Description

Dragons. Art. Revolution.

Gyen Jebi isn’t a fighter, or a subversive. They just want to paint.

One day they’re jobless and desperate; the next, Jebi finds themself recruited by the Ministry of Armor to paint the mystical sigils that animate the occupying government’s automaton soldiers.

But when Jebi discovers the depths of the Razanei government’s horrifying crimes-and the awful source of the magical pigments they use-they find they can no longer stay out of politics.

What they can do is steal Arazi, the ministry’s mighty dragon automaton, and find a way to fight…

Publisher Review

"An elegant, eloquent novel, tense and full of incident." * Locus * "The emphasis on art and painting gives the writing a poetic quality, added to by the elements of magic and mythology, which shows the depth of Lee's research with a deft hand." * The Nerd Daily * "A powerful, deeply moving book that is a wonderful read, without question one of the best of the year." * Every Book a Doorway * "Phoenix Extravagant marks a different way of looking at Empire and power and living within, under, and against that than Lee's first novels, but no less a powerful one. A fantastic, brilliant undertaking." -- Waterstones Bookseller's Review "A story of art, love, human connection, the power of creation, colonialism, and the roles we all have to play in fighting oppression." -- Paul Weimer "... a smart, thought-provoking book, and one which feels incredibly timely." * SciFiNow 4 star review * "Powerful. Unforgettable. This is another amazing piece of work, and I have the feeling I need to read it again to get it fully!" -- Stephen Baxter "Fiercely original." -- Adrian Tchaikovsky "Phoenix Extravagant is a book containing ruminations on imperialism, the function and sanctity of art, acculturation, and the morality of love. It also contains a bloody big and unexpectedly adorable mechanical dragon." -- Jonathan L. Howard, author of the Johannes Cabal books "An arresting tale of loyalty, identity, and the power of art... Lee's masterful storytelling is sure to wow." * Publishers Weekly, starred review *