Daughter of the Sword (Fated Blades, #1)

Apr 19, 2013 Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Readers who love Asian culture and martial arts and swords

Shelves: to-buy-wish-list, ninja-samurai-martial-artist, swordplay, urban-fantasy, asian-hero-or-heroine, set-in-japan, 2013-200s-club-challenge, yearly-reading-challenge-2013, a-to-z-hero-challenge-y, favorites, hero-to-die-for, heroine-i-admire, heroine-i-adore, tough-as-nails-heroine, father-daughter-relationship, lethal-women, parallel-stories, historical-fiction, asian-folklore, asian-culture, asian-setting, police-federal-agent-law-enforcemen, trailblazing-heroines, cursed-object, legendary-weapons, chubby-chunkster-2013, yakuza, dangerous-hero-general-challenge-20

I don't use the term brilliant much when I'm writing reviews. But this is the term that just keeps coming to mind about this book. I knew I'd appreciate it, because I have an appreciation for Asian culture and people, and swordsmanship; and honestly, something about a book with a woman holding a sword on the cover just pulls me in.

This book speaks to me of a writer who loves Japan, both modern and ancient. Someone who has taken the time to investigate and learn the culture, even to the deepest l...more I don't use the term brilliant much when I'm writing reviews. But this is the term that just keeps coming to mind about this book. I knew I'd appreciate it, because I have an appreciation for Asian culture and people, and swordsmanship; and honestly, something about a book with a woman holding a sword on the cover just pulls me in.

This book speaks to me of a writer who loves Japan, both modern and ancient. Someone who has taken the time to investigate and learn the culture, even to the deepest levels. You can't gain that kind of authenticity any other way.

Bein has taken an idea about three swords crafted by a legendary swordsmith and created a beautifully rich novel around them. While this is labeled as fantasy, the fantasy element is that the swords have animus and their very natures affect the destiny of those around them. Bein cleverly unfolds his story with a combination of past and present narrative. I was a bit worried I would find the historical parts dry, but I didn't. It was fascinating. I realized how little I know about samurai and how bushido affects everything about their lives. The insight into this period was crucial in this novel, because the swords are over nine hundred years old. Since I haven't even lived in cities that old, I can't even conceive of owning something that old! But for a Japanese person, not such a stretch. Now add in the fact that these swords have shaped history in major ways!

It takes some skill to make an inanimate object sinister. But that's exactly what Beautiful Singer is. It's a sword that takes over the owner's mind and leads him hand and headfirst down the path of doom. This is why I don't go in for antiques! The other two swords have their own distinctive natures as well. What was interesting is that the swords can’t make you into something you’re not. They seem to work on the inherent nature of the person. This destiny attached to these swords brings Mariko Oshiro to the front door of elderly Professor Yasuo Yamada, who is the owner of a sword that a violent Yakuza criminal tried to steal. This twisted path could only be destiny, as all the forces send her in the direction of a deep bond with the nearly blind expert swordsman, who takes her on as a student. Because she is the only one who can stop Fuchida, a man who has been seduced by the voice of his own sword, Beautiful Singer.

This book is just so good. It’s amazing how the story just drew me deeper and deeper. I wanted to find out about how these three swords could draw people into relationship with each other from historical to modern times, and not always in a good way. But ultimately, the right people end up in the right places, until we end up in the present with Mariko and Yamada’s story.

If you’re looking for an over-the-top fantasy story with all kinds of out there scenes, this isn’t the book. If you want a book with an excellent narrative building on a concept that seems magical, if you don’t believe in swords that are blessed and cursed, then you’d enjoy this book.

The cultural aspects had major appeal. As I mentioned earlier, the look at bushido and historical samurai was a good learning experience. But equally important was the view into modern Japan. I especially appreciated that the main character was a Japanese woman, who dealt with a society which is profoundly sexist, and she was driven enough to fight for what she wanted and needed in life, even as she ran into stumbling blocks of prejudice within her own agency, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. I admired her drive and determination. I also liked seeing the walls come down between her and Yamada, as she realized that this old man was what she was missing from her life, the companionship and the belief in her that he offered. Yamada, I adored him! No words! I can easily see why Mariko came to love him so much. Relationships can be pigeon-holed because it is the natural way of humans to classify what is hard to define. But they are so complex. They provide what we need in this life in a way that goes way beyond labels. That’s how Yamada and Muriko’s relationship impacted me. And also Keiji and Hayano’s back in the 40s. Heck, all the stories added so much texture to this book.

My feelings for this book are so intricate, that I’m having trouble putting them into words. So I’ll just end by saying I just loved this book so much. It may not hit you the same way, but I hope that others find something to offer them in Daughter of the Sword.
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Sep 13, 2012 Mihir rated it 5 of 5 stars

Full Review originally at Fantasy Book Critic

ANALYSIS: There are some books that grab your attention because of their blurb or genre details, some books that hook your eyes with their cover art. Yet few books manage to do both and this debut by Steve Bein beckoned me with its blurb details and awesome cover. I was excited and began reading to see how this book would hold up against my curiosity. I couldn’t have ever imagined what was to happen next.

