Review by Booklist Review
Hearn, author of the Tales of the Otori saga, begins a new epic set in a mythical medieval Japan with the first of four books, which will all be released this year. After his father is killed on a hunt, young Kazumaru is left in the care of his uncle. Eventually, Sademasa begins to covet his nephew's inheritance, and when Kazumaru is 16, Sademasa arranges for him to die while hunting, as his father did. But Kazumaru is saved by the very stag they're stalking, then taken in by Shisoku, an old sorcerer, who renames him Shikanoko, declares him the deer's child, and gives him a mask infused with power. Shikanoko is soon swept up in political intrigue, falling first into the hands of a powerful noble and then under the command of a monk scheming to usurp the rightful heir to the emperor's throne. The plethora of characters and myriad betrayals crammed into this slim volume are a bit hard to keep track of, but overall Hearn's new series is off to an exciting and promising start.--Huntley, Kristine Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In this series opener, Hearn (Heaven's Net Is Wide) takes inspiration from Japanese classics to tell a tale of warring clans and unusual magic. There has been friction between the Kakizuki and Miboshi clans for years, and now it is all coming to a head. The emperor's life is failing and each clan supports a different son as his successor. Into these grand events steps the young man Kumayama no Kazumaru, once heir of his clan but now dispossessed by his uncle and left for dead in the Darkwood. He is rescued there by the mountain sorcerer, Shisoku, but also transformed by strange rituals. Now called Shikanoko, "the deer's child," and possessing a magical stag mask, he struggles to direct his fate. Shikanoko is captured, released, instructed, and controlled by a series of lords and wise men, coming ever closer to mastery of his forest power. Eventually, his own destiny becomes entwined with that of the empire. This fast-paced tale of dynastic change intriguingly sets up the remaining three books in the series. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Review by Library Journal Review
Hearn ("Tales of the Otori"; Across the Nightingale Floor) returns to medieval Japan with The Tale of Shikanoko (four volumes to be published in 2016), which is inspired by the warrior epics Tales of the Heike and The Tale of the Soga Brothers and observations of Japanese deer dancers. Young Kazumaru loses his father and almost dies at the hands of his murderous uncle in a hunting accident. He manages to live off the meat of the stag he killed and is guided by supernatural forces to a shaman living in the forest, who creates a magical mask from the stag's antlers, which Kazumaru, now Shikanoko (the deer's child), must learn to use. Meanwhile, war is brewing among the powerful noble families as they choose sides in the coming battle for the Emperor's throne. Shikanoko is caught up in this, too, when his powers bring him to the attention of the man orchestrating it all, the sorcerer Prince Abbot. Verdict A thrilling, fast-paced fantasy with plot twists, political intrigue, romance, and a richly detailed setting that will appeal to a variety of readers, especially those with an interest in Japanese mythology and otherworldly influences.-Karin Thogersen, Huntley Area P.L., IL © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
