I must admit, steampunk is one of the subgenres that I haven’t been exposed to much. So when I saw this book, I took my chance. And boy, it was more than worth it.

From plot to setting to characters, Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon was and had everything I wanted in a Fantasy. It threw together a mix of elements I never thought would go so well together – magic, lore, machines – all played in a backdrop inspired by Qing dynasty China. Mary Fan’s careful plotting shone throughout, all the twists and turns making the adventure joyride that was this book even more enjoyable.

But it didn’t start out that way for me.

While they ultimately ended up growing on me, for the first few chapters of the book Anlei and Tai seemed too troupe-y: Anlei playing the strong female character card who can and will kick anyone’s ass and Tai taking on the role of the charming but arrogant love interest. As the story progressed and their backstories were spilled though, I began to understand their motives and their nuances. Yes, Anlei is a tough girl, stubborn and incredibly capable but she’s also a daughter and a member of their small village’s community. She craved glory and adventure the same way her blood called for her to avenge her father’s murder, to protect her family, her village, and her people.

Tai, meanwhile, has a complicated history. Half-yueshen (pure spiritual beings who has free reign over the moon) and half-human, I think he doesn’t really know his place in the world. The yueshen won’t accept him into their realm because he’s half-breed, while his father hid him, foisting his care onto his servants. He likes to think the best of the family left to him and uses laughter and humor as both an armor and mask to hide behind.

It was wonderful watching Anlei and Tai grow close to each other. Even though they started out as begrudging allies (more from Anlei’s side rather than Tai’s,) the two eventually discover that they have more in common than they first thought. Both have noble causes, and the subsequent trials and hardships they faced together only served to peel back more and more layers of their characters. I couldn’t help but like them.

Though this was a mostly solid story, there were still a few details that could have been improved. The villain, Viceroy Kang, comes to mind immediately. As the main antagonist, he was typical – power-hungry and cruel – and unimpressive. It was a shallow rendering of a character that’s supposed to provoke our protagonists into taking action. His motivations were only briefly touched, and it left me with a few unanswered questions: Had he always planned the things he’d done even before he married Tai’s yueshen mother? Is that why he caught her and married her in the first place? I can live with these questions, but they’re just pesky enough to bug me.

The quick pace combined with the number of plot threads Fan tossed into the story could also sometimes be overwhelming. There were just too much happening at one single time, and, admittedly, I had to put the book down a couple of times to catch my breath and gather my thoughts.

Overall, Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon was an exceptional stand-alone that blended together steampunk and fantasy. This was one of the most vividly and creatively imagined stories I’ve read in a while. Though there were a few parts that could have been improved, they were minor and didn’t hinder me from enjoying the book. This one comes with high recommendations from this self-confessed fantasy lover.

I really wanted to like this book’s fierce protagonist, but I couldn’t emotionally connect with her. She was just a little too much for me, I guess. I was interested in some of the minor characters, but I quickly became frustrated with Anlei all the time because of her bullheadedness.

The beginning also just didn’t grab me. The dialogue was full of info dumps and it didn’t feel natural.

The world building seemed interesting, but it wasn’t enough to keep me in the story.

“A flying ship, stolen from the viceroy's fleet. A young thief on a fantastical quest. And a decision so wild, I can hardly believe I made it.
 “


Rating: 3.5 Stars
 

Source: Huge thanks to The Royal Polar Bear Reads for hosting an International Blog Tour and Page Street Kids for kindly providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.







Stronger than a Bronze Dragon and me ... well, we had a rough start. I had trouble connecting to the world and to Anlei (our MC) at the very beginning. But fortunately, that changed relatively quickly.


The book starts with Anlei and a friend of hers (somewhat) being on the lookout for Ligui, the evil spirits that attack the village and talking about what happens, and how it shouldn't be necessary for the woman to join the guard as it is not really appropriate. However, it becomes clear right away, that that is exactly what Anlei craves. Being a warrior and getting to fight for glory and adventure.


She is driven by hate and thoughts of revenge since the Ligui killed her father. While I understood her hurt and anger very well, she acted in a way I usually can't stand. When the Ligui attack she leaves her friends fighting one huge monster alone to chase the murderer of her father, completely blinded by her rage and that results in nearly getting the others killed. And that's a pet peeve of mine ...




“Somewhere far away, a girl's voice calls, "Anlei! Come back!"
The words are a meaningless buzz beneath the blood thundering in my ears. All I know is that my father's killer is at last within reach. And, by the Gods of Heaven and Earth, I will destroy him. Like the legendary Warrioress, I will slay my enemy and reap the glory.
(...)
I don' care if there are other guards who could fight him-- this victory will belong to me alone.

 
“


BUT after that first fight we get to know her better. Especially when she talked to her family, her mother and little sister Anshui. Her motivation becomes clearer, beyond the thoughts of revenge. We get to see her difficulties with emotions and conveying them correctly. I loved seeing that. Her sister Anshui is adorable and I love the strong bond they have. Anlei can do and say things that hurt other people without really meaning to, she interprets things differently and she knows it but is still confused by that.




