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War Priest #2
The Whispering Sword: War Priest, Book 2
A destiny written, a legend reborn. Arik must become the War Priest.
The discovery that Arik's sister has somehow survived changes everything.
Before Arik can travel south, he'll need to find the legendary Whispering Sword. With an entire continent to search and a difficult puzzle to solve, this is no easy task. Not only that, finding the sword will bring him in direct conflict with powerful new enemies.
He will be challenged. He will be put to the test.
Making matters worse is his teacher's strange illness, which leaves Arik to fend for himself. A solution is possible through cultivating various aspects of chi, but these powers come with their own risks, and Arik might not be strong enough to use them together. In that case, he'll have to improvise...
Does Arik have what it takes to become the legend?
Leap into an epic journey that merges Eastern cultivation and progression fantasy, where infinite possibilities can be realized if one can master their understanding of chi. From Harmon Cooper, author of the instant bestseller Pilgrim, comes a Japanese mythology-inspired story for fans of Inuyasha, Demon Slayer, and Ghost of Tsushima. What starts as a harrowing coming-of-age story morphs into a journey of growth through multiclassing and mastering various combat techniques as Arik rises from the ashes to seize his destiny.
The discovery that Arik's sister has somehow survived changes everything.
Before Arik can travel south, he'll need to find the legendary Whispering Sword. With an entire continent to search and a difficult puzzle to solve, this is no easy task. Not only that, finding the sword will bring him in direct conflict with powerful new enemies.
He will be challenged. He will be put to the test.
Making matters worse is his teacher's strange illness, which leaves Arik to fend for himself. A solution is possible through cultivating various aspects of chi, but these powers come with their own risks, and Arik might not be strong enough to use them together. In that case, he'll have to improvise...
Does Arik have what it takes to become the legend?
Leap into an epic journey that merges Eastern cultivation and progression fantasy, where infinite possibilities can be realized if one can master their understanding of chi. From Harmon Cooper, author of the instant bestseller Pilgrim, comes a Japanese mythology-inspired story for fans of Inuyasha, Demon Slayer, and Ghost of Tsushima. What starts as a harrowing coming-of-age story morphs into a journey of growth through multiclassing and mastering various combat techniques as Arik rises from the ashes to seize his destiny.
Audible Audio
First published April 14, 2022
About the author
Harmon Cooper
157 books384 followersHarmon Cooper was once a musician who recorded two hundred songs nobody ever heard.
Then he quit music, quit playing video games, and missed the games so much he accidentally wrote a LitRPG novel before he knew what he was getting himself into. That book was The Feedback Loop — published in 2015 and narrated by Jeff Hays, back when the genre barely existed.
Harmon has been writing bestselling fantasy books ever since: dark progression epics, post-apocalyptic westerns, satirical dungeon crawls, cultivation, LitRPG, and a few cosy books.
Death's Mantle, a dark fantasy LitRPG narrated by Andrea Parsneau, won an AudioFile Earphones Award; Sacred Cat Island, a cozy LitRPG narrated by Travis Baldree, won an Independent Audiobook Award. His bestsellers include Pilgrim, War Priest, Cowboy Necromancer, Reborn Assassin, and the Aetherforged series, co-written with Luke Chmilenko.
He grew up in Austin, Texas, lived in Mongolia on a Fulbright, studied Tibetan in India and Nepal, spent a year in Japan writing in smoky coffee shops, and now lives near the sea with his artist wife and pet seagull named Harold.
Find him on Instagram and TikTok, where he talks writing, publishing, and posts update videos.
And don't forget to follow me on Goodreads!
Then he quit music, quit playing video games, and missed the games so much he accidentally wrote a LitRPG novel before he knew what he was getting himself into. That book was The Feedback Loop — published in 2015 and narrated by Jeff Hays, back when the genre barely existed.
Harmon has been writing bestselling fantasy books ever since: dark progression epics, post-apocalyptic westerns, satirical dungeon crawls, cultivation, LitRPG, and a few cosy books.
Death's Mantle, a dark fantasy LitRPG narrated by Andrea Parsneau, won an AudioFile Earphones Award; Sacred Cat Island, a cozy LitRPG narrated by Travis Baldree, won an Independent Audiobook Award. His bestsellers include Pilgrim, War Priest, Cowboy Necromancer, Reborn Assassin, and the Aetherforged series, co-written with Luke Chmilenko.
He grew up in Austin, Texas, lived in Mongolia on a Fulbright, studied Tibetan in India and Nepal, spent a year in Japan writing in smoky coffee shops, and now lives near the sea with his artist wife and pet seagull named Harold.
Find him on Instagram and TikTok, where he talks writing, publishing, and posts update videos.
And don't forget to follow me on Goodreads!
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
April 15, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this sequel to 2021's 'War Priest' which I absolutely loved. There is so much information in here, and you can tell that a huge amount of research has been carried out as, oh boy, it shows and feels real.
