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The Red Threads of Fortune
The Red Threads of Fortune | JY Yang
43 posts | 47 read | 31 to read
The Red Threads of Fortune is one of a pair of unique, standalone introductions to JY Yang's Tensorate Series, which Kate Elliott calls "effortlessly fascinating." For more of the story you can read its twin novella The Black Tides of Heaven, available simultaneously. Fallen prophet, master of the elements, and daughter of the supreme Protector, Sanao Mokoya has abandoned the life that once bound her. Once her visions shaped the lives of citizens across the land, but no matter what tragedy Mokoya foresaw, she could never reshape the future. Broken by the loss of her young daughter, she now hunts deadly, sky-obscuring naga in the harsh outer reaches of the kingdom with packs of dinosaurs at her side, far from everything she used to love. On the trail of a massive naga that threatens the rebellious mining city of Bataanar, Mokoya meets the mysterious and alluring Rider. But all is not as it seems: the beast they both hunt harbors a secret that could ignite war throughout the Protectorate. As she is drawn into a conspiracy of magic and betrayal, Mokoya must come to terms with her extraordinary and dangerous gifts, or risk losing the little she has left to hold dear. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
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BookmarkTavern
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Pickpick

After the ending of Black Tides, Mokoya has fled from her family and her responsibilities. While hunting new and terrifying creatures, Mokoya learns of a deeper conspiracy, all while trying to deal with her own PTSD.

A great follow up to Black Tides! No time skips, so easier to follow. And Mokoya is an engaging main character, harsh and cynical and grieving. The main problem got solved with prophecy, which was a little irritating. 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑

shanaqui I really need to reread these; I got the omnibus recently, just for my shelves, and I've been itching to... I think I liked this one more too! 2y
PuddleJumper Awesome! 2y
68 likes3 stack adds3 comments
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BookmarkTavern
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Bath bombs are an excellent gauge of whether I still have a sense of smell. 😂

Sapphire Hope you are feeling ok 2y
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RealLifeReading
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I read more than I thought I did last month!

Bookzombie Great month! 3y
RealLifeReading @Bookzombie thank you 😄 3y
73 likes2 comments
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RealLifeReading
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Pickpick

This novella is quite different from The Black Tides of Heaven, reflecting the differences in personality between the twins Mokoya and Akeha. I found that I enjoyed this one more, perhaps because I was already familiar with the world building and the characters, whom we first meet as children in Black Tides. Just behold this magnificent cover. I can't wait to read the rest of the series

RealLifeReading Pictured with Singapore dishes: the bottom is a plate of char kway teow or fried rice noodles with bean sprouts and seafood. The top is hor fun, also rice noodles but with a gravy poured over. 3y
Emilymdxn That food looks so gorgeous! 3y
batsy Mmm char kway teow!! 3y
See All 7 Comments
BobsWifeAmy This is my first introduction to Singapore food. Thanks for sharing and also for the pics of the dishes! Very enlightening. This isn‘t a genre of book that I enjoy reading, but that‘s ok. I‘ve never really used this site before- I‘m active on GoodReads- but I decided to give this a try. Have a great day my friends on the other side of the world! 3y
RealLifeReading @Emilymdxn it‘s delicious! 3y
RealLifeReading @batsy I love the food at this Malaysian-Burmese eatery 3y
RealLifeReading @BobsWifeAmy you‘re welcome! Hope you get to try Singapore food one day. I actually live in California but am from Singapore. There are a few Malaysian and Singaporean restaurants around here. 3y
83 likes2 stack adds7 comments
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effani
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this one, although it took a while to get me invested. I do like a prickly, traumatized protagonist, though.

I think it's bizarre that this book is marketed as a standalone entry point to the series, though. It takes place after The Black Tides of Heaven and spoils major plot points, and I can't imagine BToH being very satisfying to read after this one. I recommend sticking to publication order.

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uwak
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Pickpick

I think I forgot more about the 1st novella in this series than I expected but I got my bearings together quickly. this sequel dives more into a lot of the quirks of Yang's setting, which was pretty fun and interesting. I wasn't expecting the change in character focus but it was nice to see things from Mokoya's POV, as she copes with her trauma from the 1st book's events and finds new hope.

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UnRuLee
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Pickpick

#Readyoursign challenge book one! The Red Threads of Fortune, published on September 26th, fulfills one of the Libra prompts (Libra is the top love match for my sun sign, Leo, and also happens to be my rising sign as well).
I love the worldbuilding in the Tensorate series. And it was amazing to have a main character who used they/them pronouns throughout. This book also explored grief and PTSD in one of the most visceral ways I‘ve ever read.

Clwojick Off to a fantastic start! 4y
22 likes1 comment
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swynn
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Pickpick

Second in Yang's "Tensorate" series, set in an Asian-derived fantasy world where magic and technology coexist and compete. This one has a more conventional plot than the sprawling first entry, involving a giant dragon's attack on a city harboring a Machinist enclave. It explores themes of family, loyalty, loss and fate. Good stuff, and I'll read more in the series.

