Thank you to our very FIRST ever sponsor - Displate! Visit displate.com/2toramble OR use our code at checkout “2ToRamble" to get: - 20% off for 1 to 2 Displates - 30% off for 3 or more Displates
Just finished reading and came back to watch this video and the other one you did) I also felt like the last chapter was off, but it gave some great moments. The one thing I really liked about it is that it brought things back to Misaki's father argumentation for not allowing her to marry Robin: he was a kind of guy who would put his family in danger, and this was exactly what happened
I just read this last month and it was absolutely fantastic and I immediately went and purchased the special edition book. The Duel chapter was so well done.
I think it's fair to say a Trad publisher would have never allowed Wang to 'change' main protagonist halfway through the story, to put it with minimal spoilers. That's why indie books are great, we get stories outside the 'normal' cast of what and how a story should read.
Self-published books can be a mixed bag, but man, when a writer sets themselves to it, they can blow away the traditional stuff, which usually has to be more rigid and boilerplate to satisfy mass market audiences.
I mean, the Ranganese attacks were a test of their military benders, its clear in the book that they didnt use bombs and guns because of that. It is also said that Theonites are super agile and can sustain a LOT of damage and continue to be useful in battle.
After finishing the book, I set it down and said, “I need a special edition of this book because it deserves a special place on my shelf.” WOW, this was a fantastic standalone novel that every fantasy lover should have on their shelf!
The reason the ranganese didn’t use guns was explained later in the book when Misaki is talking to the emperors spokesman intern guy. He said the ranganese ‘army’ that attacked their village were all volunteers, and the government wanted to test to see if their fonyaka/ airbenders had grown strong enough to face the great houses of kaigen. They mention the structure of the battle was as such: by sending rank after rank of foot soldiers, they’d know approximately how many of the true army it would take to defeat a great house and how many they’d expect to lose in the full invasion.
The Sword of Kaigen has been on my TBR and you guys helped me push it to the front of the list after I finish the Burning Blade trilogy by Django Wexler. Sadly, I can't finish the video, but it is fantastic to see you guys got a sponsor!
To the point of why Ranganese didn't use guns, it was explicitly told that they wanted to put their fighters against Kaigen fighters in a fair fight to test them
I've had this book in my top 10 all time fantasy list since I read it last year. The way it set up my expectations as a standard zero to hero fantasy novel with a training arc and then subverted them with authentically motivated characters and a deeply moving story absolutely floored me. I couldn't put it down and like you it's one of the few books to bring me to tears in recent memory. I don't disagree with the flaws mentioned but for me the characters and emotional highs carry the book past them. Its not true of every book but in this case the whole is greater than the sum of its parts (and the parts are still very good in their own right)
Well said - definitely see this being a favorite. I (austin) think the character work is unbelievably excellent - totally with ya there on subverting that typical training arc trope.
I usually never ever comment on videos on TH-cam but honestly you guys are really cool and funny haha I enjoy watching this channel so much seriously one of my favs. Also about sword of Kaigen I'm read it later on at the end of the year haha but yeah keep doing what y'all doing loving it bros!
The Sword Of Kaigen was my favorite read of 2023 and I wish I had someone to talk about it with :((( + The flashbacks and the whole Robin stuff were necessary to Misaki’s character arc AND YES. The last chapter left me with a lot of unanswered questions, so… And Richard, Sanderson’s prose (based on Mistborn) is a 6. There is nothing artistic about it, but M.L. Wang’s prose? Just Damn… This book isn’t just a fantasy book. It’s a work of art. I wanted to reread it like immediately, but I have a huge TBR to catch up with :(( And you guys really need to read some bad books. Believe me, it’s necessary.
I read this in an airport and had people concerned for why I was sniffling. This book never went along the path I expected, which is exactly what the characters experienced. ***spoiler*** Misaki gave up her violent life to be a subtle housewife to protect her family, and that didn’t happen. I thought he was going to survive, and then misaki would teach him blood bending and they’d take over the world. They basically just wanted to be able to live peacefully
I absoulately loved this book! I do agree that the whole plot line with Robin in the end was a bit odd, it made you feel like there might be continuing but there isn't....but there actually is! The unfinished YA series she wrote before is set in this world and i believe that Robins son is on of the main characters as well. To me it felt like she perhaps try to made us curious enough to go read that series as well.
