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  • The Sword of Kaigen: A Theonite War Story

  • By: M. L. Wang
  • Narrated by: Andrew Tell
  • Length: 24 hrs and 24 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (105 ratings)

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The Sword of Kaigen: A Theonite War Story cover art

The Sword of Kaigen: A Theonite War Story

By: M. L. Wang
Narrated by: Andrew Tell
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Publisher's Summary

On a mountainside at the edge of the Kaigenese Empire live the most powerful warriors in the world, superhumans capable of raising the sea and wielding blades of ice. For hundreds of years, the fighters of the Kusanagi Peninsula have held the Empire's enemies at bay, earning their frozen spit of land the name "The Sword of Kaigen".

Born into Kusanagi's legendary Matsuda family, f14-year-old Mamoru has always known his purpose: To master his family's fighting techniques and defend his homeland. But when an outsider arrives and pulls back the curtain on Kaigen's alleged age of peace, Mamoru realizes that he might not have much time to become the fighter he was bred to be. Worse, the empire he was bred to defend may stand on a foundation of lies.

Misaki told herself that she left the passions of her youth behind when she married into the Matsuda house. Determined to be a good housewife and mother, she hid away her sword, along with everything from her days as a fighter in a faraway country. But with her growing son asking questions about the outside world, the threat of an impending invasion looming across the sea, and her frigid husband grating on her nerves, Misaki finds the fighter in her clawing its way back to the surface.

When the winds of war reach their peninsula, will the Matsuda family have the strength to defend their empire? Or will they tear each other apart before the true enemies even reach their shores?

©2019 Miracle Wang (P)2020 Miracle Wang

Critic Reviews

"The Poppy War's darkness meets The Last Airbender's Elemental Magic...I haven't been so emotionally moved by a book in a long while." (JC Kang, USA Today best-selling author of The Dragon Songs Saga)

What listeners say about The Sword of Kaigen: A Theonite War Story

Average Customer Ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Yes you should get this book!

I loved this book. You will grow attached to the characters, once the conflict comes, it is a page turner. The narrator does a great job, move this to the top of your list

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic book

I was recommended this on a TikTok video and decided to give it a go. I didn’t really know what I was in for. Fantastic story. Great narration. I’d recommend this to anyone who likes fantasy with some realism.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Brilliant!

Stop reading this and READ the book ASAP!

Characters, World, Magic, and Plot. All 10/10

With a performance just as fantastic!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A thrilling story about family and ear (?)

A great unusual story that surprised me many times, made me very curious about the world and what else could happen on a future story. it has very interesting and complex characters and felt like wanting to see more about them. my only issues with the story comes from a few things felt slightly out of place, forced or a not very well managed pace but maybe that was me not being as perceptive as I should.

I only have a few issues with the pronunciation of certain words that were a minor bother in am otherwise great Trll's performance.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it so much

“The Sword of Kaigen" is an extraordinary work of fiction that masterfully weaves together elements of fantasy and emotion, delivering Avatar: The Last Airbender vibes. Set against the backdrop of the mythical land of Kaigen, M.L. Wang crafts a world that is richly textured and profoundly engaging and Andrew Tells performance was amazing.

One of the standout features lies in its breathtaking fight scenes. Wang's portrayal of combat is unparalleled, leaving me on the edge of my seat with every strike, parry, and elemental clash. The level of detail and vivid imagery employed in these sequences is unparalleled, making them some of the most exhilarating fight scenes I’ve ever read.

Beyond the enthralling action, "The Sword of Kaigen" has an intensely emotional journey. The depth of feeling imbued in the characters and their struggles is palpable. From moments of heart-wrenching loss to triumphant victories, every emotion resonates with a raw authenticity that pulls at the heartstrings. Wang's ability to convey the complexities of human emotion is nothing short of remarkable.

The character arcs within the story are nothing short of amazing. Characters undergo transformative journeys, evolving in ways that are both compelling and believable.

This book is an absolute must-read for fans of fantasy and those seeking a tale that will resonate long after the final page.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Epic story

Had everything to Family dynamics, Somebody to root for and Somebody to go against, Epic fight scenes, magic. love it

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

enjoyable but flawed

Interesting story and great for theme.

The setting has an amazing expansive world that begs for exploration which of anything pulled away from the story told in this individual book. focusing on cultural identity was a theme I enjoyed especially when tolerance of differences was highlighted through many characters.

my major gripe with this book was the feeling that the author wanted to make a series at the cost of the single book having focus. Far to much of the book would redirect into plots that result in little or absolutely no end and some actually breaking logic so much that it made me say "that just wouldn't work".

The narrator's inability to pronounce some basic words broke suspension of disbelief often. google can pronounce things for you! just look it up!

hopefully this book has a run for a couple books. if it doesn't, it falls short of completion.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

beautiful

steady and heartbreaking.
this was a story of ascension for many detailed characters as a witness, a storyteller and a protagonist.
vividly painting the cold and the warmth of family, war and love.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing story, frustrating mispronunciations.

This book is incredible, I absolutely loved it from the character progression, to the Avatar-like magic system, to the writing style.
The narrator is generally very good too with different voices/ inflections/ accents for each character. The problem is the pronunciation of the japanese honorifics, etc. are frustratingly bad. you can tell this narrator did zero research on how to pronounce even the most basic of japanese words and it grated the entire time, which detracted from the enjoyment of this book for me. Hopefully he will do more research on foreign pronunciation in the future because he's very good otherwise.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great book from start to finish.

I didn’t want this book to end and gutted when I came towards the end. It would be great if it was a series.

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