Cleric Chih of the Singing Hills continues to record stories. This time, they go to the riverlands to hear about near-immortal martial artists who haunt the region. Chih runs into several people along the way, including members of a feud, becoming part of the history they want to record.

Into the Riverlands is the third book of the Singing Hills Cycle. Chih is still accompanied by Almost Brilliant, a talking bird with an incredible memory. There's no need to have read the prior books, though they're definitely fun and you won't regret picking them up. This book is more wuxia inspired (is there a term for Vietnamese wuxia?) and some of Chih's traveling companions had been trained in Chinese styles, leading to the impressive fight in the inn that opens this tale. As with the other books, there are multiple stories nested within this one, as Chih collects stories and folklore. I happen to really enjoy that kind of story and love Chih's job.

In addition to the lovely stories making up the riverland culture, we see multiple fights and glimpses into martial lore and skill, the way Chih tries to set a peaceful example and is pushed a little out of their comfort zone. Chih is horrified by violence and instead continues to work on healing and collecting stories. This becomes a strength when comforting children and those outside of battle, and some of the stories were clues as to the identity of Chih's companions on her route. It's subtle, and a really fun reveal when I figured it out.

The third novella in the Singing Hills Cycle. By now the cleric Chih has become a good friend. And Almost Brilliant, who had been missing in the 2nd novella, is back as well. They join an older couple and two young women on their treck through the riverlands. On the road they tell each other stories about the past, about emperors, fighters and bandits. Reaching their destination is a culmination of those stories.

This is probably my favourite of the Singing Hills Cycle novellas. Although I am pretty sure I missed some of the things the author was trying to tell me. I loved all of the major characters and the hinted-at relationships. I also appreciated the discourse into how stories are told, should be told and what points of view can turn them into.

I received an advanced copy of this novella from the publisher or author through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to give a positive review.

I received "Into the Riverlands" by Nghi Vo from NetGalley for review. This is the continuation of the Singing Hills Cycle (book 3). I enjoy this book. I love the character Chih and his companion Almost Brilliant. I enjoy the stories that were told by the other characters in the book. Nghi Vo has done wonderful storytelling in this series. I can't wait to see what she does next in this series.

This was my first experience with Nghi Vo's shorter works and I found it delightful. Technically I think this is the third book in the series, but I'd read in the description that the books in the series are structured so that you can start with any of them.

In this book we follow Chih of the Singing Hills. A traveling cleric who with their companion Almost Brilliant, a bird like creature called a Neixen with perfect recall, wanders the world collecting stories. In this one they are specifically collecting stories about the near-immortal martial arts masters that haunt the area. As they fall in with a pair of young sisters and an elderly couple they find themselves thrust among a feud and more embedded in the history of the Riverlands than they ever expected to be.

Once I got into the flow of the story this was a wonderful read. I loved when the characters that Chih was traveling with told the stories of the Riverlands as they knew it. I am fairly certain some of them may have secretly been telling their own stories though it was not clarified. Nghi Vo has such a beautiful style of story telling and that comes through in the story within a story moments.

Chih was such an interesting character and I definitely want to read more of their stories. I enjoyed the banter between Chih and Almost Brilliant. There was a deep affection for each other that came through in their interactions that I just loved.

This is definitely a type of story that I would recommend to folks who like the traveling bard or cleric trope. And I would also say that this is a book for people who love stories both from the Folklore sense and from a regions history. I don't know that the Riverlands is based on an actual location, but it feels very real. Definitely give this one a read!

I absolutely love The Singing Hills cycle, and how Chih wanders about collecting histories and stories...well, their traveling companion Almost Brilliant does, Chih just provides the human facilitation of everything.

Exploring this world is so wonderful, because it carefully peels back layers of layers of myth and lore while revealing truth, and showing that things change but...they also don't because the core of humanity doesn't really change.

And it is so, so queer and I love it.

Looking forward to the next one.

I received an ARC from NetGalley

Nghi Vo returns with the third installment of The Singing Hills Cycle and it's another banger.

2022 has been the year of falling in love with Nghi Vo's writing and this novella lived up to my very high expectations of this author.

Into The Riverlands again follows Cleric Chih and Almost Brilliant as they encounter many and record their stories. What's truly remarkable is that even though the format is the same, these novellas are always new and exciting.

