The Beast Warrior

The Beast Player #3-4

by Nahoko Uehashi, Cathy Hirano (Translator)

Ten years after the fateful clash between two opposing sides of the Divine Kingdom of Lyoza, Elin lives a peaceful life with her family. She tries to stay as far away from her past as possible—the girl who communicated with creatures and befriended a Royal Beast wants no part in the power struggles of humans. But when Elin is called upon to investigate a mysterious illness that's stricken the Toda, she uncovers a startling plot—one that could threaten everything she holds dear.

In this thrilling sequel to The Beast Player, Elin must confront her destiny and heed the dire warnings of history. Is a final battle between the Toda and the Royal Beasts inevitable? And will it mean destruction for all?

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Japanese Literature, Young Adult Fantasy, Fiction, Japan, High Fantasy

640 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Nahoko Uehashi is the author of ten books in the Moribito series, which have sold more than a million copies and won many major literary awards in her native Japan. An associate professor at a Japanese university, she has a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology and studies indigenous peoples in Australia. She lives near Tokyo, Japan.

Reviews

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Star Rating: —> 5 Stars

First of all, this is a translated work, originally written in Japanese, and seriously everyone, and anyone, of all ages… could use to read this fascinating story! There's phenomenal world building, but ultimately it is a VERY, VERY Character based story; I love these characters with all of my heart! Also interesting fact— They made an anime based upon this story! When I remember what its called I will update this.

ANYWAY…

My heart is BROKEN! I am trying to keep the tears in, but it totally isn’t working. The ending was not what I expected, and it may be sad, but in ways, so happy as well. The sadness is the one dominating my heart, at the moment. Can you cry both sad & happy tears at the same time?

My God. What a masterpiece ! Following the events of The Beast Player (link at very bottom), this picks up 20 years after a fateful battle that changed everything. I believe it takes place about 10 (give or take) years after the ending of the first book. It is a beautiful, fantastical tale... filled also with the darkness of war (in so many different ways) & what comes with that.

This novel is very much about a struggle with morality vs reality, in a time of war, that arises in Elin, now a grown woman. An ultimatum most dire is thrust upon her— risk death of, possibly, the entire human race as she knows it, or live up to her reputation as The Beast Player, the only one who can tame & ride a royal beast safely (beautiful Leelan & other Royal beasts that she has now bred, and with the help of her son & her husband, is teaching others to handle Royal Beasts at a school where she once attended !), let alone safely into a WAR, where their fighting instincts will be positively deadly.

Elin comes to realize that she MUST sacrifice her principles, and do things she hates herself for including using the Royal Beasts she has dedicated her life to, & the Toda she dedicated her early childhood to caring for with her mother (who was killed by those very creatures), as all too willing, due to their nature, pawns in the human war if the need should arise (and boy... just you wait!)—because these regal Beasts deserve to thrive on their own, not be involved with humans in this way, and certainly not be pitted against one another by humans.
I explain both of these creatures below, but they are both types of massive beasts, reminiscent of something out of a Miyazaki film, or Japanese folklore/mythology!

Elin knows how very wrong it is to use these creatures in this way, & that fact torments her to her core. She knows how very wrong things could go, for a long list of reasons, for everyone,if things were to go awry…which is most probable as these beasts are natural enemies in the wild, but she does what she must.

Elin is haunted both by thoughts of both action AND inaction... both etched in mass destruction, bloodshed, & death. Even she, herself, could be in danger... because just how much can you trust a wild beast, "tamed," or not, in a bloody battle?
But... these are risks that one must take when action is forced upon you by your Kingdom's ruler, with war looming ever closer.
It is in this sense, that this is quite a cautionary tale as well.

But it is not all dark, despite the underlying plot, and the writing always makes this story feel so very bright and full of light, and so very full of heart. I laughed, I smiled, I cried, I hung on to every word. The bond between Elin & Leelan is absolutely extraordinary. Scenes with the two of them together warmed my heart & left me so very happy.

This is a YA fantasy worthy of so much attention !

😔 yet... *sigh*. my heart is so heavy right now.

I totally did not cry several times while reading (I totally did).

