It took me a little while to get into this one, but once I did, I really enjoyed it. There are a lot of moving parts, but they all come together well and the narrative is compelling throughout. I thought the characters were multi-faceted and interesting to follow and the way in which their various arcs came to fruition was very satisfying. Overall, I would say that if you are interested in reading an intricately plotted, stand alone novel with good world building and fun characters, you could do a lot worse than this one.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A beautifully written book. Really enjoyed reading this. Thanks to publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read

This was just not for me. And was so different from what I was expecting. The writing style felt weird and I couldn’t tell you the plot of this. I feel as though some people will love it and others will hate it. Sadly I’m on the latter side. But I do think it could make for a great discussion book.

Reviewed by my co-blogger, Petrik Leo, on Novel Notions.

Multi-cultural, diverse characters & superbly character-driven narrative; Steel Crow Saga is a brilliant Asian/anime-inspired fantasy.

As an Asian who loves watching anime and reading mangas and SFF novels, Steel Crow Saga is a novel that felt as if it was written for me. Steel Crow Saga has been published for more than a month now, and I feel like I’ve sinned—Sloth—for postponing reading this book. Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood is one of my favorite anime of all time (seriously, watch the anime if you haven’t) and I also love Pokemon and Avatar: The Last Airbender; these three are the most dominant anime inspirations imbued into Steel Crow Saga. I REALLY would’ve read this book months ago, and I did have the chance to do that because I received the eARC from Gollancz in August. But here’s the thing, the eARC I received was so terribly formatted—it didn’t even include the entire prologue, for one—that I had to give up reading through it 15% in. Thankfully, what I’ve read so far back then was enough to solidify my decision to wait and read the finished copy instead. I’m super pleased that I made this decision; the wait was worth it because this is an amazing Anime/Asian-inspired fantasy book that’s worth reading without any hindrance.

“All the books in the world will never convey the technical realities of a procedure.”


Although Steel Crow Saga is marked as the first book of a series, do know that it is very much a standalone story; there’s no cliffhanger with the main stories whatsoever. The main plot revolves around four main characters: Tala, Jimuro, Xiulan, and Lee. Not only the four main characters have different roles in the story, but they also came from different countries that are deeply inspired by Asian countries in our real world. Tala is a soldier from Sanbu (Phillippines), Jimuro is a prince from Tomoda (Japanese), Xiulan is a detective from Shang (China), and Lee is a thief from Jeongson (Korea). As I mentioned at the beginning of my review, or maybe you’ve heard of it, Steel Crow Saga is enriched by both Anime and Asian inspirations; it makes for a refreshing read for me because incredible Asian-inspired fantasy novels are, in my opinion, relatively harder to find. I think Krueger did an awesome job writing this book; Steel Crow Saga is a book about what happened after the big war, a story about the neverending cycle of hatred caused by it, a story about forgiveness, and it’s a book that has everything readers usually love in their character-driven fantasy read. Do note that it’s better to not expect a fast-paced storyline, as per the case of the majority of character-driven fantasy, Krueger takes his time to progress the main story by making sure the characterizations and personality were on-point first, which he did spectacularly.

“Sanbuna lore had countless monsters, but the worst of them wore a human face.”

I’ve said this countless times before, but character-driven stories are my favorite type of novels to read. I loved that the book is slow-paced; I loved that the author takes his time to prioritize the characterizations foremost, making sure that I care about their journeys, feelings, struggles, and moral dilemmas. The characterizations given to the main characters were nothing short of incredible; it was rewarding to witness the characters’ development, both in attitudes and relationships. Furthermore, there were many passages that I found to be relatable. This one for example:

“He took off his glasses and polished them with the end of his tie. She found it striking, how odd the sight was to her. She knew they were an artificial addition to his face, but that didn’t change the fact that he looked incomplete without them.”

I feel seen through this little snippet; I’ve been wearing glasses for almost the entirety of my life, and I’m not kidding when I say that it has become a part of me and my look. I must say that I’m quite surprised by how few people mentioned Full Metal Alchemist inspiration in their review of this book; the inspirations were everywhere. For example, Tala and Dimangan’s familial relationship reminded me of the Elric brothers in Full Metal Alchemist. Unfortunately, I can’t explain in detail as to why because I don’t want to spoil those who haven’t watched the anime masterpiece, which you really should. Moreover, there’s this obvious nod to the anime that filled me with glee:

“Lieutenant Riza, Special Division,” she said, borrowing the name from her hawk-eyed firing instructor.”

