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Tales of the Magatama #2
Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince
Reads L to R (Western Style)
Oguna is an orphan with a secret even he doesn’t know—he’s a prince and heir to a terrible power. His best friend Toko is a member of the Tachibana clan and a potential high priestess able to tame that power...or destroy it.
443 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1991
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 10, 2017
The second volume of the 'Tales of the Magatama' is darker and a lot more mature in tone than the first volume, both of the main characters had suffered a lot. Anyway, to me it's one of the best Japanese Creation Myths retelling stories.
April 25, 2016
There is such a thing as "standard Western fantasy" and sufficiently experienced readers will, at some point or another, get pretty sick of it. There are only so many reluctant Chosen Ones destined to possess the Magical McGuffin that will bring defeat to the Forces of Evil that you can take before all these stories start to feel like the same damn thing.
Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince does have a Chosen One and a Magical McGuffin, but it manages to read very different in spite of it. Part is simply due to the setting: both it and its precursor, Dragon Sword and Wind Child, are novelised versions of Japanese mythology. The imagery used is different from your Standard Western Fantasy Kingdom, as is the rhythm of the dialogue and the relationships and attitudes you see between the characters.
I found the story to be strange and beautiful, and also well-written. I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, but if you are sick of standard western fantasy, by all means give it a try.
Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince does have a Chosen One and a Magical McGuffin, but it manages to read very different in spite of it. Part is simply due to the setting: both it and its precursor, Dragon Sword and Wind Child, are novelised versions of Japanese mythology. The imagery used is different from your Standard Western Fantasy Kingdom, as is the rhythm of the dialogue and the relationships and attitudes you see between the characters.
I found the story to be strange and beautiful, and also well-written. I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, but if you are sick of standard western fantasy, by all means give it a try.
February 20, 2018
This tale was rather interesting, a look into Japanese folklore by the same author. As well as imagining them as quite different.
The story is like a folktale, which at times captured me for the way it was structured, and also written. But sometimes lost me as well. Some of it really eluded me while others continued to make a very good impression.
I don’t have any idea what is the actual story about. But nonetheless this was well crafted to say the least, such as the relationship between Toko and Oguna. The shift to the palace, for the Emperor and his various secrets. The man had a lot of them, no kidding.
All the twists revealed later were surprising, but at the same time completely plausible. But it all goes down to interpretation, and I barely even knew the Emperor. Which makes it hard for me to guess that he will hide something like what was revealed in the book.
The ending was rather perfect, in all ways tying up the loose knots. As well as giving a rather happy ending to this rather tragic tale.
But overall, I did find something greatly entertaining about this tale. Not exactly to my taste, but rather enjoyable.
The story is like a folktale, which at times captured me for the way it was structured, and also written. But sometimes lost me as well. Some of it really eluded me while others continued to make a very good impression.
I don’t have any idea what is the actual story about. But nonetheless this was well crafted to say the least, such as the relationship between Toko and Oguna. The shift to the palace, for the Emperor and his various secrets. The man had a lot of them, no kidding.
All the twists revealed later were surprising, but at the same time completely plausible. But it all goes down to interpretation, and I barely even knew the Emperor. Which makes it hard for me to guess that he will hide something like what was revealed in the book.
The ending was rather perfect, in all ways tying up the loose knots. As well as giving a rather happy ending to this rather tragic tale.
But overall, I did find something greatly entertaining about this tale. Not exactly to my taste, but rather enjoyable.
September 1, 2011
3 1/2 stars. Whew, this book was kind of... exhausting. It's not only chunky, but packed - there's so much happening with very little breathing room.
Much like Dragon Sword and Wind Child, it's eerily compelling despite its flaws. These books are based on Japanese myth, but they also seem to tap into a sort of proto-mythological vein - the motifs all seem so familiar, and are played out with such deep dream-logic, that it gives one a spooky, distant-memory sort of feeling.
That said, I thought this could really have stood to be tightened up, but given the ancient, rambling myths this was based on, maybe "rambling" was what the author was going for. It seemed like there were a lot of dropped threads. I also felt the ending was a little... anti-climatic, I guess. I feel the events that happened toward the end could have been presented in a more momentous way, or something. (For instance, I wish we'd gotten Oguna's pov during the time he was .) I was disappointed by how little Toko had to do at the end, too. Despite that, it was still a gorgeous story, and this book is probably going to be a keeper for me (and I kind of want get a copy of Dragon Sword and Wind Child of my own, too).
