Description:
The first in an epic new fantasy series, introducing an unforgettable new heroine and a stunningly original dystopian steampunk world with a flavor of feudal Japan.
A DYING LAND
The Shima Imperium verges on the brink of environmental collapse; an island nation once rich in tradition and myth, now decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshipers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, the land is choked with toxic pollution, and the great spirit animals that once roamed its wilds have departed forever.
AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST
The hunters of Shima’s imperial court are charged by their Sh?gun to capture a thunder tiger – a legendary creature, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows the beasts have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Sh?gun is death.
A HIDDEN GIFT
Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a talent that if discovered, would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Sh?gun’s hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima’s last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he’d rather see her dead than help her.
But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire.
Review:
Wow. Do I have a lot to say about this dystopian steampunk book. I received the ARC (Advanced Review Copy) for Stormdancer some time ago, and it has taken me about a month to read. My thoughts:
1. The first 70 pages are hard to get through. After that it is pretty good.
As a writer I notice the extraordinary level of descriptions coating Stormdancer. The world is also quite complicated to understand with lore, inventions, geography and politics. It’s a lot to take in, and Jay Krissof serves much of it up in the beginning of the story.
At times it’s poetic: “Through the downpour, they could see the glow of Yama city flickering like a ghostlight in an ocean of growing gloom. (71)”
At other times this detail is overwhelming and forces me to skim. Some things doesn’t even seem necessary. He tells us there are three different kinds of dragons..we only see one..why does it matter?
Clearly Stormdancer could have used another round of editing. Cut, cut, cut.
After seventy pages there is a setting change. Then the main character Yukiko experiences her surroundings with fresh eyes. Fnally, it makes sense that she is so aware of the world around her.
2. That being said, the characters, world and plot are really cool.
I enjoy Stormdancer’s environmental theme. Society revolves around Blood Lotus, a plant that sucks nutrients from the soil, powers machines, serves as an opiate, and pollutes the air. To feed this unsustainable process, the empire is locked into global war under the Shogun’s authoritative regime.
The Shogun orders Yukiko’s father to search for a mythical creature. They call it a dragon but really it is a lion with wings that can attract lightening. This creature is also known as a griffin, but isn’t called that in the book.
Yukiko and her dad find the beast, but her father abandons it when their airship crashes. She saves him and she has to decide whether to take the griffin to the Shugon or not.
Yukiko also has another secret that could get her killed…
3. This book has many strong ladies
Yukiko and her aunt Kasumi battle with swords with aggressiveness and experience.
On her own Yukiko makes it through wilderness and the politics of the capital.
There she is helped by a woman with more power than her frivolous air would have people believe.
4. There a few perspective problems.
This is common mistake of starting authors. Generally when writing from a single point of view, in this case, Yukiko, one doesn’t want to switch to another character unless really necessary. This because the reader doesn’t tend to care that much about characters they don’t see much.
It is preferable to stay consistent–split the book evenly or not at all.
Chapter 16 begins with third person omniscient when before the perspective was third person from Yukiko’s perspective. For one scene the story follows the point of view of her father, which seems pointless as Yukiko quickly joins him.
We also read from the POV of Kin, a member of the Guild banned from eating normal food or revealing the body beneath his metal suit. He meets up with Yukiko and admires her. He tells her soon after of his admiration and how he will keep her secrets–so we didn’t need the scene at all.
5. Complex story, cool world, riveting plot and interesting themes…but I don’t want a sequel.
I recommend this book. It required patience but it was worth it. I hope that the author continues to improve his writing, but I look forward to his next book.
But by “I look forward to his next book” I mean his next next book because Stormdancer is fine as a stand alone.
I don’t want to see more, it had a good ending.
Comments on this entry are closed.
Shifts in POV are definitely up there with elements that can becoming distracting.
Definitely. This book could have been AMAZING, but it just wasn’t ready yet.