Plus, there’s a city called Hagane in this book. Hagane is “metal” in Japanese, and Full Metal Alchemist in Japan is called Hagane no Renkinjutsushi. Alright, I’m going to stop talking about Full Metal Alchemist inspirations here otherwise I risk expanding this review even longer than it already is; this entire review is just a long way of me saying “yes, read Steel Crow Saga and also watch Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood please.”

The other two dominant anime inspirations that made this book more impressive were Pokemon and Avatar: The Last Airbender. Do you love reading about fantasy books that have animal companions in it? I do. Well, Krueger leveled it up by making these animal companions come in magic form called Shade, and a certain set of people in this book can Shadepact—creating a special bond with these magical animals and making them appear by calling their names, just like how it is in Pokemon. The second magic system is called Metalpact—bending/control metal to their will.

“He was Tomodanese, and with metal in hand his people could work terrible miracles.”

The magic systems were simple, easy to understand, and yet they also made the book, especially its actions, so much more entertaining. As I’ve mentioned before, Steel Crow Saga may be slow-paced and heavy on characterizations, but please don’t misunderstand this statement; there’s still plenty of well-written action sequences to be found in this book. The climax sequences, in particular, were intensely gripping and emotional. Combining the best of both magic and steel, Krueger crafted a concluding battle scene that ended Steel Crow Saga impactfully and satisfyingly.

Before I close this review, I would like to praise Krueger on his Asian-inspiration world-building. Krueger is a Filipino-American author, and I’m not Filipino so I won’t claim to understand all the traditions and culture around it. The people of Dahal, if I’m not mistaken, is based on Indian. As for the other Asian countries’ traditions, languages, foods, and cultures that I’m more familiar with, I have to say that Krueger did a great job of implementing them into his world-building while making sure that this is still a fantasy book. Let’s take a look at this:

“A Tomodanese surname for her was a tricky thing, since the Tomodanese language didn’t have an L sound.”

In our real-world, the Japanese (Tomodanese in this book) language has the same rule applied. If I were to say my surname “Leo,” in Japanese it would be “Reo.” Then for the people of Shang (China), they called their little sister “meimei” (Chinese for little sister) and their big sister “jiejie” (Chinese for big sister. However, the usage of language isn’t the only thing that Krueger included, even the way the characters behave and the clothing the main characters wear respectively were simply on-point. Additionally, the variety of Asian food and beverages such as soju, kimchi, soba, gochujang, mapo tofu, adobo, etc and the way they’re consumed also enhanced the authenticity of the Asian-inspired world-building.

Powerfully fueled by a palpable passion for anime, fantasy and everything Asian, Steel Crow Saga by Paul Krueger is a magnificently entertaining book you don’t want to miss reading. If you’ve been craving for an Asian/anime-inspired fantasy, or maybe character-driven fantasy in general, with on-point characterizations, I don’t see how you’ll go wrong with giving Steel Crow Saga a read.

I have decided to not review this book in light of the recent allegations against the author that have been made public on twitter.

My first thought when reading this was why has it taken me this long to pick it up. Described as Asian folklore, the last Airbender and Pokemon all rolled up in one this story has so many things in it to love. The Shang, Dahali and Sanbuna have risen up against their former conquerors and Tomoda is in Ruins. Some people want it restored to it's former glory where as others would like nothing more than to watch it sink. The fate of these countries is in the hands of four people; A warrior with a task so important she has to put prejudice aside, a Prince who needs to return to his country alive, a Princess who wants nothing more than to become the next Empress and a thief who's not quite sure how she ended up here. Non are aware how intricately their fates are entwined, but it will take them all working together soldier and Prince, Princess and thief to save the world from a threat no one saw coming.

One of the best things about this book was the magic system, it is wholly original, and you can definitely feel the Pokemon and Airbender vibes. Shang and Sanbu have a similar magic system, they are able to bond with animals in an act called 'Shadepacting' The Shades share a part of the persons soul, each knows what the other is thinking, and whilst Tomoda sees this as an affront to nature, classing the Shades as slaves with no power over their actions the Shang and Sanbu know different. Each person can only have one animal Shade and the bond between the two is unbelievably strong. Tomoda has it's own magic system of 'metalwork', they are able to control metal, make guns have near impossible aim, control cars simply through touch etc. The Dahali are a people we see very little of in this book, though it is the first in a series so they might be explored in more detail later on. The Dahali have learned to make themselves faster, stronger and heighten their senses but their best power is the ability to project their own souls into another... makes for one hell of a hangover. The magic systems get brought to life through the story and we get some truly epic battle scenes that just fly off the pages.

