New Releases by Nahoko Uehashi

The first volume in a bestselling Japanese fantasy series The vast Umar Empire has prospered since ancient times thanks to the miraculous power of Oare rice, brought by the first Empress Kōkun from a foreign land. Oare rice resists all parasites, but one day it becomes infested, ushering in a terrible famine. Fifteen-year-old Aisha, granddaughter of the king of the West Kantar domain, flees to the capital with her younger brother following a coup that has overthrown her grandfather. There she meets the current Kōkun, Orie, and discovers that Orie is not, contrary to what her people believe, endowed with the extraordinary olfactory abilities that should be her prerogative, and that Aisha herself possesses. United, Aisha and Orie will have to face the mystery that lies behind the miraculous ears of Oare to avert an irreversible crisis of the ecosystem, and of humanity.

A sweeping ecological fantasy from one of Japan''s most beloved storytellers--where two girls must unlock a forgotten power to save their world from collapse. The vast Umar Empire has flourished for centuries thanks to the miraculous Ohaleh rice, a sacred grain brought by the first Empress Kokun from a distant land. Resistant to all parasites, the rice has sustained peace and prosperity--until now. When a mysterious infestation strikes, famine spreads, and the empire begins to crumble. Fifteen-year-old Aisha, granddaughter of the deposed king of the West Kantar domain, flees to the imperial capital with her younger brother after a violent coup. There, she meets the reigning Kokun, Olie--an enigmatic girl worshipped for her supposed gift of scent, yet secretly powerless. As Aisha uncovers her own latent ability to perceive the natural world through smell, she and Olie form an unlikely alliance. Together, they must confront a hidden history, uncover the truth behind the Ohaleh rice, and confront forces that threaten not just the empire''s survival, but the very balance of nature. Kokun: Volume 1 marks the beginning of an epic tale of rebellion, inheritance, and the fight to reconnect with a world on the brink of collapse.

Ten years after the fateful clash between two opposing sides of the Divine Kingdom of Lyoza, Elin lives a peaceful life with her family. She tries to stay as far away from her past as possible—the girl who communicated with creatures and befriended a Royal Beast wants no part in the power struggles of humans. But when Elin is called upon to investigate a mysterious illness that''s stricken the Toda, she uncovers a startling plot—one that could threaten everything she holds dear. In this thrilling sequel to The Beast Player, Elin must confront her destiny and heed the dire warnings of history. Is a final battle between the Toda and the Royal Beasts inevitable? And will it mean destruction for all?

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Si può colmare la distanza che separa gli esseri umani dagli animali? È l’amore a unire tutte le forme di vita, o la paura? Nel villaggio dei custodi del granducato dell’Aruhan, Soyon ha una responsabilità importante: prendersi cura dei temibili serpenti d’acqua dell’esercito del granduca, i tōda. Quando però alcuni esemplari muoiono misteriosamente, la donna viene condannata a morte e, usando una tecnica proibita, riesce a mettere in salvo sua figlia Erin, finita insieme a lei nella palude dei tōda più feroci. Approdata sulla remota costa di un lago nel regno di Ryoza, Erin viene accolta da un vecchio apicoltore che le insegna tutto sulle api e sulle ōjū selvatiche, gigantesche e in apparenza pericolosissime creature alate. Contravvenendo alle regole millenarie e seguendo le sue intuizioni e conoscenze, Erin sarà il primo essere umano a creare, grazie anche alle note di un’arpa, un legame speciale con un cucciolo di ōjū di cui si prende cura. Questo legame le garantisce un ruolo importante ma la coinvolge anche in complotti politici che mettono in pericolo lei, le persone che le sono vicine e le stesse creature alate. Erin dovrà rischiare il tutto per tutto non solo per salvare se stessa, ma anche per impedire che le sue amate Dōjū vengano trasformate in armi di distruzione. Due forze in lotta tra loro, una ragazza con un potere da scoprire e leggendarie creature regali che solo lei è in grado di capire e proteggere: una saga fantasy coinvolgente e sofisticata da una delle scrittrici più lette di sempre in Giappone. «Finché durerà la vita che mi hai donato, rimarrò sulla riva dell’abisso e continuerò a suonare la mia arpa. Pizzicherò le corde una per una, e parlerò alle creature che popolano il cielo e la terra».

