The Sword of Kuromori

Sword of Kuromori #1

by Jason Rohan

Ancient monsters bite off more than they can chew in this action-packed fantasy-adventure trilogy set in modern-day Japan. Kenny Blackwood arrives in Tokyo to spend the summer with his father and is stunned to discover a destiny he had never dreamed of when he finds himself in the middle of a hidden war that is about to explode. Racing against an impossible deadline, Kenny must find the fabled Sword of Heaven and use it to prevent the disaster. But a host of terrifying monsters is out to destroy him, and success will come at a price. With clever, fearless, sarcastic Kiyomi at his side, Kenny must negotiate the worlds of modern and mythic Japan to find the lost sword, before it's too late.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Young Adult, Adventure, Mythology, Action, Middle Grade

352 pages, Paperback

First published May 8, 2014

Reviews

[Jocelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 mythical stars

A pretty decent series starter. I loved learning about other countries' cultures, and it's an addded bonus that this was set in one of those places in my bucket list, Japan. A crash course on some of their customs and traditions, mythology, urban legends and their array of supernatural beings with some characters that are a bit familiar ( due to the fact that I love watching animes) but some are interestingly new that I appreciate the helpful glossary at the end. Full of action scenes and hilarious digs that I enjoyed all throughout the book. On my way to the sequel then.

[Kačaba · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,8 / 5*

Ani nevíte, jak mě tato bondovka křížená s mission impossible bavila. Že v tom byly prvky Percyho Jacksona, klasických disneyovek a špetka magie z Elantris od Sandersona? Komu to vadí..

Mělo to spád, šmrnc, trochu překvapení, pěkný námět, základ v historii a prima hrdiny.

Hold.. já z middle grade knih asi nikdy nevyrostu. ^^


PS: Nevylučujte přiučení se v jazyce japonském.

[Merinereads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ein ziemlich actionlastiges, cooles Jugendbuch mit rasanter Handlung. Und es spielt in Japan!!! Nicht nur die teilweise echt bizarren japanischen Monster, auch die ein oder andere Gottheit treten in diesem Buch auf wodurch es sich bei mir direkt einen halben Stern verdient. Auch die Umsetzung gefällt mir gut, teilweise ist es die typische Geschichte mit Weltretten und Prophezeiungen, aber das drumherum fand ich originell und gelungen was das Buch für mich zu einem guten Lesevergnügen macht. Die Romanze (ja, es gibt eine Lovestory, aber die Helden sind 15 und es ist mehr Schwärmerei aber die auch nur am Rande) war größtenteils niedlich, und stellenweise so awkward dass es mich ein wenig an Percabeth erinnerte.
Ich bin mal sehr gespannt darauf was in den nächsten Bänden noch passiert da der Hauptcharakter ja irgendwie jetzt schon total overpowered ist. Cool fand ich tatsächlich auch die Szene am Ende, wo Kenny seinen Vater mit seinen Gefühlen konfrontiert da ich dies für seinen Charakter ziemlich wichtig fand. Auch Kiyomis Arc in diesem Band fand ich gut, generell mochte ich sie als weibliche Hauptfigur. Sie war eine sehr coole Mischung aus typischem Teenager und Badass-Kriegerin.
Werde die Reihe auf jeden Fall weiterverfolgen und bin mega gespannt was Kenny und Kiyomi noch so erleben.

[Juan Manuel Sarmiento · Rating 4 out of 5]

[4,5/5]
La Espada de Kuromori es una novela altamente recomendada para fans de Rick Riordan y la aventura. El ambiente que crean la localización, el folklore, la magia, la acción, y el humor, hacen de esta novela una emocionante lectura que atrapará al lector de inicio a fin.
Reseña completa, mañana en mi blog: http://talismanartgallery.blogspot.co...

[Mª Del Mar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es un 4,5 y el libro es genial. Mantiene la acción de principio a fin. No he leído el avance que viene del siguiente libro para así no quedarme con las ganas de más.