This book is hilarious, in a way I really didn't expect it to be, there are plenty of one liners as well as some top notch character interactions. But this book also delves into the aftermath of war, the prejudices that started it and how in the end does anyone come out the victor? We see Tala and Jimuro working together, each knowing that they have either personally or inadvertently caused the loss loved ones and fellow countrymen. Xuilan and Lee also have a slightly tenuous relationship. We see them both come to the realisation that neither is truly evil, they are just both doing what they have to to survive.

The relationships in this book are brilliantly written. We have the ultimate slow burn, enemies-friends-lovers f/m romance as well as a fun and quirky f/f. We get to see people overcoming their prejudices as they have to work with each other and slowly buy surely coming to the knowledge that they not only respect them, but also like them in a romantic sense. Though the romance is between the four main characters it never overshadows the plot in anyway, in fact it adds an extra depth to it that I thoroughly enjoyed.

I have read somewhere that this is the first in a series but it can absolutely be read as a standalone. There is no cliff hanger ending and all the characters arcs are nicely tied up in a bow by the end. That being said I would love another chance to dive back into this fantasy world.

I was really excited for this book as I loved Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge, the author's first book, and I was excited by the diversity and Pokemon comparison that this book was sold on. However, it fell completely and utterly flat for me, and I'm left wondering why. With two bi and one lesbian protagonists, a prominent f/f relationship, plus sundry other important queer characters (including a trans guy who is just wholly accepted), this should have been right up my street, and I think that the queer rep is great, as is the way in which the Asian influences are worked into the worldbuilding. However, where this fell down for me was in the connection to the characters and the plot. I finished the book about 10 minutes ago, and I honestly could not tell you a shred of information about the plot - it's not that nothing happens, it's just that there's no strong thread for any of the characters. I actually would have been fine with this had it meant high-energy, episodic adventures (like the anime the author keeps comparing it to on social media), but it didn't have that either, really - just characters bumbling about until they reached their final positions. I really don't know how anyone developed or what had changed from start to finish. The much-vaunted Pokemon-alikes were barely used, and were mostly the subject of long ethical discussions, which stripped the concept of any fun or joy.

The writing is simultaneously way too detailed and way too vague. I found I got bogged down in long exposition that didn't actually tell me anything about what I needed to know to feel like these characters were real. I never connected to Tala or Jimuro, and while I was, for a while, more interested in Lee's character (a snarky thief), even she fell foul of this weird duality of too much and too little so I never really got to know her beyond that stereotype. Lee spends most of her time with Xiulan, whose dialogue drove me up the wall - her 'thing' is that she's really verbose, which is fine in moderation, but extraordinarily tedious to read over 500 pages of. It made her come across pompous, aloof, and fake, which was compounded by the way she overtly modelled herself on an in-universe fictional character, and commented on it All The Time. Her dialogue had several repetitive catchphrases that got more annoying the more I had to read them (and to be fair, this is true of most of the characters, but I just found hers the most egregious).

Ultimately, I feel the same way about Steel Crow Saga as I did about The Unspoken Name - all the components were there, but it just really, really didn't work for me. I'm glad it's getting a good reception, for the sake of the great diversity, but I just don't get it.

Please note that this book is not for me - I have read the book, However I had to DNF and because i do not like to give negative reviews I will not review this book fully - there is no specific reason for not liking this book. I found it a struggle to read and did not enjoy trying to force myself to read this book.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused and thank you for the opportunity to read this book

Plot: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 5/5

Steel Crow Saga was an Asian-inspired standalone fantasy (also influenced by anime) with intricate world building and a well developed cast of characters that captured my heart. It was truly an unforgettable and worthwhile read.

Many fantasy novels focus on the events leading up to and during a great war but this book was all about the aftermath of a war. The countries Sanbuna, Shang and Dahal had revolted against the colonising power of Tomoda but there was still a long way to go to establish peace.

That’s where our characters came in. Tala, a Sanbuna soldier, was tasked with escorting Prince Jimuro to Tomoda so that he could claim his throne. But a Shang princess and detective called Xiulan and a thief from Jeongson called Lee were trying to find and capture Jimuro so that Xiulan could prove to her father her worthiness to rule. However, all four characters ended up uniting under the same goal to defeat a terrible threat to them all.

