In the riveting sequel to Nightblade’s Vengeance, the nightblades must choose a side, and the Kingdom will either rise again… or shatter into pieces.
With the realm on the brink of war, the once-celebrated blades have become an easy target for the rage of its devastated citizens. The nightblade warrior Asa’s lifelong quest for vengeance is over, but now she finds herself on the run from the people she sought to protect. As Asa forges a new course of action in an uncertain world, her path crosses with that of a young noblewoman.
Mari knows that great opportunity lies in the heart of chaos. If the Kingdom is to rise again, Mari will need support, and she can think of no group better than the nightblades. But the nightblades have been betrayed before, and gaining their trust will not be easy.
Mari wants to save the Kingdom. Asa wants to save the people. Both are willing to risk everything. But do their quests make them allies… or enemies?
*Source* NetGalley *Genre* Young Adult / Fantasy *Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Nightblade's Honor is the second installment in author Ryan Kirk's Blades of the Fallen series. Per the publisher, Blades of the Fallen is actually the prequel to the author's Nightblade series which I have not read, nor do I feel it necessary to do so in order to enjoy the first two novels in this series. Set in a world that I've compared to being feudal Japan, powerful Nightblade's (who I've been calling Samurai), and Lords (who I've been calling Daimyo) play a dangerous game to see who will reign supreme and lead the Kingdom.
In book one, Asa and Koji have both taken actions that have set them adrift, searching for a purpose, and have also directly led to the kingdom being plunged into civil war. In book two, all the villains from book one are quickly killed off, given rise to new ones for our heroes to face. Nightblades are also hated and hunted. Enter into the picture, Mari, sister to one of the Lords, who seems to be the only one that cares about the people in the kingdom and how they will be affected by war. Mari approaches the Nightblade Council to join with her house, when they refuse, she instead takes a group of rogue Blades on a mission of peace across the land. Inevitably, war still occurs, but Mari gives Asa and Koji an honorable purpose.
So yeah, I thought book one was ok, but this one was just.....boring, which is unfortunate because I actually like the characters. Asa got her revenge in book one but regrets killing Kiyoshi because he was a good man with an honorable path for the blades. Koji regrets his actions in book one mainly because the kingdom is worse off - he acted in accordance with his honor, but the consequences were dire. And Mari - she's a woman in a man's world, yet she finds a way to lead a group of the most powerful warriors in her attempt to maintain peace. Great characters, but what they do in this book is just tedious!
Publisher’s Description: With the realm on the brink of war, the once-celebrated blades have become an easy target for the rage of its devastated citizens. The nightblade warrior Asa’s lifelong quest for vengeance is over, but now she finds herself on the run from the people she sought to protect. As Asa forges a new course of action in an uncertain world, her path crosses with that of a young noblewoman.
Review: I am usually let down by a series when the first novel is spectacular. The second is usually tedious filler that sets up the finale’. If it is possible, Nightblade’s Honor is even better than the first.
Based on the publisher’s description, Asa takes center stage but there are a few characters that share in the novels progression and are as equally compelling. This highlights the author’s gift at building solid characters that grow and change with the movement. The scenes are vivid and the world building encompasses a grand scale of the known while embracing the unknown. I plowed through this novel faster than Oprah signing up for a butter convention.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a great sequel to the first book in the series Nightblade's Vengeance. The book starts off with a bang and doesn't slow down. With the kingdom in chaos and on the brink of civil war, the nightblades must choose a side. After the events of the last book, the nightblades are out of favor with the citizens in the Kingdom. Nightblades are considered the enemies of the kingdom, are hunted by the lords and must go into hiding.
Now that Asa has satisfied her need for vengeance, she finds herself directionless and on the run from the people she swore to protect. She teams up with an enemy from her past and finds a new purpose. Mari is desperate to piece the kingdom back together and strongly feels it can't be done without the nightblades. But can she convince her brother that her choice is the best?
The second book in this series does not disappoint. It is fast paced, has plenty of action and the character's storylines develop in thoughtful and fulfilling ways. I can't wait to see how this series ends!
I received a free copy of this for review from NetGalley **
Solid 4 star. While the first book peaked my interest this book really sold the series for me. I found Marie's introduction into the book a really pleasant surprise. I went into the book wanting more from Asa and for her to be the sole storyline of the book but I was quickly convinced otherwise. I'm so invested in Asa, Koji & Marie. I will definitely be continuing on with the series
A fabulous sequel to The Nightblade's Vengeance. Lord Shin has declared himself king and has outlawed the Blades. Koji and Asa both Nightblades have felt the fear and the hate from the villagers but honour dictates that they help them if they can. They decide to help Lady Mari - the sister to Lord Juro, who was murdered - and recruit fellow Blades to try to save the Kingdom on the brink of war. I loved all the books in the Nightblade series and would highly recommend these.
