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The Empress of Salt and Fortune (The Singing Hills Cycle, 1) Paperback – March 24, 2020

by Nghi Vo (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 3,361 ratings
Editors' pick Best Science Fiction & Fantasy
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Winner of the 2020 Crawford Award!
Winner of the 2021 Hugo Award!
A Hugo Award-Winning Series!

A 2021 Locus Award Finalist
A 2021 Ignyte Award Finalist
A Goodreads Choice Award Finalist
A Book Riot Best Debut Fantasy of All Time

"Dangerous, subtle, unexpected and familiar, angry and ferocious and hopeful... The Empress of Salt and Fortune is a remarkable accomplishment of storytelling."―NPR

"Nghi Vo is one of the most original writers we have today."―Taylor Jenkins Reid on Siren Queen

A Book Riot Must Read Book of 2023 | A 2020 ALA Booklist Top Ten SF/F Debut | A Book Riot Must-Read Fantasy of 2020 | A Paste Most Anticipated Novel of 2020 | A Library Journal Debut of the Month | A Buzzfeed Must-Read Fantasy Novel of Spring 2020 | A Washington Post Best SFF of the Year So Far Pick

Named Book Riot's Best Book Cover of 2020

Named a Best of 2020 Pick for NPR | Library Journal | NYPL | Chicago Public Library | The Austen Chronicle | Autostraddle

With the heart of an Atwood tale and the visuals of a classic Asian period drama, Nghi Vo's The Empress of Salt and Fortune is a tightly and lushly written narrative about empire, storytelling, and the anger of women.

A young royal from the far north, is sent south for a political marriage in an empire reminiscent of imperial China. Her brothers are dead, her armies and their war mammoths long defeated and caged behind their borders. Alone and sometimes reviled, she must choose her allies carefully.

Rabbit, a handmaiden, sold by her parents to the palace for the lack of five baskets of dye, befriends the emperor's lonely new wife and gets more than she bargained for.

At once feminist high fantasy and an indictment of monarchy, this evocative debut follows the rise of the empress In-yo, who has few resources and fewer friends. She's a northern daughter in a mage-made summer exile, but she will bend history to her will and bring down her enemies, piece by piece.

The Hugo Award-winning Singing Hills Cycle

The Empress of Salt and Fortune
When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain
Into the Riverlands
Mammoths at the Gates
The Brides of High Hill

The novellas of The Singing Hills Cycle are linked by the cleric Chih, but may be read in any order, with each story serving as an entry point.

Praise for The Empress of Salt and Fortune

“An elegant gut-punch, a puzzle box that unwinds itself in its own way and in its own time. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Gorgeous. Cruel. Perfect. I didn't know I needed to read this until I did.”―Seanan McGuire

"A tale of rebellion and fealty that feels both classic and fresh, The Empress of Salt and Fortune is elegantly told, strongly felt, and brimming with rich detail. An epic in miniature, beautifully realised."―Zen Cho

"Nghi Vo's gracefully told debut . . . resides in the intimate margins of its (beautifully imagined) world's history, portraying how the marginalized may yet shape those narratives and harness the power of stories."―Indrapramit Das

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Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 5
    The Singing Hills Cycle
  2. Print length
    128 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    March 24, 2020
  5. Dimensions
    5 x 0.55 x 7.95 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    125075030X
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1250750303
  8. See all details
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  1. She had a foreigner’s beauty, like a language we do not know how to read.
    Highlighted by 1,049 Kindle readers
  2. Accuracy above all things. You will never remember the great if you do not remember the small.
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  3. “Save that anger,” Mai said with a sigh. “Angry mothers raise daughters fierce enough to fight wolves.”
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Winner of the 2020 Crawford Award!
Winner of the 2021 Hugo Award!
A Hugo Award-Winning Series!

