This book was a slow start to me. I'm not much a fan of history, however, it definitely picked up into an awesome story of Japanese demons to fight and a battle where the main character saves everyone from demons but gets pulled under ground. It will be a great and interesting 2nd book. hopefully his brother who is now grown, Finn, will get to find Hayden if he escapes the Underworld. I loved how it opened up after the build of the people and the time line of history with Pear Harbor, Guam, and into the Korean war. Pretty spiffy.

I never tried books with a WO II theme and after reading this one, I don’t think I will ever try it again unfortunately.

The quality of the book is good however. I enjoyed the history and the folklore of Japan.

I haven't finished the book yet. However, the story has me hooked; the fact that we are faced with an American soldier who gets tangled with Japanese deities gives a refreshing look to the mythology aspect of books I love so much.

First of all I would like to say I love the timeline of events and the whole view of Pearl Harbor and Japan. Overall the book had alot of interesting details and I really enjoyed Hayden and Mrs. Sharp. Especially the fact that he did not know why or how he was alive and then the training him for corpse walker made it come together as a whole. However this book was a bit of a difficult read, several areas of the book were a difficult read that did not flow right to me and felt drawn out too long. However this book kind of felt a bit drawn out for me I do recommend reading it as it had great character development as well as descriptions. Also the storyline I believe was fairly good as well in the Sci fi genre. I believe someone more into Sci fi of this nature would enjoy the book more than I did.

I'm not sure where to start? Historical fiction usually is NOT my thing. Especially war stories. I typically do not care for anything that has to do with war but I found the idea with the Japanese demons to be extremely intriguing. People usually forget about the Pacific War since media tends to focus on Germany and the Nazis when we think of WWII so it was super interesting to see a different side. I wasn't sure how I was gonna feel about this book and then I couldn't put it down!

Not to be THAT PERSON but I feel like fans of Captain America will really like this one! There are some funny jokes about Captain America too, since they would've existed during the same time. Corpse Walker is just a bit darker, I think. Still, it was a GREAT read and unlike anything I've ever read before. I'm trying to talk about how good it is but I don't know how to without giving away spoilers! I can't wait to follow his journey and also for the next book in the Infernal Artifacts!!

Thank you to Steely Co. Publishing for my copy!

Corpse Walker: The Night Parade by Ralynn Kimie is a gripping historical fantasy set during World War II, following Hayden, a World War I veteran who is mysteriously resurrected. Now thrown into the chaos of a new war, Hayden must confront a deadly Japanese demon threatening humanity.

The novel stands out for its historical accuracy and well-researched backdrop, blending real events from the WWII era with elements of Japanese folklore, historical fiction and paranormal fantasy. Kimie crafts a tense, atmospheric narrative filled with action, mystery, and high stakes. Fans of paranormal fantasy’s with historical twists and rich cultural elements will find this both thrilling and thought-provoking.

I will also mention, this was a quick and relatively easy read. I do enjoy renditions of historical events however if that is not your neish you may have difficulty absorbing some of the information in this book.

Thankyou Raylnn and steely xo publishing for this arc, I really enjoyed it.

Review posted on Goodreads & Amazon
Both published 5/10/2024

I absolutely loved this book! Kimie does a great job of weaving paranormal and history together. I am a huge history buff and I had such a large fascination with Pearl Harbor growing up that I decided to become a History major after creating a documentary on it in high school. I was also a big fantasy reader, so this combined my interests perfectly. Resurrection, secret agents, and highly-sought after historical artifacts? The writing was fantastic and I didn't want to quit reading, so I stayed up quite a few late nights! It was easy to get sucked in. I love that there's a larger plot line and mystery across the books, so I look forward to reading the rest of this series!

Corpse Walker dives into a fantastic mix of history and supernatural lore, set against the backdrop of the Japanese-American War, or the Pacific War. From the start, the story captivates with its historical setting and a supernatural twist that explores the realm of gods, demons, and creatures beyond imagination.

While Corpse Walker has an enticing concept, its execution feels a bit uneven. The narrative is straightforward, but it often relies heavily on telling rather than showing. The overarching plot, however, remains engaging, even though some elements feel as though they could have been foreshadowed better. Readers unfamiliar with Japanese mythology might find some references unclear, and a glossary of the many creatures introduced later in the book would have been a helpful addition.

In terms of pacing, Corpse Walker occasionally drags, especially with large time jumps that create a slightly disjointed feel. Some lulls in the story made it hard to connect with certain characters, like Hayden, who only becomes truly compelling towards the book’s climax. The omniscient point of view also creates a sense of detachment from the characters, making it harder to form a strong emotional connection. The character of Mori, for instance, could have benefited from more depth, especially regarding his connection to the Japanese government and his ability to act unchecked.

