History Literature / SteelCrowSaga

* ClaimedByTheSupernatural: The story has a consensual version when a human and an animal form a Shadepact bond: they both manifest a unique symbol at a random, identical spot on their bodies. Xiulan wears her bangs over her left eye because that's where hers.

* ClaimedByTheSupernatural: The story has a consensual version when a human and an animal form a Shadepact bond: they both manifest a unique symbol at a random, identical spot on their bodies. Xiulan wears a PeekABangs because her and her Shade's are on their left eyes.

!Tropes for the book:

* EyeObscuringHat: Xiulan always wears either Peek-a-Bangs or a hat tilted rakishly over her left eye. She likes the aesthetic, but it's mainly to hide the fact that [[spoiler: her pact mark from bonding a Shade Familiar manifested on her eyeball.]]
* FacialDialogue: Subverted for laughs and DramaticIrony when Jimuro tries to communicate to his childhood friend through subtle expressions that the woman pouring their drinks is actually a highly dangerous enemy agent who's holding them hostage. Said friend is much more facially eloquent in responding that he doesn't have a clue what Jimuro's wincing about.

* {{Forgiveness}}: Arguably the novel's CentralTheme, as it begins after the Tomodanese Empire is overthrown and the characters have to deal with the aftermath and with forging a lasting peace between it and the nations it once conquered.

* HotBlade: Metalpacters can use their ExtraOreDinary powers to heat metal red-hot with a touch, which they use in combat to enhance their bladed weapons. Their powers also maintain the blade's strength and let them hold it safely.
* ItHasBeenAnHonor: When Prince Jimuro is forced into an EnemyMine situation with one of his former captors and believes they're about to be killed in battle, he sincerely thanks her for everything and says she has "a prince's courtesy and gratitude". They survive and end up FireForgedFriends.

* NonHeteronormativeSociety: Homophobia seems to be non-existent in the world and there is complete gender equality.When Jimuro learns that his childhood friend and potential betrothed has transitioned into a man since he saw him last, his only reaction is surprise and it's never treated as an obstacle to a royal marriage.

* TastesLikeFriendship: One of the first signs of Jimuro's development is him making adobo for Tala, a Sanbuna food. While he does posture over how his version with mushrooms is superior, Tala notes him preparing a food from her culture to comfort her is more respectful of her and the Sanbuna than he has ever been before.

* CulturalPosturing: Having been a political hostage of the Sabuna most of his life, Prince Jimuro likes to go on and on about the superiority of Tomodanese culture and demean Sanbuna culture as barbaric, even claiming that their colonization was "[[WhiteMansBurden civilizing]]" the Sanbuna. He starts growing past this the more he interacts with both cultures and realizes it was not as simple as he wanted to believe.

* {{Familiar}}: The magic of Shadepacting lets a human exchange parts of their soul with a consenting animal, which gives them a PsychicLink, transforms the animal into a DireBeast, and lets the human manifest and de-manifest it at will. It's been seen as sacred by the Shang and Sanbuna peoples and as vile slavery by the Tomodanese, and the human can in fact dominate the animal's will [[spoiler: or pact with another human]]...

* BoxedCrook: Xiulan rescues Lee from execution to get her help in her mission. Of course, Lee is a JustifiedCriminal at worst who was being [[ShopliftAndDie executed for a rather minor crime]], so there's considerably less tension than in most cases.

* TastesLikeFriendship: One of the first signs of Jimuro's development is him making adobo for Tala, a Sanbuna food. While he does posture over how his version with mushrooms is superior, Tala notes him preparing a food from her culture to comfort her is quite a bit farther than he would have ever gone before.

* BoxedCrook: Shang rescues Lee from execution to get her help in her mission. Of course, Lee is a JustifiedCriminal at worst who was being [[ShopliftAndDie executed for a rather minor crime]], so there's considerably less tension than in most cases.