Something else that I LOVEDDDD about this book—it also features Elin's husband, Ialu, & their son together, Jesse, as fairly main characters! Both of whom, I was absolutely delighted to learn more about through reading their own POVs.

Each & every character had their own journey to embark upon, in addition to their relationships with others, & each journey was brimming with so much to discover about the wonderful aspects, curiosities, & downfalls of human nature, as well as the nature of these wonderful Beasts!

We learn more about the gorgeous, yet vicious, Royal Beasts (picture a regal creature, essentially resembling a Griffin with a wolf’s head) & learn much much more of the Toda (honestly I am not sure how to accurately describe them, & don’t want to steer you wrong... but in my mind they look a lot like a Japanese water dragon but a little huskier in their legs, with bigger feet, as they live in the water, but can run at ridiculous speeds on land. Anyone feel free to correct me if I happen to be wrong!). This book explored the Toda a lot more thoroughly than the first, and I definitely was rapt with attention, & so very excited while learning more of their nature, & all the fantastical details!

... and along the way this novel was filling my heart to the brim, and spilling over.

This is a powerful sequel, and a divine one at that.

I really didn’t suspect the ending unfolding the way it did though... it’s a maelstrom of things— possibilities & facts hinted at throughout the book that all came crashing together quite perfectly. What a journey these two books were. They span over many, many years & focus both on the actions of man, and the actions of beast. The Royal Beasts raised & led, and LOVED, by our loving MC, Elin.

I highly, highly, recommend this series, even with my heart so very heavy in my chest at the moment. It is worth it, and worth more readers attention! Give this duology a chance. It is a truly fantastical, yet powerful, set of stories.

I feel as if this is a must read for everyone at least once in their life.
It is a whimsical YA fantasy that looms above so many others (yet because it is fairly obscure, not many know of its existence, which is a tragedy, IMO), with such a touching story, a powerful message (several, in fact), excellent world building, and staggering, absolutely brilliant character development.

This is a book that truly belongs in every single library. 🤍

10/10 recommend

__________________
I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT WAIT FOR THIS!!!!

The first in the series, The Beast Player, was EFFING AMAZING! Anyone who loves Japanese mythology/ folklore, as I do... You HAVE to check this duology out!!! It reminds me of a Miyazaki film! *swoons*

[hare · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit of a let-down, truth be told... The Beast Player was a finished story, according to the author, and it wasn't until later that she was asked "but what's next for Erin?" I feel like there shouldn't have been any 'next', not like this. Book #3 had a nice build-up, but book #4 turned out to be very anticlimactic. It's not even that it took a different turn from the previous books, but that it made the whole series - which I loved up until the last book - unsatisfying. I still think the writing is superb, but it doesn't change the fact that The Beast Warrior didn't live up to the hype. 3.5*

[Mikaela]

NO BIG DEAL I’VE ONLY BEEN WAITING 6 MONTHS FOR A HINT THEY’RE STILL TRANSLATING THIS!!!

[CR · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was crazy good. It picks years later after the end of the first book and I just loved getting back to this world. The animal human relationships in this were amazing and I just loved the world and the creatures. I really hope this one gets picked up as a movie or something because it would be amazing. The characters were great as well. Everything worked so well in this one.

[robin✨allthethingssheread · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once again I feel like I'm cheating since this was a work-related read, and yet when I think back on The Beast Warrior I feel pulled back into Erin's world with such an undeniable force that I can't not include it.
This is a much more mature story - appropriately so, since Erin is now a grown woman, and yet I loved how still certain themes and elements are approached with such candor and innocence. I did find a couple plot points a bit clumsy - from the big exposition-laden reveal towards the end, to the Going On A Quest- Actually No fakeout at the end of part one, but regardless I appreciated the storytelling, and Cathy Hirano's prose is resplendent as ever.

[Sasan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I let a random choice roulette choose the last book needed to complete my yearly book goal for 2020 and it landed on the Beast Warrior, which was a perfect way to mark it as complete.
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I don’t even know where to start with this book, the anime series was completely covered in the first two books and I came into this one not sure what to expect as the story was, to my knowledge, completed. Seemingly it was, but Uehashi Nahoko-sensei decided to give Erin a proper conclusion because some people wanted more and I personally couldn’t be happier after reading this.

I was impressed with the author’s ability to build a world after Seirei no Moribito and Erin’s story just increased that feeling, the way she ties up the legends of her world to the culture and the folklore of her characters is just something beautiful to read about. Since the beginning, she’s been mentioning certain events and how that plays into the Touda and the Royal Beasts, and while she gave bits and pieces into the previous books, she expands in this one a lot more than I expected that she would. By the middle part of book 4 I expected two routes the story could take, I didn’t expect that she would be able to conjoin them while making the plot-lines merge and be satisfying, but I was dead wrong. She managed to give me one of the most satisfying, if not the most satisfying conclusion to a series I have read in a long time.

The reason her series shines so much is because of how she built up the characters, Erin is a given since she’s the main character, but the rest of the cast are not just put on the side without having their own characteristics and thoughts. Moreover, the characters are not stupid, they are not idealistic and they are just trying to survive regardless of social standing. Erin in particular is caught in this political war that she doesn’t even want to be apart of and she’s making due with the consequences of her actions, she is not some untouchable chosen one and she is going to be making some hard decisions that are just out of her control.

I loved that, the lack of plot conveniences that usually follows characters like Erin was insanely refreshing and honestly, admirable. I’m very tired of stories where the plot armor is very thick around the main character, and after the abundance of that in a book I read very recently, this book gave me that in the same quantity I didn’t know that I needed. It didn’t stop there, regardless of who you are in this story, just because you fulfill a certain role doesn’t mean that you get to have your happy ending because of that role. This story is not a happy one, the world is torn apart by war and greed. Uehashi Nahoko-sensei doesn’t shy away from putting that in perspective and making sure that if you’re going to play a part in this book, regardless of what it is, it’s not going to be a one toned thing.

The relationship between human and beast is also fantastic to see, I personally, would never strive to own a pet or anything of the sort (I’m terrible with animals), but I enjoy reading stories about characters who are obsessed with creatures. I think that started with The Memoirs of Lady Trent and it solidified with Erin’s journey with the creatures in this world. The fact that I continue learning more about them, see how she and frankly how others interact with them while they remain a huge plot point in the story is just amazing. Even more so when we go back to the first point I mentioned in this collection of thoughts, about how she ties the legends of her world to what is happening with the characters before merging them perfectly all together in the end.

I have limitless praises for this book, and series by extension. Beautifully written, tackles so many issues and teaches so many things about oneself, about family, about duty and about the balance between all of them. I honestly hope that one day more work by Uehashi Nahoko makes it across to my hands, but for now, I’ll be buying the Japanese versions of her untranslated series and doing it myself. As a beginner learning Japanese (only 14 weeks), I want to be able to read as soon as possible as it’s what made me fluent in English and judging by this story, Japan might have a huge trove of rich fantasies that I need to get my hands on.

[Rhea · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I got to the afterword, I was surprised. I had read the Beast player, and watched Beast Player Elin when it was still on Crunchyroll (sorry anime fans I think it's no longer streaming) and while I KNEW there was a sequel, it felt mostly closed. Sure some things were open-ended, but it wasn't screaming for a sequel. I think that (and presumably lack of success) is why there is no anime sequel to Beast Player. (Come on, Ghibli!)

Basically this book is "consequences: the book" (Yes, I KNOW that's what a plot is)
Consequences and fallout for the climax of the Beast Player.
Consequences for breaking taboos, that are finally explained.
Consequences for daring to live a peaceful life.

Basically, what I really liked, in reflection of both books compared to the anime is I felt I got better grasp of the character Ialu. He complements Elin very well, so them getting married compared to when I watched the anime makes more sense?

I basically have no complaints to how this book / duology ended, partially because it felt like the seeds were sowed? It felt planned, and fitting. And it's the closest thing you get to closure.

It feels weird marking this as Young Adult because Elin is at least 30 in this book. I'm not sure even "new adult" would be okay with that, but this is in Pushkin Press' Children Section, and I trust them more than my opinions.

[Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Page turns like walking through a field of three foot tall grass. A tiring slog.

[Care · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up

I have complicated feelings for The Beast Warrior, the highly anticipated sequel to The Beast Player which I loved. There were so many things about this sequel that were better than the first book, but a few BIG things that stunted my enjoyment too.

This installment gives us more of the toda which I really appreciated. The first book in this duology was focused heavily on the Winged Beasts and I was craving more toda. I picture them a lot like Haku in Spirited Away so no wonder I'm drawn to them and the people who care for them and breed them for battle.

Speaking of the other cultures in this world, The Beast Warrior broadens the world view and plot scale. The first book is the story of a girl and her passion for working with these magical animals, going to school, reeling from the loss of family and caregivers. This book is international, historical secrets, espionage, and war machinations. We get a taste of other cultures and people from centuries before. There are hints to plots that never come to fruition, things that the protagonists think about doing (which sound exciting and full of good reading) which they decide not to pursue. That's disappointing to see, the hint of adventure and then back to the routine.
While the scale widens, the plot is a bit stagnant. It takes a long time for the novel to get going. There is a LOT of build up for a very quick, short, intense ending. The pot simmers for hours before it quickly boils and explodes.

The conclusion that comes shortly after the explosive ending was quiet, humble, satisfying, meaningful. I choked up a bit seeing how far these characters had come and what the consequences for all their choices and actions were.

While the slow going and uneventful plot isn't a detractor for a lot of people and it didn't hurt the strengths of this novel, it definitely meant it took me ages to get through this book.
I probably wouldn't read this series again because of the weird pacing unless they produce an audiobook for the second book as well. Audiobooks help me push through slow pacing but to have to slog through with a physical copy is tough for me. This isn't necessarily a flaw in Uehashi's writing, I just struggle myself with reading visually during the pandemic, especially books that focus more on character development, world-building, and themes rather than plot moments.

Content warnings for: endangerment of children, intense scenes with hiding and chasing, scenes of violence, scenes with animals in pain/dying, scenes with dissection/surgery, death, mourning, war, scenes with drowning.

[Annika Unterberger · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beast player was a finished story.
Nevertheless, I’m not mad at all that we got a sequel as some still remaining questions were finally answered.

Most of these questions concerned the magic system and the two magical creatures it hinges on. Because while the Royal Beasts were talked about thoroughly in the first installment, we knew next to nothing about the Toda. This changes in the sequel and with these new revelations we get even more insight into the Royal Beasts and their habits in the wild.
Unraveling these mysteries was by far my favorite part about The beast warrior!!!

However, the stunning writing style and expansive worldbuilding were a close second.
Nahoko Uehashi brings the world to life with her vivid descriptions and beautiful pros, while also making a deep dive into the characters’ minds, so that they really grow on you.

But (and it’s a big but) I still have two criticisms:
- The pacing: the story builds up slowly for around 600 pages, only for the supposedly big battle at the end to be wrapped up in under 40 pages. It’s simply frustrating as the exact same thing happened in the first book as well!
- The ending: what makes the whole thing even more lack-luster is the fact that I really didn’t like the ending. Yes, I get why it had to be that way, but I still didn’t enjoy it one bit!

Overall, some things I liked immensely, some things bugged me immensely.

—> 3,5 stars

[Yub Yub Commander]

I made it 6% before I DNFed.

This book is simply not for me. I found I didn't care a lick about the characters or their struggles. When I requested this, there was no description for the book on Netgalley, so I went in fully blind. be sure you read that description. This book takes place a DECADE after the previous installment. And honestly, I don't get why. You get a tiny list of all the things that happened in ten years after the ending of the last book, and I don't see how it justifies, for the plot, where there is now a ten year gap. It's almost like the story paused for ten full years before picking up again when the next book got published. The first book ends with a dramatic battle, conflict, and Elin being injured and whisked away by a Royal Beast. Then for some reason everything in that world goes silent for ten years and then we pick up again with Elin married with a kid (I never knew she liked the guy she married enough to, well, marry him). We missed all of that which would have been great character development for her.

Instead, I find myself not caring one bit as to what's going on or what may happen. Why should I when the characters have had ten years to grow and change and haven't at all? Elin is still the same character since she entered the beast school. She hasn't changed one bit.

Anyway, take that as you will, but this story is definitely not for me.

[Jade Juniper · Rating 5 out of 5]

OK first thing first, this takes place 10 years after the first book! I knew that going in, but if I didn’t I think I would’ve been pretty thrown off. Second, it took me a second to remember all of the supporting characters in the first book, because many do you play a role in this one in a much larger way and I had to do a bit of refresher.
Now that I’ve prepared you to read this book:

Oh my God I absolutely loved this! And I love this I mean I totally was heartbroken by the ending, and up to that point it was just super chill, atmospheric, and incredibly interesting. There is a definite science aspect to this book, more so than in the first. While both dive into the social behaviors of the mystical creatures, Beast Warrior takes a more biological look.

We get complex politics and world building not previously introduced and several supporting characters play a more pivotal role.
I would label this book adult while Beast Player is more middle grade to young adult fantasy, but we do get a POV from Elin’s son who is much younger, so Uehashi still gets to thrive making curious and brave young characters.

This book isn’t going to be for everyone. It’s pacing takes it’s time, characters are explored and questions are answered with no haste. I simply got to curl up and enjoy, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. Not to say this doesn’t have some gruesome/action pact scenes and intensity, but the journey is more than half the battle In this book.

CW: (magical) animal dissections, experimentation, forced battles (in an ongoing war) and deaths.

The themes in this book are clear and concise, and the content is done with purpose and intention, not shock value, but I urge you to decide if this book is for you before picking it up for light reading.

Phew. I think that’s all I got, but ultimately while it had its small flaws, I couldn’t handle giving this book anything less than 5 stars and I’m so happy I picked it up.

[Tree ✶.˚⟡ ࣪ ⋆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just ok. Considering the duology was only supposed to be one book, I am not surprised.

The story seemed to drag for the first half of the book. It seemed repetitive and resembled a NatGeo documentary for fictional creatures. The ending was bittersweet and I could have accepted it more had the characters not made such decisions that led them to a bitter end unnecessarily, in my opinion. Everyone knew about the masacre that would ensue if they took the beasts to war. Then, when they’re in the battlefield they get surprised by said massacre?? Have you not been repeating the same thing over and over this entire time?? Why did you all do it?? It seemed to me like the characters never learned anything from their actions or from history itself. They didn’t grow, only lamented.

I still enjoy some of the characters and the bond with the beasts greatly. Jesse was a particular favorite because he was such a good brave boy. That, paired with the wonderful writing and translation, is what kept me going.

[Brandy {The Review Booth} · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even as a continuation from The Beast Player this book still assumed a sedate pace to get to the meat of the story. Even though it progresses slowly that doesn't mean important events aren't happening or that the writing isn't as beautiful as the first book. Even though it's now a return to a world I'm familiar with rather than newly discovering Nahoko Uehashi gives plenty of new tidbits of information about the world she's built. There was a jarring transition in the book - after Elin takes a dangerous and unexpected bath in the river she still wishes to journey to the mountains of Afon Noah but in the next chapter it seems like a snap decision outside of the book was made that they wouldn't be going.

Due to events that have come to pass Elin finds herself even more enmeshed with the politics of Lyoza. During the ten years that have passed between the two books Elin now has her own family, become a teacher, and has grown even closer to the Royal Beasts - especially Leelan. I am rather surprised that the author chose such a (to me in the US anyway) basic name for the son of Elin and Ialu - all other characters have fitting names in the book. At the beginning of the book, Elin feels like the same character but as the book continues she felt harder to connect with. I didn't mind the chapters voiced by the additional characters but this story is really Elin's story in connection to the Royal Beasts and Toda. The chapters with Oli could have been left out - she really doesn't contribute much to progressing the story other than what she agrees to and that could've been told from Shunan or Seimiya's perspective.

The life of one person is short, but there're a lot of us. If we keep recording everything we know, down to the smallest scrap of information, those records can lead others to important discoveries. At least, that's what I think. We're living on the far edge of the lives of many who came before us, people we never even knew. In the same way, others will carry on from the far edge of our lives.

The Yojeh and Aluhan have not only been unable to mend the dissension within Lyoza but it seems to have festered even further because of the choices they have made. This fact serves as a root for the story which the problems branch out in several ways I didn't see coming. The end result was expected but there were several things that I didn't expect. This book and the ending really shine a light on human relationships with animals - both the good and the bad. I can see why Elin loved the Beasts so. I really wish that Elin would've been able to reach and spend time with the Kalenta Loh - I so wanted to know more about them and the time before.

The Royal Beasts were noble beings. In fact, maybe all creatures were. Maybe there weren't any that people had the right to use as tools.

Again I would definitely recommend The Beast Player and The Beast Warrior to readers who enjoy books about animals (and the relationships humans have with them), fantasy, and Japanese mythology. I would like to thank Henry Holt and Co. (Macmillan Children's Publishing Group) and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this beautiful book as a digital ARC - all opinions are my own.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure I have much to say about this book other than it took me an exceptionally long time to get through. It wasn't necessarily bad, but I did not find myself wanting to pick it up either.

The parts I liked about it were glossed over, and the parts that were boring went on for pages and pages. There were some good discussions about the price of war, but it didn't hit very hard since the aforementioned 'war' didn't really even happen until the last 40 pages or so. I was definitely not sold on the gravity of the situation.

The animals were still the best part, though I also did enjoy the relationship that was introduced between Jesse and his parents. I'm glad I read it, I probably won't read it again.

Cover is still a 10/10.

[Emily Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well. I am sad.

[Biblibio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part of what I adored about The Beast PlayerThe Beast Player was how rooted in music it was. Music was at the very center of the story and the worldbuilding magic that Nahoko Uehashi wove (in Cathy Hirano's translation, as in this book). Music is central to my life as well; I'm a musician in my free time and try to live as musical a life as possible. I wasn't sure how any sequel could do better than that. And then The Beast Warrior decided to place biology/biochemistry - my literal PhD subject - at its very center and I absolutely lost it.

Would I have loved this without it having delicious amounts of fantasy science? Yes! There are a lot of tremendously unique and brilliant things about this book (which I'll get to in a moment). But the fact that it also had heaps of science about wholly fantastic creatures was just... excellent. I loved it to pieces.

But you know what else I loved about The Beast Warrior? Everything about it screams YA fantasy, right? I've even categorized it as such in terms of my own shelves. It's a sequel to a young adult fantasy novel, after all! What else could it be? And beyond the fact that there are moments that make The Beast Warrior feel like a unique bit of science fiction (again - BIOLOGY!), the biggest shock for me was that the novel... continues with main character Elin from The Beast Player. Elin who was a child-and-then-young-adult in that book is now an adult. And not just any adult. She's not a 20-year old trying to muddle her way through life. No. Oh no. Elin is in her 30s. She's married. A mother. She has a job and career. She has a sense of responsibility for certain things, but also that vague sense of "where am I?" that seems to be a defining feature for many in their 30s.

Would this be a turn-off for an actual young adult? I... honestly don't know! Being closer in age and mindset to Elin was frankly amazing for me, because the book still has the pacing, storytelling, and... appropriateness of a YA fantasy, but with a mature depth from its main character that meant I didn't want to scream at her for hours, as often happens with teenage main characters. (Yes, I am officially an Old Person.) Even as we're more and more exposed to Elin's son's POV and coming-of-age, the book is still centered around Elin (and Ialu, more distantly) and her own struggles and moral dilemmas. The Beast Warrior thus benefits from Elin's maturity, able to explore a rather melancholic story (not unlike The Beast Player, actually) with a deep understanding of actions and consequences. There are a lot of interesting themes woven throughout the book, many environmental, many political, and some inter-personal. There's a lot about love, too. And it's all just... really good.

I would need to read the books back-to-back, but I'm not sure how necessary these are as a fixed duology. The Beast Warrior is that rare sequel that marches off in a totally new direction in such a wholly distinct way that it felt like it was able to stand on its own, though you really should read The Beast Player first to understand the world and characters. (Also: It's a great book!) But something about The Beast Warrior felt... different. It doesn't feel like any fantasy I've ever read, certainly not anything marketed as YA or for children. This is a brilliant series and The Beast Warrior is a brilliant book that I think will likely appeal to so many readers, particularly older ones who have grown with and through YA fantasy. There's so much to love here.

[Demmie Sunnanväder Hellberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

JAG ÄR HJÄRTEKROSSAD. Herregud, jag trodde inte man kunde känna såhär mycket för djur och karaktärer i en bok, men jag har varit så fäst vid Elin och Leelans relation… Det gjorde ONT att läsa slutet.

Elin och Leelan vet båda att de flyger sin sista färd mot sin död, men båda gör de med viljan att rädda sina barn. Leelan ser sina cubs förtäras i massan av krig, och det sista Elin säger till Leelan är: ”Let’s go, Leelan, let’s go to your children”. MITT FKN HJÄRTA. Usch det var längesen mitt hjärta gjorde såhär ont. Varken Elin eller Leelan överlevar, men båda dog i hopp om att ge nästa generation ett bättre liv.

Jag vet helt ärligt inte vad jag ska säga, jag är så mållös. Att veta att Elin och Leelan inte finns i mitt lilla universum längre gör ont. Vi har fått följa dessa vackra relationer och nu finns de ej mer. Ja fy, denna bok är nog en av de bästa jag läst och kommer föralltid ha en plats i mitt hjärta <3

I övrigt var inte boken endast hjärtekrossande. Det var en bok med så mycket glädje och kärlek. Två föräldrar och deras ovillkorliga kärlek för deras son. Två människor med sån passion för varandras mående och välfärd. Och den underbart vackra förbindelsen djur och människor kan ha.

Jag älskade att vi får följa Elin och Ialus son Jesse när han växer upp. Jag älskade avsnittet när vi får följa Jesse och hans relation med sina föräldrar. Ja allt var helt enkelt älskvärt med denna bok.

Ett faktiskt perfekt, (MEN HEARTBREAKING), slut på en perfekt bok. Ialu, som sprang för sin frus undsättning, fick fyra sista dagar tillsammans med henne. Nu vilar de tillsammans under Elins träd tillsammans med alla Royal Beast. Och Leelan, jag älskar dig så. Ett självklart toppbetyg.

[Grace Soto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oof. Pardon me while I scrape the pieces of my shattered heart off the floor to write this review...

The word that came to mind over and over during this read was "beautiful," and I mean it in every aspect: The elegant balance of imagery and power in its prose; the depth and sincerity of its storytelling, the raw complexity and heart-rending relatability of its characters; and the veracity and timelessness of its message. Astounding.

The consequences of Elin's actions at the climax of Player were vividly displayed in its sequel, and I was happy to see the subtle romance subplot from Player blossomed into a sweet marriage between two of my favorite characters.

One of the things that stood out the most was Uehashi's gift for building tension. The first part felt like a traditional mystery with medical elements (reminding me of another of my favorite books: June Hur's The Red Palace) and the second half was just a heart-stopping race towards a destiny every character was dreading and yet powerless to stop. Agh! So heartbreaking 😩 but so good.

The theme that resonated most with me was the conflict Elin faced between wanting to make a lasting impact on her world and recognizing her own limits. She's such an inspiring character: intensely dedicated, caring, loyal, and wise, yet full of conflicted emotions and sometimes overcome with guilt.

You should read this series if you like:
- Japanese or Asian fantasy
- Complex fantasy politics and wars
- Stories about man and nature
- Epic flying wolves
- Fantasy that feels like historical fiction
- Stories about family and the sacrifices we make for them

[Lucy-May · Rating 5 out of 5]

Something about this series made it become a piece of me from the very first chapter of The Beast Player, & now that it’s over I feel both heartbroken & like I’ve found a missing piece of myself. Connections like the one I feel for Elin & Leelan’s story don’t happen very often & I know this series will be special to me for the rest of my life. Going in to The Beast Warrior I was nervous that it wouldn’t live up to book one & that the ending would let me down completely, but all 640 pages were perfect & if I could only ever read one series for the rest of my life, it would be this one. If I had to, I would give up every other story in the world for this one. I actually reread very few books but I know I will reread this duology over & over & over again for the rest of my days. I don’t know how else to say how much I love Nahoko for writing this story & Pushkin Press for bringing it to the world in English. It’s extraordinarily beautiful & I just love it so much.

