The Book of Fallen Leaves

The Autumn Empire #1

by A.S. Tamaki

Shogun meets Game of Thrones in the blockbuster epic fantasy event of the year

'Family feuds, political savagery and complex characters on both sides of an epic, unfolding war . . . I loved it' Nicholas Eames

'A sprawling, complex fantasy epic that builds toward a brutal finale'
Fonda Lee

Sen Hoshiakari is an exiled prince of a clan that lost everything in his father's failed rebellion. Deprived of his birthright, Sen is determined to restore his family's lands and honour at any cost.

Rui is a peasant girl who saved Sen's life on the night his family were put to the sword. But now, she is adrift and unsure of her place in the world, not knowing that the gods themselves have plans for her.

As civil war throws the empire into chaos, and demons seek vengeance on the living, Sen and Rui must fight for both their clan and their shared future . . .

But vengeance demands a bloody price.

Debut author A. S. Tamaki weaves a powerful tale of ambition, vengeance and sacrifice in this masterful fantasy retelling of an ancient Samurai saga, packed with memorable characters, stunning worldbuilding and epic adventure

'The Book of Fallen Leaves is lyrically told, rife with history and political intrigue . . . a book that is both vast and intimate - with battles that leap off the page and characters who yearn to do what's right'
Andrea Stewart

Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Adult, Epic Fantasy, Historical, High Fantasy

Audible Audio

First published March 17, 2026

About the author

A. S. Tamaki grew up in Los Angeles, where he spent his childhood climbing trees and making short films in his backyard. After working in Hollywood for several years, he now lives in the Pacific Northwest, and when he’s not writing, spends his time routesetting at local climbing gyms. The Book of Fallen Leaves is his first novel.

Reviews

[William Gwynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

2026 feels like a resurgence in epic fantasy. It has never gone away, but are we about to see a new peak?

The Book of Fallen Leaves is a feudal-Japanese inspired fantasy . This is a book where history seeps into the present. It is not just there as dressing, it provides real depth and richness to the world. It feels lived in. And it feels dangerous. Tensions of previous wars and conflicts weigh heavily, and a new war is brewing.

What stands out to me most about The Book of Fallen Leaves is just how accomplished this is. This is an ambitious debut that has to balance political intrigue with character building, magic and pacing. It does so with numerous factions at play that are playing a complex game of chess to gain the upper-hand. But the reader is never lost in this manoeuvring and puzzle solving, nor is the pacing brought down. It is gripping, with a great balance between action and moments to breath and build momentum once again.

“You can’t be king of the mountain without standing on a pile of bones.’”

We follow a range of PoV’s that refreshingly encompass a wide breadth of the population. We have peasants, warriors and nobles, each with specific roles in society that are being contorted, challenging their understanding of the world and forcing them to make a decision and choose a side. A lot of epic fantasy is guilty of dealing just with the higher echelons of society, but here we see the ripple effects and also how the broader population can influence the big picture.

The main strength of The Book of Fallen Leaves is its consistency, from its pacing to the strength of the cast as a whole to the world-building. In this way it reminded me of Fonda Lee’s Greenbone Saga and Richard Swan’s Grave Empire, as both have a strong cast and a plot with real drive, and each PoV offers an engaging story that helps fill in the puzzle of the overall story.

Due to the numerous factions and complex (but understandable) political intrigue, I would not recommend this as a palette cleanser. Apart from that, I will be recommending this all year to anyone who will listen. If you like epic fantasy, this could become a new favourite. I cannot wait for book 2!

4.5/5 STARS

[Edward Gwynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in a long while that has literally kept me up all night so I could finish it...

This is a mashup of Shogun, Game of Thrones and, most importantly, Princess Mononoke. A fantasy set in a feudal-Japanese inspired world, with warrior monks, forest-spirits, loyal retainers and assassinations aplenty. Tamaki grips you immediately with one of the strongest opening chapters I've ever read... and it doesn't let up.

There is a large cast of POVs, side-characters, factions to get to grips with. The rich history adds a lot to your experience as you're finding your feet. Each character pulls you in, with their various conflicts written incredibly well. This book does 'escalation' masterfully. Every chapter gets bigger, either in scope or intensity, and the final 40% of The Book of Fallen Leaves is some of my favourite writing of the year. The factions could have been a lot more unique imo, and I'd have loved to have experienced more world-building in terms of customs and rituals and language, but at the core of this book is the incredible story of characters seeking to avenge their family, people committing deeds 'for the greater good', POVs from demon-warriors, found family and friendship.

Tamaki has forged a masterpiece of a Book#1 here. This is the book that NEEDS to be on everyone's lips...

[Booksblabbering || Cait❣️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shogun meets epic fantasy.

Set in a feudal-Japanese-inspired world on the brink of civil war, violence and civil unrest allows ancient demons to break free and seek vengeance.
Sen Hoshiakari is an exiled prince of a disgraced clan, determined to reclaim his family's lost lands and honor. Rui is peasant girl who saved Sen's life and is now seeking purpose for her life.

…our futures are not a river flowing in time, rushing directly to one destination. They are like pages in a book, among a vast uncountable library of books. Your futures are there: you may choose one. Or not. You may end up in a different book altogether.

Where this failed me was the overload of names and events with a feeling that it was too slow. This was slow-paced with the plot only getting moving at around 50%.

