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The Poppy War
- The Poppy War, Book 1
- Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
- Length: 18 hrs and 57 mins
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The Poppy War
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Summary
Winner of the Reddit Fantasy Award for Best Debut 2018
‘The best fantasy debut of 2018’ – WIRED
A brilliantly imaginative epic fantasy debut, inspired by the bloody history of China’s twentieth century and filled with treachery and magic.
When Rin aced the Keju – the test to find the most talented students in the Empire – it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who had hoped to get rich by marrying her off; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free from a life of servitude. That she got into Sinegard – the most elite military school in Nikan – was even more surprising.
But surprises aren’t always good.
Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Fighting the prejudice of rival classmates, Rin discovers that she possesses a lethal, unearthly power – an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of psychoactive substances and a seemingly insane teacher, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive – and that mastering these powers could mean more than just surviving school.
For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most people calmly go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away…
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Critic reviews
"A blistering, powerful epic of war and revenge that will captivate you to the bitter end." (Kameron Hurley, author of The Stars Are Legion)
"A thrilling, action-packed fantasy of gods and mythology...The ambitious heroine’s rise from poverty to ruthless military commander makes for a gripping read, and I eagerly await the next installment." (Julie C. Dao, author of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns)
"In The Poppy War, R.F. Kuang draws on history and myth to tell a relentlessly unforgiving story of war, vengeance, power and madness, with larger-than-life characters that evoke sympathy and rouse terror. Brace yourself." (Fonda Lee, award-winning author of The Green Bone Saga)
What listeners say about The Poppy War
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- SG
- 20-06-20
Going no where....
I was interested to start with, but the characters changed positions radically and the story lines developed into nothing much.... it was like a i thoughts Rins training would have stood to her to some degree but that never came apparent. Interesting concepts but disappointing execution.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 29-03-21
I love the shamanism and Mulan-feel!
It's both a little slow, but suddenly it speeds up and then you're completely sucked in
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 30-04-21
tough but worth it
I found this a tough listen but utterly compelling. Worth the hours, though difficult.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kaitie
- 28-12-20
Fantastic, good pronunciation, great story.
Superb, sad story. Narrator good but has a habit of whisper-shouting - clearly no voice actor.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Eve
- 18-10-21
great book with many interesting themes
so that's what is like punching a solid block of concrete.
that's how it felt reading this book.
don't get me wrong it's brilliant but you have to go into it with the right mindset or you are gonna feel a little shocked...
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Elly
- 03-08-18
Loved it
I loved this and couldn't stop listening. Would recommend looking into trigger warnings before purchasing.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Nicky
- 19-11-23
Started well but went downhill
At the beginning I really enjoyed this and the characters were engaging.
But half way through I got bored. I felt the author was repeating the same things and the story became dull. Not for me pity as had potential.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Alan
- 11-04-22
Epic Vengeance
Damn that was a very fantastically Grim and a very brutal read, I would say this would not be for the faint of heart or readers who do not like very graphically detailed scenes in their fantasy. So you should proceed with caution if you are sensitive to scenes of Drug-abuse, self-harm, rape, war, torture, genocide and racism. This was one of those books that draws you in from the first chapter and stays with you long after you have finished it.
The Poppy War tells the story of Rin, a war orphan raised by heroine dealers. Treated like garbage and about to be sold into marriage. But Rin is looking to make her own destiny when she passes the mandated tests of the Empire and earns her place in the most elite military school in Nikan. Through teenage trials of friendship and entitled bullies, to the pains of growing up and what purpose life is supposed to hold, Rin learns life’s hardest lessons in the Sinegard military academy. With war and death coming in the form of an old enemy. Vengeance is the key to all things. Emily Woo Zeller gives an excellent narration, highly recommend...🖤💥🗡🔥
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- darrin
- 06-03-24
not sure
couldn't get into this audible book, struggled to finish it. The main character was way to whinging and woe be me all the time and most of the secondary characters weren't much better either. The storytelling kept jumping around to the point I'd thought I'd miss something important or maybe it was just me not enjoying the story so much, perhaps the second book may be better, so I might just give it another go.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Joshua Elliot
- 18-11-22
Great story but obvious pacing issues
The story about a girl who learns magic to try and stop a war is great and has pacing issues. BUT I'll still listen to the next one.
The plot and it's twists on magic are great. The side characters are all interesting and loveable in various way. However our main characters all drop 50 IQ points when the plot needs it. This is annoying and takes away from the believability of the characters.
Pacing is great for 4/5 of the book then it RAPIDLY escalates and changes tone (for one horrific chapter) completely.
Overall, it's a fun ride. The hype is overblown and obvious story issues are there, but I will try the next book so who knows..maybe I'll be a big fan.
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1 person found this helpful