Liu Lufeng has watched as her mother and sisters have been taken one by one to become the next bride of a human king. Born as a resident of Feng, Lufeng and her people have faces made of bark, arms of branches braided together, and hair made of basically pine needles. They are one with the land, but to prevent the expansion of human beings into their territory, Lufeng’s family have complied with a series of marriages in order to solidify the agreement that the humans will not continuing to push through the remaining rich land. Lufeng will comply, but she is determined not to submit. To protect the land of Feng, she plans to murder the King and hopefully find her missing family members alive in the mysterious palace.
Ai Jiang’s A Palace Near the Wind is a quick read designed to set up a continuing series. Running less than 200 pages, the book feels more like the start of an extended fairy tale than a traditional fantasy novel. While some areas are described with great attention to detail, others are entirely left up to the reader’s imagination. A world of industrialization combined with the natural world blend with the expected struggles of the classic man versus nature. The story is interesting, but at times feels rushed onto the next setting. Still, if one is looking for a quick fantasy that reads like a fairy tale, A Palace Near the Wind is not a bad place to start.
A Palace Near the Wind is available from Titan Books April 15, 2025.
