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The Sword of Kaigen: A Theonite War Story

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The Sword of Kaigen: A Theonite War Story

By: M. L. Wang
Narrated by: Andrew Tell
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On a mountainside at the edge of the Kaigenese Empire live the most powerful warriors in the world, superhumans capable of raising the sea and wielding blades of ice. For hundreds of years, the fighters of the Kusanagi Peninsula have held the Empire's enemies at bay, earning their frozen spit of land the name "The Sword of Kaigen".

Born into Kusanagi's legendary Matsuda family, f14-year-old Mamoru has always known his purpose: To master his family's fighting techniques and defend his homeland. But when an outsider arrives and pulls back the curtain on Kaigen's alleged age of peace, Mamoru realizes that he might not have much time to become the fighter he was bred to be. Worse, the empire he was bred to defend may stand on a foundation of lies.

Misaki told herself that she left the passions of her youth behind when she married into the Matsuda house. Determined to be a good housewife and mother, she hid away her sword, along with everything from her days as a fighter in a faraway country. But with her growing son asking questions about the outside world, the threat of an impending invasion looming across the sea, and her frigid husband grating on her nerves, Misaki finds the fighter in her clawing its way back to the surface.

When the winds of war reach their peninsula, will the Matsuda family have the strength to defend their empire? Or will they tear each other apart before the true enemies even reach their shores?

©2019 Miracle Wang (P)2020 Miracle Wang
Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Magic Military Science Fiction Warrior
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Critic reviews

"The Poppy War's darkness meets The Last Airbender's Elemental Magic...I haven't been so emotionally moved by a book in a long while." (JC Kang, USA Today best-selling author of The Dragon Songs Saga)

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Absolutely loved this! I'd describe this as Avatar the Last Airbender solely for adults (because AtLA is for everyone including adults). A fairly simple story but with wonderfully layered and interesting characters.

M. L. Wang does a brilliant job in bringing this world to life. Beyond the fantastical use of water manipulation there's the delightfully detailed mundaneity of work, life, and family that felt so real to me.

Don't waste any more time reading this review and get started on this story.

Fantasy at its best

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Listener received this title free

A great listen. Fantastic magic system and epic fight scenes! I don’t feel that some of the Emperor’s political decisions make complete sense, but it certainly doesn’t detract from being by a great story!
I’ve listened to a few books narrated by Andrew and have found him to be great in all of them. Fantastic character voices, great pacing and he really pulls out the intensity of situations!
Hope there’s more to come from both!
This is my honest opinion on a free review copy.

“Listening never made any man dumber”

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Absolutely adored it

Emotional, gut-wrenching, achingly brilliant. Prose is superb, characters are whole, the action is epic
It's brought to life by a fantastic narrator, too!

One of the best books I've ever read

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I like the dynamics between the characters and how it changes through the story. Great work over all. Cool (hehe) scenes

Nice work

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It's an amazing and moving story. While the cultures are clearly inspired by certain historical events, Wang has built her own rich world with them and has brought these wonderfully detailed characters to life within it. If you like oriental themed fantasy, with a heavy splash of elemental magic, you have to check this out.

An amazing piece of storytelling

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