What I truly loved was the idea of stories and how dependant they are upon the perspective and experiences lived by those who tell them. I also loved that not only was the stories a part of history, but they're alive and continuously evolving and changing.

"'Sometimes you get told about it,' they said thoughtfully. 'Maybe you get told about it two or three times, and you just don't know what you're hearing.'"

The first novella in the series is still my favourite, i still really enjoyed this one and can't wait to read the next two novellas in this series.

4.25 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Tor: Forge publishing group for blessing me with a Nghi Vo book. All opinions are my own

This novella is everything that I could have asked for. Another great standalone in the Singing Hills Cycle!

Nghi Vo has done it again! Lots more great conversations like I've come to expect from this series about storytelling, and this one touches on beauty, power, warriors, bandits, martial arts, etc. Instead of getting one story like the first book, or different versions of the same story like the second, Into the Riverlands gifts us with many different tales mainly relating to stories of warriors and discussions of how women are portrayed as beautiful or ugly archetypes. This book also has more characters and action; Chih ends up travelling through the Riverlands with a medley crew that shares these different stories with them. I love how Vo crafts such a rich world in so few pages; the Riverlands are well fleshed out and we get a strong sense of its character. I already want to reread this book and the whole series honestly. And I'm still holding out hope that Chih might have a love interest in the future! I can't wait to read about what stories they hear next.

For those of you who have never heard of Nghi Vo’s Singing Hills Cycle novellas (which I would rate E for Everyone, as they are essentially mythological tales worth reading for both the young and the old), know going in that each novella is a standalone story, but I do recommend you at least read the first novella in the series, “The Empress of Salt and Fortune”, so you can get a good grasp of who Chih and Almost Brilliant (the two characters who do carry over from one novella into the next) are, and also because it’s a brilliant introduction to what Vo is doing with this universe of mythological tales from Asia.

And, if you are already a fan of Chih and Almost Brilliant, welcome back, but I am going to tell you that while Nghi Vo is always a brilliant writer, I didn’t like this entry in the cycle as much as I utterly enjoyed the previous two entries.

“The Empress of Salt and Fortune” was revelatory to me: like watching a flower bloom in time lapse or an intricate piece of origami being folded directly in front of you, the hypnotic, captivating, and prosaic tale of revenge served cold (and fierce) lured me in and kept me hooked until the very last beautiful word. Nghi Vo is currently one of my favorite writers simply because of her way with atmosphere and how she can draw you into the worlds inside of her books with a unique magic not many authors possess, or maybe just not possess in the same manner. But the Singing Hills Cycle differs from her novels like “Siren Queen” in that the main characters of this series aren’t there to tell their own stories–they serve as the book’s receptacle to observe, record, and report the supporting characters’ stories. In a way, Chih is a cultural anthropologist, one who specializes in folklore and linguistics. The creed which anthropologists abide by is “observe and report”. Chih, along with Almost Brilliant, simply move about the world, gathering everyone else’s stories so they can be recorded for posterity. This mission is most sacred to Chih, as everyone’s stories are worth telling and hearing.

“Into the Riverlands” has a story to tell, of course. In all actuality, it has more than one; but maybe that’s the problem. I loved the silent, reverent way Chih sat with the Grandmother in “The Empress of Salt and Fortune”, because I could feel how much respect Chih had for the story and storyteller. In this novella, however, it seemed there was simply too much going on besides storytelling for the story to be given any respect or weight. It was simply bits and pieces told in between what I felt were scenes that could’ve been excised in favor of more story time.

Does this mean I didn’t like it? I didn’t say that. Any Nghi Vo is better than no Nghi Vo. And I love the Singing Hills Cycle for what it offers readers of all ages. So I will always recommend it, for the young or old.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tordotcom for granting me access to this title in exchange for fair and honest review.

File Under: Fairy Tale and Folklore/LGBTQ Friendly Reads/Novellas/Standalone Fantasy

In this third installment of the Singing Hills series, cleric Chi and their neixin Almost Brilliant are joined by a group martial artists who are traveling to and back the Riverlands. In this journey, they are met with events that reveal the many and confounding secrets of warriors and bandits among others awaiting to be chronicled in the annals of history.

The novella employed the same technique of stories told within a story with utter precision in its execution. I enjoyed this much more than "When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain" as there was more action stuffed within its pages. It also read more dynamic as the stories were told by different perspectives; hence, a fresh take on the nuances of the characters.