Firstly a few details are necessary in regard...more
Full Review originally at Fantasy Book Critic

ANALYSIS: There are some books that grab your attention because of their blurb or genre details, some books that hook your eyes with their cover art. Yet few books manage to do both and this debut by Steve Bein beckoned me with its blurb details and awesome cover. I was excited and began reading to see how this book would hold up against my curiosity. I couldn’t have ever imagined what was to happen next.

Firstly a few details are necessary in regards to the book, the blurb above does not tell us about the full story that is contained in this book. This book is divided into nine sections that take place is various time eras; the first one is set in the 22nd year of the Heisei era or 2010 C.E. The first story thread is about Mariko Oshiro, the only female detective of the elite Tokyo Metropolitan Police department and her constant struggle in gain respect among the eyes of her peers. She is assigned to a simple probable robbery case wherein she meets professor Yasuo Yamada, who clues her in to the mystery regarding the Inazuma blades. The Second thread is set in 124th year of the Kamakura era or 1308 C.E. and focuses on Saito Toshiro a samurai in the service of lord Asikaga Owari-no-kami Jinzaemon. The story focuses on what happens when he comes across a special Inazuma blade and the carnage that follows.

The Third story jumps to the 20th year of the Azuchi-Momoyama era or 1587 C.E. and centers upon Okuma Daigoro who is bequeathed his father’s sword upon his death and wonders at the reason behind it as familial tensions arise due to that single decision. Lastly the fourth story is set in the 17th year of the Showa era or 1942 C.E. and Kiyama Keiji is the narrative force. A young lieutenant in the Military intelligence wing of the Japanese army, he strives to do right by his country in the time of World War II. He comes across a young girl Hayano Shoji who clarifies the nature of things around him and his sword and sets him on his path to redemption.

This is the main gist of all the four stories occurring in this book, the first thread has five sections devoted to it while the third one gets two sections and the second and fourth has one each. The main reason why this book resonated with me so strongly was because of the excellent characterization that occurred with each new POV voice, they all succeed in making the reader completely engrossed in their specific portion of the story and oblivious to the previous parts you have read. Beginning with Mariko who's trying to fight chauvinism in her department and help professor Yasuo Yamada with his quest, then with Saito and Hiyama as they each try to get to bottom of a mystery. Then we come across Daigoro who has to manage family and his new status and yet try to remain true to his Father's wisdom and lastly Keiji upon whose youthful shoulders rests the future of a nation at war. All four story threads have been impacted by the various Inazuma blades and it was interesting to see which story focussed on which blade. This multifocal character approach made this debut that much more exciting to read and not to mention special!

The story threads all focus on these various characters but behind them are the Inazuma blades that ascertain their characteristics from time to time. Thereby often swaying the characters and the trajectories of their lives. This mystical aspect of the blades is never overtly explained but things happen too much in concert for it to be labeled as simple coincidence. I liked this light-handed authorial touch in making this mystical aspect a natural occurrence of the story without over-emphasizing it and yet the reader will be convinced of their effect. This light paranormal approach to the storyline was very reminiscent of John Connolly’s Charlie Parker books and I hope that Steve Bein will strive to achieve excellence in his craft a la John Connolly. The second aspect of the book that I cherished was how smoothly the story flowed from section to section. The author has presented each tale as a standalone piece and yet there are links tying each the stories intricately to each other. This aspect of separate stories that link together to form a wonderfully enigmatic mosaic was a great way to draw the reader into the world of the Inazuma blades and one which should gain the author many accolades.

Another point that I want to talk about is the world showcased within as well as the author’s research undertaken. The places and times shown in this book are presented very precisely. The details of samurai ways and Japanese culture along with minutiae about swords and sword fighting are interspersed generously throughout the story. This not only enriches the story but also helped me imagine the world as detailed by the author’s prose. I daresay none of it felt like info-dumping at any stage and I was completely absorbed by the author’s focus in presenting several different worlds that are so lushly described within these pages.

Lastly the epic-ness of the story is very much understated but its there. In regards to this factor, I can vouch without worry that this is one of the best debuts I have ever read. Come to think to of it, Its hard to put a genre label on this book. It can be called a contemporary fantasy story or a historical thriller with a supernatural bent to it. In the end all that matters is that this book is simply FANTASTIC and the reader will be thoroughly enthralled by the storyline & characters presented within. On a side and personal note, for years I’ve been trying to get my wife to read SFF books to no avail as she prefers thriller & mysteries only. However with this book I think I can finally get her to come and read the fantas(y)tic side of fiction.

The only smidgen I can think about this book which didn’t fit amidst all the awesomeness of this book, is its ending. It seemed all ends were tied up a bit too neatly (if that can be thought of as a drawback). Everything worked out a bit too perfectly but this is a personal quirk and I'm sure we'll discover further discrepancies associated with the blades in the sequel. This book is supposed to be book one of a series and so it’s obvious that there will be more to follow however should the reader be interested in reading a standalone book. Its safe to say this book can be read as a standalone story and as you reach the last page you can be satisfied with all the plot resolutions offered.

