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ghost_name's review
2.0
Not bad. It was a fast read and had to make sure not to read the table of contents because it was easy to see whom would win. It was well written and I enjoyed it. Nisioisin is a creative writer and I would still read his stuff. Bakemonogatari was better.
laurenhiya21's review
2.0
The premise is interesting and some of the fights are nice and action-packed, but overall it was really disappointing. I figured out very early on what order the characters would die in, so I also knew early on who the winner was. In the parts between the fights, I wasn't really interested in what was going on or what the characters were thinking about since I didn't really like any of them.
I normally like Nisioisn's writing, but this one was a huge letdown.
I normally like Nisioisn's writing, but this one was a huge letdown.
katetownsend's review against another edition
4.0
4 out of 5 stars on Looking Glass Reads.
I can’t believe I’ve never read a book by NisiOisin before. Not only that, I’ve only just started watching Bakemonogatari. Finally I can say that I’ve read something by this author! I happened to come across an absolutely beautiful copy of The Zodiac War by NisiOisin in my local bookstore not too long ago and immediately picked up a copy.
This book is about the Zodiac War, a battle that occurs every twelve years between fighters which represent each of the twelve zodiacs. What you see is pretty much what you get here. The story opens with the introduction of this year’s Zodiac War by the overseer of the event before following each of the combatants as they utilize everything they possibly can in order to secure victory.
The point of view changes rather frequently in this book. Yet where other books I’ve read have trouble with story flow while switching between only two character’s point of view, this novel makes twelve points of view feel like the most natural thing in the world. Each fighter, or nearly each fighter, gets a section from their point of view. The transitions from one chapter to the next were extremely smooth. The point of view was never confusing, and each character’s voice was distinct enough to stand out from the rest.
The character’s themselves were a very eclectic bunch. All were masters at something whether it was a fighting style, weapon type, or a more fantasy based ability. Personalities were also incredibly varied. There wasn’t a single character I didn’t like reading about, nor any one character that I particularly disliked. Each one was very interesting in their own right.
The book is divided into ‘Battles’ as opposed to chapters. Though titled differently they work the same, dividing the book at appropriate points and are further broken down into shorter sections. Each new chapter features an image of the character who’s point of view we follow in that chapter as well as a short biography page that tells a little bit about the character’s background.
One of the interesting parts of the novel is that it only follows the Zodiac War. We see the participants fighting against one another, struggling to win. Some fight because that’s their job. Other’s fight because there was no way to turn down the invitation to fight. And some just want the wish they will be granted if they win.
Needless to say, this is a very fast paced book. A lot happens within 250 pages. There is plenty of fight scenes, some great strategizing, and I loved every second of it. What isn’t talked about is the larger implications of what the Zodiac War is and what it means. That isn’t to say that this is never discussed at all. Enough background is given both about the Zodiac Wars themselves and through some character’s pasts that readers get a solid idea of what it is and what it means. However, as the narrator states, this is a game on two levels. A physical one for the fighters, and a game of politics and money for those who organize it. And the latter is not something that the fighters, especially while on the battlefield, are thinking about in any great detail.
I would be interested to read more about these characters and this world. Thankfully, we do have a little more available to us. There is a one shot manga included within an anthology called Ogiri which features one of these characters, something I will definitely be searching for in the near future.
It isn’t very often that we get a high quality light novel release like The Zodiac War. This is a hardback with a beautiful dust jacket featuring all of the Zodiac War’s participants. Beneath the dust jacket is a gorgeous cream colored hardback covered in the character's depicting the various animals of the zodiac and the same diamond shaped title and author image from the dust jacket. This is a book you’ll want to display, and if you’re like me, minus the dust jacket.
I really enjoyed The Zodiac War by NisiOisin. In the near future I’ll be both looking for the manga anthology Ogiri as well as watching the anime based off of this book. If you like fast paced stories with some light fantasy elements, definitely pick up this book. I highly recommend it.
I can’t believe I’ve never read a book by NisiOisin before. Not only that, I’ve only just started watching Bakemonogatari. Finally I can say that I’ve read something by this author! I happened to come across an absolutely beautiful copy of The Zodiac War by NisiOisin in my local bookstore not too long ago and immediately picked up a copy.
This book is about the Zodiac War, a battle that occurs every twelve years between fighters which represent each of the twelve zodiacs. What you see is pretty much what you get here. The story opens with the introduction of this year’s Zodiac War by the overseer of the event before following each of the combatants as they utilize everything they possibly can in order to secure victory.
