Julie Kagawa

Evil and hope clash and burn in the epic and shocking conclusion to the Shadow of the Fox trilogy. 'One of my all-time favourite fantasy novels!' Ellen Oh, author of the Prophecy and Spirit Hunters series, on Shadow of the Fox All is lost. Kitsune shapeshifter Yumeko has given up the final piece of the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers, in order to save everyone she loves from imminent death. Now she and her ragtag band of companions must journey to the wild sea cliffs of Iwagoto in a desperate last-chance effort to stop the Master of Demons from calling upon the Great Kami dragon and making the wish that will plunge the empire into destruction and darkness. But even with their combined skills and powers, this most unlikely team of heroes knows the forces of Evil may be impossible to overcome. And there is another player in the battle for the scroll, a player who has been watching, waiting for the right moment to pull strings that no one even realized existed...until now. Readers are loving Julie Kagawa's Shadow of the Fox series! 'Hands down one of the best books I've read this year!' 'Julie's writing is pure magic' 'Buy this book, read it!' 'If you have school or work, you'll be sleep deprived because you won't be able to put it down!' 'Shadow of the Fox is one of the best fantasy books I've ever read.' 'If you want an action-packed fantasy set in historical Japan, with samurais, spirits, and demon-slayers, and a dash of romance, please pick up this book!' 'This book was amazing! 'It's breathtaking!' 'This book was simply put epic!' 'I cannot wait for the next book' 'MIND BLOWN!' croll, a player who has been watching, waiting for the right moment to pull strings that no one even realized existed...until now. Readers are loving Julie Kagawa's Shadow of the Fox series! 'Hands down one of the best books I've read this year!' 'Julie's writing is pure magic' 'Buy this book, read it!' 'If you have school or work, you'll be sleep deprived because you won't be able to put it down!' 'Shadow of the Fox is one of the best fantasy books I've ever read.' 'If you want an action-packed fantasy set in historical Japan, with samurais, spirits, and demon-slayers, and a dash of romance, please pick up this book!' 'This book was amazing! 'It's breathtaking!' 'This book was simply put epic!' 'I cannot wait for the next book' 'MIND BLOWN!'

Night of the Dragon

Scarlett

No puedo explicar lo destrozada que me dejo este libro
Mi único consuelo es la ultima palabra que dijo, pero por dios no me hagas esto

Dee B. 

There was so much pain in this final book, which I had not been prepared for... But that epilogue was the balm my soul needed. The perfect length and saying all the right things *chef's kiss*

All is lost. To save everyone she loves from imminent death, kitsune shapeshifter Yumeko gave up the final piece of the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers. Now she and her ragtag band of companions must make one desperate final effort to stop the Master of Demons from using the scroll to call the Great Kami Dragon and make the wish that will plunge the empire into chaos. Shadow clan assassin Kage Tatsumi has regained control of his body and agreed to a true deal with the devil--the demon inside him, Hakaimono. They will share his body and work with Yumeko to stop a madman, and to separate Hakaimono from Tatsumi and the cursed sword that trapped the demon for nearly a millennium. But even with their combined skills and powers, this unlikely team of heroes knows the forces of evil may be impossible to overcome. And there is another player in the battle for the scroll, a player who has been watching, waiting for the right moment to pull strings that no one even realized existed...until now.

Livia

yeah. all the five stars for this book, it's such a great, bold conclusion that made me tear up. RTC because i want to talk so much about characters

Emma Sullivan

Well, that was an emotional rollercoaster!

As with the previous two books in this trilogy, I really enjoyed it. The story was rich and it was great to see how characters and the story developed as it came to a head in this final book.

I read the majority of this book in one sitting, because I couldn't put it down. I would also recommend reading the last half of the book with a box of tissues close by....

Ashley Holstine

Wow wow wow!

This series is a masterpiece and would make an epic movie. Filled with Japanese folklore, and completely action packed, this was an amazing ending! I loved all the characters, I loved the world, the magic just everything! 

5 million stars for you Julie Kagawa!!! Thank you for writing this amazing series!!!! ❤️

Tatiana Alvarez 

Okay, wow. Who gave Kagawa the permission to hurt us like that? Because I most certainly did not! Please excuse me while I pick up the pieces of my heart while you read this review. 

Night of the Dragon is the final book in this epic trilogy. We left Yomeko and her friends battered and bruised in Soul of the Sword, but they had successfully helped Tatsumi gain control of the demon with him. 

So much more happened. I am always weary when it comes to trilogies, though I love them, because I’m usually let down by one book. Typically it’s the last book, but this one exceeded all of my expectations. Unlike many endings, this one was not rushed and had a sweet wrap up. 

So remember when I said it’ll break your heart? Yeah, be prepared for death and a lot of it. None of your favorite characters are safe. This is straight up game of thrones in here, so have tissues in reach. 

My only criticism is I felt there was an excessive amounts of fighting. I understand that the group is trying to defeat the demons and it’s basically all out war, but there were too many fighting scenes. It lost some of its appeal. 

Overall, this was a great series and I would high recommend it to anyone.

