We're thrilled to reveal a first look at the cover (and the first chapter!) of ay_chao's magical fantasy debut, ShanghaiImmortal right now!
There have been so many excellent fantasy releases based on Chinese mythology and history in recent years—Sue Lynn Tan’s Celestial Kingdom duology, R.F. Kuang’s Poppy War trilogy, Kat Cho’s Gumiho books, and Amelie Wen Zhao’s new Song of the Last Kindom series, to name just a few. But get ready to add another magical title to that list later this year.is described as a love letter to the author’s Chinese diaspora heritage with a twist of Canadian sensibilities…and a lot of sass.
What’s Big Wang got to do with anything? Allow me to share my poor orphan story: my darling mother also had a damned inconvenient predilection.was for diamonds the size of quail eggs, treasures a down-and-out deity such as herself could ill afford. Rather than give up her precious jewels, she pawned me as a whelp to Big Wang, a.k.a. the King of Hell, to pay her shopping debts. And then she went and died before she could claim me back.The swollen wood of the warehouse door creaks against my back.
As the dark shape of a sampan approaches the fog boundary I rearrange my qipao, tugging the pale blue fabric past my knees and redoing my collar button. Big Wang, like all yaojing, is quite conservative about these things. One of those bitch fox-spirits from my grandmother’s court reported me for showing too much leg and I had to peel garlic in the Cathay Hotel’s kitchens for a month, in apology for my disregard of Confucian virtues and ‘offending my ancestors’. What a load of piss-fart.
“This unintelligent one has long admired your glory, most venera- ble Lady Jing,” he says, his tone confident and cheerful, like he is pleased to meet me.A broad smile sets off dimples in his cheeks and his whole being exudes a childlike eagerness. He reminds me of an overgrown puppy. ‘The most noble Yan Luo Wang instructed this humble one to offer my lowly self to virtuous Lady Jing. Abundant gratitude for awaiting this tardy one’s arrival.’to me? He must be a gift: a willing snack.
I snarl at him, baring my fangs and my irritation. He blanches, grabs at his neck and pulls out a battered silver bi—a coin-sized disc with a square hole in the centre and stamped with anti-demon incantations. It’s meant to conceal the mortal’s true nature from yaojing and act as an official ministry pass for safe conduct through Hell. Strictly speaking, while yaojing dislike yin silver, it isn’t debilitating.
“It was worth it! The old woman said Lord Lei blessed it himself.” His earnest panic only angers me. Foolish mortal.Lord of Thunder? Bless this shit stick?” My laughter is as harsh as the shrieking cicadas. “If this were a real talisman from the Ministry blessed by Old Lei, yes, that would grant you safe passage through Hell. But this? This won’t even get you passage into the nearest latrine.”
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