KIRIN RISE
The Cast of Shadows
by Ed Cruz
Cruz’s action/fantasy debut sees a young woman take on an entrenched, corrupt league of mixed martial arts fighters.
In 2032, Kirin Rise is a 19-year-old photographer living in Chicago. She’s also a student of the rogue martial art gung fu, which isn’t sanctioned by the United Federation of Mixed Fighting. With the country’s middle class nearly abolished, the federation’s brutal entertainment empire helps people vent their frustrations and win some quick cash. One Saturday night, the undersized Kirin decides to fight in a match open to so-called amateurs—and defeats her opponent with one punch! From then on, she’s a celebrity who must navigate the chaotic world of fans and media exposure. Her former teacher Sifu contacts her, wondering why she has upset her tranquil life. Kirin explains that she’s taking a stand against the complacency that poisons the nation. Everything changes, however, when the federation approaches her to officially join. Does she dare enter the system she loathes, even if it gets her access to its president, Jacob Thorne? She’d also have to survive the UFMF’s deadly endgame, full of the most savage fighters, known as the DOME. The novel’s tone seems to be against mixed fighting; as Kirin opines, “Americans lack the patience and attention span to develop true skill...what they’ve done is fast food the hell out of martial arts.” The best moments in the narrative focus on key elements that genuine martial artists can appreciate; they “stand and walk differently,” for example, because they work on their centers of gravity. But too many flashbacks and character-building vignettes distract as the tale progresses. The novel also casually broaches hot-button topics like gun ownership and reality television without fully exploring them. These elements become light décor on a future world that feels a lot like 2014 (aside from a few imaginative gadgets). Langtiw’s Japanese manga–inspired illustrations are well-done but few in number.
An ambitious, thoughtful debut that needs additional focus.