I loved this novel’s original approach to magic. The people of Shang and Sanbuna had the ability to Shadepact, creating a soul bond with an animal which can then be called by their name to do a person’s bidding. However, the people of Tomoda could Metalpact which as the name suggests involves manipulating metal. Finally, in Dahal they were able to use Hexbolts which involved firing powerful bolts of energy. These various forms of magic were used creatively, for good and to gain control. For example, the Jeongsanese were not allowed to Shadepact as a means of subjugation.

Tala was haunted by the desperate actions of her past that led her to shadepact with her brother to save his life, gravely defying the laws of magic. Her relationship with her brother portrayed the complex layers of loyalty, hate but most of all love between them emotively. Tala had to help the very person she felt represented the pain and suffering her people had experienced, her worst enemy- Jimuro. But as the story developed she realised a person is more than what they represent and without forgiveness to others and herself there would be no hope for future peace.

Jimuro had one of the best development arcs I’ve ever read and was definitely my favourite character. He gradually understood the damage his country had caused and put aside some of his deepest beliefs to become the ruler not just best for his people, but for all. His relationship with Tala was perfect as they went from enemies to trusted friends (to hopefully more). By learning about and accepting each other they helped bridge a rift carved by years of fighting and hatred.

Although the detective-princess Xiulan was razor-sharp smart, all she really knew about the world was what she had read in books. She was driven by a consuming desire to prove her right to power, especially to her siblings who had always put her down. Her journey was one of acknowledging her own talents as well as weaknesses and learning how to use them for the good of her people. Lee was used to leaving people behind before they left her and she had to overcome her deep-seated suspicion of people to form a connection with Xiulan. Their relationship was dynamic and endearing but they also had to deal with issues surrounding trust that remained unresolved at the end.

I loved the intricate world building that fully immersed me in the differing cultures, customs, foods, etiquettes, beliefs and lifestyles of the various places. Furthermore, the harmony it achieved between magic and technology was unparalleled. At its core, this book was about the importance of overcoming differences and not allowing past traumas to fester in order to achieve peace. It was about the importance of the coloniser accepting responsibility and the advent of change through decolonisation.

For a fantasy, every aspect of Steel Crow Saga felt so real from the many layered characters to the detailed world. I don’t re-read novels often, but I’m very sure I’ll have to re-read this one soon. It’s a book I feel like I could get lost in a thousand times and always discover something new.

It took me a little while to get into this book but after a few chapters I settled into the flow of the story. This is a character driven fantasy story and I thought that all of the characters were well written, although I struggled a little to become fully invested in their stories. There is plenty of action and intrigue within the 528 pages. Overall I enjoyed this one, but not as much as I hoped I would. If you enjoy character driven fantasy, I would recommend checking this one out.

With unusual and extraordinary characterisation this book seemed to be filled with a mix of many cultures and times. That said it was a fast paced and enjoyable read.

I haven't read a book by Paul Krueger before this but if this book, which he claims is something that he wrote truly only for himself, is anything to go by - I will definitely be picking up more of his works before long. Steel Crow Saga was a pleasant surprise really - a breath of fresh air, inventive originality at play spinning together a tour-de-force of magic and wonder in a world, influenced by the oriental cultures. It's an epic tale of different cultures clashing, of identities forged and reforged, political intrigue mired in action and subterfuge all fronted by four vivid and really memorable characters, each a force to reckon with. I totally loved it and definitely would recommend this one to readers, looking for something new and wholly enjoyable.

The story is set in the warring world of four different cultures - With our story starting at the end of a disastrous war between these cultures leaving their world burnt, men reeling and levels of tension very high. There is the Shang, ruled by an autocratic emperor known as the Crane Emperor who have tied up with their neighbours Sanbuna to overthrow the tyrannical invasion by the Tomodonese. The Sanbuna is a predominantly militant culture, distinguished by their citizen/soldiers' abilities to 'shade pact' - a practice where an individual is able to connect their soul to an animal's. Almost like Phillip Pullman's Subtle Knife series but these 'shades' are massive versions of the real life animal with fearsome fighting abilities. Led by General Erega, who's set herself up to rule this republic but is widely considered to be a great human being and a leader who inspires loyalty and courage. Even the Shang can 'shadepact' with their minds, choosing to 'militarise' their shades. The Tomodonese invasion was basically to strip out metal from the veins of rich ores in the Sanbuna regions as these folks have the unique ability to 'metal-pact', using their minds to forge and connect to steel. Their engineering capabilities thus, are highly advanced, including the introduction of concepts like 'driverless' cars in their cities. The fourth partner in this complex interplay are the Dahali, a predominantly mercenary culture that believes in commerce. Their magic is their ability to use their minds, creating weapons like 'hex-bolts' out of thin air, used like laser-guns.

