Book Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5 stars)
Audio Book Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 Stars)
Total Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5 stars)
Your destiny is what you make of it.
That’s what everyone says right? Well, except when you’re in a world based off of games like Legend of Zelda of other infamous RPGs. Then it gets a little bit more complicated.
Enter Yui Shaw, a stubborn young woman who wants to break the cycle of fated-heroes to defeat the Demon King once and for all. With a nervous Sword Saint, an annoyed fairy, and her skill as a “Bag Mage”, Yui Shaw devises a plan…and it might just be crazy enough to work.
This is a fun listen, and if you enjoy games like Legend of Zelda, you’ll see exactly where the inspiration was drawn from. Really. It’s that obvious. It’s a light hearted story, filled with green and silver slimes, puzzling temples, and one clear message: you can be whoever you set out to be.
Yui is a headstrong character, but her passion and drive lead her to tempt the Gods and break tradition. I think, nowadays, we can all relate to that at least.
That being said, if you are less familiar with games like Legend of Zelda or Final Fantasy, you might find the story a bit fast-paced and confusing. The base knowledge of those worlds helps navigate and imagine an otherwise fast-paced and light-hearted tale.
So why not take destiny by the shoulders, shake and curse at it a little bit, then choose your own path? If you’re up to it, maybe you’ll even go on an adventure with Yui Shaw.
What’s it about?
For thousands of years, there has been a cycle: a Demon King rises and conquers, and a Hero is reborn a hundred years later to defeat him. Each time, civilizations are ground to dust beneath the Demon King’s hordes, but humanity has remained secure in the belief that a Hero of legend will always save them. There’s just one slight problem. It’s only been 23 years since the Demon King’s latest rise, and this time, he’s already conquered more than half the world. If humanity simply waits for the Hero’s return, there may be no world left for him to save.
And so, Yui Shaw sets out with an ambitious plan. A 10-step plan.
She’ll find a way to obtain the Hero’s legendary sword. She’ll earn obscure classes, gain levels, and increase her skills. She’ll travel to the meticulously-crafted dungeons that seem designed for one specific Hero to complete. And, if she’s truly (un)fortunate, she might even find a fairy.
She might not be a Hero—but if she can fake it long enough, she might still be able to save the world.
E.S. Barrison 