"That's not what I meant!"
"But it's what your words implied." I press my fist to my lips. So often, the meaning of my words comes out all wrong, but this is the worst thing I've ever said even though I didn't mean to say it.

(...)

"I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean it." 
"I know." Mother looks up. "You must watch your words, Anlei. And you must consider the perspective of others."
"Yes, Mother." But understanding the unspoken meaning behind words, like reading, is something I can only accomplish with great focus and effort. I wonder if I'll ever learn how to do what comes so naturally to everyone else.

 


That was the moment when I started liking her, rooting for her and understand her. Not to say that I didn't have any more moments when I wanted to shake some sense into Anlei but I enjoyed that instead of being annoyed. Mary Fan managed to turn something I usually despise into the very reason why I liked the character which is truly amazing.


There is also another instance of this. The scene where Anlei is deciding to sacrifice all her wishes for glory and adventure, to hand herself over to marry the Viceroy to secure his protection of Dailan, her village and when she looks back at that. She talks about how she never envisioned the life of a wife for herself, but that of a Wariorress. This could very easily turn into one of those dreaded 'not like other girls' moments but Anlei is still respecting the choice and wish to be a wife ... and it seemed real.
These are only details at the beginning of the book, but I thought I should mention them since they are part of the reason why I liked the book as much as I did.



Mary Fan describes the world around Anlei very beautifully. I could see the huge dragon ships sailing through the air. I could feel the dread she feels while being prepared for her wedding.
As you can tell by the synopsis though, a thief steals the dragon pearl, the main thing the Viceroy wanted in exchange for his protection and so Anlei escapes to steal it back.


I loved the dynamic between Tai, the thief, and Anlei from their very first meeting. He doesn't reveal anything lightly, has a lot of secrets but he makes up for that in charm ... and in having so much fun at making Anlei mad. ^^
Their banter was what made the whole middle part of the book entertaining.


I have to say though ... I could have done without the romance. It wasn't bad by any means, and it didn't take over the plot at all but I loved their friendship and would have been content with them staying that way. But I'm not mad at the romance either. They had a few cute moments after all.


The first quest ends roughly in the middle of the book which surprised me a little but I appreciated it. If the journey to hell would have been dragged out longer the book would have probably become a little boring.
We see Anlei's character traits again very clearly during the fight in hell, her longing to be the hero and her craving glory, her jealousy that Tai gets all that and she will be forgotten. I can totally see how that might not be for everyone but I really liked it. It was very in character for her and it felt real.


I'm not gonna say a lot about what happened after as to not spoil you but I really enjoyed the ending. We get to learn more about Tai and who he really is, how he deals with stress, anger and sadness ... and it may very well break your heart. Just a little.
Also, Anlei's inability to say 'the right thing' or to comfort him ... very relatable.



The world Mary Fan created is inspired by Chinese mythology and I enjoyed exploring it alongside Tai and Anlei. The spirits, Yueshen and Ligui, the steampunk elements, the connection between magic and science ... those are all things I loved about this book.


We get a few stories they have been told as children and it was amazing to read those. I really like when books include these. It makes everything seem just that much more real.


I could predict a lot of the twists and I'm a bit disappointed by the Viceroy and his motivations (or rather ... what we got with Anlei, the view behind her facade and why she is who she is ... we didn't get that with the viceroy and I would have loved to see that.) I like the villains or antagonist to have clear and understandable reasons for doing what they're doing. More than just ... well, they're evil.




The strong points of this book are definitely the two main characters and the world. I loved how different Anlei and Tai are, how they both deal with their feelings in their own ways and still find a way to connect with each other

Stronger than a Bronze Dragon by Mary Fan is an Asian inspired tale that follows Liang Anlei on her quest to save her village from the ravages of the demonic Ligui. Anlei is one of the few women serving in the Dailan Guard, protecting the village from the nightly predations of the Ligui. When the Viceroy of the province offers the protection of his personal army in exchange for Dailan's sacred River Pearl, the deal is sealed with a marriage pact and Anlei is chosen to be his new bride. The fierce Anlei is unhappy at the prospect, especially since the Viceroy makes it clear he views her as property. When the River Pearl is stolen, putting Dailan's protection at risk, she goes after the thief. Tai isn't what she expects though, and needs the Pearl just as desperately as she does to save his own people. She agrees to go with him and help, then return the Pearl to the Viceroy. In doing so, Anlei ends up on an adventure that leads her all the way to the Courts of Hell to confront Mowang and learn the truth of the Ligui, a truth more terrible than she once thought.

I rather enjoyed this story! I love the Asian inspired culture, patterned after the ancient Chinese dynasties. People from other cultures show up too. 'Westerners' in passing, and African in the form of Ibsituu, a magic user. She was one of my favourite characters. I absolutely adored the steampunk elements, with the magically driven clockwork dragons and automatons. Especially the dragons! And there are airships as well! Visiting the mythical Courts of Hell was neat, again, inspired by Chinese myth. It was a little surreal too, especially the hallucinations the demons induced.

