I absolutely loved this book! Paul Krueger is a new-to-me author, and so I wasn't entirely sure what to expect when I began reading STEEL CROW SAGA. Though I admit, I had high hopes. I was dying for something new and riveting. And I was not disappointed. The author does this brilliant thing, where he writes a flashback, then has a character explain/describe the flashback. The book takes place in an alternate history of Asia; Tomoda, Shang, Sanbuna, Jeongson and Dahali. The characters are incredibly written and developed, the story woven together seamlessly, allowing the reader to really sink into the story-line as the epic world unfolds. SO. GOOD. A definite recommend.

This book was such a wild ride i absolutely loved and I really enjoyed reslistening to it on audio. Its all my favorite things about anime but shoved into a book that made for such a great time reading.

I could not get into this book. The premise sounded great and I love the cover. I just couldn’t find love for this book. I tried on more than one occasion to make sure it wasn’t just a mood I was in. I really wanted to like it. I’m sure others will love it. Thank you for this opportunity.

Steel Crow Saga is interesting read as i never read anything quite like it. Their are several interesting characters besides the main four that we are introuduced to. I think the biggest reason that i did not enjoy it, is it felt way to long for the amount of story that was being told. I love long books but only if the story is enjoyable enough that i don’t realize i just read a 500 page novel. I should not be flipping looking to see how much is left in the story. I should be so immersed in the tale that i don’t want it to end.

The story is set in in a complex fantasy world, built and based in post-World War II Eastern Asia. The different races are unique and based on races from our world. Tomoda is based on imperialistic Japan, but with citizens who meld their souls with metal. It called metal packing. Shang is based on china, Sanbu the Philippines, Jeognsen-Korea, and Dahali, India.

This book is definitively aimed at a much older audience then young adult. The world is very diverse. Not only are the characters entirely Asian-inspired but most of the characters are sexually ambiguous. The women are kick butt, and the cultures have one histories of powerful men and women. Theirs even a secondary trans characters.

The other unique thing i found in this story is the use of shades which are viewed differently from race to race. Some see them as slaves other as family.

Overall this is story that is unique and well though out. What did not work for me may be just what you find enjoyable in story. Maybe it wasn’t the right time in my reading life for me to throughly enjoy this story. Either way it not terrible it not fantastic it just is.

Most of all, though, it is highly entertaining novel. It’s a complete story that while I could see further novels set in the world, the story here is tied off relatively neatly and the reader gets a complete reading experience in one volume. Steel Crow Saga is a secondary world fantasy novel influenced by Pokemon novel that alternates its strong characters beats with shade combats, it alternates its cultural explorations of food, and societies with thoughts on war, the aftermath of war, colonial and post colonial narratives. There is much here not to say about the novel, to invite the reader to discover for themselves the richness of the narrative and the characters. I heartily recommend readers at all interested in secondary world fantasies to do so.

http://www.nerds-feather.com/2020/02/microreview-book-steel-crow-saga-by.html

This was such a fun book. I loved the LGBTQ+ representation, the character development and relationships. It reminded me a bit of Avatar: The Last Airbender which was really cool. I enjoyed that each pace was inspired by a different Asian country which made it so beautifully rich and fascinating. Fans of Anime will also love this. I believe it is part of a series but is very much its own standalone story!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Then I let the ARC lapse on the site after publication so I borrowed the book from the library to read it. #transparency

I am so sorry I didn’t get to this book sooner. It completely engaged me as a reader because of these reasons: one, I adore the magical elements of the book, two, I love how effortlessly the author incorporated the Asian-inspired cultures, and three, the characters were so dynamic and interesting. It made for an all-around great read! I learned that it is intended as a standalone novel which is so frustrating since the world building was so strong.

