Never Die

Remember that kid in middle school that was really into anime? Probably had a made up Japanese nickname, played a ton of Samurai Warriors, did the Naruto run with arms held straight back? That kid would love this book.

I've tried a handful of sword-and-sorcery type fantasy books at this point, but this one had a refreshing aesthetic and wasn't western European-flavored like a lot of my past experiences in the genre. Basically a (very) creepy little boy with the power to bring people back from the dead (but only once!) is recruiting a hit squad of the best of the best to assassinate the evil emperor of Totally Not Feudal Japan™. Straightforward enough, and the ground rules of what to expect are laid down fairly early on, so don't worry about pacing issues here.

I guess what I most took issue with was what could best be described as "power creep"? Basically we're told, "this character is one of the best warriors in all the land", but that only holds up until we meet the next one, and this happens multiple times. The constant escalation kind of had me doubting a given ~master~ when they were introduced because I knew they'd be one upped by someone new just a few chapters later. I also wish some of the combat and action scenes were a touch more descriptive beyond, "he slashed, she dodged, she countered, he blocked", etc.

Still, for a self-published book there were way fewer typos/editing hiccups than I'd usually expect, and this is a pretty polished product with an awesome cover. Not for me necessarily, but I don't regret my time with this book and I know the type of person I'd recommend it to.

I'm divided on this book. It was really hard to get in to. The mixture of Chinese and Japanese lore and names felt off. It felt as if the writer just tossed both on one big heap and didn't care about accuracy and sensitivities. Or maybe that is just me. But that made it difficult for me to read and decypher which culture he was going for.
However, as the plot progressed, it slowly sucked me in. It didn't read like 'Ninja Scroll' as some people say. It felt like 'Mortal Kombat' to me. The constant duels, using the powers. That doesn't make it bad (or good), but did give it a fractured feel.
But... despite that, it kept drawing me in, and the ending was very original and very well executed. Marvelous twist.
So... the beginning and first third of the book: 2 stars out of 5. Second third: 3 stars. Last third: solid 4 stars.

Never Die is an incredibly well-paced adventure story that I would love to see an animated adaptation of. Filled with exciting battles, fascinating creatures of legend, and engaging characters, this book is a ton of fun. The story was imaginative and unique and I found it very well-written.

Hosa is a sort of analogue of feudal-Japan, made up of individual nations led by kings. In recent history, the nations have been conquered by the Emperor of Ten Kings - a brutal tyrant who has enforced peace through violence and fear.

Ein is an 8-year-old boy who has been given the power to bring people back from the dead in order to complete the mission given to him by a shinigami: Kill the Emperor of Ten Kings. To succeed in his mission, he tracks down heroes of legend and returns them to life to serve him in his quest.
Itami Cho is an Ipian Shintei - a swordswoman whose goal in swordsmanship is to help others - and is the legendary hero known as The Whispering Blade. She is the first of the heroes brought back by Ein, and agrees to help him in exchange for being brought back. She strives to act honorably and struggles with feeling like she’s failed oaths made in the past. She’s a compelling character.
Zhihao Cheng is known as The Emerald Wind and though the stories make him out to be a hero, he is in fact a bandit. He insists he is not a hero, that he does not belong in the group, and that the stories are not accurate. He is a reluctant hero, likable and fun to follow. He and Cho serve as our main POV characters, and much of the story is told from their perspectives.
Several other legendary heroes are also added to the group on their quest, and I found each hero to be distinct and interesting in their own way.

Readers looking for exciting fights, a fast-paced adventure, and excellent characters will enjoy this book.

5/5, well-paced, interesting characters, fascinating story, all-around a very enjoyable book.