I liked both our main characters even if they felt like slightly more fleshed out caricatures. I loved being immersed in the historic Japanese world even if I wished there was more culture.
I love political intrigue, however this lacked nuance and was more blunt violence.

I appreciated that the characters were working within a corrupt, broken system. Furthermore, by getting 5+ POVs, you can see the situation from different angles. Then again, they didn’t feel distinct enough.

Spring will come, and with it, flowers, the bloom of fleeting life, but none will be there to see them. Instead of music, you’ll hear the thrumming of horses on hard dirt. Instead of painting, you’ll see the vibrancy of blood. The bells would ring not for the coming of another year, but in mourning, for the dead.

As you can tell from my review, this had so much potential to be a new favourite. However, it just missed the mark each time.
This is an impressive debut effort though.

Physical arc gifted by Orbit.

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[Acrossallrealms]

The Book of Fallen Leaves had a slower start for me, and it took some time to fully settle into the world and political dynamics. I appreciate the ambition and the depth of the worldbuilding, but there were stretches where I felt confused and occasionally a little lost.

That said, there were some scenes that were genuinely strong. When the action picked up, the writing felt vivid and immersive, and those moments really stood out.

Overall, I liked parts of it more than others. It’s clearly aiming for epic scope, but the pacing and clarity didn’t always work for me. I’m planning to try the audiobook when it releases to see if that format helps the story click more smoothly.

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 Stars
This was a solid piece of epic fantasy centered around historical samurai. I found the characters and plots to be wonderfully complex and morally gray.

As someone interested in Japanese history, this re-imagining was right up my alley. I liked that this one didn't shy away from the brutality realities of this time.

I would recommend this book to readers who have enjoyed other fantasy stories inspired by historical Asia, such as the Poppy War. I look forward to reading more by this author.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

[Alex Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly, thank you to Orbit Books and the author, Alex Tamaki for trusting me with an ARC of The Book of Fallen Leaves, in exchange for an honest, un-biased review.

The Book of Fallen Leaves is an epic, east-Asian fantasy, filled to the brim with adventure, excitement, political rivalries, rival clans, Gods and Demons.

Somewhere between Game of Thrones and Shogun, this is not for the faint-hearted. It is a complex, and layered story, with a multi-narrative perspective that provides thorough insight into all sides of the warring factions that you can understand the reasons for all sides of the conflict.

At it's heart, The Book of Fallen Leaves is a story of dualities. From Sen and Rui, two young children cast off together, and their journeys into becoming more than each of them ever thought they could be - one high-born, one low-born, each destined to walk a different path. To two rival clans, each vying for the right and power to lead their people to victory. To the Gods and Demons that reside in the shadows, watching and waiting.

I want to reiterate that this is a complex story. There is a very heavy focus on the politics that have both preceded this story, and the ongoing tumult of both class, birth right, and duty, and it really needs to be savoured. This isn't a story you can speed your way through, it should be digested slowly and steadily.

In addition to the complex political landscape, there are a lot of characters, and thanks to the handy character summaries included at the start of the book, that does make it much easier on the brain when perspective shifts. But at times it be confusing, especially when these characters cross paths.

That said, I adored it.

It was everything I wanted from an epic samurai fantasy. It's visceral, it's real, and it's dark.

I genuinely think this book is going to blow up on release and everyone will be talking about it.

The Book of Fallen Leaves releases March 2026, I'd highly recommend giving it a look and adding to your TBR.

It is not perfect, but I think that is mainly due to the complexity. That could entirely be me, and that it took me a good 4-5 weeks to get through this because of life, and a desire not to rush.

4.5/5.0

[Nils | nilsreviewsit · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Death, it was said, was unholy in the eyes of the enlightened.
To kill was to be unclean, and courtiers would never so besmirch their souls. They had outlawed executions for two hundred years in their search for purity. They would not kill. But now, where are we? A court, surrounded by killers. Hunters. Men who knew the scent of blood.”

An Empire on the cusp of civil war. Gods and demons breaking free. Two people fated to go to war in a world that won’t allow for peace.

Sen Hoshiakari is the son of a traitor. His father, leader of the Gensei clan, attempted a rebellion against the Emperor and was slaughtered when Sen was just a child. Sen was rescued on that fateful night and taken to live in hiding, in Kitano, away from the Empire’s rule. Rui, a no’in (lowborn) was also there during the slaughter, and her family was also killed, but along with Sen she too was rescued. Now their destinies intertwine once more as a coup by the Keishi clan throws the Empire into civil war and further bloodshed is on the horizon. With Gods and Demons at their heels Sen and Rui must fight for family, for freedom but also for love.

The Book of Fallen Leaves by A. S. Tamaki is a sublime epic fantasy debut. There’s so much depth and scope to this novel—an empire in turmoil, warring monks, samurai, demons and gods, and a deep philosophical reflection on the realities of warfare, of taking life.

I immediately loved this book right from the opening chapters as we enter this dark world where the barrier that holds back the spirit realm is thinning, monks have broken into factions against each other, and a politically tension filled Empire is present. Tamaki’s prose is almost lyrical, it’s atmospheric, you can really feel the emotion seeping through which is always my favourite kind of writing as it never fails to draw me in. Throughout Tamaki injects much Japanese mythology and also highlights the Japanese concept of two souls within us, the calm and the chaos. This was something that I felt was cleverly explored as this motif is illustrated not only in our characters but in the narrative structure as well, which you’ll see later on. This is a book with an expensive cast of characters and I do advise readers to refer to the characters list at the beginning because it really does help to clarify which characters belong to which clan. Despite this large cast I found each main PoV to be distinct, I found each key player memorable and further found that they did share a common theme; of finding their place in this world.