Side note: wow, this book was put together rather shoddily. There's a couple of very pretty color illustrations at the front, but other than that, it feels flimsy, the paper over the inside of the back board is bubbled up, the paper is very thin and the margins and indents on the pages are tiny, making it harder to read. Besides that, there were serious editing/formatting flaws, such as sentences that seemed to be missing words or were just fragments and thus made no sense, and in one case, a whole chunk of text missing between two pages (311 and 312). Maybe it was a sentence, maybe a few paragraphs - I have no way of knowing. All I know is enough text was missing that I couldn't guess the contents from context. Seems more attention should have been paid to presentation, especially given the rather expensive list-price.
Much like Dragon Sword and Wind Child, it's eerily compelling despite its flaws. These books are based on Japanese myth, but they also seem to tap into a sort of proto-mythological vein - the motifs all seem so familiar, and are played out with such deep dream-logic, that it gives one a spooky, distant-memory sort of feeling.
That said, I thought this could really have stood to be tightened up, but given the ancient, rambling myths this was based on, maybe "rambling" was what the author was going for. It seemed like there were a lot of dropped threads. I also felt the ending was a little... anti-climatic, I guess. I feel the events that happened toward the end could have been presented in a more momentous way, or something. (For instance, I wish we'd gotten Oguna's pov during the time he was .) I was disappointed by how little Toko had to do at the end, too. Despite that, it was still a gorgeous story, and this book is probably going to be a keeper for me (and I kind of want get a copy of Dragon Sword and Wind Child of my own, too).
Side note: wow, this book was put together rather shoddily. There's a couple of very pretty color illustrations at the front, but other than that, it feels flimsy, the paper over the inside of the back board is bubbled up, the paper is very thin and the margins and indents on the pages are tiny, making it harder to read. Besides that, there were serious editing/formatting flaws, such as sentences that seemed to be missing words or were just fragments and thus made no sense, and in one case, a whole chunk of text missing between two pages (311 and 312). Maybe it was a sentence, maybe a few paragraphs - I have no way of knowing. All I know is enough text was missing that I couldn't guess the contents from context. Seems more attention should have been paid to presentation, especially given the rather expensive list-price.
February 11, 2020
Ben bu kitabı yıllar yıllar önce, daha dolar 1.75 falanken çizgi roman olduğunu düşünerek getirtmiştim. 10 sene falan olmuştur. O zaman bir elime alıp okumayı denedim ama olmadı. Şimdi de olmadı. Artık pes ettim.
Birinci sebep, konu yeni ve ilginç değil. Fantastik roman dünyası oldukça rekabetçi ve yeni şeyler yazmak zor. Bu yüzden yazarlar eski mitleri devşiriyorlar. Buna itirazım yok ancak bu kadar sıkıcı yapılmasına var. Hikaye hiçbir şekilde kendine bağlamıyor, öylesine yorucu bir anlatımı var ki, diğer sayfayı çevirmek bile istemiyorsunuz.
İkinci sebep, karakterler gelişmiyor. O kadar yüzeysel ve düzler ki, neyi niye yaptıklarını anlamak mümkün değil. Doğru dürüst bir çerçeve çizilmemiş. Özellikle Toko karakteri çok başka boyutlara gidebilecekken, sıkıcı bir "Hırçın Kız" stereotipine dönüşmüş.
Üçüncü sebep, hikaye o kadar tekrara düşmüş ki, bir olgunlaşma öyküsü, peki ama bu İlyada'dan, Gılgamış'tan belki Taş Devri duvarlarından beri hayatımızdaki bir tema. Kitabın bu konuda ne söylediği umrumuzda. Peki ne söylüyor? Binlerce yıldır anlatılan o eski hikaye. Eğer bir yeniden yazım yapıyorsanız, bu gerçekten yeniden yazım olmalı.
Kitabı yerden yere vurduktan sonra, beğendiğim iki şeye geleyim; çok özenli bir çeviri olmuş. Genelde Japonca'dan İngilizce'ye baştan savma çevriliyor kitaplar ama bu iyi olmuş. İkincisi de kitaptaki desenler, onları yırtıp çerçeveleteceğim.
Birinci sebep, konu yeni ve ilginç değil. Fantastik roman dünyası oldukça rekabetçi ve yeni şeyler yazmak zor. Bu yüzden yazarlar eski mitleri devşiriyorlar. Buna itirazım yok ancak bu kadar sıkıcı yapılmasına var. Hikaye hiçbir şekilde kendine bağlamıyor, öylesine yorucu bir anlatımı var ki, diğer sayfayı çevirmek bile istemiyorsunuz.
