Detective Sergeant Mariko Oshiro is still adjusting to the injuries, both physical and mental, that she suffered while fighting for her life in DAUGHTER OF THE SWORD.

Unfortunately, the events left her with a Yakuza-ordered hit out on her as the Yakuza boss needs to save face. Meanwhile, an ancient mask has resurfaced and the Yakuza are the ones holding it- until it is stolen. What are the ancient ties between Mariko's treasured sword and the mask?

YEAR OF THE DEMON is a tale that weaves back and forth from modern day to the past. We see the history of the mask and the sword through the eyes of Daigoro, the lord of the House Okuma, in the year 1588, and Kaida, a young pearl diver, in the year 1488. Steve Bein does a great job at alternating the viewpoints while keeping the reader engaged. Initially I was a bit worried that the various time periods and points of view of the tale would become distracting but instead they blend together to create a beautiful tapestry of the history of the mask and the sword. I didn't want the story to end, as I wanted to read even more about Daigoro and Kaida to see how their stories end.

YEAR OF THE DEMON is the second in The Fated Blade series but it can easily be read as a standalone. It is my understanding that we see the earlier history of both Mariko and Daigoro. However, this back history isn't necessary to grasp the richness and complexity of YEAR OF THE DEMON.

YEAR OF THE DEMON is a masterful work, tracing the history of two objects through the eyes of a handful of people through time. Steve Bein crafts a dark fantasy tale that is both spellbinding and intense. I look forward to reading more by this very talented author.