[Tales_Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Klappentext:
Eigentlich wollte Kenny in Tokio nur seinen Vater besuchen. Doch kaum ist er gelandet, wird er von finsteren Männern entführt. Sie nennen ihn „Kuromori“ und wispern von einer alten Prophezeiung, in der er eine entscheidende Rolle spielt. Kenny ist sich sicher, dass sie den Falschen erwischt haben. Denn wie soll er, ein ganz normaler Junge, es mit übermächtigen Göttern und einem tödlichen Drachen aufnehmen können?

Fazit:
Rasant, spannend, abenteuerlich, actionreich, magisch, mythisch, zauberhaft und humorvoll– diese Wörter kommen mir sofort in den Sinn, wenn ich an Kuromori denke.
Als ich das Cover sah und den Klappentext las, wusste ich sofort, dass ich dieses Buch unbedingt lesen muss und es bestimmt toll finden werden – zum Glück, wurde ich nicht enttäuscht.
Ich konnte sofort in die Geschichte abtauchen. Gleich zu Beginn strahlt das Buch eine witzige, lockere Atmosphäre aus, welche sehr viel Lust auf mehr macht. Die Geschichte springt zwischen Spannung, Action und seichter Unterhaltung hin und her, sodass es nie langweilig wird. Außerdem kommt auch der Humor nicht zu kurz, sodass ich an einigen Stellen schmunzeln und lachen musste :D.
Vor allem die Einbeziehung vieler Wesen aus der japanischen Mythologie, fand ich sehr interessant und gelungen. Ich hatte einfach super viel Spaß beim Lesen und freue mich auf den zweiten Band.
Ich hätte dieses Buch als 12 Jährige geliebt und auch jetzt liebe ich es. Ein richtiges gute Laune Buch und daher eine klare Empfehlung von mir für alle großen Kinder da draußen :D.
Ich bin gespannt auf Teil 2.

Kleine Anmerkung: Das Buch wird ab 10 Jahren empfohlen, jedoch würde ich es erst ab frühestens 12 Jahren empfehlen – aufgrund einiger Gewaltdarstellungen.

[Amberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started and finished date – 27.09.25 to 29.09.25.
My rating – Three and half Stars.
This book was okay, but I didn't love, and I think people who like Katana by Cole Gibsen or temple alley summer by Sachiko Kashiwaba may like is book. I hate the cover of book, and they could do better. The writing was okay, and the writing was easy to follow also the ending of book was okay. The atmosphere was okay but bit bland and the author did an okay job at balancing the action and plot, but the romance could be flash out bit more. I think then was a slight the lightning thief by rick riordan vibe to is book and I think the author did a pretty good at weaving mythology into story. The paced of plot was well structured and steady paced. The characters were okay, but they needed to flash out bit more

[MatthewW · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is definitely one that I would suggest to anyone who is looking for a good action packed book.

[Kevin Hsieh · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Sword of Kuromori

A mediocre book by all standards, Jason Rohan makes a futile attempt to replicate Rick Riordan's flair at infusing mythology into stories, and Chris Bradford's gift for setting the scene of Japan. It is enraging to see Chinese and Japanese cultures and customs being mixed up. It is to the point in which the chapter numbers are in Chinese but the book is set in Japan.

Jason Rohan should seriously reconsider his job as a writer. He introduces a "fluffy creature" in the first chapter of the book. He is in every single chapter. It takes Rohan six chapters to name the creature, but it is not until the seventh chapter that we finally find out it is a tanuki or a raccoon dog. The explanations of the different monsters in the books were so bad that I had to use the glossary to find out what kind of monsters they really were.

The story on the whole was simple. Following a storyline that would've appealed to a primary student, this story was simple, with no delays or subplots.

[Karolína Pavlíková · Rating 1 out of 5]

At the moment, I've finished reading this book, the first thing that came on my mind was: "Well, the genre fantasy is doomed. And this book is the best proof of the genre's fail."
Most of the people can think, that fantasy brought an infine plenty of options, but the truth is that it's way more limited than the other genres. In every book you meet some kind of magic, magical creatures, mythology, new land etc. so you want to find something more to appreciate.
→ And when the book is written obviously with a poor language and description of the surrounding, when it cointaines no interesting plot, when everything soon passes and when you can guess the faith of the main character during the first pages, then there's really nothing to read.
I'm sorry for the truth.

