Vlog Post with Jay Kristoff ~ JeanBookNerd

Photo Content from Jay Kristoff

Jay Kristoff is the award-winning author of THE LOTUS WAR trilogy, a Japanese-inspired steampunk fantasy published by Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin’s Press & Tor UK. Part 3, ENDSINGER, will be released in November 2014. He's also co-author of the upcoming ILLUMINAE (with Amie Kaufman), a YA Sci-Fi... thing, to be released by Knopf/Random House in 2015.

Jay is 6’7 and has approximately 13520 days to live. He abides in Melbourne with his secret agent kung-fu assassin wife, and the world’s laziest Jack Russell.

He does not believe in happy endings.

Series: The Lotus War (Book 2)
Hardcover: 464 pages
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books (September 17, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1250001412
ISBN-13: 978-1250001412

Praise for KINSLAYER

“Kristoff is the master of unique and intense plots and huge twists. This book has it all ― and a nice little bow to tie it all up with. There are swords, action, friendship, a conspiracy, grief and hope. It's going on my "Amazing Reads" shelf, and I urge you to pick it up.” ―USAToday.com

“With its geisha girls in gas masks and canvas blimps spewing black exhaust as they chug across the sky, Stormdancer paints a vivid picture of a decrepit, steampunk Japan. It's startling to witness a country that so reveres nature presented in such an environmentally compromised position, as it is in the kickoff to Jay Kristoff's "The Lotus War" series. But it's this inventive juxtaposition that makes Stormdancer such a thrilling addition to the increasingly tired yet continuously expanding dystopian scene…. [A] fast-paced, fantastical adventure [that] is sharp as a Shogun's sword.” ―The LA Times

“Stormdancer is an intoxicating joyride into steampunklandia with a magical dose of mythology, the supernatural, violence, dystopian themes, and a top-notch brassy heroine who rivals Katniss Everdeen of The Hunger Games. Yes, I did say that!” ―The Huffington Post

“Kristoff's imaginative debut, the first in a series, presents the feudal, dystopian Shima Empire, a menacing Japanese-inspired setting… The innovative setting, fast-moving plot, vivid descriptions, and thrilling action scenes make this a refreshing addition to the steampunk canon.” ―Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Soars higher than the arashitora Kristoff writes about; superb.” ―Kirkus, starred review

FIVE FAVORITE GUY CHARACTERS FROM YOUR BOOK, INCLUDING RANDOM FACTS ABOUT THEM

KIN
Kin is probably the bravest character in the series. He was raised by the Lotus Guild—he had a very sheltered upbringing where dissent and disobedience simply weren’t concepts he was ever exposed to. But once he meets Yukiko, he realizes the fundamental injustices of the world he’s living in, and despite everything he’s been raised to believe, he joins the rebellion against the Guild. Unfortunately, things don’t work out quite the way he wanted them to. He has a rough time in KINSLAYER, which forces him to reassess where he stands and why on earth he’s standing there. Is he part of the rebellion because he believes in the rightness of their cause, or simply because he wants to be with Yuki?

YOSHI
I love writing Yoshi. He’s a new character introduced in KINSLAYER—a street-smart hoodlum, who loves his family and doesn’t give a toss about anyone or anything in the world. He doesn’t see himself as a hero or a rebel. He’s not interested in the big picture or the power struggle for the throne or what’s happening in the war—he just wants to protect his sister and boyfriend, to look out for them in a world getting darker by the day. He has a heart of gold, but he’s grown up so rough and so cold, its hidden inside steel armor a foot thick. He’s ruthless, and calculating, but not quite as smart as he thinks he is. And that ends up costing the people he loves dearly.

ICHIZO
Another newcomer in KINSLAYER, Ichizo is the cousin of Hiro, the new would-be Shōgun. Ichizo is a young man, promoted to a position well above his station, simply because he’s related to Hiro. He has a conscience, but he’s also fiercely loyal to his family, and presented with the injustices of the regime and Hiro’s blinding desire for revenge, he’s walking on the razor’s edge. His affections for Michi, the Kagé assassin, might be the final drop that tips him over the edge into outright rebellion against his lord and beloved cousin.

MASARU
Yukiko’s father, who was killed at the end of STORMDANCER. I really liked writing Masaru—a man tortured by the mistakes of his past. A man who loved his daughter and sought the best for her, even if he went about it all the wrong ways. His ghost still haunts the pages of KINSLAYER. Rage at his death is driving Yukiko to the heights of callousness, and her inability to properly grieve his loss is poisoning her soul. Will she be able to finally say goodbye to him, or will his memory stain her forever?

