The Sword of Kaigen

Wow!! This is how fantasy is done! It has been awhile since I have enjoyed an epic fantasy novel this much. I came across a recommendation for this book while searching for Japanese-inspired fantasy books, of which I feel there are too few, and was not disappointed. It respectfully infuses Japanese culture into a fantastical world where elemental magic is an intrinsic part of the people and their society, BUT the heart of the novel is in its characters and the emotion that just seems to drip off the pages through them. The Sword of Kaigen was an almost perfect balance between magic, action, political intrigue and wonderfully flawed, but likable characters that grabbed me by the heart and didn't let go through over 600 pages. The characters just felt so real, in their doubts and convictions and their natural growth. I loved the theme of how perspective can change people and how it can change their view of other people. How seeing something from a different perspective can make you realize truths you were blind to before and help you to push through to a better future with that knowledge. The Sword of Kaigen had heartbreak and made me cry a few times, but it was also imbued with a whole lot of hope as well, and that is something I like best even in the darkest stories. I wouldn't necessarily say this is dark novel, but it certainly wasn't light either. Not everyone is safe and stakes are high for all involved, but that gives it the weight it needs to tell the emotional side of the story and make it much more impactful at the end. I wish more fantasy was this good at handling characters. There were no cliches here and a wide variety of experiences, ages and outlooks. Having a mother of four be one of the main characters in a fantasy story is truly rare and a fantastic treat. Now that doesn't mean that the fantasy elements went by the wayside though! The magic was interesting and well explained, the action and fight scenes were intense and the world was an interesting mix of magic and technology, old world and new. I can't give this book high enough praise! I truly enjoyed it from start to finish and will miss the characters and the world they inhabited now that it's over. I cried, laughed and felt their emotions with my own and that's the true mark of a great story.