Overall, The Art of Prophecy was a delightful fantasy tale. I liked the idea of the Chosen One not getting to fulfill their purpose and then struggling to find a place in the world. Jian and Taishi were great, well-drawn characters. I was a little less taken with the narrative from Sali and Qisami; I found them less compelling characters compared to the others. But that didn't affect my enjoyment of the piece overall, and the ending left me interested in reading on in the series to see what would happen next. It gets 4 stars from me. Recommended to fans of wuxia-style fantasy tales.

Thank you Black Crow PR for sending this my way and including my participation in the Book Tour.

I knew this was going to be my cup of tea as soon as I read the line about the prophetic hero not being the hero after all and the motley cast of characters that we'd be introduced to.

This felt like such a jovial poke fun at old school martial arts movies (it had me in mind of crouching tiger, hidden dragon) and it really felt like it was playing out like a movie in my head.

The humour in this made me physically laugh out loud, whilst the action scenes had my belly feeling clenched and my teeth grinding in anticipation.

Act I was a great introduction to our main cast of characters. My favourite was definitely grandmaster Taishi. I feel like she delivered so much humour in her dead pan personality and just natural epic legendary...ness.
I really disliked Jian. He was written so perfectly as this spoiled child hero that really hadn't done anything to deserve all the praise and godship he was freely given, so when the two ultimately met, I loved to see how their different ways clashed and hoped to see some humble traits rise from within Jian.
Act I was also the beginning of the end for Jian in many ways. Finding out that the procephy was false was one of the biggest plot points of the first act and it was interesting to see how everyone reacted to the news. The balance of how everyone felt about the procephy before vs after was so perfectly tuned. Chu really knew how to enchance emotions in perfect timing for a big drop. It was looking to be a great set up for the second Act.

Act II was interesting in the fact that we met a new substantial character - Qisami - up until then I was racking my brain thinking this character had maybe been using an alias. Her whole sect of Shadowkills gave me serious Fire Nation vibes and I throughly enjoyed that.
I enjoyed exploring the war art school with Jian and seeing how he feared in his own two feet after the crumble of the world as he knew it.
I also loved that we had a constant narrative of Sali of the Katuia people, which at times was often every other chapter. I think sympathising with her people and being fascinated by their way of life in these moving citites and among the Grass Sea, is what made my loyalties get pretty tangled by Act III.

Act III was fantastic. There were multiple epic battles all leading up to the final boss and I couldn't begin to imagine which way events would pan out. Also, because I got to enjoy every narrative, I was incredibly stumped on where my loyalties lay. Which made this particularly hard to decide on was that even in battle there was so much honor and respect. It was so inspiring to see rivals admire eachothers techniques and skill during the fights.

I feel like this would be even more incredible via audio. Imagining how rich in character, how distinct each voice was and how hilarious or action packed scenes were by physically reading... this would surely be amplified tenfold in a listening experience.

By the end, my tear ducts was prickling and I was sad to leave these characters behind, but as a saga, there is bound to be more from this world, and I cannot wait to find out what comes next!

The Art of Prophecy by Wesley Chu is a new favourite, for sure!

the love that i have for this book is unmatched. i promise you i could go on about this for days and days!!!

it's got epic fight scenes, great adventure, beautiful world-building, amazing character growth, great bonds built between characters, multiple POVS, and so much more!

the four POVS we've got are from:
Taishi, a grandmaster who is a living legend
Jian, the supposed chosen one who was meant to be the hero.
Salminde, a badass warrior.
Qisami, a ruthless shadowkill.

i think this might be the first ever book where i have loved every single POV and i was NEVER bored, not even once. i looked forward to each POV, and they were all introduced so well, and each introduction showed you the character's personality really well, and as you read on, you could see the subtle changes that indicated the character growth, which was done so perfectly well that i can't even begin to praise it enough!!

the weaving of the magical aspect of the story with the martial arts aspect was done so well that it easily became one of my favourite things and i continuously looked forward to each fighting scene as i couldn't wait to see how it played out each time. it honestly felt like a movie in my head because each description was so perfect!!! there's also political intrigue with a failed prophecy and underhanded scheming.

i'm really bad at explaining how much i love a book without spoiling it so i'm going to leave it there. but let me tell you, this is a MUST READ. honestly one of my favourite 2023 reads and a new favourite!!!

