Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Lu Delong, half-human half-yao mercenary, has been training to become more powerful in his quest to be of worth to Cangji, the formidable immortal he desires. To prove he deserves a place in the expedition to Mount Kunlun, Delong risks his life in a dangerous mission against Black Moon Sect. However, as Delong grows stronger, he becomes more aware of the vast disparity between himself and Cangji—ten years is not nearly enough time for Delong to be of much use in the impending conflict that may shake the very foundations of the universe.

 

Yet the realization only fuels his yearning to understand the forgotten mysteries of his connection with Cangji. Delong knows he will never achieve his goal of saving the celestial dragon if he remains mortal. Luckily, thanks to his past he has a shortcut to attaining immortality.

 

However, memories from his previous incarnations deeply disturb Delong, and he soon realizes he might not be the innocent outsider in the conflict between gods as he first imagined himself to be.

 

Book Review

After the extraordinary characters, setting, and adventures of the first book in this series, ‘The Relics of Gods’, I was really looking forward to finding out more about half human/half yao Delong and Cangji, the mysterious immortal Delong is trying to save from a horrible fate. Set almost ten years after the ending of the previous book, ‘A Thousand Years of Persistence’ picks up at the point where Delong is about to find out if he qualifies to take part in the next expedition, this one looking for the metal god’s relic on Mount Kunlun. Cangji is interested as well, and since Delong is interested in Cangji… As expected, this is another epic quest/adventure story, but it is also a lot more. Battles between powerful sects, the slow revelations about Delong and Cangji’s pasts, immortal and other enemies, and an underlying love story that spans millennia all had me glued to the pages. Do read the first book before this one - you’ll need the background to understand what’s going on in this astounding sequel.

Delong is a half yao, an elk spirit who has collected enough magic to shift into human form. He is well on the way to becoming a xian – an immortal being. At the beginning of this story, he has already realized there is more to him than he was aware of. He has been reincarnated several times, but he does not know why. As the story progresses, his past is revealed bit by bit, and he slowly gains access to his memories and abilities from previous lives. The picture that emerges is not at all what he expects, and his involvement in the war of the gods turns out to be significant.

Cangji has proved to be a celestial dragon – but not any dragon at that. He is the next Heaven, meant to give up his life and energy when the current Heaven expires. It explains why he was so detached in the previous book – Heaven is not supposed to be partial. His role is to bring balance to the universe, but Delong thinks the price of losing him is too high. Not that there is much he can do about it – not unless he manages to become immortal, figure out who is on what side, and develop a plan that saves his lover without destroying not just the world of mortals, but the entire universe.

While the secondary characters are as imaginative, quirky, and engaging as ever, the central theme of thousands of years of struggle between immortals fascinated me. To have them be just as devious and sneaky as mortals, of course, is fun. But their much longer lifespans and greater powers significantly increase the risks – and rewards – of any of their ventures, and that makes for great reading!
 
If you like stories where the fate of the universe itself is at stake, if you have ever wondered whether fate or free will is the stronger force, and if you’re looking for a read that is challenging, enjoyable, a love story across millennia, and a fantastically written adventure all in one, then you will probably like this novel as much as I did. It is truly impressive!

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by DSP Publications for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook and print
Length	Novel, 450 pages/154932 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	03-November-2015
Price	$6.99 ebook, $17.99 paperback, $17.99 bundle
Buy Link	https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/a-thousand-years-of-persistence-by-yeyu-11046-b