Sen has never known his real family, has never seen what their glory once was, has never known their true history. Growing up in hiding, away from the Empire’s clutches, he has very little experience of politics or war. Yet he is an heir nonetheless, he is a central figure to his remaining family and Gensei clan, a prince and a key to uniting them. With this he struggles, how can Sen fight for a family he has never known? When his teachers are shaping him to strive for peace, when he too believes in peace, how can he then ride proudly into a war? Then there is Rui, a peasant woman who was always kept on the outside, always looked down upon by nobles, never fitted in, wanting love yet never truly experiencing it. Rui only wanted to protect and care for nature, for life, but instead was thrown into a violent world. Let me tell you these two characters broke my heart, Tamaki portrays their inner turmoil so well and Rui and Sen’s relationship, their longing for each other, is so achingly beautifully written.

“Will we never move on, Yora thought, or will it color the rest of
our lives?
The old ones said the past was never gone; perhaps they were right. It lives within us still, he thought: each day brings its own ghosts. Each day the wounds reopen.”

The Book of Fallen Leaves is a Samurai saga retelling, and though I’m not familiar with the original tale, I’d love to discover more. The world is set in feudal-Japan and therefore the remaining POVs serve to illustrate the Empire’s political conflicts. My beloved Yora, once Captain of the Imperial Guard and now turned a poet and adviser, was a character who was filled with deep regret and sorrow. He had seen too much bloodshed, he knew the true meaning of loss, of betrayal, but he also knew that a fight was coming and was desperately trying to keep the peace. Kai, also a Gensei heir (being Yora’s niece and Sen’s older sister) remembers her father and is determined to restore her family’s place, to take back their lands and their rights. She however, is no warrior, she’s never had experience leading her people, but when she runs out of political negotiation options, a choice to fight or kneel is all that’s left to her. Yaeko on the other hand, being close to the Keishi clan, gives insight into how the coup is being played out. Yaeko goes through much conflict as she’s forced to fight against those she once stood beside, as she leaves behind her family’s beliefs and carves her own path. This is a very political heavy book, one that explores the history of the lands and the clans which have shaped the way the world is at present. Tamaki fantastically portrays the intricacies of an Empire facing political strife because of this history.

A true highlight of the book for me was the philosophy that Tamaki injects into this narrative—it amazed and awed me with its depth. The philosophy is oh so stunningly written with lines and imagery that really makes a reader think. For example, through the monk Jobo, who teaches Sen a lot, we are shown that Sen won’t kill a sacred serow, he does not wish to take life, but Jobo reflects that to be a warrior innocents will be killed by your hand. Tamaki begs the reader to consider what it really is to be a warrior, a samurai, even an emperor. What is the true horrific reality of war? What is it to take a life? The entire story explores the balance between peace and war and when is the right time to fight. Is there a right time? Whereas the first half of the book saw our characters pushing for peace, the second half turned into an all out battle as the clans collided. The action here was incredible, vividly detailed and the fear, the guilt, the primal urge to survive was perfectly portrayed. Tamaki is a clever writer indeed as again, he represents two sides, within the novel there is the calm and the chaos.

This was a book that very much embodied everything I love: characters with emotional complexity, a dark war torn world with myth and monsters, a story grand in scope. Tamaki has delivered a masterfully written debut, one that every fantasy reader needs to devour.

“If you gain power on the merit of defeating a tyrant, who will you be when you take the tyrant's place? You want to be a better ruler: good. But you’ll still be sitting in the exact same chair. That’s what I fear.”

ARC provided by Nazia at Orbit Books in exchange for an honest review—a huge thank you for the copy! All quotes used are taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

The Book of Fallen Leaves is out 17th March 2026

[Zana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Talk about an epic fantasy! Wow!

The vibes are very similar to A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones, so if you're more into the political side of epic fantasy than actual fantastical elements, then definitely give this novel a try.

I'm someone who's more into fantasy than hardcore politicking, but somehow, this novel really grabbed my attention and I couldn't look away.

Being an epic fantasy, you really have to pay attention to details, especially the relationships between the characters and between the clans. Interclan history played a huge role and it was easy to get lost amidst both the context and the subtext. (And this isn't including the different monk factions and their allegiances either to the clans or the emperors or themselves.) I'll definitely have to do a reread before the sequel so I can remember everything that I've read.

The novel started out with a POV chapter featuring a couple of demons that haunt this world. The darkness and death really set the mood for the story. Going with the ASOIAF/GOT comp, they were giving white walker vibes in the early seasons when you weren't exactly sure what they were and what they were capable of. The dread and the mystique were written really well.

The summary only mentioned two MCs, Sen and Rui. Not including the few POV chapters with the demons, there were about three more POV characters. They held different positions in the clans, all with varying levels of allegiances to their clans due to war and familial history.

Like I said, this novel is the definition of epic fantasy.

Sen and Rui were more of the young coming of age fantasy trope type of POVs, and I really enjoyed their chapters. They were a lot more easier to digest than the other POVs and actually served as a mini palate cleanser in between all of the heavy politics. (Don't get me wrong, they were both immersed in clan and country politics, but their situations were more easily digestible and slightly more straightforward instead of convoluted.)