CONCLUSION: Steve Bein’s Daughter Of The Sword is one of those rare debuts that checked all my critical points that I look for in a book. Daughter Of The Sword is an epic story that cannot be precisely defined by genre settings or its blurb. Read it for what it is; an epic tale that heralds the emergence of a major talent. For me Daughter of The Sword is the 2nd best book I have read this year and most importantly one of the best debuts I have ever read. Grab it ASAP and see for yourself why Steve Bein deserves all the praise coming his way…(less)

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Apr 01, 2013 David Hoyt rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery-suspense-thriller

Loved the book. The worst part of reading a book in one day is how long it will take to read the next in the series.

In some ways is a 1/2 romanji view of a Japanese "Prime Suspect." The main character driven and flawed. Told from her viewpoint, she is an appealing character, but not heroic. Driven to succeed in the misogynistic Tokyo police department. She's not sure why, but she needs to prove herself.

The book flashes back and forth through time illustrating the natures of the fated blades. In...more

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Feb 03, 2013 Rory O'Connor rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a hard book to review. The synopsis above doesn’t really do justice to how epic in scope this novel is. Daughter of the Sword weaves past and present together, following the story of the swords through time. The vignettes into the past were especially well-researched and fascinating.

Mariko is trying to prove herself worthy of her spot on one of Tokyo’s most elite police forces. She is as good, if not better, than most of her coworkers. However, this doesn’t stop her boss from removing he...more

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Oct 22, 2012 Eric Smith rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historic-fiction, urban-fantasy

Most urban fantasy seems to be set either in the United States or Britain but here is some well written urban fantasy set in Japan that could be the beginning of an interesting series. I really liked the change in setting and the faithfulness to so much of what I remember of what I studied of Japanese culture in school. Having never been there it is difficult to be sure how realistic the cultural nuances are but from what I remembered they seemed very familiar with what I learned. It was also ni...more

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Aug 26, 2012 Susan rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: couldn-t-get-through

...I'm disappointed. I'm still trying to figure out WHY, exactly. The writing is decent. The first chapter is about a psycho a sword fetish (pretty sure I'm using that term correctly, as that he is sleeping with the sword and comparing it to a beautiful woman -- albeit a deadly one with possibly murderous intent) (yes he thinks the sword has Intents right off the bat), which weirded me out, BUT it contributes to the plot, because it introduces the sword, which does have Intents. Maybe it's beca...more

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Dec 05, 2012 Meg Laverick rated it 3 of 5 stars

I... don't know what to think about this book. No, wait I know one thing. A story that relies heavily on the idea of destiny and fate =/= an urban fantasy. Please stop calling it that. Historical fiction mixed with modern policey/thrillery stuff (technical speak) yes. Urban fantasy no.

But that's just my quibbles with genre. What did I think about the book? It was.. okay, I guess? The interwoven stories were fascinating and especially the historical ones felt well researched and provided some tru...more

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Oct 04, 2012 Suzanne the Mighty ~Satin Seductress~ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-adventure, lover-the-cover, magic, mystery, netgalley-arc, urban-fantasy

Mariko Oshiro is the only female detective in the Tokyo police force something that disgusts her new Lieutenant, but she is determined to prove herself she knows she is as good, better really, then the other cops on the department. She certainly doesn't deserve to be taken off a big case involving a possible cocaine shipment and given a rubbish dead end one in its stead. But she gets stuck with a case involving the theft of a supposedly magicical sword and with its unusual owner the mysterious a...more

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Apr 20, 2013 Christine Ricci rated it 4 of 5 stars

I picked this book up randomly, and even though it started choppy and slow, it eventually drew me in and took off like a rocket! In the beginning, I had trouble getting into it because I thought the sections too short. Just when I would start to become really interested in the characters, an entire new section started with an entirely different set of characters. However, as I proceeded through the book I became hooked, so much so I often nearly missed train stops. The characters feel very real....more

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Dec 06, 2012 Sarah Schoel rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this book for many reasons. For one it worked in historical, mythological, and realistic aspects throughout the book. I definitely liked the characters as well, and how the author worked in the parts of the story that showed the paths of the blades through history and the influence they had. The story begins by showing the antagonist of the story, Fuchida, with one of the mystical Inazuma blades. It shows a lot of his character and a few of his goals, but doesn't totally give him...more

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Sep 23, 2012 Melliane rated it 4 of 5 stars

3,5/5

Mon avis en Français

My English review

I was very intrigued by the synopsis as soon as I had the possibility to read it. I must say that I haven’t had yet the opportunity to read a book such as this one, taking place in Tokyo and featuring samurais and legends about mythical swords.