Nghi Vo never disappoints. She is as prolific in delivering imaginative flares augmenting her world's already multifarious base. With a masterful pen in fantasy, Vo could easily expand this universe by picking one of the stories presented to Chi and weave it into a full-length novel. This is no doubt an abundant source materilal and a mine for bristling tales ready to unfold.

Holding a steady ground with its proud feminine voice, this novella draws focus to its strong female characters from the mighty Wild Pig Yi, steadfast Wei Jintai, unyielding Lao Bingyi, and even the sensible Mac Sang. It boasts a clear overarching message of subverting the roles usually relegated to women in stories especially in fantasies. They are not only the beatiful coveted ones meant as a plot device to move the male lead but in many ways the true heroes in charge of their own tales.

As is the common theme in these novellas, stories are told and retold. They are, at times, amorphous following the shape of a vessel or malleable substances one can work which at timea can veer from the core. Despite that, it stands that the truth will be brought to light in time and time outlives us all.

If you are in search of a quick read that packs a rich world overflowing with tales on many fronts, The Singing Hills Cycle snugly fits that bill.

I love the vibes of these novellas and this was every bit as good and the previous two. I love the talking bird Almost Brilliant, and of course I love Chih and the people they meet on their journey.
Every time they tell stories I can't help but be super immerse in the story. This is really unputdownable and the way the author writes these stories is exceptional.

An absolute fairytale of a story! Nghi Vo is a fantastic writer and never misses, especially with The Singing Hills Cycle. I've got to listen to this on audio as well because the writing is so lyrical and captivating. Love this series, always hope for more!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Into the Riverlands is the third installment of Nghi Vo's Singing Hills Cycle, consisting of novellas following a cleric named Chi and their adventures as they travel and hear stories about the fantastical world they live in. In Into the Riverlands, Chi travels to the Riverlands with an older couple, as well as two young women. On their journey with this unlikely group, Chi learns of the mythical martial artists who once inhabited the Riverlands, and finds themself entangled in the history of the area.

While the books in this series are short, I always find myself re-reading certain passages and pages because of the complexity and beauty of Ngi Vo's writing. This book was no exception, and I was completely immersed from page 1. However, I think that what truly makes these books shine is the story-telling, story-within-a-story aspect, which I felt was less pronounced in this installment. It's definitely there, but I wanted more!

I still think Empress of Salt and Fortune is the best of the three, and while the second and third books were very good and definitely worthwhile, I think they don't quite live up to the promise of the first book. With that said, I still recommend this book and will absolutely continue to read this series as the books come out.

**Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge and NetGalley for providing me with a free e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review**

Note: My Goodreads review is up, and I will be reviewing this book on my Youtube channel in my October wrap-up video, which will go up on 11/6.

5/5 stars
Recommended for people who like: fantasy, novellas, Asian fantasy, adventures, unreliable accounts, stories in stories

This review has been posted to Goodreads and my book review blog as of 9/6 and has been posted to Instagram on 9/13.

Empress is still my favorite of the bunch so far, but Into the Riverlands is definitely my next favorite. I really enjoyed seeing a slightly bigger cast than the other two novellas, and I also liked that we had so many additional voices to add to the stories Chih and Almost Brilliant are collecting.

In this one, Chih is traveling the riverlands area. They are collecting stories, as usual, and decide to travel with a small group, each with their own set of stories. In previous stories, Chih has mostly arrived at a place and either told or been told the story/stories in that one place, but in this one Chih is travelling as they are receiving the stories. I liked this dynamic and enjoy how the stories are able to transform as the landscape around them changes.

We get a number of stories presented in this novella instead of the previous one (or two versions of one). I liked that we get a depth to the stories, and that they offer what are essentially different legends about the same thing. The fun thing about legends in real life is that most legends offer different events and adventures for the same character or set of characters, and I felt like the different stories in this book offer that same fun feel.

