Warrior Born is a fantasy novel by Kathrine Leannan and is the first novel in the Katana Series. Blending the ancient cultural legends of the Samurai gods and the mysticism of Scottish heritage, this character-driven tale takes place in present day Australia. We follow heroine Connor MacDonald, the unknowing recipient of the sword of Bishamon, god of war, and the first-born daughter sent to bring hope in the Highlands of centuries past. When Connor reaches the age that she can first bear Bishamon’s katana, the vicious god begins his onslaught to reclaim his sword, by any means necessary. Gods and mortals collide with Connor’s own quest for love, success and normality in the human world, and it quickly becomes clear that her double destiny is truly inescapable.

For readers that love no-holds-barred action and fantasy with gritty, battle-worn realism, Warrior Born will prove a satisfying read. Personally, I did find the graphic sex, violence and language to be somewhat gratuitous and unnecessary against what was already an interesting and engaging plot, but I can appreciate that fans of today’s overly-explicit fantasy series, such as Game of Thrones, will relish the extra graphic detail that Kathrine Leannan adds to her work. The tale was extremely well written and the plot moved at a catchy pace. I found the mixing of cultures, dialects and characters' viewpoints to be enriching, and I can safely say that I’ve never read a fantasy book like this before. Readers looking for a novel that’s truly original need look no further than Warrior Born.

In Kathrine Leannan's Warrior Born, we are first introduced to Yokami Sukani, Imperial Leader of the celestial Samurai Warriors. Yokami is in the Scottish Highlands to hide the destructive Sword of War safely in the past. While there he is met by Epona, the Scottish goddess of horses, dogs, healing springs, and crops. Their paths are crossed by Marie MacDonald, and Yokami is forced to relay a prophesy to Epona. A deal is struck at the revelation that is mutually beneficial to both gods: Marie MacDonald and her families' lives are spared. In exchange, Epona will keep the Blade hidden. Additionally, the daughter of Marie and Angus will be both a child of the Friesian Horsemen and the next Daughter of the Sword. Transported to modern day Australia, Connor MacDonald is born and gifted with the Sight. Years later after a violent crime is committed against Connor, she is trained by Yokami in the skill of the Katana — the sword —and earns her place among both the Samurai and Highland masters. She lives life as a normal girl, getting tattooed, becoming a skilled equestrian, and marrying the love of her life, Craig. Through all this, lurking in the shadows and plaguing her life with heartache is Bishamon, who is relentless in his search for the Sword.

Kathrine Leannan's Warrior Born is an adventure that spans past and present, bringing together the worlds of earth and heaven. The characters are well developed, diverse, and skillfully depicted. Scotland, the Imperial Kingdom, and modern day Australia are so well rendered, it is easy for a reader to find themselves there, engrossed in the story. The story itself is unique and interesting, wonderfully inventive in the combining of two cultures completely alien to each other. However, there were multiple instances where words were used where they simply did not belong. It strained the flow and felt like a thesaurus had been overly and incorrectly used. This aside, Kathrine Leannan's Warrior Born is a spectacular story, full of adventure and fully encompassing the human experience — even through a daughter born of the Gods.