BURUU
Everyone’s favorite, and probably my favorite character to write in the entire series. Watching him grow from a simple beast into this wise-cracking killing machine has been great fun. His ferocity is only matched by his love for Yukiko—he’d do anything to protect her. But at the heart of him, he’s still an animal, still unpredictable. What happens when the human side of Buruu gets taken over by the animalistic side? Where does Yukiko stand when she looks inside her best friend and find only the beast? We get to find out in KINSLAYER.

BOOKISH

Fiction or Non-Fiction? Fiction.
Novella or Tome? Tome. One thick enough to beat a burglar to death with.
Cover or Synopsis? Cover gets you in the door. Synopsis makes you stay.
Bookstore or Library? Bookstore. Support your local!
Pen or Pencil? Pen. Pencils are for the meek.
Hardcover or Paperback? Hardcover, always.
E-book or Audiobook? Audiobook, if the production is good enough (there’s some GREAT audiobooks coming out recently)
Science Fiction or Paranormal? SF, all the way.
Stand Alone or Series? Really depends on my mood. I think I’m gonna punk out here and say both can be great.
Bookmarks or Dog Ears? Dog ears. I know, I know, I’m terrible. Never loan me a book :)

GENERAL
Light Chocolate or Dark Chocolate? Light. Dark chocolate, ewwwwwww.
Hugs or Kisses? Kisses. Unless it’s from a blood relative or something, in which case ewwwww.
Drama or Comedy? Drama. Unless it’s the Goodreads kind.
Snow or Sand? Snow. I’ve only seen snow a few times in my life. It’s kinda like magic to me.
Dragons or Fairies? Fairies riding dragons. With electric guitars. And machine guns.
Night or Day? Night. The daystar, it burns usssssss.
Rock or Pop? Rawk.
Dogs or Cats? Dogs. Cats are too much like people.
Harry Potter or Twilight? I’ve never read/seen Twilight, so I’m going with HP.
Coffee or Tea? I can’t drink either. I’ll take a Red Bull instead :)

EXCERPT THREE: CHAPTER 9 "A HEART EXHAUSTED"

Daichi reached out and took her hand. His fingers were callused, faint liver spots and wrinkles decades deep. She met his eyes, and for a moment, she saw past the mask he wore, the iron he encased his soul inside. He seemed terribly old, bent beneath his burdens, tired beyond all want of sleep. His smile was frayed at the hem.

“I know what it is we are asking of you, Yukiko. I see the toll it takes.”

She looked into his eyes, searching for a hint of scorn and finding none. The words inside her were like living things, bubbling in her throat, demanding to be aired. She forced her lips together, fighting a losing battle to keep them at bay. When finally they spilled forth, they were a whisper muffled by the curtain of her hair.

“It’s all weighing too heavy, Daichi.” She took a shuddering breath, sighed. “Being this thing. This Stormdancer. I feel like an utter fraud. A little girl stamping her feet and screaming life isn’t fair.”

“You give people hope, Yukiko. The strength at the heart of all strength. The steps you take now, the first steps—they are always the hardest. But the footprints you leave in the earth behind you will be followed by thousands.”

“I’m so afraid sometimes. I think about my father . . .” She shook her head. “I haven’t shed a single tear for him, did you know that? He’s dead and I can’t even bring myself to cry.”

“It is not fear that chases away your tears, Yukiko-chan.” Daichi’s voice was low, tinged at the edges with a charcoal rasp. “It is rage.”

“Buruu says the same. He says it will burn me up inside.”

“No.” Daichi leaned forward, pinned her in his stare. “No, you listen to me, girl. Look around you. At this world they have left you. Red skies. Black rivers. Mountains of bones. You should be angry. You should be furious.”

Her took hold of her hand, squeezed it so tight her knuckles hurt.

“The time for fear is long since gone. It died with the last phoenix, the last butterfly. It died when we traded the ease of the machine for the grace of our souls. Nothing will change if we cherish our fear as if it were a blessing. If we are afraid to tear down the old, and lose what we may in that unmaking, we will never build the new.”

“I’m not sure I can be what you want me to be, Daichi.”

The old man sat up straight, released his grip on her hands.

“I am sure,” he said.

