Review: Entertaining Series Blends Fantasy, Mystery, and Memorable Characters
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 15, 2014
“Legendary Detective Where the World Begins” is the third book in the series about a young detective named Kirin, who started out on his own but now has gathered a small group of friends-turned-coworkers around him who solve mysteries big and small in their city.While this novel, like the previous ones, is set up as a series of stories, it actually reads in a very linear and continuous way, which I enjoyed; the stories cover the events of the Hunter’s Festival, where every year the Hunters return from the Grey Forest with the wild beasts they’ve captured for the zoo. Leading up and during the festival, the stories follow Kirin—who is helping the brave young Hiro find the test to become a Hunter—and Jake, who finds himself suddenly an escort to the vivacious Matty at a party where the Big Wolf, a reckless and even dangerous Noble, has made an appearance.I actually read “Hunters of the Last Dungeon” first, before I started the Kirin books, and I really liked it—so when Hiro and Olly, the heroes of that book, showed up in these stories, I was excited to see the worlds intersect. Needless to say, those parts involving Hiro and Olly were my favorite, but overall I think Jake stands out as my favorite character—he’s smart and funny, and I like how he rounds out Kirin’s business. Kirin is the calculating brain, while Jake has the personality to drum up business and help Kirin develop himself as a self-proclaimed legend. His interactions with Matty and Martha, who is determined to lure in the Big Wolf with her charms, added humor to the stories as well. The Hunters and the Grey Forest lend a fantasy feel to the stories but also a sinister edge, given the danger they also represent; this entry as a whole also adds to the mystique of Kirin that I hope is explored in later books.In sum, “Legendary Detective Where the World Begins” is an entertaining blend of mystery, fantasy, action, and humor, with memorable characters and a world that gets more and more interesting as the author develops it—I would recommend it to readers who enjoy both fantasy and mystery.