Ronin Games

Wearing the Cape Series, Book 5

By: Marion G. Harmon

Narrated by: Caitlin Kelly

Astra has returned to Chicago and the everyday life of a cape: getting kittens out of trees, training, aiding the city's emergency first-responders, training, doing public relations events, training, and the occasional superhero v. supervillain fight that threatens to level neighborhoods or at least set them on fire.

Then Astra takes a hard hit during a fight and very briefly finds herself somewhere else, somewhere she's only been before in dreams and in the company of Kitsune, a shape-shifting trickster fox. Astra's friends learn she is under the increasing influence of an otherworldly realm they know absolutely nothing about, and that she may even be drawn permanently into it. If they hope to stop it from happening, they must find Kitsune before it's too late.

But to find Kitsune they must go to Japan, and since Japan doesn't allow unsanctioned entry to foreign capes, everything depends on secrecy. With no allies, few assets, and surprises at every turn, winning requires rewriting the rules and playing their own game. A ronin game.

©2015 Marion G. Harmon (P)2019 Tantor

Another worthwile chapter in the Astra Series.

Great presentation of one of my favorite series. If you enjoy superhero stories, I can't recommend this book highly enough.

Real good entry.

This is my second time listening to this story. Well worth it. For me a high point in the series as I love how it builds up the outside US world. Hope next installments do more.

Update. Third time listening to this story and loved it. Would like an another anthology with featuring these side characters.

Magic Girl Superhero Story at its Finest!

What do you get when you cross a western superhero story with the world of anime magic girls? You get Ronin Games! I didn't know how I was going to like the cross in the genre, despite my love of the series, but it did not disappoint. As in previous books, Marion Harmon hit every single trope in such a way to cause me to openly laugh and guffaw. From the ever-present magic girl cat to the use of dragon-class breakthroughs (thanks for the RPG for telling us the name) and straight to the over-use of mecha and kaiju, it left me wanting to hear more.

What makes it even better is Mr Harmon's not covering the main character in a do-no-wrong "hero shield" that we see in other works within the superhero genre. Sure she doesn't get herself tore up as much as Harry Dresden (Dresden Files), but she can be both naïve and clueless at the same time she is strong and decisive.

As with every other book in the franchise, I am left asking questions regarding whether breakthroughs and The Event were the beginning of the story or just another chapter. I both hope that the question is answered and hope that it isn't answered directly as my wanting to know more about the world of post-Event Earth is drawing me ever-deeper to the series.

Another Homerun

One of the things that makes Harmon’s Wearing the Cape series so interesting is that he avoids repeating the same adventure over and over again. If you’ve read any comics, you know that is a real danger in this genre. In this adventure, Harmon pulls Astra, Ozma, Artemis and Shelly out of the U.S. and puts them into a covert operation in Japan to find Kitsune before Astra is permanently trapped in a dream well. Because the Japanese government is not cooperating with their quest, they have to go under cover, operating without the level of support they are accustomed to.

This is a great adventure. Not only do we get to see how Japanese society has responded to the event that created super heroes, we get to explore elements of Japanese folklore and their influenced on the creation of the Japanese superhuman population. It’s a great detour from the troubles in Chicago as the “Three Remarkable Ronin” (our heroes undercover) build a legend in Japan.

As usual, narrator Caitlin Kelly does a “super” job of bringing the cast to life. It makes rereading this series through the audiobooks a distinct treat.

Incredible book!

Another awesome book in the Wearing the Cape series, one of the best one to date!