I enjoyed the different cast members as well. Wei Jintai is definitely someone I can see having a story in the future. She's a martial artist trained by a sect that's almost gone, and she's got a certain giddy wildness to her that's very fun. Her bond sister, Sang, is far more practical and acts as somewhat of a stable influence. Lao Bingyi is one half of the 'older couple' mentioned in the summary and Vo does a very good job of capturing the vibe of someone who steps into the leadership role (largely unasked) and actually manages to get things rolling smoothly. Her counterpart, Khanh, is quieter though he enjoys a good story or tease as well. I definitely liked how open to interpretation Vo left the characters, and how we're able to come to our own conclusions...or not.

I think the biggest thing I like about this book is the variety that we get in it. There are at least four 'major' settings and a cast of main 5-6 characters (depending on if you count Almost Brilliant), plus a range of stories from the riverlands and a brief flare of tension/conflict at the end. There's a lot going on in this book, but it's easy to keep up with and was very enjoyable to read.

I thought this was a fantastic third installment to a very poetic and moving series. I thought this was going to be the end, but I’m happy to learn there’s 3 more books planned! I love Nghi Vo and her captivating writing, and I loved this story that had a non-binary character.

These three books have been a delight. Like the rest of the novellas that Tor has been publishing its high quality writing. This particular series leans towards the more literary end of the fantasy genre. It’s a fairly simple plot line of five people and a sapient bird traveling together down a dangerous road but the little details of the story and the beautiful writing bring it to life. This series would be an excellent choice if you like quality writing and something short and fast is what you have time for,

Vo has done it again! Another lovely novella in the Singing Hills Cycle. There was quite a bit of action, but we did spend a bit less time getting to know all the characters introduced than in the previous installments. I enjoy learning more about Cleric Chih and Almost Brilliant as their story unfolds, and I look forward to the next book!

Despite a decent amount of hype, I only read Nghi Vo’s The Empress of Salt and Fortune when it showed up on the Hugo ballot in 2021, and it was one of the biggest pleasant surprises of my Hugo reading. I never circled back to the second entry in the Singing Hills Cycle, but given that they can all be read as standalones, that didn’t stop me from requesting an ARC for the third: Into the Riverlands.

Like the rest of the series, the story is framed around cleric Chih and their feathered companion Almost Brilliant wandering the countryside searching for stories, whether historic or mythic. Into the Riverlands sees them enter the titular, rough-and-tumble riverlands, where they encounter some tales and some people who are larger than life.

While The Empress of Salt and Fortune was a single story, told obliquely through a series of vignettes around a central character, Into the Riverlands has much more the feel of story-collecting. We see much more of Chih and Almost Brilliant in their travels, and though there is a line connecting many of the tales they encounter, it still feels like a collection of tall tales, rather than a single epic.

But Vo absolutely nails the folkloric voice in the each tale, and Chih’s travel companions are entertaining enough to keep the journey interesting in its own right. And with a length that barely passes the line from novelette into novella, it doesn’t really need a strong central plot—it may be hard to keep a reader engaged for 300 pages with traveling and storytelling punctuated by periodic action, but it makes for an excellent 100 pages. And the details really add to the overall experience, from the interruptions as different characters recount slightly different versions of the same central legend to the entire party roundly mocking an absurd theater production of a classic story.

As the book progresses, connections between various stories become more and more obvious, building to an entertaining and satisfying climax. But it’s not the sort of tale that ties every single thread together in a neat bow. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be. The group of travelers is plenty entertaining enough to fill a short novella with chatting and telling stories. There’s certainly danger at times, so I hesitate to slap it with the “cozy” label, but I expect Into the Riverlands to hit big for fans of low-stakes fantasy.

Recommended if you like: low-stakes fantasy, folklore, odd travel comparisons.

Overall rating: 17 of Tar Vol’s 20. Five stars on Goodreads.

Into the Riverlands is a cozy novella that follows a cleric named Chih and the stories they gather on the road. It has a couple beats of action, and packs a surprising amount into such a little tale. The world has a lot of depth and this book made me excited to check out the other ones in the series. I did read this as my entry into this world and it absolutely worked as a standalone!

There’s not a lot to say about this one, but if you’re looking for a quick cozy read, this is a solid option.

Chih, a cleric charged with gathering histories along their journeys, has reached the riverlands with their faithful talking bird companion, Almost Brilliant. The pair fall in with traveling martial artists and discover multifaceted stories from many perspectives. The Signing Hills Cycle is contemplative and lyrical, and Into the Riverlands fits in well with its sibling stories. An excellent morsel of a book, though its short length left me wanting more.