It reminded me of "Shogun," which also promises a war or a battle and is about something else. And I loved it. The biggest minus for me (listening to audiobook) was the overused exclamation "WHAT?" So annoying.
Just finished this book at the library and the librarian told me she knows I enjoyed this book because of the smile on my face. Yes even at those moments… This book is why I read. I’ll be thinking about it for a long time.
Came here to give my late engagement, but I feel like this book is a solid 8, but if you're asian it's a 9, there's this obscure feeling about how you want to comunicate better, but there's a wall inbetween you and your family that chips away love, that makes what you are suppose to be ruin you, a melancolic and truthful feeling that I never seen a non-asian talk about, honestly it made me tear up so many times because I saw my family dinamics time and time again to the point that I felt she wrote the book for me
I finished Sword of Kaigen yesterday! Basically because Austin hyped it up in a different video. Cool book, great character work, brave narrative choices! I though the prose was a bit weaker at times, but it definitely had its strong moments as well. Thanks Austin for convincing me to read it!
I bought it a while ago. Read the first couple pages and it had really put me off cuz it was a little boring. But this review def changed my mind I’ll put it on top of my tbr
I’m listening to it at the moment. I’m an hour in, only 2 chapters. I’m absolutely bored out of my mind so far. I’ll keep going as I see videos, like this one, which sing its praises.
@@2ToRamble Sorry. I’m tapping out. I’m in chapter 8, around 6.5hrs in the audiobook and I’m simply not enjoying it. Not even a little bit. I’m just finding it so darn slow.
I finished The Sword of Kaigen in June and it has instantly became one of my favourites! I am relatively new to fantasy or better said reading in general (read like crazy as a kid but then school took all joy out of reading haha) so am slowly getting back to reading and I think this book just ruined so many books for me because I will be comparing everything else to this one and ufff 😆 Loved the character work, the battle scene was phenomenal, the emotional impact, even while world-building was lacking and the ending was...weird it is still my favourite. Thank you for the video, I was able to give words to some feelings and observations on the story thanks to your conversation haha because I am not native English speaker so it's difficult for me to voice exactly what I mean sometimes :D
Wait guns are unbelievable but controlling your blood = superstrength isn't? I mean this in a light-hearted way, funny to see what areas different people can suspend disbelief in. I could do a 10 minute rant against this Yukino Dai slander too but I loved hearing you guys' thoughts and in-depth discussion.
I still need to give this book another chance, but the amount of unnecessary words the author created is very distracting. I mean, what kind of fiction book needs a glossary?
Silmarillion, Wheel of Time, Dune, Eragon , to name a few @@thedude110 There's also the Narnia character profiles, and the Lord of the Rings Appendices and its forward concerning hobbit terminology and customs.
Thank you to our very FIRST ever sponsor - Displate! Visit displate.com/2toramble OR use our code at checkout “2ToRamble" to get:
- 20% off for 1 to 2 Displates
- 30% off for 3 or more Displates
Displates are awesome. Got a sweet Mandalorean one for a friend and he has it prominently displayed to this day.
Just finished reading and came back to watch this video and the other one you did) I also felt like the last chapter was off, but it gave some great moments. The one thing I really liked about it is that it brought things back to Misaki's father argumentation for not allowing her to marry Robin: he was a kind of guy who would put his family in danger, and this was exactly what happened
I just read this last month and it was absolutely fantastic and I immediately went and purchased the special edition book. The Duel chapter was so well done.
I think it's fair to say a Trad publisher would have never allowed Wang to 'change' main protagonist halfway through the story, to put it with minimal spoilers. That's why indie books are great, we get stories outside the 'normal' cast of what and how a story should read.
Totally agree this is where Indie shines.
For me the tears came the second Takeru surrendered his head to Misaki.
What a chapter. What a moment
Self-published books can be a mixed bag, but man, when a writer sets themselves to it, they can blow away the traditional stuff, which usually has to be more rigid and boilerplate to satisfy mass market audiences.
Well said 👆
I mean, the Ranganese attacks were a test of their military benders, its clear in the book that they didnt use bombs and guns because of that. It is also said that Theonites are super agile and can sustain a LOT of damage and continue to be useful in battle.
