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Spirits Abroad

By Zen Cho
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Spirits Abroad by Zen Cho is a sparkling collection of nineteen stories inspired by Asian myth, folklore, and the author's own queer experiences. Within these pages, readers are transported from everyday life to magical realms filled with dragons, vampires, mischievous grandmothers, and spirits. The stories explore themes of forbidden love, cultural identity, supernatural negotiations, and the diasporic journey, featuring characters such as an elderly ex-politician recalling a romance with a jungle spirit, a vampire teenager balancing school and thirst, and the Chinese moon goddess Chang E venturing into space. This anthology weaves humour, heartache, and enchantment into a truly unique fantasy experience.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$2499
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book will especially appeal to fans of speculative fiction who enjoy stories rooted in cultural folklore and identity. It resonates with readers interested in queer narratives and those who appreciate short stories that blend magic, humour, and poignant social themes.

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An award-winning collection from acclaimed fantasy author Zen Cho - these nineteen sparkling stories will take you to enchanted realms and beyond.

Nineteen sparkling stories in an award-winning collection from acclaimed fantasy author Zen Cho.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Drawing inspiration from Asian myth, folklore and her own queer experience, the award-winning Spirits Abroad by Zen Cho will guide you from the mundane to the magical, to enchanted realms inhabited by dragons, vampires and incorrigible grandmothers.

We'll meet an elderly ex-member of parliament, who recalls her youthful romance with an orang bunian. This was forbidden. Not because her lover was an invisible jungle spirit, but because she was Muslim and he was not. Then a teenage vampire struggles to balance homework, bossy aunties, first love... and eating people. A mischievous matriarch returns from the dead to disrupt her own funeral rites, pitting granddaughter against granddaughter. An earth spirit becomes entangled in protracted negotiations with an annoying landlord. And Chang E, the Chinese moon goddess, spins off into outer space - the ultimate metaphor for diaspora.

Across nineteen sparkling stories, this is a journey into magical new worlds of the imagination.

Praise for Zen Cho's work:

'An enchanting cross between Georgette Heyer and Susannah Clarke, full of delights and surprises' - Naomi Novik, author of Uprooted, on Sorcerer to the Crown

'Phenomenal. This is what it is to be queer and Asian... Magical and mundane, fierce and hopeful, Malaysian to the bone - this book is uncompromisingly itself' - Shelley Parker-Chan, author of She Who Became the Sun on Black Water Sister

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Praised as "fantastic and fun" by Martha Wells, author of The Murderbot Diaries, and "hilarious and heartbreaking" by Aliette de Bodard, Spirits Abroad is acclaimed for its sharp intelligence and emotional depth. Vanessa Len calls it "speculative fiction at its best," highlighting its charm and warmth, while Stephanie Burgis brands it her "favourite-ever short story collection." Kate Elliott notes the rare blend of wit, wisdom, horror and comfort in Cho's storytelling. Buzzfeed describes the tales as "absolutely gorgeous," combining humour, relatable characters, and engaging prose.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781035015658

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 17 August 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Tor

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 30.0mm

Width: 152.0mm

Height: 232.0mm

Weight: 434g

Pages: 352

Collections

Asian History Fantasy Fiction General Fiction History & Archaeology History & Military Horror & Supernatural Literary Fiction Romance Romantasy (Fantasy Romance) Sci-Fi & Fantasy Zen Cho

About the Author

Zen Cho was born and raised in Malaysia and now lives in Birmingham. She was a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer for her short fiction and won the Crawford Award. Her debut novel, Sorcerer to the Crown, won the 2016 British Fantasy Society Award for Best Newcomer. She is also the author of Black Water Sister and Spirits Abroad.

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