The other three POVs, Kai, Yora, and Yaeko, brought more of a political nuance to the narrative. Through their POVs, we saw the inner workings of the clans, including intraclan and interclan politics. I won't lie; it was difficult to understand what was going on sometimes with all of the scheming and plotting, especially with each characters' levels of knowledge of what was going on.

Talk about a silo mentality. This is the type of novel where the audience learns alongside each of the characters, which is both frustrating and rewarding.

And with that, this novel isn't for everyone. But if you love epic fantasy with a ton of politics, then you should definitely give this a try.

Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for this arc.

[liv ʚɞ · Rating 3 out of 5]

• Dnfed at Chapter 24 (50%) •

The Book of Fallen Leaves is the first book in The Autumn Empire series, and the start to an epic Japanese-inspired fantasy filled with politics, Gods and many warring factions, following on from an attempted coup that is still having repercussions 20 years later.

This book SHOULD have been completely perfect for me, as someone who adores political epic fantasy. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t. I found it nigh impossible to connect with any of the characters, and I didn’t feel any sort of kinship to them. Despite the world-building being incredibly intriguing, I struggled to differentiate between places or picture where each character was. A map could have helped, but my ebook version did not have one (I am unsure if the final release does). I wasn’t captured by the plot at all, and even at the halfway point I didn’t feel that the characters were going anywhere, physically or otherwise. I am usually a big fan of slowburn plots, but this one just did not work for me at all.

I have had zero drive or interest in this story since I started it, and that’s such a shame as I was so intrigued by the premise and world when I first heard about the book. This is a soft dnf, as I would like to attempt to read this again at a later date, possibly when the next book in the series is out. For now, however, I must admit defeat.

Overall, The Book of Fallen Leaves gets 3/5 stars. A fantastic premise with some very skilful prose, but just not the book for me at this moment in time.

thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review! <3

[AndaReadsTooMuch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has absolutely gobsmacked me. Whatever I try to write will not even come close to doing this novel justice. It’s high fantasy. It’s sweeping. It’s epic, it’s groundbreaking, haunting… I could go on and on with all these single words and none of them come close to touching even the barest hint of what it has to offer.

It is over 500 pages of political intrigue, dynastic families and power struggles, gods and demons, power of man and… other. It’s a story of loss, of families (blood and found), and desperately wanting to find where you fit in the world. Told in the most beautiful prose, we see straight into the hearts of each of our characters. Their hopes, their dreams, their machinations and ultimately their downfall. Kai, the remaining family noble of a doomed line that sought power in a failed coup. Sen, the hidden heir to a dynasty that shouldn’t exist whose heart lies both with his chosen family and the one he never knew. Rui, my gods Rui. My heart breaks for Rui but something tells me she is more than she seems, every time she’s knocked down she will fight to get back up. Yora, known as the Poet, the brother to one of the failed dynasties but allowed to stay in court because of his alliances to the emperor’s family. But where are his alliances, really. The warrior monks, the demons and gods… And I’m barely touching the SURFACE of this book. See what I mean? It’s so epic that epic makes it feel small.

I didn’t want to finish this book. I didn’t want to leave. I nearly cried when I got to the last pages. But that ending though… I am so hooked. I can’t wait for the second book because I have a feeling it’s going to be even more amazing!

Huge huge thank you to Orbit Books for the gifted eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Once again, Orbit is over here knocking it out of the park with these incredible fantasy books this year. My bookshelf is starting to bend from buying all these bangers! (Can’t stop, won’t stop.)

[Terry Rudge · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic book! This was absolutely 100% in my wheelhouse. I adore anything samurai or Asian inspired, and since The Last Samurai is one of my all time favourite films, this one immediately grabbed my attention.

For me, The Book of Fallen Leaves felt like the lovechild of an adult version of Across the Nightingale Floor and a battle sequence straight out of Shogun. The pacing is relentless and once it starts, it does not let up. The entire story revolves around a single, sprawling battle, but what makes it so compelling is how A.S. Tamaki tells it through multiple POVs. Each perspective adds a new layer , showing the politics, the personal motives, the spiritual undercurrents, and the eerie presence of magic and spirits that weave through the chaos.

Sen Hoshiakari is a standout and his arc is powerful and satisfying but I have to say my favourite POV was Rui. Her internal conflict amidst the external carnage was just chef’s kiss writing.

My only small gripe, I really wish my copy had a character list and allegiance chart at the start. With all the Japanese names and house affiliations, it took a bit to get my bearings in the early chapters.

But honestly, that’s a tiny quibble in what was otherwise a brilliant read. It ticked every single one of my personal boxes. Pacy, emotional, brutal, beautiful. I was hooked start to finish.

[Hillary (abookishmarriage) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally comps that are accurate and that help to describe the book while also falling short of exactly what the book is.

Yes this is a political and military fantasy akin to game of thrones, relying on mystical and unexplained (as yet) fantastical forces. Yes it incorporates samurai culture and will certainly recall the sharp dialogue and breathtaking scenes of Shogun.

And yet…it’s also more than simply a mashup of these two things. It’s truly an epic historical fantasy with an insanely good cast of characters.

Yes the beginning is somewhat slow moving, and the character development is not instant but the payoff is so worth it.

I am really excited to see where this series goes! Thanks to Orbit and Netgalley for a galley in exchange for an honest review.

