A Mouthful of Dust (The Singing Hills Cycle, Bk. 6)

This is the sixth installment in the critically-acclaimed The Singing Hills Cycle, by Hugo Award–winning author Nghi Vo.

The cycle is celebrated for its rich myth-building, evocative prose, and its blending of fantasy, history, and queer perspectives — making this entry a must-read for fans of lyrical and character-driven fantasy.

Wandering cleric Chih of the Singing Hills — accompanied by their devoted hoopoe companion Almost Brilliant — arrives in the river town of Baolin, drawn by tales of a legendary famine and strange disappearances. What seems like a straightforward investigation quickly turns sinister: Chih and Almost Brilliant must unravel dark secrets of starvation, power, and hidden crimes tied to the famine’s legacy. As horrors mount, they become trapped in the mansion of a corrupt magistrate — and must race to uncover the truth before the shadows close in and the hunger claims more victims.

“The Singing Hills Cycle has been a marvelous way for Vo to showcase her rich myth-building and storytelling; each volume is rooted in the same familiar protagonist while also exploring entirely new, fresh legends, histories, and settings... A shivery, dark addition to a superb series.”— Booklist

“A thrilling, wuxia-style addition to the series.”— Buzzfeed