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Kitsune Trilogy #1
The Fox's Mask
(Author's note: These books are now out of print but the publisher is graciously allowing me to give away the ebook files. If you missed out and want to read them, simply message me with your email address.)
Demon hunter Akakiba keeps many secrets from his human companion. The fact he's a werefox isn't the worst one.
In feudal Japan, magic is dying. As a demon hunter, Akakiba finds this problematic. The evil he's been trained to destroy is disappearing and, along with it, the shape-shifting abilities of the clan he left behind. With his only companion, a determined young human named Yuki, Akakiba traverses the country slaying demons and performing odd jobs.
But when an army of demon possessed humans masses to exterminate his clan, Akakiba must put aside old feuds and protect his family–all while hiding an important secret from Yuki. Will they find a way to defeat the demon possessed before it's too late? With magic dwindling, will it matter either way?
Demon hunter Akakiba keeps many secrets from his human companion. The fact he's a werefox isn't the worst one.
In feudal Japan, magic is dying. As a demon hunter, Akakiba finds this problematic. The evil he's been trained to destroy is disappearing and, along with it, the shape-shifting abilities of the clan he left behind. With his only companion, a determined young human named Yuki, Akakiba traverses the country slaying demons and performing odd jobs.
But when an army of demon possessed humans masses to exterminate his clan, Akakiba must put aside old feuds and protect his family–all while hiding an important secret from Yuki. Will they find a way to defeat the demon possessed before it's too late? With magic dwindling, will it matter either way?
260 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 18, 2012
13 people are currently reading
2552 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
March 1, 2014
wow... I just finish it... and I WILL read more of this trilogy!
About the story
It's well know that foxes are important to Japanese folklore. That's the premise I had to said, to introduce the protagonist, Akakiba.
Akakiba is a samurai, but also member of the fox clan... they are more than just the most famous samurai clan, they are also a real fox clan... fox are their real nature.
Akakiba could not leave alone to his dead a boy when his father, and only family, is killed by a demon. That's how Akakiba, from the fox clan, found his apprentice, Yuki.
Even if most of the book is told from Akakiba point of view, you will be ignorant of the magic world and all the magic creatures as Yuki is... and it's fantastic! Because that's the fun of this story! Each page is a new surprise, and Akakiba is your guide in this magic trip!
First, when I saw this book I tag is "gay" and "young-adult", one of this tag deserve a better explanation
I will not spoil, saying much, yes, it's a gay young adult fantasy, but it's also a gender-fluid story.
You will see how the fox clan is really... they are magic creatures, true, and they are a FOX! Their human appearance is what they choose to be. I would say they are most of all a fox, and everything else is secondary to them... and I will not say more... or will spoil the story.
This is a fantasy book, not a romance
If you want a romantic story this book may disappoint you. Yes, you will notice how Akakiba care about his human apprentice, but Yuki and Akakiba are not a couple. They are samurai that are trying to make the world a better place, fighting and killing demons.
The focus of the book is the magic, all the magic creatures and their fight against the evil... the demons.
It's hard to decide what I liked most of this book
The mystery
The magic
All the magic creatures
The fox clan
The dragons
EVERYTHING is so fantastic and perfect I can't pick just one thing and say it's my favorite part of this book
I loved it all
and I have to read more
Yes... I will read the second of the trilogy... to be honest, already bought the second
The Fox's Quest
and will start it NOW! I have to read more... Book 1 end in such delicate moment I HAVE TO read more.
5 stars
About the story
It's well know that foxes are important to Japanese folklore. That's the premise I had to said, to introduce the protagonist, Akakiba.
Akakiba is a samurai, but also member of the fox clan... they are more than just the most famous samurai clan, they are also a real fox clan... fox are their real nature.
Akakiba could not leave alone to his dead a boy when his father, and only family, is killed by a demon. That's how Akakiba, from the fox clan, found his apprentice, Yuki.
Even if most of the book is told from Akakiba point of view, you will be ignorant of the magic world and all the magic creatures as Yuki is... and it's fantastic! Because that's the fun of this story! Each page is a new surprise, and Akakiba is your guide in this magic trip!
First, when I saw this book I tag is "gay" and "young-adult", one of this tag deserve a better explanation
I will not spoil, saying much, yes, it's a gay young adult fantasy, but it's also a gender-fluid story.
