Death’s Daughter and the Ebony Blade Vol. 6 Review

Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy, Romance

Sub-Tags: War, Strategy, Moe, Cute, OP, Strong Lead

Cover Illustration for Volume 6

Synopsis:

Olivia and Felix finally meet on the same battlefield! After successfully mounting a daring plan, the Second Allied Legion of Fernest and Mekia now marches on the imperial capital of Olsted. If they take the city and the emperor, they can put an end to the war that engulfs the continent. In their way stand the Azure Knights—the most elite warriors in the empire, unleashed at last. They are a foe unlike any Olivia and her allies have faced so far, and their commander Felix may be the only human alive who can match Olivia’s might. Outside this clash of nations, still more shadowy forces are rising. The assassins of the Asura will stop at nothing to see Olivia dead, and, unbeknownst to all, Darmés and Zenia’s plans are approaching fruition. Will Olivia lead her allies to victory, or has her end finally come? (Source: J-Novel Club)

A Glorious Final Battle Begins!

A Strategy for the Long Haul

Marking my first review after a short vacation, the sixth instalment of Death’s Daughter and the Ebony Blade records a pivotal moment in their fight against the Empire.

Less moe and more action-heavy than ever before, the story’s latest development sees Fernest and the eighth legion in an all-or-nothing gambit to stop the war. To bring an end to the Empire’s ambition, the Eighth Legion decide to take the fight directly to their strongest fighters, The Azure Knights.

The battle between the Eighth Legion and the Azure Knights covers almost the entire volume. It’s a tense fight throughout, as for most of the volume, the two rival armies could be considered equal. With every clash of skill and strategy, neither side gains an advantage until the battle becomes one of attrition. After all, the Azure Knights are considered the most mighty warriors of the empire, and against such a force over such a long period, even Olivia can only do so much.

It’s a refreshing change to see Olivia and the Eighth Legion on the back foot for once. Up until this point, the legion had easily managed to fight off stronger opponents on all levels, and it’s nice to see that even the Death God has something she struggles against. Even the notorious Death God has to struggle against some adversity.

A Battle of Equals and the Struggle

Olivia’s adversity becomes a strong theme throughout this novel, and whilst it may start with her precious legion losing advantage, her true moments of struggle come as the volume reaches its climax.

Throughout the series, and especially this volume, the fight between Felix and Olivia had always been on the cards. Touted from the beginning as Olivia’s equal, the fight between the two is a mighty display of warriors. It’s the first time where Olivia’s abilities have only landed her in a stalemate. We will never know who would’ve won the battle, however, as a scheme from the Empire brings the two to agree to a temporary truce.

Whilst the battle between Fernest and the Empire’s finest raged on, Darmés has used the opportunity to stage a coup, subjugating the land through the use of undead warriors.

Now staging an assault against the Empire’s capital alongside a former enemy, Olivia faces her toughest opponent to date – a new death god. Behind Darmés’ newfound powers, this death god ends up wiping the floor with Olivia, destroying any sense of the invincibility the readers thought she once had.

Overall, Death’s Daughter’s latest volume makes for a worthy climax as the series reaches its final two-part volume.

To create a certain level of tension for the finale, this volume does a good job of assuaging the notion that Olivia is the strongest. Through several adversities and losses during battle, Olivia’s position as Fernest’s saviour looks all the more shaky by the end of the volume. This is especially poignant as the volume’s cliffhanger finds beloved main characters in more than just a spot of bother.

As the final battle begins, there’s no doubt in my mind that tragedy is on the way for the Eighth Legion.

Death’s Daughter and the Ebony Blade Vol. 6

My Rating: 8.5/10

If you like what you read and what I do, why not consider supporting me through Ko-Fi. Any donation helps keep this site up and keep me writing.

You can read the sixth volume of this series digitally on the J-Novel Club website.

Death’s Daughter and the Ebony Blade Vol. 5 Review

Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy, Romance

Sub-Tags: War, Strategy, Moe, Cute, OP, Strong Lead

Cover Illustration for Volume 5

Synopsis:

Olivia, Claudia, and Ashton set off on a journey, but this time it’s not a battlefield they’re headed to. Fernest has forged an alliance with the Holy Land of Mekia to combat the Asvelt Empire, and Olivia is invited by the enigmatic Seraph Sofitia on an official visit. A magnificent welcome awaits them amongst the soaring spires of the seraph’s palace, but there’s more at play. Sofitia’s true aim is to make Olivia’s incredible power her own—and she has a killer offer with which to tempt the young commander. What will Olivia do when faced with the choice between her new friends and what she’s been seeking all this time? When offered hope of finding Z, will she be able to say no? Meanwhile, down in the darkness, Chancellor Darmés’ schemes are growing closer to fruition… (Source: J-Novel Club)

Mekian Schemes and a Fernest Assault!