I liked Anlei well enough. At times, her impulsiveness annoyed me. She put others at risk too often by not thinking before acting, including risking the Viceroy's protection for her people. Tai the thief, on the other hand, was too adorable and I sympathised with his feelings of being unwanted, and how it shaped his childhood, and adulthood. His carefree nature was hiding such deep wounds. While I believe that the circumstances the pair faced together could forge a bond of love quickly, I find it difficult in this case, given Anlei's personality and disposition. I believe Tai could, but I kinda feel Tai deserves better too. Anlei has dyslexia, and it was neat to see how that played into the story. It didn't feel a contrived element either, but just a part of who she was. The time felt too short for such an adventure, even given the speed the airships offered travel. Everything seemed building to reaching Mowang, but that wasn't the end of the story, and the last bit felt rushed and thrust a background character into the forefront.

If you enjoy Asian influenced fantasy, and steampunk elements, be sure to check this read out! I look forward to seeing the writer grow into her own, and I'd definitely read future books. Especially if they have the clockwork dragons!

***Many thanks to Netgalley and Page Street Publishing for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. Reviewed as part of the Fantastic Flying Book Club Blog Tour.

“Self-control today is a gift for tomorrow. Be kind to your future self.”

Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon is fast paced and adventurous with enriching cultural context and beautiful world building. It’s a book I devoured in mere days and one I would happily gift to a friend. This action packed story kept me on my toes and grabbed my attention from page one. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the wonderful cultural aspect that brought the story to life. The writing is absolutely beautiful and creates a richly-developed world with interesting characters and far-off adventures.

“My new title might be Lady, but even after they scrub me clean, paint my face, and clothe me in silk, I’ll still be little more than a slave.”

Anlei is a strong and fierce protagonist who thrives on adventure. She’s determined to avenger her father’s death against the dangerous Ligui that killed him, all while trying to determine what her future is going to look like. And her image of her future disappears when the viceroy chooses her as his next bride. Her whole world, her whole reason for wanting revenge, takes a sharp and surprising turn with the viceroy’s announcement. And though she wants to say no to being the viceroy’s wife, she obliges to save her village and get the viceroy’s army to protect her people. That, right there in my opinion, is a characteristic that makes for a brave protagonist.

Even though Anlei cares about her future and her life, she’s willing to sacrifice it all to make sure her people are protected from the Ligui. And even when the River Pearl (the whole reason the viceroy went to Anlei’s village) gets stolen by a masked thief, Anlei puts it in her hands to follow the thief and get the River Pearl back, all to make sure her village is safe. This journey leads to a further understanding of who Anlei really is and who she is destined to be.

“For so long, my life was dictated by forces beyond my control. Even when I sought justice for my father, I was controlled by a rage tied to another. But that’s over now. From now on, only I define my destiny.”

The relationship between Anlei and Tai starts out rough but playful and as they learn to trust one another, their relationship turns into something more. The journey the two take together is dangerous and long, but provides ample time for both of them to understand one another. Anlei and Tai both want to save their village with the River Pearl and, in doing so, have to learn how to work and trust one another.

Mary Fan did a wonderful job with this book and I look forward to reading her other work. Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon is available in stores now!

WHAT I ENJOYED ABOUT THIS BOOK:

• It's an Asian-inspired steampunk fantasy

I haven't read many steampunk books but I really enjoyed this reading experience. Inspired from Qin-dynasty China, the world written by Mary Fan sits in between the modern and traditional era where mechanical dragons and arrange marriages coexist. The Asian-inspired setting really made my heart take flight because THIS IS THE CONTENT I SIGNED UP FOR. Stronger than a Bronze Dragon pays homage to Asian culture and I loved it so much for that.

• This book is full of angst

Yes we've got snarky little cinnamon rolls in this book. Anlei, the protagonist, is a stabby village girl intent on seeking adventure. She wants to make name for herself as a warrioress who slays monsters and protects her village from all evil. I loved how she didn't shy away from the thrill of the fight. Her desire to claim glory for herself may not be likeable for some but I admire her for it. I felt really empowered while reading about Anlei. Somehow, I wanted to break off a table leg and wield it as a sword to fight mosquitoes and flying cockroaches. Well, they're a far cry from all the demons Anlei has vanquished but they're the only things my boring life can offer for now.

(Just a little PSA: killing mosquitoes is challenging. You have to give me a little credit for having the courage to defeat those little bloodsuckers.)

Then there's Tai. He's the male protagonist with a mysterious past. I adored reading his snarky lines and I did love his banter with Anlei. However, I didn't really ship them as a couple. They have great chemistry as friends but I couldn't reconcile the image of them being *together*. Maybe it's just me though. I'm quite picky with my ships nowadays.