You will see how the fox clan is really... they are magic creatures, true, and they are a FOX! Their human appearance is what they choose to be. I would say they are most of all a fox, and everything else is secondary to them... and I will not say more... or will spoil the story.
This is a fantasy book, not a romance
If you want a romantic story this book may disappoint you. Yes, you will notice how Akakiba care about his human apprentice, but Yuki and Akakiba are not a couple. They are samurai that are trying to make the world a better place, fighting and killing demons.
The focus of the book is the magic, all the magic creatures and their fight against the evil... the demons.
It's hard to decide what I liked most of this book
The mystery
The magic
All the magic creatures
The fox clan
The dragons
EVERYTHING is so fantastic and perfect I can't pick just one thing and say it's my favorite part of this book
I loved it all
and I have to read more
Yes... I will read the second of the trilogy... to be honest, already bought the second
The Fox's Quest
and will start it NOW! I have to read more... Book 1 end in such delicate moment I HAVE TO read more.
5 stars
November 5, 2012
Limited, subjective, third person POV - multiple character POVs
Main character ages: 15-18
I received this novel as a free read to review as part of the Authors Requesting Reviews program in the Making Connections YA Edition group.
Okay so a little disclaimer before I perhaps influence anyone in their decision to read this book or not, please note that I'm a very negative person so I tend to find it easier to write about negative things (I'm more a venter than a praiser).
So.. sorry if I'm a bit critical. I also tend to do a lot of hand wavy explanations for how I feel about a book, so I hope I don't end up too confusing with trying to get out what I want to say. Anyways, here's my very basic interpretation of the novel.
SUMMARY:
Meet 18 year old Akakiba:
Akakiba has an apprentice, Yuki, whom he teaches his demon hunting pwnage skills.
Akakiba and Yuki happily travel around helping villagers.
And they keep helping them.
And helping them...
And helping them some more...
And then there are DEMONS!
And NINJAS!
And revelations!
THE END.
----------------------
ACTUAL REVIEW
Anyways, I really wanted to have given this novel a better rating especially since it was a free read and I dislike giving first books a bad review. Essentially speaking it wasn't terrible if that makes it better. It's a decent first book and it has an interesting premise. The execution just leaves a bit to be desired. I may have enjoyed this novel a bit more when I was younger, but having read quite a few Adult and Young Adult novels, I've found I've become somewhat pickier on the novels I read. I've divided my views on each part of my reading experience. Here we go!
FORMATTING (★★★★)
Version: Epub
First of all, the cover could be more attractive (sorry to the cover designer), and by attractive I mean a little less... I dunno... unprofessional? I'm not a designer, but truth be told a book is often judged by its cover (unless it's a literary classic) and I don't think, especially for a YA novel where the covers are practically booming in funky designs, that it'll be particularly interesting to people looking to purchase a book. Gomenasai!
Moving on, I mostly read my books on my phone (I know that sounds uncomfortable, but it's the most portable option for me) using Aldiko E-Reader or I read on my computer with Calibre. For the most part the formatting was the same as other e-books I've read. Simple, but clean and functional, which is what I like. One thing I'd note is the katana dividers looked huge and a little distracting on my phone, but I've seen worse and it's my own problem. What I'd like to point out is the italicization of Japanese terms. I didn't realize how textbook-like I started to treat the novel until I found myself listing off the terms I learned at the end one of the chapters in an attempt to test myself on how well I remembered them.
CHARACTERS (★★★)
Akakiba, Yuki, Sanae, and all the other characters we get to see are okay characters, I never found myself caring for them. This has mostly to do with the writing, but I found the characters to be fairly two dimensional. Akakiba is the cool, mostly level-headed, and independent one. Yuki is the earnest, kindhearted apprentice. Sanae the bubbly and feisty younger sister. Jien is the flirtatious, womanizing, but goodhearted monk. And Mamoru is... just a ninja with rather cruddy luck. I don't really know how else to describe him. Side characters? There was Akakiba's mother and father and... some other people.
I quite dislike it when I can barely describe the characters past a sentence or two. I didn't hate them all, I just couldn't empathize with them. They could've all been sock puppets for all I cared. We never really delve too much into their minds, explore their emotions, or get as many minor hints to their character (aside from the superficial) that truly breathe life into them as I would've liked. Essentially I didn't find that these characters breathed at all. They just played whatever part was given to them like marionettes. I want to be able to picture them outside of the plot and setting of the novel. I want them to be able to stand full and alone in my mind, but these characters just didn't do it for me.