You’ve Got a Friend in Mekia

Having settled an alliance with the Holy Land of Mekia, Death’s Daughter’s latest instalment finds Olivia and her closest allies on an official visit to Fernest’s newest friends. Betwixt the celebrations and ceremony, Mekia has more aspirations for the visit than meets the eye. Desperate to be seen as a major power on the continent, they make an almost far too tempting an offer for Olivia to join them.

The time that Olivia spends in Mekia provides a great depth of character for the series protagonist, showcasing that she’s more than just a moe murderer and that she’s made wonderful strides to become a part of Fernest’s makeup.

From the outset of hearing Mekia’s offer to help look for Z if she joins them, it has Olivia pondering whether her time as part of the Fernest royal army is over. It’s the first time we see Olivia struggle, and a conflict rages within – whether to stay with her friends or finally get a lead as to Z’s location.

As much as Claudia and Ashton could convince her to stay, her decision is made after an unfortunate encounter with a legendary beast. With Ashton going missing as a result of the attack, Olivia comes to the realisation that losing her friends would be worse than having to delay her reunion with Z. By the time Ashton returns from his disappearance, Olivia’s already made her choice to stay.

From Defence to All-Out Attack

Saddened by the realisation that they won’t be able to tempt Olivia to their side, The Holy Land of Mekia still decide to help Fernest in the next stage of the war.

Mekia’s presence on the battlefield changes the state of play for Fernest. No longer satisfied with retaking lost territory and playing defensively, with the death god and mages on their side, they finally decide to go on the attack.

With their diversionary tactics on full display, they successfully manage to lure the empire into thinking that they wish to reclaim their impenetrable fortress, Kier Fortress. The reality, however, sees Olivia, the eighth legion, and the mages of Mekia fight deep within the empire’s territory. Winning fort after fort, the final moments of the volume see Fernest marching on the empire’s capital.

The fifth volume of Death’s Daughter is one of the most important in the series so far. This latest volume sees critical development for both character and plot. For Olivia, this story tests her resolve for a reunion with Z and what she’s willing to sacrifice to achieve this goal. As readers, you can see how hard she works to get through this conflict, reaching the best possible outcome.

On the scales of the plot, the latest outing provides a change to how Fernest is approaching the war. Now moving at a blistering pace, their position within the war has swapped, Fernest in the position of an attacker and the Empire in defence. The result of Fernest’s advancement means there’ll be more focus on the Empire. With a fight with the Empire’s strongest beckoning and a death god plot underway, there’s plenty to look forward to in the future. 

Death’s Daughter and the Ebony Blade Vol. 5

My Rating: 9/10

I hope you enjoyed my review and would love to see what you thought of the volume in the comments! If you like what I do and want to see more, consider supporting me by buying me a coffee on Ko-Fi.

You can read the fifth volume of this series digitally on the J-Novel Club website.

Death’s Daughter and the Ebony Blade Vol. 4 Review

Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy, Romance

Sub-Tags: War, Strategy, Moe, Cute, OP, Strong Lead

Cover Illustration for Volume 4

Synopsis:

Olivia is moving up in the world. Between her and the First Legion, the Royal Army scored a dazzling victory on the central front that has the empire on the back foot. But the Royal Army is still stretched thin, and there are rumblings from the south that the United City-States of Sutherland is threatening to abandon its neutrality and march on Fernest’s southern border. Fortunately, Field Marshal Cornelius has a plan—he’s giving Olivia a whole army. Now Major General Olivia Valedstorm, she’s put in command of the newly established Eighth Legion. It’ll be up to her, Claudia, and Ashton to whip their army of fresh recruits into shape in time to fight off this new foe! (Source: J-Novel Club)

The Eighth Legion Faces a Surprise Invasion!

Stonia and Meika

Throughout the story so far, the Empire has always talked about its aspirations to unite the continent beyond its war with Fernest. This volume constitutes the first move towards this goal, goading the Kingdom of Stonia to attack the holy nation of Meika.