Our main man, Arik Dacre, has a great deal of inner turmoil, hurt, and surprise in this book, and it brought out very strong emotions in me. The fight scenes in Harmon Cooper's work are always action-packed and full of detail, and this is no different. They are so well choreographed that the reader feels they are right there in the middle of the fracas.
I adore the fact that the author's characters are not infallible, and struggle to gain the skills they require to grow. Practice certainly does make perfect in Arik's case! I love the world building, the wonderful eclectic mix of characters -good, bad, and ugly- and the well-written, excellent storyline. The ending, oh dear *sniff*.
I love this fantastic series. Roll on book three and more of Arik's experiences, his learning, and making new friends (and enemies).
Our main man, Arik Dacre, has a great deal of inner turmoil, hurt, and surprise in this book, and it brought out very strong emotions in me. The fight scenes in Harmon Cooper's work are always action-packed and full of detail, and this is no different. They are so well choreographed that the reader feels they are right there in the middle of the fracas.
I adore the fact that the author's characters are not infallible, and struggle to gain the skills they require to grow. Practice certainly does make perfect in Arik's case! I love the world building, the wonderful eclectic mix of characters -good, bad, and ugly- and the well-written, excellent storyline. The ending, oh dear *sniff*.
I love this fantastic series. Roll on book three and more of Arik's experiences, his learning, and making new friends (and enemies).
April 11, 2026
This was exactly what I wanted from this series.
The training arcs and fight scenes were a huge highlight for me. You can really feel Aric’s growth, not just in strength but in control and decision making. The combat feels sharper and more intentional, which made every fight land even better.
I also really enjoyed the dynamic between Aric and Meosa. Their relationship adds emotional weight without slowing the story down, and I liked how Meosa challenges Aric instead of just supporting him.
If you enjoy character growth, training sequences, and well-executed fight scenes, this one delivers.
The training arcs and fight scenes were a huge highlight for me. You can really feel Aric’s growth, not just in strength but in control and decision making. The combat feels sharper and more intentional, which made every fight land even better.
I also really enjoyed the dynamic between Aric and Meosa. Their relationship adds emotional weight without slowing the story down, and I liked how Meosa challenges Aric instead of just supporting him.
If you enjoy character growth, training sequences, and well-executed fight scenes, this one delivers.
August 11, 2026
A solid continuation of the story with a solid build to the end but not overdoing it.
July 29, 2022
Entertaining book 2 that expands the series.
I’ve enjoyed the second book of this series enough that I am considering reading Harmon Cooper’s first series Pilgrim. He was abel to snag Traivs Baldree to do the audible , it seems his voice is perfect for the genre and he really does bring Cooper’s story to life. The story does have action, some humor, and a few twists that are impactful. It is appropriate for young adults and above.
The worldbuilding while not massive is there, as well as solid characters, and a decent plot for the individual book that carries the overall plot quiet well. With some of the revelations in this book I think there's a bit too much coincidence in terms of the certain characters running into each other multiple times and begin connected to other characters. No spoilers though.
I think Harmon Cooper’s take on the cultivation genre is interesting as the magic system has its own rules that each have their own quarks as we the reader and listener sees more of them.
I do think some of the main protagonist's actions or better said reactions feel a bit off for the sake of creating drama but for the most part he grew as a character. The balance between his upbringing as a healer and his current life as a warrior is fun and I hope to see more of the healing in the next book as it has taken more of a back step here.
We are reintroduced to mainly of the same side characters in book 1. As something of a journey/travel story it was cool to seem them pop back up and be rounded out abit more. However I do think that it would have been better to see a few more new characters show up outside of enemies and two new allies.
At that said, I am not complaining. For those who enjoy cultivation action series this is certainly a soild KU read or something good to add to your kindle library or audible collection (Particularly with Traivs Baldree voicing it.)
I’ve enjoyed the second book of this series enough that I am considering reading Harmon Cooper’s first series Pilgrim. He was abel to snag Traivs Baldree to do the audible , it seems his voice is perfect for the genre and he really does bring Cooper’s story to life. The story does have action, some humor, and a few twists that are impactful. It is appropriate for young adults and above.
The worldbuilding while not massive is there, as well as solid characters, and a decent plot for the individual book that carries the overall plot quiet well. With some of the revelations in this book I think there's a bit too much coincidence in terms of the certain characters running into each other multiple times and begin connected to other characters. No spoilers though.
I think Harmon Cooper’s take on the cultivation genre is interesting as the magic system has its own rules that each have their own quarks as we the reader and listener sees more of them.
I do think some of the main protagonist's actions or better said reactions feel a bit off for the sake of creating drama but for the most part he grew as a character. The balance between his upbringing as a healer and his current life as a warrior is fun and I hope to see more of the healing in the next book as it has taken more of a back step here.
We are reintroduced to mainly of the same side characters in book 1. As something of a journey/travel story it was cool to seem them pop back up and be rounded out abit more. However I do think that it would have been better to see a few more new characters show up outside of enemies and two new allies.