Sometimes I give authors some slack on characterization as long as there's enough plot and other things to sort of blur the fact I'm not as close to the characters as I'd like to be, but there wasn't enough for me to rate the characters past 3 stars. At least the characters stick to their characterization though, which is good considering there are quite a few accidental bipolar characters in the literary world. Consistency is a plus.
PLOT (★★★)
The story drags somewhat at the beginning. For half of the novel the main characters are sort of floundering around helping the same village since all the demons are mysteriously playing checkers elsewhere and they have nothing else to do. I understand the beginning is meant to introduce the characters and the world and all that, but I probably would've dropped the book a quarter into the novel had I not signed up to review the book (my attention span sucks).
However, it does get better in the second half of the novel. The pace picks up as we delve into the mysteries hinted at in the first half of the novel and the danger level slowly rises giving a little bit of tension to the story. I also had a mini laugh near the end of the novel when one final revelation is brought to the forefront, but I sort of already guessed the truth quite a long while before it so I wasn't so shocked. Overall, the plot has the seeds to be a decent plant, and perhaps they'll be properly cultivated in the sequel. After all, a lot of this first book appears to be build up, so the sequel may improve upon this story.
I have to say though, the ninjas in the story are very.... well let's just say they are some of the most "fail" ninjas I've encountered in a while. The demons are more ninja than the ninjas. The novel tries to make it seem that the fox clan are just so powerful and all that, but all I kept on thinking was that these are some pretty lousy ninjas. Naruto would probably be sobbing in his lonely swing over how terribly inept the ninjas are.
Also, was it just me or was this an inconsistency? I noticed in the prologue that demons have blood, but apparently they "evaporate into nothingness" when killed. Plus demon blood is never mentioned again in the rest of the novel. And if they possessed someone, wouldn't the blood belong to the person and therefore be human blood?
SETTING (★★)
The setting suffers from the same problem as the characterization. There are novels that I've read where people find that there is way too much setting (like they literally blow your mind with the amount of descriptions they put in), but I actually like seeing an author's imagination or at least letting the author prod my own imagination into recreating the world they made. The setting in The Fox's Mask was bland to say the least, and it shouldn't have been. It's ancient Japan after all and I'm all for a mythical Japanese setting. I feel that there could've been so much more that could've been done to flesh out the setting, but I was left with a village with huts, a crowded marketplace, a basic historical Japanese mansion-type place for the Fox clan's residence, a forest, and a village taken over by demons. That was literally all I got from the novel in terms of setting, and I feel a little let down.
WRITING (★★★)
The writing was... okay. I didn't notice any blatant errors in my read through, but I found that there was a lack of the showing part of the show and tell of story writing. Not to say there wasn't any showing at all, it's just that the amount of telling overwhelmed the showing. I would've liked to have been able to imagine the smells, the sounds, the emotions, all the sensations that each setting or character brought to the scene, but I was left with basic images in my mind with a dismal amount of texture or life. Essentially the novel is missing quite a bit of the other senses. Most descriptors are visual, with some sounds, few smells, barely any touch. The characters don't feel aches in their bones after slaying a demon, they just feel tired, period. They fight. They win. I would've liked the writing to be fuller rather than so flat and distant.
This is probably partially why I felt no tension or excitement in the battle scenes. Oh the battle scenes! I love well done battle scenes. However, there is basically a dismal amount of danger in all of the fights in The Fox's Mask. Even the dangerous ones, which sounds contradictory, but just imagine a bunch of crash test dummies with those Chinese martial arts wires attached, lining up in different poses and then systematically poking each other with katanas and you'll know how I felt while reading the battle scenes. There was no sweat, grime, grace, fluid motion, anything that I could effectively imagine without trying really hard on my own. Just a fight that was hard and apparently dangerous that ended. Next please.
There also seemed to be some inconsequential bits in the novel that I could've probably done without and would've made the novel a lot shorter. They really don't serve much purpose in the story other than to make it longer. Anything that sounds like a shopping list I think could've been edited out. The example I can think of is this:
On the other hand there were some parts that sounded as if they're trying a tad too hard to be uniquely descriptive.