[thevampireslibrary · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Book of Fallen Leaves blew me away with just how vast and detailed, well, everything was , from the worldbuilding, history, magic, POVs (we love characters with emotional complexity) and politics, it's an intricate and multi layered story and I found myself completely immersed, I'd say this is definitely for fans who enjoy a plot thick with political intrigue and enjoy a more slow burn start to a series, the first half felt like watching a chess game with the political strategy and motives/loyalty of each character coming into play, the second half is BOOoOoOm the action,
there are a lot (😅) of characters but if you're familiar with epic fantasy thats kinda their jam, it doesn't take long to get a grip on who's who etc, the pace picks up around the 60% mark, the battle scene is visceral, it's almost poetic, Tameki's writing is incredibly cinematic and I felt I was standing amongst the bloodshed, I really enjoyed this and can't wait to see where the next book takes us, an epic historical fantasy with an unforgettable cast of characters

[Cate - Catethereader]

DNF at 50%.

Many thanks to the publishers for sending me an arc of this book.

First, I want to say that this is entirely my opinion, this shouldn’t influence your view of the book. You should go ahead and read it, without taking in consideration that I didn’t like it. This is just my opinion as a reader and as a reviewer. 🫶🏻

“The book of fallen leaves” started so good. The first chapter hooked me and I was so sure I was going to love it. It has a lot of fun elements that I usually like in a fantasy: interesting worldbuilding, engaging writing style and intriguing history. I liked the part about the gods and the complexity of the game that these political classes are playing. Even the action scenes were well-done and I was saddened by the fact that we don’t have a lot of them. I was intrigued by the setting, a Japanese era that made me want to read “Shogun”. There are even demons and a good atmosphere setting, with beautiful landscapes that made me want to travel to Japan, heh.

Unfortunately, the book wasn’t for me. Which is a shame, because I am a fantasy lover. Is my favourite genre, especially epic and high fantasy. I was promised something similar to “A Game of Thrones”, but I couldn’t see a lot of similarities to it. I don’t want to sound like I don’t appreciate the book or the story, but I wish publishers would stop comparing every release with these big series that everyone or almost everyone loves.

I don’t want to say a lot of bad things about the book, but there are some people who told me they’re excited for my thoughts, so here we go.
I struggled with so many aspects of “The book of fallen leaves” and I had some moments when I actually got mad while reading it.
I wasn’t a fan of the pacing. For a book of 583 pages (my arc copy), there is a lot of repetition and info dumping. The author keeps telling us the same thing over and over again. About the world, the history, the gods, the politics and so on. While the plot is complex, it moves very slow. I reached page 283 and only now were things starting to happen, but not a lot of things because half of the chapter was only info dumping. Because of this, my interest was starting to fall. I couldn’t care about what’s going to happen anymore, so I had to DNF.

The other thing that I didn’t enjoy were the characters. There are SO MANY!! I had to go back in the book in every chapter so I can remember who is who. So many allegiances and relationships between characters that we never meet, we just hear about them. It was like reading for a test in history, with all these emperors, young emperors, old emperors, retired ones, demon ones, lords, old lords, wives of old lords, new wives and old wives, children, children’s children, daughters of regents and sooooo on. Because of this, I couldn’t care about our main characters. What started as engaging became annoying. One of them is repetitive and has the same thoughts in all the chapters, she asks the same questions every time I was reading her pov. The other povs.. couldn’t care less. The author tried to create a romantic relationship between our main characters, but it felt so forced, having no chemistry whatsoever. Usually, I’m not upset about hearing about everyone and their parents, but only when we need it.
At the same time, the author doesn’t say the cities names. I reached page 283 and I still don’t know where the capital. Throughout the whole book, until where I stopped, he says only “we have to reach the capital”, “the capital is in danger”, “things are happening in the capital, “don’t trust the people from the capital”. What’s the capital? What’s the name of this whole world? What’s the difference between the marks on the map? We have points, circles, circles around the points, stars? What’s the difference? Can someone tell me?
It sounds like I hate this book, but I don’t. I’m just disappointed by how it was done. I didn’t felt the fantasy in it. Just because we hear about some gods and demons it makes it fantasy? We don’t have magic, or I didn’t read about it until the page i stopped. We don’t have supernatural elements, except in the prologue, and I’m not sure it was real or not. So why the comparison to “A song of ice and fire”? Only because it’s a popular book series?

I will not continue the series nor I will trust these publishers who make all these comments on how “this book is the next this or that”, because it’s not. It never is. I’m sad that I didn’t like it, i reaaaally tried to finish it. I even used a 60 minutes timer to read without scrolling on my phone and I still couldn’t finish it.
I understand why some people loved it or why they could love it, but fyi, it’s very slow paced with a lot of info dumping. I was promised an epic fantasy, and epic adventure, but all I got was disappointment in the form of confusing chapters, repetition and political drama.

[John Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had some great moments but for me, the pacing was a bit uneven, and a few ideas felt more interesting in concept than in execution. Some sections lingered too long, while others I wanted to explore more deeply.

Overall, it’s a quiet, introspective read that will work best for readers who enjoy slower, mood-driven stories, even if it didn’t completely click for me.