Thanks so much to Daphne Press and Netgalley for letting me have an e-arc of this amazing book! And a bigger thank you to Wesley Chu for writing this.

First off, I loved the premise for this entire story. A boy with a prophecy as the chosen one to kill the enemies leader, (mild spoilers) but then the leader dies anyway?? And then his destiny is up in the air, with it unclear on whether he is still needed or not. I loved it, it wasn’t just a normal fated destiny book, you really wonder what the hell is going to happen to him now.
Wesley Chu is a master story teller. The story telling in this book is precise, complex, and full to the brim with action. The fights scenes that Taishi is a part of are easily my favourite parts of the book. You can help but love a grumpy woman who loves to kick ass.
There are so many layers with multiple points of view throughout the entire book which really helps to build the story throughout the different regions in the book. It shows the growth and loyalties of different characters and their purpose throughout the story.

My only complaint was that I felt the book could have gone on for longer! With this style of book I was expecting a bit more to happen within the story, but it feels like it’s just setting up for the rest of the series which I cannot wait for!

For those that love an action packed, epic fantasy you are going to love this! It's so funny and witty while also being complex. It is also vicious without disregarding heart (she didn’t kill the dog!!) It gave me absolutely everything I've been wanting from a fantasy.

Immersive worldbuilding, memorable and likeable characters.

Chu’s smooth prose and effortless, often sharp and humorous, dialogue make The Art of Prophecy easy to read. While the story explores darker themes and death occurs on the page, it always balances darker moments with levity and brilliant character interaction.

Such a fun and entertaining read, bursting with unforgettable characters!

The Art of Prophecy is the chosen-one, kung-fu, fantasy read I never knew I needed in my life. Jiang is the prophesied hero who will end the never-ending war between the Zhuun and Katuia peoples. Except, he isn't...

I loved the concept of this book as soon as I heard about it. I loved the dichotomy and wry humour of the "never ending war" that has just ended, the "eternal Khan" who has just been easily killed, and the "hero of prophecy" who isn't.

But it was the snappy dialogue and fantastically bold women that stole the show for me. Their weapons were sharp and their tongues were sharper. My favourite was Master martial artist, Ling Taishi. She may be an elder, cranky, impatient, and rather be resting in luxury, but underestimate her at your peril. And many do - much to my amusement and entertainment. Chu has created such nuanced, multi-faceted characters that even when they're murderously diabolical, you can't help but like them.

He has also created two very different, rich cultures. I liked the warrior Katuia, with their cities on wheels living amongst the Great Grass Sea, giving some steam punk vibes.

The Art of Prophecy explores many serious themes; war, loss, deep-rooted hatred, indentured-servitude, oppression, cruelty, rebellion and ecology. Yet there is a great balance with entertainment.

I am very excited that this is a series as I want to dive right back into this world. Bring on Book 2!

I was very excited to pick up this book as soon as I found out about it and it did not disappoint.

Wesley Chu recreated perfectly the things I loved about Wuxia films I’ve loved over the years. It straight away brought me back to my first time time watching Crouching Tiger and House of Flying Daggers. The world of Katuia however introduced a new element which just fascinated me. I loved the concept of their mechanised cities and their “gear”.

Pair this impressive world building with the spectacular martial arts sequences and a band of really interesting characters made this a solid, enjoyable read. I did struggle with the timeline of the story initially though, jumping from act 1 to act 2. This seemed a bit clumsy and disjointed and it disoriented me a little, taking a few chapters for me to find my bearings again. However the story found its feet again and made for a really enjoyable.

I’m definitely looking forward to picking up the sequel and seeing what the characters get up to next. A solid 3.75 stars from me and one I’ll recommend.

Massive thanks to Daphne Press and Netgalley for the ARC.

An epic fantasy based on martial arts - what’s not to love!
The complexities of the book mean it is a chunky read but every page is relevant and well thought out.
The war arts that are described and the battles that commence are vivid - I would love a illustrated version of this book.
Overall I would say the book is character driven, you get to follow the cast and watch how their stories deviate and come crashing together. Hard to know who to root for and I like that!
Thank you to NetGallery for this E-ARC - This review is voluntary and my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher Daphne Press for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

Unfortunately this book wasn't for me, although it had a strong beginning and an interesting dynamic between Jian and Taishi, I couldn't bring myself to keep reading at this time.

“Love and respect is what makes family, not blood. It can manifest in different ways and shapes, sometimes from people you least expect.”

“All our heroes will eventually disappoint us… one way or the other.”

“Upon the stars that map the sky, the legacy of my blood… our people will have a home again.”

I’m not sure what I was expecting with this one. From the blurb, perhaps a martial epic, quite dry and historical, a war story with a questline in it. And certainly there are quests, and the aftermath of war is present - but it’s so much more than that, and not in the least bit dry…

It’s about a group of people whose lives have been overturned, seeking to refind their families and their purpose: a former martial arts master, seeking the truth behind a prophecy; an isolated boy struggling in a school-setting; a warrior whose people have been defeated and are crying out under the yoke.

Add in some psychotic disaster assassins, an annoyingly persistent little sister, some lovelorn monks and a worryingly keen acolyte, plus dashes of humour and action, and you have something great brewing.

Wesley Chu certainly knows how to weave a tale. He sinks you into the atmosphere effortlessly with flowing prose and a distinct tone for each character you follow.

Immediate highlights:
- the scene settings: description and concept of the Grass Sea and the travelling city-pods; the martial arts school with rival/bully classic scenario
- The action scenes. Taut martial arts, being outnumbered, heroic moves. You’ll feel like you’re watching it on a screen! Unless you have aphantasia, but I hope you’ll enjoy it anyway. Chu used to be a stuntman, so he knows his stuff.
- I share basically nothing in common with the characters but Chu still makes me empathise with the universal desire to give someone (who richly deserves it) their come-uppance. If you get satisfaction out of this kind of thing you will be fed

A really fun and enjoyable read.

By way of introductory remarks, I’d like to state my main struggle with reviewing Wesley Chu’s The Art of Prophecy is deciding whether I really like it or just outright love it.

I will be recommending it. There we go, no need to read further, four minutes of your life back.


The Art of Prophecy is the tale of Taishi, the mighty and cranky living legend of the martial arts world. She agrees to take on training the Chosen One as just the wrong time and therefore gets to spend most of the book running for her life, seeking the truth, and being bad to the bone.

What follows is a glorious piece of fun with all sorts of interesting wrinkles of philosophy waiting for those who wish to go digging for them. Chu has talked about the tribute he’s paying to wuxia with this work. As someone with passing familiarity with Jin Yong and Gu Long, I see it. Not just the crazy battles, but the semi-underground world of big personalities with big passions, strict codes, and quick decisions. The intrigues, the loyalties, the drama, the sardonic humour – it’s all there. I haven’t see him talk about western fantasy inspirations with it, but I feel like it fits perfectly in conversation with them too, with the use of the Chosen One and prophecy.

I haven’t talked about the Chosen One much and here we reach my gripes with this book, the ones that keep it from definite outright love book of the year status. Jian is the Chosen One, and he’s a bit of a snivelly wretch to begin with. Which is fine, it makes sense and gives Taishi excellent material. Then Jian gets his own PoV arc and, well, I’m not even hating on it. He grows, he sees some interesting things. It’s good reading.

It’s just not Taishi being absolutely majestic.

Which is possibly even a good thing as all Taishi all the time might be too much and a quieter, more introspective arc to counterbalance her is smart.

But then we get Sali, a warrior from the other side of the prophecy, and the assassin Qisami. When Qisami got her first PoV, I sure did mutter “Pathofdaggersitis” under my breath. Which is unfair, because I think Chu gets the introduction of the characters more or less technically correct in terms of structure, and adds a pleasing width and epicness to the story in doing so. However!

However the problem is that Taishi is awesome and this pair of jokers get on my nerves a little. Qisami puts the ass in assassin. She’s fun in small bursts for her monofocus on killing people and making jokes about it, but as a PoV I need more than that to enjoy it. Sali, a few cool moments aside, veers between being a nothingburger and annoyingly self-righteous. I would also add that, unlike Jian, the goals (albeit inverted in places) and histories of Sali and Qisami as we know them are too like Taishi to feel fun and different, but not enough alike to feel reflective and theme-increasing.

Taishi and Jian is a fantastic book; bombastically funny, quick moving without getting breathless, jaw-droppingly awesome. The little nuggets of thought about identity, belonging, and expectations are wonderful. The appearance of Sali and Qisami often made me put the book down.

The question as such is did two PoV arcs – albeit the two most minor – damage enjoyment to the point I can’t say I love The Art of Prophecy?

At this point, I don’t know. Maybe in time my view of them will soften. Maybe I’ll forget about them and just remember Taishi is an amazing hero. Or maybe I’ll find I can’t look past them.

What I do know is that I will probably reread this book for a second judgment, am quite hyped for The Art of Destiny, and recommend The Art of Prophecy to everyone who is remotely interested in the contents of this review.

Which sounds like I might be trending towards love.

The Art of Prophecy is a story that balances elements you might recognize from other fantasy stories - like mentors, chosen ones, and prophecies - with a wuxia inspired fantasy world and heart. We immediately start off with a chosen one who ends up being not so chosen and ends up on the run with an unlikely mentor who he's not even sure knows her stuff. There's a sense of danger and stakes while also providing plenty of humor. I loved how for each of these elements, Chu twists them.

The Art of Prophecy was a story that, despite it's slightly slow start, managed to completely ensnare me in it's pages and I quickly found myself rooting for the characters and desperate to learn more about the world and magic. The story follows a few differing POV's, some that only crop up for one or two chapters, and others that have a larger role in the overall story. Taishi, the Grand Master who takes over the training of the prophesied Hero after she see's how lax it has been so far. She's the grumpy old mentor trope in full flight and I adored every single scene she was in. Snarky, and the embodiment of 'I'm too old for this shit,' whilst also willing to kill anyone who dares mention that shes old, she's never scared to kick a little ass (in fact most of the time she welcomes the chance) but as the story goes on, she also starts to realise that she is no longer in her prime, and it might be time to pass along her skill to another.

Jian, the prophesied Hero was a little shit if I'm being honest. I spent the first quarter of the book wanting to jump in the pages and kick his ass myself, but you quickly realise he has been raised to believe that he will be the saviour, wanting for nothing and has been celebrated without having actually won a battle in his life. He has a chip on his shoulder, but when the prophecy gets dumped on tit's head, he has to learn to survive as a nobody, treated as a lowly commoner, and boy does he have some growing up to do.

Salminde, a Viperstrike, one of the elite warriors fighting with the Khan, the person Jian is supposed to defeat. She is someone who hates Jian's people with a passion, and someone who will do whatever it takes to ensure her people and their way of life survive. And last, but by no means least, Qisami, a bounty hunter and easily the most morally corrupt character in the entire book. We also meet a bunch of non pov characters who play an important roll in the overall plot, the main ones being Xinde and Meehae, friends of Jian's after he goes into hiding and Zofi, someone who reluctantly ends up travelling with Taishi. There were so many characters though, and they all play such a vital roll in the telling of this story. In fact the character explorations and interactions were by far my favourite part of the book. Chu gives us the perfect blend of humorous and heartwarming scenes, as well as some edge of your seat ones, all thanks to the bonds and ties between all his characters.

Chu takes the Chosen One trope and pretty much drops it on it's head, something we don't really get from the premise, which I'll admit it a little misleading. But what he does exceptionally well is show that 'coming of age' is not only something that happens to young people. Through a good portion of his characters, both POV's and otherwise, he shows the reality of how we are still growing and learning, even as adults, and that all it takes it one event, one person to make us realise our purpose in life. The story does meander a little for the first quarter or so, and I was a little unsure where it was going, but trust in the author, that's all I'm gonna say because boy does it pick up and take us on one wild ride. There are no big plot twists, except for the one at the beginning, but Chu manages to keep us hooked through his exceptional character interactions and some truly epic fight scenes.

Speaking of the fight scenes, Chu is a master in bringing them to life, his choice to use martial arts terms instead of describing the fights literally may annoy some, but I thoroughly enjoyed trying to envision all the different moves in my head. In fact his descriptive writing in general was something I adored throughout the book, he effortlessly brings his world, the cities and planes to life. This is a book that's gritty and filled with politics and scheming, but also heart and humour and wit and there was no romance! Something that is so incredibly rare in fantasy these days, but it absolutely wasn't needed and though I could potentially see something cropping up in book two, I'm glad that we got this book to explore the characters as they are and their non-romantic relationships.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, thanks in large part to the characters (this is definitely a character driven story). If you're looking for a slightly different take on the Chosen One trope, in an epic fantasy world with martial arts style fighting, politics and characters you will love and hate, then look no further. I can't wait to get my hands on book two.