For one it doesn't really add to the scene that quote came from, particularly once they go on to talk about flesh-eating demons. I'm sure shy maiden suns and flesh-eating demons dance the jitterbug every other day. I just would've liked to see descriptions actually adding to the feel of the setting and the characters or just breathing life to the world rather than being there just to be there.
About the multiple POVs, usually I don't mind the switching. I just would've liked the characters that the POV switched to in a new chapter to be introduced first before I delved into their mind, or at least hinted at? Particularly characters who are really not the main narrative voices (at least I don't think they were, they didn't get much screen time). Many times I feel like I'm just thrown into an alien head and then whipped out. I don't mind side characters getting a chance to show their POV, but suddenly jumping to a new POV I didn't know and then only getting that POV maybe once or twice more much farther into the novel interrupted the flow of the story a little. Some authors have made this sort of POV switching work seamlessly, but in this case it just gets clunky.
Aside from those things, everything else was okay. I didn't find the writing too jilted like in other novels I've read, no cheese, over-exaggerations, or cartoonish-ness.
ENTERTAINMENT VALUE (★★★)
Overall The Fox's Mask was a decent first book. It would be interesting to see improvements in the sequel, but I don't know if I'm up to reading it.
Main character ages: 15-18
I received this novel as a free read to review as part of the Authors Requesting Reviews program in the Making Connections YA Edition group.
Okay so a little disclaimer before I perhaps influence anyone in their decision to read this book or not, please note that I'm a very negative person so I tend to find it easier to write about negative things (I'm more a venter than a praiser).
So.. sorry if I'm a bit critical. I also tend to do a lot of hand wavy explanations for how I feel about a book, so I hope I don't end up too confusing with trying to get out what I want to say. Anyways, here's my very basic interpretation of the novel.
SUMMARY:
Meet 18 year old Akakiba:
Akakiba has an apprentice, Yuki, whom he teaches his demon hunting pwnage skills.
Akakiba and Yuki happily travel around helping villagers.
And they keep helping them.
And helping them...
And helping them some more...
And then there are DEMONS!
And NINJAS!
And revelations!
THE END.
----------------------
ACTUAL REVIEW
Anyways, I really wanted to have given this novel a better rating especially since it was a free read and I dislike giving first books a bad review. Essentially speaking it wasn't terrible if that makes it better. It's a decent first book and it has an interesting premise. The execution just leaves a bit to be desired. I may have enjoyed this novel a bit more when I was younger, but having read quite a few Adult and Young Adult novels, I've found I've become somewhat pickier on the novels I read. I've divided my views on each part of my reading experience. Here we go!
FORMATTING (★★★★)
Version: Epub
First of all, the cover could be more attractive (sorry to the cover designer), and by attractive I mean a little less... I dunno... unprofessional? I'm not a designer, but truth be told a book is often judged by its cover (unless it's a literary classic) and I don't think, especially for a YA novel where the covers are practically booming in funky designs, that it'll be particularly interesting to people looking to purchase a book. Gomenasai!
Moving on, I mostly read my books on my phone (I know that sounds uncomfortable, but it's the most portable option for me) using Aldiko E-Reader or I read on my computer with Calibre. For the most part the formatting was the same as other e-books I've read. Simple, but clean and functional, which is what I like. One thing I'd note is the katana dividers looked huge and a little distracting on my phone, but I've seen worse and it's my own problem. What I'd like to point out is the italicization of Japanese terms. I didn't realize how textbook-like I started to treat the novel until I found myself listing off the terms I learned at the end one of the chapters in an attempt to test myself on how well I remembered them.
CHARACTERS (★★★)
Akakiba, Yuki, Sanae, and all the other characters we get to see are okay characters, I never found myself caring for them. This has mostly to do with the writing, but I found the characters to be fairly two dimensional. Akakiba is the cool, mostly level-headed, and independent one. Yuki is the earnest, kindhearted apprentice. Sanae the bubbly and feisty younger sister. Jien is the flirtatious, womanizing, but goodhearted monk. And Mamoru is... just a ninja with rather cruddy luck. I don't really know how else to describe him. Side characters? There was Akakiba's mother and father and... some other people.
I quite dislike it when I can barely describe the characters past a sentence or two. I didn't hate them all, I just couldn't empathize with them. They could've all been sock puppets for all I cared. We never really delve too much into their minds, explore their emotions, or get as many minor hints to their character (aside from the superficial) that truly breathe life into them as I would've liked. Essentially I didn't find that these characters breathed at all. They just played whatever part was given to them like marionettes. I want to be able to picture them outside of the plot and setting of the novel. I want them to be able to stand full and alone in my mind, but these characters just didn't do it for me.