A 2021 Locus Award Finalist
A 2021 Ignyte Award Finalist
A Goodreads Choice Award Finalist

A Book Riot Must Read Book of 2023 | A 2020 ALA Booklist Top Ten SF/F Debut | A Book Riot Must-Read Fantasy of 2020 | A Paste Most Anticipated Novel of 2020 | A Library Journal Debut of the Month | A Buzzfeed Must-Read Fantasy Novel of Spring 2020 | A Washington Post Best SFF of the Year So Far Pick

Named a Best of 2020 Pick for NPR | Library Journal | NYPL | Chicago Public Library | The Austen Chronicle | Autostraddle

"Dangerous, subtle, unexpected and familiar, angry and ferocious and hopeful... The Empress of Salt and Fortune is a remarkable accomplishment of storytelling."―NPR

​"Nghi Vo is one of the most original writers we have today."―Taylor Jenkins Reid on Siren Queen

"A stunning feminist fantasy. . . . The subtlety and nuance of Vo’s evocative storytelling lend the novella an epic, timeless feel. Equal parts love and rage, this masterfully told story is sure to impress."―Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Vo's debut has it all: from sapphic love to cruel betrayals; from political intrigue to lakes that glow red to ghosts that continue to walk old paths. . . . The Empress of Salt and Fortune will appeal to all fans of epic fantasy, and readers will be excited to read whatever Vo comes up with next."―Booklist, starred review

"This fantasy novella reminded me more of the anthropological leanings of Ursula K. Le Guin’s work set in an imperial Chinese fantasy world. . . . Uncovers a nuanced history of how the disenfranchised shape history, and can come to rule it, though at great cost."―Buzzfeed

"Rich details and emotional prose captures readers from the first page of this imaginative and powerful novella. Spun through reflections of the past, in archived objects of love and hate, the tale of Rabbit and In-yo lights up the dark history of monarchy and turns it into a delightful feminist fantasy."―Library Journal

"Nghi Vo’s gorgeous debut novella...follows two women defying traditional gender roles with striking results."―Paste

"A masterpiece of understatement and implication. This is the little black dress of books: it gives the impression of effortlessness while being quietly meticulous in every stitch. And it’s for everyone."―Nerd Daily

“An elegant gut-punch, a puzzle box that unwinds itself in its own way and in its own time. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Gorgeous. Cruel. Perfect. I didn't know I needed to read this until I did.”―Seanan McGuire

"A quiet, wrenching tale of resistance, resilience, and court intrigue."―R. F. Kuang

"Nghi Vo's gracefully told debut The Empress of Salt and Fortune resides in the intimate margins of its (beautifully imagined) world's history, portraying how the marginalized may yet shape those narratives and harness the power of stories."―Indrapramit Das

"A tale of rebellion and fealty that feels both classic and fresh, The Empress of Salt and Fortune is elegantly told, strongly felt, and brimming with rich detail. An epic in miniature, beautifully realised."―Zen Cho

"At once epic and intimate, this story of revenge, power and the weight of history is a small, masterful jewel."―Aliette de Bodard

"A glorious, beautifully-written tale that is both tragic and triumphant, unfolding a secret history through the ordinary artifacts of everyday life."―Kate Elliott

About the Author

Nghi Vo is the author of the novels Siren Queen and The Chosen and the Beautiful, as well as the acclaimed novellas of the Singing Hills Cycle, which began with The Empress of Salt and Fortune. The series entries have been finalists for the Nebula Award, the Locus Award, and the Lambda Literary Award, and have won the Crawford Award, the Ignyte Award, and the Hugo Award. Born in Illinois, she now lives on the shores of Lake Michigan. She believes in the ritual of lipstick, the power of stories, and the right to change your mind.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tordotcom (March 24, 2020)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 128 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 125075030X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250750303
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 4.9 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.55 x 7.95 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 3,361 ratings

About the author

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Nghi Vo

Nghi Vo

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NGHI VO is the author of the novels Siren Queen and The Chosen and the Beautiful, as well as the acclaimed novellas When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain and The Empress of Salt and Fortune, a Locus and Ignyte Award finalist and the winner of the Crawford Award and the Hugo Award. Born in Illinois, she now lives on the shores of Lake Michigan. She believes in the ritual of lipstick, the power of stories, and the right to change your mind.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
3,361 global ratings
Nothing almost about it
5 Stars
Nothing almost about it
There’s a talking bird in this story. Except for that very minor character, this could as easily be labeled historical fiction as fantasy.The category doesn’t matter. Elegantly simple prose paints a story of intrigue and conquest and of love and devotion and these elements twist together in a magical, exquisite, satisfying whole and tie up neatly in the final pages.The bird’s name, by the way, is “Almost Brilliant.” There’s nothing almost about this tale. It's brilliant.
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Top reviews from the United States

Aaron Schiller
5.0 out of 5 stars Should have read this sooner.
Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2020
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I avoided this novella for a while because I'm frankly quite tired of all the " [Whatever] of X and Y" titles out there, and now I'm mad at myself for letting that keep me away from this absolutely stellar little story. The characters are so satisfyingly layered, with compelling flaws and deeply-felt motives that kept me emotionally invested for the whole ride. On top of that, the queer characters are well-written and feel like a natural part of the story rather than being shoe-horned in and awkwardly reduced to their gender/sexuality. It made me, as a nonbinary person, incredibly happy to read about a nonbinary character whose gender feels present and relevant within the story, but doesn't serve as their defining characteristic. And there's no forced and clunky Gender 101 talk between characters, which is a tactic that probably has a place somewhere but always ends up feeling both alienating and patronizing to me whenever I encounter it.

Vo really hooked me with the cast of interesting and well-developed characters, but the plot and world-building are also nothing to scoff at. So much is accomplished within a fairly small number of pages-- the writing never feels rushed or utilitarian, but every word brings more depth to the characters, their lives and their world. And although many stories have been written about the fall of one great power and the rise of another, The Empress of Salt and Fortune brings an intimate perspective to this grand undertaking. Battle plans and complex political intrigue clearly take place, but that's not the focus; instead, Vo showcases the private little moments between people that grow to shake the world. It feels human, it feels real, and it's a welcome break from "gritty" fantasy that thinks graphic depictions of bloodshed, rape, and misery are the only way to make an emotional impact.
5 people found this helpful
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Elisabeth Carey
4.0 out of 5 stars A fantasy with an Asian setting and strong female characters
Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2021
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In an Asian empire that is not China, but perhaps based on it, Cleric Chih and their intelligent, talking bird, Almost Brilliant, are sent on a mission from the Singing Hills abbey to document the history of a former empress's place of exile.

In-yo came to Anh to marry its emperor, as a young woman from the far north, from a different culture, with a rich dowry, but no friends or allies. She learned the customs and ways of her new country, and gave birth to a son to be the heir.

Then she is banished to a rural estate called Thriving Fortune, a house that overlooks Scarlet Lake.

Chih arrives on their assignment after the place has been closed off for half a century, and finds there an old woman, the empress's former handmaid, Rabbit.

The story alternates between Chih and Almost Brilliant as Chih works their way through documents, artifacts, and lesser stories from Rabbit, and Rabbit telling larger stories about her time with the Empress, both at court and in exile. It's fascinating, surprising, and absorbing. It's a story smart use of soft power, female strength and courage, and revenge. It takes some surprising turns, and the characters are complex and interesting.

Well worth your time.

I bought this book.
9 people found this helpful
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Tara Hatchett
5.0 out of 5 stars Lush atmosphere, a gently unwinding story in a novella
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2024
Verified Purchase
Lovely. I really liked the setup of 'here are the stories I know as a servant, passed to you, an 'impartial' cleric, come to catalogue the empress' home in exile after her death and that little by little the layers are drawn away until we get the bigger story. Even in this little novella I was instantly drawn in and found it quite easy to slip into the fullness of this lake house (and the inner palace in the stories, at times). I will happily continue this series!
One person found this helpful
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VanEzzania
3.0 out of 5 stars A nice little novella
Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2020
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There's nothing wrong with this little novella. It has nice writing, an interesting world inspired by East Asian mythology and culture--though we only know superficially about it by the end of the story--, lovely LGBT+ content, and some nice characters.

The Empress of Salt and FOrtune is about a cleric named Chih who is traveling the kingdom of Anh to record things for historical research. They come upon an elderly woman named Rabbit who lives alone in a monastery (I think it was a monastery). Rabbit tells Chih the story of the late Empress In-yo, the titular empress, who was from a land foreign to Anh. She tells them how the Empress of Salt and Fortune was both loved and hated while telling them her own story.

As I said, there's' nothing wrong with the book. It's a nice little story, but we only know so much about the world and characters. Rabbit is probably the most fleshed out through both her current discussions with Chih and with the revelation of her background as a handmaiden to Empress In-yo. In-yo's story subtly reveals the prejudices of colonialism, sexism, and ethnocentrism (she was considered barbaric and came from different people like Rabbit) within the world of East Asian imperialism. It was a nicely done message.