İkinci sebep, karakterler gelişmiyor. O kadar yüzeysel ve düzler ki, neyi niye yaptıklarını anlamak mümkün değil. Doğru dürüst bir çerçeve çizilmemiş. Özellikle Toko karakteri çok başka boyutlara gidebilecekken, sıkıcı bir "Hırçın Kız" stereotipine dönüşmüş.
Üçüncü sebep, hikaye o kadar tekrara düşmüş ki, bir olgunlaşma öyküsü, peki ama bu İlyada'dan, Gılgamış'tan belki Taş Devri duvarlarından beri hayatımızdaki bir tema. Kitabın bu konuda ne söylediği umrumuzda. Peki ne söylüyor? Binlerce yıldır anlatılan o eski hikaye. Eğer bir yeniden yazım yapıyorsanız, bu gerçekten yeniden yazım olmalı.
Kitabı yerden yere vurduktan sonra, beğendiğim iki şeye geleyim; çok özenli bir çeviri olmuş. Genelde Japonca'dan İngilizce'ye baştan savma çevriliyor kitaplar ama bu iyi olmuş. İkincisi de kitaptaki desenler, onları yırtıp çerçeveleteceğim.
August 6, 2011
Set centuries or millenia later than the first book, whose events are now only the substance of legends. There's still plenty of magic and mythology here, but it feels grittier, more historical, and the characters at least start out more down-to-earth. Toko and Oguna are childhood friends who are parted when she gets old enough to assist the shrine maiden and he is sent off to become the "shadow" of Prince Oh-usu, his stand-in in ceremonies and times of danger.
So far both of Ogiwara's male "heroes" -- you can't really call them protagonists, the girls get a lot more attention and agency -- are strangely passive, but I kind of like that. Toko reads as much more vivid and real than Saya; a tomboy and stubborn as hell.
So far both of Ogiwara's male "heroes" -- you can't really call them protagonists, the girls get a lot more attention and agency -- are strangely passive, but I kind of like that. Toko reads as much more vivid and real than Saya; a tomboy and stubborn as hell.
September 3, 2025
Each tale of the magatama is self-contained, meaning I didn’t have to remember every detail from Dragon Sword and Wind Child. It was still helpful to have a vague idea of the world’s magic and mechanics. I enjoyed Book 1, but I was frustrated with some of the characters’ youthful behavior and how the story took so long to bring about inevitable events. Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince started really strong and felt like the author really settled into her work. I’m saddened to realize that Book 3 probably won’t get translated at this point because the story really hit its stride here, and I would love to see what could be achieved in the final installment. Book 2 still felt like it was aimed at a younger audience, but it addressed serious subjects like incest, death, suicide, love, power, and war, albeit sometimes obliquely. The characters still behaved their age, being stubborn, showing false courage, or boldly stating an emotion without the wisdom of experience to convince the reader of their conviction. Still, Toko and Oguna were fun characters to follow, with compelling combined and separate journeys to mature and face the nature of their unique heritages. Their actions and feelings believingly propelled the story along, and I enjoyed the magic of the magatama and the divine elements. After reading the author’s note and discovering that a tragic hero inspired this story, I am curious about other Japanese myths and legends. Sadly, this book’s society was a bit misogynistic. I was particularly annoyed that there was such a precise definition and expectation of womanhood that didn’t seem to be reciprocated for manhood.
February 20, 2018
Though I enjoyed it (and literally couldn't put it down until I'd finished it) the story is very much in the same pattern as the first and in that sense I was a bit disappointed. The biggest difference between the two is the importance of the supporting characters. Compared to "Wind Child," it is here that they are more fleshed out and complex. While the first book had some dark elements, the themes within "Mirror Sword" are certainly more grown up and sad. Some of which is very relatable.
December 18, 2022
Really nice story. Many fun, interesting characters and a very fear pace.
This book felt a little bit stereotypical with the « quest » trope, but I really enjoyed the mythological influence of the story of Yamato Takeru.
I think I do prefer the first book of the trilogy, it felt a bit more original.
This book felt a little bit stereotypical with the « quest » trope, but I really enjoyed the mythological influence of the story of Yamato Takeru.
I think I do prefer the first book of the trilogy, it felt a bit more original.
January 17, 2022
Not as good as the first (Dragon Sword and Wind Child) in this companion series, but it was good nonetheless!
