The Empress Sword [ペーパーバック]

The Empress Sword was an amusing read - a great way to end a busy day and a book that doesn't demand you think a whole lot. That's not a criticism - there are plenty of days when that's exactly the kind of book I want to read, and I'm very grateful to the authors that write them.

It has dragons and princes, and the necessary valiant--but immature--men. It has the girls we all love to hate and then one or two who redeem our gender.

The first third of the book was fairly slow, and some readers looking for instant gratification might never get to the good stuff. Their loss.

Then it picks up, and has a couple of very nice plot twists, and a couple of turns that have you going "huh - why'd you do that?" Then you realize the protagonist is a thirteen-year-old boy, and that explains pretty much everything :).

The Empress Sword is masterfully written by Paulette Jaxton podcaster extraordinaire. An adventure like no other with characters you'll grow to love. I highly recommend you also check out her podcast Form Letter Rejection Theatre [...] for other unique and fantastic tales that have yet to be published.

At first glance, The Empress Sword may appear to be a fairly run-of-the-mill adventure story. The premise is familiar enough: A brave young prince strikes out on a quest for a magic sword to defeat a menacing dragon. Old hat, right? Well, not so fast.

If you dive into this novel expecting the cliché, you'll likely be disappointed...at first. The early story moves at a pace that somehow feels a little off-kilter for the genre; your first clue something is different. And in spite of a couple early setbacks (one surprisingly tragic)...the initial quest seems almost too easy...until everything suddenly changes. Then the adventure begins in earnest.

Although this might arguably be considered "light fare", it is filled with an underlying complexity that hints at the thoughtful intelligence of the author. The challenges of the lead character, Prince Aster, are not the ones you might expect, yet no less intriguing. Most impressive is the human and realistic way the characters explore and respond to extraordinary circumstances. The author never forces any particular judgment or conclusion upon the reader, but rather lets the honest, heartfelt reactions of the characters do all the work. The story is masterfully told through the characters, with the author skillfully disappearing into the background.

What really stands out, for me, is how Jaxton treats an issue that is traditionally uncomfortable with such charming innocence and grace. The supporting characters could not be more perfect in this regard. And as the story evolves, Prince Aster proves to be quite remarkable in many ways, in spite of the forces working against him. By the end, you can't help but feel a connection to the characters, and truly care what happens to them.

The Empress Sword is an engaging adventure with a lot of heart and charm, not to mention a few wicked twists. It's richly satisfying and doesn't disappoint, yet leaves you eager for more. This is a brilliant first novel and I can't wait for the sequel.