Guys, if you'll ever find this book in the library with a mood about reading some fantasy, turn back and look for some Tolkien or Paolini.

[Anita · Rating 3 out of 5]

El autor ha sabido mezclar la acción de los sucesos con la realidad que crea de una forma amena, en la que es fácil adentrarse y consigue captar el interes del lector, contando situaciones peligrosas pero dándole tambien algún que otro toque de humor que le ha venido bastante bien, así que, con un final bastante cerrado para ser una primera parte y unos personajes que me han gustado, La espada de Kuromori ha sido un buen principio de saga.
http://perdidaenunmundodelibros.blogs...

[Danny Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reseña completa en mi blog:La cueva de Danny.

Cada persona se pone sus propios límites y decide qué puede o no hacer.

3.5

Estuvo bien, entretenido, me recordó mucho a Percy, esta lleno de acción y unas veces me hizo reír, pero creo que le falto algo más y no me gusto nada el final.

[Tristan Warner-Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full of pace and action that draw you in. Interlaced with delightful Japanese tidbits. The final plot resolution felt a little easy but did manage to build intrigue in earlier chapters. Could work well as a screenplay.

[Tatiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Перси Джексон на японский лад! Слушала как аудиокнигу в исполнение Валерия Смекалова. Очень понравилось - приключения, любовь и юмор.

[Aelvana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kenny Blackwood is on his way to Japan to meet his father, but he hasn't even arrived before things start going weird. From the fuzzy animal in the luggage compartment to the various monsters that are wandering around, the various invisible residents aren't able to hide from him. The problem is they hate being noticed. And like it or not, Kenny's coming into this on the heels of his grandfather's formidable reputation . . .

I liked the sheer amount and variety of monsters in this. Starting with the tanuki, Poyo, and branching out from oni and kappa to less familiar (but mostly deadly) creatures, Kenny's experience of Japan is a menagerie of folklore.

I also appreciated that the story tried to give some depth to why Kenny is being drawn into all these things. He has family history with the work his grandfather did in Japan just after WWII, and that's tied to why so many youkai are transferring old grudges or alliances to Kenny.

The romance was less appealing. Half the time Kenny and Kiyomi are fighting, and then just as suddenly they're crushing on each other. The mood swings happened often enough to really annoy me, as sometimes there's no buildup at all and suddenly he's desperate for her. I also don't like the trick pulled at the end. Taro's offer lacked much impact because he's not really there in the story except as a background character until that moment.

The card game also felt like a letdown. Since the rules are never explained, it's hard not to feel like a random "I win" for whichever character is winning. There's no sense of tension because we can't follow the game, so all the games shown are basically two-turn affairs where the first player looks like they're doing well until the second player crushes them.

Although ironically the thing I find hardest to believe is that he actually LIKED natto.

Overall this was okay. I didn't like it as much as I hoped, but all the monsters helped keep my interest enough to finish. I rate this book Recommended.

See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....

[Christina Reid · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up to read after meeting the author at YA Shot and doing a fascinating workshop with him about writing across cultures.

I could see some of his advice in action during this book, when he introduced culture specific to Japan through talking about various youkai (supernatural monsters) as well as routines for eating, sleeping and bathing. At times, I did feel that the information given was too detailed e.g. when the main character is in a car from the airport he names every street they turn onto; realistically, as a tourist arriving in Japan for the first time it would probably all be a blur!

I liked the inclusion of the youkai (have always had a soft spot for the weird and wonderful!) and I loved Kiyomi and Genkuro-sensei as characters.
I was less fond of the 'white saviour' storyline which had our main character, Kenny, mastering in days skills that took others years. I also didn't like the message that he was able to do this because of his lack of understanding of Japanese culture and language, rather than despite it, although I think I can see that the author was trying to draw a parallel with how our culture shapes and constricts our world view.

This could be recommended for those who want a friendly introduction to Japan and the supernatural creatures (though there is creative license taken with these) - there is embedded culture and language. It is also fast-paced and action-filled which may appeal to reluctant readers who are building up their reading endurance.

[Katy Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rick Riordan in Japan.

