meganbmoore (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
meganbmoore) wrote2013-11-10 09:48 pm
meganbmoore) wrote2013-11-10 09:48 pm
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The Wings of Dreams by Fuyumi Ono
The Wings of Dreams is the fifth book in the Twelve Kingdoms series (though, chronologically, it's the second book-of those I've read, at least- and no knowledge of the previous books is needed) and one that will probably never be published in the US, as no one is stepping forward to pick up where Tokyopop left off.
Set just under 100 years before the Youko and Taiki books, The Wings of Dreams is about Shushou, a twelve year old girl who goes on a pilgrimage to find out if she might be her kingdom's destined ruler. For those not familiar with the series, rulers in the Twelve Kingdoms are chosen by kirin (roughly the eastern equivalent of a unicorn) who select the rulers of their kingdoms via divine guidance. Once a person becomes the emperor of their country, they stop aging, and theoretically, peace and order return to their kingdom. When there is no emperor, the kingdom becomes overrun by monsters called youma, and many citizens are forced to flee to other countries until a new emperor takes the throne. Every once in a while, a kirin will venture out into the world to find their emperor, but usually, people have to take the shouzan, a long journey of several months through monster infested territories called The Yellow Sea, just to get to Mount Hou, where the kirin live, just to see if the kirin will give them the time of day.
Shushou's kingdom, Kyou, hasn't had an emperor for many years, and the adults left who haven't gone to see if the kirin will choose them are either too scared to try, or have found ways to benefit from the situation. Shushou, the daughter of a wealthy merchant, has decided that ENOUGH IS ENOUGH and if none of the adults are right for the job, then obviously one of the kingdoms children is. And since they don't really have time to wait for the kids to grow up, she'll just set off for Mount Hou herself. This involves what is, for a twelve year old, a rather detailed and well thought out plan that at least gets her to The Yellow Sea. where she hires herself a grumpy loner bodyguard named Gankyuu. Who thinks she's an idiot, but she has money. And maybesortakindaalittlebit there's a tiny portion of his withered soul that doesn't like the idea of a cute and precocious (and very bossy and annoying) kid NOT having a bodyguard. Or hiring the next, less scrupulous guy who wanders by. At which point, a significant portion of the book is the two having shouting matches that go something like this:
SHUSHOU: YOU ARE HEARTLESS! HELP PEOPLE WHO AREN'T PAYING YOU TOO!
GANKYUU: BUT THEN THEY NEVER STOP ASKING FOR FREE HELP. Also, then I run out of supplies to feed you with. STOP TRYING TO MAKE ME A GOOD AND SELF-SACRIFICING PERSON.
SHUSHOU: YOU ARE MEAN.
GANKYUU: YES I'VE WORKED VERY HARD AT IT THANKYOUVERYMUCH.
SHUSHOU: *flounce*
GANKYUU: *flounce*
She also acquires Rikou, a young gentleman who is very very interested in seeing whether or not Shushou becomes empress for his own reasons. Also, he is very very amused by the shouting matches.
Most of the book is the pilgrimage (and if you've seen the anime or read the 4th book, you know how that turns out) which is largely an excuse to examine the obligations of society between people, and just how much of a helping hand you should give others before it actually becomes harmful to you or to the people you're helping. Shushou is very aware of her privilege in many ways (though not all ways) but also well aware of how little control she has over it, between her age and the current condition of Kyou, which only adds to her frustrations, and much of the book is her having rages and making mistakes as only someone who just learn ed the concept of grey choices and actions can, not to mention someone with endless frustrations caused by her own limitations, and a need to make up for them, can. As a result, she frequently messes up, sometimes amazingly so, but she also owns up to her mistakes and sets out to fix things, even if that sometimes backfires.
I so want Fuyumi Ono to write about Shushou's early years as empress. Like, I'm pretty sure people are going to be "Oho! A kid! One who we can manipulate--nowaitImeanttosay"guide"there-and get to do whatever we want!" (Her father most likely the worst of them.) not to mention that she obviously has a lot of reforms in mind that there's going to be resistance to. I suspect one of Gankyuu's early duties will be to loom menacingly over her shoulder and glare at anyone who backtalks to the empress. (That's his job.)The book can be found here, and comes with a downloadable version as well. (Along with the other unlicensed books in the series.)