The two magical elements in the book are shade-pacting and metal pacting. Shade pacting is when a person bonds half their soul with an animal and can summon the animal to help them if the situation calls for it (Pokemon inspired!). For instance, Tala bonded with Beaky the crow and since she’s a solider would go out on campaigns and use Beaky as a defense. Xiulan also had a rat as a shade and it became a symbol for her role in the Shang dynasty. The animal asks a question of it’s potential host and the host needs to agree in order for the pact to form. I loved seeing this example when Lee originally tries to pact with a rooster and it asks for blood of its enemies, but Lee doesn’t agree. Later she finds a bond with a dog she names Bootstrap, and they get along much better.

Metal pacting is controlling the element of metal, in the kingdom of Tomoda this means engineering cars so only people with metal pacting ability can drive them or controlling a bullet so that it hits a target with 100% accuracy. Notably, the people who practice metal pacting see shade pacting a slavery and control over the animal, so there’s animosity towards one another. The rules for these magic systems make it seem like one person can only do one type of magic, but of course, rules are meant to be broken. I really loved learning the rules and then reading how they are immediately broken by some of the characters. It brought a lot of depth to the system.

Through researching interviews and other reviews, I see and understand that all of the kingdoms and territories in this novel are based on real life cultures and countries. For instance, Tomoda, where Jimuro is from is based on Japan (Author’s Reddit AMA). Tala is from Sanbu, based on the Phillippines, Xuilan is from Shang, based on China, and Lee is from Jeongson, based on Korea. There is also another community called Dahali, based on India. See also: this Goodreads review and this review from Geekly Inc. Honestly, this is refreshing to read. There are only a handful of fantasy books that I can name off the top of my head that have Asian-inspired characters and settings. In the acknowledgements, the Author says that it’s his most autobiographical work and I understand what he means because the writing is so hopeful and loving when writing about these different worlds (especially food references!) (though I’m sure there are other points of autobiography that I am not seeing).

The representation in this book is top notch, there are queer characters everywhere and not every relationship ends in tragedy! The most fun relationship is between Xiulan and Lee, who are complete opposites (princess and thief, respectively) and yet come together for a common cause. Both make the other question their ways of life and this makes them stronger as a pair. The pairing of Tala and Jimuro was interesting to me because it’s less romantic, though I can see that perhaps in a hypothetical future they would be together, but the writing was very careful and calculated when they had to consider each others world view. It was a very thoughtful approach to making and maintaining a relationship. It wasn’t like many high-fantasy books I’ve read in the past (or even a romantic trope, hate-to-love).

I think my only criticism was that I didn’t completely understand the relationship between each country and how they all fit together. The timeline was hard to follow. And I would have appreciated a map at the beginning of the book since there was a lot of travelling in the plot. This book is still highly recommended by me because it’s fun and entertaining. There were a few twists I didn’t see coming and I love how easily the battle scenes played out in my mind. Recommended for those interested in high fantasy a la Robert Jackson Bennett, N.K. Jemisin, and S.A. Chakraborty, or those that enjoy anime.

Things I loved: the cover (beautiful) and the world-building. Things I thought could've used more development: The world-building. I still enjoyed the story, so if you enjoy a good fantasy story, pick up a copy of it now!

*4.5/5 stars*

Has: LGBTQIA+ rep ( Sapphic relationship, trans character), PTSD/Grief exploration

This book was absolutely brilliant. Especially that ending, it made me tear up. The only thing that left me wanting more is that while each country has a different manifestation of magic and several are explored through the protagonists, one is not. Which made me very sad because from the glimpse of their magic I would be just as interested.

Here's to hoping that while SCS is technically a standalone, we'll get another book in this world featuring this country and their magic system.

I might've given this a higher rating if it weren't so long. I had a hard time remembering the differences between the multiple characters and the various nations introduced within. It is very culturally deep with a lot of in depth world building, but it was too complex and long winded to hold my interest for long. It took me until about halfway through the book to really get into it. I kept putting the book down in favor of others, so I'm not sure if the fault is mine or the book's.

