"Shadow of the Fox" by Julie Kagawa - Japanese fantasy !
This book is published by HQ Young Adult in 2018 and has 464 pages. This is Book 1 of the series.
Umeko, a Kitsune or Fox girl, half human and half fox, lives with the monks of Silent winds temple on a mountain. Lady Satomi, concubine of the king, is a blood witch. She has summoned Yaburama anOni and 4th General from Gikoku, the horned demon and his army of Amanjaku, little demons to retrieve the dragon scroll. Chief of The shadow clan, Lady Hancho, orders the assassin of the clan Shinobi Kage Tatsumi to retrieve the first part of Dragon scroll from Silent wind temple. Tatsumi wields the sword called Kamigorushi, the Godslayer. It has the spirit of demon Hakaimono. A series of events sends Umeko and Tatsumi on a journey together as reluctant accomplices.
Why was Umeko abandoned at the temple after birth? Why Tatsume, the loner, is accompanying her? Where is the other temple? Will the dragon rise?
They encounter Jurogumo the spider, Kamaitachi the magical Wezels, Wind witch Kazekira, Kibasama a demon bear, Gaki - spirits of greedy humans, who are punished and are always hungry, Omukade a giant man eating centipede.
On the way they are joined by Okame the Ronin, Onino Mikoto the demon Prince or Taio Daisuke, ghost of the daughter of the flute maker. They need to find Master Isao of Harare shrine to find another temple.
Dragon, god of tides and harbinger of change rises every 1000 years. It has Fushino Tama, the jwel of immortality. Everyone is after it and Umeko is the last hope to safeguard it.
The characters are rich. There is Lot of variety. Magic makes it exot sub plots but the journey is kind of predictable.
Book 2 of the series titled 'Soul of the sword' and Book 3 titled 'Night of the dragon' are already published.
Why did I read this book? Wanted to read N Japanese fantasy.
What did I like? Rich characterization.
What I didn't like? Predictability.
Read if you want to continue the story.
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