• ‎DRAGONS

The first time I read this book's title, I immediately clicked that "WANT TO READ" button on goodreads. That button is a blackhole, y'all. I don't recommend being friends with it.

Anyway, I was interested with Stronger than a Bronze Dragon at first sight because when I see a word that starts with letter D and ands with an N on a book title, that baby goes into the TBR pile immediately. Well, dragons don't play a pivotal role in this book but I still appreciated their presence (there are mechanical dragons and sort-of-ethereal dragons here y'all). Don't mind me. I'm trash for the smallest dragon appearances in all forms of media.

• ‎All hail Mary Fan for the descriptive writing

This book has very rich descriptions which further cemented its plot. I'm a very sensory reader and the descriptions really helped me in imagining the settings and the scenes. I also applaud Mary Fan for incorporating mythology in this book. Aside from dragons, there are ghosts, moon spirits, monsters and demons which added more dimension to the story.

More insights:

I had some issues with the pacing and felt a bit disconnected to the characters when I reached the end but this one is still a fun standalone to read. Despite the predictablity of the plot twists, I still appreciated the over-all angsty feel of the book. I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ALL THE READERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO FEEL EMPOWERED. Let's travel to Hell and back with these fierce protagonists!

Stronger Than A Bronze Dragon follows the journey of Anlei. She’s a warrior who agrees to marry a viceroy in exchange for protection to her village. But, the night before the wedding, the River Pearl, a magical jewel belonging to her village, that had been presented to the viceroy is stolen, prompting her to go on a quest to bring it back to the viceroy so he would still honour his bargain and protect her village.

What I love most about this story is most definitely the main lead, Anlei. She’s a fierce warrior and she’s unflinchingly loyal, even to the villagers who don’t care much for her. She absolutely adores her sister and her mother, her only family. She’s also hell bent on avenging her father’s death. It’s a very defining aspect of her personality, this need for vengeance and it colours all her actions. But, it’s dealt with in a very plausible way which I love. Her character arc is really good and I enjoyed going on this journey with her. She’s a really awesome MC and I absolutely adore her.

Tai, the love interest, is really great too, with his witty one liners and his sarcasm and shitty sense of humour. He’s really determined and loyal, too, much like Anlei. He’s been through A LOT in life, but he’s still this cheerful, happy person most of the time and I really admire that about him.

The slow burn romance between the two is the stuff dreams are made of. I love how their relationship progresses throughout the story, going from wary strangers to tentative friends to reluctantly falling in love. And the banter between them is all sorts of amaze. Seriously. All interaction between the two of them is great, but especially the banter. I live for it. It’s really heartwarming to see them fall in love, grow as people as they spend more time together. They care so much about each other and I loved reading them just be there for each other. They’re really good together! ❤

The plot of this book is sensational. AND ALL THE SHEER PLOT TWISTS. OH MY GODS THE PLOT TWISTS. I AM BLOWN AWAY. TOTALLY, COMPLETELY BLOWN AWAY. I did not see them coming and omfg I just had to keep the book down to actually digest some of them because holy shit. Just when I thought I had it figured out, something would happen and then there’d be another reveal and I’d have re-evaluate everything once again. Certainly kept me on my toes. There was never a moment where I was bored. The pacing was great, and something or the other was always happening to keep me engaged.

What I absolutely love in this story is the blending of magic and science. We get mechanical dragons, people. MECHANICAL DRAGONS. I love how the author has made them co-exist in this space. It’s really well done and I like it.

The one thing that I’m not a fan of has to be the big villain conflict. Like, it was built up to be this huge thing, but the actual confrontation did not live up to the hype I was creating in my head. I would have liked it to be a little more drawn out, maybe. Or grander? I’m not too sure because it was really good, but I’d just built it up in my head so much and I wanted more, I guess.

Overall, this was a fun, exciting read that I absolutely enjoyed and I will definitely be reccing it to all y’all fantasy readers.

3.5 stars
Pros:

- steampunk GOODNESS

- amazing Chinese-inspired world (I'm actually quite proud of myself because I understood some of the Chinese words used)

- if you're looking for a fun quest story, this is for you!

- though I wouldn't say that the characters are ground-breaking or that we haven't seen them in other adventure/fantasy stories before, they are well-developed and likable

Cons:

- i felt like the main characters declared their love for each other too quickly, and I think the circumstances of the declaration would've been way way more impactful if it were one of friendship instead of romantic love

I’m so happy to live in this time where a lot of books attribute Asian representation and diversity. Of course, Stronger Than A Bronze Dragon is one of them. With its strong female warrior main character, this novel will take readers to a journey battling demons while unfolding the mystery surrounding the powerful River Pearl.

While reading, this book reminds me of one of my all-time favorite anime, Inuyasha, an epic time-traveling demon-fighting adventure in feudal Japan. In the anime, there is the Sacred Jewel or Shikon Jewel, is a powerful marble-sized jewel which grants immense power to whoever possesses it. Although there are some elements similar to the anime, Stronger Than A Bronze Dragon narrates a completely different tale.