There are four main characters. One heir to the throne, one wannabe heir, one soldier, and one thief. The characters were well portrayed and each had their own plot and character arc.

The magic system was simple and interesting. Either a person could 'pact' with an animal, sharing their soul and turning the animal into a companion and fearsome war beast, or a person 'pacts' with metal and can shape and use it at will. Or one can have no magic at all. Basically, there's a lot of culture influencing one's magical determination.

In short, there were a lot of things I liked about this book, between the well written characters and world building. However, as one character in the book liked to say, "that's a long walk to saying no." (That's quoted from memory, so no accounting for accuracy.) The book is very wordy. I like dialogue and descriptions in most books, but this one felt too verbosive at times. I felt that it dragged on too long, and would've benefited from a lot of pruning.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars
Oh my gosh!!!
This was so good. I am cursing myself for taking so long to start it. Steel Crow Saga was brilliant It reminded me of Avatar: The Last Airbender. series. Fantastic and morally grey characters with great growth, check. Awesome world building, check. Adventure story, check. Animals, check. LGBTQ and POC representation, check. This book was just an utter joy and I don't think anything I say will do it justice. Just go read it.

Overall this is a great fantasy read that features amazing characters and interesting Asian inspired world that any fantasy lover will devour.

P.S this is also a standalone novel. And I didn't think with such an epic read it could be, but it works I am glad it is. I am beginning to love fantasy reads that are stand-alones.

It may start slowly, but hang on to your hats, folks. It is one wild ride. I absolutely loved the diversity and gender fluidity within the novel. The magic is intriguing with its message of harmony and partnership. While it is not as unputdownable as I wanted, I still enjoyed it. There is a ton of world-building and character introduction, and the character development is fairly weak, existing only to help characters resolve major conflict. I particularly enjoy the fact that it is a stand-alone story, especially as it has such a great resolution. I wouldn’t want anything added.

Bottom Line Up Front

STEEL CROW SAGA is a gloriously inventive and amazing tale that follows the very end of a war and tackles themes of colonialism and grief and racism and culture and A LOT MORE. After the ex-colonies of a Imperialist not-Japan successfully win their freedom, a bitter soldier gets tasked with escorting the monarch of not-Japan back to his throne. Alas, they kind of need him to be alive so they can do treaties and such. A princess-turned-law-enforcement-agent is out to catch said prince and use him as a bargaining chip in her family's internal power struggles. So it's a race across not-Japan to see who comes out alive, all while everyone involved learns some pretty hard truths and also EVERYONE HAS A POKEMON. Everyone is also gay. I think the pokemon might be gay, too, why not.

Anime references: ???/10 I suck at this game!
Aaaaaaangst: 5000/10 A war just ended and they aaaaall got problems about it
Snark: 10/10 Put Lee and Tala in a room together I'm begging you, Paul.
Gay Ladies: 10000000/2 Okay, technically only two of them, but they count extra because they're that good. My blog, my rules.

Did you say Imperialist Japan?

Yes, I did, and I was SO EXCITED to see that come up because
1) Yessssssss, roast those imperialist fuckers for a western audience, does not happen enough
2) A story about colonialism with NO WHITE PEOPLE ANYWHERE
There's also not-Korea (getting the short end of every stick), not-China, and not-Philippines.
Please forgive me, I'm bad with names, and you wouldn't know the difference anyway.
At least, not until you read the book, which you totally should do.
All of these countries interacting in various ways in the post-war power struggle is MOST EXCELLENTLY done and I would read the snot out of this if it was a series

