What a refreshing change, a fantasy novel that isn't afraid of doing something a bit different! Set in a world that has been elegantly created down to the smallest of details and peopled by characters who silently ninja leap off the pages this is novel that sets the bar very high for following books in the series. Gritty, action-packed, romantic and incredibly originally I would urge anyone who's bored of the current cookie cutter fantasies to pick this up and give it a go. Anyone for Steampunk Samurais?

Kinda racist in a creepy way, kinda misogynistic. Interesting premise and world but not enough to rescue the attitude.

I read this on the recommendation of a friend and was not disappointed.

This book was great. I can't wait for the second in the series.

Japanese theme steampunk. Very entertaining. Strong female protagonist.

Review can be found on *Milky Way of Books*

Do you know the song "Big in Japan" by Alphaville? Well if you could combine the song, steampunk and everything in the Japanese history, then you would have "Stormdancer". As the very first book Mr. Kristoff wrote before the success of ILLUMINAE and Nevernight, I really hoped to have the chance to read this one.

The story takes place in Japan, somewhere between 18th-19th century if I had to guess, but the country is nothing you are expecting to see. The lands are polluted, the shogun is ruling with the help of the Lotus Guild (more like they are ruling) and the sky is no longer blue because of the pollution.
In this land Yukiko and her father, along with a group of elite hunters, receive a mission from the shogun who wants to add in his collection a thunder-tiger. When the trip goes wrong, Yukiko and the thunder-tiger will combine their powers for more than surviving.

First of all we have the world-building. Jay Kristoff manages to bring to life everything; from the traditional clothes of the Japanese civilization to the buildings, weapons and the wild-life of the mountains. Yukiko and Buduu form a unique bond and many times I found myself laughing with their conversations.

The secondary characters are also interesting, especially Kin. I love the guy, even if he is a brainwashed fool, but he proves himself in an amazing way. The love interest? If I could wield a katana, probably I'd cut his head off.

But the story does not stay only to the characters. In its core it's a message about enviromental polution, how people tend to forget their own myths and legends and how many times the ruling power uses propaganda in order to achieve its purposes. Also another interesting part was the mention of the kaijin, the foreigners with the white skin and the strange eyes, who are portayed as monsters who might like eating babies. Does that ring any bells to you? Think about the reaction of the white men when they met people of another color for the first time.

I have high hopes for this series and while I'm still reading the second book I can't stop recommending this one. I can only hope that Yukiko and Buddu will find their peace in the end of the series.

More like 3.7 - The first 100 pages were rough, but after that it was smooth sailing.

I completely lost myself inside this steampunk samurai world. I loved Yukiko and thought she showed the perfect amount of vulnerability, naïveté, and fierceness. She is a fantastic female protagonist. The setting is bleak, in a realm called Shima, which seems based on feudal Japan, which is dominated by a cruel Shogun and run by the robotical Lotus Guild. The world is dark, the poor are many and options are few. Yukiko has lost so much and only has her father left. When they are ordered to embark on a quest to find an Ashiratora (thunder tiger) for the Shogun they encouter more than they bargained for.

I can't wait for the next book!