Li Feng dances to entertain a crowd in a Chinese town, her sword a dulled prop. But when thief catchers, bounty hunters of the day, try to arrest her on suspicion of theft she runs, leading a merry chase over rooftops and down lanes. Why would she run if not guilty? Han the thief catcher turns her in, but he doesn't know if the lovely girl has done anything, and he's convinced she's had martial arts training at Wudang Mountain.

THE SWORD DANCER Li has indeed been up to no good - a tyrant warlord called General Wang is in charge of Fujian province and she has been among dissidents stealing his grain and returning it to taxed villagers. A shipment of jade and gold however was a different matter. From this the girl took three jade pendants, kin to one her mother had given her years ago. Now she's trying to find out more about the jade, but the craftsmen have reported her and put her in peril. Han decides to take her on the back of his horse to the city of Taining to collect his payment. The magistrates will give her a beating, maybe worse... even execution. The resourceful Li Feng however pretends that he is a slaver and inn patrons come to her aid - but for how long can she keep running? Han is determined to find her again - and see if there is any truth to the tale of corruption she has exposed.

I was enchanted by the descriptions of China in the 800s, with public bath houses in the government-controlled cities and outlaws in the 'rivers and lakes' or rugged terrain. Food is largely based on rice and vegetables, meat being for the wealthy; the meat may be snake. Bamboo forms anything from hats to scaffolding. The characters have to speak carefully to those of higher status, flattery being all-important. Salt is taxed and smuggled, and I was fascinated to read of its production from brine wells. A girl sold by a poor family is trained as a silken courtesan - not itself a bad life, as she is well cared for and treated with respect.

Jeannie Lin acknowledges her debt to Jennifer Roberson's 'Sword Dancer' fantasy series about Tiger and Del, and there is also a similarity to the film 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' with its remarkable visuals. THE SWORD DANCER is a wonderful romantic adventure tale of another place and time, with a heroine we can all admire.

Book Summary

The thief who stole his heart

Sword dancer Li Feng is used to living life on the edge of the law—a woman alone in the dangerous world of the Tang Dynasty has only her whirlwind reflexes to trust. She will discover the truth about her past, even if that means outwitting the most feared thief-catcher of them all.…

Relentless, handsome and determined, Han sees life—and love—as black and white. Until he finally captures the spirited, courageous Li Feng, who makes him question everything he thought he knew about right and wrong. Soon he's faced with an impossible choice: betray the elusive sword dancer he is learning to love, or trust his long-disregarded heart and follow her to dangerous, tempting rebellion.…