This was well-written but never grabbed me. The characters were almost all unlikeable. The story plodded along from tragedy to mistreatment. It just felt like nothing good would ever happen to anyone again. I wasn't expecting grimdark but that's what it felt like this was, and it's definitely not for me.

The characters were interesting at least, in their unlikeableness, but I felt like the storytelling style was purposefully keeping me at a distance from the characters and action and I really dislike that. It was also hard to bring myself to read it because it was very slow, in addition to feeling very distant."

The narrator felt like she was whispering much of the time which made it hard to focus on the story. Also the voices she chose for some of the characters were whiny and made me prone to dislike them.

*Thanks to Macmillan Audio for providing an early copy for review.

This was a fascinating and compelling story focusing on a band of women fighting for justice under a corrupt empire. I thought the characters were very well drawn, although there were times when I struggled to keep people straight in my mind at the beginning. The narrative is fast paced and brutal, with some excellently wrought fight scenes and more touching and quiet character moments. Plus, I love Emily Woo Zeller's narration. Overall, I enjoyed this one a lot.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This queer, feminist retelling of a Chinese classic follows a master arms instructor whose carefully constructed life is destroyed by a corrupt official who decides he wants her. Now, she's been accused of treason and faces a life of imprisonment and hard labor. But when a band of outlaws save her, she discovers a new way of living she's never let herself imagine before. Surrounded by a sisterhood she never thought possible, she finds something new to fight for--and people to fight with. If you love martial arts movies / books, this one is definitely for you!

I really liked this book and I really enjoyed the narration. I thought the world building was done quite well and really enjoyed getting to know some of the characters. Be prepared though, as there are a number of characters and the POV switched quite a bit. Overall though, a really captivating read.

I listened to "The Water Outlaws" audiobook by S.L. Huang, and while it held my attention, I found it lacking in depth. The narration was engaging, keeping me hooked throughout, but the characters felt somewhat two-dimensional, and the plot didn't offer many surprises. Overall, it's an okay choice for a casual listen, but don't expect it to leave a lasting impression.

Emily Woo Zeller is one of the best working audiobook narrators out there. Her narration is always spot on and well done. This book is no exception to that rule, the narrators ability to convey the story is amazing and worth every second of listening

Breaking the law becomes a means of carving out one's own destiny. Lin Chong, an arms instructor for the Emperor's soldiers, finds her carefully constructed life shattered by a powerful foe, leading her into the company of the Bandits of Liangshan. This group, though morally complex, embodies a belief in justice and rebellion against the oppressive forces of the Empire.

Reflecting on this adventurous narrative, I find myself torn between admiration and frustration. Huang's narrative delivers gripping action sequences and boasts strong female protagonists, offering a refreshing perspective within the genre. However, one character's incessant whining and the inclusion of numerous raunchy moments proved distracting, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the story.

The geographical breadth of the story, coupled with its exploration of various political themes, adds depth and richness to the narrative. Huang deftly navigates through the complexities of power dynamics and societal injustices, painting a vivid picture of a world on the brink of upheaval.

Ultimately, "The Water Outlaws" presents a mixed bag of emotions. While the inclusion of certain elements hindered my overall experience, the compelling plot and engaging characters still managed to captivate my attention. If not for the divisive character and occasional tonal missteps, my rating would undoubtedly lean towards a more favorable evaluation. Nevertheless, I cannot deny the allure of Huang's storytelling prowess and the undeniable appeal of the novel's cover, making it a notable addition to my reading list.

AUDIOBOOK: I listened to the audiobook and although the narration was good I found the narration to only add to the irratation I had at one of the characters. This didn't have anythign to do with the audio narration but it was distracting to me so I am unable to truly review the narration.

Thank you Tor Books/Macmillan Audio for providing me with an eARC and complementary audiobook in exchange for my honest thoughts.

As soon as I hear that a book has epic battles AND has a heist element, I automatically want to read it. I don’t make the rules! THE WATER OUTLAWS is an immersive tale set in a realm of violence and corruption. The book is action packed and Huang's narrative skillfully depicts the challenges and victories of individuals engaged in a relentless battle for justice against overwhelming obstacles. I loved how THE WATER OUTLAWS explored themes of defiance, camaraderie, and the struggle against a deeply rooted patriarchy.

Emily Woo Zeller is always and forever will be one of my favorite audiobook narrators. She always brings so many amazing Asian-inspired fantasy stories to life. And I don’t know what it is, but the way Emily narrates bloody/gory scenes always has me enraptured. Definitely listen to this book if you can!

