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A review by lskywalker918
The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang
4.0
At first glance, you would think this is a story about a group of warriors misled by the government. A young boy learned the truth the hard way in this small village that still held on to its traditional patriarchal ways despite modern technology being available. We got the romanticized samurai sword fights and magic being thrown around, which Wang succeeded in creating such vivid imagery.
However, this was not a story about government conspiracy. The true forte of the book was not in the flashy sword fights and magic. It was in the internal turmoil experienced by the characters as they slowly discovered what they were truly fighting for. In the larger battle scenes, we zoomed in on the individuals and how their emotions affected them viscerally. When I first started the book, I did not think that I would come to a part where the characters' passionate words would bring tears to my eyes.
The world-building was superb and imaginative. Even though I frequently had to refer to the glossary at the back of the book, it did not bother me as I journeyed through these blends of traditional and modern world, magic and technology. An info dump would break from that seamless immersion.
However, this was not a story about government conspiracy. The true forte of the book was not in the flashy sword fights and magic. It was in the internal turmoil experienced by the characters as they slowly discovered what they were truly fighting for. In the larger battle scenes, we zoomed in on the individuals and how their emotions affected them viscerally. When I first started the book, I did not think that I would come to a part where the characters' passionate words would bring tears to my eyes.
The world-building was superb and imaginative. Even though I frequently had to refer to the glossary at the back of the book, it did not bother me as I journeyed through these blends of traditional and modern world, magic and technology. An info dump would break from that seamless immersion.