The blurb as seen on Goodreads:
UK Edition -
Release Date: September 1, 2012
Publisher: Tor UK
352 Pages
US Edition -
Release Date: September 18, 2012
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
336 Pages
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 charged by their Shōgun 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 Shōgun 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 Shōgun’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 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.
Review:
When I first got this book:
When I started this book:
When I finished this book:
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| UK Cover |
 |
| US Cover |
Release Date: September 1, 2012
Publisher: Tor UK
352 Pages
US Edition -
Release Date: September 18, 2012
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
336 Pages
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 charged by their Shōgun 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 Shōgun 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 Shōgun’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 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.
VISIT THE AUTHOR:
I like this:
Because I love Nirvana and Foo Fighters. And my first thought when seeing Jay's picture was that he was Dave Grohl's doppleganger.
Read this BLOG POST for funnsises.
FIND THE BOOK:
Review:
When I first got this book:
Random fact that no one cares about:
Stormdancer and Cinder by Marissa Meyer were two of my most favoritist books of 2012. This is extra cool to me because Marissa loved Stormdancer, too. (Her praise is in the official blurbs.) It made me love her and respect her amazingly awesome taste even more.
Now I should continue with an actual review of the GREATEST BOOK BASED ON JAPANESE CULTURE THAT I HAVE EVER READ. (Just because I'm pretty positive it's the first makes absolutely no difference to the truth of that statement.)
So I won this book from Katieb at Mundie Moms. (Lemme just thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou a thousand times more, Katie!) I was so shocked and f*cking ecstatic that I terrified my cat with my cheers. I celebrated by watching Tangled and eating some delicious homemade cookies. When it arrived, I again frightened my cat and immediately buried myself in the pages of this book. It was totally worth almost suffocating.
Its prose is lyrical and addicting. Mr. Kristoff literally paints with his words. I could see the scenery, characters and setting as clear as I can see through glass. Stormdancer is an easy book to fall in love with, if just for the writing.
The characters are wonderful! Jay gave us characters to hate, characters to wonder about and characters to adore. Yukiko, our heroine, is a strong, independent girl. It's very easy to connect with her and root for her as she discovers herself on this crazy adventure. Buruu. Oh Buruu, I will love you forever. I would like to snuggle with you and call you my best friend. The friendship that blooms between Buruu and Yukiko doesn't happen over night. Buruu is cautious, as he has every right to be, but by the end, they are BFFs. I loved the angst between Yukiko and her father, Masaru. I live for angst. And there family drama satisfied me for a week afterwards. Yoritomo-no-miya, Seii Taishogun of the Shima Isles, can eat poop for breakfast. That's how much I hate him.
Parts of the book were predictable, but then there were shockers that left me reeling. At the end, I was sobbing and crying out for my mother. (Then she came into my room without knocking and I yelled at her for interrupting the epicness that was the end of Stormdancer.) There was nothing about the book that I didn't like… Okay, there was one thing, but I can't tell you because it's a spoiler. Just know that Jay says in his bio that he doesn't believe in happy endings. See HERE - down at the bottom after he gives you his height and tells you how long he thinks he has to live. (THINKS)
My mom has this to say about the book: "It must be damn good if you are crying like that. I don't want to read it. I cry enough as it is. Ooh, that cover is gorgeous! If you ever get a tattoo like that, I will disown you and take your cat." Thank you for your wisdom, Momma H.
I triple-dog dare you to pre-order this book. THAT'S RIGHT. TRIPLE. DOG. DARE. You won't regret it. If you do, I send you a pound of chocolate. And that's a lot of chocolate. If this "being an author" thing doesn't work out for him, Jay's got a great chance of being a songwriter. Keep that in mind as you read.
I received an advanced reader's copy of this novel through a giveaway.
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