Sometimes I give authors some slack on characterization as long as there's enough plot and other things to sort of blur the fact I'm not as close to the characters as I'd like to be, but there wasn't enough for me to rate the characters past 3 stars. At least the characters stick to their characterization though, which is good considering there are quite a few accidental bipolar characters in the literary world. Consistency is a plus.
PLOT (★★★)
The story drags somewhat at the beginning. For half of the novel the main characters are sort of floundering around helping the same village since all the demons are mysteriously playing checkers elsewhere and they have nothing else to do. I understand the beginning is meant to introduce the characters and the world and all that, but I probably would've dropped the book a quarter into the novel had I not signed up to review the book (my attention span sucks).
However, it does get better in the second half of the novel. The pace picks up as we delve into the mysteries hinted at in the first half of the novel and the danger level slowly rises giving a little bit of tension to the story. I also had a mini laugh near the end of the novel when one final revelation is brought to the forefront, but I sort of already guessed the truth quite a long while before it so I wasn't so shocked. Overall, the plot has the seeds to be a decent plant, and perhaps they'll be properly cultivated in the sequel. After all, a lot of this first book appears to be build up, so the sequel may improve upon this story.
I have to say though, the ninjas in the story are very.... well let's just say they are some of the most "fail" ninjas I've encountered in a while. The demons are more ninja than the ninjas. The novel tries to make it seem that the fox clan are just so powerful and all that, but all I kept on thinking was that these are some pretty lousy ninjas. Naruto would probably be sobbing in his lonely swing over how terribly inept the ninjas are.
Also, was it just me or was this an inconsistency? I noticed in the prologue that demons have blood, but apparently they "evaporate into nothingness" when killed. Plus demon blood is never mentioned again in the rest of the novel. And if they possessed someone, wouldn't the blood belong to the person and therefore be human blood?
SETTING (★★)
The setting suffers from the same problem as the characterization. There are novels that I've read where people find that there is way too much setting (like they literally blow your mind with the amount of descriptions they put in), but I actually like seeing an author's imagination or at least letting the author prod my own imagination into recreating the world they made. The setting in The Fox's Mask was bland to say the least, and it shouldn't have been. It's ancient Japan after all and I'm all for a mythical Japanese setting. I feel that there could've been so much more that could've been done to flesh out the setting, but I was left with a village with huts, a crowded marketplace, a basic historical Japanese mansion-type place for the Fox clan's residence, a forest, and a village taken over by demons. That was literally all I got from the novel in terms of setting, and I feel a little let down.
WRITING (★★★)
The writing was... okay. I didn't notice any blatant errors in my read through, but I found that there was a lack of the showing part of the show and tell of story writing. Not to say there wasn't any showing at all, it's just that the amount of telling overwhelmed the showing. I would've liked to have been able to imagine the smells, the sounds, the emotions, all the sensations that each setting or character brought to the scene, but I was left with basic images in my mind with a dismal amount of texture or life. Essentially the novel is missing quite a bit of the other senses. Most descriptors are visual, with some sounds, few smells, barely any touch. The characters don't feel aches in their bones after slaying a demon, they just feel tired, period. They fight. They win. I would've liked the writing to be fuller rather than so flat and distant.
This is probably partially why I felt no tension or excitement in the battle scenes. Oh the battle scenes! I love well done battle scenes. However, there is basically a dismal amount of danger in all of the fights in The Fox's Mask. Even the dangerous ones, which sounds contradictory, but just imagine a bunch of crash test dummies with those Chinese martial arts wires attached, lining up in different poses and then systematically poking each other with katanas and you'll know how I felt while reading the battle scenes. There was no sweat, grime, grace, fluid motion, anything that I could effectively imagine without trying really hard on my own. Just a fight that was hard and apparently dangerous that ended. Next please.
There also seemed to be some inconsequential bits in the novel that I could've probably done without and would've made the novel a lot shorter. They really don't serve much purpose in the story other than to make it longer. Anything that sounds like a shopping list I think could've been edited out. The example I can think of is this:
They slept at an inn, likely the last one they’d see on this trip. They ate plentifully. If they had to face days without eating, best face them with fat to spare. Afterwards they soaked in the bath for a long time, recovering from hard riding.
