Steel Crow Saga

By: Paul Krueger

Narrated by: Kim Mai Guest

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.

Critic reviews

“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

beautiful fantasy tale

I loved this story, I originally was going to only listen during my commute and ended up spending many evenings listening. I couldn't bring myself to stop until the very end! the characters are relatable and grow through the story. the political aspects are well done and I can't wait for the next book in the established universe.

Really enjoyed this book!

Listening to Steel Crow Saga was such a fantastic journey. The lore felt like it was pulled from 90s-00s fantasy cartoons we grew up with and the story was so well written. I loved the wit and grit of each character and you fall in love with each as you read on. Plus it had fantastic LGBTQA+ representation I wasn't even expecting when I picked this book up. It's a must read!!!

A fascinating adventure

Loved this tale of War and peace, love and hate and forgiveness. Interesting and fun characters in an action-packed plot. The narrator was excellent.

Fun, but needs more worldbuilding

I'm not sure what to think about this one. I liked the characters, they were all different and likable, while the narrator breathed a great amount of life into them. The plot was good, as a soldier had to protect the prince of her former oppressors from factions of her own army. The magic was cool, in particular the shade pacting, in which practicers could harness the soul of an animal, then call on them to fight. The elemental pacting was also good, particularly metal. Otherwise, the worldbuilding was almost non-existent. Was ir urban fantasy? Was it WWII Japan? I got a sense of both of these, but it was never really clear. Every item of clothing worn and item of food eaten was explained in great detail, which was a nice touch, but a bit much. Sartorial fantasy? Culinary fantasy?

Like a good season-long anime

If you're an anime fan, and you love the type of magical worlds prevalent in Hayao Miyazaki movies, you will like Steel Crow Saga. The narration is top notch and the story is very entertaining and engrossing. Highly recommended!