The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water

By Zen Cho

A 2021 Locus Award Finalist!

A Lambda Literary Award Finalist

A Book Riot Must-Read Fantasy of 2020

Amazon's Best of 2020 So Far

“Fantastic, defiant, utterly brilliant.” —Ken Liu

Zen Cho returns with The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water, a found family wuxia fantasy that combines the vibrancy of old school martial arts movies with characters drawn from the margins of history.

A bandit walks into a coffeehouse, and it all goes downhill from there. Guet Imm, a young votary of the Order of the Pure Moon, joins up with an eclectic group of thieves (whether they like it or not) in order to protect a sacred object, and finds herself in a far more complicated situation than she could have ever imagined.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Publishers
• Release date: Jun 23, 2020
• ISBN: 9781250269249

Zen Cho

Zen Cho was born and raised in Malaysia and now lives in Birmingham. She was a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer for her short fiction and won the Crawford Award. Her debut novel, Sorcerer to the Crown, won the 2016 British Fantasy Society Award for Best Newcomer. She is also the author of The True Queen and Black Water Sister.

Book preview

There was a brief lull in the general chatter when the bandit walked into the coffeehouse.

This was not because of the knife at his hip or his dusty attire, suggestive of a life spent in the jungle. It was not the first time Weng Wah Coffeehouse had seen a bandit and it would not be the last.

The coffeehouse was the kind of establishment common in any town with more than two Tang people. The floors were tiled and of dubious cleanliness. A painting of a herd of horses dominated the green walls. Below the horses were posters advertising beverages of various types. The tables were sticky, the waiters loud and the chairs rickety.

And as in any town on the peninsula with more than two Tang people, everyone there was used to bandits. It was of course safest to avoid bandits, but since most looked like ordinary people—indeed, if you were unlucky, some of them were your cousin, your uncle, your brother—this was not always possible.

This bandit did not look like anyone’s brother. His chief characteristic, and what made everyone fall silent for an unintended moment, was his extreme beauty. His skin was as pure as jade; his eyes and eyebrows were like ink; his dark hair, bound in a queue, was like silk; and his face was like the full moon among clouds.

The waiter stood gaping at him. The bandit had to gesture pointedly at the table before Ah Kheng leapt into action with a grubby cloth.

You have soya bean? said the bandit. I’ll have it hot and sweet.

The chatter resumed, though there was a new frisson to it. It was mid-morning, so the worst of the breakfast rush had subsided, but there were still plenty of customers. Some departed discreetly, but others stayed, stealing glances at the bandit.

The bandit was used to surreptitious scrutiny and did not let it bother him. He smiled enchantingly at Ah Kheng when his drink arrived, but otherwise paid no attention to anyone else. He was busy reading the poster pinned above his table.

It was one of the few posters that did not extol the delights of beer or umbra juice. Instead, it depicted the morose faces of five men. Beneath these, a calligrapher had inscribed:

By the order of the Protector, guardian of all that lies between the Straits and the Southern Seas, any sighting of these bandits is to be reported to the Protectorate at once. Anyone found to have given these criminals succour will be punished.

The bandit was gazing so intently at the wanted men that he did not appear to notice the quarrel brewing between a waitress and the customer at the next table. He didn’t stir even when the customer shouted:

Useless girl, did you think I wouldn’t notice your jampi?

The observers could never agree on what happened next. Some vowed the cup of tea jumped into the air of its own accord. But of course this was not possible. The waitress must have thrown it at the shouting customer. In any case, the man smacked it away. It went flying, hurtling towards the back of the bandit’s head.

The bandit leaned out of the way and watched as tea drenched the poster. The cup clattered onto his table, rolling to a stop.

What’s going on? cried the owner of the coffeehouse, rushing out of the kitchen.

He took in the situation in one horrified glance. The waitress was looking defiant, the customer irate. The latter wore once-rich robes that had seen better days. There was a gap in his front teeth where, perhaps, a gold tooth had once been.

The coffeehouse owner snapped at the waitress, What did you do?

The customer was red-faced. This girl tried to hex me! You don’t try to deny. I know what magic smells like!

I didn’t try to deny also, said the waitress, with an injured air.

She was probably not much younger than the bandit, but her bald head gave her an innocent look. She was pretty enough that she did not suffer from adopting the grooming standards of the monastic orders. To look at her was to wonder why all women did not shave their heads.

She gave the coffeehouse owner a look of appeal, but he was unmoved.

You hexed a customer? he roared. He smacked her on the side of the head.

I didn’t say that, Mr Aw, protested the waitress, rubbing her head. I just said I didn’t deny only.

What kind of establishment is this, hiring witches to serve people? said the customer. Normal people are too expensive, is it?