[Angharad · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given this advanced copy for free in exchange for an honest review by NetGalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Review:

While the comparison to Game of Thrones and Shogun might be more showy and get more people to pick it up based on their enjoyment of the TV shows, I think a better comparison is someone like Steven Erikson, an author that throws you into the deep end. There's a lot going on at all times with almost no handholding or explanation of what or why it's happening. This problem (or blessing depending on your perspective) is intensified by having a ton of POV characters and not all of them were as interesting to me as others. I would've read a book just about Sen, while I often fell asleep in other chapters. I feel like readers need a roadmap of the many plot threads within The Book of Fallen Leaves; without a second book out to know where they're going, it's hard to recommend this book.

This gets a 3 star rather than a 2 because I would pick this up and reread it again in the future when book 2 is out. I need some resolution on plot points and this first book is very much a set up book for things to come.

☀️ Fun Factor 1/5 (I struggled for two weeks to read this)
☀️ Writing Style 3/5
☀️ Characters 3/5
☀️ Plot 2/5 (So many plotlines that seem unrelated)
☀️ Setting 3/5 (Kinda sorta Japan but not really)
☀️ Gore 4/5

☀️If this were a movie it'd be rated: R for violence, gore, terror

☀️FOR FANS OF: Readers with patience and a love for Japanese inspired world building and aesthetics.

☀️Ultimate verdict: ⭐⭐⭐

☀️Best Character Award goes to: Sen is very easily the best among the protagonist POV characters

[Doc of the Dark Arts · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 Stars
Format: E Book ARC
Spoilers: None

The Book of Fallen Leaves, the debut novel from AS Tamaki, is an epic story of political intrigue and warring clans infused with gods, demons, and evil spirits who intercede and interfere with the world of men. Inspired by a Japanese samurai saga, The Tale of the Heike, with roots in epic fantasy, the intentional world building leads to one of the most bingeable closing segments of a book. that I have read in some time.

First, it is important to understand that this is a book one, and the first two parts of the book (divided into four parts total) are dedicated to character introduction and world building. Where I have seen some reviewers complain about the number of characters and character names, anyone who has read any kind of epic fantasy should not see this as a problem. It may take a bit of time to get used to the characters names, but our main 5 or 6 characters continue to show up, and you get used to it and figure things out pretty quickly (in addition to a provided character list). By the end of part one, I was totally comfortable with the main players, the clans, and their respective roles. The world is inspired by feudal Japan, with three main warring clans who previously overthrew an emperor, and then fought amongst themselves for power. We also get some backstory on the gods, demons, and spirits who interact with the world of man. These are more hinted at in the first half, building a slow tension and introduction to the fantastical elements of the story.

Tamaki's measured, intentional approach to world building lays the foundation for the second half of the book, which begins to accelerate and does not stop until the last page. I read the last 40% or so of the book in one sitting - I genuinely could not put this down. The final battle of the book is truly cinematic, with breathtaking descriptiveness and at times gut wrenching emotional moments. It sets up the rest of the story to come in such a wonderful way. Tamaki's writing is fantastic, and often poetic, even in the heat of battle. The fantasy elements of this book are so interesting, using gods and demons who work both on their own and through humans to interact with the physical world. There is lots of mystery still left to these elements at the end, which to me makes this all the more intriguing.

This book is often advertised as Shogun meets Game of Thrones. I personally do not tend to like these sorts of comparisons, as I feel it creates certain expectations and can put readers in the wrong mindset. Is it like Shogun in that it is inspired by feudal Japan and includes period appropriate fighting - yes. Is it like Game of Thrones in that we have warring clans, lots of characters and political scheming for the seat of the emperor/power - yes. But the Book of Fallen Leaves is its own story, and lends a wonderfully unique voice to this world, independent of either of those works. Readers who love intentional world building, epic fantasy, political intrigue, and a mysterious fantasy element will love this book. While I did get this as an ARC, I have already pre-ordered my own copy and fully intend to reread this one. I cannot wait for the next book in the series, and would highly encourage you to check this one out!

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks for the eARC in exchange for an honest review to Little, Brown Book Group UK and netgalley.

The Book of Fallen Leaves is the kind of fantasy debut that asks you to slow down and trust it — and for the most part, that patience pays off. Drawing on Japanese history and mythology, A.S. Tamaki has built a world that feels genuinely lived-in, with a story that grows heavier and more gripping as it goes.

Plot

The story takes its time getting moving, which will frustrate some readers but ultimately works in the book's favour. Political tension, religious conflict and the slow creep of war all simmer together across the first half, before things boil over in a finale that earns every bit of the violence it delivers. There are no cheap shortcuts here — consequences feel real, and earlier threads pay off in satisfying, sometimes brutal ways.

Characters

The two leads are both well-drawn and genuinely conflicted. One is pulled toward war despite being raised to value peace; the other just wanted a quiet life and keeps getting dragged into chaos. That gap between who they wanted to be and who the world is forcing them to become is where most of the emotional weight sits. The supporting cast is large, perhaps a little too large — keeping track of all the factions and allegiances can be tricky, especially early on.

World-Building

This is the novel's strongest suit. Tamaki weaves Japanese mythology into the world naturally, so it never feels like window dressing. The idea that every person carries two souls — one calm, one chaotic — runs through both the characters and the story itself, giving everything a pleasing sense of coherence. The prose is elegant without being overdone.

Verdict

Not a perfect book, but a very good one. If you enjoy slow-burn epics with strong atmosphere and real emotional stakes, this one is well worth your time.

[Tricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the books on my anticipated releases list and it did not disappoint. I absolutely loved it!

