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Revision as of 12:19, 15 November 2013
, 12:19, 15 November 2013Created page with "{{infobox |title=Kinslayer (Lotus War Trilogy 2) |author=Jay Kristoff |reviewer=Ani Johnson |genre=Fantasy |summary=Second in the Lotus War Trilogy, it's a fast-moving-martial..."
{{infobox
|title=Kinslayer (Lotus War Trilogy 2)
|author=Jay Kristoff
|reviewer=Ani Johnson
|genre=Fantasy
|summary=Second in the Lotus War Trilogy, it's a fast-moving-martial-arts-steampunk fantasy intelligently written by a cruel author. Would that put me off giving ''Kinslayer'' 7 out of 5? Nope!
|rating=5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|pages=352
|publisher=Tor
|date=September 2013
|isbn=978-0230759022
|website=http://www.jaykristoff.com/
|video=
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0230759025</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>0230759025</amazonus>
}}
Spoilers for [[Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff|Stormdancer]] follow so read it
first!
The Shogun is dead, murdered in the public square by 16 year old Kage rebel
Yukiko to avenge her family and in retribution for the evil hold that he has
over the dystopian land of Shima. He may be dead but Hiro (equally nasty
and Yukiko's former lover) has a plan to take power which includes marrying
Aisha, the Shogun's sister and secret Kage sympathiser. Yukiko has to stop
the wedding with the help of Buruu, the flying thunder tiger and Kin, the
former Lotus Guild engineer. Yes, the Lotus Guild - the Shogun's lot.
Yukiko has problems of her own as well, in that her ability to hear the
thoughts of animals and feel the emotions of anyone and anything is becoming
a curse. Meanwhile in Hiro's palace there works No One, below the radar and
beneath contempt, but one day.
Including a 6ft 7 inch martial arts expert from a strange and distant land
is a sure-fired showstopper for any fantasy novel. In this case that's just
the author. Yes, nose-bleed-tall Aussie Jay Kristoff brings us the second
superlative instalment from his dystopian Japanesesque, steam punk, martial
arts Lotus War Trilogy, putting the cherry on the top of one of the finest
fantasy fiction years ever.
To begin with you really must read the [[Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff|first
book]] before setting out on the ''Kinslayer'' emotional roller coaster.
There aren't only spoilers, Jay understandably doesn't feel the need to go
over the mechanics of his well-created world a second time. So if you don't
want answers as to why the ships have to fly, why breathing equipment is
needed and, indeed, why the evil bushimen clank (yes, they're back to haunt
our nightmares) and feel the need to miss out on some great thrills and
shocks, ignore me.
This series may feature a teenage girl but again the author himself
hesitates to call it YA and it's not in the least namby pamby girly as we
wade through more gore, graphic torture scenes and the Lotus is still smoked
adding a narcotic element.
The relationship between Yukiko and Buruu (a cross between Shere Khan and Mr
Spock) goes from strength to strength as we discover more of Buruu's past
and some interesting (and dangerous) new friends. Buruu also radiates
laconic humour in a brutal world of darkness. For Jay is on record as
stating he has no concern about readers' feelings. I would contest that.
Here is an author who is very concerned about readers' feelings; he wants to
wring them out of us out and so plays us like a fiddle. No character is
safe once again and we're happily hooked as the literary fiddle he plays is
actually a Stradivarius.
Yes, not only is this gripping, the Jay is an intelligent bloke who writes
in nuanced layers. E.g. ''he descended and shuffled back into darkness''
conveys so much more than the obvious and as for the second paragraph in
Chapter 12; poetic prose! The fans of the simple but effective bang, crash,
RUN stuff (i.e. all of us) needn't worry. It's there in quantities that
would make anyone reach for their cardiologist's phone number.
However, as rewardingly twisted as Mr K is, he's kind enough to start the
book with a character-by-character catch-up which is incredibly useful for
the more forgetful readers.
We may have to wait till September 2014 for the final instalment (yes, start
saving for the hankies and tranquilisers now; it's definitely the finale)
but we can also rejoice that there will be life after Lotus. Jay Kristoff's
next project has just been picked up by Random House to be published in
2015.
I'd like to thank Tor (very much) for providing us with a copy for review.
Further Reading: Assuming we've all read [[Stormdancer by Jay
Kristoff|Stormdancer]] (don't I go on?), if you fancy some more dark,
steampunk then try [[Retribution Falls by Chris Wooding]]. It's set in a
totally different world but we think you may like it.