At that said, I am not complaining. For those who enjoy cultivation action series this is certainly a soild KU read or something good to add to your kindle library or audible collection (Particularly with Traivs Baldree voicing it.)
April 14, 2022
War Priest 2 by Harmon Carmon. After slightly struggling with my understanding of the Far Eastern Mythology fae types in Book 1, Book 2 was much easier to enjoy. The healing disciple protagonist Arik is advancing quickly in the deadly arts of swordplay. He even picks up a semblance of a crew as he continues to collect relics of the original War Priest. All of the fighters are trying to stop or seriously delay a war being planned by greedy evil men. I recommend you introduce yourself to kami’s, illusionists, false shinobi, and the itako's of this world by starting with book 1 and continuing with book 2 in the story of the War Priest. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
December 30, 2022
The book starts up right where Mask of the Fallen left off, so yeah you skipped the first book and expected to catch up, you'll be sorry.
Arik realizes he's not ready to seek his revenge at least not if he plans to beat Nobunaga, in a head to head battle. So he takes a backstep and starts a search for the Whispering Sword, owned by the imfamous War Priest, and lost in the mythos of time. All the while Arik cultivated his skills and Chi. Which has driven him one step closer to being the actual reincarnate of the War Priest. A figure of the past. As Kami, the water god had predicted at the end of book1.
And well Travis Baldree is King, his narration is always spot-on! And what audio collection doesn't need more Travis Baldree in their library.
Arik realizes he's not ready to seek his revenge at least not if he plans to beat Nobunaga, in a head to head battle. So he takes a backstep and starts a search for the Whispering Sword, owned by the imfamous War Priest, and lost in the mythos of time. All the while Arik cultivated his skills and Chi. Which has driven him one step closer to being the actual reincarnate of the War Priest. A figure of the past. As Kami, the water god had predicted at the end of book1.
And well Travis Baldree is King, his narration is always spot-on! And what audio collection doesn't need more Travis Baldree in their library.
May 5, 2022
If you liked War Priest: Mask of the Fallen, you'll love The Whispering Sword.
Arik Dacre continues his adventures and learning of the magical art of warfare, Thunderaura, and of deception, Chimeraura. These augment his considerable healing power, plus the magical mask he acquired in the first book.
His companions are essential Meosa, the magical water being, called a kami. Hojo, the Chimeraura master, who has taken Arik under his wing.
All they have to do is defeat another Chimeraua master, his hundreds of students, a Thunderaura master and his whole kingdom of warriors.
Good luck, Arik.
Arik Dacre continues his adventures and learning of the magical art of warfare, Thunderaura, and of deception, Chimeraura. These augment his considerable healing power, plus the magical mask he acquired in the first book.
His companions are essential Meosa, the magical water being, called a kami. Hojo, the Chimeraura master, who has taken Arik under his wing.
All they have to do is defeat another Chimeraua master, his hundreds of students, a Thunderaura master and his whole kingdom of warriors.
Good luck, Arik.
April 14, 2022
Massively more entertaining
Arik has grown and after the first book this is a lot more evident as we experience his rise of power and skill.
Although youth and unworldly to start with he has grown into a stronger character that I feel a lot more connection with. The historical usage of the background
information is really good and I just love how this one ended.
Arik has grown and after the first book this is a lot more evident as we experience his rise of power and skill.
Although youth and unworldly to start with he has grown into a stronger character that I feel a lot more connection with. The historical usage of the background
information is really good and I just love how this one ended.
April 15, 2022
Another awesome book.
Arik is just scary as a master healer with a magic sword and mask who continues to get more powerful as he masters the arts of war and assemblies his own network of allies.
Arik is just scary as a master healer with a magic sword and mask who continues to get more powerful as he masters the arts of war and assemblies his own network of allies.
April 19, 2022
Wow! Action-packed Adventure!
I love seeing how Arick develops his skills and talents! His humanity and sense of caring grounds him while the Mask and Sword drive him to fight! Such an incredible story so far!
I love seeing how Arick develops his skills and talents! His humanity and sense of caring grounds him while the Mask and Sword drive him to fight! Such an incredible story so far!
August 16, 2026
I don’t know how I feel about this book. I don’t like the witches thing. Too close to actual witches. And the MC is sometimes the most unbelievably stupid boy I ever read….. but there’s so many good points as well….
I just don’t know…
I just don’t know…
April 24, 2022
So Good!
I love this series! This second book was even better than the first! No spoilers but to not miss this series!
I love this series! This second book was even better than the first! No spoilers but to not miss this series!
June 15, 2022
This was an awesome follow up to the first War Priest book. Everything I hoped would be in this book was so excellent job on that. Anyways, I look forward to the next War Priest book and what it may bring to the table. :)
July 9, 2022
Another solid book. Compared to the first, I'd say this one had a more straightforward plot. I don't like that the cast has gotten bigger, but we'll see.
August 4, 2023
short but enjoyable.
August 21, 2023
A good sequel.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews