Hey all, I’m back with a  Xianxia genre book for this week’s Bookish Wednesday. It’s “Fates Parallel Volume 01” by DarkTechnomancer.

Plot: The plot of this first book is pretty amazing, though it does lean into certain stereotypical plot devices like the arrogant young master and inscrutable teacher. It also diverges quite a bit with the standout notable example that the story is about two girls, both of whom were forced to become criminals in order to survive, and the both of them ending up in an academy for those who travel the path of Immortal Cultivation. I really enjoyed this story and not just because it features two pretty strong female leads but because it has a very unusual approach to a cultivation system.

I won’t say what else I liked about it as it is incredibly spoilerific. But I will say that while there are those stereotypical plot devices, enough are subverted to allow even pretty prolific readers of the genre to enjoy this volume of “Fates Parallel.”

Characters: Jia and Eui are the two main characters, and I enjoyed them quite a bit, and while this first entry is very much an introduction to both the world and them in particular, the rest of the characters are just as fun. Dae and Eunae are easily some of my favorite side characters we get to meet in this first entry.

Overall: If you enjoy Xianxia, this is a solid first entry for the “Fates Parallel” series.

For those who like: Xianxia, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Drama, Excellent Plot, and Great Characters.

Not for those who don’t like: Any of the above, though I’d suggest giving this a try regardless.