Why “The Sword of Kaigen” Is a Masterpiece | 2 To Ramble
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- Опубликовано: 27 июл 2024
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Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
3:04 - Spoiler-free
9:50 - SPOILERS
10:04 - Misaki
20:52 - Takeru
40:53 - Mamoru
49:52 - Hiroshi
54:14 - Takashi & Sesuka
55:47 - Sesuka & Hyori
1:02:15 - Worldbuilding
1:08:04 - Plot
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"You have dimples."
"Yeah, I got them from you."
Took me tf OUT. There are so many moments from this book that live rent free in my head and will for the rest of my life.
Misaki is a character that - *three years later* - is still one of the most raw, real and emotionally impactful characters I have ever come across in, not only self-published fantasy, but fantasy literature. A bold claim I know, but I still stand by my claim. And I've read a lot of fantasy since.
You guys are the reason that I read Sword of Kaigen and it’s one of my favorite books now. Thank you guys for the great recommendations !
🙏🙏
This book arrived from Amazon literally this morning before you posted. What timing ! I’m hyped
Grateful I stumbled across y’all’s channel. I’ve gotten into so many different series because of your reviews. Keep doing what you’re doing!
Thank you!!
Edit: added an extra exclamation mark just cuz
For the record. I watched the ACOTAR video all the way through because I will never read that book. It was entertaining.
These are my favorite videos though. I haven’t read the book. But you convinced me that I should , so I will. I have to stop at spoiler free, and I will come back to finish it out.
Hope you love it as much as us 🙏
It was a well done video and THANK GOD I found someone with whom I agree with the pure “what? Why?” Of ACOTAR (wife asked me to read it)
Just finished the book. I think the second to last chapter wouldve made such a good ending. The last line: "As long as she walked the Duna, no one could forget what happened on the Sword of Kaigen." Im so frustrated that last chapter exists 😂
Gah! when you guys talk about these amazing characters, I start crying again.
Austin picked the best quotes to stab me right in the feels and twist the knife.
Just started to read again sfter about a year, started with Project Hail Mary and now Dune, and you guys always encourage me to read more! Love this channel and the way you guys contrast in personality and bounce off of each other always makes for an entertaining watch.
Thanks a bunch kenny 🙏
18:13 the feels! This book is one of my all-time favorites and Misaki is a character I'll never forget. The emotional depth of this story is a gut-punch I'll never recover from.
I'm here for more M. L. Wang gush. I adore "The Sword of Kaigen". So exited for you to try M. L. Wang's new standalone, soon to be traditionaly published "Blood Over Bright Haven". It is a different project, Dark Academia Fantasy, quite outside the author's comfort zone.
Although I'm not an avid reader, I must acknowledge that the level of Sword Kaigen is quite high.
Mamoru is my favorite character
Haven't watched the video yet, but love that you boys have grown to love this book more and more since your first review. I think its got to be my top 1.
Hell yea. It is peak
Finished the book today. It was great. Not misty eyes or crying but the topics presented were very heavy and very well done.
Takashi wifes name was Setsuko.
This book is so damn good! Love the review guys keep em coming!
Thank you!
I'm 100% going to come back and watch this video but I'm too scared you're going to hype me up too much and the book is doomed by expectations before I read it 😂... alright I'll watch 20 minutes...
That is 100% the case.
I went into it blind other than hearing that it was really good. It’s top ten for me definitely
This book was a great book!! 😊 thanks for the review!! 😊
I love watching reviews where I disagree with the reviewers. I love your podcast. Keep it up.
Thankyou!!
Double dipping would make a great series! It’s interesting to see if your views changed or cemented since the last vid. It makes great contrast and negates recency bias.
I like how u guys figured out how to have Richard introduce himself haha
Bought this book based on the first couple minutes of this video! Its now a top 5 for me! Amazing!
So glad you gave it a shot and loved it!!!
Such a great book!
Also there's gonna be a Kickstarter later this year for a special edition hardcover so I'm hyped for that!
Oo hell yea
Wasn't that last year? Or will there be another one? The only one i found is already closed😭
Just watched your Silmarillion video, and I was so happy. I thought I was the only one in Virginia who has read it.
Just finished the book. 100% agree that it's great. Surprised this book is meant to be a stand alone, as there is a MASSIVE sequel hook laid out in the final chapter.
I really enjoyed this book when I read it last year. So much so, that I am looking into Blood over Bright Haven by ML Wang.
Would you consider doing a video of your top 10 books of all time? I’m enjoying your videos 👍
We may but it doesnt interest us too much ch at the moment unless theres a way we can present it that we feel we’re adding some sort of flavor to it
Laying in an incredibly small room in Tokyo infested with bugs watching this and STILL the worst part of my day is your Lightbringer series in disorder
I clicked on this video the day it was uploaded and got like 2 minutes in before pausing and acquiring this book. In the time since then I got laid off from my job, broke up with my girlfriend, moved, and just now finished the book and immediately returned to this video. What a good god damn read. Spoiler point below.
Ironically enough before mamoru died I found myself wishing the Misaki was the main character instead. I got teary eyed when my wish was granted. So beautifully done.
So glad you gave this a read and loved it, wishing success and the best with new job/location and all life changes. Thats got to be hard - love that this book landed for you despite real life happening and allowed you to escape. It definitely did for us, too
Yes! Yes! this book! This book hit me in the feels so hard and is so beautifully written. It is really the one where I have to take three deep breathes before responding to anyone saying something bad about it. I already felt this in the first chapters. I was stunned how well Wang introduces us to everyone in the household through showing (not telling) very mundane every day events.
The character work is sublime, the world building is very interesting and subversive to themes such as inequalities (where there's a nation full of black-skinned people that kind of do the America thing, telling everyone who's good or bad in exchange for weapons and military support and the most pushed around race is a bunch of fragile white people living in a colonized part of the world). The plotting is wonderful and it is equally a story about the world, the village and Misaki. Extremely mulit-layered.
oh...And I'll die on the hill of the ending being perfect.
You guys are the NFR podcast of booktube
Hey guys! Love the podcast ❤
Would yall maybe do a beginners guide on what to read in fantasy and scifi? Where to start? bc my brain isn't prepared for some of these series.
I appreciate what yall said in the other SoK video, warning about its uniqueness and maintaining our expectations. I might have jumped right in and potentially ruined it for myself.
I'm still pretty new to fantasy and scifi, I've read The Legends of the First Empire series, the Red Rising trilogy, Projecr Hail Mary, some Blake Crouch novels and of course a lot of really shitty romance and romantasy books. I'm intimidated to start some of these amazing series yall talk about bc I'm afraid it might be too much for my wee little brain.
Also I can't wait for more ACOTAR content, I loved hearing yalls opinions, yall had me dying 😂
Great idea - we will put it on our list and see if we can brew something helpful/interesting! No promises on when because we dont want to disappoint but will make this kind of video for sure
@2ToRamble 'preciate guys! No pressure, maybe mention whether a book is beginner friendly or for more advanced readers until then?
Yall have a great weekend 🫶
@@amyhardwick8153 Great idea!!
Hey guys love your podcast!! Could you tell me where y’all got the Cosmere figures at?
We got them from a kickstarter Dragonsteel had a while back
Definitely buying it now. Can you do The Name of the wind next.
Not next but we will do it!
Do you have a video on top stand alone books? I’m looking for more!
We dont yet!
It’s hilarious because I love this book but also the last chapter is so perfect to me
I'm two thirds through the book, but it's so well written
I'll definitely come back to watch after I read the book! I am curious though: You mentioned that your Rambler Ratings had increased, so what are they now?
We adjusted how we do the rambler rating a bit - will update in future episodes!
@@2ToRamble Oh my! Richard, Hairless of Ramble and Captain Austin Hairblessed changed their rating system. Unthinkable! Can't wait to learn more!
I LOVE THIS BOOK 5/5
🙏🙏
Even though you guys didn't come out and say it, I agree with you that dropping a 5 star rating by a half-point (a 10% drop) because a tiny fraction of it felt out of place (the last chapter) is not right.
You guys have a great channel, by the way, and I'm really looking forward to hearing both of your thoughts on Wall of Storms (if you ever decide to get back to the Dandelion Dynasty). You honestly do not understand what you're missing. You simply don't.
We will get to that book for sure! Thank you for the push
Half way through this book rn and it’s the single best book I’ve ever read. After every chapter I just take a break to appreciate how perfect it was.
🤌
1:02:48 You guys should read the Kyoshi novels by F.C Yee.
Two goats!
You guys need to read her new book blood over bright haven!!
My biggest problem with this book is that it will never get a sequel. I would love at least four more, please.
I (austin) personally love it as a standalone but get exactly what you mean - its so amazing you want more. But in a way that makes the story sit in my head so perfectly
I thought this book was fine. The descriptions in the book were really solid, but overall, its definitely not one I want to re-read. That is unless she makes more in the series that continues after that last chapter, but to me it left a weird taste in my mouth and brought my rating down a bit. I thought it was okay, but Im surprised so many people think of this so highly.
Link the review next time you reference a previous video. Will get more traction.
Would u guys be interested in reviewing Light novels? If so, I would recommend Shadow Slave and The Beginning After The End
Not too familiar with light novels - what defines a light novel?
Read this a few months ago and it’s definitely one of my favorite books now. Loved it.
I think the stuff with Robin is kind of just an Easter egg kind of thing. The first Theonite books(there’s only 2) follow Robin and his son when they are older. I’ve never heard anything about them, but their names are mentioned in the synopsis’.
Wow was this a miss for me though a coming of middle age story about a woman overcoming regrets and the patriarchy is so not in my wheelhouse that I should've investigated more before reading. My biggest gripe is this book has zero prose, the only quote that I thought was clever was the whispering blade one you mentioned but I've never read a book that was so plainly written. It made me feel like a snob for wanting some complexity or subtlety to the writing vs her literal style. I've recently read Lightbringer, Best Served Cold, and Small Gods and was constantly appreciating the wordsmithing of the authors. Zero humor as well despite what I think were comedic attempts from the kids but they just came off as baby yoda like attempts of cuteness. I admiit I'm in the minority though but to me this was the most overhyped book I've ever read.
Are you guys ever going to do shadow rising review?
It’s recorded, a very long episode - just have to edit and schedule upload
This book was so amazing! I can barely believe i was crying at 2 am for Mamoru and still loved it! Thanks for the recommendation, i’ll probably pick up blood over bright haven soon
So glad you loved it!!
Do youguys plan on making an ASOIAF review?
Not in the near-term, but can definitely see it one day
Love your channel pleas do a review of the stat wars series andor
We are a bit Star-Wars’d out, but have heard amazing things about Andor
READ. THIS. BOOK.
Retweet ♻️
“Peak Darrow” doesn’t really make sense. Obviously some books in the series are worse than others as a whole, but darrows character is just his character. Like when you look at his character you should look at the writing and enjoyment as a whole. Not just at the peaks of the books.
And I’m just saying this in general, not just about Darrow. Any character should be judged off the whole character not just their highs and lows
Definitely get you! Im a Red Rising apologist so I can get behind this lol - but even as much as I love Red Rising, theres some books where I think Darrow’s arc/character is more clear and consistent and others where he isn’t. Still a fantastic overall character
This book definitely doesn't sound like one I'd enjoy. Sounds like it's just pure missery the entire way through
I thought this book was brilliant… BUT I really disliked every robin thundyill chapter, it just felt like everytime it switched to this I was reading a different book. What am I missing???
If you took every robin chapter out this would be a masterpiece imo
You should read Lord of Mysteries or Reverend Insanity next.
the translation is way too bad quality
You've gotta be kidding me??? Why does everyone love this book? Did we read the same thing lmao its genuinely atrocious. It reads like a 14yos fanfic, with incoherent worldbuilding, shitty amateurish writing, and it does that extremely annoying thing of playing extremely fast and loose with Japanese language. Its like weeb fanfic.
I agree. I thought Takeru and Misaki were great characters but the rest of the story fell flat for me. The most disappointing read since Name of the Wind but I’m glad people liked it.
It is absolute trash
@@Zach64612 I love you 😍 finally some people who aren't crazy in regard to this book lmao.
It's called subjectivity
I really liked the book because it was different and had good characters but everything you said is accurate lol. The vigilante part is kinda silly.
I think they are looking back at it more fondly because they remember the good parts and forget about how poorly paced the book was. Pre war was long meandering info dumps. Post war pre duel was way too long, depressing and repetitive.
I liked it for what it was but it was not a 9.5/10 for me
Okay. What am I missing here? I tried to read this book but was put off by the clunky and unnecessary front loading of exposition and heavy handed dialogue. I got like 100-150 pages in.
You are missing nothing. That’s how it was written. The terms are never actually explained but you figure them out by the half way point. It doesn’t spoon feed but sometimes there is heavy exposition. I loved it all. It’s a subjective thing.
@@neerajcherukuri4052 I wasn’t confused by anything, but it was more that they kept over explaining everything. Like the narrator would say something and then the characters would say it a paragraph later.
@@jammersanimovieblog really? I don't recall. I would be annoyed by that too if it was noticeable. I don't remember being annoyed by any such thing.
@@neerajcherukuri4052 I’m trying to reread, I came across a bunch of lines where the narrator would say “the ability was frowned on in the Matsuda family,” and then two lines later, Mamaru literally says “it’s not an ability that a Matsuda should have.” I noticed a lot of that in the book.
THANK YOU. This book fucking sucks, and everyone raves about it like it is their Bible.
I feel like the only sane person in a crowd of crazy people because this book is NOT good. Its amateur hour, weeb fanfic that insufferably annoying. It has bad worldbuilding, the characters are annoying, it uses Japanese poorly.
This author has a previous book that I've heard nothing positive about. Apparently reviewers I watch say it's super bad, and I feel like Kaigen suffers from all the same issues they mentioned, but for some reason everyone loves the book.
I couldn't get pass the first chapter
Shoot - we give it the highest of recommendations if you ever plan on going back to it one day
@2ToRamble I might. I still have it on my shelf.
First :D