Shadow Of The Fox

Written by Julie Kagawa and Emily Woo Zeller

Narrated by Joy Osmanski and Brian Nishii

‘One of my all time favourite fantasy novels!’
Ellen Oh, author of the Prophecy and Spirit Hunters series

The first book in a brand-new series set in ancient Japan from New York Times bestselling author Julie Kagawa.

Enter a beautiful and perilous land of shapeshifters and samurai, kami and legends, humans and demons…a world in which Japanese mythology and imagination blend together

When destiny calls, legends rise.

Every millennium the missing pieces of the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers are hunted, for they hold the power to call the great Kami Dragon from the sea and ask for any one wish.

As a temple burns to the ground Yumeko escapes with its greatest treasure – the first piece of the scroll. And when fate thrusts her into the path of a mysterious samurai she knows he seeks what she has. Kage is under order to kill those who stand in his way but will he be able to complete his mission? Will this be the dawn that sees the dragon wake?

Fans of Sarah J. Maas, Marie Lu, Cassandra Clare will be captivated by this enchanting new series.

Readers adore Julie Kagawa’s Shadow of the Fox!

‘Hands down one of the best books I've read this year!’

‘This book was amazing! If you love Japanese folklore, assassins, Samauri, Ronins, adventures, magic…this is the book for you!’

‘The world building was phenomenal, she gives us so much detail and history that I was CRAVING for more!’

‘Buy this book, read it!’

‘If you have school or work, you'll be sleep deprived because you won't be able to put it down!’

‘Shadow of the Fox is one of the best fantasy books I've ever read.’

‘If you want an action-packed fantasy set in historical Japan, with samurais, spirits, and demon-slayers, and a dash of romance, please pick up this book!’

‘I loved this book and ended up staying awake until 3:00 in the morning to read it!’

‘I don't have enough stars to give Julie Kagawa for this book!’

‘Full of magic, mayhem, and ahmazing folklore, Julie Kagawa created a beautifully intricate world that was so fun to get lost in. I loved it️!’

‘I couldn't finish this book fast enough! I loved this and can't wait for the next book to be released already!!!’

‘MIND BLOWN!’

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Release date: Oct 2, 2018
• ISBN: 9780263267761

Julie Kagawa

Born in Sacramento, CA, Julie Kagawa moved to Hawaii at the age of nine. There she learned many things; how to bodyboard, that teachers scream when you put centipedes in their desks, and that writing stories in math class is a great way to kill time. Her teachers were glad to see her graduate. Julie now lives is Louisville, KY with her husband and furkids. She is the international and NYT bestselling author of The Iron Fey series. Visit her at juliekagawa.com.

Reviews for Shadow Of The Fox

[Little Arcia · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Always love books with Japanese Mythology! Julie Kagawa did an amazing job!!! I feel like I'm reading anime! I can see them so clearly! Can't wait for the next book!

[Ana Sofia Vasconcelos · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Tão mágico, tão divertido e ao mesmo tempo tão fantástico e complexo. Adorei

[Rohen Kher · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Adored it. Not only is Kagawa-san's writing every bit enthralling, but the narrators have done a commendable work to bring this fine adventure to life.

[brittaniethekid · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This story that takes place in Edo Japan and relies heavily on Japanese folklore - yokai, kitsune, oni, etc. The main character, Yumeko, is half-kitsune (fox spirit) which I'm not sure how that works but it enables her to live in both the human and yokai worlds and grants her abilities. The only downside is that kitsune are not trusted as they are believed to be very mischievous and dishonorable (think Loki from Norse mythology) so she has been taught by the monks of the shrine she grew up in to hide that part of her.
Oni are sent to the temple to find a piece of an ancient scroll that summons a dragon kami (god) to any mortal that holds it and the oni destroy the temple and everyone in it, but Yumeko manages to escape with the scroll piece and runs into Tatsumi, a young oni-possessed warrior sent to also retrieve the scroll. From there it turns into a typical adventure tale with new characters popping up and joining their team like a ronin (master-less samurai), a priestess who can communicate with yokai, and a young noble. You also get the side arcs of Tatsumi's clan (demon fighting ninjas) and the mystery of Yumeko's past and kitsune heritage.
Besides the setting and mythology, the plot itself is nothing new so I found myself kind of bored. There were some good action sequences and I did care for the two main characters (the side characters need a lot of more development) but the constant word repetitiveness/translation (this probably won't bother people who have no knowledge of Japanese but it was redundant for me) and the obvious sequel set-up was frustrating. I couldn't say if my love and knowledge of Japanese culture and folklore (admittedly mostly from anime and manga) helped or hindered my enjoyment of this book. It certainly helped with not having to look up words and being able to picture the creatures immediately, but it would be interesting to be able to see from a total novice's POV how this book reads.
I do want to continue the series but, much like her Iron King series, it was just not quite as good as I'd hoped.

