Night of the Dragon
Ratings10
Average rating4.1
15
Ratings10
Average rating4.1
In the epic finale to New York Times bestselling author Julie Kagawa’s Shadow of the Fox trilogy, the scroll has been taken, and no one is safe.
To save everyone she loves from imminent death, kitsune shapeshifter Yumeko gave up the final piece of the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers. Now she and her ragtag band of companions must make one desperate final effort to stop the Master of Demons from using the scroll to call the Great Kami Dragon and make the wish that will plunge the empire into chaos.
Shadow clan assassin Kage Tatsumi has regained control of his body and agreed to a true deal with the devil—the demon inside him, Hakaimono. They will share his body and work with Yumeko to stop a madman, and to separate Hakaimono from Tatsumi and the cursed sword that trapped the demon for nearly a millennium.
But even with their combined skills and powers, this unlikely team of heroes knows the forces of evil may be impossible to overcome. And there is another player in the battle for the scroll, a player who has been watching, waiting for the right moment to pull strings that no one even realized existed…until now.
Series
2 primary booksShadow of the Fox is a 1-book series first released in 2019 with contributions by Julie Kagawa.
Reviews with the most likes.
lol i totally forgot to update goodreads but HOLY CRAP THIS DIDN'T HAVE TO BE SO GOOD!!!!
it was a little laughable and quite predictable, but not in a way that made me exasperated. i honestly should go back and change my rating for soul of the sword, since now it all makes so much more sense.
this was incredibly exciting and addicting to listen to. julie kagawa is insane for this entire series; i highly recommend it through audiobook form!!
My most highly anticipated YA fantasy finale of the year is here and there was never any doubt that I would read it on the release day itself. And now I'm a sobbing mess and I don't know what to do. Why did you do this to me Julie
The night of the dragon approaches and Yumeko’s enemies hold all the pieces needed to summon it. And while Kage has control of his body once again, even teaming up with the oni Hakaimono may not be enough. Time is running out as Yumeko, Kage, and their companions race to Iwagoto to stop the summoning. But a hoard of demons stands between them and their goal. When they meet the yokai from Yumeko’s dreams, an unlikely ally may be the help they need, but it will come at a terrible cost.
Some readers may be enticed to continue reading for the developing character relationships, but the Japanese lore continues to pull me into this world. And Julie Kagawa doesn’t fail to introduce new demons and information in this final novel. Each battle is skillfully drawn out, weaving in new experiences for the reader and creating devastation in their wake as the characters near their final destination. But I did find the romantic side of the story took away from the action.
While there is an even mix of romance and battle to appease various readers, some of the relationships developed rapidly in Night of the Dragon. Albeit the characters are marching off to battle, and not all may survive, but romance made from desperation does not interest me. Especially when there is a large build-up and apprehension for an ensuing battle, and the romance is placed right before it all comes to a head, putting everything on hold. I found myself wanting to skip ahead to the battle scene.
However, everyone’s character arc wraps up by the end of Night of the Dragon. For some, their endings were predictable but no less entertaining to witness. Others I felt went against their base nature readers have grown to know from book one. It is a bittersweet ending as sacrifices are made, but the conclusion for some breaks the emotional weight of losing characters readers have come to know and love. The ending did feel as though Julie Kagawa was afraid to layer on more heartache for the readers.
Night of the Dragon was filled with Japanese lore, epic battles, and surprising revelations. Even if some of the relationships felt rushed, the dialogue between characters helped propel the story forward. The ending did feel a bit drawn out, and I felt the focus should have remained on overcoming the Master of Demons, but the subplot had to come into play by the last book. If you enjoy Japanese folklore and typical young adult romance I’d still give this one a try.
Originally posted at www.behindthepages.org.
