Another Sequel Blog Post: Soul of the Sword by Julie Kagawa

 

Another Sequel Blog Post: Soul of the Sword by Julie Kagawa

By Felix Lee

 

 

            Well, what do you know, another blog post about the second book of a series! Soul of the Sword by Julie Kagawa, similar to my last blog post, is a sequel to a book I’ve done in a previous blog post, Shadow of the Fox. This book is a continuation of the adventures of Yumeko and her friends as they strive to complete their quest in a Japanese world full of demons, magic, spirits, and samurai. Much like I said in my previous blog post, to avoid spoilers, I strongly suggest reading the first book (Shadow of the Fox) before reading this blog post.

 

            This novel starts off by recapping the major events that occurred during the last book and redefined the goals our main characters now have to accomplish. With the powerful demon (Hakaimono) within Tatsumi taking over his body, a new problem has arrived. Not only do Yumeko and her friends have to safely deliver the scroll fragment to the Steel Feather Temple, to prevent it from reaching the wrong hands, but they also have to stop Hakaimono, the strongest demon of all, from wreaking havoc on the nation. Taking down Hakaimono is no easy feat, and although killing him in Tatsumi’s body would be the easiest solution, it would also kill Tatsumi in the process. This, in Yumeko’s eyes, is not an option, as she has started to develop feelings for the samurai, so she has to find an alternate way to take down Hakaimono without killing Tatsumi in the process. Will she and her friends be able to accomplish both goals? As the novel progresses, we follow the main characters as they pass through new areas and settings and meet new characters. The ending, which is quite unexpected, leaves the reader with a feeling of desire to read the next book.

           

            Since I enjoyed the first book, I couldn’t wait to read the second book and follow the continuation of this story. This sequel definitely didn’t disappoint! Like the first book, throughout the entirety of the book, the experience seemed like watching an anime through reading a novel, from the interactions between characters to the action-packed battles. It’s also quite fascinating to follow the evolution and development of each character in their skills and their attitudes towards their goals and each other. The way the author cuts the chapters creates tons of suspense and longing to read more, also shaping the plot in a way that’s unexpected and entertaining to read. I find this book to be an amazing continuation of this exciting story and can’t wait to read the third and final book of the series. 10/10!