The Rise of Kyoshi by F.C. Yee with Michael Dante DiMartino

F. C. Yee’s The Rise of Kyoshi delves into the story of Kyoshi, the Earth Kingdom–born Avatar. The longest-living Avatar in this beloved world’s history, Kyoshi established the brave and respected Kyoshi Warriors, but also founded the secretive Dai Li, which led to the corruption, decline, and fall of her own nation. The first of two novels based on Kyoshi, The Rise of Kyoshi maps her journey from a girl of humble origins to the merciless pursuer of justice who is still feared and admired centuries after she became the Avatar.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41104164-the-rise-of-kyoshi

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My Review: 4/5 Stars

For those who are Avatar the Last Airbender fans, this book is definitely for you! We have finally returned to the Avatar World and let me tell you, Yee does an excellent job diving into that world and doing it justice to what Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko created. He brings us back to the beginning of Avatar Kyoshi's life. The world believed the next Avatar was someone else, but the truth is revealed and it a shocker for Kyoshi. Kyoshi has always been this strong and scary figure when it comes to being the Avatar. We had seen her on the show and my first thought was always she was just pure strength and steel. We get to see how that begins. How her sense of justice is created and how certain events have shaped her life. It's fun to see the world of Avatar so early on. We know Kyoshi lived to be over 200 years old. Then there was Avatar Roku, who lived to be somewhere in his 70s I believe. Then there was Aang's birth and he was 12 before entering the ice for another century. The time gap is pretty big between Aang and Kyoshi. Still, you'll laugh and reminisce on the familiar places and names that appear in the story. To see how important they are in history. We also learn for about Avatar Kuruk, how his actions have shaped the world and who shaped him. A truly great story that is only just beginning. Yee has truly done an excellent job of preserving what we love about the Avatar World and I am glad he had DiMartino to guide him and back him up.