The Book of Fallen Leaves is the first book in The Autumn Empire, a new epic fantasy series inspired by feudal Japan. Its an incredibly intricate and complex novel with multiple povs, different feuding families, rich history and religion, and deep political intrigue. Its a story that unfolds subtly and grows throughout the pages, building up to a huge scope and an epic finish. This is not a book where you can expect to learn everything right away and it requires a bit of work and patience from the reader but the result is absolutely worth it.

All of the characters in The Book of Fallen Leaves are detailed and distinct, with clear motivations and conflict. None of them feel like caricatures, they are all struggling, trying to do their best, and making mistakes. I enjoyed reading all their povs and I was interested in each of them. Even the small part characters were so good I was worried about people we see for only a few chapters.

Along with the character work I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the novel. It was so rich and detailed with history that felt very different from many other fantasy novels I've read. I loved the setting and the way it was described with such a lyrical and poetic writing style. Every scene is described in a meaningful way that tells you something about the story or characters beyond just the scene itself.

I definitely recommend giving this book a try if the premise sounds interesting to you. Especially if you enjoy political fantasy and are looking for something unique with complex characters.

I will be reading book 2 as soon as it comes out!

[Jackie Hughes]

This is a book that will really appeal only to a certain type of fantasy reader. And I'm really glad that the author decided to tell this story.
However, I personally could not recommend this book to others as political drama is not something I typically enjoy as a fantasy reader. This did not really have a ton of fantasy elements or world-building.

I really struggled to understand the characters and their motivations, it felt like all of them were pawns with no agency, and while I do understand that that is maybe the point, It didn't hook me. I didn't truly care for their cause and root for them as I felt that I should. The story was very slow and the jumping around to different characters was difficult and I felt myself constantly referring back to the family tree, also, I believed for a large portion of this book that Sen and Rui were siblings, as the family tree places them together in such a way.

Unfortunately this one was a miss for me, but the comp titles seem to be very apt.

[FantasyBookNerd]

I’m sorry, I finally got to the end of my tether at about 37% into this book. It was like wading through treacle.

The initial chapter was really good, promising all sorts, but then it just felt turgid and utterly unremarkable.

I didn’t care about any of the characters and my investment in the story was lower than the bargain bin at Poundland

This may be a great book and somewhere in the next 65% (I can’t give you exact page numbers coz it is an eArc) of the book there maybe an absolutely fantastic story, but ultimately, I haven’t got enough life in these old bones to care.

Roger and out!

[Karin (book_scent) · Rating 4 out of 5]

RTC

[Travis Butler · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is well written but it's not for me. I'm not a fan of political intrigue in fantasy books. the character development is good. If you like political intrigue then you might like this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the opportunity to read this book early on return for my honest review.

[Dan (ThatBookIsOnFiyah) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review: The Book of Fallen Leaves (The Autumn Empire 1) by A.S. Tamaki

4/5 stars. The Book of Fallen Leaves is the debut novel by Mr. Tamaki. It features multiple points of view from three families that make up the ruling class of this Japanese-inspired world, with the focus on a disgraced brother (Sen) and sister (Kai) whose father tried to overthrow the emperor, and a girl (Rui) from their father’s household servants who was saved with Sen on the night of their father’s death. We drop into this world on the brink of another civil war that will directly involve these two siblings and Rui.

At first, I struggled with this story, primarily because of names – I struggle with Asian names and have a challenging time keeping characters straight in my head initially. Once I got the names organized in my brain, the story flowed along nicely, with outstanding prose, and the last hundred pages were an absolute whirlwind of battles, action, and significant events. In addition, we meet demons and gods along the way and discover some interesting reveals about our characters.

When I review a book, I look at four main categories: prose, story, characters, and my entertainment level. This book was beautifully written, with excellent character work and background – on both sides of the coming war, and an intriguing storyline. My only issue with the novel was a lack of entertainment or engagement for the first half of the book. Not to say there was not a significant number of events taking place, but I could not stay focused on the story. I feel like this was more of a me problem than an issue with the story itself, and I’m sure others will have no issues with it at all.

I happily recommend this book to all fantasy fans for its epic set up, its wonderful writing, and the uniqueness of the setting. Tamaki has created an exceptionally good first novel and I look forward to reading more from this author.

[Jennifer Varon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25⭐️ I really enjoyed the ending and some of the concepts we see in this book. I think I personally would have benefitted from a visual representation of who these characters are and how they’re connected and where they are. The beginning was a bit confusing with the way the characters were introduced. It felt a bit like we are just dropped into the middle of things and the author doesn’t hold your hand. Which I think is perfectly fine, but it didn’t quite work for me here because the characters didn’t feel distinct enough for me to work out who they were. I referenced the character list a lot and it helped some, but I do think the book would have benefited from more character depth to set characters apart from one another especially since we have such a large cast of characters.

While I liked Sen and Rui, I didn’t care much about the other characters one way or another and I hope to see more distinction between them in the second book to get me more invested into the plot.

The concept and the gods are quite interesting and the ending was great so I would like to continue the series, but I just want more from the execution in the next book.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Book of Fallen Leaves is touted as being a mash up of Shogun and Game of Thrones. Having never read, either I couldn't comment. But I will definitely be reading Shogun now.
This is a Sammurai fantasy set in feudal Japan. It's a powerful story full of ambition and political intrigue.
The world building is vivid and immersive with a large cast of characters. Some of their names were very similar and, at times, confusing. There was one scene that was pretty disturbing and depressing that it stayed with me for longer than I liked.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read, and I look forward to the next instalment.
Thank you, NetGalley and publishers, for the ARC.