Really enjoyed this - a prophecy hero narration told by people who frankly have had enough and have better things to do. I think it’s both hard and redundant to play a destined hero trope straight in this day and age, but this book manages to subvert it but do so in an elegant way recalling many gold wuxia standards - and end result is very lovely, thoughtful and interesting to follow.

Thanks to Netgalley for the arc.

What can I say about this book but wow! I haven’t read a martial arts fantasy book before but it might be a new genre for me to explore.

I adored everything about this book, alright I didn’t know anything about martial arts or the stances but the descriptions and the characters just fully immersed me into the story. I especially loved Taishi her one liners had me laughing a bit throughout the book.

The plot line is so fast paced it doesn’t feel like you are reading a 544 page book and the world building was just phenomenal. Bring on book 2!

This was a brilliant read! Enjoyed it more than I expected as it’s not my normal cup of tea. First time reading this author’s work, looking forward to more! Hope there’s a sequel to this as I really liked the characters. Highly recommend.

Incredible world-building, nail biting action scenes, and a glorious cast of characters. Simply captivating!

The Art of Prophecy by Wesley Chu

What happens when the prophecy is wrong this is the 1st installment of this series The War Art Series.

Jian the child of the prophecy whos now been betrayer those whom he trusted.

I've throughoutly enjoyed the fantasy which has been inspired by Asian fantasy. I like how the story was split into different acts.
At times the pacing does slow down quiet a bit and it took me a little bit to get back into the story. Jian toils resentfully as a student and servant at a school for war artists while Taishi avoids assassins and looks for the temple where the prophesy was produced in order to find out how and why it failed. Salminde, an accomplished fighter and close companion of the late Khan, searches first for her sister before looking for a method to save her people, who were compelled into indentured slavery as a result of the Khan's passing.

#TheArtofProphecy #NetGalley #scifictionandfantasy #prcrow

Thank you so much Daphne Press and NetGalley for providing me with the arc of The Art of Prophecy by Wesley Chu in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

This was an entertaining and action filled story with funny and interesting characters. I'm not very familiar with wuxia novels, so it was enjoyable to try out a new genre. Wesley Chu took a well known trope (the propecy hero) and made it more interesting my making the hero a spoiled brat. And his (relucant) mentor was amazing-I completely understood Taishis issues when deciding what to do with her pupil. In addition she is an older disabled woman, but that didn't prevent Taishi in being a badass.

I really enjoyed the different POVs, which we had four of, but I would have prefered to get a deeper insight in the actual worldbuilding. There were some details, but I struggled to understand the ties between politics, religion and different countries.

Overall it was an engaging read with satisfying twists of well known tropes and multitude of action scenes. I can't wait for the sequel!
4.5/5

I'm a fan of modern xianxia/wuxia novels and some of the more famous films, so I had a rough idea of what to expect when going into this book, but even then, it really surprised me. I don't usually go in for epics, and it was longer than I realised at first, but after I got into it, I couldn't stop!

So many unexpected parts of this book, so many good character points and unusual world features - I loved the diversity and originality, the humour and the varied pace. The design of the locations and magic/martial art systems were both vivid and enthralling, with a lot of different elements side by side. Some may find it quite a lot to take in, but as the start of what I imagine is an epic new series, it does a lot of the set-up ready for more action to take place.

The Global Majority, Disability and LGBTQIA+ representation was all really enjoyable and felt genuine across the cast. Despite the cultural link of the wuxia/xianxia genres as well as some recognisable elements in the different people within the book, it felt like a completely new, unique world with definitive cultures of its own and history to go with it. I really want to know what will happen next for our main cast!

The author is new to me, but I'm keen to do a bit of back-catalogue reading after this! I'm excited knowing the second one is already on its way later this year, and will certainly be requesting the ARC on here. I also want to shout out to the stunning cover design & illustration, also returning for the second book, and some of the special edition designs have really blown me away!

Thanks to Daphne Press and NetGalley for access to this ARC - all opinions here are my own, honest and freely given.