Today’s review is about IMMORTAL by Sue Lynn Tan. It’s a standalone fantasy romance by the author of the Celestial Kingdom duology. Set amidst Chinese folklore, the main character, Liyen, seeks to renegotiate the alliance between her kingdom and the Immortal Realm. But when mysterious creatures attack, she seeks a trust-based alliance with the God of War in return for his help.

Author: Sue Lynn Tan
Series: None
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Publish Date: January 07, 2025
Print Length: 464

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Immortal Synopsis

Immortal Review

I received a free, digital, advanced reading copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is my own and reflects my honest opinion about this book.

IMMORTAL by Sue Lynn Tan is a standalone fantasy romance about a young ruler, Liyen, trying to forge a new alliance with the Queen of the Golden Desert. When her grandfather dies during an attack from the immortals, Liyen sees an opportunity to break Tianxia’s obligation to them. She must do so through the Queen’s trusted God of War, who brings all negotiations to the Queen. But there is discontent brewing elsewhere and an attack on the Immortal Realm forces Liyen and the God of War to broker an alliance based on tenuous trust.

As with the The Celestial Kingdom duology, IMMORTAL by Sue Lynn Tan has many quotable lines. They are not so much quotable for the banter, but more so for the reflections stated by or ruminated upon by the characters. There is much wisdom interspersed throughout the story that Liyen strives to live by. The writing style remains flowy and descriptive, but I thought it less so than Tan’s previous works.

The catalyst of the story is that Liyen ends up needing the God of War’s assistance to protect Tianxia. They spend plenty of time together, which helps Liyen learn to trust him, first out of necessity and then from familiarity. Liyen is a strong character and, though also stubborn, learns to recognize her prejudices born from vengeance. During her time spent with the God of War, she realizes that an immortal’s reputation may proceed them. However, they are more than their reputations, which do not necessarily equate to who they are as a person. Everyone must make choices and not all of them are easy.

The story reads more like a drama than most other fantasy romances I’ve previously read. However, it is not over the top, which I appreciated. There are a couple of plot lines that made me wonder if the author and editors forgot to tidy them up. But it all makes sense in the end, trust me. Overall, I enjoyed IMMORTAL by Sue Lynn Tan, but there were a few times where I found myself ready for the story to end. I don’t know that I wish for a shorter story since the plot unfurled rather organically. I think perhaps I wasn’t as emotionally invested in Liyen even though I sympathized with her quest.

Moreover, for a fantasy romance, this story is actually relatively light on the romance. Liyen and the God of War clearly think the other attractive, but there isn’t a ton of witty banter or compromising situations. Rather, their interactions at the beginning stem from frustration and distrust and evolve to respect. The spice is also closed door and very light.

Overall, IMMORTAL is a satisfactory romantasy that veers more toward fantasy with a subplot of romance. The main storyline is about protecting Tianxia and restructuring an alliance with the immortal Queen. It is similar to Tan’s previous works in which there is romance, but the main character has a mission. IMMORTAL will please fans of xianxia with its cast of immortals and magical beasts and romantic drama amidst saving a kingdom.

Rating: 3.75
Content warnings: death, gore
Reading format: Kindle e-book

If you liked this book, you may also enjoy DAUGHTER OF THE MOON GODDESS by Sue Lynn Tan.