In 19th-century San Francisco, a friend of Li-lin's deceased husband lures her into a trap set for her in the spirit world. A mysterious one-armed man wants her father dead and hoped to use Li-lin as a conduit for an evil spirit, owing to her ability to see spirits and travel to their realm—an ability known as having yin or "ghost" eyes. Caught in the spirit world, Li-lin must find a way back to Chinatown to help her father and get revenge on the man who tried to trap her. With her father injured, Li-lin will need to search in some unusual places for allies, including local criminal gangs and a talking eyeball spirit. VERDICT This slim debut is packed with evocative imagery of the multitudes of spirits lurking just out of sight. Li-lin is a strong, determined character, but Boroson doesn't make her wildly anachronistic for her time, imbuing her with filial loyalty and a respect for her culture that should not be called meekness. Fans of Molly Tanzer's excellent Vermillion should check this out, as should fans of Hong Kong action films and kung fu.—MM

Debut novelist Boroson crafts a brilliant tale of magic, monsters, and kung fu in the San Francisco Chinatown of 1898. Xian Li-lin is a Maoshan priestess, destined to fight monsters with paper talismans and her peachwood sword. When she is tricked and trapped in the spirit world, her father, who is a powerful priest, must make a terrible sacrifice to rescue her. Li-lin learns that the ambush was meant to eliminate both of them before they can stop a horrifying plan to create a Kulou-Yuanling, a monstrous spirit giant created from the corpses of 100 men. With her father weakened, Li-lin must seek allies among monsters, spirits, and gangsters. Her only protector and counselor is Mr. Yanqiu, the spirit of her father's eye. This fantastic tale smoothly mixes Hong Kong cinema with urban fantasy, and Li-lin is a splendid protagonist whose cleverness and bravura will leave readers eager for her future adventures. Agent: Sandy Lu, L. Perkins Agency. (Nov.)