If you have not already done so, you should definitely pick up Volume 1 of Alison Wilgus’ time-travel epic, Chronin (link goes to my review.) At last, I can now talk about the finale, Chronin, Volume 2: The Sword in Your Hand.

In my review of Volume 1, I go into great lengths about the uncanny parallel between Chronin and an obscure manga series I loved call Amakusa 1637. Although the stories are in no way similar and, in fact are addressing opposite ends of the same historical era, the fact that they both do this through time travel was remarkable. That they both do this with time travel and a female lead that cross dresses is extraordinary.

Where Amakausa 1637 handles the paradoxes by changing the future, in Chronin the characters decide on fixing the past. Why they must do so – and how – make for a fascinating and tensely written story that anyone can enjoy, even if history is not your best subject. In that sense, Chronin is as much historical thriller as a science fiction novel.

Part of what makes Chronin a satisfying read is the characters. They are all well-developed, fraught with their own emotions, successes and failures. Human frailty is a character unto itself in this story.

The ending is super satisfying on every level, even levels you didn’t know you were worried about. Hatsu has a half dozen amazing moments in this volume – ultimately she is my favorite character, having shown common sense, intelligence, competence, humor and a fair chunk of rage at everyone meddling gratuitously in her timeline. Even the antagonist make some really pointed comments about the hubris of time anthropologists, wandering through the past taking samples the way European explorers did with indigenous cultures. Ultimately, it was that raw honestly of the characters that really kept me turning the pages right to the very end.

Ratings:

Art – 9
Story – 9
Characters – 8 “Fuck Kuji” is a an actual line in the book.
Service – 3 A little light gayness
Yuri – 8 Not spoiling is pointless, there’s only two characters it could be. Mirai and Hatsu ftw.

Overall – 9

Time travel, cross-dressing samurai adventures sound fun, but Chronin reminds us that people’s lives are not just collateral damage.