Lorge Cast

There's one for every not-country
Gotta get them ensemble points
They are every one of them the best, though
I am mad about Lee's name. Maybe names work different in not-Korea than in Korea but...
I'm gonna be salty anyway. Look, it's my one area of knowledge relevant to this setting, just let me have it!
But yeah, they make it clear it's pronounced with an 'L' sound. 이 does not have an L sound.
Okay my petty is out of my system we can carry on now.
BECAUSE ALSO I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE FUCK OUT OF 이! SHE'S HANDS DOWN MY FAVE. SO FUCKING SNARKY! SO MUCH 'OH, I'M TOO COLD TO FEEL LOVE' HAHA YOU THOUGHT
Wait, no Tala is actually my fave. SO ANGRY. SO ANGSTY. SO MIGHTY. ARGH! PAINFUL SECRETS! SO MUCH PAST! I LOVE HER SO MUCH!
Wait, no, it's- okay, actually those two are tied. Xiulan and Jimuro are great, don't get me wrong, but 이 and Tala and I want to, like, hug and have a beer with.


Will I read this author again? His previous novel is Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge and it looks excellent.

Will I continue this series? He's said he might revisit this world, but with different characters. Might. And it won't be what he writes next. I have a sad face.

Paul Kruger knows how to write multiple points of view without getting them muddied and hard to differentiate. We're thrown into an wonderful world full of magic systems and clashing nations that drives you to the very last page and thirsty for more (and on god, I will literally sign my soul over for a sequel but understand that some stories must stand alone).

STEEL CROW SAGA also delivers fantastically on the topic of relationships in all forms, from familial to romantic to platonic. I love stories that give us insight to the many dynamics of siblings, and this novel did not disappoint.

This is the sort of book I wish I could unread and re-read to experience for the first time again.

Check out the full review at the podcast link!

This review will go live on 12/12/19.

In a war-torn region of island nations, the dust is finally settling on a series of revolutions that freed several countries from the rule of the Tomodanese.  All that remains to finalize peace is to return a captive prince to the throne of Tomoda so that he can be crowned ruler and negotiate the terms of surrender. But with multiple nations seeking to control the prince, and some people wanting him outright dead, the journey to the throne is a perilous one.  Four fates come crashing together in the bid to see who will control the throne: Jimuro, the captive prince; Tala, his military escort from the nation of Sanbu; Xiulan, a princess-turned-detective hunting the prince to put him control of the Shang court; and Lee, a thief rescued from the gallows in return for her aid to Xiulan. As these four travel through the lands, they'll be caught between various factions and a range of magical abilities.  But none of these are as deadly as the mysterious man wielding a forbidden talent, a man who will kill every last person that stands between him and his quarry.

STEEL CROW SAGA is an imaginative world full of complex characters and deep world-building.  The chapters switch between POVs, allowing you to see how the character sees themselves and how others see them.  The characters are flawed and full of prejudices from their respective nations, and yet for the most part you still root for them and want them to succeed.  It's truly satisfying when characters realize how their upbringing or perception of the past has clouded what's happening in the present.  They felt like real people and I truly enjoyed meeting them!

Strangely, while the characters worked great on their own, their interactions didn't always work for me. For most of the book, the characters work in two pairs: Jimuro & Tala, and Xiulan & Lee.  Of these, Xiulan & Lee worked the best, detective and thief joining forces to approach problems from two wildly different angles. I had a harder time with Jimuro and Tala because Jimuro (the prince) starts off as a complete prick, and I had a harder time buying his developing friendship with defensive Tala, especially as she hates his people for the years of oppression they brought to her home.  And with these two pairs working largely apart from each other for the bulk of the story, it was a bit jarring when their paths crossed and they largely just trusted one another, especially with personal secrets.

On the more positive side, the world-building in STEEL CROW SAGA was fantastic. Krueger has developed several Asian-inspired nations, with roots in everything from China to the Philippines.  These nations have a complex history of warfare and colonization, and though it was a bit overwhelming at first, I appreciated the nuances between the different cultures. Krueger uses a whole range of differences to paint the world, from the various kinds of magic each nation uses, to the differences in culinary pallets.  I found the region fascinating to explore and a highlight of the book.