Depuis sa plus tendre enfance, Érin est fascinée par les tôda, des immenses reptiles dont sa mère a la charge. Mais lorsque cette dernière est condamnée à mort pour avoir failli à son devoir, la vie de la jeune fille va basculer. Rejetée par les siens, Érin doit bientôt fuir et arpenter un royaume en proie à bien des complots. Elle n’a alors qu’une seule idée en tête : intégrer la prestigieuse école de Kazarum pour devenir guérisseuse à son tour et ainsi lever le mystère qui entoure la disparition de sa mère. Érin ignore encore que son héritage et son don de communication avec les bêtes pourraient s’avérer décisifs pour l’avenir du Royaume... Lauréate du prestigieux prix Hans-Christian-Andersen en 2014, NAHOKO UEHASHI est l’une des principales autrices de fantasy du Japon. Elle enseigne en outre l’ethnologie, aussi ses œuvres témoignent de l’attention qu’elle porte au développement de ses personnages et d’univers très riches. Elles ont été traduites dans le monde entier et plusieurs ont été adaptées en manga (La Charmeuse de bêtes, Moribito), en animé (Le Roi Cerf) et en série.

When the headmistress of the Kazalumu School learns that Elin has observed wild Royal Beasts in their natural habitat, she invites her to meet a special new arrival at the sanctuary-the young cub Leelan, recently injured in an attempt on the Yojeh''s life. Alone, terrified of the light, and refusing to eat, the traumatized cub cowers in a darkened pen, growing weaker by the day. Elin is sure she can find a way to help it, and the headmistress begrudgingly gives her one month to try. But with time quickly running out for the frail little creature, Leelan''s life is entirely in Elin''s hands…

Elin, now 14, has become a seasoned hand on Joeun''s farm. But her peaceful life is turned on its head when Joeun''s son shows up from the royal capital, urging him to return to his former post as headmaster of an academy for the country''s elite. Life in the capital would take them far away from the beasts and animals Elin loves, to where people look down on her Ahlyo heritage. Worse yet, as a girl, she won''t be allowed to attend the academy, and will soon be expected to find a suitable marriage match...

Aroma, can''t be seen, can''t be touched, and doesn''t have a sound. But it is a powerful force that supports us to go far away. The rice called out in unison, and to Aicha''s ears, the plant''s scent sounded urgent and mournful, as if it were a dying man''s cry for help. To Aicha, the scent of the plant sounds urgent and mournful, like the screams of a dying man, but what is it that they''re trying to call for? The scent of the plants is their silent voice, and when the flowers are attacked by aphids, the ladybugs follow the scent and destroy the aphids - but no one responds to the rice''s cries of grief.

Back on her feet-at least physically-after her harrowing ordeal, Elin adjusts to her new life with the kind old beekeeper Joeun. Fascinated by his bees and their mysterious ways, she''s excited when he tells her they''ll be going high up into the mountains for the summer to follow the bees'' favorite wildflower blooms. But when Joeun loses his footing in a deep ravine inhabited by wild toda and even fiercer beasts, Elin will have to figure out how to save them both.

Ten-year-old Elin loves her brave and beautiful mother, a gifted beast doctor charged with the care of the Toda-the fearsome giant serpents that the kingdom''s warriors ride into battle. Their modest but happy life together is shattered when a mysterious illness fells the entire stable of the prized serpents overnight, and Elin''s mother is saddled with the blame. Before she knows it, Elin finds herself cast out from all she has ever known, alone in a faraway land, with only her mother''s words and the kindness of strangers to guide her. A sumptuous manga adaptation of the hit fantasy novel series, The Beast Player, by Nahoko Uehashi.

The search for the kidnapped Yuna leads Van, Sae, and Hohsalle to the sacred Fire Horse Town, an Aquafa settlement that resisted Zol’s conquest. As Hohsalle struggles to find the cure for mittsual, Van wonders why he, a man who lost everything, was chosen to survive the deadly disease. Before long, he’ll find the answers he’s been looking for, as destiny beckons him and Yuna ever forward...Caught in the throes of political warfare and a fight against fate, will Van be able to reunite with Yuna and bring peace to the land?

After a pack of infected dogs attacks a group of miners, soldier-turned-slave Van awakens to find himself blessed with preternatural strength. As he effortlessly breaks free of his chains, he notices a young girl-the only other survivor-standing before him. The two escape the mine, but with Van’s captors in pursuit and a deadly disease ravaging the area, how will they survive on the lam?

You''ve never read a fantasy novel like this one! The deep well of Japanese myth merges with the Western fantasy tradition for a novel that''s as rich in place and culture as it is hard to put down. Balsa was a wanderer and warrior for hire. Then she rescued a boy flung into a raging river -- and at that moment, her destiny changed. Now Balsa must protect the boy -- the Prince Chagum -- on his quest to deliver the great egg of the water spirit to its source in the sea. As they travel across the land of Yogo and discover the truth about the spirit, they find themselves hunted by two deadly enemies: the egg-eating monster Rarunga . . . and the prince''s own father.