Well at first it was very difficult for me to get into the story. The writing style of the author is very special, much more complex than I usually had the opportunity to read and it took me a little time to reall...more 3,5/5

Mon avis en Français

My English review

I was very intrigued by the synopsis as soon as I had the possibility to read it. I must say that I haven’t had yet the opportunity to read a book such as this one, taking place in Tokyo and featuring samurais and legends about mythical swords.

Well at first it was very difficult for me to get into the story. The writing style of the author is very special, much more complex than I usually had the opportunity to read and it took me a little time to really get into the story, to understand what happened. Another point to note, I also had a little trouble to really know the characters in the story at the beginning, it was difficult to remember who was who with Japanese names such as those that we have here. But all this, is resolved as soon as we truly advance in the novel.

Mariko is a young woman who tries to prove herself in the Tokyo police, but as she is the single woman, it’s always difficult for her to be accepted. However, she does her best, and when she discovers a cocaine’s problem, she feels something suspicious and tries to investigate about it. But her boss will do anything to stop and force her to take care of a saber’s robbery instead. However, the investigation takes her far beyond than what she would have thought at first. She will meet Yamada, a swords specialist who narrates stories and who will teach her how to wield a sword, something he believes to be her destiny.

I enjoyed this novel, it is far from what I thought. We discover many complex characters and it will take a little time to really get to identify them. Yamada is very interesting, we try to understand what he wants, what he's trying to do. We have the impression that he has all the answers for Mariko but never gives her them. Our heroine, meanwhile, is a brave and courageous woman who will do anything to achieve her goals. A rather extraordinary character.

I was surprised initially by the book with clippings of past events, telling the story of three legendary swords. And even though I was eager to know the further adventures of Mariko, I let myself get into the game and I loved to learn more about what had happened. The events are well recounted and I was curious about the end of the book.

Steve Bein presents us a beautiful novel that makes us really think throughout the story. This is a totally unique novel, and I could not even find something that comes close to it. A good surprise.(less)

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Nov 12, 2012 TheFountainPenDiva rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-that-are-keepers, characters-asian-heroines, characters-assassins, characters-cops, characters-japanese-heroines, characters-samurai, characters-yakuza, genre-urban-fantasy, poc-on-the-covers

OMG this was drop dead dynamite awesomely GOOD and I sincerely hope this is a series (oh wait, it is) because it just can't end this way. Best of all, no stupid romance in which the heroine is kick-ass until the first whiff of testosterone. In fact, there's no romance at all (yay). Myth, history, gritty police procedural all wrapped up in the culture and mores of modern Japan. It was like being there. I love books that feel like armchair travel. And cursed magical SWORDS!

Mariko Oshiro is the Ja...more

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Sep 22, 2012 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-chick-city-reviews-2012

Reviewed for Book Chick City
http://www.bookchickcity.com/2012/09/...

I love all things Japanese, so when I started DAUGHTER OF THE SWORD by Steve Bein, I was expecting to love this book. It is set for the most part in Tokyo, but also delves into Japan’s ancient past, detailing the honour codes held by samurais.

The book begins in the modern Heisei era, in the year 2010, with the villain, Fuchida Shūzō, and a description of his attachment to his ancient sword, Beautiful Singer. He goes so far as t...more

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Jan 14, 2013 Matt Gilliard rated it 5 of 5 stars

Daughter of the Sword has been on my radar for a while now. As a martial artist who loves Japanese culture and swordsmanship and a long time reader of crime fiction, the premise of Bein's debut novel was near irresistible. A Japanese themed crime story with magic swords, you say? From a expert on Japanese history and a twenty year martial artist to boot? Well lets just say that there was little chance that I wouldn't give Daughter of the Sword a try. And I'm glad that I did. Bein turns in a stor...more

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Dec 06, 2012 TheBookSmugglers rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 7-rated-book

Originally reviewed on Kirkus' SF/F Blog: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/blog/sc...

The sword in Fuchida Shuzo's bed was the oldest known of her kind, and he loved listening to her song.

Mariko Oshiro is the only female detective in the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (TMPD), and also the only woman working the highly competitive narcotics division. Being the only woman in the job – and a senior Sergeant Detective, at that – comes with its healthy dose of crap, as Mariko finds herself embroile...more

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Sep 18, 2012 Michelle Leah Olson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: literal-addiction-books, pub-arc, reviewed

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Guest Reviewer - Cheryl:

Daughter of the Sword is this conglomeration of historical Japanese lore, true Japanese history and urban fantasy. I received a copy with a really great cover from Literal Addiction which received the copy from the publisher for review purposes. I have to admit this was already on my to-be-read list already so when I had the opportunity to review it for L.A. I jumped at it and though there were times I was lost in the Japanese terminolog...more Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Guest Reviewer - Cheryl:

Daughter of the Sword is this conglomeration of historical Japanese lore, true Japanese history and urban fantasy. I received a copy with a really great cover from Literal Addiction which received the copy from the publisher for review purposes. I have to admit this was already on my to-be-read list already so when I had the opportunity to review it for L.A. I jumped at it and though there were times I was lost in the Japanese terminology, I enjoyed learning them. Steve Bein did such a good job with character development that there were times I had to put the book down or scream at the bigotry and misogynistic treatment that Mariko received from her co-workers, especially her new lieutenant.
Mariko is a worldly, intelligent, butt-kicker. She is a great cop, much to the dismay of both her family and her fellow police officers. She has the great honor of being the first female detective and the only one of her rank. She has a family that she is at odds with because of some problems her sister has that has put a wedge between them. They were so close that most in their community can tell the difference in their relationship and are watching and gossiping like the Oshiros are a soap opera to be monitored by all. Their mom is caught in the middle and it is quite interesting to see the dichotomy between the three of them as they juggle the past with the present.