As for the magic and action, comparisons to AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER and POKEMON are apt.  The Tomodanese are metal-pacters, able to manipulate everything from copper to steel with a touch, making it harder, hotter, sharper, etc.  The other major magic is shade-pacting, the art of forming a bond with an animal and absorbing its soul into yours, allowing you to call forth a more powerful, magical creature.  There are some truly epic battles using both these magics against one another, in particular the finale sequence.  A sequence on a train, when our four heroes first run into each other, was also full of fun and tension, as competing agendas finally came crashing together.

STEEL CROW SAGA is a fantasy tale where the "good guys" aren't always right, where a maelstrom of cultures and identities come together in an impressive journey.  For those looking for both POC and queer rep, you will find plenty among the lead characters.  While there were a few hiccups in the character interactions, overall this was a fun adventure in an interesting world, and definitely worth checking out.

Quick Take: A standalone epic fantasy described as Pokemon meets Avatar the Last Air bender. The complicated, intricate plot is told by four distinct POVs who are all, unknowingly, connected by their individual desires and past traumas. Tala, i an injured soldier whose sole purpose in life is to avenge her murdered family. Jimuro i the prince of a ruined empire, whose army was personally responsible for the murder of Tala’s family. The two travel together as Tala attempts to return Jimuro to his home, ignorant of the prince’s past wrongs.

Running parallel to Tala and Jimuro’s journey is that of Xiulan, a princess in disguise- turned detective- intending to regain honor in the eyes of her father and his kingdom by bringing Jimuro to him. Her, mostly unwilling, partner is a solitary street thief who only joins Xiuhan on her quest because the reward is an animal companion with which Lee could bind.

Together these opposing sides will be drawn together by the threat of someone who breaks all the laws of magic and shade binding, set only on the pursuing of power and the enticement of Empire.

What I Loved: I loved a lot of things about this book. The characters were complex, dynamic and flawed. They grew throughout the story and gave you reason to root for each of them, while simultaneously not always making fantastic choices.

The writing was also clear and concise, the pacing quick and propulsive and many of the scenes breathtaking in scope and depth.

There was a diverse range of LGBQIA+ rep, which is always refreshing to see in high fantasy.

Yet the thing I loved most about this book were the animal companions. It is very clear that Kreuger loves, and is familiar with, the Japanese pocket monsters franchise: Pokemon. In fact, even the language that is used to summon and recall the animal shades is clearly borrowed from the franchise. With all that said, if you are looking for a book where people have animal companions this will definitely scratch that itch.

Overall, this is an action packed, emotionally charged novel that will simultaneously excite you and break your heart.

What I Didn’t Love: I have to be honest, I think this is more of an issue with me than with this book. I was so sleep deprived while reading it that I frequently felt lost and had to constantly check my notes to see which character was which- there are a ton of side characters and at times it gets confusing. There was also a lot of info dumping . These elements (that are a common facet of high fantasy novels), at times, weighed down what was otherwise a fantastic story of magic and mayhem.

Readalikes: The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman (MG) / Novice by Taran Matharu (Adult Fantasy)

The review that got me interested in this book was: "A love letter to adventure anime." And it was so right. This was definitely an adult book (I see it recced as YA a lot, which?), but it brought back a lot of what I loved about watching anime and cartoons as a kid: the larger-than-life characters, the immense magical powers, and the great settings. I'm not the only one to liken it to Avatar: The Last Airbender or Pokemon, but really those are the two most accurate comparisons, and because they are two massive phenomenons that have imprinted themselves on our cultural consciousness, Steel Crow Saga feels like coming home.

Paul Krueger has done such a great job creating a three-dimensional world, heavily inspired by Asia and its various cultures. Each kingdom in this book has a detailed history, with each of them having a detailed language, culture, and type of magical ability. The novel deals a lot with post-war fallout between countries, and how nations can begin to rebuild themselves after being destroyed, and with this theme comes a conversation about international and individual forgiveness. The novel revolved entirely around breaking the cycle of abuse and choosing to be better than ones forebearers, and when our characters include a prince and a soldier, this theme can have resounding consequences. The Asian-inspired fantasy also has a great queer cast, with a f/f romance that is written with so much love its impossible not to root for the unlikely couple.

