The Twelve Kingdoms: The Vast Spread of the Sea is the third in a series of light novels written from 1992 through 2001. This novel centers on two characters, Rokuta and Koya, two characters with similar beginnings, yet clearly different outcomes. They were both abandoned as children and ended up finding their paths in very different ways.

Highlights

Rokuta becomes a Kirin, a being whose sole purpose is to find a King to rule En.  En had been ruled by a true despot and had come to ruinous times.  Rokuta has grown to second guess himself on his choice, Shoryu.  He is afraid that Shoryu is a playboy slacker and an idiot to boot. It goes so far that his own court begins to believe this. This is where the two protagonists come into play.  Koya having been raised by a demon, has come to serve a new master, Atsuyu.  They end up in En, getting involved in the local political struggle and working toward trying to solve a flooding problem that the King appears to be avoiding. This leads to them having to slip away together. 

But the story is not as simple as this and there is much to discover about both Shoryu and Atsuyu. As in most Japanese stories, what something or someone appear to be is not what they often turn out to be. 

Overall

This novel takes the reader into a magical mystical world where if you ascend to a city above the clouds, you do not age. There is much that the fantasy here has to offer and the author, Fuyumi Ono, has brought much strength to the novels she has produced. The first two books developed the landscape for this world to exist and this installment provides depth of understanding and character to keep the series moving. 

I was not overly moved by the fantasy in the story but the basic relationships between the major characters was compelling. The standard plot line of knowing your demons versus the demons you do not know is played out here. I did find the speed of the story to be a little slow at times, but overall it moved at a smooth enough pace to maintain my interest. I would recommend reading the first two books before you get involved with this one, but it is not necessary.

I should point out that the books, including this installment, takes place over 400 years prior to the time that the Anime is set in and deals with a separate arch. This only adds to the story and helps to give more meaning to the original plot line of a time travel fantasy. There is a fair amount of back story that be learned in this installment and if you are a real fan of the story The Twelve Kingdoms: The Vast Spread of the Sea would be a welcome addition to your collection.

ComicsOnline gives The Twelve Kingdoms: The Vast Spread of the Sea 3 out of 5 13-year old Man-Boy Kirin.