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TK-421
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So I gave #audiocleaning a try while doing dishes but I had to back up three or four times because I couldn‘t hear over the running water or clinking dishes or I just flat out lost track. It might be better if I were a headphones/earbud-wearing sort of person but I‘m not...I‘m listening though my stereo speakers. I‘ll try again at some point but I suspect I‘m just terrible at multitasking!

JazzFeathers I hear you there! I tried audiolistening while cooking, but it didn't work for me either. I think l'll stick to audio listening while working at my #bujo 5y
Deifio With me it's the same. That's why I take ages to finish my audiobooks 😅 5y
llwheeler Same here too. The only chore I can do while listening to audiobooks is folding laundry. Can't listen with variable noises going on. 5y
TK-421 @JazzFeathers @Deifio @llwheeler Glad it‘s not just me 😂 5y
74 likes4 comments
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TK-421
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I‘ve been struggling with a tangled mess of mental/emotional/physical issues lately & today I hit a wall so I‘m taking a sick day to rest, relax, and recharge. I finished The Black Tides of Heaven last night & it included a preview of the tagged book. My library only has the audiobook available so I‘m giving it a try. I haven‘t had much success with the audio format in the past but so far, so good! Minerva‘s keeping me company 🥰 #readingbuddy

Deifio Hope you can recharge today! Reading will help! 🤗 5y
Jas16 Hoping today is exactly the rest you need ❤️ 5y
Branwen Hope you feel better soon, friend! 💕 Books are such great healers! 📚💖 5y
TK-421 @Deifio @Jas16 @Branwen Thank you! 🤗💕 5y
56 likes4 comments
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Lindy
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Pickpick

Volume 2 in the Tensorate series of novellas. Ostensibly, they each stand alone, but having already experienced the world-building in Vol. 1 made this richer & I liked it even better. It‘s Asian-influenced fantasy with technology aspects that have led to the series being described as silkpunk (as compared to steampunk). Yang, a genderqueer author, has created a fascinating cast of #queer characters. #LGBTQ #Audiobook read by Nancy Wu.

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Lindy
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Literary trepanation #2 in 2019, just under the wire:
“Mokoya saw the hole [the dragon-type creature] had trepanned into the domed roof. […] a yawning lobotomy of cracked roof…”
Note: It‘s the roof of the tower containing the library, so this comparison to a brain is apt. For more about my collection of literary references to trepanation, see: https://lindypratch.blogspot.com/2017/10/a-year-of-literary-trepanations.html?m=...

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xicanti
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Pickpick

JY Yang‘s second Tensorate novella is about grief and emotional rebirth. In the moment, I found it a little more distanced than I prefer, with less of the juicy worldbuilding that hooked me into THE BLACK TIDES OF HEAVEN; however, I suspect the more I think about it, the more I‘ll like it. I can already feel it happening.

NB: I say second novella, but Yang designed the stories to work in any order. If this one calls to you, you can start here.

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xicanti
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Happy Thanksgiving, fellow Canadians! I just partook of the traditional hummus & carrots to fortify myself before supper. Now I‘m hoping to make some progress through THE RED THREADS OF FORTUNE before it‘s time to go.

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xicanti
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Tiny library haul this week; just my next poetry collection and THE RED THREADS OF FORTUNE, which got here FAST. I requested it on Saturday. Meanwhile, none of the materials that‘ve been in transit since last Wednesday have arrived yet. Sadness.

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LaurenReads
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Mehso-so

The Red Threads of Fortune continues where The Black Tides left off. I feel like this one was weaker than the first, but these books are such easy reads it doesn't really matter much

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lorannen
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Pickpick

It was nice to get Mokoya's perspective in this second installment. I liked it a lot. Differently paced from its predecessor. Yang continues to be really great at efficient world-building. Interestingly, a number of folks in my book club read the first 2 books in reverse order, which apparently didn't ruin things? I hadn't thought of these as being standalones, but apparently, they work well that way, too. 🐲

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lorannen
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Definitely the first time I've prepared for #bookclub by candlelight

Anton I'm waiting for book 4 to come out so I can do a re-read of the whole series! 6y
17 likes1 comment
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lorannen

It doesn't have to be one or the other."

lorannen This is the quintessential quote that encompasses both books I've read so far. 6y
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EllanaRose
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Pickpick

Oh wow. That was really quite something.
#24in48

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lauralovesbooks1
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Pickpick

The world-building in this series really stands out as does the way the author works with concepts of gender.

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Lauredhel
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This didn't blow me away quite as much as the first book, but that's a high bar. It was great. We learn more about the world, tensions evolve, and a new way of seeing and doing slackcraft is opened to us.

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Lauredhel
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Festivus holiday lie-in with a book that has been on my TBR way too long.

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melissa.drake
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Mehso-so

Not quite as good as the first, though still pretty good!