Blending steampunk and supernatural elements, Stronger Than A Bronze Dragon created a unique fantasy plot. We have mechanical dragons, spirits, ghosts, and many more! The story started quite slowly and dragging at first but it picked up almost immediately. There is also a bit of romance, although it was not a major element in the story.

I like Anlei. Her character shows both strengths and flaws in the way readers can relate. She makes sacrifices for her loved ones, but also she does actions just to fully satisfy her own ambitions. Also, I really like Tai. He’s hilarious and a very interesting character. I could not help myself but laugh whenever Anlei and Tai threw their banters. These two characters have a significant role that made the plot more engaging.

The reason why I took off one and a half star is I felt that some elements are lacking which could have made the story more entertaining. The first one is the world-building. As I had understood, this book mixed old-fashioned and modern cultures which somehow contradict each other. For example, women in ancient and imperial China were restricted in various social events and that they should remain indoors. However, Anlei was allowed to fight and battle evil spirits. The last one is the villain. It was just a typical villain who did not have any motivation why he wanted power.

Overall, despite some issues, I still enjoyed reading Stronger Than A Bronze Dragon. If you’re looking for a unique fantasy standalone, you need to try picking up this book.

3.5/5 stars!

3.5 stars, rounded to four because dragons

Anlei's village is under attack from strange ghost monsters—and all seems well when the viceroy swoops in and saves them with his fleet of mechanical dragons. Until he demands the village's famed (and worthless) River Pearl as tribute—and one of the villagers to take as his bride. No one is more surprised than Anlei when he chooses her, and she's dragged to the province's capital to be wed. All bets are off, however, when a mysterious thief steals the River Pearl. Anlei decides to save her village and capture the thief and the Pearl—except the thief has a good reason to steal it...

Aside from the Chinese-based world, this is a pretty standard YA fare. Only the Chinese influenced world-building and the steampunk nature of automatons, mechanical dragons and flying ships distinguish this one from the scores of YA fantasies with painfully similar plots.

This is literally the plot (spoilers removed): super special girl is special and Not Like Other Girls™️ because she is a warrior and wants to fight and be free from societal obligations placed on women. Her village is attack and she saves them, then is forced to marry the Powerful Man for ~reasons~. She goes on a quest, meets The Boi, and they have adventures and must save the entire world from Evil. There is a giant plot twist (view spoiler). After about two weeks of knowing each other, girl and boi love each other fiercely and do anything to save each other. The end.

Anlei is nothing special in terms of YA heroines. She's the best warrior on the planet, and a fantastic acrobat, despite never practicing either of these things on page. She also is dyslexic, which was an interesting twist, but I rolled my eyes because she used it to explain that she wasn't a simple-minded peasant, she just couldn't read because characters took extra concentration. Simple peasant girl basically told her noble-born love interest that she's not like the other people in her village. I put that poorly but it annoyed me. Also, her younger sister is a genius inventor.

Tai is your generic YA love interest. Mysterious. Tragic background. Soft-hearted but also heroic. Very smart. Wields a staff. Obviously a prince of some sort. Did I mention the tragedy?

There's also the Magical Black Character trope, so that was fun.

And a powerful dude who wants to marry Anlei because she'd make a beautiful bride but...why? Like, literally. Why? Sure she's pretty and has spirit but his motivations for wanting to marry her just made no sense whatsoever. He pretty much spends the entire book twirling his mustache (I don't know if he actually has a mustache, but his queue or whatever).

Anywho, these are all the negatives.

The positives!

That cover (and the title) are absolutely gorgeous.

I did enjoy the plot quite a bit. I was entertained and engaged throughout, even if there was nothing too special (it went through beats rather methodically) going on. Being predictable doesn't mean bad. I did like the Asian steampunk part of it, and how these integrated with the plot and the world. I also liked the ghosts and spirits.

Also, there's a good discussion throughout the book about the fate of women. In the story there is a legend of a famous Warrioress, who had many amazing adventures and was rewarded with marriage to a king and the end of her story. Anlei is worried that marriage will be the end to her own story, and is tired of the hero's journey—there are numerous parallels, as Tai is the one given the magical sword, it is Tai's quest she is joining, and Tai who will be the one remembered in legend for saving the people. (view spoiler)

Overall, this wasn't a ~great~ book but it wasn't bad, either. It was enjoyable, if laden with tropes (and wooden characters) that it couldn't quite overcome, and had an interesting concept with steampunk dragons and ghosts/spirit people. If you overlook the prerequisite forced twu wuv 4eva aspect, it's a solidly standard YA fantasy novel.

I received this from NetGalley for an honest review.

First of all, it's an Asian fantasy which means, it is set in the Asian world! And, dragon? Okay, I'm sold to this book! When I receive an email from Rafael @ The Royal Polar Bear Reads, I could not hide the excitement to read the book thus without further ado, let's get into my thoughts.