The Water Outlaws is a martial arts, political fantasy that is slow to start, but packs in the action the last two-thirds of the novel. The story centers around Lin Chong, an arms instructor for the Empire's soldier. When she rebuffs the advances of the Imperial Marshall (who is practically the right-hand of the Emperor), he falsely accuses her of treason and she is branded a criminal. After an attempted assassination ordered by the Imperial Marshall, she joins the Bandits of Liangshan. Mountain, a group of women who are undermining the corrupt and greedy Chinese government. She begins training this rag-tag group of women and men who are considered of the low class by the government. After a heist, the Imperial Marshall realizes Lin Chong is still alive and tracks her down to the mountain - against the Emperor's orders, he travels with the Imperial Army to annihilate the bandits. The magic aspect of the world is interesting - god's teeth which give wearer amplified powers - this is what the Imperial Marshall wants to control. The fight scenes reminded me of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and the novel is well-balanced of political intrigue and battles/fight scenes, so if you are a fan of that type of fantasy, give The Water Outlaws a chance. Emily Woo Zeller does stellar job narrating, giving each character a distinct personality (I wish the Imperial Marshall's section was voiced by a male actor - Zeller did an excellent job, I thought it would have been more impactful to really get to hate the character having a different voice than the same for the heroines of the story.

3 out 5 Stars

I highly anticipate this release but did end up enjoying it as much as I originally thought I would.

This was good but didn't quite stick the landing. I liked the characters but the middle of the book was a slog to get through! But that cover is gorgeous and I liked the narrator.

This book was right up my alley — a group of feminist antiheroes fighting injustice. It was much more brutal than I expected, but it was fine once I adjusted, and I really appreciated the well written action. The growth of the characters was so rewarding to watch, and I really appreciated the touches of humor that helped to provide some levity! And the narration was spot on!

It took me awhile to get into the story, but fell in love with the characters, especially Lu Da, and the feminist, elitism, and sexism themes throughout the book. It was very refreshing compared to the trope filled fantasy book’s currently dominating the genre, which I’m not hating on because I also love those books. It was just nice to read something more dense and complicated. I will say that there was a lot of characters, which could be distracting at time. I also think the story would’ve been great split up into two books instead of one. Still enjoyed and recommend the read. Will be buying to add to my self and reread on a later date.

Thank you, Net Galley, and Dreamscape Media, for sending me an arc of this phenomenal book in exchange for an honest review. Thank You, S. L. Huang for writing a beautiful and meaningful piece of fiction.

I absolutely loved this. It reminded me of the kung fu movies I watched as a teenager but without the overt sexism, and where female characters were allowed to be the best without being freaks of nature. There's also an intelligent look at the Song Dynasty as well as a gender bend on a well known Chinese text. It's rare lately to find a book that's pro women that isn't simultaneously anti-men. This managed the feat admirably. It was queer without being obsessed with romance. Propelled by female friendships and enmities. Peopled with believable characters who were still larger than life. It was also action packed and even gory. This was everything the Untamed failed to deliver to me. Fabulous book. Highly recommend.

The audio book was fantastic and I'm hard to impress. I only recently started really listening to audio and I'm always on the lookout for new narrators and authors.

I loved the concept for this book--and the cover artwork is gorgeous--but never really got into the plot.

By all means this seems like a book that would be perfect for me, but I just had a really hard time paying attention to it. There's so much going on and so many characters. I think it would have benefited from being broken up into a series because it just felt like things weren't developed enough. I do love the inclusion of queer characters! Maybe I would have had a better time reading a physical copy rather than the audiobook.

Thank you Netgalley for providing a digital ARC.

If you're stuck in a rut of repetitive fantasy tropes, this is definitely a read to mix it up. The unique magic system and complex bandit-system are a joy to learn about.

That's not to mention how lovely this one-of-a-kind cover will look on your shelves.

However, while the story and setting were wonderful, I thought the telling could use some work. The no-warning POV switches paired with the way every character in the large ensemble cast seemed to have 11 different names made a bit hard to follow. I found myself having a back up and re-trace my steps so to speak a few times.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

The premise of the Water Outlaws really stood out to me and I was so excited to listen to this book. I couldn't wait to read about a group of female outlaws targeting corruption and saving villages and each other, but something about this book just didn't deliver for me. There were elements I really enjoyed, like Emily Woo Zeller as the narrator, who really tried to distinguish each character and bring the story to life. Unfortunately, I think the issue with this story was the pacing. It felt very slow-going at times and the amount of different characters often made it very hard to follow as a listener.