In the Shima isles a world that is a cross between steampunk and feudal Japan, also with elements from Warhammer. Yoritomo the shogun, has a dream about himself riding on an arashitora into battle. A thunder tiger, like a griffin but has tiger hindquarters instead of lion hindquarters. So he orders Masaru to find one or else he will be killed. This is made more difficult since they are supposedly extinct.
Yukiko is the daughter of the hunter and drunk Masaru. She has the ability to mentally talk to animals. she must hide her ability or the machine worshipers of the lotus guild burn her for being impure.
As soon as there on the sky-ship they find and capture thunder tiger and mentally commuicates with is (who she names Buruu) like the dragon riders ¾ I mean the heralds of Valdemar ¾ I mean this unoriginal concept! Then the sky-ship crashes and then Yukino and Buruu are forced to survive in the wilderness on the journey back to Kigen city.
The setting does a good job A harsh polluted oppressive land. However, I feel that while the setting unique, the story itself just doesn't work. It feels done before and done better. The characters are somewhat forgettable. I might remember two or three of them. Yukiko comes off as a bland action girl that is flat. The only thing that is remarkable about her is that she has psychic powers, and thats all. Buruu starts out okay but its obvious he can't carry the story himself. Yoritomo is just one of those villains that are eye-rolled and groaned at. and afterword are pretty much forgotten.
While I find that this book has a lot of good ideas and concepts this story just wastes them. I will not be continuing is series. If you want to read this, get it from the library.
Yukiko is the daughter of the hunter and drunk Masaru. She has the ability to mentally talk to animals. she must hide her ability or the machine worshipers of the lotus guild burn her for being impure.
As soon as there on the sky-ship they find and capture thunder tiger and mentally commuicates with is (who she names Buruu) like the dragon riders ¾ I mean the heralds of Valdemar ¾ I mean this unoriginal concept! Then the sky-ship crashes and then Yukino and Buruu are forced to survive in the wilderness on the journey back to Kigen city.
The setting does a good job A harsh polluted oppressive land. However, I feel that while the setting unique, the story itself just doesn't work. It feels done before and done better. The characters are somewhat forgettable. I might remember two or three of them. Yukiko comes off as a bland action girl that is flat. The only thing that is remarkable about her is that she has psychic powers, and thats all. Buruu starts out okay but its obvious he can't carry the story himself. Yoritomo is just one of those villains that are eye-rolled and groaned at. and afterword are pretty much forgotten.
While I find that this book has a lot of good ideas and concepts this story just wastes them. I will not be continuing is series. If you want to read this, get it from the library.
