotus keeps the twists coming and the characters very interesting. If you are looking for an eastern style fantasy adventure with a little more realism and darkness to its world-building, you will enjoy this series and all of its characters. In a world where everyone is an assassin that doesn't exist, and can use different techniques and magics that are considered just as likely a myth, you are never prepared for what the story will throw at you, and it will keep you hooked right up until the ending.

Man hating wish fulfillment

Scions of the Black Lotus is a bit of an odd duck, and I ended up DNFing it with about 10 hours left. I thought the writing was good, the story was interesting, and it was plotted well.

The problem was the characters. Our core group are all prostitute spy / assassins, and they're all female except for a little boy. They weaponize their sexuality, and view all men as base animals, as predators gleefully embracing their nature.

And they're not wrong. All the men in the book are portrayed as rapists, killers, and pedophiles. The only one who isn't is the little boy.

It seemed to me that the author just really hated men, and such a two-dimensional portrayal of an entire gender weakened the book enough for me to stop reading it.

As I thought on it, I came to the conclusion that this was the twisted flip-side of womanly wish-fulfillment. Instead of a happily ever after ending romance, it is a female power fantasy in a landscape that justifies their wanton slaughter of all the men who would harm them (and all the men want to harm them).

Great Asian Fantasy!

If you like Asian fantasy, this one is for you. Wonderful characters, LGBTQ+ characters, Asian elves. Let me repeat that: ASIAN elves!!! Kind of a cross between the Sopranos and Memoires of a Geisha