[sennebec · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Part fantasy, a bit of classic road trip, a dash of intrigue splashed on it, coupled with really appealing characters. I very much enjoyed it and am eager for the next book.

[pascale1812 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The curious allure of this book is that, while I disliked much of it, I am looking forward to the sequel.

There are obvious pairings...but no insta-love.
...overdone character tropes...but also original twists.
...heavy-handed narration...but super cool monsters and some honest-to-goodness creepy scenes.

[mrnattania72 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a great story, wonderfully rich in Japanese culture and amazingly written, not a slow or stagnant episode in the book. I thoroughly, having grew up in Japan. The imagery and visualizations are vivid and the internal struggle is a real issue, even more so that the budding romance, which I am grateful for !

[leslie398 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Other than the fact that this book is incomplete - in the sense that the quest the main characters are on isn't finished - I thought it was great. I liked the Japanese setting and the 3 narrators (Joy Osmanski, Emily Woo Zeller and Brian Nishii) were excellent. I will have to add the second book to my library list!

[jennynau10 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This was a miss for me. I wanted to love it but just couldn't get into it. I'm having a bad week so that might be why.

[shahnareads · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Love this.
Yes please gimmie more.

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

SHADOW OF THE FOX begins an exciting new fantasy series with its roots in Japanese mythology. Yumeko has been raised in the isolation of the Silent Winds temple. She is half-kitsune and half-human. She has powerful kitsune magic which gives her skill with illusions. She has also inherited the kitsune magic of mischief.When a ferocious oni attacks the temple, she is sent by Master Isao to take the temple's most prized possession - one part of the dragon scroll - to another temple which will be able to protect it. A time of change is coming. Anyone who can put all the pieces of the dragon scroll together can have a wish. Everyone with a wish for power is after all the pieces of the dragon scroll.Kage Tatsumi of the Shadow Clan has been sent to get the piece from the Silent Winds temple. Tatsumi carries a cursed sword and had been raised and trained to be a weapon for his clan. He arrives at Silent Winds after the oni and meets Yumeko. She convinces him to help her find the next step on her journey to find the hidden temple. She neglects to mention that she is carrying a piece of the scroll and that she is half-kitsune.Tatsumi and Yumeko have lots of adventures on their journey and face great dangers. But they also manage to gather a group of allies. I was especially fond of the ronin Hino Okame who has quite a gift for sarcasm. The story was rich with all sorts of greater gods, lesser gods, and demons and other parts of Japanese mythology. I loved the magic and I loved Yumeko's innocent wonder at the new world she is seeing now that she is outside of the temple where she was raised. I love her kindness which is particularly surprising to Tatsumi who has never been shown any kindness in his life. This first episode built the world and set up the quest. Further adventures will be needed, and are planned, to carry the quest through to its conclusion. I can't wait to read them.

[sboren-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I purchased this book from Amazon to read with #ReadingButterfliesDecember2018 All opinions are my own. ???? Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa. First the cover is beautiful, second this book is action packed, and lastly you can feel the emotions written in the words. I did find it hard to separate which chapter was which characters pov maybe if the chapter heading had been by person it would have flowed better. Yumeko is thrust into the real world on an impossible mission with a man she should not trust. The battles and the people she meet along the way all see her naivety but do not see the true being she is and the secrets she hides. I am looking forward to Book 2 when it releases next year. Review also posted on Instagram @borenbooks, Library Thing, Go Read, Goodreads/StacieBoren, Amazon, Twitter @jason_stacie and my blog at readsbystacie.com

[krau0098 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book in the Shadow of the Fox series. I stopped this book about 50% of the way through. I loved Kagawa's Iron Fey series and really enjoyed her Immortal Rules series as well. I couldn't even get through the first book of the Talon series and this book was similar for me.About 70 pages into the story we are still switching viewpoint and being introduced to new characters. After that the book does settle down a bit and only switches between 3 POVs, which gives us a chance to engage with the story and characters a bit more.The story is boring, the characters seem very stereotypical. I feel like there isn't really anything original in here...just a lot of plot lines pulled from existing fantasy stories. For example this reminded me of some sort of mash-up between Airbender and a million other manga series out there.I normally love reading books based on Japanese mythology and folklore, but this just wasn't well done. The characters felt hollow and the the dialogue between them felt stiff and unnatural. The story and plot were predictable. Overall this wasn't the book for me. After both this and Talon I think I am done with Kagawa as an author. I am not sure what’s happened to her writing style over the last few years but she needs to go back and look at her earlier works. Her earlier works were much more creative, exciting, and engaging.