The pacing was a bit off for me in this book and it felt sluggish at times.
I did thoroughly enjoy the characters and the overarching plot which resulted in a satisfying ending.
I really wish the 3rd book in this saga would get translated so I can read it! Or maybe I need to work on my Japanese!
The pacing was a bit off for me in this book and it felt sluggish at times.
I did thoroughly enjoy the characters and the overarching plot which resulted in a satisfying ending.
I really wish the 3rd book in this saga would get translated so I can read it! Or maybe I need to work on my Japanese!
August 5, 2020
Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince is the second book of the Tales of the Magitama series, and takes place many centuries after the events of Dragon Sword and Wind Child.
We are first introduced to a girl named Toko Tachibana, and her adopted brother Oguna. Toko’s family are the guardians of one of four (originally five) powerful “magatama,” magical stones that had originally been strung on a necklace belonging to a goddess. Toko is very close to her adopted brother, and a great deal of the opening action revolves around Toko trying to get her parents to let Oguna take part in family-only rituals he can’t be involved in because he’s adopted.
This story wanders quite a bit and seems to have some problem getting anywhere. We follow Oguna as he is taken in by a prince and trained to be that prince’s “shadow” or double. Due to a number of accidents and disasters, Oguna comes to learn that he is also a prince. He also turns out to be capable of wielding a very dangerous magical sword. These disasters have the end result of destroying Toko’s clan and home, and then the story switches to Toko, who goes on a quest to find the other magatama so that she can kill Oguna. (Oguna cannot die by ordinary means because he and the sword are too powerful.)
Our Heroine Toko combines the features of the active Heroine who goes out and gets things done with the narrative of a passive Heroine who mostly reacts to what happens to her. The recurring themes surrounding Toko are themes related to “being a woman” versus “being a girl.” (Not so much as in growing up but as in presenting as female; Toko is frequently mistaken for a boy and her lack of feminine behaviors or mannerism is often pointed out as detrimental or made fun of. The general idea is that her “boyish” behavior is seen as something she needs to grow out of.) She also has issues with reconciling the boy she remembers to the prince that he’s become.
This particular story drags a lot in places. Some of the character interactions are interesting, but a lot of the writing falls flat. I am not sure if the fault is with the writing or the translation, but it was very difficult to work my way through the story. There are some good moments, but they are buried under the meandering details of the plot. (It is only 438 pages but it feels longer, and not in a good way.)
We are first introduced to a girl named Toko Tachibana, and her adopted brother Oguna. Toko’s family are the guardians of one of four (originally five) powerful “magatama,” magical stones that had originally been strung on a necklace belonging to a goddess. Toko is very close to her adopted brother, and a great deal of the opening action revolves around Toko trying to get her parents to let Oguna take part in family-only rituals he can’t be involved in because he’s adopted.
This story wanders quite a bit and seems to have some problem getting anywhere. We follow Oguna as he is taken in by a prince and trained to be that prince’s “shadow” or double. Due to a number of accidents and disasters, Oguna comes to learn that he is also a prince. He also turns out to be capable of wielding a very dangerous magical sword. These disasters have the end result of destroying Toko’s clan and home, and then the story switches to Toko, who goes on a quest to find the other magatama so that she can kill Oguna. (Oguna cannot die by ordinary means because he and the sword are too powerful.)
Our Heroine Toko combines the features of the active Heroine who goes out and gets things done with the narrative of a passive Heroine who mostly reacts to what happens to her. The recurring themes surrounding Toko are themes related to “being a woman” versus “being a girl.” (Not so much as in growing up but as in presenting as female; Toko is frequently mistaken for a boy and her lack of feminine behaviors or mannerism is often pointed out as detrimental or made fun of. The general idea is that her “boyish” behavior is seen as something she needs to grow out of.) She also has issues with reconciling the boy she remembers to the prince that he’s become.
This particular story drags a lot in places. Some of the character interactions are interesting, but a lot of the writing falls flat. I am not sure if the fault is with the writing or the translation, but it was very difficult to work my way through the story. There are some good moments, but they are buried under the meandering details of the plot. (It is only 438 pages but it feels longer, and not in a good way.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2016
"Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince" is a sequel to "Wind Child and Dragon Sword", though you don't necessarily need to have read both to enjoy "Mirror Sword...". Both are based on Japanese folklore and myth, and are fun and interesting reads. I thoroughly enjoyed "Wind Child and Dragon Sword" and so had high expectations when coming into "Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince."
