The Sword of Kaigen Review: A Refreshing Breath of (Icy!) Air

I’d seen so many people talking about The Sword of Kaigen on BookTok this year, so I knew I had to add it to my TBR. But it was only this past week that I finally got to it. Now I wish I’d read it sooner!

If you like gorgeous story-telling, emotional rollercoasters, and cool, martial-arts-based action sequences with elemental magic – this is the book for you.

Without further ado, here is my full, unbiased, review of The Sword of Kaigen.

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The Sword of Kaigen: Review Overview

4.5 Stars

Read if you like:

• Asian-inspired high fantasy
• Beautiful writing style
• Elemental magic with lots of action
• Complex characters

Pass if you don’t like:

• Emotional roller-coasters (read: you WILL cry)
• Disturbing scenes of war
• Standalone fantasy

Review Broken Down by Category

Plot

This story mainly follows Misaki, a thirty-something wife and mother to four children in the highly traditional mountainous Takayubi as she navigates motherhood, war, and coming to terms with who she was before she married.

Takayubi is home to some of the world’s most skilled fighters. However, they hadn’t seen war in a long time and were not a military. Meanwhile, rumors of war and invasions have been brewing…

I won’t tell you any more than that. But I will say that I loved the surprises in this book. The plot was unpredictable and defied war story tropes. Action-packed battle scenes had me on the edge of my seat, turning pages furiously to see what would happen next.

But it wasn’t all swords and sorcery. The heart of the story is in the relationships between characters. These emotional connections made the conflict real and I cared about the outcome.

I admit, some parts were hard to read. The author doesn’t sugarcoat the brutal reality of war. Violence and mass casualties are prevalent and it feels real and consequential.

The climax scenes left me gasping. Without giving anything away, there are moments that made me cry, and trust me when I say it’s rare for a book to affect me that way.

The main conflict is resolved but I noticed some threads left untied. It felt like a setup for a sequel but this is a standalone and the author has no plans to continue the series. For me it was a minor drawback and it left me thinking long after I finished the last page.

Themes

The Sword of Kaigen explores some heavy themes that really spoke to me. I was fascinated by the war, identity, motherhood, propaganda and relationships throughout.

War

War is a major aspect of the book, and I will warn you, some of the scenes are disturbing. While not overly graphic, some chapters of this book were downright chilling.

It is interesting to see how different characters view the morality of killing. Some see it as a noble duty, others question its need. The consequences of war are brutal and lay bare the myth of heroism.

Identity

Identity is a big theme with the Misaki struggling to fit into her societal role. I was intrigued by the cultural expectations vs individual desires.

Misaki’s journey really spoke to me. Her inner conflict between duty and personal happiness was so real. The pressure to be a “proper” Kusanagi wife stifled her true self.

Meanwhile, Mamoru’s coming of age story is about tradition vs progress. His desire to live up to family legacy while forging his own path hit close to home.

Gender roles are a big part of identity. The book challenges traditional masculinity and femininity and shows strength and vulnerability in a refreshing and nuanced way.

Motherhood

Motherhood is a major focus throughout Misaki’s story.

The pressure on mothers in Takayubi society was crushing at times. Misaki’s journey to reconcile being a parent with her own needs and desires was great.

The mother child bond is shown with care and nuance. The moments of tenderness and fierce protection stayed with me. I especially enjoyed the scenes between Misaki and Mamarou, her eldest son.

Propaganda

State sanctioned narratives clash with reality and create cognitive dissonance for the characters. The slow unraveling of long-held beliefs was uncomfortable.

Media and censorship are key. I was drawing parallels to real-world info wars.

The book shows how propaganda intersects with nationalism and cultural identity. Characters have to confront uncomfortable truths that challenge their worldview.

Relationships

While there is a lot of action in this book, for me the interpersonal relationships were the heart of the story. I was fully invested in the relationships between characters.

I don’t want to give anything away, but the way the relationships between the characters evolve through the book is extremely poignant.

The types of relationships explored include mother-and-son, friendships, romantic, and even community.

World-Building

I was fully in the world of Duna, a planet with many cultures and peoples. The main setting is the Kaigenese Empire with a Japanese-inspired military fantasy setting.

The Kusanagi Peninsula, home of the mighty warriors, was cool. I liked the mix of old customs and supernatural powers. The samurai like fighters wield not only sharp blades but also elemental powers.

The magic system was interesting. It’s tied to a person’s heritage and manifests as elemental powers like water and wind. This adds to the societal structure and how different groups interact.

You can expect lots of cool scenes with ice blades, water dragons, and supernatural tornedos. The action scenes were awesome as characters unleashed their innate powers in grand displays.

I liked the Eastern Asian influences throughout the world. From the martial arts to the government structures, everything felt deliberate.

I sometimes had trouble keeping track of all the countries, cultures, and terms, but I was glad for the glossary at the back of the book; it helped me navigate the Duna world.

Characters

The characters in The Sword of Kaigen are what make this story so great. I loved how the relationships between them added to the action fantasy. The main characters are:

Misaki

Misaki is a former warrior turned housewife, and she’s extremely complex and multi-layered. I loved seeing her struggle with being a mother in the traditional Matsuda family while still wanting her old life of adventure. Her inner conflict was so real and relatable to me.

Misaki’s relationship with her son Mamoru was especially poignant. I could feel her fierce love and desire to protect him warring with her need to let him grow up. Her gradual reawakening as a warrior throughout the story had me rooting for her.

Mamoru

Mamoru’s coming-of-age journey hit me hard. As the eldest son of the Matsuda family, he has a lot of pressure to live up to. I loved hisself-doubtt and desire to prove himself.

His growth from an insecure boy to a confident young warrior was great. I especially loved seeing his relationship with his mother Misaki develop. Mamoru’s raw determination and bravery in the face of impossible odds left me speechless.

Takeru

Takeru serves as the book’s main antagonist. He’s the second son of the Matsuda clan, and as Misaki’s emotionless husband, he creates a lot of tension to the family dynamics. His ruthless adherence to tradition clashes with Misaki’s more modern views.

His character arc is really interesting and ends in a place you might not expect!

Writing Style

I’m seriously impressed with M.L. Wang’s writing in The Sword of Kaigen, and is a shining example of how some of the best books can be self-published. Honestly, the writing in this book is better than many traditionally published fantasy books I’ve read.

The prose is gorgeous and I found myself highlighting passages left and right in my Kindle.

Wang’s writing reminds me a little bit of Brandon Sanderson, especially with the muthird-person third person POVs. But she also has her own voice that is perfect for the story.

I don’t normally cry when I read but this book made me sob at one point. Wang is great at writing scenes that get under your skin!

The writing is clean and descriptive without being too flowy. Wang hits the perfect balance between pretty prose and storytelling.

I liked how the different character perspectives were distinct but woven together. It added depth without being choppy.

Final Thoughts and Rating

I loved The Sword of Kaigen. It’s a standalone fantasy win! The writing is great, and I was fully invested in the story and characters.

On Goodreads I gave it 5 stars. If I could I’d give it 4.5 stars to reflect that tiny bit of incompleteness I felt at the end.

For high fantasy fans especially those who enjoy Asian influences, this is a must read. It’s one of my favorite fantasy books of the year.

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