Steel Crow Saga, Paul Krueger
Steel Crow Saga, Paul Krueger
List: $22.50 | Sale: $15.75
Club: $11.25

Steel Crow Saga

Author: Paul Krueger

Narrator: Kim Mai Guest

Unabridged: 23 hr 20 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/24/2019


Synopsis

Four destinies collide in a unique fantasy world of war and wonders, where empire is won with enchanted steel and magical animal companions fight alongside their masters in battle.

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR • Tordotcom • Kirkus Reviews 

A soldier with a curse
Tala lost her family to the empress’s army and has spent her life avenging them in battle. But the empress’s crimes don’t haunt her half as much as the crimes Tala has committed against the laws of magic . . . and against her own flesh and blood. 

A prince with a debt
Jimuro has inherited the ashes of an empire. Now that the revolution has brought down his kingdom, he must depend on Tala to bring him home safe. But it was his army who murdered her family. Now Tala will be his redemption—or his downfall. 

A detective with a grudge
Xiulan is an eccentric, pipe-smoking detective who can solve any mystery—but the biggest mystery of all is her true identity. She’s a princess in disguise, and she plans to secure her throne by presenting her father with the ultimate prize: the world’s most wanted prince.

A thief with a broken heart
Lee is a small-time criminal who lives by only one law: Leave them before they leave you. But when Princess Xiulan asks her to be her partner in crime—and offers her a magical animal companion as a reward—she can’t say no, and she soon finds she doesn’t want to leave the princess behind.

This band of rogues and royals should all be enemies, but they unite for a common purpose: to defeat an unstoppable killer who defies the laws of magic. In this battle, they will forge unexpected bonds of friendship and love that will change their lives—and begin to change the world.


About Paul Krueger

Paul Krueger is a Filipino-American author. His first novel was the urban fantasy Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge, followed by the critically acclaimed stand-alone fantasy Steel Crow Saga. A lapsed Chicagoan, he may now be found literally herding cats in Los Angeles.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Petrik on April 25, 2020

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......more

Goodreads review by jessica on September 07, 2019

pierce brown tweeted about this book, and his word is law as far as i am concerned, so i went and tracked down a copy as fast as i could. and you should, too! many reviews are saying this story is pokemon meets avatar: the last airbender. and as i read this, i could sort of see where they got that id......more

Goodreads review by Melanie on August 25, 2019

ARC given to me by my amazingly kind friend - Kate! I adored this! <3 Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Youtube | Twitch Buddy read with Alexa! ❤......more

Goodreads review by Thomas on June 20, 2020

EDIT 6.20.2020: Hi all, unfortunately I have to retract my support of this book because several women have come forward on Twitter stating that he is a serial harasser. I believe these women. I don't have much more to say so for a more eloquent and thorough statement please see Sahlea's statement. Or......more

Goodreads review by Carrie on September 21, 2021

Steel Crow Saga by Paul Krueger is a standalone young adult epic fantasy. And of course my review is going to come with yet another warning label that this is probably a case of the old saying of it’s not you, it’s me as I do seem to be in the minority on this one yet again. So Steel Crow Saga is a m......more


Quotes

“A heady look at postcolonial emotions, Asian cultures, and anime influences . . . a well-built magical world of warring factions.”Library Journal (starred review)

“With a well-realized world and strong characters, many of whom are queer, Krueger's novel will feel as fast-paced and exciting as its animated influences and leave the reader longing for more. Highly recommended for any fantasy fan.”Booklist (starred review)

“A post-colonial fantasy draws on Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and Filipino cultures for a multinational tale of political intrigue. . . . This Asian-influenced sociopolitical drama explores the complications that ensue after the war, when no one's hands are clean. Characters face the consequences of the choices they made during the conflict and consider whether it's possible to rise above deeply ingrained prejudices and forge alliances with former enemies. Such grave matters are leavened by amusing banter, solid action, and two charming nascent romances of opposites. As tasty as the mushroom adobo that appears in the book both as food and metaphor.”Kirkus Reviews (starred review) 
 
“Starts with a bang and never slows down . . . Think Pokémon meets The Golden Compass, with plenty of original and frightening twists along the way. . . . Krueger deftly gives each character their own point of view without losing sight of the novel’s central theme: We’re stronger together than we are alone.”BookPage