In the marvelous sequel to the novel (and Cartoon Network series) MORIBITO: GUARDIAN OF THE SPIRIT, Balsa returns to her native land to fight a corrupt ruler and face her own demons. Balsa returns to her native Kanbal to clear the name of Jiguro, her dear mentor, who saved her life when she was six years old. But what should be a visit of truth and reconciliation becomes a fight for her life when she learns that Jiguro had been a member of King Rogsam''s personal bodyguard. After Jiguro fled Kanbal with her, Rogsam sent the other bodyguards after them one by one--Jiguro''s best friends, whom he had to kill to protect Balsa. Now, with the help of two Kanbalese children, Balsa must unwind the conspiracy surrounding Jiguro and the mystery of the Guardians of the Dark.

Son nom : Balsa, dite Balsa à la courte lance. Redoutable combattante, indépendante et courageuse, elle sait manier le javelot comme personne. Un don qu''elle met au service du bien. Car elle en a fait le serment : elle doit sauver huit vies... Le prince Chagum est en danger, il doit fuir. Habité par l''esprit sacré, Chagum serait selon la légende une menace pour le royaume. En tout cas, le souverain, son père, en est persuadé et a décidé de le supprimer. Prête à tout pour sauver son fils, la mère du prince engage Balsa pour veiller sur lui. Pour Balsa, c''est une nouvelle vie qu''elle s''est juré de sauver.

Por encima de todas las cosas, Balsa es una luchadora. Ocho hombres murieron para que ella sobreviviera. Ahora ofrece protección a niños y adultos, ricos y pobres, en su búsqueda de redención por aquellas muertes. Balsa es una experta en artes marciales y una maestra en el manejo de la lanza que desconcierta a sus rivales por su valor y su resistencia al dolor.Para realizar con éxito su último trabajo -salvar la vida del Segundo Príncipe de Nuevo Yogo, Chagum- necesitará todas sus habilidades. El príncipe es el Moribito -el Guardián del Espíritu-, elegido para portar el huevo del Espíritu del Agua hasta su hogar en un mar lejano. Si fracasa, la sequía devastará Nuevo Yogo. Balsa y Chagum recorren el país en busca de más información sobre el espíritu y la historia secreta del imperio, perseguidos por dos enemigos despiadados: Rarunga, el monstruo Devorador de Huevos, y el propio padre del príncipe.

Durante muchos años, a través de innumerables batallas, Balsa ha sobrevivido. El perverso rey Rogsam intentó asesinarla cuando solo tenía seis años. Ocho guerreros la persiguieron durante la larga huida posterior. Pero su mentor, Jiguro, la protegió hasta el día de su muerte. Cuando se quedó sola en el mundo, Balsa se convirtió en guardaespaldas errante para ayudar a aquellos que se ven amenazados por algún peligro. En esta nueva aventura, Balsa regresa a su país natal, Kanbal, con la esperanza de ver a la familia de Jiguro, y a la suya propia, por primera vez en muchos años. Pero lo que debía ser una visita tranquila de reconciliación con el pasado, se convierte en una lucha por su vida cuando descubre el alcance de la traición del rey Rogsam a Jiguro y la trama de un crimen que amenaza la existencia de Kanbal. Con la ayuda de dos niños kanbaleses, Balsa debe desentrañar la conspiración en torno a la figura de Jiguro y el misterio de los guardianes de la oscuridad antes de que sea demasiado tarde.

Traditional Chinese edition of Kami no moribito: Raihohen (Protector of the spirit: the visitor) is a classic fantasy by Youth novelist Uehashi Nahoko. There was a legend in the kingdom of Rota that there is a secret between the spirit Taruhamaya and the plebeians of Rota. Is Asura, a beautiful girl from Rota, the descendant of the spirit or of calamity?

The wandering female bodyguard Balsa returns to her native country of Kanbal, where she uncovers a conspiracy to frame her mentor and herself.

女保鑣帕爾莎回到了久違的出生故鄉亢帕爾王國.小時候, 父親遭到亢帕爾國王殺害的帕爾莎得到了父親摯友秦庫洛的搭救, 遠離自己出生的故鄉.然而, 秦庫洛因此背負了污名.帕爾莎賭上性命, 決心替秦庫洛洗刷污名.