Now the sprawling narrative begins with the introduction of the detective duo - Lee Quon-Jee, a Jeongsoneese thief and Xiulan Shang, a princess and heir to the Shang throne, albeit twenty-eighth in line. This first scene unfolds pretty dramatically and that sets the tone for the whole book. Lee, is a minority caste within Shang shunned and avoided by the rest of the Shang. But she doesn't care about the insults as she's grown immune to, her whole life. Unfortunately, looks like her luck has finally run out, been caught by the governor of the district where she pulled her last job and now she has been sentenced to die by hanging. But she is saved just in the nick of time by Xiulan, who reveals the undercover plot set in place by the Li-Quan (A sort of secret police) to capture the corrupt Governor himself. But as Xiulan reveals, this is the beginning of their partnership for the long haul. The game afoot is much bigger - the capture of the Prince and Heir to the Tomodonese throne, Jimuro.

Meanwhile Jimuro is being safely transported by the Sanbuna soldiers, under the care of Sergeant Tala who is the trusted confidante of their leader General Erega. Tala is always angry, seething at the hurt meted by the TOmodonese during their initial years of invasion that killed off her entire family. So she doesn't warm up to the spoilt brat that Prince Jimuro appears to be. Jimuro on his part, is still coming to terms with the fact that one day he may have to become the Steel Lord himself, ruling an entire nation responsible for their well being.

All their mutual hatred though has to be kept at bay - when a mad man, who has bonded himself to multiple shades, a dreaded 'splintersoul' and thus an abomination in all cultures, savagely attacks the ship and kills off Tala's entire crew. The soldier and her captive prince is now on the run - heading to a guarded safe house deep within the Tomodonese territory. Deep behind enemy lines, hunted by a powerful abomination, saddled with the heir to the throne who is crucial to all the peace talks being heralded by her General - Tala has definitely had better days.

The pacing of this novel is phenomenal. Paul is a master craft in plotting - bringing the several threads together, entwining to separate out later and then coming together in an explosive climax. His characters are brimming with life, well rounded, each with their own compelling backstories, going through effective development arcs changing their motivations and beliefs. They are all challenged, pushed to the edge and their evolution seems organic, critical to the overall storyline.

There is scathing humour in most scenes, sharp enough to cut and sting - truly the interactions between the detectives Xiulan and Lee is really enjoyable. Lee's crass no-nonsense cynical self is a great foil to the deeply empathetic, vulnerable mind of the clever princess. Xiulan is a bookish dreamer, forging her reactions based on the situations faced by her favourite fictional detective ( clearly a nod to Sherlock Holmes! There's even reference to his nemesis Professor Moriarty and the waterfall scenes before the Adventure of the Empty House!) Jimuro starts off as naive and arrogant, slowly going through the paces till he understands the depth of the horror inflicted by his countrymen's invasion and vows to make good on a meaningful apology. Tala is angry, simmering with hurt at the loss throughout her life of her family and comrades but her relationship with Jimuro gives her a delicate perspective on her own life and antics as a solider. Forcing her to question her own motivations to mete out violence.

The best part of Paul's writing comes alive in his ability to illuminate the cultural nuances between the Tomodonese or the Shang. Like their preferences for food, their affinity to magic and their reverence or loathing to the differences in the magical abilities. In fact the whole novel is deeply characterised by this discerning ability of Paul to shine light on the micro and macro aspects of cultural identity. My only element of complaint, would perhaps be that towards the latter half of the book, Xiulan's and Lee's characters fade in to the background and the conflicts riding Tala or Jimuro take centre stage. I had quite enjoyed them, especially the snarky Lee and didn't want her chapters to end. In the beginning, there was little to distinguish between the Shang or Sanbuna cultures and I frequently got a bit confused. But with persistence, this fog cleared up of course. The larger plot line of the mad splinter soul is a comparatively weaker conflict compared to the individual story arcs of each of the main characters but I didn't really see any other resolution.

Overall, Paul's Steel Crow Saga is a fabulous read set in a richly detailed world, focused on Asian cultures, brimming with joyousness and hope, a beacon of light in this world of fantasy works tilting mostly to grim dark. This one reads like a standalone but I really hope there are more works in this stunning world that Paul has painstakingly drawn up. One of the best books, I daresay in this year that's been full of great books.

ARC provided by the publisher—Gollancz—in exchange for an honest review.

4.5/5 stars

Multi-cultural, diverse characters & superbly character-driven narrative; Steel Crow Saga is a brilliant Asian/anime-inspired fantasy.

