NICOLE'S REVIEW: Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

Title: Stormdancer
Author: Jay Kristoff
Format Acquired: Hardcover (USA Edition)

Publication Date: September 18 2012

Publishing House: Thomas Dunne Books

ISBN: 9781250001405

Source of Copy: Purchased from Fully Booked

Summary:

A Dying Land

The Shima Imperium verges on the brink of environmental collapse; an island nation once rich in tradition and myth, now decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshipers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, the land is choked with toxic pollution, and the great spirit animals that once roamed its wilds have departed forever.

An Impossible Quest

The hunters of Shima's imperial court are changed by their Shogun to capture a thunder tiger - a legendary creature, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows the beasts have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shogun is death.

A Hidden Gift

Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a talent that, if discovered, would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shogun's hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima's last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is that he'd rather see her dead than help her.

But together the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire.

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review:

The moment our local bookstore sent me a text saying my copy of Stormdancer was available for pick-up, I rushed over there salivating, threw my money at them, grabbed my copy and rushed back to my cave. I've been waiting anxiously for my copy to arrive and I have to say that the long wait was definitely worth it. Stormdancer is amazing. And the USA version of the cover is quite fitting and the illustrations are gorgeous.

The first few chapters are quite slow in their pacing, but I liked it because it gave me time to adjust to the wonderful world that Kristoff managed to create. The amazing world-building and attention to detail makes it easy to imagine the polluted streets of Shima, the blood red skies, the blood lotus that the nation revolves around and the mechanization that threatens to consume what little nature the island of Shima has left to offer. Detailed descriptions painted pictures in my mind of the clockwork industrialization and the deadly politics that takes place within the ruling class. Stormdancer also features very well described action scenes involving chain katanas which were very entertaining to read.

The characters were also easy to fall in love with. Yukiko is a fiercely independent and intelligent girl. She grows and matures as a character and it was interesting to read her interactions with the arashitora, a thunder tiger named Buruu. HE is who I totally fell in love with and is my absolute favorite character in the book. Buruu starts of as an aggressive, short-tempered creature that Yukiko is forced to journey with. But as they spend time together and their friendship solidifies, it was great to see how smooth Buruu's transition was from a creature of simple thought to one who could understand more complex thinking as a result of his interaction with Yukiko. Also, can I just mention that Buruu speaks in ALL CAPS and his humorous moments made me squeal in delight. 

I especially love the action scenes in the book, further highlighting how perfect Buruu and Yukiko fight as a unit. Let's also not forget the scenes where the hunters first spot the thunder tiger and then proceed to capture it.

Stormdancer is an amazing book that boasts of political intrigue, a strong main protagonist, and wonderfully majestic arashitora; it also has very descriptive action scenes and astounding world-building that will suck you in and never, ever let you go. Can I please have the second book now? 

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