[eyes92c · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Just fabulous!Kagawa has come through again with a winner! I was wrapped around with Japanese folklore characters, demons and samurais, on an epic quest...and it was heavenly!A startling new fantastical world to roam in, led on by a master storyteller.Half human / half Kitsune ("Wild kitsune, the foxes that roamed the hidden places of Iwagoto, were masters of illusion magic and shapeshifting. Kitsune were yokai, creatures of the supernatural"), Yumeko has spent her life in a secluded temple being brought up by monks. The most challenging things she faces are self inflicted, brought about by her fun loving, trickster Kitsune nature. One very ordinary night all that changes! One moment everything is normal and within the space of a heartbeat the monastry is under attack by creatures from nightmares--demons and their entourage.Yumeko escapes with the Silent Winds temple leader, Master Isao's blessing, taking away a portion of sacred writings, the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers, that holds the secret to untold power, a power being sort after by the unscrupulous. All part of a jigsaw that when put together could visit eons of hellish death and destruction. Darkness would return to the land of Iwagoto, along with banished beings seeking to enthral and change Iwagoto forever.Yumeko begins a quest that will see her meet many strangers--both enemies and friends. She falls into the company with Kage Tatsumi, a samurai of the Shadow Clan, bearer of a demon infused sword. The burden is a constant struggle for Tasumi as the demon seeks every opportunity for mastery. Tasumi has also been tasked with finding the pieces of the prayer. Along the way they collect a strange company of other yoki, ghosts and a masterless ronin, Okame. Beyond this are shadowy powerful characters, each with their own agenda. All very mysterious and threatening! Yumeko's interaction with various distressed or enslaved beings they meet, granting them freedom, will I believe become a boon in the future story development.I can hardly wait for the next piece of the puzzle as the saga continues!A NetGalley ARC

[readingbifrost · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

“Kage Tatsumi, the demonslayer of the Shadow Shadow Clan. A boy who didn’t know the first thing about kindness, compassion or mercy. Who was ruthless, dangerous and would will anyone - human, demon or yokia - that got in our way. Who didn’t realize that the exact thing he wanted, the entire reason for his mission, was sitting not ten feet from him.”If you enjoy Japanese anime or lore, pick up this book immediately!Yumeko is half kitsune (fox spirit) and half human, living in a monastery and raised by monks. Her kitsune half makes her a little trickster, and of course gets her into a bit of trouble. Growing up her entire life in the monastery, she’s very naive about the outside world, but Yumeko has a heart of gold, and although she usually gets easily scared, she’s quick to help anyone she comes across. She really a refreshing character to read about; although she does have a hidden agenda with the dragon scroll her almost child-like quality has her acting to ask forgiveness later.Tatsumi is the polar opposite of Yumeko. Raised by the strictest of ninja elitist, he bares a sword possessed by a demon. In doing so, he was taught not to have any emotion or hold any ties to keep the demon from possessing him as well. For him it’s a battle to keep the bloodlust of the demon at bay while fighting to protect Yumeko on her journey- and to keep himself from feeling anything for her.During the story you’ll find a slew of Japanese words (Ite-ouch Kuzo-crap), customs, and creatures of lore. Ghibli fans will be happy to know that Kodama (tree-spirts) make an appearance. It’s small touches that make a world of difference.The storyline itself switches back and forth between an evil witch and Yumeko with her adventurous fellowship. Taking the Dragon Scroll to the temple is their main objective, but along the way they come across plenty of side quests, if you will. Tatsumi is kind of our reluctant hero, along with a Ronin (Samurai without a lord) that joins the gang, and an actual lord. It makes an interesting and dynamic combination!Overall, I can’t praise this enough. I love Japanese anime. I love Japanese culture and lore, and love this book. I can’t say if you’ll enjoy this book if you don’t enjoy the others, but I’d like to say you probably would anyway. Give it a try! You might find a entirely new genre you like!

[verkruissen · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was absolutely wonderful! The story is engrossing from the very beginning. The story of a young girl (a shapeshifter fox) who has been given the task of bringing part of the mythical scroll to another temple for safe keeping. Along the way she meets a Kage shinobi who is also looking for the scroll and is unaware that the girl who is traveling holds what he has been tasked to retrieve. Their group is also joined by a ronin, a member of the royal family and a motely cast of characters that join in the young girls quest. Though most of them do not know what it is she hides from them with her fox magic and the mythical scroll.The story has many references to Japanese mythology which I found absolutely enchanting. I cannot wait for the next book!