Boys Book Club Review: The Sword of Kaigen
A cold start that turns into pure fire.
June is finally here, and nothing pairs better with warm weather than a story set on an ice-cold, frozen peninsula!
This month, after hearing about it through #BookTok and #BookTube, we’re finally diving into The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang.
Is this book as sharp as the swords in it, or is it a dull affair?
Join us as we take a closer look and see what it’s made of.
Missed our last review? See what we had to say on The Martian by Andy Weir
Details
Author: M.L. Wang
Page Count: 651 pages
Year Released: 2019
Genre: Fantasy
Plot Summary (No Spoilers… We Promise)
For hundreds of years, the powerful warriors of the Kusanagi Peninsula have defended the Kaigenese Empire from its enemies. These superhuman fighters have the ability to manipulate water and ice to their will, with the most talented among them proving to be some of the most formidable combatants to ever live.
As the first-born of the legendary Matsuda family, teenager Mamoru has been well aware of his purpose since he was a small child: master the fighting techniques that his family has passed down for generations and use them to defend his home. However, when an outsider moves to his village and starts to contradict what he believes to be true about the Empire, Mamoru starts to question whether everything he previously regarded as fact has been built on a foundation of lies. Will Mamoru be strong enough to fight off the Empire’s enemies when the time comes? Or will he hesitate to fight for something he no longer believes in?
The Boys’ Reviews
David’s Review
The Sword of Kaigen is a rarity in the sense that it is a (mostly) self-contained fantasy novel. There are a few plot points that get peppered in towards the end of the book that were clearly meant for future novels but, there is no need to read a bunch of other books in order to get the full story. In fact, there is only one other book from Wang that is loosely connected to it and she has gone on record stating she has no plans to continue building this universe. Which is a shame because I am confident you will become enamored with it and want more.
Like many high fantasy novels, it does take quite a few pages to get into it. Early on, you'll likely find yourself frequently referring to the glossary to understand the meaning of certain words. Is it tedious? Absolutely. But it’s a necessary evil as you build a deeper connection to the world. Eventually, terms like “jijaka” and “falleya” will become all too familiar to you and you’ll no longer need to refer to the back of the book.
At the heart of this story lies the core power system, which is based on the four elements (Water, Fire, Earth, and Air), so naturally people have been comparing it to Avatar: The Last Airbender. While not wrong, a more fitting comparison would be to its sequel, The Legend of Korra.Like Korra, the world of Duna is a blend of a rich, traditional Asian-inspired setting with the complexities of a post-industrial world. Even so, the imaginative use of each element blows those shows out of the water, no pun intended. The battle scenes in particular are incredibly inventive. No matter how many times the water was manipulated into an ice sword or turned into snow for a softer landing, it was always cool.
“Well, they’ve come in the wrong season. Autumn dies in the teeth of winter.”
― Takashi
The sheer amount of themes that get weaved into The Sword of Kaigen is impressive in itself. Love, duty, honor, family, identity and the tapestry only gets richer as you get further in the book. Wang’s two main characters, Mamoru and Misaki, provide the perfect vehicle to explore these themes as you read through their experiences and conflicts. In fact, many people online have made the case that Misaki is one of the greatest female main characters written in modern times and I couldn’t agree more. She may be stubborn but she’s also compassionate, strong, clever and overall just a complete badass.
The Sword of Kaigen has all the makings of a fantasy classic. Inherently quotable lines, iconic names for swords (I mean how great of a name is Moonspire) and an immersive setting where ancient traditions attempt to coexist with modern technology as society continues to change. Some people may criticize the pacing, and while that’s a valid point, it’s a collateral cost of attempting to do so much in a single book.
If you’ve made it this far and are still wondering whether the book lives up to the hype, the answer is a resounding yes. How much so will largely depend on your appetite for a high fantasy story set in a fictional world that is largely Asian-inspired. One thing’s certain: if you take the leap, you’ll be rewarded with an unforgettable adventure.
