The Phoenix and the Firebird
About the book
A bullet-riddled train staggers into the station, delivering an ominous message that will change Lucy Markovs destiny: her father, a Russian officer, has been kidnapped. A refugee who lost so much before she found a home in China, Lucy refuses to lose her last remaining family. Guided by a mysterious feather, she must cross into an enchanted realm to find him.
Lucy’s quick-witted, spirited friend Su joins her quest. Following the clues, they discover a warlord commanding an army of human soldiers and magical beasts has seized Lucy’s father – and now plots to invade their city. To save her father and their home, Lucy and Su must confront the criminal underworld, cross a haunted forest, and outsmart creatures they thought lived only in fairytales. With each step closer to the warlord’s lair, dangers test their courage and their bonds to each other. Will they unlock the secrets of the feather in time?
The Phoenix and the Firebird melds the turmoil of 1920s China with the majesty of Slavic and Chinese myth. Join Lucy and Su as they soar into a world woven from history and folklore, and learn whether friendship is the strongest weapon of all.
What people are saying…
“A Peking caught between an imperial city and a new republic; a world where harsh reality mingles with myth and magic. Warlords, exiled Russians, gangsters, a child in search of her father. There are worlds within worlds in old Peking – real and imagined. Kossiakoff and Crawford bring them all together and to life.” — Paul French, author of Midnight in Peking and City of Devils
“With the publication of “The Phoenix and the Firebird” by co-authors Alexis Kossiakoff and Scott Crawford, readers will fully enjoy a deftly crafted and unique fantasy action/adventure that draws upon both Chinese and Slavic myths and folklore to create the world laid out in “The Phoenix and the Firebird”. A fun read from start to finish, and available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99), this paperback edition of “The Phoenix and the Firebird” is especially and unreservedly for community/public library Fantasy Fiction collections.”— Midwest Book Review
“With cinematographic crispness, this romantic vision of a distant time and culture conjures up a tale of friendship, family, and magic… I was enchanted.” — Gregory Maguire, author of Wicked
“Crawford and Kossiakoff guide us on a magical journey through Chinese and Russian folklore that is welcoming to readers of all ages. It’s like an epic film that has come alive on the page.” — Susan Blumberg-Kason, author of Bernardine’s Shanghai Salon
“A joy from start to finish! The world was brilliantly imagined, the plot filled with excitement and I loved the fusion of Chinese and Russian folklore. A vivid and exciting adventure story — kids will love it!” — Abi Elphinstone, author of Sky Song
“The Phoenix and the Firebird’ is an exquisitely written, deliciously fun, and often moving historical fantasy novel. Readers with any familiarity with Russian and Chinese fairy tales will find so much to delight in here; readers without, so much to discover. Richly steeped in these mythologies, ‘The Phoenix and the Firebird’ is a gripping, touching story about sacrifice, bravery, belief, and the meaning of home, that will enchant and mesmerize readers from middle-grade to adulthood. Highly, highly recommended.” — Kristen Loesch, author of The Last Russian Doll
“Immersive and captivating, the hidden treasures within the pages of this multi-faceted historical fantasy will enchant readers of all ages. The seamless weaving together of Chinese and Russian folk-tales makes for a lush tapestry of mythic resonance; foregrounded by an immensely human tale of the search for lost family, and the finding of friends in unexpected places. Lucy and Su are likeable, relatable heroines, and the backdrop of 1920s China is as evocative and enchanting as the mythic figures that help and hinder the two friends on their journey.” — Viki Holmes, author of Girls’ Adventure Stories of Long Ago
“With its richly realised settings, action-packed plot, and cleverly integrated elements of Russian and Chinese folklore and philosophy, this novel is sure to appeal enormously to young readers – and to older readers too!” — Emma Pass, author and editor
“Russian sojourner Lucy in chaotic warlord-ruling China embarks on a perilous feat to rescue her father from a warlord’s clutches, with the help of her witty Chinese friend Su. Mythical friends and foes appear to aid and thwart their attempt. One can’t but root for the two undeterred friends. The magical story, told in melodic prose, held this reader rapt with wonder throughout. An absolute gem of a read!” — Alice Poon, author of The Heavenly Sword and The Earthly Blaze
Books by Scott Forbes Crawford
In addition to the The Phoenix and the Firebird, Scott has written the following books:
