Dragon Sword and Wind Child

An epic battle rages throughout the land of Toyoashihara, pitting the invading forces of the God of Light and the indigenous forces of the Goddess of Darkness in this masterful first novel from Japan. Immortal demigods representing Light fight the Goddess's band of endlessly reincarnated mortals. As the story opens, Saya, a 15-year-old whose adoptive parents have raised her to worship the Light, discovers that she is the reincarnation of the Water Maiden and therefore a leader of the Children of Darkness. She must travel to the very heart of the lands ruled by the Children of Light and retake the Dragon Sword, a mighty, magical weapon stolen from the Children of Darkness many years before. Then she must tame the destructive power of the Sword and help bring the war to an end. To accomplish these tasks--Saya has failed over and over again in previous lifetimes--she must master her own fear and hatred, and develop her ability to love and forgive. Drawing on Shinto mythology, Ogiwara crafts a complex, action-packed novel with dizzying plot twists and breathtaking fantasy sequences as well as gentle, emotionally charged scenes. Psychologically truthful and abundantly inventive. Ages 12-up. (May)