📀 The Premise
Stronger Than A Bronze Dragon has a very promising premise which you instantly fall in love with the stories. It has a perfectly amazing element such as magic, ghost, machinery dragon, friendship, Chinese rep, and did I mention that they have a cool technology that they used, no? A badass heroine and good chemistry with Tai and that which makes the whole reading experience even more enjoyable. From this book, I learn about steampunk - a combination of advanced technology and old-fashioned. Seriously, I do not know how to explain that but I hope you can get what I mean.

Reading this book, it feels like I'm in a dynasty China like in the Chinese drama/movie that set in ancient times and I really love it. I got all the feels from the book.

📀 The Badass Heroine & The Male Protagonist Who has a secret of his own

Now, let's get into the two main characters in Stronger Than A Bronze Dragon. Anlei, the badass warrior who does not has time to think about love, other than, only to get revenge over the death of her father and to protect her village. However, when the Viceroy came to her village, an unexpected thing happened to her which is hard for her to do but obey it in order to protect her village. While Tai, the male protagonist who has many secrets and has his own war to fight. Eventually, both of them met and together they fight the war. I love their relationship, their teamwork, their snarky comments toward each other which I think that's how it will bring the relationship close to each other, isn't it? Or is that me who feel that way. Either way, their chemistry is really amazing.

📀 The Plot & The Writing

As mentioned from the synopsis of the book, it is fast-paced storytelling following both of the two main characters embarking their journey to fight and to save the people from all sort of evils who attacking Anlei's village and Tai's people. When you read this book, you will realize you cannot put the book down because you need to know what is going to happen, how are they and what not. Seriously. There is an unexpected thing happen in this book which makes you go - 'OMG! Are you serious?I..I don't even realize that' - that moment hit me.

Anyway, this is my first time reading a book written by Mary Fan and she has written a vividly amazing world-building and very descriptive writing that really really appeals to me.

Even so, I do have to say this, there is tiny teeny part in the story that I felt it was quite draggy and I honestly have the urge to skip it fast so I could go into the best part of the book, though. Do I skip? Nope, I ain't skip any part of the book because I felt it is important to know every word of the book so I could absorb the story into my heart. That being said, it won't affect my likes toward this book.

📀 Conclusion

In a nutshell, Stronger Than A Bronze Dragon is a fantastic steampunk fantasy sets in the Asian world that truly 'wow' me and honestly, it was a crazy fierce journey following them and even, the unexpected twist which will leave a mark in me for a very long time. The pace, the writing, the setting are amazing and I really recommend you to read this book and I hope you do enjoy reading them as much as I do.

Stronger Than A Bronze Dragon, is one of the challenging books I've read. I enjoyed the story and the characters, but at some point I had a hard time finishing it. I think it's because I get distracted a lot when reading it. I really liked the book cover too! It's catchy and I do love dragon related covers and books. I need to find this in our local bookstore soonest.

I guess, this book is something new to me that it got a hard time catching my attention. I think this is the first book I've read for this year with a Chinese plot as well. I just love the idea of it being modern with a mix of old era. The book itself is enjoyable to read on it's own way. I was curious on Anlei's journey, I knew deep in my mind that she has more potential in her, she's more into strength and her father was a soldier, I wonder what would it take for her to protect her family and her place. Then, a switch in her life happened when the viceroy comes into the picture and that's what makes the whole book more exciting as well because real adventure happened. I liked the twists and turn of the story and I didn't expect the ending until after Anlei & Tai's journey. The book was full of surprises. Anlei and Tai's team was actually fun. I liked their chemistry and I liked how they annoy each other. Well I think, there's so many friendships or relationships that starts from there but still, I think it's cute. Aside from that, I liked the small hints on the book both characters are in denial but fate speaks in a different way.

Anyway, despite the challenges on reading the book, I actually enjoyed it. Although the ending is not a cliffhanger, I am thinking if there will be more story about Anlei and Tai. I really liked both of them and their partnership.

"Many choices come down to love or hate. Choose love, every time."

I’ve been trying to read this one and I can’t get into the story at all. I thought I would love it, the plot had me immediately intrigued. Steampunk fantasy and dragons, but sadly I’m not connecting with it. I felt like I was thrown into the story with the first sentence, with no world building or introduction. I even flipped back to the beginning a couple times thinking that I had missed something. I'm disappointed that I didn't enjoy it, so I may come back to it at a later date.

This is a wild-ride, steam punk fantasy novel about a strong female warrior who does everything she can to protect her people and to avenge her father's death. There's adventure, well-written fight scenes, a little romance, and lots of magic. I especially enjoyed the Chinese cultural elements that Fan used not only to build this world, but to create the mythology of this story.

This is a gripping story, and I would definitely recommend it to fantasy lovers out there, especially those that like a bit of steam-punk thrown in. It's fast-paced, there are highs and lows for our two main characters, and overall there's just some really great storytelling.

