LIBRARY JOURNAL (STARRED) --
A Chinese American man named Owen
Johnson's quest to solve the mystery behind his birth parent's disappearance
leads him to the peak of a windswept mountain in China, where he discovers an
ancient Shaolin temple inhabited by a group of warriors calling themselves the
Order of the Flaming Fist. After proving his martial arts prowess, the order's
leader, Master Wei Lun, invites Owen to stay and begin training. Soon, Owen
begins a forbidden romance with another warrior, Ling Zan, and learns that the
order has two missions: to rediscover the long-lost ability to generate
devastating fireballs and to ensure their temple's secrets never fall into the
hands of their adversaries, the Scorched Earth
Clan.<br />VERDICT Kirkman (<i>Oblivion Song. </i>Vol.
3) and Samnee (<i>Black Widow: The Complete Collection</i>) have created a fun
homage to classic martial arts films and comic books, and while this volume
serves as a prelude to an upcoming monthly series, it includes more than enough
action and intrigue to satisfy on its own.<br /><br /><br />