* CulturalPosturing: Having been a political hostage most of his life, Prince Jimuro likes to go on and on about the superiority of Tomodanese culture and demean Sanbuna culture and magic as barbaric, even claiming that their colonization was "[[WhiteMansBurden civilizing]]" the Sanbuna. He starts growing past this the more he interacts with both cultures and realizes it was not as simple as he wanted to believe.

* FantasticCounterpartCulture: The cultures of the novel are very clearly inspired by and borrow art, names, languages, foods, and landscapes from various East Asian cultures, albeit with magic influencing their development. Shang is Imperial China, Tomoda is Imperial Japan, Dahal is India, the Sanbu Islands are the Phillipines, and the Jeongsonese are Korean. The novel begins in the aftermath of Tomoda's attempt to conquer the others and their successful repulsion, much like Imperial Japan's attempt to conquer land in those countries during World War 2.

* GreatDetective: Xiulan is one of the greatest detectives of her country

* NoPlaceForAWarrior: Tala is struggling in the aftermath of the revolution, and takes up the job of escorting Jimuro to have something to do.

* PoliticalHostage: Prince Jimuro, the LivingMacGuffin who was captured in the Sanbuna Revolution and now has to be escorted back to Tomoda to reclaim his throne and lead to a lasting peace.

A 2019 LGBT Fantasy novel by Creator/PaulKrueger that has four destinies colliding in a world of war and wonders where battles are fought alongside animal companions.

* ExtraOreDinary: The Tomodanese people have the gift of "metalpacting", infusing metal with their spirit at a touch. They can reshape metal, give themselves ImprobableAimingSki;ls with metal projectiles, make an AbsurdSharpBlade, and drive metal vehicles without motors.

* {{Forgiveness}}: Arguably the novel's CentralTheme, as it begins after the Tomodanese Empire is overthrown and the characters have to deal with the aftermath and with forging a lasting peace between the two nations.

* MutuallyExclusiveMagic: According to common propaganda, it's impossible to learn another culture's magic. The splintersoul Mayon shows how wrong this is, and [[spoiler:Tala and Jimuro both learn the others' magic at the end.]]

* ExtraOreDinary: The Tomodanese people have the gift of "metalpacting", infusing metal with their spirit at a touch. They can reshape metal, give themselves Improbable Aimin gSkils with metal projectiles, make a blade Absurdly Sharp and hot, and drive metal vehicles without motors.
* EyeObscuringHat: Xiulan always wears either Peek-a-Bangs or a hat tilted rakishly over her left eye. She likes the aesthetic, but it's mainly to hide the fact that her pact mark from bonding a Shade Familiar manifested on her eyeball.

* {{Familiar}}: The magic of Shadepacting lets a human exchange parts of their soul with a consenting animal, which gives them a PsychicLink, transforms the animal into a DireBeast, and lets the human manifest and de-manifest it at will. It's been seen as sacred by the Shang and Sanbuna peoples and as vile slavery by the Tomodanese, and the human can in fact dominate the animal's will 0 or pact with another human...
* HotBlade: Metalpacters can use their Extra-ore-dinary powers to heat metal red-hot with a touch, which they use in combat to enhance their bladed weapons. Their powers also maintain the blade's strength and let them hold it safely.
* ItHasBeenAnHonor: When Prince Jimuro is forced into an EnemyMine situation with one of his former captors and believes they're about to be killed in battle, he sincerely thanks her for everything and says she has "a prince's courtesy and gratitude". They survive and end up FireForgedFriends.

* ExtraOreDinary: The Tomodanese people have the gift of "metalpacting", infusing metal with their spirit at a touch. They can reshape metal, give themselves Improbable Aimin gSkils with metal projectiles, make a blade AbsurdlySharp and hot, and drive metal vehicles without motors.

* ExtraOreDinary: The Tomodanese people have the gift of "metalpacting", infusing metal with their spirit at a touch. They can reshape metal, give themselves ImprobableAimingSkils with metal projectiles, make a blade AbsurdlySharp and hot, and drive metal vehicles without motors.