Set just under 100 years before the Youko and Taiki books, The Wings of Dreams is about Shushou, a twelve year old girl who goes on a pilgrimage to find out if she might be her kingdom's destined ruler. For those not familiar with the series, rulers in the Twelve Kingdoms are chosen by kirin (roughly the eastern equivalent of a unicorn) who select the rulers of their kingdoms via divine guidance. Once a person becomes the emperor of their country, they stop aging, and theoretically, peace and order return to their kingdom. When there is no emperor, the kingdom becomes overrun by monsters called youma, and many citizens are forced to flee to other countries until a new emperor takes the throne. Every once in a while, a kirin will venture out into the world to find their emperor, but usually, people have to take the shouzan, a long journey of several months through monster infested territories called The Yellow Sea, just to get to Mount Hou, where the kirin live, just to see if the kirin will give them the time of day.
Shushou's kingdom, Kyou, hasn't had an emperor for many years, and the adults left who haven't gone to see if the kirin will choose them are either too scared to try, or have found ways to benefit from the situation. Shushou, the daughter of a wealthy merchant, has decided that ENOUGH IS ENOUGH and if none of the adults are right for the job, then obviously one of the kingdoms children is. And since they don't really have time to wait for the kids to grow up, she'll just set off for Mount Hou herself. This involves what is, for a twelve year old, a rather detailed and well thought out plan that at least gets her to The Yellow Sea. where she hires herself a grumpy loner bodyguard named Gankyuu. Who thinks she's an idiot, but she has money. And maybesortakindaalittlebit there's a tiny portion of his withered soul that doesn't like the idea of a cute and precocious (and very bossy and annoying) kid NOT having a bodyguard. Or hiring the next, less scrupulous guy who wanders by. At which point, a significant portion of the book is the two having shouting matches that go something like this:
SHUSHOU: YOU ARE HEARTLESS! HELP PEOPLE WHO AREN'T PAYING YOU TOO!
GANKYUU: BUT THEN THEY NEVER STOP ASKING FOR FREE HELP. Also, then I run out of supplies to feed you with. STOP TRYING TO MAKE ME A GOOD AND SELF-SACRIFICING PERSON.
SHUSHOU: YOU ARE MEAN.
GANKYUU: YES I'VE WORKED VERY HARD AT IT THANKYOUVERYMUCH.
SHUSHOU: *flounce*
GANKYUU: *flounce*
She also acquires Rikou, a young gentleman who is very very interested in seeing whether or not Shushou becomes empress for his own reasons. Also, he is very very amused by the shouting matches.
Most of the book is the pilgrimage (and if you've seen the anime or read the 4th book, you know how that turns out) which is largely an excuse to examine the obligations of society between people, and just how much of a helping hand you should give others before it actually becomes harmful to you or to the people you're helping. Shushou is very aware of her privilege in many ways (though not all ways) but also well aware of how little control she has over it, between her age and the current condition of Kyou, which only adds to her frustrations, and much of the book is her having rages and making mistakes as only someone who just learn ed the concept of grey choices and actions can, not to mention someone with endless frustrations caused by her own limitations, and a need to make up for them, can. As a result, she frequently messes up, sometimes amazingly so, but she also owns up to her mistakes and sets out to fix things, even if that sometimes backfires.
I so want Fuyumi Ono to write about Shushou's early years as empress. Like, I'm pretty sure people are going to be "Oho! A kid! One who we can manipulate--nowaitImeanttosay"guide"there-and get to do whatever we want!" (Her father most likely the worst of them.) not to mention that she obviously has a lot of reforms in mind that there's going to be resistance to. I suspect one of Gankyuu's early duties will be to loom menacingly over her shoulder and glare at anyone who backtalks to the empress. (That's his job.)The book can be found here, and comes with a downloadable version as well. (Along with the other unlicensed books in the series.)