Fantasy Book Reviews

Legend of Kazoku: The Sun Will Rise No More

Author: AsianAuthor
Title: Legend of Kazoku: The Sun Will Rise No More
Link: https://www.wattpad.com/story/60861791-legend-of-kazoku-the-sun-will-rise-no-more

Legend of Kazoku is complex story of war between kingdoms and tribes with an imperial/feudal backdrop.

The story follows the lives of two main characters: Ameko, daughter to the Shogun of Taiyo, and Tengfei, second prince of the kingdom of Huang. Tengfei is sent to Taiyo to meet with the Shogun to discuss the imminent threat of an attack of a village by the Daichin tribe, a group of thieves and barbarians. The meeting falls apart, the Shogun's outright dismissal of Huang's plans to deal with the Daichin leaving Tengfei suspicious. During his time at Taiyo, Tengfei visits his childhood friend, Ameko. Ameko, herself, appears to have her own agenda for her people. As the Shogun's illegitimate daughter, the palace's officials lend her little respect, and she knows it. Her heart is with helping the lesser privileged of Taiyo, where poverty is a major issue. Through sheer coincidence and misfortune, she is condemned as being the "Midnight Thief", a woman who kills and steals from the rich and gives to the poor (sound familiar?). She is sentenced to death, but her life is spared when Taiyo's physician requests for Ameko to be a test subject in her "experiments".

What an intriguing and fabulously written story! It brings back memories of those awesome Wuxia movies I used to watch growing up.The author perfectly captures the imperial atmosphere through her vivid descriptions of the setting. Stories about war and conflict as a major theme are inherently difficult to write without boring the readers with politics of nations and their convoluted relationships. But Legend of Kazoku does it right. We are never inundated with needless details; everything revealed comes in nice doses and is relevant to the immediate story. The writing is clear and concise, and the pacing is spot on. The style is also distinct; the author's voice is very well-developed, which is something all writers (should) strive for. Although there were a few points where the style wobbled a bit, it didn't take away from the enjoyment I had reading the story.

What stands out from the story are its characters. Not just the main characters Tengfei and Ameko, but the secondary ones as well. In the course of a few chapters, we meet: Shogun Sujin, Gorou, Fujimoto, Haruna, Xin Yuen, all of whom are appropriately portrayed and will surely have an impact on the story. With Tengfei and Ameko, they are practically polar opposites of each other. Ameko, being the outcast of her family, favors the poor. She's thoughtful and caring, but strong and decisive, and she also knows how to wield a sword (assuming she's the Midnight Thief). On the other hand, Tengfei is a more reserved individual, seeming to prefer words over weapons. He struggles to combat his cowardice and do the right thing, while staying loyal to his country and his father. The story puts these two together, and I think it'll work really well. I suspect Ameko and Tengfei will have a lot to learn from each other as the figure out how to help their respective countries.

Reading Legend of Kazoku felt like watching a movie. The book deserves a lot more reads and votes than it currently has. Go check it out! You won't be disappointed!