On the other hand there were some parts that sounded as if they're trying a tad too hard to be uniquely descriptive.
The second day saw them riding under a timid sun that hid its face behind the clouds like a shy maiden hides behind her fan.
For one it doesn't really add to the scene that quote came from, particularly once they go on to talk about flesh-eating demons. I'm sure shy maiden suns and flesh-eating demons dance the jitterbug every other day. I just would've liked to see descriptions actually adding to the feel of the setting and the characters or just breathing life to the world rather than being there just to be there.
About the multiple POVs, usually I don't mind the switching. I just would've liked the characters that the POV switched to in a new chapter to be introduced first before I delved into their mind, or at least hinted at? Particularly characters who are really not the main narrative voices (at least I don't think they were, they didn't get much screen time). Many times I feel like I'm just thrown into an alien head and then whipped out. I don't mind side characters getting a chance to show their POV, but suddenly jumping to a new POV I didn't know and then only getting that POV maybe once or twice more much farther into the novel interrupted the flow of the story a little. Some authors have made this sort of POV switching work seamlessly, but in this case it just gets clunky.
Aside from those things, everything else was okay. I didn't find the writing too jilted like in other novels I've read, no cheese, over-exaggerations, or cartoonish-ness.
ENTERTAINMENT VALUE (★★★)
Overall The Fox's Mask was a decent first book. It would be interesting to see improvements in the sequel, but I don't know if I'm up to reading it.
August 8, 2014
This is a YA book. I am seriously considering recommending it to my 13-year old. NOT joking.
It might make a great introduction into Japanese mythology, however centered it is around foxes.
Main characters are all under 20 years old and there is no romance in this book of any kind, just very subtle hints and a crush or two.
I rate this as a Young Adult book - 4 stars.
PS
I loved the foxes' fluidity with gender and that they could chose the opposite sex if it suited them better or made them more comfortable in everyday life.
I also loved one of the character's phrase regarding sex: "I was also born in fox form. Does that make me an animal?"
PPS
Lurve the cover!!!
It might make a great introduction into Japanese mythology, however centered it is around foxes.
Main characters are all under 20 years old and there is no romance in this book of any kind, just very subtle hints and a crush or two.
I rate this as a Young Adult book - 4 stars.
PS
I loved the foxes' fluidity with gender and that they could chose the opposite sex if it suited them better or made them more comfortable in everyday life.
I also loved one of the character's phrase regarding sex: "I was also born in fox form. Does that make me an animal?"
PPS
Lurve the cover!!!
October 20, 2012
So, another book that wouldn't normally get read, that was thoroughly enjoyable...
Why wouldn't I have normally read this.. Well traditionally it's historical.. and I'm not grand on those (proven wrong a couple of times. It's based on a culture that whilst is interesting when I do see or hear something I wouldn't normally get wrapped up in it.
So what was the story like.. GREAT! The story is set in Japan in the distant past. There is great use of settings and historical content to bring the story into a believable place. At no time was I left thinking what a load of crap or that thre was a plot hole just there. Character use was abundent and never lost focus nor was it distracting to the overall story. Everyone was there for a purpose and that was to create a really good story.
Characters. EXCELLENT!!!!!!! Amazing, interesting, well developed... All words that you want to associate with a story. There are two main focus characters and both are really good examples of when a wrtier knows the characters. Secondary players abound in this story, and each and every one of them is there because they are needed for the story. Each one is there with a back story. No weird additions to the story with no explanation.
Quite frankly - If you want a story with a bit of a supernatural twist, some Japanese history/mythology and you want to finish it feeling like you have just read a damn fine story.. Then I'd recommend this. If your like me and tend to veer from history - don't!
Anna this is a great read and will certainly be on recommended reads lists from me for just about everyone!
Why wouldn't I have normally read this.. Well traditionally it's historical.. and I'm not grand on those (proven wrong a couple of times. It's based on a culture that whilst is interesting when I do see or hear something I wouldn't normally get wrapped up in it.
So what was the story like.. GREAT! The story is set in Japan in the distant past. There is great use of settings and historical content to bring the story into a believable place. At no time was I left thinking what a load of crap or that thre was a plot hole just there. Character use was abundent and never lost focus nor was it distracting to the overall story. Everyone was there for a purpose and that was to create a really good story.
