The Dawn of Yangchen by F.C. Yee

Book 1

From the New York Times bestselling author of Avatar, the Last Airbender: The Rise of Kyoshi and Avatar, the Last Airbender: The Shadow of Kyoshi comes a thrilling new chapter in the Chronicles of the Avatar series

Yangchen’s inexperience may prove to be her greatest asset . . .

Plagued by the voices of Avatars before her for as long as she can remember, Yangchen has not yet earned the respect felt for Avatar Szeto, her predecessor. In an era where loyalty is bought rather than earned, she has little reason to trust her counsel. When Yangchen travels to Bin-Er in the Earth Kingdom on political business, a chance encounter with an informant named Kavik leads to a wary partnership. Bin-Er is a city ruled by corrupt shang merchants who have become resentful of the mercurial Earth King and his whims. To extract themselves from his influence, the shangs have one solution in mind: a mysterious weapon of mass destruction that would place power squarely in their hands. As Yangchen and Kavik seek to thwart the shangs’ plan, their unlikely friendship deepens. But for Yangchen to chart her course as a singularly powerful Avatar, she must learn to rely on her own wisdom above all else.

This propulsive third installment in the Chronicles of the Avatar series illuminates Avatar Yangchen’s journey from uncertain young woman to revered leader. 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58667490-the-dawn-of-yangchen?ref=bk_bet_out

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My Review: 5/5 Stars 

When we meet Avatar Yangchen back in Aang's story in Avatar the Last Airbender, Aang is seeking Yangchen's advice as a fellow airbender Avatar on how to follow your Air Nomad teachings even as the Avatar. And Avatar Yangchen says, "Selfless duty calls you to sacrifice your own spiritual needs and do whatever it takes to protect the world." I kept thinking about this quote and how Yangchen truly believed this based on her actions in this story. So let me back up. The beginning of this story shows glimpses of a young Yangchen. Fellow Avatar fans know, that an Avatar learns of their identity when they are sixteen. Typically. But we know that isn't always true. Aang overheard the monks and learned when he twelve who he was and ran away that night. While Korra had the affinity of almost all the elements when she was about four and knew exactly what that meant. For Yangchen, it wasn't so simple. She had something we haven't seen. Her past lives are constantly in her mind. Talking and talking and talking to the point where as a child, it was the most painful experience for her and she had no idea what was happening. All their experiences coming at her and the only way to stop the voices was for someone to figure out which Avatar was currently talking and find the works of companions or something she was muttering under her breath to bring her back to reality. Yangchen also has more of an affinity when dealing with the spirits and the Spirit World. She may not have realized who she was when she was a child right away, but the incidents lead her to learning early. This shaped who she becomes.

In this book, Yangchen is seventeen and has already dealt with some issues and is proving to be a powerful Avatar even at a young age. But there is always work to be done. And her current work is about helping the city Bin-Er before some sort of weapon arrives. It means recruiting Kavik, a waterbender who has no side and revealing that this Avatar knows what it means to play the game she hates. How to build a network and have spies and be one herself. So back to her quote to Aang. She realizes that she cannot be this true Air Nomad. Her teachings and sense of identity as an Air Nomad can go only so far since she is the Avatar. She will learn that to achieve your goals and find the peace you wish to bring, will require sacrifice and you can only take so much of the brunt. 

I really enjoyed this story! Yangchen was a surprise despite knowing that one quote from her. I didn't expect her to be so sneaky and intelligent in that world of deception. But she is strong and brave and loyal and willing to help others no matter the cost to her own life. And then we have Kavik. He was another great character though you can see his struggle of being basically forced to be Yangchen's spy. He wants to help his family and he'll make his own sacrifices before truly realizing who he is. Great story overall. Lots of twists and turns. And even more head nods to many, many things we have seen in the Avatar world. It's fun to see things we know from Aang's time and realize it goes very far back. That these things existed even then. I couldn't put the book down. And with that bit of a cliffhanger at the end of this story, I am definitely looking forward to more of Avatar Yangchen and her companions.