“The Girl with Ghost Eyes is a fun, fun read. Martial arts and Asian magic set in Old San Francisco make for a fresh take on urban fantasy, a wonderful story that kept me up late to finish.”
—#1 New York Times bestselling author Patricia Briggs
It’s the end of the nineteenth century in San Francisco’s Chinatown, and ghost hunters from the Maoshan traditions of Daoism keep malevolent spiritual forces at bay. Li-lin, the daughter of a renowned Daoshi exorcist, is a young widow burdened with yin eyes—the unique ability to see the spirit world. Her spiritual visions and the death of her husband bring shame to Li-lin and her father—and shame is not something this immigrant family can afford.
When a sorcerer cripples her father, terrible plans are set in motion, and only Li-lin can stop them. To aid her are her martial arts and a peachwood sword, her burning paper talismans, and a wisecracking spirit in the form of a human eyeball tucked away in her pocket. Navigating the dangerous alleys and backrooms of a male-dominated Chinatown, Li-lin must confront evil spirits, gangsters, and soulstealers before the sorcerer’s ritual summons an ancient evil that could burn Chinatown to the ground.
With a rich and inventive historical setting, nonstop martial arts action, authentic Chinese magic, and bizarre monsters from Asian folklore, The Girl with Ghost Eyes is also the poignant story of a young immigrant searching to find her place beside the long shadow of a demanding father and the stigma of widowhood. In a Chinatown caught between tradition and modernity, one woman may be the key to holding everything together.
Skyhorse Publishing, under our Night Shade and Talos imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of titles for readers interested in science fiction (space opera, time travel, hard SF, alien invasion, near-future dystopia), fantasy (grimdark, sword and sorcery, contemporary urban fantasy, steampunk, alternative history), and horror (zombies, vampires, and the occult and supernatural), and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller, a national bestseller, or a Hugo or Nebula award-winner, we are committed to publishing quality books from a diverse group of authors.
M. H. Boroson was obsessed with two things as a young man: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and kung fu movies. He has studied Chinese religion at Naropa University and the University of Colorado and now lives in Denver, Colorado, with his wife and three cats. The Girl with Ghost Eyes is his first novel.
Praise for The Girl with Ghost Eyes
“The Girl with Ghost Eyes is a fun, fun read. Martial arts and Asian magic set in Old San Francisco make for a fresh take on urban fantasy, a wonderful story that kept me up late to finish.”
—#1 New York Times bestselling author Patricia Briggs
“A brilliant tale of magic, monsters, and kung fu in the San Francisco Chinatown of 1898” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Boroson’s writing is both lyrical and captivating . . . This is a thrilling adventure through historical Chinatown, and an exquisite blend of history and myth set in a spirit-world you’ll never forget.” —Rob Thurman, New York Times bestselling author
“An impressive first novel set in a beautifully realized world of Daoism and martial arts . . . One of those books you can’t wait to get back to.” —Lian Hearn, author of the international bestselling Tales of the Otori series
"A brilliant tale of magic, monsters, and kung fu in the San Francisco Chinatown of 1898 . . . smoothly mixes Hong Kong cinema with urban fantasy, and Li-lin is a splendid protagonist whose cleverness and bravura will leave readers eager for her future adventures."
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Packed with evocative imagery of the multitudes of spirits lurking just out of sight. Li-lin is a strong, determined character, but Boroson doesn’t make her wildly anachronistic for her time, imbuing her with filial loyalty and a respect for her culture that should not be called meekness."
—Library Journal, starred review
"A thrilling world of kung fu, sorcery and spirits. . .The pace never slows, offering a constant stream of strange characters, dire threats, and heroic actions that makes the book a compelling page-turner."
—The A.V. Club
"A joy to read. Set against the backdrop of turn-of-the-century Chinatown, Boroson’s tale blends fluid, kinetic martial arts sequences with grotesque creatures and enough dramatic tension and pathos to hook readers and keep them."
—Barnes & Noble Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog
“A must-read for fans of historical fantasy and Chinese lore. The Girl with Ghost Eyes delivers a compelling heroine torn between talent and tradition in a fascinating Chinatown full of monsters, magic, and kung fu.” —Betsy Dornbusch, author of Exile and Enemy
"Li-lin is one of my all-time favorite female characters after reading this book; I simply fell in love with her ... I expect to see The Girl with Ghost Eyes on lots of “Best of” lists this year. It’s certainly going to be on mine. Highly recommended."
—The Speculative Herald, 10/10 rating
"Masterful writing ... Boroson has has done his research quite extensively, and he’s approached every aspect of the book with thoughtfulness and respect ... I am absolutely ravenous for more of Li-Lin’s story."
—Christina Ladd, Geekly Inc.
Praise for The Girl with Ghost Eyes
“The Girl with Ghost Eyes is a fun, fun read. Martial arts and Asian magic set in Old San Francisco make for a fresh take on urban fantasy, a wonderful story that kept me up late to finish.”
—#1 New York Times bestselling author Patricia Briggs
“A brilliant tale of magic, monsters, and kung fu in the San Francisco Chinatown of 1898” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Boroson’s writing is both lyrical and captivating . . . This is a thrilling adventure through historical Chinatown, and an exquisite blend of history and myth set in a spirit-world you’ll never forget.” —Rob Thurman, New York Times bestselling author
“An impressive first novel set in a beautifully realized world of Daoism and martial arts . . . One of those books you can’t wait to get back to.” —Lian Hearn, author of the international bestselling Tales of the Otori series
"A brilliant tale of magic, monsters, and kung fu in the San Francisco Chinatown of 1898 . . . smoothly mixes Hong Kong cinema with urban fantasy, and Li-lin is a splendid protagonist whose cleverness and bravura will leave readers eager for her future adventures."
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Packed with evocative imagery of the multitudes of spirits lurking just out of sight. Li-lin is a strong, determined character, but Boroson doesn’t make her wildly anachronistic for her time, imbuing her with filial loyalty and a respect for her culture that should not be called meekness."
—Library Journal, starred review
"A thrilling world of kung fu, sorcery and spirits. . .The pace never slows, offering a constant stream of strange characters, dire threats, and heroic actions that makes the book a compelling page-turner."
—The A.V. Club
"A joy to read. Set against the backdrop of turn-of-the-century Chinatown, Boroson’s tale blends fluid, kinetic martial arts sequences with grotesque creatures and enough dramatic tension and pathos to hook readers and keep them."
—Barnes & Noble Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog
“A must-read for fans of historical fantasy and Chinese lore. The Girl with Ghost Eyes delivers a compelling heroine torn between talent and tradition in a fascinating Chinatown full of monsters, magic, and kung fu.” —Betsy Dornbusch, author of Exile and Enemy
"Li-lin is one of my all-time favorite female characters after reading this book; I simply fell in love with her ... I expect to see The Girl with Ghost Eyes on lots of “Best of” lists this year. It’s certainly going to be on mine. Highly recommended."
—The Speculative Herald, 10/10 rating
"Masterful writing ... Boroson has has done his research quite extensively, and he’s approached every aspect of the book with thoughtfulness and respect ... I am absolutely ravenous for more of Li-Lin’s story."
—Christina Ladd, Geekly Inc.
