Five Odd Honors

~by Jane Lindskold

Five Odd Honors is the third book in Jane Lindskold’s series Breaking the Wall, following Thirteen Orphans and Nine Gates. I hesitate to call it the final book since Lindskold has indicated that she would like to write at least one more novel for the series, but she isn’t currently working on another and doesn’t have any immediate plans to write one. While I haven’t enjoyed the series quite as much as I hoped I would, I keep reading the books for a number of reasons. First and foremost is the magic system inspired by the game of mahjong. I haven’t seen this anywhere else and I love it. In addition to Lindskold’s use of mahjong, she has some very interesting world-building based on other Chinese traditions and mythologies. So while parts of the first two books frustrated me immensely, there were enough intriguing concepts and cool ideas introduced that I looked forward to reading Five Odd Honors. Also, as with the previous books, the novel takes its name from a limit hand in mahjong.

Having successfully established the Nine Gates, allowing access to the Lands Born of Smoke and Sacrifice through a shared underworld, the Thirteen Orphans are one step closer to healing the rift between their world and the Lands. Their task is still not an easy one, and they can’t do it alone. But even with the aid of potential new allies, who have their own motives for helping, the situation is becoming increasingly more dangerous. Something strange is going on in the Lands and the Orphans aren’t even certain who or what they are fighting against anymore. What is certain is that the enemy won’t hesitate to initiates attacks across worlds. If the Orphans want to put a stop to it, they’re going to need to figure out what is happening and act quickly.

I am still somewhat surprised that after three books I haven’t become more attached to the characters in Breaking the Wall. Although I will admit to becoming rather fond of Loyal Wind in Five Odd Honors, overall I have found it difficult to connect with them as individuals. In concept I think they’re very interesting people, but for some reason the chemistry simply isn’t there. The metaphysics used in the story tend not to be as thoroughly explained in Five Odd Honors as they were earlier in the series. This means the plot moves along more quickly, but I sometimes felt I was missing out. The focus also tends to shift somewhat from the Chinese traditions to incorporate more Celtic traditions. Some of the plot developments seemed to be more convenient than convincing, such as the circumstances surrounding parts of the Tigers’ initial fight or characters suddenly revealing hidden skill sets when they happen to be needed. Still, even when the elements weren’t always executed very well, it was fascinating.

It would be extremely difficult to read Five Odd Honors as a stand alone novel. I would recommend reading at least the second book, Nine Gates, before attempting Five Odd Honors. Even I, who have been following the series, took a while to settle into the book. That being said, I actually found Five Odd Honors more enjoyable and easier to read overall than the previous two volumes in the series. The Orphans and their cohorts have a tendency to talk things to death, something that is acknowledged within the actual narrative. Fortunately, this is not nearly as troublesome in Five Odd Honors; while it still happens, the pacing is much improved. I do hope that Lindskold has the opportunity to publish at least one more volume of Breaking the Wall. Although Five Odd Honors has a definite and somewhat satisfying ending, there are quite a few loose ends left, even reaching back as far as Nine Gates if not further. Lindskold still has plenty of roads left to explore in Breaking the Wall and I would like to see where they go.

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Nine Gates

~by Jane Lindskold

Nine Gates is the second book in Jane Lindskold's series Breaking the Wall. Like the first volume, Thirteen Orphans, the title Nine Gates comes from the name of a limit hand in the game of mahjong. Why should this be? Well, Lindskold has used mahjong as the basis of a system of magic in Breaking the Wall, which is exactly why I am reading the series. I love mahjong, and although I play a different variation than is featured in these books, I am still very excited about its use. While I wasn't blown away by Thirteen Orphans, I enjoyed it well enough that I wanted to read Nine Gates as well. On top of that, I had the opportunity and fortune to meet Lindskold briefly while at a conference and she is a lovely person.

Although the representatives of the Thirteen Orphans have signed a treaty with those from the Lands Born of Smoke and Sacrifice who came to steal back their power, neither party entirely trusts the other. But when an attack from the Lands targets them all they are forced to put their differences aside. Working together to prevent an invasion of this world they realize that their best option is to return to the Lands themselves--a difficult propositions for a group of exiles. They soon discover that the task twill be even more difficult than they expected. Interference is coming from other magic users and the realms they must travel through are falling to an unknown but very powerful and hostile force.