Sahi K

My most highly anticipated YA fantasy finale of the year is here and there was never any doubt that I would read it on the release day itself. And now I’m a sobbing mess and I don’t know what to do. Why did you do this to me Julie 😭😭😭

We pretty much know where the plot is going because there is only one path forward, so the author had to make sure that we enjoyed the journey, and I can tell you she did exactly that. This series has always been full of adventure and action sequences and this finale took everything to the extreme. There were very few moments where the characters or we readers were allowed to breathe, otherwise it was mostly a breakneck pace with the characters having to face one big hurdle after another before they reach their final destination. The action scenes are thrillingly executed, and the monsters which show up are bigger and badder one after the other and it just creates this whole sense of doom throughout the book. This kind of also prepares us for the fact that not all of our favorite characters are gonna make it to the end, and despite having this heads up, I ended up bawling when things happened. 

But this series has always been about the characters and their bond with each other and despite the fast pace, we also get the quiet and vulnerable moments which show us how far they all have come. Yumeko may have discovered much more about her powers but she is still the same pure at heart kitsune and I love her with all my heart. We finally learn the truth about her past and it was such an explosive revelation that I never saw coming. Tatsumi is forever changed now after the end of Soul of the Sword and it really showed in his character. He is scared how much of himself is left within and doesn’t want to let Yumeko get close to him, but her trust is implicit and their relationship progress is written beautifully. She is the light to his darkness and I loved watching them together every step of the way. 

Okame and Daisuke have been my favorites since the beginning and it’s always so much fun seeing them banter with each other. There were also a lot of heartfelt dialogue between them this time and it filled my heart with joy. But I still wish we had gotten atleast one of their POVs and I think that remains a missed opportunity. I felt Reika got much less page time but that doesn’t in anyway diminish the importance of her character or the way she supports Yumeko both during fights and as a best friend. Suki also has some very important moments and I was delighted, but not at all surprised by the choices she makes because she maybe a ghost, but she is still the same sweet girl who fell in love with a Taiyo. However, it was Hakaimono who surprised me again and I totally dig the ending he got. We are also introduced to a couple of new characters and get some fantastic reveals about returning characters, which make for a highly entertaining read. 

To conclude, this was a perfect finale and despite all the moments that I sobbed at, I understand that it probably had to be that way. So if you are a fan of the series, I know you’ll be reading this finale anyway but just be prepared with tissues because this is gonna stomp on your heart and break it into pieces. And if you are someone who has never read this series before but enjoy delightful ensemble casts, amazing relationships, great adventures and action sequences, and a cool dose of Japanese folklore and mythology - this trilogy is perfect for you and I would highly recommend it. The last line of the book is what I’m holding onto for now because it gave me some joy back, but I won’t be forgetting these heartbreaks anytime soon.

Jennifer

To put it plainly, Night of the Dragon is an underwhelming ending of a promising book series. I had enjoyed the Japanese-inspired worldbuilding & mythology elements from the earlier novels in Shadow of the Fox series and I think there were a lot of potentials for this book to have a solid closure - but it's sadly absent. 

My biggest concerns with this installment is that the alternating POV's didn't flow very well and a big chunk of the novel is reduced down to pretty generic YA romance (so I didn't feel very invested in these pages). I personally believe that if there's more focus on the supernatural elements and Yumeko's actual headspace & what she's going through I might enjoy this more.

So yeah, I think it's pretty unfortunate that this book series ended in a disappointing note. Apart from the worldbuilding & the magic system, this book lacked anything that stands out from other YA fantasy reads.

N.B. This book contains following content warnings: grief, loss of loved ones, and violence

(2.5 stars out of 5)

Mollee Clingenpeel

How dare Julie Kagawa do this to me. This book destroyed my heart and soul. It was so good but so sad.

Paige Green

Disclaimer: I received an e-arc of this from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Night of the Dragon

Author: Julie Kagawa

Book Series: Shadow of the Fox Book 3

Rating: 5/5

Publication Date: March 31, 2020

Genre: YA Fantasy

Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, gore, death, slight love and romance)

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Pages: 384

Amazon Link

Synopsis: Kitsune shapeshifter Yumeko has given up the final piece of the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers in order to save everyone she loves from imminent death. Now she and her ragtag band of companions must journey to the wild sea cliffs of Iwagoto in a desperate last-chance effort to stop the Master of Demons from calling upon the Great Kami dragon and making the wish that will plunge the empire into destruction and darkness.

Shadow clan assassin Kage Tatsumi has regained control of his body and agreed to a true deal with the devil—the demon inside him, Hakaimono. They will share his body and work with Yumeko and their companions to stop a madman and separate Hakaimono from Tatsumi and the cursed sword that had trapped the demon for nearly a millennium.

But even with their combined skills and powers, this most unlikely team of heroes knows the forces of evil may be impossible to overcome. And there is another player in the battle for the scroll, a player who has been watching, waiting for the right moment to pull strings that no one even realized existed…until now.