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GivenLemons
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Pickpick

I loved this duology and I can‘t wait for the next one to come out! #fantasy #novella

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sakeriver
Pickpick

This felt in a lot of ways very different from THE BLACK TIDES OF HEAVEN, much faster-paced and more focused. I‘m not sure which I‘d say I liked better, but fortunately I don‘t have to pick just one. I really enjoy the silkpunk milieu, and despite the relative compactness and speed of the story, there‘s still room for real tenderness for and between the characters. I‘m very much looking forward to book three.

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sakeriver
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“A springtime of questions flowered in Mokoya‘s head, and she imagined picking them off one after another...”

What a beautiful metaphor.

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sakeriver
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Starting in on this today.

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ness
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Pickpick

Love! So ready for the next one to drop.

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ness
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Onto the next one!

9 likes1 stack add
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shanaqui
Pickpick

I feel like there's a little too much insta love in these novellas, but I'm so fascinated by the world I don't mind too much.

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ssravp
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Pickpick

Enjoyed it, but not as much as the first. These covers though!

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speljamr
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Pickpick

Absolutely loving this series so far. This is the other novella that came out the same time as the first. I already went ahead and pre-ordered the third book. I can't recommend this enough. And just look at the cover art!

#fantasy

LitsyGetsGraphic Beautiful cover ❤️ 7y
llwheeler There's a third one coming?! Yessss 7y
speljamr @llwheeler And a fourth from what I read. 7y
ghosthost I loved these novellas. Can‘t wait for #3. 7y
91 likes5 comments
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2BR02B
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1. "Killing the voice transmitter was an overreaction."
2. 211
3. Temptingly
4. Mokoya
5. Red
6. Fantasy
7. The, nervous
8. Black
9. JYY
10. "Rising sun"
11. 2017
12. Ken Liu
13. Nope
14. Yep

Thanks, @Kaye!

llwheeler Hey I finally recognized one of these! 7y
2BR02B @llwheeler 😁👏👏 7y
ghosthost @llwheeler I stopped because I saw Mokoya. 7y
49 likes3 comments
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speljamr
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Lunch time reading with part two of JY Yang's Tensorate series.

#litsymen
@Kaye

2BR02B Just picked these two up from the library. Based on your previous review, I think I'll try to read them this weekend. 👍 7y
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llwheeler
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My post-workout* reward: iced tea, scone, and a stack of books that's way too big for one afternoon. 💕

*the Canadian version: shoveling a good few inches of heavy, wet snow off your driveway. Oof.

Hoopiefoot Enjoy! 7y
llwheeler @Hoopiefoot Thanks ☺ 7y
Jaimelire Scone looks so good! I am getting sick of shovelling snow. Hopefully we see spring soon. 7y
54 likes1 stack add3 comments
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llwheeler
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Hey @ghosthost look what I got today 😀

They didn't have Black Tides but I couldn't resist this, so pretty!

ghosthost Fun! You can tell me what it‘s like to read that one first instead of second. I wonder if we‘ll notice different things. 7y
llwheeler @ghosthost 👍 i am looking forward to it! I still think this two novellas, doesn't matter which way you read them idea is so interesting. 7y
37 likes2 comments
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Anton
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Pickpick

I'm not sure these books can be reviewed separately, because they really make up one excellent narrative. Red Threads Of Fortune picks up a few years after Black Tides Of Heaven, continuing the story of the Protectorate and the Machinist rebellion but with Mokoya taking centre stage. This is a story about grief and loss that builds on the world and characters JY Yang introduced in The Black Tides Of Heaven. Both are highly recommended. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Anton Also, despite the author and publisher claiming the books can be read in any order, I don't think Red Threads will be nearly as affecting without first reading Black Tides. 7y
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AshleyKorinE
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Pickpick

The second book in this novella series was actually more emotionally charged than the first. It‘s a story of grief, self discovery, and magic. I loved the characters and the world to these stories just wish we got more on how it all worked. Its a super fast read and fun despite its sometimes heavier story but definitely worth picking up both books!

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TracyReadsBooks
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Pickpick

Shattered by the loss of her daughter, Mokoya flees to the edges of the kingdom where she hunts naga. There she meets Rider who has their own mysterious reasons for being in Bataanar. Magic & fantastic creatures abound. So too do complicated relationships. The scenery is lush, the characters complex, & the world fascinating. This beautifully written novella, a companion to The Black Tides of Heaven, is wholly original and a really great read.

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TracyReadsBooks
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Saturday morning reading.

BookishMarginalia Lovely pic! 7y
5 likes1 comment
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kammartinez
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Pickpick

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ of 5 ⭐️s

Wow. WOW. Things were rough with the characters at the end of the previous novella, and this one shows just HOW rough it's gotten. Won't get into it much because spoilers, but I CAN say that this is a story about grief and rage - and how to break through those to the things that really matter. Cannot wait for the rest of this series to come out XD.

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MagneticCrow
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What a great new book Tuesday here in the SFF world 👍🏼😍📚