As an Asian who loves watching anime and reading mangas and SFF novels, Steel Crow Saga is a novel that felt as if it was written for me. Steel Crow Saga has been published for more than a month now, and I feel like I’ve sinned—Sloth—for postponing reading this book. Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood is one of my favorite anime of all time (seriously, watch the anime if you haven’t) and I also love Pokemon and Avatar: The Last Airbender; these three are the most dominant anime inspirations imbued into Steel Crow Saga. I REALLY would’ve read this book months ago, and I did have the chance to do that because I received the eARC from Gollancz in August. But here’s the thing, the eARC I received was so terribly formatted—it didn’t even include the entire prologue, for one—that I had to give up reading through it 15% in. Thankfully, what I’ve read so far back then was enough to solidify my decision to wait and read the finished copy instead. I’m super pleased that I made this decision; the wait was worth it because this is an amazing Anime/Asian-inspired fantasy book that’s worth reading without any hindrance.

“All the books in the world will never convey the technical realities of a procedure.”


Although Steel Crow Saga is marked as the first book of a series, do know that it is very much a standalone story; there’s no cliffhanger with the main stories whatsoever. The main plot revolves around four main characters: Tala, Jimuro, Xiulan, and Lee. Not only the four main characters have different roles in the story, but they also came from different countries that are deeply inspired by Asian countries in our real world. Tala is a soldier from Sanbu (Phillippines), Jimuro is a prince from Tomoda (Japanese), Xiulan is a detective from Shang (China), and Lee is a thief from Jeongson (Korea). As I mentioned at the beginning of my review, or maybe you’ve heard of it, Steel Crow Saga is enriched by both Anime and Asian inspirations; it makes for a refreshing read for me because incredible Asian-inspired fantasy novels are, in my opinion, relatively harder to find. I think Krueger did an awesome job writing this book; Steel Crow Saga is a book about what happened after the big war, a story about the neverending cycle of hatred caused by it, a story about forgiveness, and it’s a book that has everything readers usually love in their character-driven fantasy read. Do note that it’s better to not expect a fast-paced storyline, as per the case of the majority of character-driven fantasy, Krueger takes his time to progress the main story by making sure the characterizations and personality were on-point first, which he did spectacularly.

“Sanbuna lore had countless monsters, but the worst of them wore a human face.”


I’ve said this countless times before, but character-driven stories are my favorite type of novels to read. I loved that the book is slow-paced; I loved that the author takes his time to prioritize the characterizations foremost, making sure that I care about their journeys, feelings, struggles, and moral dilemmas. The characterizations given to the main characters were nothing short of incredible; it was rewarding to witness the characters’ development, both in attitudes and relationships. Furthermore, there were many passages that I found to be relatable. This one for example:

“He took off his glasses and polished them with the end of his tie. She found it striking, how odd the sight was to her. She knew they were an artificial addition to his face, but that didn’t change the fact that he looked incomplete without them.”


I feel seen through this little snippet; I’ve been wearing glasses for almost the entirety of my life, and I’m not kidding when I say that it has become a part of me and my look. I must say that I’m quite surprised by how few people mentioned Full Metal Alchemist inspiration in their review of this book; the inspirations were everywhere. For example, Tala and Dimangan's familial relationship reminded me of the Elric brothers in Full Metal Alchemist. Unfortunately, I can’t explain in detail as to why because I don’t want to spoil those who haven’t watched the anime masterpiece, which you really should. Moreover, there’s this obvious nod to the anime that filled me with glee:

“Lieutenant Riza, Special Division,” she said, borrowing the name from her hawk-eyed firing instructor.”


Picture: Riza Hawkeye from Full Metal Alchemist



Plus, there’s a city called Hagane in this book. Hagane is “metal” in Japanese, and Full Metal Alchemist in Japan is called Hagane no Renkinjutsushi. Alright, I’m going to stop talking about Full Metal Alchemist inspirations here otherwise I risk expanding this review even longer than it already is; this entire review is just a long way of me saying “yes, read Steel Crow Saga and also watch Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood please.”

The other two dominant anime inspirations that made this book more impressive were Pokemon and Avatar: The Last Airbender. Do you love reading about fantasy books that have animal companions in it? I do. Well, Krueger leveled it up by making these animal companions come in magic form called Shade, and a certain set of people in this book can Shadepact—creating a special bond with these magical animals and making them appear by calling their names, just like how it is in Pokemon. The second magic system is called Metalpact—bending/control metal to their will.

