The Sword of KaigenThe Sword of Kaigen
Score Modern
What it's about
Better to die sharp in war than rust through a time of peace. In a remote part of an empire, a mother struggles to suppress her violent past, her son struggles to understand his violent future, and his father is blind to the danger threatening them all. When war reaches their peninsula, the Matsuda family must decide whether they can defend their empire, or will tear each other apart first.
Why it's worth reading
Self-published, it became a word-of-mouth favorite and is often called one of the best standalone fantasy novels. Its battles are as moving as they are spectacular.
You'll love it if you liked
The Poppy War
The Name of the Wind
The Way of KingsGood to know
It's a standalone novel. It starts slowly and builds to an intense, emotional second half.
By the numbers
- Readers93 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller37 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #68 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #104 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #375 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #744 of the 2,816 books we rank
Reads as
Epic, Adventurous
More by M.L. Wang
If you like this, read next
Scythe
Skyward
Thief of Time
The Alloy of Law
The Curse of Chalion
Dead and GoneExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Sword of Kaigen worth reading?
Yes. Self-published, it became a word-of-mouth favorite and is often called one of the best standalone fantasy novels. It ranks #744 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 75.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Sword of Kaigen about?
Better to die sharp in war than rust through a time of peace. In a remote part of an empire, a mother struggles to suppress her violent past, her son struggles to understand his violent future, and his father is blind to the danger threatening them all. When war reaches their peninsula, the Matsuda family must decide whether they can defend their empire, or will tear each other apart first.
How long does it take to read The Sword of Kaigen?
About 17 hours (698 pages), or about 5 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Sword of Kaigen?
If you liked it, try The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang, The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss or The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson.