Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Magnolia Sword | 2019 | Sherry Thomas | Buy |
The Magnolia Sword (2019) is Sherry Thomas’s retelling of the Hua Mulan legend. The novel follows Mulan as she disguises herself as a man to serve in the army in her ailing father’s place, a premise faithful to the original Chinese ballad. Thomas draws on her own Chinese heritage to bring authenticity to the setting and culture.
The story adds new characters and plot threads to the classic tale, including a rival who may know Mulan’s secret and a conspiracy that threatens the dynasty. It was published as a standalone novel under the series name A Ballad of Mulan.