Review: I thought this book did amazing! I loved the relationships and how the characters interact with one another. I think that’s one of the best things about this series, the author realistically portrays relationships between others in a way that anyone can relate. The plot did well and the book continued well from the second to this. The ending was amazing and this will definitely be a series that I reread!

My only issue is, again, the world building, but it was better than the first two books.

Verdict: I recommend this series!

B. K.

This story continues to be full of adventure, monsters, and epic battles. Despite the high stakes, I can't say I felt emotionally attached to any of the characters or their relationships, but there was still an engaging plot that wrapped up in a satisfying way. And I respect the author's decision to (view spoiler)[sacrifice so many of the characters. I feel like it's pretty standard in fantasy settings that a group of heroes will vow to give their lives for a cause, only for most of them to miraculously survive. Here, victory comes at a real cost. (hide spoiler)]

In the epic finale to New York Times bestselling author Julie Kagawa’s Shadow of the Fox trilogy, the scroll has been taken, and no one is safe. To save everyone she loves from imminent death, kitsune shapeshifter Yumeko gave up the final piece of the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers. Now she and her ragtag band of companions must make one desperate final effort to stop the Master of Demons from using the scroll to call the Great Kami Dragon and make the wish that will plunge the empire into chaos. Shadow clan assassin Kage Tatsumi has regained control of his body and agreed to a true deal with the devil—the demon inside him, Hakaimono. They will share his body and work with Yumeko to stop a madman, and to separate Hakaimono from Tatsumi and the cursed sword that trapped the demon for nearly a millennium. But even with their combined skills and powers, this unlikely team of heroes knows the forces of evil may be impossible to overcome. And there is another player in the battle for the scroll, a player who has been watching, waiting for the right moment to pull strings that no one even realized existed…until now. Books in the Shadow of the Fox trilogy: Shadow of the Fox Soul of the Sword Night of the Dragon

Heather Harrington

**I received a copy of this via the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

*4.5

Yumeko, a Kitsune shapeshifter, has given up the final piece of the sacred Scroll of a Thousand Prayers in order to save her friends from a terrible death at the hands of Genno, the Master of Demons. Now, Yumeko and her ragtag band of companions must journey to the Moon Islands in a desperate attempt to stop Genno from calling forth the Great Kami Dragon, and making a wish that will plunge the entire empire into chaos and destruction.

With so many obstacles standing in their way, one of the biggest hurdles the group must face comes from within. Kage Tatsumi was once the deadliest assassin in the Shadow Clan, now he's forced to share his body with a dangerous demon named Hakaimono. For the most part, Kage has a grip on the demon inside, but there are moments when Hakaimono's blood rage is too much. The pair agree to work together, but they soon find out their combined power and skills may not be enough to help Yumeko overcome what's ahead. Especially when the group discover there's been a shadowy figure following their every move, and he has his own plans in store.

This was an action packed rollercoaster right from the jump. There wasn't any slow building, you were thrust right into the fray, and I loved it. I've always said this series plays out like an anime, and this was no exception. The character development and growth of Yumeko and Tatsumi was wonderful, and watching their relationship blossom was both heartwarming and heartbreaking. As I said, the action in this story was full throttle. Every time you turned the page, there was some evil to vanquish or some new obstacle the group needed to face. Whatever Kagawa threw out, Yumeko and gang met it with humor and heart. I sort of figured out the little twists before they happened, so that was the only reason why this wasn't a full 5 star read for me, but either way I enjoyed every minute and thought this was such a solid end to the series.

Leelynn Brady

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Netgalley, and Inkyard Books for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.

I’m so freaking sad that this is over, okay?! Like…. I have been invested in Yumeko’s journey and even Tatsumi’s internal struggle with Hakaimono messing up his life. I mean, gosh…. Kage Tatsumi having to deal with that kind of internal struggle that isn’t even coming from his personal demons and still somehow maintaining his humanity even though that wasn’t going as well as he thought it was! Ugh this was just amazing.

I don’t even want to get into this because it would be full of spoilers galore. It’s definitely difficult to write the kind of thorough review that I want to for this novel without getting into the spoilers that make it so crucial, but long story short: I loved this book. I think it was the perfect ending for this journey, and this book and series as a whole really solidified my thoughts that Kagawa is one of my all time favorite authors.

Stay tuned for a spoiler filled review at a later date, because I will go deeper into this book with way more thoughts than I can share right now.

Shannon Jade

Read my full review on the Shannon A. Jade Books blog!

My Night of the Dragon Top 3:
- High stakes
- Unexpected twists
- Well-rounded finale

Lauren James

Full review on my blog, Storied Adventures!

I loved the conclusion to this series! It hurt. Like, badly though, so that was a surprise! 
Loved: Everything

Disliked: Loved everything except the secondary romance (view spoiler)[Okami and Daisuke felt like such a random pairing. I feel like it was just added to be more "diverse" in the second book. It just felt forced and out of nowhere. (hide spoiler)]

Liz Griffin

In many ways, a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. I don’t want to spoil anything by sharing what I didn’t like, but again I think readers who are anime fans will get a lot more out of this series than I can.

Night of the Dragon

Reviews