Daughter of the Sword tells the history of several of the swords created by a great master named Inazuma. One of the swords has a terrible history and is the focus of a lot of the backdrop told in the book. There are multiple periods covered that tell the story of the sword and all who have owned it along with a lot of information about samurai. We also learn the history of a Professor Yamada who is very renowned for his knowledge of swords and martial arts. He also has a very deep history and some of his actions possibly reverberate throughout the history of his homeland. There are some aspects of World War II discussed and it allows the reader to see things from Yamada's and his friend's points-of-view.

Another interesting aspect of this story is the relationship between the police and Yakuza. I was a little lost with some of the Japanese terms for the different legs of the organized crime in Japan but, it made for another aspect of this story which is that it is also a Japanese police procedural with tons of action and a fair bit of gore which is to be expected when swords are involved. The sword play was described beautifully and it was interesting to see Mariko’s initiation into her version of a samurai’s way of life. If you love reading about far-away places, historical fiction and fantasy this book should definitely be on your list.

LITERAL ADDICTION's Guest Reviewer gives Daughter of the Sword 4 Skulls.(less)

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Oct 22, 2012 Christen *Goldilox And The Three Weres* rated it 4 of 5 stars

Daughter of the Sword is a unique read, a combination of the paranormal and a police procedural. Bein weaves the main story of a female cop in Tokyo's elite police force hunting down a killer while learning about a mysterious katana with stories from ancient Japan about a trio of cursed swords.

I don't even know where to start for this review - there was so much to this book! The main story of the book was intriguing and even though we know who the killer is I was totally sucked into the hunt fo...more
Daughter of the Sword is a unique read, a combination of the paranormal and a police procedural. Bein weaves the main story of a female cop in Tokyo's elite police force hunting down a killer while learning about a mysterious katana with stories from ancient Japan about a trio of cursed swords.

I don't even know where to start for this review - there was so much to this book! The main story of the book was intriguing and even though we know who the killer is I was totally sucked into the hunt for him. Mariko is a likable heroine, although different from those I usually read. She is tough and desperately trying to keep hold on her position on the Tokyo police force. In Japan, women are still not considered quite equal when it comes to doing jobs originally meant for men. Mariko battles a misogynistic lieutenant and the boys' club to gain some respect at her job, but she's very smart and a good detective so I got very angry every time she had to deal with the sexism.

Professor Yamada was a nice addition to Mariko's story. He is the gentle, elderly professor who doubles as a samurai sword master. He serves as Mariko's teacher of all things katana and he also has a specific connection to the killer she is tracking. He also possesses one of the 'fated blades' and I enjoyed learning about his sword in the mini stories that focused on the one he now owns (more on that in a minute).

It was really interesting to reads the parts of the story like this that showed current Japanese culture. So many things about their culture is similar to ours that we often forgot how very different the country is from the US. I was really intrigued by these differences and learning about Japan was part of the draw of this story for me.

Even more intriguing were all of the mini stories woven into the book. These told the stories of the three cursed swords throughout ancient Japan and World War II. I was even more sucked into these tales. They were so absorbing and really made some of the aspects of the main story make sense. Bein's writing is totally seamless as he switches from a modern day murder mystery to the hills and rice flats of hundreds of years ago. Each sword's 'curse', or blessing depending on the sword, was creative and fascinating. In the end, all the stories came together nicely and I was more than satisfied. I'll be interested to see where the next in this series goes; if it will follow Mariko or get a whole new story.

Recommended for fans of: Japanese culture, stories told in multiple time spans, police procedurals, katanas, katanas, katanas.

Read more of my reviews at: http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogs...
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Aug 29, 2012 Janae Smith rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: firstreads

I won this book in a First reads giveaway I was amped as the cover and then plot caught my attention but then it took me much longer to finish the book then it normal does 1) because school started up and 2) I just couldn't get into it for the longest time.

I would pick up the book and read a little bit, but would be forced to put it back down then come back and try and remember what I had read. The beginning for me was confusing and slightly on the slow side. Once I was finally able to sit down...more

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Nov 18, 2012 Simeon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery-thrillers

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 14, 2013 Kacey4kc rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi-fantasy

I really enjoyed this book. The sword histories mixed in with the modern day story were my favorite part. I do wonder how much difference it made to my enjoyment that I have been to Tokyo. In the modern portions I could really picture the settings the author described. I do think an interest in Japan will increase a reader's enjoyment.
I had one really nitpicky complaint regard a sushi related scene in one of the sword histories. I wouldn't be mentioning it except if pushed me out of the narrati...more

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Jan 15, 2013 Leslie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Leslie by: Natasha Dawkins

I finished reading Daughter of the Sword yesterday...thank you, Natasha Dawkins, for recommending it.

