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The Twelve Kingdoms
Any fantasy fan should definitely read this series.
It is terribly cool.
The only complaint I have is some awkward wording. But Fuyumi Ono, the writer, can't really be faulted for that- she wrote it in Japanese, and then it was translated into English, and we all know translations tend to be a little... meh.
It's really cool, though. The story combines Chinese mythology and lore with this political upheaval type story- bah, have the summary of the first volume:
More than just a fantasy story filled with horrific monsters, half-beasts, and magicians, The Twelve Kingdoms centers around a world reminiscent of Chinese mythology and rife with civil and political upheaval. Sea of Shadow, the first volume of this ongoing seven-volume epic, takes you on a wild ride that leaves you questioning the bounds of reality and fantasy.
I really can't say anything else. Just a very cool series. All you need to know is that it comes highly recommended from not only me but a number of other sources.
I didn't like the main character, Yoko, at first. And I'm still not thrilled with her, to be honest. But what I like is that... well. In every other story of this kind, there are girls with an inordinate ammount of natural skill in fighting. She though has a demon thing bind itself to her and that's how she's able to fight. I like that Fuyumi Ono didn't give a schoolgirl insane martial ability without explanation, like a lot of writers do.
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