Reaching behind him, he lifted the ancient katana from his back, held it out on upturned palms. Yukiko caught her breath, eyes roaming the lacquer scabbard, the golden cranes embossed into gleaming wood. The words he spoke danced like static electricity upon her skin.

“I wielded this blade through many battles, none so great as the one before us. And so I give it to you, who need it now more than I.”

“Gods,” she breathed. “I can’t accept this, Daichi . . .”

“You can.” He ran his hand across the hilt, a lingering caress of farewell. “And as I give you this gift, I give it a name. I name this blade ‘Yofun.’”

“‘Anger,’” she whispered.

“My gift to you, Yukiko-chan.” He nodded. “Use it to cut away your fear, and leave nothing in its wake. Cherish it. And cherish this truth I speak to you now, if no other before or after: The greatest tempest Shima has ever known waits in the wings for you to call its name. Your anger can topple mountains. Crush empires. Change the very shape of the world.”

He pressed the blade into her hand, watched her with cool eyes the color of steel.

“Your anger is a gift.”

A SHATTERED EMPIRE
The mad Shōgun Yoritomo has been assassinated by the Stormdancer Yukiko, and the threat of civil war looms over the Shima Imperium. The Lotus Guild conspires to renew the nation’s broken dynasty and crush the growing rebellion simultaneously – by endorsing a new Shōgun who desires nothing more than to see Yukiko dead.

A DARK LEGACY
Yukiko and the mighty thunder tiger Buruu have been cast in the role of heroes by the Kagé rebellion. But Yukiko herself is blinded by rage over her father’s death, and her ability to hear the thoughts of beasts is swelling beyond her power to control. Along with Buruu, Yukiko’s anchor is Kin, the rebel Guildsman who helped her escape from Yoritomo’s clutches. But Kin has his own secrets, and is haunted by visions of a future he’d rather die than see realized.

A GATHERING STORM
Kagé assassins lurk within the Shōgun’s palace, plotting to end the new dynasty before it begins. A waif from Kigen’s gutters begins a friendship that could undo the entire empire. A new enemy gathers its strength, readying to push the fracturing Shima imperium into a war it cannot hope to survive. And across raging oceans, amongst islands of black glass, Yukiko and Buruu will face foes no katana or talon can defeat.

The ghosts of a blood-stained past.

Fans who enjoyed Stormdancer will love the second book in Jay Kristoff's The Lotus War trilogy, Kinslayer. Kristoff's writing skills definitely shined bright in Stormdancer and it would only make sense that the sequel would excel above it. And it sure did! He has taken all the elements that made the first one such a successful hit and pushes it to a level beyond any imagination. New characters will be introduced as well as reacquainting old ones. Reading the continuation of this impressive series is like witnessing something epic unfold. The story gets broader with the addition of the point of views of new characters. Several plots scratches beneath the surface and the world outside of Shima finally sees the day of light in this second part.

The multiple POVs from different characters provide readers with an insight to the progress of the story as they each play an important role. Each one is desperately trying to make a difference in a world that has rapidly changed. Since killing Shogun Yoritomo, Yukiko and Buruu find themselves firing up an uprising in the cities they come across on their travels. It has also created a mighty struggle for Yukiko as a deluge of power has swept through the Kenning. Meanwhile, Guildsman Kin is having difficulty with the other rebels. He doesn't have an ounce of trust in them and the feeling is returned. Not working as a cohesive unit, it will be a vigorous effort to try and bring down the Shima Empire and Guild. On the other side, a move by the Guild to place a new Shogun on the Imperial throne hopes to bring the four clans together.

Once readers indulge their imagination into this grand story, many emotions will arise. Enjoyment and hatred, heartbreak and distress, will and determination, all make the ingredients to produce such an oversized epic tale. The dark side of the story is what makes it so captivating. Kristoff's presentation of a world consisting of anguished people engaging in horrible things to each other in order to rid of oppression from their land, is wonderfully captured in refined writing. He puts words into shape that makes it easy to understand and at the same time, very intriguing and enjoyable. Actions by the characters are seized in perfection and readers will definitely feel their reactions to be realistic. Reader will also appreciate the fact that Kristoff is fearless when it comes to his characters. He will put them in the most horrible situations that your heart will twist in ways unimaginable. Kinslayer is what makes adventure and fantasy such an enjoyable read. The final installment is sure to make a thunderous impact on the lives of the characters, an impact that will also be felt dearly to readers.

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