I've read a number of novels revolving around Japan written by non-Japanese, and many of them don't quite grasp the real Japan. This one is different, though. The author Steve Bein has obviously spent many years here and not only knows the country and the history, but the spirit. I admit there were a few discrepancies here and there, but very few!

If you have any interest in either the history o...more

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Sep 09, 2012 Tarran rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book combined artistry and grace with the writing and characters. The storyline was well thought out and the characters were easy to get along with. I liked how the author gave the backdrop of the Tokyo crime scene without bombarding me with too much infomation. The historical chapters of the three swords were very interesting and I thorughly enjoed this book, I hope the author writes another one. Mariko Oshiro is the only female dectectve in Tokyo Police Department, she has to fight or any...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Amber rated it 5 of 5 stars

Despite it's flaws this is a VERY compelling book. For those who don't mind the possibility of minor spoilers I definitely recommend reading the Author's Note at the back of the book FIRST before getting into the book.

While some details have the mark of "Artistic Liberty" other points in the book are so detailed and carefully researched that the line between fantasy and cultural accuracy is very blurred. This Author may be wrong on some points, but he has clearly done his research on Japanese hi...more

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Apr 02, 2013 Kris rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, japan, urban-fantasy

I liked this book a lot more than I thought I would. I'm a huge fan of urban chick fantasy and of all things Japan but generally less so of police novels so I really wasn't sure where I would stand on this book.

But I am happy to say that I am glad I picked this book up. The main protagonist was a breath of fresh air from the usual urban fantasy chick who always has to be tougher than all her male coworkers, especially when placing her with rigid confines of still patriarchal modern Japanese soci...more

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Oct 17, 2012 Cheryl rated it 4 of 5 stars

Daughter of the Sword is this conglomeration of historical Japanese lore, true Japanese history and urban fantasy. I received a copy with a really great cover from Literal Addiction which received the copy from the publisher for review purposes. I have to admit this was already on my to-be-read list already so when I had the opportunity to review it for L.A. I jumped at it and though there were times I was lost in the Japanese terminology, I enjoyed learning them. Steve Bein did such a good job...more Daughter of the Sword is this conglomeration of historical Japanese lore, true Japanese history and urban fantasy. I received a copy with a really great cover from Literal Addiction which received the copy from the publisher for review purposes. I have to admit this was already on my to-be-read list already so when I had the opportunity to review it for L.A. I jumped at it and though there were times I was lost in the Japanese terminology, I enjoyed learning them. Steve Bein did such a good job with character development that there were times I had to put the book down or scream at the bigotry and misogynistic treatment that Mariko received from her co-workers, especially her new lieutenant.
Mariko is a worldly, intelligent, butt-kicker. She is a great cop, much to the dismay of both her family and her fellow police officers. She has the great honor of being the first female detective and the only one of her rank. She has a family that she is at odds with because of some problems her sister has that has put a wedge between them. They were so close that most in their community can tell the difference in their relationship and are watching and gossiping like the Oshiros are a soap opera to be monitored by all. Their mom is caught in the middle and it is quite interesting to see the dichotomy between the three of them as they juggle the past with the present.

Daughter of the Sword tells the history of several of the swords created by a great master named Inazuma. One of the swords has a terrible history and is the focus of a lot of the backdrop told in the book. There are multiple periods covered that tell the story of the sword and all who have owned it along with a lot of information about samurai. We also learn the history of a Professor Yamada who is very renowned for his knowledge of swords and martial arts. He also has a very deep history and some of his actions possibly reverberate throughout the history of his homeland. There are some aspects of World War II discussed and it allows the reader to see things from Yamada's and his friend's points-of-view.

Another interesting aspect of this story is the relationship between the police and Yakuza. I was a little lost with some of the Japanese terms for the different legs of the organized crime in Japan but, it made for another aspect of this story which is that it is also a Japanese police procedural with tons of action and a fair bit of gore which is to be expected when swords are involved. The sword play was described beautifully and it was interesting to see Mariko’s initiation into her version of a samurai’s way of life. If you love reading about far-away places, historical fiction and fantasy this book should definitely be on your list.

This review can also be seen at LadyTechies Book Musings http://LadyTechiesBookMusings.blogspo....(less)

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Oct 25, 2012 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I received this book free from Goodread's Firstreads program.

Daughter of the Sword is an excellent story utilizing a well known theme in Japanese folklore - blades embodied with power. This concept is perhaps most well known in the West from the movie "Sword of Doom" by Akira Korusawa. That said, the book remains what I would call Urban Fantasy Lite, which really works to its advantage. The book follows a set of samurai swords through the ages, giving the reader glimpses of their lives through t...more I received this book free from Goodread's Firstreads program.