My son (age 11) devoured all the Percys, the Magnus', and seeing the same sort of thing but with some 'other culture' thrown in, I was keen for us both to try it. I like mythology myself and it's good for everyone to gain awareness of cultures around the world.

He quite liked it, as did I. It follows a familiar pattern of unknowing 'hero' finding he is chosen for more than he ever knew, he has heritage and history that mean he will be an unwilling participant in events that are bigger than him and that mean he is pretty vital to the fate of the world. No pressure at all, Kenny.

It starts on a flight to Japan, where Kenny is off to see the father he's barely seen since his mum's death. Kenny starts seeing strange creatures that nobody else can see. And then can't deny that something weird is going on when gangs, motorbikes, and yet more monsters vie for his person.

With a bit of Karate Kid-training thrown in, this is a great fantasy adventure as Kenny learns he has abilities he must channel, and that if he doesn't, the whole world is in trouble from otherworldly forces.

A bit of a love interest, a lot of kicking and fighting, demons and chases. And a glossary of Japanese terms that are liberally thrown in throughout. I loved the visual idea of these new creatures.

The plot and staples are well-trodden and will feel well-frequented to readers of Riordan and Horowitz, but the fresh setting will be of interest and hopefully spark curiosity.

Lightly funny and plenty of what the 9-12 market will enjoy.

[Kyle Lovasco · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Sword of Kuromori” by Jason Rohan has become my all time favorite book. The genre of this book is fiction. This book is about a 13 year old boy named Kenny Blackwood who goes to Japan to visit his dad, but ends up caught up in a hidden war. Kenny is one of few people who have the ability to see special creatures called yokai. Kenny has to stop these people who are trying to get revenge after hundreds of years. Kenny gets help from Hiroshima and his daughter Kiomi. This book is packed with action along with a hooking storyline. If I was Kenny and traveling to a strange new region in which you don’t know the language or anyone there, I would be confused too. I would also have a hard time trusting people. The great part about this book is that action happens when you least expect it. The only bad thing about this book is when there is no action it gets quite boring. If you are a person who likes action and adventure then I think you will like this book. This book exceeded my expectations because the summary made the book sound boring, but once I started reading it I couldn’t put it down. This book is logical because it takes place in a place that actually exists and with invisible creatures, so for all we know it could be real. This is the first book in the series and I can’t wait to read the other books.

[Lora Reed · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very well written and interesting story. Additionally, it was an educational read. From this book I learned how to easily read and write the numbers 1-40 in Japanese and also many Japanese words and phrases which are translated in a glossary at the end of the book. For these reasons I enjoyed the book.
For other reasons the book was "off- putting" and offensive to me. The main character is a 13 year old boy who is portrayed as being naive and down-right dumb in many instances. This is a ploy of the author to portray the main 13 year old girl character as strong and independent but actually just makes her rude and condescending towards the 13 year old boy. I dislike the trend of using the male character in YA books as being "less than" or "dumbed down" in order to make the female character look stronger and smarter. Also, there was a subtle reference to masturbation which was totally unnecessary to the story and may keep me from recommending this book to my young adults.

[Lani Díaz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Es fantasía infantil, por lo que el nivel de detalle en cuanto magia o mundo no es tan profundo; la trama es bastante lineal, sin sorpresas; los personajes son adolescentes, del tipo que nunca me agradó mucho (impulsivo, que solo piensa en sí mismo y sus propios problemas); la narración no está mal, es bastante visual y la acción es fluida, pero la carencia de tensión me perdió constantemente.

No subestima a los lectores jóvenes, pero no satisface a los más meticulosos: la representación de Japón me pareció acartonada para alguien que vivió ahí 5 años; yo puedo describir ese país con el mismo nivel de familiaridad si hago una búsqueda de Google; sin embargo, el manejo de la mitología japonesa, si bien no es magistral porque introducirse a ese imaginario es difícil sin una introducción, creo que está bien llevado, me enganchó y ahora quiero saber más de la cultura de un país que antes no me llamaba la atención jaja.

En fin, creo que es el tipo de libro infantil bueno y entretenido que satisface a un lector joven, solo que no tiene lo que a mí me gusta encontrar en las historias.