⚠️ Dissection of fantasy animals, violence, war & battle themes, near drowning, fantasy animals being used for war/battle purposes & graphic fighting & injuries ⚠️

I was sent this book by the publisher in return for an honest review - thank you so much Poppy!

Extended Review to follow.

[Viki Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a more stately, reflective creature than its predecessor, The Beast Player; which I believe was originally conceived of as a standalone, but it works very nicely to my mind, and it's always refreshing when a book grows in maturity alongside its main character (Tamora Pierce's Song of the Lioness quartet being a glorious example of this). All too often female characters in fantasy still disappear or simply get killed off after marrying and having children, so it was fantastic to see how Elin's story continues, and for her motherhood to be a part of her identity while not being its entirety. Some wonderful explorations of the philosophy and morality of the Royal Beast keeping. Loved it.

[Neha · Rating 5 out of 5]

May all things be set free. All those things entangled in the long stream of history.

This story lays bare the deepest flaws of humans as a species: our arrogance, hubris, selfishness, and shortsightedness. Our belief in our dominion over other people and creatures, our twisted relationships with the natural world which we both utterly depend on and abuse to no end. And yet we strive for knowledge and understanding. We make medicines and play music and show others compassion and try to achieve freedom. These tensions of the human race push and pull Elin and the other characters in The Beast Warrior.

As she listened, Elin felt something stirring in her breast, a burning urge she had often felt as a child—a sense that something connected to the invisible threads that moved this world was almost within reach.

But the best of intentions cannot prevent pain and suffering. Sometimes all we can hope for is that the consequences of our actions will inform and guide future generations, so that they may have the wisdom we lacked and perhaps be better, kinder people for it. What a painful, beautiful, deeply honest reflection of the human race.

[Em · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a long winded but ultimately satisfying conclusion to the first book. It takes a long time to get to where its' going and the ultimate messages about humans' responsibilities to animals and the consequences of interfering with the natural order of the world are made extremely clear.

This didn't hold my interest as strongly as the first, largely because I felt there were too many side characters that didn't add much to the story overall, other than making the politics more complex than necessary. Jesse was an interesting and engaging character, who was more developed than a lot of others (especially Elin who doesn't seem to have real flaws, a small issue I had with the first book).

[Maverynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book is one you can read and never read this book. It was made as a complete story. This story however expands the lore of the beasts and touda in the only way it can. It concludes in the only way war can. It retells the tale of the catastrophe that affected the Afon Noah, this time with Elin in the center of it.

Over all as like the first book, it has excellent storytelling and world building. It's one of those series I'd say is a "must read" and "instant classic". Though because it's a visceral book and lacks fighting and combat and deception and people dying all over the place, a lot of people will probably snub it.

[Para (wanderer)]

DNF 40% - Just not what I'm looking for right now. The first one was smaller scale, with more focus on Elin and her care of the animals, which is why I liked it. This, meanwhile, expands in scope dramatically, with the plot being mostly about politics and war. And I find that I don't care about all that nearly as much. I'm having a hard time picking it back up, I'd rather be reading other books, so there's only one thing to do before it pushes me back into a slump. Oh well.

More reviews on my blog, To Other Worlds.

[Morgane (thebitsnbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfection ❤️

[Taiylor Mundy · Rating 4 out of 5]

That ending!! My heart! Beautiful writing just like the first book.

[Phoenix (Books with Wings) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one wasn't as good as book #1, but I still enjoyed it immensely. It took me a little longer to read it, because *school* but that ending was altogether very sudden and shocking.

[Ava Gruenwald · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read in my opinion, I really like the description that the Uehashi can do. Although I find that it can get a bit slow in the middle, but it speeds back up toward the end.

[Judith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woah.