Having the main focus on a battle between two nations that have been on the sidelines until now has both upsides and downsides. To start with, focusing on nations without Olivia as their secret cheat weapon means that the series can take a deeper look at strategy and warfare. A battle between a country filled with fighters against one with mages reveals the overpowering abilities of magic and the importance of moral in war.

A focus on the Kingdom of Stonia and Meika also allows for a focus on the lives of people under the influence of the Empire. The Kingdom of Stonia is a puppet nation for the Empire and, under their ruler’s new plan to test out the strength of the Meikian army, Stonia is caught between a rock and a hard place. Either they face destruction fighting back against the Empire, or they face destruction through a defeat against a nation of mages.

Unfortunately, having a majority of the volume focusing on different nations and characters means we see less of Olivia and her team’s entertaining antics. No matter how enjoyable reading about warfare can be, it just doesn’t feel the same without the great interactions you get when reading about the actions of the eighth legion.

The Surprise Invasion

What we do get of Olivia and the gang is still as good as always. Fighting off against a surprise invasion with an entire legion at her command this time. Her destruction and devastation come across to a legendary extent.

Commanding an entire legion allows for even larger schemes in order to defeat the enemy. This time, to fight off the United City-States of Sutherland, they lull them into a false sense of security. Suitably overconfident, the eighth legion tears this notion apart with superior numbers, strength and strategy, culminating in the most one-sided defeat in the series so far.

Whilst Death’s Daughter’s fourth volume misses Olivia for the majority of the volume, it still comes over as a strong entry in the series. With what little we get with Olivia being timely content and a good focus on strategy and warfare, there’s room for exciting developments in the volumes to come. Moreover, with a partnership with the holy land on the horizon, things are only looking up for here.

Death’s Daughter and the Ebony Blade Vol. 4

My Rating: 8/10

I hope you enjoyed my review and would love to see what you thought of the volume in the comments! If you like what I do and want to see more, consider supporting me by buying me a coffee on Ko-Fi.

You can read the fourth volume of this series digitally on the J-Novel Club website.

Death’s Daughter and the Ebony Blade Vol. 3 Review

Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy, Romance

Sub-Tags: War, Strategy, Moe, Cute, OP, Strong Lead

Cover Illustration for Volume 3

Synopsis:

Olivia, Claudia, and Ashton are back in Fernest after ousting Rosenmarie and the Crimson Knights from the north, enjoying some well-deserved time off and investigating Olivia’s mysterious heritage. But the ripples of this latest defeat are spreading, and new players are moving out onto the board. The empire’s Helios Knights have mobilized to wipe out the Second Legion, while Seraph Sofitia of the Holy Land of Mekia, no longer content to watch from the shadows, seizes the chance to set her plans into motion. What havoc will her mages wreak when they join the fray? With chaos looming, duty calls Olivia back to the battlefield. She and her friends join the Invincible General Cornelius on a mission to save the Second Legion and the central front! (Source: J-Novel Club)

The Death God Comes to the Rescue!

Who needs fame, prestige and riches when you have lots and lots of cake! Words that Olivia continues to live by as the series reaches its third volume.

This latest outing has Olivia and the seventh legion once again coming to the rescue. The object of their rescue mission this time comes at the hands of the Empire’s prestigious Helios Knights. They’ve got the second legion over a barrel and only a miracle will save them from the jaws of defeat.

Meanwhile, other large players on the continent have begun to make their move. An attack on the Empire by the Holy Land of Meika has set off a series of shockwaves that could spell trouble for Olivia back in Fernest!

A Cunning Plan

Three volumes in, and I’m finally noticing the series’ development patterns. The first volume focused on Olivia’s worth towards the Kingdom of Fernest, whilst the second focused more on Olivia’s closest allies and friends – how Ashton’s strategising and Claudia’s innate ability to learn skills are important in Olivia’s victories.

The latest volume, however, focuses on the legion itself and its instrumental value in creating victories. To get to this realisation, the story gives a hilarious recounting of their plan to defeat the Helios Knights.

Almost opposite to Baldrick and his cunning plans, for Olivia, Ashton and the rest of the soldiers, their plan actually works! Involving a doppelganger of Olivia, it has the Empire’s knights completely fooled allowing the real Olivia, Ashton and Claudia to saunter in and kill the Helios general.

Their teamwork continues to develop in the latter half of the volume as well. Helping the first legion to victory lands Olivia an audience with the king and a chance to eat a giant cake created by the finest patisseries. Cue Olivia over-eating, to Claudia’s constant dismay!