Mr Aw looked anxious. Sir, please…

The bandit’s eyebrow twitched. He sighed and turned around.

It’s not the girl’s fault, he said. Uncle started it. He gestured at the angry customer.

That sounds highly unlikely! said Mr Aw.

Who are you to say? said the irate customer to the bandit. You didn’t even see what was happening!

I heard you pinch the other waiter’s ass, said the bandit, bored. It’s not even that good an ass. Shouldn’t you be more discriminating when you harass people?

That’s so rude, said the waitress indignantly. Ah Kheng, you don’t listen to him! You have a very nice ass!

Ah Kheng had vanished, but his voice drifted out from the kitchen: Please stop talking about my ass.

Ah, sorry, said the bandit. He looked mildly embarrassed. If I knew you were there, I wouldn’t have commented on your ass. He turned to the irate customer. Uncle, give face to this gentleman—what’s your name?

Mr Aw, said Mr Aw.

Mr Aw is just trying to run his business, said the bandit to the customer. It’s hard to make a living these days. We Tang people must try to get along.

He reached into his robe and drew out a woven purse, which he threw at the coffeehouse owner. Mr Aw caught it with the neatness of a man who would know the jingling of cash at fifty paces. He opened the purse while the waitress peered over his shoulder. Their eyes widened.

A thank you for maintaining the peace in your coffeehouse, said the bandit. He nodded at the waitress. And for being a benevolent employer.

He turned back to his study of the poster with the air of one washing his hands of the matter.

Are you going to—you’re just going to take a bribe right in front of me? said the irate customer.

Sir could have half? said Mr Aw.

I don’t want half, said the customer. I want justice!

In these times justice is hard to get, said the waitress sagely. Better you take the money, sir. Maybe you cannot afford a new tooth, but you can definitely buy new clothes.

You…!

There was a tearing noise from the bandit’s table. They fell quiet, but the bandit was only folding the poster delicately and putting it into his robe. He stood up.

Ah, sir, said Mr Aw. Sorry, but I have to keep that sign, sir. I’ll get in trouble if the mata see I don’t have it.

Difficult, agreed the bandit. But what can I do? I can’t read it here. That fellow is too noisy. I cannot focus.

He jerked his head towards the irate customer, who turned purple.

Who asked you to be a busybody? said the customer.

Uncle, you’re being very troublesome, said the bandit. "Look, you’ve chased away all of Mr Aw’s customers already. Why don’t you leave with me?

I don’t mean go away together, he clarified. I mean leave here at the same time, separately. Let the lady be. Heaven will punish her if she is wrong.

That’s right, said the waitress, but the customer did not agree.

‘Lady’! he snorted. This girl is a useless slut.

Actually, I’m a nun, said the waitress, pointing at her bald head. So, literally the opposite of a slut!

Oh, shut up, growled the customer. He backhanded her. The waitress fell back, looking more startled than frightened.

The bandit sighed. That wasn’t very gentlemanly.

Nobody asked you, pretty boy! snapped the customer.

The bandit’s forehead furrowed. Is that the best insult you can offer? Never mind.

There weren’t many witnesses left to quarrel about what happened next. But as he peeked out from the kitchen, Ah Kheng saw the bandit take the customer’s feet out from under him and pin him up against the wall. It was done in one fluid movement from start to finish.

Now, said the bandit.

But there was more to the customer than his appearance indicated. He spat in the bandit’s face. As the bandit recoiled, the customer’s hand moved to his side. Metal gleamed between their bodies.

Brother, watch out! cried Ah Kheng, but he needn’t have worried about the bandit. The bandit slipped the customer’s dagger out of his hand, whistling when he got a closer look at

Reviews for The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water

[greeniezona · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is one of the rare books where I picked it up at the library, semi-randomly, read it, loved it, and shortly thereafter had to go out and buy my own copy of it to keep on my shelves.It's a queer little wuxia tale of a sweaty group of found-family bandits, with Malay cultural influences and a lovely dry humor. I absolutely loved the world and Cho's writing style. I would love to read like five more of these.

[miken32 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If you’re not familiar with some aspects of Chinese culture you may feel a bit like you’ve been dropped in the deep end, but it is a fantasy so we’re used to that. Enjoyable story and interesting characters, I would absolutely read a novel set in this world. In fact, the ending of this novella seems like a perfect setup for a novel…

[fred_mouse · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Does a great job of a fantasy setting with an assumption that the reader knows what s going on, even though I have no idea whether any of the political groups are meant to represent any specific historical factions/countries/etc. Very much a colonisation narrative at that level though. Works really well.