After finishing the book, I set it down and said, “I need a special edition of this book because it deserves a special place on my shelf.”
WOW, this was a fantastic standalone novel that every fantasy lover should have on their shelf!
🙏🙏
The reason the ranganese didn’t use guns was explained later in the book when Misaki is talking to the emperors spokesman intern guy. He said the ranganese ‘army’ that attacked their village were all volunteers, and the government wanted to test to see if their fonyaka/ airbenders had grown strong enough to face the great houses of kaigen. They mention the structure of the battle was as such: by sending rank after rank of foot soldiers, they’d know approximately how many of the true army it would take to defeat a great house and how many they’d expect to lose in the full invasion.
Wang has a new book coming out in July called Blood Over Bright Haven. One of my most anticipated novels of this year.
i just finished this book my god it was SO GOODDDDDD. It was so intense i had to take breaks in between chapters sometimes.
51:00 during the whole battle scene I was wondering when/if someone was going to pull out a gun 😅
The Sword of Kaigen has been on my TBR and you guys helped me push it to the front of the list after I finish the Burning Blade trilogy by Django Wexler. Sadly, I can't finish the video, but it is fantastic to see you guys got a sponsor!
Thankyou! Kaigen is definitely worth being put on the priority list 🤌
Great review! Thanks for the shout out.
To the point of why Ranganese didn't use guns, it was explicitly told that they wanted to put their fighters against Kaigen fighters in a fair fight to test them
I've had this book in my top 10 all time fantasy list since I read it last year. The way it set up my expectations as a standard zero to hero fantasy novel with a training arc and then subverted them with authentically motivated characters and a deeply moving story absolutely floored me. I couldn't put it down and like you it's one of the few books to bring me to tears in recent memory.
I don't disagree with the flaws mentioned but for me the characters and emotional highs carry the book past them. Its not true of every book but in this case the whole is greater than the sum of its parts (and the parts are still very good in their own right)
Well said - definitely see this being a favorite. I (austin) think the character work is unbelievably excellent - totally with ya there on subverting that typical training arc trope.
Now guys are not losers you guys are awesome,biggest fan from Saudi Arabia❤
I usually never ever comment on videos on TH-cam but honestly you guys are really cool and funny haha I enjoy watching this channel so much seriously one of my favs.
Also about sword of Kaigen I'm read it later on at the end of the year haha but yeah keep doing what y'all doing loving it bros!
Thanks a bunch for watching and the support 👊. We’ll keep delivering! And sweet, whenever you get to Kaigen let us know how you liked it.
Both of your "The Sword of Kaigen" videos led me to reading it, without having watched them. (Just finished it and now, I can finally watch them!)
Woo!
I thought this was an incredible book, loved the extended resolution after the climax. Recommend to everyone I know
My (austin here) rating has increased since recording this as well. What a phenomenal book
Oh wow, congrats on the sponsor.
The Sword Of Kaigen was my favorite read of 2023 and I wish I had someone to talk about it with :((( + The flashbacks and the whole Robin stuff were necessary to Misaki’s character arc AND YES. The last chapter left me with a lot of unanswered questions, so… And Richard, Sanderson’s prose (based on Mistborn) is a 6. There is nothing artistic about it, but M.L. Wang’s prose? Just Damn… This book isn’t just a fantasy book. It’s a work of art. I wanted to reread it like immediately, but I have a huge TBR to catch up with :(( And you guys really need to read some bad books. Believe me, it’s necessary.
I (austin) love the book even more in hindsight and rating has increased since then - so great
I read this in an airport and had people concerned for why I was sniffling. This book never went along the path I expected, which is exactly what the characters experienced. ***spoiler***
Misaki gave up her violent life to be a subtle housewife to protect her family, and that didn’t happen. I thought he was going to survive, and then misaki would teach him blood bending and they’d take over the world. They basically just wanted to be able to live peacefully
I absoulately loved this book! I do agree that the whole plot line with Robin in the end was a bit odd, it made you feel like there might be continuing but there isn't....but there actually is! The unfinished YA series she wrote before is set in this world and i believe that Robins son is on of the main characters as well. To me it felt like she perhaps try to made us curious enough to go read that series as well.
Ahh didnt know this! But, yes, amazing amazing book
Just finished today. Was kinda into it at first. The second half I got hooked.