“He was Tomodanese, and with metal in hand his people could work terrible miracles.”


The magic systems were simple, easy to understand, and yet they also made the book, especially its actions, so much more entertaining. As I’ve mentioned before, Steel Crow Saga may be slow-paced and heavy on characterizations, but please don’t misunderstand this statement; there’s still plenty of well-written action sequences to be found in this book. The climax sequences, in particular, were intensely gripping and emotional. Combining the best of both magic and steel, Krueger crafted a concluding battle scene that ended Steel Crow Saga impactfully and satisfyingly.

Before I close this review, I would like to praise Krueger on his Asian-inspiration world-building. Krueger is a Filipino-American author, and I’m not Filipino so I won’t claim to understand all the traditions and culture around it. The people of Dahal, if I’m not mistaken, is based on Indian. As for the other Asian countries’ traditions, languages, foods, and cultures that I’m more familiar with, I have to say that Krueger did a great job of implementing them into his world-building while making sure that this is still a fantasy book. Let’s take a look at this:

“A Tomodanese surname for her was a tricky thing, since the Tomodanese language didn’t have an L sound.”


In our real-world, the Japanese (Tomodanese in this book) language has the same rule applied. If I were to say my surname “Leo,” in Japanese it would be “Reo.” Then for the people of Shang (China), they called their little sister “meimei” (Chinese for little sister) and their big sister “jiejie” (Chinese for big sister. However, the usage of language isn’t the only thing that Krueger included, even the way the characters behave and the clothing the main characters wear respectively were simply on-point. Additionally, the variety of Asian food and beverages such as soju, kimchi, soba, gochujang, mapo tofu, adobo, etc and the way they’re consumed also enhanced the authenticity of the Asian-inspired world-building.

Powerfully fueled by a palpable passion for anime, fantasy and everything Asian, Steel Crow Saga by Paul Krueger is a magnificently entertaining book you don’t want to miss reading. If you’ve been craving for an Asian/anime-inspired fantasy, or maybe character-driven fantasy in general, with on-point characterizations, I don’t see how you’ll go wrong with giving Steel Crow Saga a read.

Sidenote:
Both the US & UK editions—especially the US edition that’s illustrated by Chun Lo—has gorgeous cover art; I’m going to procure myself a physical copy as soon as I’m able.

You can order the book from: Book Depository (Free shipping)

You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions

I was eager to read Steel Crow Saga as soon as I read the synopsis so I was delighted to get the opportunity to grab it from here. While I loved the premise, I’m sad to say I didn’t get on with the book. I really wanted to love it, but I found it really slow going. I couldn’t connect with the characters which made it more difficult to stay engaged. And the format of the file actually hinders reading because the text runs together quite a lot. The writing is good, and the idea great, but for me, it didn’t work.

I read Steel Crow Saga about a month ago, but was unsure how to rate it. I really loved everything I read: from the world-building, which is a mixture of Pokémon and Avatar: the last Airbender, to the diverse cast of characters. But the thing is, I wasn't able to read more than 30% of the whole book, because my eARC was so badly formatted. I just couldn't concentrate on the plot and the more I read, the more I found myself wishing to just finish the book and get over with it, which was utterly unfair to the story of Steel Crow Saga itself, which was good. So my review is this: I enjoyed the first 100 or so pages of Steel Crow Saga; they were carefully plotted, full of humour and interesting characters and super fun world-building. But since I couldn't finish reading it, I don't feel comfortable giving a higher rating.

Well, this was mind-blowingly good 🙂 500+ pages of extraordinary characters, non-stop action and intrigue. These are the kind of books readers want to crack open – filled with rich cultures, a bit of (supposedly) anime-like magic, with a good helping of political history and intrigue to keep the conflict interesting! I am not a fan of anime myself but many reviews mention anime so I will take their word on it… The whole experience, indeed, felt rather enchanted!

Steel Crow Saga doesn’t slow down in pace, doesn’t make you sit through intense episodes of infodumps, doesn’t bore with dull characters. I mean, did you read the blurb? Sounds good, right? And it is! It’s a proper entertaining book; one filled with above-mentioned cultures of rich detail and bloody history. Animal familiars and epic fight scenes.

So, what is it really about? It’s about the usual ‘chafing’ in between countries and cultures and races. It’s about past crimes bleeding into present day… I can relate to that, every country can relate to that- their people being oppressed by another country for the sake of land and riches is something that will carry and echo through generations. At some point, however, the hate will have to turn into forgiveness. Or we’ll all end up blind, if you get my gist. It is such that 4 characters who by the preset norm should hate each other, end up coming together to defeat a common evil.