[herenya_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Tet Sang is part of a group of bandits who run into trouble after a nun from the Order of the Pure Moon insists on joining them and uncovers the truth of their mission.This was intriguing. Definitely intriguing. Occasionally amusing. A well-constructed story. I wouldn’t mind reading more about these characters.

[macha_4 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

3 and a half stars. novella. i was geared up for this one to be really good, and the Malayesque world had great potential, but really not much happened, i was sort of disappointed. i'll keep my eye on the author, though; maybe the next story in this setting will be the charm.

[shrike58 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

While I was certainly entertained by this novella, it starts out with such a bang, that the rest of this story, involving a nun and a gang of bandits, set against the background of imperial suppression, pales in comparison. Basically it's a portrait miniature of the nun (anchoress to be precise) and the main POV character. That there might be more stories forthcoming in this milieu is something I would look forward to.

[liscarey · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A bandit walks into a coffeehouse and is quietly drinking his tea when a dispute breaks out between a waitress and a customer. Soon it becomes a major fight, in which the bandit, Lau Fung Cheung, and another bandit, Tet Sang, play a major role.Guet Imm, a young votary of the Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water, is working as a waitress in the coffeehouse after her tokong was attacked and everyone else killed. She's alive because she was an anchorite, protected by her walls until she realized it had been too long between food deliveries. She emerged to find the devastation. She's not really a very good waitress, and she's a worse assistant cook, so she's fired without hesitation for the fight.Guet Imm then joins the bandit gang, whether they want her or not.She has no idea what she's getting into, but then, neither do the bandits. Or, as they prefer to call themselves, contractors.The contractors are transporting a very special load of goods to a very particular buyer. Lau Fung Cheung, head of the gang, has perhaps not kept all his promises to his men. Tet Sang, second in command, and maker of many of the important decisions, has secrets he'd prefer the rest of the contractors don't know. Guet Imm really is a young and somewhat naïve votary of her order, but she's something more than just that.Also, this is just a really interesting world to wander around in.There are things I would love to comment on that would be major spoilers.Highly recommended.I bought this book.

[dbsovereign · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a charming tale of derring-do set in a fantasy China in the midst of civil war. It's the bandits mixing with the religious types and the religious types hold all the cards. It's not clear whether their powers depend on magic or training. Mixed in is a bit of transsexual romance which gradually surfaces - as these things have a wont to do. After a few broken necks, the principles live happily ever after. I would have preferred to have a book with more heft to it in terms of plot (more setup) and have characters with a bit more background. But overall lovely and jewel-like.

[khimaera · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It’s not easy being a waitress. Ofttimes you’re not appreciated for all the hard work. Make sure you get all the orders right, especially for your most finicky of customers, try to ignore the occasional ogling and pinching of your bottom when you walk away. It’s even more challenging when you’ve just started your job at a coffeehouse and the customer thinks you’re a witch. Enter a kind-hearted bandit, lose your job, and where are you going to go? The small group of bandits of course. Just invite yourself along on their journey to deliver some items and you’ll figure out some way to help them. It’s definitely not your cooking skills, you’re not going to sleep with them unless they won’t mind you cleansing yourself in the blood of their castration to pay homage to your deity, but at least they smell a bit better after cleaning their clothes. This Malaysian-infused tale, tranquil at times in its presentation, is filled with beauty, Queer characters, and light-hearted wit. There’s a silent war taking place in the background with unpredictable people, mistrust on all sides, and innocents caught in the middle. The Protectorate seeks to establish its hold over the country and the Reformist bandits are rather getting in the way. Caught up in the fray, the tokong (monastic temples) have been burned and sacked. The Protectorate believes they are aiding the bandits and the bandits think they are being sold out to the Protectorate. Our stumbling bandits just want their pay to take care of their families and maybe have a little fun on the side. The bandits’ misadventures take them through leech-filled jungles to the home of a wealthy powerbroker to fulfill an honorable quest in an untrustworthy world. One of the bandits, Tet Sang, and the waitress, Guet Imm, are at the heart of this wuxia-inspired tale. As their carefully guarded secrets come to light, they are drawn together and set along a path neither could have imagined.

[rivkat_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Novella about a nun who, after the destruction of her order in the ongoing war, joins a group of bandits who are smuggling a treasure. Fantasy elements come from most characters’ belief in the nun’s magical powers granted by her deity (if they exist). It’s reasonably cute though slight.

[jakecasella · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A lovely story. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but after an initial set-up that seemed to promise a martial-arts & magic-fueled adventure, I was pleasantly surprised by how this turned instead to something character-driven, pondering identity and choice against a background of confused political and religious realities.

[waxflower-775731 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A short but interesting read. I really felt that, particularly for a novella, an amazing job was done in setting up the world and the characters. Very enjoyable.