Okay, so this review is sort of a long time coming. Donald forwarded me Jiao Tu’s Endeavour back in June, and I quickly dived into it. However, soon after I finished it, I suddenly had to refocus efforts on my job. Sadly, this review unfortunately got left on the back burner as a result. But I made a promise, and I intend to keep it. So, without further ado, my review of Jiao Tu’s Endeavour.
I confess that I’m unfamiliar with most of the inspirations behind this work. Wuxia is a genre that I know very little about. So, I will be coming at this work from a completely outsider perspective. I was initially interested in this work for its unique combination of science fiction elements that somehow actually coalesce into a fantasy/adventure story.
Before I begin on that, I should give a description of what Jiao Tu’s Endeavour actually is. The story takes place on a generation ship based on the design of a McKendree cylinder. The humans are kept in stasis for the interstellar voyage while the ship is crewed by uplifted animals for the duration of the voyage.
This is the premise of the story, as the ship has gone off course and these animal societies are left to their own devices. They develop into complex societies with their own hierarchies and power struggles. The animals have a limited understanding of the ship’s systems, and humans are treated as somewhat mythical (It is a nice twist that the ancient precursor race is actually humanity in this story).
When I said the story was more fantasy/adventure, what I want to convey is that this is a story about a wandering swordsman traveling through a strange world. The main character is an uplifted rabbit named Jiao Tu. He is sent on a quest to recover a kidnapped mousling in the hidden bowels of the ship. Along the way, he encounters strange dangers, dubious allies, and a fanatic cult.
However, I will stay silent on most of the story to keep from spoilers. What I particularly like most about the story is the character of Jiao Tu himself. He is a “Gentleman Warrior” in that he has a strict code of ethics and manners which define every decision he makes in the story. While this may be common in stories inspired by Eastern traditions, I have not run across many stories of its kind in the West.
The narrative immediately establishes itself as something distinct from most science fiction that I have ever read. In an age of tired tropes being pushed out by modern publishing companies, I appreciated this work immensely as a return to storytelling that is actually focused on storytelling rather than to propagate a “message”. The author is far is more interested in creating a unique world with interesting characters rather than shoving propaganda down your throat.
I will say that this story focuses more on action and adventure than its science fiction elements. While this is far from a bad thing, in fact it serves the story quite well, I want to advise the reader who generally prefers more hard Sci-Fi like myself. The world building and exposition is sprinkled throughout the story rather than told in chunks. As a result, the pacing is quick, which facilitates the action elements while also slowly building the setting over the course of the narrative.
But this might come as a downside to readers who want every nook and cranny explored immediately. This is story which is patient in its detail, and I want to warn someone who wants every aspect explained. In this area, whether you enjoy the story or not simply comes down to reader preference.
As for myself, Jiao Tu’s Endeavour was a highly entertaining read, and I would be quick to recommend it for anyone who is looking for some good fun.