The North is rebelling against the Chinese Emperor, intending to secede from the Empire. Last time this happened, Lord Yu and his family were killed for treason, the only survivor was the three year old daughter, Yu Mei, witnessing the murders.

A lord’s safe holds some secret, which the Black Lotus clan has been assigned to break into. But the contents of the safe are not only wanted by the Chinese emperor, but also by other criminal elements.

Half-elf Jie, pre-teen analytical genius Tian, and Yuna are on a mission in China’s slums to assassinate a Triad boss. The boss might know of the existence of the Black Lotus clan, their goals, and tactics. There are two unexpected obstacles, a serial killer is on the loose, and Yuna recognizes her birthplace and family.

The story continues from where the first book, Thorn of the Night Blossoms, left off. A murdered lord, a half-elf who despite having unnatural abilities does not have the gift of analysis, and a fantastical world which merges the old with the new.

It’s silly, insane, jumps around, and makes little sense especially if you read the first book. If you didn’t read Gideon the Ninth, I suggest you do, if you did – brush up on it before starting this one. The narration in this book is so unreliable that it doesn’t only alters what Harrow remembers, but attempts to alter what the reader remembers as well.

I really enjoyed the overall premise to he series, but in this last book I’m not sure what the author wanted to convey, or if he had a trilogy planned out at all. It seemed like a bunch of story-lines thrown together for good measure, crossing fingers they would somehow work and make sense.

The second book in The Origin Mystery trilogy, a science-fiction story following a genealogist out to save the human race from the brink of extinction.

To my surprise, this techno-fiction book became, about half way in, a world spanning espionage and intrigue story. Everything is drive, of course, by this new technology that would set the world into a new age that everyone wants to get their hands on.

I specifically enjoyed the author’s weaving of scientific and geological occurrences, like the Genetic Bottleneck theory and The Youngest Toba eruption which had nearly wiped out all humanity 70,000 years ago. I actually had to go and do my own research because the theory was so far-fetched.

Andrew Dahl, an expert in alien religions and xenobiology gets assigned to the spaceship Intrepid along with four other new ensigns. The Intrepid is known for its unusual high rate of casualties among low ranking crew members.