If there is one thing that Nine Gates suffers from it is telling and not showing, both literally and as a figure of speech. So much of the book consists of the characters sitting around and talking about what is happening, what needs to happen, and what has already happened. Lindskold is obviously aware of this since at least two characters independently comment on it. But when they finally actually get around to doing something, Lindskold can write some great and creative action sequences--unfortunately these seem to be few and far between. Granted, some of the conversations are really interesting. Lindskold's use of Chinese legends and mythology is fascinating. She has obviously done her research but occasionally it feels as though the story turns into a lecture on metaphysical concepts without really advancing the plot much. And while some things end up thoroughly explained, others are barely mentioned in passing.

Breaking the Wall doesn't have a single main character and instead relies on an ensemble cast and their interactions. Unfortunately, as much as I liked the diverse set of characters, I never felt particularly invested in their circumstances and instead was only watching their story unfold with a sense of detachment. Nine Gates does well in easing readers back into the series and players. In fact, it could probably be read apart from Thirteen Orphans and still make sense except for a few minor references. However, it does feel like a middle book--some questions are answered but even more are asked, set up, and left unresolved. Some things only vaguely alluded to in Thirteen Orphans, such as complications from indigenous magical traditions, are more thoroughly explored and developed in Nine Gates. So far there is only one more book in the series, Five Odd Honors (which I'll definitely be reading), but Lindskold has said she would like to write at least one other.

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Thirteen Orphans

~by Jane Lindskold

When I was first beginning to learn how to play mah-jong I also took the opportunity to seek out fiction that featured the game in some way. Understandably, there is much more available in Japan, Hong Kong, China and other regions in Asia that have a prominent mah-jong culture than there is available in the United States; I actually had a hard time finding any. Happily, I discovered Jane Lindskold's series Breaking the Wall, which was pretty much exactly what I was looking for. I had previously come across the first book in the series, Thirteen Orphans, while browsing at the library but at the time I didn't realize what it was, although the title seemed strangely familiar to me. There was a good reason for that; "Thirteen Orphans" is also the name of a limit hand common to many variations of mah-jong, including Riichi, the style that I play. Anyway. Once I figured out the connection to mah-jong I went out and found a copy of my own which I was able to get signed while at the American Library Association Annual Conference in 2010.

Hidden in the tiles of the game of mah-jong, twelve exiles from the Lands Born of Smoke and Sacrifice have recorded and encoded their magic. The Twelve, along with the only surviving heir to the emperor's throne--who they smuggled out from the Lands during their flight--make up the Thirteen Orphans. Their powers are inherited from one generation to the next, but over the years some have forgotten their heritage and traditions. Many generations have passed and the Twelve once again are being threatened by a power from the Lands. One by one, the Twelve are being attacked, all memories of who they really are and their abilities stolen away. The few remaining draw together, the older generation teaching the younger in hopes that they can identify and eliminate the danger and undo the damage that has been done.

Lindskold begins to explore some marvelous concepts and there is some wonderful world-building in Thirteen Orphans. I absolutely loved the use of mah-jong as part of a magic system and the creation story of the Lands Born from Smoke and Sacrifice. A basic knowledge of Chinese mythology, particularly regarding the zodiac, and mah-jong is useful when reading Thirteen Orphans, but it is not necessary since Lindskold incorporates the important elements seamlessly into her storytelling. Even though there is a distinct Chinese flavor to Thirteen Orphans, the cast of characters remains fairly diverse in regards to their age, ethnicity, background, and knowledge of the situation. However, I never really connected particularly well with any of the characters or felt much attachment towards them except maybe for Foster. But still, I liked the characters and their stories at least in theory. Thirteen Orphans is a slow book and except for a few select scenes there is very little action. Instead, Lindskold spends much of the time establishing the setting and backstory--and there is a lot to explain. I found it to be very interesting, but others might not be so patient. The story doesn't really start to take off until well into the second half of the book, and even then it is more of a cerebral fantasy.

Overall, I did enjoy Thirteen Orphans and Lindskold was a delight to meet in person. The book does demand a reader's full attention and it's not really something that can be skimmed through; important information is sometimes only mentioned once and is easy to miss. The prose is sophisticated although occasionally stilted and while the sentences aren't long, they are complex. While some details, plot and otherwise, are thoroughly explained in Thirteen Orphans--the magic system is very solid, for one--others are left more vague. I assume that these will be further explored in later books, and I look forward to learning more about the Breaking the Wall world. Thirteen Orphans works alright on its own but I think it probably serves better as an introduction to the series as a whole since not much really happens in it. It certainly sets up for the next book, Nine Gates, quite nicely and I hope that the pace will pick up from there.

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