Behind the Scenes

To much pleasure, this volume sees a lot more development in terms of world-building. Away from Olivia’s exploits, more pieces are being moved on the chess board, and larger players are about to enter the scene.

There’s a particular notice given to the Holy Land of Maika, a land of mages and seraphs. With the newly found weakness of the Empire, it has given them the perfect opportunity to strike. Alongside the fact that the war has started to open up, this volume provides some excellent insight into the system of magic or magic craft in this fantasy world.

To those uninformed, mages seem all-powerful with abilities beyond the normal human spectrum, and yet, there are huge drawbacks to this fake style of magic – they’ll die if they use up all their mana, and without a symbol to cast their mana from they can no longer use magic.

Additionally, the third outing gives plenty of time to some of the more slice-of-life aspects of the series. Sections are dedicated to library research on the Vanderstorm family, in turn showcasing some interesting history of the world and a possible reason why Olivia is so strong.

Death’s Daughter’s latest addition to the series is just as great as previous entries, delivering more interesting world-building and great comedic antics between the central three characters. For those not already acquainted with the series, I highly recommend it for being constantly engaging with each passing volume.

Death’s Daughter and the Ebony Blade Vol. 3

My Rating: 9/10

I hope you enjoyed my review and would love to see what you thought of the volume in the comments! If you like what I do and want to see more, consider supporting me by buying me a coffee on Ko-Fi.

You can read the third volume of this series digitally from the J-Novel Club website.

Death Daughter and the Ebony Blade Vol. 2 Review

Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy, Romance

Sub-Tags: War, Strategy, Moe, Cute, OP, Strong Lead

Cover Illustration for Volume 2

Synopsis:

All of Fernest is celebrating Olivia and the Seventh Legion’s victory at the Battle of Ilys. Their festivities are cut short, however, when news arrives of a disastrous defeat on the northern front. Time is of the essence if they’re going to save the remaining Legions before the empire strikes. The mission falls to Olivia, who sets off for the north with Claudia and Ashton in tow. Lying in wait for them is the empire’s General Rosenmarie, along with her Crimson Knights. Hungry for revenge after the death of her beloved General Osvannes, she’ll stop at nothing to crush the Seventh Legion. Can Olivia and the others stop Rosenmarie and her shadowy allies, or are they walking right into a trap? (Source: J-Novel Club)

Olivia Faces Battles in the North!

Finally getting to grips with the mountain of reviews I have to do. My next review sees the return of everyone’s favourite war-faring moeblob, Olivia, as she faces more battles in the north.

A short-lived victory starts off the second volume with the Empire making ground in Fernest’s northern regions. As Olivia and the seventh legion are sent out to help, the enemy commander is waiting. A trap has been set and Rosenmarie waits to snare a Death God!

Those, including myself, who enjoyed Death’s Daughter’s previous volume will more than likely continue to enjoy its second. Olivia is once again out in full force with her lovable lack of common sense and absolute dominance on the battlefield.

The empire’s army continues to line themselves up to be food for Z and Olivia is more than happy to comply.

Where this volume succeeds and develops itself beyond the opener is its subtle nod towards the supporting cast. Upon the conclusion of the second volume, the author has made it clear just how important and necessary Olivia’s allies are in ensuring her absolute victories in the field.

Ashton gets the lion’s share here, settling into his role as a tactician. Several times during the volume his strategies bring great success for the seventh legion – upping his confidence by the end of the volume and truly earning himself a place by Olivia’s side beyond making good sandwiches.

Claudia also goes through some interesting developments. Her ability to copy others’ techniques has allowed her to use some of Olivia’s fighting style making her quite the warrior on the battlefield.

Romance has also begun to take shape, with Claudia, Ashton and Olivia all starting to become aware and getting closer.

As for the second volume’s plot, it’s simplistic overall with the main motive being revenge, yet, it does raise some good questions for the future of the series. Rosenmarie escapes alive at the end of the volume and mages have started to take their place in the war, promising some good future action to come.

Overall, Death’s Daughter’s second volume stays its entertaining course. Lots of fun Olivia moments with plenty of blood and gore, supplemented by side characters cementing their role in the series.

Death’s Daughter Vol. 2

My Rating: 9/10

I hope you enjoyed my review and would love to see what you thought of the volume in the comments!

You can read the second volume of this series in pre-pub format on the J-Novel Club website.