But the book is not just this big mission of setting aside cultural differences and beliefs for a better future.. there is more to the story than an adventurous journey from A to B, there’s the character development towards becoming – (I can’t believe I’m saying this!) – woke, that adds an extra layer of conflict and internal battles. It’s wonderful! The way Krueger has pulled all of what and who is interesting together and made each element bounce off each other in perfect harmony. It must have been complex to write about maneuvering the future of peoples whilst each character has their own ambitions and own hearts to take care of at the same time. It must have been difficult to write, but it pays off. Reading it is simply an enjoyment!

Steel Crow Saga will plate up relationships aplenty! F/f and m/f, incredible bonds in between human and animal by shadepacting, whilst putting to the test matters of loyalty and questioning authority. There’s a bit of magic involved in this story anyway, but the magic you feel as a reader- you’re just in tune with the story. When the fight scenes come to life in front of your eyes? Winning! When there’s heart and humour and grumpiness and character? Winning! When there’s a new, rich world opening up to you? Winning!

With this first instalment, a great job has been done with completely shaking the pieces off the chessboard to realign the status quo. One can only wonder and wait for the next stage for our lovable characters!

You might want to sit down for this book, because it’s one hell of a rollercoaster: four main characters, countless twisting plot-lines, a whole new magical world to explore and one huge dollop of sexual tension on top. Whew!

Seriously, though. I was super excited when this book arrived in the post, and for good reason: it’s completely gorgeous, and I’d already been hearing a lot of buzz about it. I’m so happy it lived up to that buzz- and here is why.

It’s a whole new world…

I loved the Asian-inspired fantasy world that Krueger has constructed here. It feels almost steampunk in its vibe, but there are also complex political nuances at play that elevates it into a really massive, sprawling, enjoyable read. We’re entering this world just after a devastating war between Shang, Sanbuna and Dahal, who have overthrown their coloniser, Tomoda. Now, the ruined prince of Tomoda is being delivered back to his homeland to cement the peace, but various parties are on the hunt for him, for their own reasons.

This feels like a world that you could write a whole series about. The magic felt fresh and original- I particularly liked the idea of shadepacting, where humans can bond with various animals, daemon style- and metalpacting, which allows people (particularly the Tomodanese) to control metal.

Help! Too many cool characters!

Undoubtedly the strongest part of this book, though, is the characters. There are so many cool people to root for, and Krueger takes his time to flesh them all out and give them their own time to shine. I can definitely see Lee, the devil-may-care thief, becoming a fan favourite, and her charged partnership with overlooked Shang princess Xiulan is so much fun to read. What could have been a gratuitous LGBT pairing, though, is so much more: we get to dive under these peoples’ skins and see what makes them tick, and what their vulnerabilities are.

I think my favourite character, though, has to be the aforementioned Tomodanese prince, Jimuro. His transformation from a sulky, arrogant boy into somebody who could conceivably be a king- thanks to a lot of help and a very fractious relationship with Tala, the soldier tasked with guarding him- pays off a hundred times. The way the book flips from flippant and funny to heartbreakingly sad is impressive: this is, after all, a book about the cost of war, and Krueger makes sure that we never forget it.

A sprawling plot

With so many characters and so many different motivations to juggle, you might think that the book would get a bit bogged down. But I’m happy to tell you that’s not the case at all: the pages zip by as we jump from one crisis to another. The end result was that I was pretty much hooked from start to finish!

To sum things up? Steel Crow Saga is everything a good fantasy book should be: big, bold, exciting and heartbreaking. It’s also compulsively readable, and I’m already looking forward to the next instalment. Good job!

What did you think about Steel Crow Saga? Did you enjoy it? Are you planning on reading it? Leave a comment and let’s get chatting!

This book had such a great premise. Unfortunately, I just did not like the writing. It didn't seem to flow. For me, it consisted of dialogue and disjointed descriptions. So this one was just not for me.

Absolutely loved this one. Really enjoyed Paul's first book, but I enjoyed this one even more. Love the world and the characters. Really enjoy a book written in multiple perspectives and this was one of those. And the perspective came together beautifully. It could have been a bit shorter, but I still really loved it.

This is by far my favourite debut novel I’ve read this year, and definitely in the running for favourite novel this year. The setting, the worldbuilding, the characterisation, the writing, everything is wonderful. My only complaint would be that it was quite long, and I feel some tough editing would have cut the page number down a smidge and made it more manageable, however I loved the book overall.