This was such a wonderfully written fantasy story! I absolutely loved Asa! You could see the struggle that she had trying to now find her new place in the world since her original life quest for revenge was now fulfilled. It was interesting to now see this world terrified of the once respected Nightblades. There were some slow spots here and there for me, but overall it was a great read and I’m ready for the next one! Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!
Part of Asian Culture is the ability to tell a great story. It is a revered ability especially when the story can teach a lesson or can be applied to situations that anyone can either relate to or be able to glean wisdom from and apply it appropriately but above all the story has to be entertaining. Ryan Kirk captures all of this and more! Set in a Feudal Empire System, where the architecture, philosophies, and pretty much everything done during this time period, IRL, you can still see the beauty, strength, dedication and pride that those people took in whatever it was that they did. There are so many aspects of this culture and I have seen people attempt to write stories but because of all that needed to be told it unfortunately turned into a history book. Thankfully that does not happen when it is Ryan Kirk telling the story. He captures all of the minute details but never loses sight of the character arc or storyline and the more he writes, the better he gets. Near and dear to my heart is The Warrior Caste of citizens. It is where stories of old gave credence to Ninjas, Magic, Warrior Monks, "Blade Masters" .... the thing is some of those things actually are true but the part of truth I really like is that this IS the one area that females were treated as equals. Which is another reason why I absolutely love how Ryan captured it all and didn't fall into the trap of "this is what a girl does vs this is what a boy does" I have seen it in every book of his and it is so subtly done. I am also so pleased at how he is able to keep so many people integral to the story weaving in and out without it being a jumbled mess - I couldn't put it down because I HAD to know what was next.. sorry but I'm not going to give out any actual spoilers. The last point is that I wanted to say is thank you to Ryan for bringing to light (albeit through a story) the very real issues that many of our Warriors in the Military face daily and the ONE THING THAT IS SACROSANCT IS OUR HONOR. For those who have never been in the Military, it is extremely difficult to explain the concept of what/why Honor isn't just a word we throw around and Ryan you did a superb job in telling the story of what it means to have Honor and to be Honor Bound even if nobody else gets it. Another great book, I can't wait for the next!
Fantastic follow up book! Looking forward to the third in the series. Once again, I had a difficult time putting this one down and found myself coming back to it instead of my go-to authors.
The second book in the Blades of the Fallen has more action and is a bit faster-paced than the first in the series. With that being said, Ryan’s books have a slow, deliberate build to them, which is no doubt done on purpose to have you reflect on the characters and story. His books have excellent world and character building. Some things to expect in the book (minimal spoilers): ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~
The kingdom is at war with many making a play for power. The nightblades and dayblades are now feared instead of revered. Asa is trying to find herself and where she fits in the world (read the first book if you are not aware of why this is). Enter Mari, who wants to make the kingdom a better place for all. Eventually gaining a following of her own, she tries to make it happen while meeting resistance and difficulties. Other things to expect: alliances, fighting with long/short blades, death, healing powers of the dayblades, redemption, family bonds, honor, teaching of blade senses, betrayal, and more. Asa and Mari are the main characters yet there are plenty of supporting characters that will keep you interested and wanting to turn the pages.
I would recommend this book if you are a fan of fantasy, weapons, like-genres, or would like to try a new series. This book will have you asking yourself how does the past shape our future.
*The audible version was easy to listen to.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The realm is now on the brink of war. Lord Shin has declared war on the blades forcing the blades to be on the run. Asa is left wondering what to do with her life now that her mission is complete. Koji wants to save Minori and his fellow blades but isn't sure how. Mari needs to save the people of the Kingdom and will use every resource available to her.
This is a great sequel to Nightblade's Vengeance. The plot had a great blend of action, warfare planning and stealth. There were a few slower parts where I wished more fighting and less talking occurred. The characters were phenomenal. Each character had a unique personality that slowly changed and grew based on the circumstances they experienced. Mari was my favorite, especially at the end when she learned tolerance towards her sworn enemy. The description was well written, whether it be a village or the mountains, the reader felt like they were transported to that location.
In conclusion, this is a great fantasy noel that reminds me of feudal Japan. I would recommend it to all fantasy lovers out there. Thank you to 47North and Netgalley for this ARC.
