Kinslayer by Jay Kristoff

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Macmillan

Pages: 352pgs

The Story

A SHATTERED EMPIRE. 

The mad Shōgun Yoritomo has been assassinated by the Stormdancer Yukiko, and the threat of 

civil war looms over the Shima Imperium. The Lotus Guild conspires to renew the nation’s broken 

dynasty and crush the growing rebellion simultaneously – by endorsing a new Shōgun who desires 

nothing more than to see Yukiko dead.

A DARK LEGACY. 

Yukiko and the mighty thunder tiger Buruu have been cast in the role of heroes by the Kagé

rebellion. But Yukiko herself is blinded by rage over her father’s death, and her ability to hear the 

thoughts of beasts is swelling beyond her power to control. Along with Buruu, Yukiko’s anchor is Kin, 

the rebel Guildsman who helped her escape from Yoritomo’s clutches. But Kin has his own secrets, 

and is haunted by visions of a future he’d rather die than see realized.

A GATHERING STORM. 

Kagé assassins lurk within the Shōgun’s palace, plotting to end the new dynasty before it begins. 

A waif from Kigen’s gutters begins a friendship that could undo the entire empire. A new enemy 

gathers its strength, readying to push the fracturing Shima imperium into a war it cannot hope to 

survive. And across raging oceans, amongst islands of black glass, Yukiko and Buruu will face foes no 

katana or talon can defeat.

The ghosts of a blood-stained past.

The Review

 A big thanks to Macmillan Australia for sending me an ARC copy of this book!

You know what folks? I didn't have EPIC love for Jay Kristoff's Stormdancer like everyone else did and that's okay because we can't love everything in a book, even though I love this type of world the author created and the whole Japan thing (I'm obsessed over Japan in fact). But you know what else? Well, after reading the sequel to Kristoff's series, not only was it interesting but I actually came to really, really enjoying this book and when you consider my 3-something star review for the first book to this sequel which I'm happily giving it 4.5 star rating . . . well that's really saying something about the sequel if I do say so myself and I'm just happy about that.

KINSLAYER is the second installment of The Lotus War series and there's a whole lot going on around you (which I won't spoil because that would totally suck for you guys who have yet to read it). But once you turn the pages of this pretty big book, you will not only be reunited with many old friends and foes, but you'll also be sucked back into this fantastic and well-written fantasy world once more and let me tell you there are plenty of times you are either yelling or cheering the characters on . . . so again I really enjoyed this book and even more so than the first book so yay for that!

In terms of what I liked in this book, apart from the obvious characters, what I enjoyed the most was how well fleshed out this next adventure was and I honestly don't know how the author does it because there's a lot to take in. But in saying that, it's wonderfully written and almost like poetry, so considering what occured by the end of the book, I'm just really looking forward to the final book in the trilogy just to see what happens to our characters and especially the enemies they seem to make in the sequel. So yeah, I'm really looking forward to that final book.

Overall, KINSLAYER was such a pleasant surprise for me and I'm really glad I enjoyed it more than the first book, Stormdancer, because it has finally made me understand what I was missing out in Jay Kristoff's current fangal/fanboy fanbase.

The Rating

4 1/2 / 5 stars