However, I would say that this did not quite live up to the first book. Both are well translated, and very interesting stories, but "Mirror Sword..." tended to falter between extremes of dragging on, or speeding past things that I felt deserved more attention. Much of the book followed an almost RPG style quest; after the events of the first act, the main character Toko, had to travel the land in search of 5 sacred stones, a very common storyline, which if done well, can be very interesting, but in this book felt drawn out excessively. Then, the last chapter of the book felt as if it was rushed and haphazard. I felt as if it really didn't take the time to address the climax. So much of the book had lead up to a final clash, and we saw none of it. The book often changed POV characters, but during a crucial event, the POV is of someone not involved, waiting from a distance, unaware of the outcome? I felt robbed of closure.
I also feel that Toko did not get the development that she deserved. She began the story as a strong willed, tomboyish girl, and ended it as a meek, submissive woman. I would have preferred she kept that fire, especially when the shift was so sudden, and only seemed to come about in order to advance the story according to the writer's benefit. I also wished we had gotten more development between Toko and Oguna as adults.
The ending left me feeling unsatisfied and cold. No true climax, no closure in terms of Oguna's fight between himself and his destiny, and then the story ends with a "we'll be living a quiet life now, bye!" At the very least, I would have preferred and epilogue that touched on the lives of the characters a few years after the final battle, to show us where they ended up. That would have given more closure I feel.
Overall, it was a good book, but I feel it needed some editing in some places and fleshing out in others.
However, I would say that this did not quite live up to the first book. Both are well translated, and very interesting stories, but "Mirror Sword..." tended to falter between extremes of dragging on, or speeding past things that I felt deserved more attention. Much of the book followed an almost RPG style quest; after the events of the first act, the main character Toko, had to travel the land in search of 5 sacred stones, a very common storyline, which if done well, can be very interesting, but in this book felt drawn out excessively. Then, the last chapter of the book felt as if it was rushed and haphazard. I felt as if it really didn't take the time to address the climax. So much of the book had lead up to a final clash, and we saw none of it. The book often changed POV characters, but during a crucial event, the POV is of someone not involved, waiting from a distance, unaware of the outcome? I felt robbed of closure.
I also feel that Toko did not get the development that she deserved. She began the story as a strong willed, tomboyish girl, and ended it as a meek, submissive woman. I would have preferred she kept that fire, especially when the shift was so sudden, and only seemed to come about in order to advance the story according to the writer's benefit. I also wished we had gotten more development between Toko and Oguna as adults.
The ending left me feeling unsatisfied and cold. No true climax, no closure in terms of Oguna's fight between himself and his destiny, and then the story ends with a "we'll be living a quiet life now, bye!" At the very least, I would have preferred and epilogue that touched on the lives of the characters a few years after the final battle, to show us where they ended up. That would have given more closure I feel.
Overall, it was a good book, but I feel it needed some editing in some places and fleshing out in others.
June 1, 2016
Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince is the sequel to the Japanese fantasy novel, Dragon Sword and Wind Child. However, it is set centuries or even millennia after the first book and so could be read independently. The main thread that ties the books together is the shared mythology and setting.
Oguna and Toko have grown up together, but Oguna has never known who his parents are. When the emperor’s son comes to their village, Oguna goes with him to train as the prince’s shadow. But when Oguna awakens a strange power, it is up to Toko to gather the magatama, beads with magical properties, and stop Oguna.
I mentioned in my review of Dragon Sword and Wind Child that the heroine was more passive than I prefer. That was true as well for Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince. Toko was presented as an active female lead, and she’s the one that starts on the quest to stop Oguna. However, it feels like in the end she doesn’t actually do that much. Some of what I initially thought she would do ends up getting given to various male characters, and by the end she feels almost redundant. Although she’s presented as a tomboy, her actual role in the book is the same as Saya’s – to be a source of guidance for the male lead.
The plot line and pacing also seemed oddly structured. The quest format works fairly well, but all interest and urgency seem to fizzle out by the end. The last hundred pages or so were the most boring in the book and seemed to be killing time more than anything else.
As with the previous book, the world and mythology were my favorite things about it. This one didn’t have quite the strength of mythology, probably due to being set so far after the first book, but it still had an “epic” feel to it that I enjoyed.
