The Beast Warrior (The Beast Player, Books 3-4)

by Nahoko Uehashi

Cathy Hirano (Translator)

Ten years have passed since the events of The Beast Player. Elin and Ialu are married, with a young son, living a quiet, peaceful life when one day Elin is called upon to investigate a matter of great urgency: the fearsome Toda are dying and nobody knows why.

As Elin investigates, she uncovers a deadly plot and a brewing invasion. Can she protect her homeland without allowing her beloved beasts to be used as weapons of war, or will she have to compromise her principles to save her family?

• ISBN10: 1250307481
• ISBN13: 9781250307484
• Publish Date: 28 July 2020
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Imprint: Henry Holt & Company
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 448
• Language: English

Reviews

[sa090]

I let a random choice roulette choose the last book needed to complete my yearly book goal for 2020 and it landed on the Beast Warrior, which was a perfect way to mark it as complete.
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I don’t even know where to start with this book, the anime series was completely covered in the first two books and I came into this one not sure what to expect as the story was, to my knowledge, completed. Seemingly it was, but Uehashi Nahoko-sensei decided to give Erin a proper conclusion because some people wanted more and I personally couldn’t be happier after reading this.

I was impressed with the author’s ability to build a world after Seirei no Moribito and Erin’s story just increased that feeling, the way she ties up the legends of her world to the culture and the folklore of her characters is just something beautiful to read about. Since the beginning, she’s been mentioning certain events and how that plays into the Touda and the Royal Beasts, and while she gave bits and pieces into the previous books, she expands in this one a lot more than I expected that she would. By the middle part of book 4 I expected two routes the story could take, I didn’t expect that she would be able to conjoin them while making the plot-lines merge and be satisfying, but I was dead wrong. She managed to give me one of the most satisfying, if not the most satisfying conclusion to a series I have read in a long time.

The reason her series shines so much is because of how she built up the characters, Erin is a given since she’s the main character, but the rest of the cast are not just put on the side without having their own characteristics and thoughts. Moreover, the characters are not stupid, they are not idealistic and they are just trying to survive regardless of social standing. Erin in particular is caught in this political war that she doesn’t even want to be apart of and she’s making due with the consequences of her actions, she is not some untouchable chosen one and she is going to be making some hard decisions that are just out of her control.

I loved that, the lack of plot conveniences that usually follows characters like Erin was insanely refreshing and honestly, admirable. I’m very tired of stories where the plot armor is very thick around the main character, and after the abundance of that in a book I read very recently, this book gave me that in the same quantity I didn’t know that I needed. It didn’t stop there, regardless of who you are in this story, just because you fulfill a certain role doesn’t mean that you get to have your happy ending because of that role. This story is not a happy one, the world is torn apart by war and greed. Uehashi Nahoko-sensei doesn’t shy away from putting that in perspective and making sure that if you’re going to play a part in this book, regardless of what it is, it’s not going to be a one toned thing.

The relationship between human and beast is also fantastic to see, I personally, would never strive to own a pet or anything of the sort (I’m terrible with animals), but I enjoy reading stories about characters who are obsessed with creatures. I think that started with The Memoirs of Lady Trent and it solidified with Erin’s journey with the creatures in this world. The fact that I continue learning more about them, see how she and frankly how others interact with them while they remain a huge plot point in the story is just amazing. Even more so when we go back to the first point I mentioned in this collection of thoughts, about how she ties the legends of her world to what is happening with the characters before merging them perfectly all together in the end.

I have limitless praises for this book, and series by extension. Beautifully written, tackles so many issues and teaches so many things about oneself, about family, about duty and about the balance between all of them. I honestly hope that one day more work by Uehashi Nahoko makes it across to my hands, but for now, I’ll be buying the Japanese versions of her untranslated series and doing it myself. As a beginner learning Japanese (only 14 weeks), I want to be able to read as soon as possible as it’s what made me fluent in English and judging by this story, Japan might have a huge trove of rich fantasies that I need to get my hands on.

[alindstadtcorbeax]

Star Rating: —> 5 Stars

First of all, this is a translated work, originally written in Japanese, and seriously everyone needs to read it! There's great world building, but ultimately it is a VERY, VERY Character based story; I love these characters with all of my heart! Also interesting fact— They made an anime based upon this story! When I remember what its called I will update this lol.

My heart is BROKEN! I am trying to keep the tears in, but it totally isn’t working. The ending was not what I expected, and it may be sad, but in ways, so happy as well. The sadness is the one dominating my heart, at the moment. Can you cry both sad & happy tears at the same time?

My God. What a masterpiece ! Following the events of The Beast Player (link at very bottom), this picks up 20 years after a fateful battle that changed everything. I believe it takes place about 10 (give or take) years after the ending of the first book. It is a beautiful, fantastical tale... filled also with the darkness of war (in so many different ways) & what comes with that.

This novel is very much about a struggle with morality vs reality that arises in Elin as she realizes that as the only one who can tame & ride a royal beast (beautiful Leelan!), she MUST do things she hates herself for—using the Royal Beasts & Toda (I explain these creatures below, but they are both massive beasts reminiscent of something out of a Miyazaki film, or Japanese folklore/mythology) as good as all too willing pawns in the human war if the need should arise (and boy... just you wait!)—because these regal Beasts deserve to thrive on their own, not involved with humans in this way and pitted against one another. Elin knows how very wrong it is to use these creatures in this way & torments her to her core. She knows how very wrong things could end, for a long list of reasons, for everyone if things were to go awry (which is most probable as these beasts are natural enemies in the wild).

Elin is haunted both by thoughts of both action AND inaction... both etched in mass destruction, bloodshed, & death. Even she, herself, could be in danger... because just how much can you trust a wild beast, "tamed," or not, in a bloody battle?
But... these are risks that one must take when action is forced upon you by your Kingdom's ruler, with war looming ever closer.
It is in this sense, that this is quite a cautionary tale as well.

But it is not all dark, despite the underlying plot, and the writing always makes this story feel so very bright and full of light, and so very full of heart. I laughed, I smiled, I cried, I hung on to every word. The bond between Elin & Leelan is absolutely extraordinary. Scenes with the two of them together warmed my heart & left me so very happy.

This is a YA fantasy worthy of so much attention !