The point of view changes rather frequently in this book. Yet where other books I’ve read have trouble with story flow while switching between only two character’s point of view, this novel makes twelve points of view feel like the most natural thing in the world. Each fighter, or nearly each fighter, gets a section from their point of view. The transitions from one chapter to the next were extremely smooth. The point of view was never confusing, and each character’s voice was distinct enough to stand out from the rest.
The character’s themselves were a very eclectic bunch. All were masters at something whether it was a fighting style, weapon type, or a more fantasy based ability. Personalities were also incredibly varied. There wasn’t a single character I didn’t like reading about, nor any one character that I particularly disliked. Each one was very interesting in their own right.
The book is divided into ‘Battles’ as opposed to chapters. Though titled differently they work the same, dividing the book at appropriate points and are further broken down into shorter sections. Each new chapter features an image of the character who’s point of view we follow in that chapter as well as a short biography page that tells a little bit about the character’s background.
One of the interesting parts of the novel is that it only follows the Zodiac War. We see the participants fighting against one another, struggling to win. Some fight because that’s their job. Other’s fight because there was no way to turn down the invitation to fight. And some just want the wish they will be granted if they win.
Needless to say, this is a very fast paced book. A lot happens within 250 pages. There is plenty of fight scenes, some great strategizing, and I loved every second of it. What isn’t talked about is the larger implications of what the Zodiac War is and what it means. That isn’t to say that this is never discussed at all. Enough background is given both about the Zodiac Wars themselves and through some character’s pasts that readers get a solid idea of what it is and what it means. However, as the narrator states, this is a game on two levels. A physical one for the fighters, and a game of politics and money for those who organize it. And the latter is not something that the fighters, especially while on the battlefield, are thinking about in any great detail.
I would be interested to read more about these characters and this world. Thankfully, we do have a little more available to us. There is a one shot manga included within an anthology called Ogiri which features one of these characters, something I will definitely be searching for in the near future.
It isn’t very often that we get a high quality light novel release like The Zodiac War. This is a hardback with a beautiful dust jacket featuring all of the Zodiac War’s participants. Beneath the dust jacket is a gorgeous cream colored hardback covered in the character's depicting the various animals of the zodiac and the same diamond shaped title and author image from the dust jacket. This is a book you’ll want to display, and if you’re like me, minus the dust jacket.
I really enjoyed The Zodiac War by NisiOisin. In the near future I’ll be both looking for the manga anthology Ogiri as well as watching the anime based off of this book. If you like fast paced stories with some light fantasy elements, definitely pick up this book. I highly recommend it.
dee2799d's review against another edition
3.0
L gave me their copy after reading, saying they had no sympathy for any of the characters and I was prepared for the worst. But actually it wasn't so bad?
So it looks like Juni Taisen is a prologue to a manga illustrated by Hikaru Nakamura (who also drew the cover for the novel) and I guess that makes sense considering how fast Juni Taisen just... went down. You get a few sub-chapters for each 'fight' and the battles don't usually last long. A blessing, from what I've seen of NisiOisiN's fight scenes to be honest, but also doesn't really give me the feeling that these people are the world's greatest fighters. We could chalk it up to 'well all of them are good so it's a matter of who's better right?' but honestly? After the hype we saw of Boar and how deadly she was, how femme fatale, how strong, and then bam she's just dead--I kinda feel cheated you know?
Two specific points I like: the combatants' bio that appears before their chapters. I like some of them and think they're interesting characters from their bio. Too bad the actual novel doesn't really show much of any of that.
Another is Tiger's disappointment about life in general. I didn't really think I'd like her as much as I did but her chapters were pretty good. It shows how an innocent and naive person can react to war and death and I liked that.
All in all the novel's not too bad, but I'm glad I didn't have to pay for it.
So it looks like Juni Taisen is a prologue to a manga illustrated by Hikaru Nakamura (who also drew the cover for the novel) and I guess that makes sense considering how fast Juni Taisen just... went down. You get a few sub-chapters for each 'fight' and the battles don't usually last long. A blessing, from what I've seen of NisiOisiN's fight scenes to be honest, but also doesn't really give me the feeling that these people are the world's greatest fighters. We could chalk it up to 'well all of them are good so it's a matter of who's better right?' but honestly? After the hype we saw of Boar and how deadly she was, how femme fatale, how strong, and then bam she's just dead--I kinda feel cheated you know?
Two specific points I like: the combatants' bio that appears before their chapters. I like some of them and think they're interesting characters from their bio. Too bad the actual novel doesn't really show much of any of that.
Another is Tiger's disappointment about life in general. I didn't really think I'd like her as much as I did but her chapters were pretty good. It shows how an innocent and naive person can react to war and death and I liked that.
All in all the novel's not too bad, but I'm glad I didn't have to pay for it.
coldbrewedpages's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
RTC!
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