Warrior by Ellen Oh

Warrior by Ellen Oh

Release Date: December 31, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Series: The Dragon King Chronicles, Book 2
Rated: YA 14+
Format: eGalley
Source: Edelweiss
Buy: Amazon ● The Book Depository
Goodreads ● Website

Read my review of Prophecy HERE

First an outcast, now a hero.

But her fight rages on.

Kira, the yellow-eyed demon slayer who fiercely protected her kingdom—and the crown prince—has been proclaimed the Dragon Musado of the prophecy. With the defeated the evil shaman.

But it wasn’t enough. 

Hansong is in chaos. The Demon Lord’s minions have infiltrated the city, treason is brewing among the military ranks, and Kira is buried by the overwhelming loss of her parents. She’s also plagued by the annoying feelings that blossom whenever she’s around Jaewon. But she is determined that nothing will stop her from finding the second treasure needed to fulfill the Dragon King’s prophecy. Not even the army of half-breed demons hot on their trail. If only she could learn to trust others…

Her father always said one person can change the world. Will it be Kira?

I managed to get Warrior as an eGalley and that was what launched me into reading this amazing fantasy series. I loved Prophecy, but I'll admit, I was a little bit afraid of getting into this one. Quite a lot of series have a really bad follow-up to the first book, or one that doesn't live up to what happens in the first book. However, I'm happy to say that Warrior was as awesome as the first book. I was completely blown away with the action and plot in this one! I enjoyed the return of characters, the plot twists and the new character developments with this second instalment and it just left me hungry for more.
This book's events takes place ten days after where Prophecy leaves off. I like that I read this as a continuation because everything was so fresh in my mind, concerning the plot and characters in the first book, and that just made me love this one even more. I tend to forget things quite often, so that's why it's really important that I read a series in one go!

We get a slightly more feminine side to Kira this time round – slightly meaning a teensy spoonful – as she battles her emotions towards *certain* characters, emotions that might mean more than just friendship. I love Kira, she's such a kick-ass character! However, I feel that there's some lack of connection to her character. It might just be the third-person narrative though, because while we find out how she reacts to certain things, there's a lack of describing how she feels. It's pretty much what's on the outside (besides her inner thoughts) and some general comments. It didn't bother me much in the first book because I was more interested in the world-building, but in the second I was looking forward to learning more about her character, but was a little let down instead. Other than this though, I do love her determination and will-power.
The return of old characters! Of course, we have the Taejo, Kira's brothers, Major Pak, Jaewon, Brother Woojin, Seung, and the adorable dog Jindo. I love them all, and feel like while we don't learn much about their characters, their roles in the book are significant. We also have the return of a character from the first book (I'm not spoiling this!) and so there's a lot of conflict on whether or not to trust this person. 

While the romance was barely there in Prophecy, it's featured a lot more in Warrior. I was quite glad that it didn't take up and overshadow the important events, but was there nonetheless. I'm kind of split about it, because I don't think I know Jaewon's character still as much as I would have liked to, but it's still an interesting development, especially as Kira hasn't grown up with much of female influence, and so I thought Oh depicted her struggle really well.
The ending was pretty intense. It was actually quite Lord of the Rings-esque, because it ended in a cliffhanger, and now I desperately need the next book! So much happens, and the epic journey is clearly not yet at it's end, which leaves me excited for more.

Warrior lived up to my expectations and even soared far beyond that– this sequel to Prophecy will entice fans of the first and will leave them hungry for more. Ellen Oh's storytelling is masterfully epic, and will have you spellbound with her take on Korean myths and folklore. I'm excited to learn more about the next book, because I can't wait for the journey of the Dragon Musado to continue. More please!

If you like this, try...

• The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien ● Goodreads
• Cinder by Marissa Meyer ● Goodreads