I am living for all of this gorgeous fantasy lately. I loved the way this story moved. It felt like everything was building perfectly, leading into a most fitting ending. Plus! The romance throughout! I was a little surprised to find out it was a standalone before reading but after I can understand why. Definitely recommending to pretty much everyone I can. Also, have you seen that cover? Love. Great book, truly great book.

The Characters: Anlei is undoubtedly one of the most badass heroine I’ve ever encountered. She’s strong not just physically, she’s also strong-willed. She’s focus and really want to achieve what she’s trying to achieve not only for herself, but for her town and family. And by family, it includes avenging her father’s death because of the Ligui (the ghost monsters that antagonize them). I even forgive Anlei for her wishes for the Ligui to attack just so she can have her revenge. The girl lost her father so that’s forgivable even though it’s a bit foolish because she knew they can’t really defeat their enemies. That’s why they needed help from Viceroy Kang.

Speaking of Viceroy Kang, I can’t say much about him without giving away too much of the plot and maybe twists. All I can say is that he’s typical. I’ve read so much about him in other novels, only with different names and maybe different physical appearance but as a character, he’s too familiar. Tai, the young thief, though is more interesting. I instantly like Tai the moment he showed and got me interesting in the coming scenes with him and Anlei.

Aside from these three, I applaud the Chinese warrior girls (including Anlei, of course) that really stood out in this novel. I think the author really did a good job at handling and showing all the badassness of her warriors. You know, without being over the top. It’s just perfect.

WORLD: Duh? PERFECT. So vivid.

The Plot and Writing: The plot is a big the reason of my 3-star rating, in a good way. This book is actually only 2 stars if I didn’t like the plot. This novel has without a doubt a very solid story. Like I can see the author pouring her everything and herself on plotting the whole thing. She made the complex easy to follow. Besides what’s not to like? Chinese rep, Mythology, Steampunk, dragons, ghost monsters- I love all of these stuff. But then I got a problem with the writing.

Maybe you’re thinking, isn’t the plot a product of the writing? Yes it is. If it has a good plot then probably the writing is good. But what I’m saying is, all the elements of the plot is amazing and interesting. Like everything made me want to read the whole freakin’ book even at times I felt bored. And there were those times, I tell you. It’s because the way the story is told seems to be lacking something and I couldn’t figure out what it is at first.

It was bugging me that something is wrong and I couldn’t let it go. So I read reviews on Goodreads and then found something from Amanda and it clicked. The writing is too clunky and it affected the building and the mood of the story. What does that mean? I’m no expert. I haven’t published anything. But as a reader, when we read, there’s this thing inside us that made us read till the end. Like we don’t want to put down the book because we don’t want that thing inside us subside. Call it what you want-excitement or whatever- but that thing is lacking in this book. It’s like in every scene, my emotion have to go back to zero and build up again only to start building again in the next scene. Of course there should be a breathing in the storytelling which is the purpose of ‘chapters’ but there should be something that’s embedded inside the reader so the excitement never dies even though we get to breathe after a chapter. So we keep reading and caring.

This book lacks that element that supports the building of the whole story. Obviously, I’m not doing a great job at explaining this but I tried guys. It’s like so many little things have been cut out in the story that it didn’t get deep in my reader’s heart. It’s like the book only included the most important parts of the story, it cut out the parts that truly make a story comes alive. It has all the parts that a novel should have-from introduction to resolution and everything in between- but it’s lacking on building the connection to the reader. I don’t blame this to the author, let me clear that up. There are many factors that affected this in the editing. I’m pretty sure of that.

Like I said in my one-sentence review, I read a book, I didn’t live in it. It is a book with a good, solid story but it wasn’t alive so the experience is not complete.

Finally, THE ROMANCE: It is okay.

I really hope this book is at least a duology and not a standalone. By the way guys, TAKE MY REVIEW WITH A GRAIN OF SALT. Kindly read this book and hopefully we can talk about your experience.

Did not finish. I tried really hard to read this book but the plot and characters were not working for me.I found myself not being invested in the characters as they came across very flat to me. The plot was extremely slow. This was just not a book for me.

I very much enjoyed reading Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon. This book is packed with action, a fierce heroine, and a very compelling story. 

Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon has some really incredible worldbuilding--and by that I mean it takes place in the fantasy equivalent of magical steampunk China. It's something you wouldn't immediately think would work well, but it works excellently, blending elements of Chinese history and the steampunk aesthetic seamlessly. There are so many different kids of magic and worldbuilding that I've never seen before, with two types of spirits, Ligui and Yueshen playing a huge role in the story. I'm not sure if it comes from Chinese culture or not, but I appreciated reading about new ideas and seeing how everything came together. 

I really loved the two main characters, Anlei and Tai. Anlei was such a treasure to read about; she's loyal to her family and village almost to a fault, restless, and always leaps to the occasion whenever she has a chance to. I admire her bravery and sense of duty so much. As for Tai, I just want to wrap him up in a blanket and tell him everything will be okay. He was so good and bright and happy throughout most of the book, but he's also been through so much and it makes me want to protect him. 

I recommend this to any fantasy fans, especially if you like creative worldbuilding and great characters.

Disclaimer: I received this ARC courtesy of Page Street Kids through NetGalley. I am grateful for the opportunity to review an ARC for my readers, but this will not influence my final rating. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and based solely on the book.

Stronger than a Bronze Dragon hooked me on two keywords. “Dragon” and “thief.” I’m a sucker for books with either of those. The fact that the book is based on Chinese culture was an added bonus. I know nothing and I mean nothing about the Courts of Hell, but trust that I was ready to learn.

I will say I definitely got my two keywords in this book. The bronze dragons make many appearances and our thief is a key player early on. But I could predict everything. StaBD followed every trope line you would expect in a warrior girl/thief boy fantasy novel.

My frustration is really that the book has potential. Anlei is a passionate girl who hungers for a chance at adventure. Early in the book she realizes that the domestic life is not for her—especially unusual in a time when women are expected to wed young and be obedient.

When it comes down to it, though, the writing felt less like exploring scenes and more like pushing BIG MOMENTS at the reader. Anlei is kidnapped, Anlei escapes, Anlei saves an orphaned child, Anlei falls in a river, Anlei–* I love action scenes, really I do, but after a bit I was hungering for descriptive and introspective scenes.

*I made these up to avoid spoilers
Another thing that didn’t quite click with me was the narrative voice. StaBD is written in first person—a.k.a. Anlei’s voice—and while Anlei is seventeen years old, the though process shown to the reader is more similar to that of a thirteen or fourteen-year-old. Anlei acts without thinking, speaks without considering the feelings of others, and often scolds herself in her head in simplistic language. (Like a young child repeating what a parent has said.) It reads so oddly and often stilted. Honestly, I would recommend this book to younger readers for its tone and narration. It doesn’t read like upper YA, and I can see older teens having trouble connecting to Anlei.

One other thing: everything was so simple! Any struggle that arises, a solution is always found within seconds. (Even when it wouldn’t be logical.)

I think this book requires slight suspension of disbelief, which is an odd thing to say when reading fantasy. The world-building could have used a bit more development, as not all the details are understandable/believable even within Fan’s own universe.

Okay, so I don't think this book was bad... just a little awkward.

Things I appreciated:

• The FANTASTIC deconstruction of the ~enigmatic sidekick~ trope, especially towards the end of the book.

• There was some reverse-exotification going on here with Anlei romanticising the fictional stand-in for the Western world ("exotic cities full of tall stone buildings with colored-glass windows; crowds of yellow-haired Westerners with tall noses and round eyes"), which I thought was really amusing.

• The romance in this was just... alright. There was one moment towards the end that felt very cathartic and true to the character development of the main duo, but otherwise I think I might to stick to queer romance for a while lol.

• The steampunk + fantasy mix was REALLY interesting. I think this is my first steampunk novel! I loved the blend between machinery and magic in the story, especially how it played into the climax of the story and the final battle.

• God, I loved the Yueshen/Ligui fantasy elements. I wish we got more of them!

• There was dyslexia rep in this novel that I thought was really well-handled, and it was the first time I've seen a disability like this in an epic fantasy. I don't personally have dyslexia though, so I'd defer to the thoughts of someone who does on this!

Now onto what didn't really work for me. :(

• Personally, I felt that the most pressing problem that this book suffered from was its uneven pacing. All the plot twists were stored up and UNLEASHED in the last 150 pages of the book—which may not be an issue in itself, but I'm going to be real with you: I wasn't really invested in the story until like the second twist (if you noticed, most of the things I liked were mostly revealed towards the end of the book orz).

• Which plays into my next point of how all the characters felt kind of one-dimensional until the third arc of the book. Maybe this was intentional? But characters make or break a story for me, and I spent a gooood chunk of my reading time here just wanting to move on and get it all over with. Yikes.

• There were a lot of Chinese phrases sprinkled here and there throughout the book, but to be honest they could sometimes feel a little clunky. Especially when it came to the Chinese used in dialogue between the characters. It's just that in my personal experience, no one really uses those phrases colloquially? Even if the words do mean quite literally what they are supposed to mean. I don't really think I've ever heard anyone say gun kai (滚开) in real life. BUT a caveat has to be made here that I only represent one (1) experience of Chinese identity! YMMV, and I'm looking forward to read more ownvoices thoughts on this.

• This one is definitely more of a personal thing: I didn't connect to the writing style as much as I hoped I would. Characters would frequently tell you their inner feelings rather than showing them, which I personally found a little off-putting. I tend to like my descriptions a little on the meatier and richer side, especially in epic fantasies.

Final verdict: 3.5 stars. Some solid ideas bogged down by less-than-stellar writing and pacing, but if you're interested in a steampunk Chinese fantasy with some spunky heroine + mysterious stranger-turned-lover moments, give this a go!