While I’ve grown tired of the series’s treatment of gender, there’s still much to enjoy about Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince, and it’s one I’d still recommend to anyone looking for translated fantasy novels.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
Oguna and Toko have grown up together, but Oguna has never known who his parents are. When the emperor’s son comes to their village, Oguna goes with him to train as the prince’s shadow. But when Oguna awakens a strange power, it is up to Toko to gather the magatama, beads with magical properties, and stop Oguna.
I mentioned in my review of Dragon Sword and Wind Child that the heroine was more passive than I prefer. That was true as well for Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince. Toko was presented as an active female lead, and she’s the one that starts on the quest to stop Oguna. However, it feels like in the end she doesn’t actually do that much. Some of what I initially thought she would do ends up getting given to various male characters, and by the end she feels almost redundant. Although she’s presented as a tomboy, her actual role in the book is the same as Saya’s – to be a source of guidance for the male lead.
The plot line and pacing also seemed oddly structured. The quest format works fairly well, but all interest and urgency seem to fizzle out by the end. The last hundred pages or so were the most boring in the book and seemed to be killing time more than anything else.
As with the previous book, the world and mythology were my favorite things about it. This one didn’t have quite the strength of mythology, probably due to being set so far after the first book, but it still had an “epic” feel to it that I enjoyed.
While I’ve grown tired of the series’s treatment of gender, there’s still much to enjoy about Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince, and it’s one I’d still recommend to anyone looking for translated fantasy novels.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
July 19, 2016
Classic Noriko Ogiwara...though I don't think I was drawn to this type of story vs. its' prequel, Dragon Sword and Wind Child. I think it had a lot to do with not being able to understand Oguna's character well, which was really important to tying in the whole story. It seems he was an easy plot device, able to be bent at will when the story needed him to be strong, vs. weak, but she made a note that the character he was based on from folklore also had these qualities. So she may have been successful in her portrayal of him, but it just didn't work for me as a character in reality. But I do love that she takes her inspiration from Japanese folk tales which is really unique, and that I can appreciate.
July 6, 2013
Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince is a retelling of the story of Yamato Takeru, a legendary Japanese hero. However, even if you've never heard of the name 'Yamato Takeru' before, you could still enjoy this book. Of all the three books from Tales of the Magatama series, 'Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince' is my favourite. The main characters are more well developed than the first book (Dragon Sword and Wind Child) and the stories are well crafted and are much deeper in details. I also love the romance between two protagonists. I found the scene when they encounter each other on the ship very emotional and heartbroken.
If you love a fantasy story based heavily on Japanese folklore/legend or if you like 'Dragon Sword and Wind Child', I urge you to try this book!
If you love a fantasy story based heavily on Japanese folklore/legend or if you like 'Dragon Sword and Wind Child', I urge you to try this book!
November 16, 2012
I would say this is a better book than the first. Love development can use more work but it doesn't feel like it's dropping outta nowhere anymore. The main character girl is strong-willed though most of the time it was fueled by wrong reasons.
All aspects of story are quite balanced. Character growth, relationships, plot and moral questions. I'm glad the size of the book doesn't make the story rushed.
This was a very nice reading. I'd love to read her next book of this series once they published anything new!
All aspects of story are quite balanced. Character growth, relationships, plot and moral questions. I'm glad the size of the book doesn't make the story rushed.
This was a very nice reading. I'd love to read her next book of this series once they published anything new!
August 30, 2014
This book is a sequel to "dragon sword and wind child".
And this world is several hundred years after the"dragon sword and wind child".
I read it in Japanese. May be Japanese is the best to read it I think.
Author Ogiwara...she uses really beautiful Japanese.
Book is so~thick,but if you finished read it,you would feel you want to read more!
And this world is several hundred years after the"dragon sword and wind child".
I read it in Japanese. May be Japanese is the best to read it I think.
Author Ogiwara...she uses really beautiful Japanese.
Book is so~thick,but if you finished read it,you would feel you want to read more!
November 4, 2011
Ive been waiting forever for the second volume to be translated so i was overjoyed when this came out. i still think the first book was best but this story had its own charms too. Now i just have to wait for the third to be translated...hopefully soon
July 15, 2007
wish i could make a manga of this
October 6, 2013
Darn, now I wish Usobeni Tenyou was also translated!!
January 23, 2016
I enjoyed this book quite a bit, but I don't think that I liked it as much as "Dragon Sword and Wind Child" (this may be due to nostalgia). I hope that the third book gets translated to English.
August 5, 2016
promising opening. characters were wishy washy (also not that interesting) and plot felt like it dragged on and on.
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November 4, 2012good
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