With the Japanese Imperium at war with the Soviet Union, and the United States watching cautiously on the sidelines, Second Lieutenant Joe Sullivan of the U.S. Marines is sent on a dangerous mission to Tokyo. The Russians have Summoned a demon of epic proportions to attack the city, and all that stands in its deadly path is an untested Japanese super-robot. Now, Joe is at the controls, his gravity-spiking Power at the ready. But that is one huge, mean Demon....
Larry Correia (born 1977) is the New York Times bestselling author of the Monster Hunter International series, the Grimnoir Chronicles, and the thriller Dead Six.
This is clearly a bit of filler between trilogies, and a contrived excuse for Larry Correia to write a battle between a giant robot and Godzilla into his Grimnoir trilogy, but like the rest of his magical-superhero alternate universe stories, it's fun and action packed pulp adventure that just doesn't bear too much thinking about.
Taking place about twenty years after the end of Warbound, Tokyo Raider stars Joe Sullivan Jr., a chip off the old block. Having joined the Marines, just like that he is whisked off to Japan at the direct request of the President (who is not a historical figure but instead a familiar face from the previous books). Even though the US and the Imperium are clearly headed for war, at the moment the Imperium is at war with their mutual enemy, the USSR. Stalin's sorcerers have summoned a giant monster that's devastating Japan, and Imperium scientists and mages have built a giant robot that, conveniently, none of their own magically-gifted warriors can operate. Somehow our old friend Toru, now in charge of the Imperium, figures his old frenemy Jake's son is the man they need.
This doesn't really make sense, but like I said, it's just an excuse for a battle between a giant robot blazoned with a rising sun pumping the Star Spangled Banner from its speakers, and a Godzilla-sized demon with the Soviet hammer & sickle burned into its chest. Fix that image in your head and have fun. It does make me look forward to the next Grimnoir series.
Just a short novella that jumps ahead in time from the first three and slightly covers what is going on with the old gang. I don't want to give anything away but it was great. I was telling my book buddy about it the other day, because I really want her to read the series, and I found myself getting so excited. Ahhhhh!...Larry Correa has GOT to write more of the Grimnior Chronicles Series. I greatly miss listening to Bronson Pinchots' narration. Impatiently waiting for more.
This was AWESOME! It was great to get a glimpse at those wonderful characters from the Grimnoire series 20 years after the events of the last book. Correia brings so much personality to every character he writes and Pinchot is a joy as a narrator. I so missed them!
Výborná svižná a akční povídka, která se odehrává pár desítek let po konci třetí knihy ze série Grimmnoir Chronicles. Audiokniha je navíc výborně namluvená. Rozhodně doporučuju.
As Larry Correia prepares to release his next Grimnoir novel he’s written a couple of short stories to help bridge the gap between the two series. Jake Sullivan’s son, Joe, is recruited to help the Japanese defeat a Godzilla-like creature by operating a giant robot for them. His particular magical talents make this theoretically possible, but weaker talents have already died in the attempt. There is no real depth here, but it’s a lot of rock-em sock-em fun that had me cheering for more. Can’t wait to see the Grimnoir Chronicles return in full novels.
This started interesting but quickly became stupid. It is over the top (in a bad way) and kind of boring.
And here we have Japanese who are evil because they hate Americans. And Americans hate Japanese but they deserve it so it is OK. But the evilest of them all are communists. And they are evil because they are and red is the colour of evilness!
The audiobook was 30+ minutes on double speed and I fell asleep somewhere in the middle.
Fast Forward... Jake Sullivan has a kid and its that kid's job to save... Japan from Stalin. Oh, and he is going to try and do it with a giant magical robot. If you enjoy the stories of "Heavy" Jake Sullivan, you should enjoy the story of his, dare I say, more powerful son.
“Tokyo Raider: A Tale of the Grimnoir Chronicles” by Larry Correia:
In this action-packed short story, we follow the exploits of Buckminster “Bucky” Thompson, a Grimnoir knight with extraordinary abilities. Set against the backdrop of an alternate 1930s Tokyo, Bucky is on a mission to track down a powerful artifact, the Tokyo Raider, which has the potential to alter the balance of power in the world.
Correia's rich descriptions bring this alternate history to life. Tokyo is a city buzzing with activity, from its vibrant streets filled with diverse characters to the secretive world of the Grimnoir Society, a group of individuals who possess unique magical abilities known as "Actives." These Actives have varying powers, such as manipulation of gravity, control over fire, and superhuman strength, adding a layer of intrigue and excitement to the narrative.
The story is packed with intense action sequences, each meticulously crafted to highlight the strategic use of magic in combat. Bucky's journey is fraught with danger, as he encounters enemies who are equally skilled and determined to claim the Tokyo Raider for their own nefarious purposes.