Ryan Kirk captured my interest with his original Night Blade series, which I found to be rich in world building and with depth of characters.. This series, a prequel series, also has depth, but i found the descriptions throughout to be quite repetitive. Truly, Ryan, tell us twice if you must, but three or more times is simply word count building. There were a couple of unnecessary scenes as well, for example when soldiers passed by, a ways from the farmhouse, with no interaction with the main characters, that were totally useless to the story. Please don't fall into the trap that many once excellent authors have fallen into, building word count with saying the same thing multiple times, and writing filler scenes with no real purpose. You are a good writer! I look forward to seeing what's next!
Nightblade's Honor (Blades of the Fallen Book 2) Review
Dear Ryan, what a wonderful story and apparent conclusion. I have really enjoyed reading your stories and look forward to reading your next book. Your stories are clean and exciting to be enjoyed by anyone interested in reading great stories. Your characters and plot lines are outstanding and exhibit excellent thinking. I highly recommend reading this series to anyone interested in reading a great story. Thanks for the entertainment. I wasn't able to put down the book once started.
Brilliantly written book detailing the progress of both Koji and Asa, as well as training for Asa from Daisuke that further hones her skills . The fight for the kingdom goes on, to protect the people in the villages from the different armies, while someone has to convince the remaining nightblades to join with them. The battle scenes are described in a manner that enables the reader to envisage them as clearly as if they were there themselves! The whole book is one that is impossible to put down until the last page is read.
All the nightshade books have been excellent and this is no exception,the twists and turns are well crafted and the story is well developed,the one thing that stands out is that Mari is the only member of the mobility that actually considers anybody apart from themselves and that women's subservient role in society is highly detrimental,looking forward to the next book.
Every so slowly this series has won me over. I’m a romantic at heart and the ending just about killed me. And I don’t want to let give too much info but the honor these characters carry really shows. Now this novel doesn’t really focus on romance which is new for me. But I’ve come to really adore Asa and the way her character grows.
For those who are curious about this series it’s worth a read!
I can’t say enough good things about this book, I was in gauge from beginning to end. I can’t wait for the next book. Not sure how many we’ll get this series, but I say if you haven’t read the first three, then I recommend waiting until this series is done before you read the first ones. It will be a cool experience.
I received this book as a giveaway, so thank you to Goodreads. I found this book to be more adventurous then the first book. I used Audible to listen to it and enjoyed the narrater very much. The characters were more interactive with each other and more hard lessons on hate and revenge had to be overcome. I enjoyed it more then the first book
The book is great at expressing emotion and the confusion of it. Ryan Kirk did a great job at highlighting motives and the thought process of problem solving. His characters seem real and the book is captivating with its action and chooses to do what is honourable. A great book.
Brilliant 2nd instalment of this series, perhaps even better than the previous book. A must for Nightblade fans. If you are not already hooked you should be - read Nightblade's Vengeance first though! For me it is a toss-up whether this is my favourite book read in the last year or "Kings of the Wyld".
Following the events of the first book, the kingdom is now on the edge of civil war as the major families vie for influence, while Minori's actions have been used to turn the people against the Blades.
Into this situation comes Lady Mari, who has a plan to enable her house to gain control of the Kingdom, but it requires the Blades to join with her house.
Redemption is the main theme of this book, with both Asa and Koji trying to find ways to atone for their previous actions, and Lady Mari trying to rehabilitate the people's impression of the Blades.
This was just as engaging and enjoyable as the first book, but it hit with a harder emotional edge that raised it to a five-star rating.
Not many people really come to learn who they truly are very early in life. Koji and Asa, as well as Lady Mari finally make a beginning of that journey while embroiled in a nation shattering war. Clean though violent tale.
Trilogy was really good. Easy to read , with agreat story line & characters that mature over time. This is a really great author with the MAGIC FOR THIS GENRE. JUST MAKES ME WANT TO READ MORE
As usual Kirk has built an engaging universe for the reader to explore. The characters are extremely relatable. Im hoping to see more of Kioji and Asa's love story unfold.
I loved how the author pulled me in and helped bring this story and the characters to life. He made it easy to grow into the development of the characters and understand their motivations and growth. Recommend to lovers of fantasy.
Finally i can go back to my life. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Only complain was that invited not put it down to the annoyance of all those living with me.
Having read the previous book this sequel follows on nicely with twists and turns leaving you wondering which direction it will take. What is going to happen next?
A great read.I could not put it down.great characters.great story line.brilliantly written.Kirk draws you into the action,it was like standing shoulder to shoulder with the nightblades
I don't rate it as a 'riveting sequel' but it was entirely readable. Asa is an interesting character to follow and I enjoyed her journey in this book as well as the rise of Mari. It's good to have someone to root for in this war.
Like the latest series you can watch everywhere it starts OK, but they will drag 2 season series into 6. Take it as you wish. Not sure if I want to start the last one. All six books could be easily 3.