My only issue with the book is that is feels like its much longer than it needs to be. There are admittedly four different POVs that all need development, but the beginning of the novel feels like it took a really long time to find its footing. Once things got going, it was fine, but you do have to wait for the payoff a little longer than was probably necessary. But the ending is definitely worth it.

Much thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me a digital copy of this book.

Ok, here's the thing. Everyone else seems to like this book. It's gotten fantastic online reviews from SF sites. I don't like it, however. I think it's because I am tired of pseudo-Japanese settings for fantasy novels. I also found the characters to be a bit juvenile and one dimensional.

ARC received from publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Steel Crow Saga is one of the more unique fantasy stories I've read in recent times, due in part to it's rich and unique setting, at least for western fantasy. To say the the novel is anime inspired would be an understatement, and in many ways it wears that inspiration on it's sleeve. Personally, I haven't watched much anime, but even I could recognize a reference here and there. But that's beside the point.

The best way I have found to describe Steel Crow Saga is that it's sort of a mash up of Pokemon, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Full Metal Alchemist. The setting is one where three countries, each clearly based on a different Asian country (Japan, China, Philippines, and Korea, if I'm not mistaken), are in the stages after a revolution to get back their independence from the fourth country, who had previously invaded and taken them into their empire. People from the empire, Tomada, are able to do what is called "metalpacting" ie control metal, heat it up, sharpen it, move it, etc. People from two of the three newly independent countries, Shang and Sanbu, are able to bind their souls with an animal, transforming it into a larger and somewhat more fantastical version of itself which can be summoned with it's name. So, yeah, a little anime. One of the details about the world that was surprisingly the thing that kept throwing me for a loop was the fact that the world is so industrialized, with skyscrapers, bullet trains, cars, radios, and movies all being mentioned. It shouldn't have thrown me off, but so much fantasy takes place in a pre-industrialized setting that I kept forgetting that this one didn't. But the world is painted so vividly, the traditions and foods and cultures of different countries brought up when appropriated, the magic system so well thought out, it really just captured my imagination.

The four point of view characters are similarly well painted, and each has a distinct voice influenced by which of the four cultures they grew up in and their personal history. I think if I had to pick a favorite, it would be Jimuro, the Tomada Steel Prince, but honestly I loved all four of them, and at the end of each chapter, I would be looking forward to the next one from that character. The romances that develop between the POVs are also very well done. I'm a sucker for enemies to friends to what are we, and I'm also a sucker for well done LGBT+ relationships, so man, I was here for both of them. It's also interesting seeing the POVs interact with each other. The novel starts with them in two pairs, but as the books goes on, they all start to cross paths.

I'm kind of sad to see that this book is a standalone, as I would very much enjoy reading another story in this world with these characters, but at the same time, it's very much a self contained narrative with no real reason for a sequel. While Krueger's debut novel doesn't interest me, I will definitely be keeping an eye out for his future works.

5 stars.

DNF @7%
I feel bad stopping so early in a book but this was really rough for me. I love the idea of an Asian fantasy with anime elements; anime is my thing! But even with this prologue, I didn't understand the motivation for why these nations hate each other. I only saw the simple animosity towards each other but not enough hints at WHY they do to get the reader invested. It doesn't show any promises if you don't give hints to why something is happening or why something/someone is hated. I also felt like I was missing something. A lot of the dialogue explains the political stuff that's been going on and that info dump only made me feel like the story started in a weird place instead of helping and giving some insight. I finally feel like the chapters I did read POVs from were very one note characters. I read primarily fantasy and I didn't find anything interesting about these characters to keep reading. The ideas sounded great on paper but I couldn't get into it.