What makes "Tokyo Raider" particularly engaging is the blend of historical events and fantastical elements. The story seamlessly weaves together real-world history with the fictional magic system, creating a believable and immersive alternate reality. The characters are well-developed, each with their own motivations and complexities, making the story not just about the action, but also about the personal struggles and growth of its protagonists.
If you enjoy a mix of historical fiction, magic, and action, "Tokyo Raider: A Tale of the Grimnoir Chronicles" is a gripping read that offers a thrilling adventure from start to finish. It’s a testament to Larry Correia’s ability to create compelling worlds and characters that leave a lasting impression.
Very short and somewhat entertaining. I listened to this because I was hoping to learn a little bit more about the magic system in this world of the grimnoir and while it played a part in the story there was not really any history or insight into why and how magic works in this world. It just does. Which was fine for this story because it is all about driving a giant mech to beat up a (very) thinly disguised Godzilla clone Unfortunately that was pretty much the whole story which, while relatively enjoyable for a one hour listen, was disappointing as I don't usually enjoy books (audio or print) about fighting. Not because of the violence but because it is so damn hard to describe this kind of action so that the reader can actually make sense of it. Stories like this work better as film I think. I might still try another of the Grimnoir books in hopes that it is a bit deeper than this.
Its 1954 and the Japanese Imperium is at war with the Soviet Union when, per special request, a young Marine named Joe Sullivan is dispatched to Tokyo on a dangerous mission: The Soviets have begun summoning extremely powerful and virtually indestructible demons to destroy their enemies, and the most powerful yet is headed straight for the Japanese capital. The only defensive weapon at Toru's disposal requires an incredibly strong and skilled Gravity Spiker at the helm - and his old frenemy's son is the Imperium's last hope.
This was great - entertaining and actionpacked as ever, and I really loved getting a little glimpse of what the guys have been up to over the past two decades. Would love to see some more of these in the future.
A great short story from the Grimoire series takes place 20 years after the original, and Jake Sullivan's son is now the main character. The short entry continues the creative mix of fantasy/scifi/30s-50s pulp genres, now including Kaiju/giant robots to the palette. This was supposed to be a full blown novel sequel to the original trilogy, but Larry Correia is just now getting around to writing the 2nd batch. Hopefully, this short will remain in-canon. Recommended
A fun and quick read. Maybe I'm being too harsh, but the main character seemed to start off very prim, proper, and professional at the beginning, and ended up being a bit of a cocky cowboy type in the end. Seemed to be a split personality to me. I haven't read anything else from the Grimnoir Chronicles and only landed on this because it was free on Audible. I'm surprised to see is has a 4+ rating on Goodreads...so what do I know?
A decent short-story follow-up to the Grimnoir trilogy. Unfortunately most of the main characters don't return, but it was an entertaining hour none-the-less. I can't give it 4 or 5 stars because it's too short to really get too excited about, but it's just as well written as the previous books. It's essentially a really good couple of chapters from any of the previous three books in the series.
A great short story, set 20+ years after the events in Warbound. We meet Joe Sullivan son of Jake "Heavy" Sullivan, and while not giving anything away, there is a lot of set up for further stories set in future timeline of the Grimnoir Knights. At just over an hour listening time it was amazing and left me wanting more of the next generation of Grimnoir Chronicles.
Excellent Grim Noir novella (short story?) 2LT Joe Sullivan, liaison officer, goes to help the Japanese Imperium fight against the Soviet Union. This was a great little story and I do love this setting and the magic system from the book series Grim Noir. I would love to read more but will continue to read what Correia puts out. Excellent narration by Bronson Pinchot in the Audible short.
This is a very enticing teaser for an... unannounced, but planned... second trilogy. I would suggest reading the first three novels before reading this, and waiting until just before the next trilogy comes out to read (listening, really) to this.
Kaiju and giant mecha!!! Count me the f**k in! Loved this short novella. I know nothing about this particular book series, but I like the world that it takes place in and the history, I’m definitely interested in learning more.
A fun edition in the Grimnoir Chronicles which takes place in Tokyo and features a Godzilla-like demon and a magicaly propelled giant mech. The juxtaposition of the brusk no-nonsense Joe Sullivan against the backdrop of steampunk noir magic and Japanese culture was quite entertaining.
This is actual a3.5. I think I was disappointed the same characters were not the same as The Orient Elite, but as these are just novellas, it probably fits in the timeline of the novels just fine.
Bronson Pinchot is an amazing narrator. I had not listened to him before now and he is everything the five-star reviews noted. The story was all military and action and science fiction and a great listen. I will be looking for more of this.