Again, nothing too bad about this novella. Nothing too good. It was nice. Uncertain, if I'll read the sequel. That might fill things in though.
22 people found this helpful
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Kasey's Book Hoard
5.0 out of 5 stars Lyrical
Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2023
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Today's read: The Empress of Salt and Fortune (Singing Hills Cycle 1) by Nghi Vo

Genre: Asian-inspired fantasy, LGBTQ+ friendly, mystery, novella

Awards: 2021 Hugo for best Novella, 2021 Locus for Best Novella

I very much enjoyed this novella. I didn't read any reviews, so I had no idea what to expect. What I got was a mystery, slowly unpeeled as Chih investigates forgotten belongings from the Empress' past, layer by layer an unexpected truth is revealed. A lyrical and compassionate read about power, oppression, secrets, and loyalty.

A perfect read for the Year of the Rabbit.

Chih, a travelling monk, is collecting stories to save the history of the recently passed Empress. On the journey, they stumble across a dangerous secret.

"When Chih straightened, ghosts and road and empress were gone, leaving nothing behind but Chih’s own pounding heart." ... so begins Story of ghosts and the past that haunts an empire.

Features both non-binary and queer characters.
3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Alicia Hernández
4.0 out of 5 stars Fantasía que recuenta leyendas con la calma de la nieve
Reviewed in Mexico on December 25, 2021
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Breve y dulce, parecía, hasta que quemó la garganta al bajar. The empress of salt and fortune apenas supera las 100 páginas, pero se siente amplio y distante, como una garza que planea sobre un lago quieto, con las alas bien abiertas. A pesar de la promesa de guerra, intrigas de la corte y gran construcción de mundo, esta novela es una especie de fábula que cobra vida, cuento de hadas donde vuelan linternas encendidas. Relato de fogata.

La clériga Chih escucha la historia del ascenso al trono de la emperatriz In-Yo -solitaria princesa venida de las tierras del norte, donde los mamuts son bestias de guerra- por parte de Conejo, una anciana que espera a la noche o a la muerte desde una antigua residencia al lado del Lago Escarlata.
A Chih le acompaña un ave mística, sentiente y parlante, salvada de la extinción por las acciones de la legendaria emperatriz In-Yo. Aunque lo que se resalta es su llegada, su soledad, su afilada inteligencia e inevitable venganza por debajo de la fachada de joven triste.
Romance a duras penas, imágenes bellas, prosa que fluye clara y sosegadamente como un riachuelo. Esperaba algo más tipo Juego de Tronos pero este recuento sosegado, teñido de nostalgia y la sabiduría de la retrospectiva, con un toque invariablemente femenino, fue un descubrimiento.
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They're Not Real Eggs
5.0 out of 5 stars A really lovely story, well told.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 7, 2023
Verified Purchase
This is my first read from Nghi Vo and after this I'll absolutely be picking up the other novellas in this collection.

The Empress of Salt and Fortune is a smart tale told within the narrative structure of a cleric who is collecting histories from those still alive to share them. The history they are collecting in this book is that of a woman named Rabbit, who was the servant to and lover of the Empress the book is named for.

Rabbit's story is told with a delicate touch, surrounded by atmospheric details of the world she lives in, and filled with her love and her heartbreak. It spans both her individual life and that of the Empire she lives in, as the two are seamlessly intertwined.

That Vo can get so much into such a short story speaks to her amazing writing. I thoroughly recommend this one!
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Inanna
5.0 out of 5 stars Bello
Reviewed in Italy on March 19, 2022
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Bello ma è pressoché un racconto lungo
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101mystic
5.0 out of 5 stars A good read
Reviewed in Canada on June 8, 2020
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Quick and beautiful. The story comes together without much fuss. And the world building manages to sit in between realism and fantastical.
2 people found this helpful
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M.G.
5.0 out of 5 stars Intruiging world-building and an enby protag
Reviewed in Germany on August 11, 2020
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I hoped for it to be more the story of Chih. I fell in love with In-yo easily enough. The story of the empress unfolds slowly. The bits chosen for narration are puzzle pieces that leave spaces to fill in.
I love the lists heading each chapter.

On the one hand I understand the desire to write just the highlights of a story (and leave the rest to fill in by happy fanficcers) on the other hand I could have done with several hundred pages more of this.
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