Daughter of the Sword is an excellent story utilizing a well known theme in Japanese folklore - blades embodied with power. This concept is perhaps most well known in the West from the movie "Sword of Doom" by Akira Korusawa. That said, the book remains what I would call Urban Fantasy Lite, which really works to its advantage. The book follows a set of samurai swords through the ages, giving the reader glimpses of their lives through the centuries interspersed with a modern adventure.

While much focus is given to two main characters in the present day, the author utilizes a technique not often found in Urban Fantasy - making objects (in this case, the swords) into characters that are just as interesting as the people who own them. There is romance present, but not in the traditional sense. Those seeking a love story between two people will find the novel lacking. What romance is present however, serves an intriguing motivator for one of the characters and meshes the historic flashbacks and modern day events beautifully.

The fiction woven into the history of the swords is very well done. Masamune is considered Japan's greatest swordsmith and stories abound about the power of his blades. The author has posited that another swordsmith of the era may well have been even better, but lost to history. Along with certain events during World War II that the author provides alternative reasons and motives for, these suggestions are presented in a flowing and believable way.

The only real drawback I found was the potential for culture shock for people not familiar with any Asian cultures. The story takes place entirely within Japan and in addition to the names of characters and places, some other Japanese vocabulary is used. It is italicized as is the tradition for foreign vocabulary, but it is also used in such a way that the context often explains the word well enough to the reader that they shouldn't have to look anything up. The locations are also described well enough that you'll be able to create images in your head despite never having been there, but not so in-depth as to alienate you. However, it does take a little more thinking to keep track of unfamiliar words place names, and people names, and may throw some readers out of the story.

If you're unfamiliar with Japanese tales, this provides an accessible and enjoyable introduction to an aspect of them that can be found in countless stories and movies. It was a fun adventure and I look forward to more in the future.(less)

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Nov 05, 2012 Darcy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, uf, law-enforcement

I was surprised by how much I liked this one. It was a slower read for me than normal, I think because I had to keep going back to the glossary in back to read what the Japanese words meant and to understand what all was going on.

At first glance there are parts of the story that don't really make sense. We have the story in the present, police detective, people dying, drugs, and the yakuza. This part of the story seems pretty straight forward, about what you expect when those combo of things ar...more

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Sep 24, 2012 Shelley aka Gizmo's Reviews rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-releases, publishers-arc

*Genre* Fantasy, Historical, Magical Swords
*Rating* 3.5 stars

*Review*

Daughter of the Sword is the story about Sergeant Detective Mariko Oshiro as the only female cop in the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. It’s a story about her daily struggles for respect among a department filled with men who believe that women have no place in the work place. It’s also a story steeped in history and destiny.

Mariko is an interesting character who I believe readers will respect and come to appreciate; esp...more *Genre* Fantasy, Historical, Magical Swords
*Rating* 3.5 stars

*Review*

Daughter of the Sword is the story about Sergeant Detective Mariko Oshiro as the only female cop in the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. It’s a story about her daily struggles for respect among a department filled with men who believe that women have no place in the work place. It’s also a story steeped in history and destiny.

Mariko is an interesting character who I believe readers will respect and come to appreciate; especially women. She’s brave, courageous, and driven to get the most out of her job and her opportunities. She has other things to worry about as well, including the safety of her drug addled sister who continually ends up in harm’s way.

Daughter of the Sword is also the story about (3) legendary swords created by Master Inazuma that have played important roles over the course Japanese History and whether or not they are magical or cursed.
Although I found the back story about the swords interesting, I would have preferred to stay focused on Oshiro and Professor Yasuo Yamada who becomes her sensei and friend.

Steve Bein is a new author to me which always gives me pause. You never know what to expect from newer authors. Bein gives readers a really detailed novel that thankfully, has a glossary of terms at the back of the book. I believe that history buffs that will enjoy the correlation between swords and events that happen throughout the book.

I think there were some good things, and some not necessary things in this, the first book of the series. The world building itself was absolutely brilliant. I understood the need for flashbacks to various times throughout Japanese History in order to tell a more detailed story about the legendary swords. I liked that the 3 swords appeared to be magically created and created either mayhem or protected the owners from harm.

Like Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff, this book starts slow, and ends with a bang. Once again you have a male writer telling the story from a female character’s prospective and doing a moderately decent job of putting readers into the characters shoes. It shall be interesting to read the next book in the series to see where Bein takes Oshiro and her new blade.