[Nick Deschamps · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received an early copy via Goodreads.

3.25/5

I really wanted to like this. The world was very interesting however I found it a struggle to get through.

There are so many characters that all start to blend together. I made it 40% of the way through before I needed to put it down and take a couple week break. It's A LOT of plot building and as one reviewer said, nothing really happens until 60% of the way in.

I understand it's the first book of a series and it needs to build the world and plot, but it got extremely confusing.


Will I read the next book when it comes out? Probably as I'd like to see where it goes.

[Mair Alys · Rating 4 out of 5]

This took me too long to finish and that’s partly why I’m a tad salty about the book.

But I enjoyed myself for the most part. If it wasn’t for Rui and Kai the two strong female leads (there are other strong female characters within the book) I don’t know if I would have finished.


This is a very plot focused book with Rui mainly showing the character side of the story. She really hooked me in with her struggles. And the way the author writes fight scenes with the emotion leading first— how nothing came easy. I really felt I was there struggling along with the characters. But saying this there was the battle toward the end of the book they left me feeling a little empty. It was here they I wanted to book to be over bc I’d been reading it for too long (this is entirely a me problem and not the book)

I adored the world that was set up with gods and people and possession. Everything had a price. I loved it. It is similar to GOT in that sense but don’t go in expecting GOT. It’s heavy on politics and the threat of war.

It was a fun read. I can see people perhaps not liking the writing style but I enjoyed it. It was fresh to not be told everything that was happening. But I did prefer the slower moments in this book compared to the big battles and plot.

I highly recommend.

[Mac · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

The Book of Fallen Leaves started off with a bang, and I really thought this was going to be a five star read. I studied Japanese anrt history in college, and we talked a lot about the supernatural/ghosts/demons so I was really excited for this. Unfortunately, the beginning is completely different in content and tone from the rest of the book. This book missed the mark for me in several ways.

The characters (and there’s a wide cast) are not fully fleshed out. They feel like caricatures. When there are so many to keep track of with nothing memorable or unique about them, they become indistinguishable from one another.

This book is supposed to be epic fantasy but there really aren’t fantasy elements throughout most of it and it reads more like historical fiction. There is political intrigue, but it is so slow and repetitive that it got very boring.

The dialogue was not written well. It seemed written more like how people might actually speak but unfortunately that translates to the page really poorly. For example, here’s one snippet:
Her heart wrenched in her; her muscles cramped and seized. She crumpled. “I don’t want to kill.”
“You must.”
“No.”
“You must.”
“No!”

(Two paragraphs later):
“No . . .” she said. No.
“You must,”

This wasn’t a one time thing. There was a ton of this repetition and staccato. It’s not interesting to read.

Unfortunately this book was just not what I hoped it would be. I don’t think I’ll pick up the next book.

[Laura Shoults · Rating 2 out of 5]

I LOVE the cover of this book and was hoping I would find the story as appealing. Unfortunately, that was not the case. I really struggled with the pacing. I’m all for world-building, but this felt often repetitive and quite confusing to me. For the first half of the book, I found myself having to constantly look up names and allegiances, because the information was being conveyed in ways that didn’t help me remember it. I find when books are a little more action-oriented, I can overlook some of the details to enjoy the story itself and maybe understand better on a re-read…. Nothing was happening, it was just political posturing that made understanding said names/allegiances necessary. I felt like I was trying to learn/study for a test instead of just reading to enjoy myself. I don’t understand the comparisons A Game of Thrones and would look elsewhere if that’s why you want to pick this book up.

The characters were also a little rough. I’m not against reading unlikeable characters, but I don’t think these were supposed to be. We had POVs from Sen, Rui, Kai, Yora, and Yaeko. The last two were fine and only composed a small percentage of the overall chapters. The first three I found excruciating. Rui was my least favorite. I hated being in her head. She was extremely repetitive – I don’t know how many times you can think the same things or ask Hososhi the same questions – and she acted in infuriating ways – I honestly thought she was basically a rabid raccoon in the whole first half. Sen and Kai… well, I guess the theme is for helpless entitled children to think they deserve something because of their families and their past… and they want other people to have to fight and die to give it to them. Don’t worry, they’ll “help”, aka just get in the way and force others to have to make up for their lack of skills/abilities. My favorite was a comment from Kai, who I doubt has ever done a day of labor in her life: “The system that has grown fat off our labor”. I assume that’s the royal we (our).

Speaking of helpless characters, one thing that I noticed toward the beginning and then couldn’t stop noticing: these characters CANNOT stay on their feet. They fall. Over and over again. Multiple times a chapter. I know this is forgoing the usual ‘they want to fight and they are magically just great at it after not enough time’, but most people can, most of the time, stay on their dang feet. I also don’t know why characters thought wandering around alone when they were already in trouble was a great idea, but they really did.

This book was just... really rough for me all around. I wish we had gotten to see more of Yora and Yaeko (already POVs), and Jobo, Hayo, Tsuna, Myorin, or Lady Iyo. What little we saw of them made me like them more than the main three. I needed someone to root for, because I just don't care about any of those we really spent much time with.

Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for this e-ARC.