As the time of prophecy draws near, rivals seek the relic that will allow them to call upon the dragon god.An ancient scroll holds the prayer that summons the dragon who will grant one wish every thousand years. After one such wish brought destruction and chaos to the land of Iwagoto, the scroll was divided into three pieces and hidden away. Now both the emperor's concubine, Lady Satomi, and the Shadow Clan race to obtain the scroll. Tatsumi, demon slayer of the Shadow Clan, journeys with Yumeko of the Silent Winds temple to head off Lady Satomi's demonic attack on the Steel Feather temple, which houses one piece of the scroll. Tatsumi is bound to the sword of Kamigoroshi, the godslayer, and must remain devoid of emotion in order to keep the demon Hakaimono imprisoned within it. But as he travels with Yumeko he finds himself feeling more than he should. Yumeko, being half-human and half-fox spirit and secretly carrying another part of the scroll, is also wary of Tatsumi. Kagawa (Inferno, 2018, etc.) uses elements of Japanese mythology and folklore to spin an epic yarn. Readers who know these tales will recognize familiar elements and tropes. Despite some formulaic writing, readers will be drawn into the world of Kagawa's first Japan-based fantasy; with its engaging action scenes and the cliffhanger ending, they will look forward to the next volume.Action-packed adventure. (maps) (Fantasy. 14-18)

Scattered across Iwagoto are three pieces of an ancient scroll that, once per millennium, can be used to summon a wish-granting dragon. When prophets predict the creature-s imminent return, Lady Satomi and her rival, Shadow Clan ruler Lady Hanshou, decide to attempt the document-s reassembly. Lady Satomi sends an army of demons to steal the first scrap from the monks at the Silent Winds temple, but their ward-a 16-year-old kitsune (human-fox hybrid) named Yumeko-manages to secure the treasure and flee. While searching for the temple that houses the second fragment, Yumeko encounters 17-year-old Tatsumi, a sword-toting Shadow Clan warrior dispatched by Lady Hanshou. Yumeko tricks Tatsumi into joining her quest, certain she-ll need protection but unsure what she-ll do when they reach their destination. Japanese folklore features heavily in this imaginative but uneven series opener from Kagawa (Inferno). A complicated setup slows the start, and although abundant action ensues, characters more closely resemble archetypes than flesh-and-blood beings. Ages 12-up. Agent: Laurie McLean, Fuse Literary. (Oct.)