{{amazontext|amazon=0230759025}}
{{commenthead}}
|title=Kinslayer (Lotus War Trilogy 2)
|author=Jay Kristoff
|reviewer=Ani Johnson
|genre=Fantasy
|summary=Second in the Lotus War Trilogy, it's a fast-moving-martial-arts-steampunk fantasy intelligently written by a cruel author. Would that put me off giving ''Kinslayer'' 7 out of 5? Nope!
|rating=5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|pages=352
|publisher=Tor
|date=September 2013
|isbn=978-0230759022
|website=http://www.jaykristoff.com/
|video=
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0230759025</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>0230759025</amazonus>
}}
Spoilers for [[Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff|Stormdancer]] follow so read it
first!
The Shogun is dead, murdered in the public square by 16 year old Kage rebel
Yukiko to avenge her family and in retribution for the evil hold that he has
over the dystopian land of Shima. He may be dead but Hiro (equally nasty
and Yukiko's former lover) has a plan to take power which includes marrying
Aisha, the Shogun's sister and secret Kage sympathiser. Yukiko has to stop
the wedding with the help of Buruu, the flying thunder tiger and Kin, the
former Lotus Guild engineer. Yes, the Lotus Guild - the Shogun's lot.
Yukiko has problems of her own as well, in that her ability to hear the
thoughts of animals and feel the emotions of anyone and anything is becoming
a curse. Meanwhile in Hiro's palace there works No One, below the radar and
beneath contempt, but one day.
Including a 6ft 7 inch martial arts expert from a strange and distant land
is a sure-fired showstopper for any fantasy novel. In this case that's just
the author. Yes, nose-bleed-tall Aussie Jay Kristoff brings us the second
superlative instalment from his dystopian Japanesesque, steam punk, martial
arts Lotus War Trilogy, putting the cherry on the top of one of the finest
fantasy fiction years ever.
To begin with you really must read the [[Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff|first
book]] before setting out on the ''Kinslayer'' emotional roller coaster.
There aren't only spoilers, Jay understandably doesn't feel the need to go
over the mechanics of his well-created world a second time. So if you don't
want answers as to why the ships have to fly, why breathing equipment is
needed and, indeed, why the evil bushimen clank (yes, they're back to haunt
our nightmares) and feel the need to miss out on some great thrills and
shocks, ignore me.
This series may feature a teenage girl but again the author himself
hesitates to call it YA and it's not in the least namby pamby girly as we
wade through more gore, graphic torture scenes and the Lotus is still smoked
adding a narcotic element.
The relationship between Yukiko and Buruu (a cross between Shere Khan and Mr
Spock) goes from strength to strength as we discover more of Buruu's past
and some interesting (and dangerous) new friends. Buruu also radiates
laconic humour in a brutal world of darkness. For Jay is on record as
stating he has no concern about readers' feelings. I would contest that.
Here is an author who is very concerned about readers' feelings; he wants to
wring them out of us out and so plays us like a fiddle. No character is
safe once again and we're happily hooked as the literary fiddle he plays is
actually a Stradivarius.
Yes, not only is this gripping, the Jay is an intelligent bloke who writes
in nuanced layers. E.g. ''he descended and shuffled back into darkness''
conveys so much more than the obvious and as for the second paragraph in
Chapter 12; poetic prose! The fans of the simple but effective bang, crash,
RUN stuff (i.e. all of us) needn't worry. It's there in quantities that
would make anyone reach for their cardiologist's phone number.
However, as rewardingly twisted as Mr K is, he's kind enough to start the
book with a character-by-character catch-up which is incredibly useful for
the more forgetful readers.
We may have to wait till September 2014 for the final instalment (yes, start
saving for the hankies and tranquilisers now; it's definitely the finale)
but we can also rejoice that there will be life after Lotus. Jay Kristoff's
next project has just been picked up by Random House to be published in
2015.
I'd like to thank Tor (very much) for providing us with a copy for review.
Further Reading: Assuming we've all read [[Stormdancer by Jay
Kristoff|Stormdancer]] (don't I go on?), if you fancy some more dark,
steampunk then try [[Retribution Falls by Chris Wooding]]. It's set in a
totally different world but we think you may like it.
{{amazontext|amazon=0230759025}}
{{commenthead}}
