ECHO OF THE BLUE MOUNTAIN
TALES OF THE SWORDSMAN
VOL. 4 OUT NOW
The Legends of the Martial World Await…
I write fast-paced stories full of martial arts action that will make you laugh. Each story and series tie together with familiar settings, recurring heroes and villains, legendary swords, and more. Try the Tales of the Swordsman series if you need a good starting point for wuxia and martial arts fiction. And if you want a good laugh, try Why I Swore Never to Hire a Goon (Except in Emergencies) or Tales of the Magistrate.
PRAISE FOR TALES OF THE SWORDSMAN
"A fast-paced, action-packed adventure with dynamic and witty dialogue exchanges. Sword of Sorrow, Blade of Joy reminded me much of the wuxia dramas I grew up with! I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed JF's passionate narration!"
- Ai Jiang, Nebula and Locus Award finalist and author of LINGHUN and I AM AI
“JF Lee's novel is filled with deftly described tension-filled fight scenes as well as philosophical musings about duty, guilt and redemption. It subtly explores the meaning of life and death, while the intricate plot glides along with fluidity and playfulness. The writing is suffused with humor and warmth. The novel is as much a great escape from the present unsettling times as it is an invitation for us to look deeper into our own souls to find our raison d'être.”
—Alice Poon, Author of Tales of Ming Courtesans and The Green Phoenix
"This is a really fun story. Where it really stands out is in all the fighting, in all the choreography, in all the cool names, and in the progressions. But what I really enjoyed was the interpersonal relations, and how Li Ming and Shu Yan interact with each other. It's really great banter and really memorable side characters. Highly recommend it." - JC Kang, Author of the Dragon Songs Saga
TALES OF THE SWORDSMAN VOL. 1
SWORD OF SORROW BLADE OF JOY
REVENGE IS A DISH BEST
SERVED WITH DUMPLINGS.
After maiming a nobleman’s son, the protection of a legendary swordsman was the best hiding place for fourteen-year old Shu Yan. But she certainly didn’t expect to join him in his quest to find the man who murdered his master and family.
Li Ming is the last swordsman of Blue Mountain. He has sworn an oath to avenge his master’s death and bring the man who murdered his family to justice.
But in the search for his master’s killer, the swordsman and the runaway girl will face bandits, conmen, conspiracies, and scheming nobles. Because the road to revenge is never straight, and always full of danger.
Inspired by classic Kung Fu films and spaghetti western movies, Sword of Sorrow, Blade of Joy is the first volume of tales of the swordsman—adventures of wuxia action, witty banter, martial arts camaraderie, bandits, princesses, and treacherous villains.
TALES OF THE SWORDSMAN VOL. 2
FANGS OF THE BLACK TIGER
The martial world only respects the strong.
Bounty hunters have taken Shu Yan.
To save the girl, Li Ming, the last swordsman of Blue Mountain, must call on the aid of his old allies: the deadly spearwoman Jingyi, and Tao Jun, his sworn brother (and occasionally corrupt magistrate).
Meanwhile, Shu Yan, in the company of the most ruthless and dangerous scum of the martial world, must rely on more than her wits and a snarky joke to survive.
But there is unrest in the martial world. Shazha Kui, the butcher of Blue Mountain, has resurfaced at the head of a powerful army, intent on toppling an empire.
Has the time finally come for Li Ming to avenge the ghosts of his family?
TALES OF THE SWORDSMAN is blend of witty banter, laugh out loud humor, martial arts action, and larger-than-life characters. Inspired by sweeping martial arts epics like Legends of the Condor Heroes, Hero, and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, and anime hits like Samurai Champloo, fans of classic wuxia will love this series.
TALES OF THE SWORDSMAN
VOL. 3: FALL OF THE KING SABER
The ghosts of the past never stay silent.
An apprentice is a distraction Li Ming cannot afford. But he promised to train Shu Yan, even though it may lead him from the mastery needed to defeat his master’s killer.
Bounty hunters are a distraction that might kill Shu Yan. With the reward growing ever richer, the girl must return to the only home she has ever known and face her past.
The land is in chaos. People openly join the Black Tiger Rebellion. The jianghu grows more dangerous.
Will the last swordsman of Blue Mountain prevail against the man who took everything from him? Will he restore peace to a kingdom on the brink of ruin?
The eyes of the martial world are watching....
More praise for TALES OF THE SWORDSMAN
“I'm something of a wuxia novice, and for someone like me this book is excellent. It has the feel of what I understand the genre to be, but the author modernized the dialogue without losing the flavor of the story, making it a humorous and enjoyable read.”
— Walt Mussell
Author of A Second Chance
“I bought this book looking for a fun wuxia story much like the films I enjoyed when I was younger and this book delivered. It's a great story with fun characters that kept me entertained from beginning to end. It felt so true to the genre that I felt like i was practically watching events unfold rather than just reading them. The humor, the action, and the story are all fantastic.”
— Amazon Review
“Supported by a useful glossary and end notes, the story builds off the foundation of the well-known tropes and literary devices of the genre while simultaneously weaving together a gentle introduction to the many words and ideas that make these stories unique unto themselves. If you've ever enjoyed "kung fu" films or legendary epics with melancholy swordsmen bent on revenge (and perhaps learning a thing or two in the process about life) then be sure to read "Sword of Sorrow, Blade of Joy."
— Amazon Review
WHY I SWORE TO NEVER HIRE A GOON (EXCEPT IN EMERGENCIES)
GOONS ARE EASIER ON THE BUDGET…
Shi Baizhe is a screwup. His schemes tend to backfire, and no one in the town of Yuan’men likes him. But when his sister gets kidnapped by a gang, he knows he needs a hero. Unfortunately, heroes don’t come cheap, and no one gives freebies to screwups.
…THAN HEROES
WIth no other alternative, he looks to the seedier side of the jianghu for aid. Enlisting the aid of a former crime boss, two brutes, a grifter, and a qinggong specialist, and a particularly foul-tempered cat, Shi Baizhe will put together the unlikeliest crew to ever stage a heist.
And of course, snacks will be provided.
This is a light-hearted heist comedy based in the Legends of the Martial World, an ancient China adjacent setting full of martial arts action, laugh-out-loud humor, and entertaining characters.
WHY I SWORE TO NEVER HIRE A GOON (EXCEPT IN EMERGENCIES) available on Kindle Vella.
Paperback coming soon in 2023.
TALES FROM THE JIANGHU
DUEL AT BROKEN FURNITURE INN
How do you stop martial artists from wrecking your inn?
Yan Tao's daily routine as the proprietor of the Green Brocade Inn is similar to most other proprietors: manage the books, order ingredients, train the staff, greet guests.
And clean up broken furniture.
Green Brocade is better known by its nickname in the world of the jianghu — the Broken Furniture Inn. The popular stopping place draws in martial artists intent on proving their honor and settling grudges. Yan Tao is tired of heroes wrecking his place and his inn is always another brawl away from bankruptcy. But when a group of bandits appears, the fate of his inn rests in the hands of a young pugilist with a mysterious past.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JF Lee loves telling stories about heroes with swords in wuxia fantasy settings. When he’s not working on his next novel, he can be found diving for green sea turtles to photograph.
BEFORE YOU GO….
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