Daughter of the Sword was sent to me by NAL/ROC trade in lieu of an honest assessment and opinion of the book. Expected publication: October 2nd 2012 by Roc Trade.
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Oct 07, 2012 All Things Urban Fantasy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-abigail, october-2012-hotp

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy See site review for similar titles

Pitch me an urban fantasy with a killer cover by Chris McGrath, set in both modern and Feudal Japan, involving magical swords and drug trafficking, and that’s a book that’s going to grab my attention big time. The problem with DAUGHTER OF THE SWORD by Steve Bein, is that that’s not exactly what you get. The writing is lush and evocative, and the characters are broken and heroic in turn, but despite the publisher catego...more Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy See site review for similar titles

Pitch me an urban fantasy with a killer cover by Chris McGrath, set in both modern and Feudal Japan, involving magical swords and drug trafficking, and that’s a book that’s going to grab my attention big time. The problem with DAUGHTER OF THE SWORD by Steve Bein, is that that’s not exactly what you get. The writing is lush and evocative, and the characters are broken and heroic in turn, but despite the publisher categorization, this is not urban fantasy.

So what is it? Well, it’s primarily a police procedural–and a very good one–with lengthy historical passages that flash back centuries ago to recount the origins of three legendary swords that resurface in the main story. The description says these swords are ‘magical’…that’s not quite the word I would use. They supposedly can influence those who wield them and/or protect them. Really though, the swords are more like good or bad luck charms. Certain things happen that characters attribute to the swords, but are indistinguishable from coincidence. If DAUGHTER OF THE SWORD hadn’t been labeled as Urban Fantasy, I would never have guessed it was supposed to be.

But!

Even though the fantasy elements are negligible, DAUGHTER OF THE SWORD is a gritty and compelling police procedural. I was halfway through the book before it even occurred to me that it wasn’t the promised urban fantasy. It was so good that I didn’t even mind. The Japanese culture rang very authentic with subtle details that gradually built a world that felt as real as possible (no surprise since the author is a professor of Asian philosophy and Asian history at the State University of New York). The characters also came to life here, especially the villain who grew more and more psychotic throughout the book. The whole story was written in beautiful and exotic detail which contrasted nicely with the very real, and harsh reality of the Japanese criminal underworld.

It’s a rare book that can win me over after a somewhat misleading description, one almost entirely devoid of the urban fantasy elements I was expecting, but DAUGHTER OF THE SWORD did just that. Beautiful writing, a smart and resilient protagonist who meets her match in a coldly demented villain. The procedural elements are tight and fascinatingly different from those common to the US police. It may not be exactly magical, but I was bewitched nonetheless.

Sexual Content: References to sex and rape.(less)

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Oct 19, 2012 K. Bird rated it 4 of 5 stars

4.5 Stars, actually.

Daughter of the Sword breathes fresh air into Urban Fantasy.

Mariko Oshiro is a Japanese female cop in one of the most elite police forces in Japan. As if that wasn't enough to make her life difficult, she's also got a meth addict sister, a childhood spent in the United States marking her "different", and a new commanding officer hell-bent on busting her down to coffee-maker for their office.

Rumors of a new yakuza drug pusher, a break-in at an old man's house to steal a pricel...more 4.5 Stars, actually.

Daughter of the Sword breathes fresh air into Urban Fantasy.

Mariko Oshiro is a Japanese female cop in one of the most elite police forces in Japan. As if that wasn't enough to make her life difficult, she's also got a meth addict sister, a childhood spent in the United States marking her "different", and a new commanding officer hell-bent on busting her down to coffee-maker for their office.

Rumors of a new yakuza drug pusher, a break-in at an old man's house to steal a priceless sword, and Japan's destiny weave together to force Mariko to battle a thousand years-old curse.

What pushes this beyond your everyday kick-ass woman with a sword is how Bein wove backstories of the swords through the main narrative. Switching between Mariko and various periods in Japanese history was very cool.

He got most of the historical and cultural details right as far as I can tell (I've lived in Japan more than 6 years). Bein's descriptions sometimes have a cool twist: "Beyond the glass stretched the crazed labyrinth of Shinjuku, a werewolf in urban form, biding its time until nightfall to unleash its full madness."

Nothing rubbed me the wrong way beyond a tendency for a character to occasionally veer into pondering about Japan in a slighly unauthentic way ("Was it the unflappable demeanor the Japanese were famous for the world over?")

And the sword fighting scenes were excellent; not too mired down in technique to be boring, but visually accurate enough for me to see what was going on.

So why not 5 stars? It's a matter of personal taste. I wanted more Mariko. She was so cool, and her position teetering in a precarious place in society both emotionally and professionally was so frought with interesting subtones. Urban Fantasy is at its best when the main character hooks into your heart and takes you along for the ride. Mariko certainly hooked into my heart (as well as Keiji from one of the sword backstories) but the nature of the intertwined narratives prevented me from getting all the juicy emotional scenes I really wanted.

I'm a romance junkie as well, since Mariko's biggest concern is her meth-addict sister and keeping herself from being fired, if you're looking for a romantic Urban Fantasy, this is not your book. But if you're open to fresh Urban Fantasy with a conflicted cop caught up in the destiny of three swords that changed Japan's history, then definitely go buy this book.

This Book's Snack Rating: Terra Blue Potato Chips for the fresh taste of a kick-ass lady cop on the hardy crunch of well-researched, intertwined narratives
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Daughter of the Sword (Fated Blades #1)

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