Overall, Corpse Walker offers a good story, though it may not be everyone’s style. For those interested in historical fantasy with supernatural elements, it’s worth a read, though I'm uncertain if I'll continue with the series. The plot is intriguing, but the writing style might not fully resonate with me personally.

As a final note, I would check your triggers before reading the book contains sections of animal cruelty, military violence, suicide, gore and overall themes of war.

This was a completely different read for me than my usual genres, as it was a historical fantasy.

Corpse Walker tells the story of a ‘mysteriously resurrected marine who must stop a Japanese demon from ending humanity’. Set in WW2, it is full of history and Japanese Folklore.

One of the main things I noticed about this is just how well it is written, with a sophisticated writing style and complex world building the author managed to keep me engaged in a novel I may have otherwise DNFd (as I usually do with historical fiction). It was so atmospheric, the war setting was done really well - the way the characters spoke and the way they presented themselves really fit within the time period in which this was set.

This novel is tense, very heavy and very violent. It is not an easy read! There is a lot of heartache and a lot of betrayal. So is not the book for you if you’re looking for a light fantasy read.

I did, however, find it hard to read at times. I found myself getting lost and struggled to keep up with the story. This is entirely on me though as I’m not a reader of historical fiction!

Overall I found the storyline and characters intriguing and I enjoyed the mix of reality and fantasy. The WW2 setting was done well and I liked the addition of Japanese Folklore.

Historical anything has never really interested me, however Corpse Walker was different.
It took me a little bit to get into it, but I kept wanting to know more and what was going to happen.
This is a series and does continue and I will be reading the rest of the series for sure!

This was a strong start to the Infernal Artifacts Collection series. I enjoyed the idea of a resurrected Marine trying to stop a Demon for the sake of humanity. It had that tension that I wanted and enjoyed how it used World War 2 in this story. I thought Ralynn Kimie wrote this well and was wanting to read the next book.

My first go at historical fiction and I was not let down!
This whole novel blew me away with the creativity of re-imaginging history is such a captivating way - yet staying fairly historically accurate! Unbelievable.

Set in WWII, Japanese soldiers have attacked Peral harbour and taken over Guam. However, the leader of Japan's effort is actually a demon trying to find artifacts that are at these locations and plans to use them to release more demons into the world.
Little does he know that the bombing of Pearl harbour caused a US soldier to perish, absorbing the abilities of one of these artifacts and coming back to life- he is the key to fighting against the evil.

If this doesn't get you hyped then I don't know what will!

Kimie's world buliding plays off the fact that we all know what thr real world looks/feels like, however she expertly intertwines fiction elements which really give the story a fabulous twist and keeps the reader intrigued throughout.

4 stars from me- my first go at historical fiction and it has left we wanting to read more from this genre!

I normally avoid historical fiction as it’s just not my genre of choice but when I saw this also had paranormal elements (my favourite!) I decided to give it a try. I’m so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone! The story had me hooked from the beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book. The historical elements we’re descriptive enough so I knew what was going on without it being too much. Just when I thought there couldn’t be any more action or conflict there seemed to be more to pull me in. I’m so intrigued how this series will play out and connect to the other books in the Infernal Artifacts Collection!

“𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝒸𝒶𝓃’𝓉 𝒸𝑜𝓃𝒹𝑒𝓂𝓃 𝓅𝑒𝑜𝓅𝓁𝑒 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝓇𝑜𝓃𝑔𝒹𝑜𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝒾𝓇 𝒶𝓃𝒸𝑒𝓈𝓉𝑜𝓇𝓈.”

𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄:
Ralynn Kimie has a way of telling a story filled with history and yet making it a wonderful adventure. When I was first introduced to the novel, I will not lie, I had no intention of reading it but along the way I was coerced into reading it (it was more like FOMO)! Wow am I glad that I took a chance on a genre that isn't one of my go-to's. Raye managed to introduce so many facts from her research into this fantasy world without being overwhelming or reading like a history textbook. The storyline was very unique and kept me guessing to the very end (hello, I need a sequel). The writing style made the story flow easily, and the third person POV allowed the reader to witness the story from different characters' perspectives. I loved Hayden's journey, seeing everything he went through and what is yet to come *wink wink* Miss Sharp, Dr Stolly and Susanoo stole my heart, they were fantastic side characters that I could not get enough of! The banter was hilarious and I lived for every second of it. I loved this first novel in The Infernal Artifacts collection and cannot wait to continue with the adventures that are yet to come.

𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀:
- The Chosen One
- The Reluctant Hero
- Ancient Artifacts

𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲: It has been very special to get to know Raye outside of her writing and call her a friend! She's a total cinammon roll but don't tell her I said that! Of course, she values honesty above all and that is what this review is, honest.