Verdict: 🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐
Evan’s Review
The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang is one of those books that you put down after reading the last page and immediately start thinking about it again (at least it was for me). Several days after finishing, I still found myself thinking about the characters and the themes of this book. Personally, if a book stays with me for any amount of time after, I consider it a pretty substantial check in the “was this worth my time” box.
To start, there are certainly an abundance of different themes sprinkled throughout the pages of this story. From heavier ones like grief, loss, and regret, to more uplifting ones like redemption, love, and happiness, this book aims to pull at your heartstrings with every new twist and turn of the plot. The one thing I appreciate about The Sword of Kaigen is how effortlessly the story seems to introduce these themes. It never felt forced or rushed, but rather following along just as it should with the characters and their arcs.
The setting and characters of this book are the real standouts without question. While the story takes place in a fictional land inhabited by superhumans, it feels very much like a spin-off of the feudal Japan backdrop so often used in tales of samurai warriors. The small town is stuck in its ways of traditional values, unflinching loyalty to its overlords, and old-fashioned ways of thinking, which create some interesting narratives. Each character is so well written and believable that, as cliché as it may sound, you feel like you’re on the journey with them. My personal favourite is Misaki, the matriarch of the Masuda family, who is equal parts badass warrior, caregiver, and intelligent strategist. Some of the other members of the family like 14-year-old Mamoru and his father Takeru are excellent as well. The more you read, the more you unravel their complex personalities and start to understand the reasoning behind their actions, which only deepened my interest in the story as the pages flew by.
“Listening never made any man dumber, but it’s made a lot of people smarter.”
― Misaki
Having said that, this book isn’t without a few faults that I want to mention as well. My two major gripes with this book come down to pacing and character development. To start with the pacing, I found it a little slow for the first quarter or so of the story. While some of the details are without a doubt necessary to the plot’s development, I found that the background information could’ve been shortened a bit. Certain chapters focus exclusively on backstory and I wish these sections were a little bit shorter and sweeter. My other main issue with this novel had to do with the character arcs of two particular individuals. About two-thirds of the way through, a particularly crucial moment takes place that becomes the “turning point” for these two people. While I’m on board with how a single event can change a person to a point, it caused a complete 180 degree shift in demeanor for both characters that I found less believable. I’m not saying people can’t change, but becoming the polar opposite versions of what they were before this event had me questioning the likelihood a little bit.
The Sword of Kaigen is without a doubt a book you should consider reading. If an old-fashioned feudal Japan setting with superhuman warriors sounds like something that’s up your alley, I highly recommend taking the plunge into this intriguing universe. While the book is well worth the time investment, I will say that it isn’t without a few faults that I couldn’t overlook enough to give it five stars. But… that’s just one man’s opinion and you could completely disagree with it once you read it through for yourself.
Verdict: 👍👍👍👍
Final Thoughts
David Closing Remarks
I wasn’t lying when I said people have problems with the pacing (case in point: Evan’s review). While his criticisms are certainly fair, even he couldn’t deny that The Sword of Kaigen delivers where it counts and provides you with a fantasy epic you surely won’t forget. Still, it’s funny to see him talk about “believability” in a story where people launch ice spears at each other. What’s next? Complaining the eagles should’ve just flown the One Ring to Mordor in The Lord of the Rings? I guess everyone has to draw the line somewhere.
Evan’s Closing Remarks
As the self-proclaimed lover of the vast majority of fantasy content he’s watched, read, or listened to, it’s not much of a shock that David liked this one so much. I can’t really disagree with his glowing recommendation of this book, even if I gave it four stars myself, and many other readers rate this story just as highly as he does. As a side note, when he mentioned his love for the tale’s sword nicknames like “Moonspire”, it made me think of the movie Step Brothers where they dub themselves “Nighthawk” and “Dragon”. Maybe he’ll make me start calling him “Moneymaker” as a nod to his love for gambling.
What did you think of The Sword of Kaigen?
Chime in with your thoughts in the comments below.
Thanks again for hanging out with the boys 🤙
- David & Evan
Join us for next month’s read: Piranesi by Susanna Clarke