[Enzo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book brings the story of Kenny Blackwood, a teenager that arrives at Tokyo to spent some time with his father, but his plans got frustrated when he discover that are monsters who want to destroy the word and he is the only person that can saves the world from the total annihilation. Using his power to see monsters that nobody else could see, he joins in a mortal and incredible adventure. The writer brings to you an interesting mix from the Japanese and Chinese monsters and culture with lot of adventure and funny happenings through the story. The author makes you feel in the happenings of the books using a lot of description at the same time you want to know what is going to happen, making you stay interested in the book. The book is very exciting and funny sometimes, I would recommend it for people that like adventures books and also is interested with the Japanese and Chinese cultures

[Jefin Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sword of the Kuromori was one of the first books I bought, it has been quite a bit since I read it however looking back it was definitely a good read it had introduced me to the deep and beautiful history and culture of Japan an interest that would spark to become a love for animanga. When it comes to the actual story (please remember it has been a while since I read it) I remember being absolutely enthralled by the plot and lore however the actual climax was a bit fast paced and rushed in my opinion, despite all this I still love the story and have been looking forward to reading the 2nd book and absolutely suggest reading the book to anyone even slightly interested.

[JarenGSPX2022 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Sword of Kuromori is about a kid named Kenny who goes to Japan to spend vacation with his father. However, as soon as he gets there, Kenny starts to realize Japan is not what he thought it was going to be. I really enjoyed this book because it is a great action book. The story moves along quickly and kept my attention the whole time. I really like the main character, Kenny. He is tasked with finding a sword or else the entire world will blow up. There wasn't a cliff hanger for the next book, but you will want to keep reading the series.

[Günter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Das ist grundsätzlich ein gutes und spannendes Buch, vom Plot her für 11/12+ sehr gut geeignet. Allerdings beinhaltet es einige Szenen, aber auch Grundthemen, die für dieses Alter schon sehr heftiger Tobak sind: Die Atombomben-Abwürfe auf Japan und deren Folgen, Nach-/Kriegswirren, ein geplanter Vergeltungsschlag, der Millionen Menschenleben kosten soll und dann noch einige ganz konkrete Leben, die in Kampfhandlungen dahingenommen werden.

[Niklas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Papas Review: Das ist grundsätzlich ein gutes und spannendes Buch, vom Plot her für 11/12+ sehr gut geeignet. Allerdings beinhaltet es einige Szenen, aber auch Grundthemen, die für dieses Alter schon sehr heftiger Tobak sind: Die Atombomben-Abwürfe auf Japan und deren Folgen, Nach-/Kriegswirren, ein geplanter Vergeltungsschlag, der Millionen Menschenleben kosten soll und dann noch einige ganz konkrete Leben, die in Kampfhandlungen dahingenommen werden.

[Robert Pazmany · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG die Ende ist soo... ach, einfach megaa!
Happy und sad end, das ist so unfassbar schön gewesen! Ich empfehle es total! Das musst man einfach lesen... Allerdings würde ich es eher für die Kinder ab 12 Jahren empfehlen, da die Kampfszenen einbisschen Brutal sind.. aber ansonsten MEGA!

[Heather Laskos · Rating 3 out of 5]

My kids seemed to like this book about Kenny who travels to Japan thinking he will visit his professor Father and ends up stopping the destruction of the American west coast by defeating a dragon with an enchanted sword.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not super impressed with this book and as a parent, I’m not totally sure I’d want my kids reading a book with a racial slur in it. Just my two cents. It had a neat storyline but I had to force myself to read the middle and it picked up at the end again.

[Becky Pirkle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very reminiscent of Rick Riordan’s various series in which mythology is mixed into the real world. This book would be great for young adult readers who are interested in Japanese mythology with an action-packed plot line.

[Nešo Shonery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keni Blekvud putuje u Japan, ne bi li proveo neko vreme sa ocem. Nije ni svestan da će biti uvučen u potragu za drevnim mačem. Pri tome, japanska mitologija će oživeti pred njegovim očima. Da, znam, podseća na Rika Riordana. Zabavan tinejdžerski roman, odnosno početak trotomnog serijala.