I just finished it today. As a father of a two year old boy, The Mamoru part got me man.
It reminded me of "Shogun," which also promises a war or a battle and is about something else. And I loved it. The biggest minus for me (listening to audiobook) was the overused exclamation "WHAT?" So annoying.
Finally read the book n now i can come back n watch the spoiler part😂
😁 Howd you like the book?
Just finished this book at the library and the librarian told me she knows I enjoyed this book because of the smile on my face. Yes even at those moments…
This book is why I read. I’ll be thinking about it for a long time.
👆👆👆
Came here to give my late engagement, but I feel like this book is a solid 8, but if you're asian it's a 9, there's this obscure feeling about how you want to comunicate better, but there's a wall inbetween you and your family that chips away love, that makes what you are suppose to be ruin you, a melancolic and truthful feeling that I never seen a non-asian talk about, honestly it made me tear up so many times because I saw my family dinamics time and time again to the point that I felt she wrote the book for me
I finished Sword of Kaigen yesterday! Basically because Austin hyped it up in a different video. Cool book, great character work, brave narrative choices! I though the prose was a bit weaker at times, but it definitely had its strong moments as well.
Thanks Austin for convincing me to read it!
It’s seriously one of my favorite books EVER! So glad you read it!
@@2ToRamble I can see that! Let’s say I’m here for the Brandon Sanderson content, but I’ll stay for general recommendations :)
Sando and M.L. Wang. Can't go wrong there@@Wordhopper1990
He called me a curmudgeon and I just nodded
I bought it a while ago. Read the first couple pages and it had really put me off cuz it was a little boring. But this review def changed my mind I’ll put it on top of my tbr
Awesome. Definitely not something to overlook. So unique that even if you don’t like it, you’ll have lots to say on it!
@@2ToRambleI finally read it. Putting this off was the worst decision of my life. Oh my god one of the best books ever read
RIGHT!?!?! So freaking amazing - glad it turned around for you!!@@rjmoore44
I’m listening to it at the moment. I’m an hour in, only 2 chapters. I’m absolutely bored out of my mind so far.
I’ll keep going as I see videos, like this one, which sing its praises.
Really hope you finish - so curious if your mind changes!
@@2ToRamble Sorry. I’m tapping out. I’m in chapter 8, around 6.5hrs in the audiobook and I’m simply not enjoying it. Not even a little bit.
I’m just finding it so darn slow.
Darn! Glad you gave it a try, sorry it didn't work out@@James-lw3gi
I finished The Sword of Kaigen in June and it has instantly became one of my favourites! I am relatively new to fantasy or better said reading in general (read like crazy as a kid but then school took all joy out of reading haha) so am slowly getting back to reading and I think this book just ruined so many books for me because I will be comparing everything else to this one and ufff 😆 Loved the character work, the battle scene was phenomenal, the emotional impact, even while world-building was lacking and the ending was...weird it is still my favourite.
Thank you for the video, I was able to give words to some feelings and observations on the story thanks to your conversation haha because I am not native English speaker so it's difficult for me to voice exactly what I mean sometimes :D
I want a Hyperion episode!!👀
But yeah Sword of Kaigen is fantastic. Get some sleep dudes.
I loved this book!! One of my favorite books this year. Also did Austin just confirm that Richard does cocaine??
Such a great book 🤝. And in Richard’s defense he is way too miserable when he rates books. I think that’s proof enough he’s drug-free 🤓
Wait guns are unbelievable but controlling your blood = superstrength isn't? I mean this in a light-hearted way, funny to see what areas different people can suspend disbelief in. I could do a 10 minute rant against this Yukino Dai slander too but I loved hearing you guys' thoughts and in-depth discussion.
I had to DNF… I just couldn’t get into. Some great moments but overall wasn’t the best book
Damn, we’re glad you tried!
I still need to give this book another chance, but the amount of unnecessary words the author created is very distracting. I mean, what kind of fiction book needs a glossary?
Most do. and some of it is just actual Japanese culture
@@ghostdreamer7272 MOST fiction books come with a glossary? Lol, that’s just obviously not true
Silmarillion, Wheel of Time, Dune, Eragon , to name a few @@thedude110 There's also the Narnia character profiles, and the Lord of the Rings Appendices and its forward concerning hobbit terminology and customs.