Characters. EXCELLENT!!!!!!! Amazing, interesting, well developed... All words that you want to associate with a story. There are two main focus characters and both are really good examples of when a wrtier knows the characters. Secondary players abound in this story, and each and every one of them is there because they are needed for the story. Each one is there with a back story. No weird additions to the story with no explanation.
Quite frankly - If you want a story with a bit of a supernatural twist, some Japanese history/mythology and you want to finish it feeling like you have just read a damn fine story.. Then I'd recommend this. If your like me and tend to veer from history - don't!
Anna this is a great read and will certainly be on recommended reads lists from me for just about everyone!
October 16, 2012
I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Obviously, I loved it! I’d more accurately rate it at 4.5 stars, but I felt it deserved to be rounded up rather than down because the good attributes of this book far outweighed the “bad” ones.
The plot was pretty thought out and well executed. I found myself getting interested in the story from the start, though it took me a while to get into the book and get immersed in the world and the characters. For once, I was surprised by a twist in a book. Normally I can tell what’s coming by the not-as-subtle-as-it-should be foreshadowing done by quite a few authors, however, Frost got it right. After having learned of the secret, my mind backtracked to think of all the foreshadowing that supported this and suddenly incidents that hadn’t made complete sense to me before, did. It was refreshing not to spot all the major reveals right off the bat.
This being said, the downfall to the plot from my perspective was that it was slightly slow paced. Nothing big really happens until mid-book and even then the battles were a tad of a let down. They were well written, but I was missing a sense of tension in them. Probably because, while there were deaths on our heroes’ side, none of the main characters were ever really in danger of dying themselves. What I had thought would happen in the first battle actually happened in the second, but even then Akakiba and Yuki were never in life-threatening peril, which led me to not be hanging on the edge of my seat during the fights. However, this fact didn’t deter me from enjoying the overall story.
I can’t vouch for the historical accuracy of the setting because I’m certainly not an expert on Japanese history, though I didn’t see anything amiss based on my limited knowledge. In fact, sometimes this book vaguely reminded me of a history book. Probably because of several italicized Japanese words. It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but every time I saw one my mind was conditioned to look for a definition of the word at the end of the page or to look for a vocabulary list somewhere at the end of the chapter/in the back of the book. It’s just something textbooks did while I was growing up, so I put all the blame for this habit on them.
The characters are what really made this book for me though. I came to love Akakiba and Yuki and the subtlety of their relationship. Yes, it’s quite plain to others that the two have a rather intimate bond, but they never outright make proclamations of love to each other and their physical interaction is minimal. It’s evident they care quite a bit for one another, but it’s done in a lovely, toned down and more natural way, which I adored. I also came to like the secondary characters, even Jien, who at first inspired the will to kill in me because he was dreadfully annoying. I can’t say I developed a connection with the secondary characters to the point where I’d be upset if they died, but I still enjoyed their presence and thought they added a nice ambience to the story.
So in the end, I definitely loved this book and I will eagerly be waiting for the sequel.
Obviously, I loved it! I’d more accurately rate it at 4.5 stars, but I felt it deserved to be rounded up rather than down because the good attributes of this book far outweighed the “bad” ones.
The plot was pretty thought out and well executed. I found myself getting interested in the story from the start, though it took me a while to get into the book and get immersed in the world and the characters. For once, I was surprised by a twist in a book. Normally I can tell what’s coming by the not-as-subtle-as-it-should be foreshadowing done by quite a few authors, however, Frost got it right. After having learned of the secret, my mind backtracked to think of all the foreshadowing that supported this and suddenly incidents that hadn’t made complete sense to me before, did. It was refreshing not to spot all the major reveals right off the bat.
This being said, the downfall to the plot from my perspective was that it was slightly slow paced. Nothing big really happens until mid-book and even then the battles were a tad of a let down. They were well written, but I was missing a sense of tension in them. Probably because, while there were deaths on our heroes’ side, none of the main characters were ever really in danger of dying themselves. What I had thought would happen in the first battle actually happened in the second, but even then Akakiba and Yuki were never in life-threatening peril, which led me to not be hanging on the edge of my seat during the fights. However, this fact didn’t deter me from enjoying the overall story.
I can’t vouch for the historical accuracy of the setting because I’m certainly not an expert on Japanese history, though I didn’t see anything amiss based on my limited knowledge. In fact, sometimes this book vaguely reminded me of a history book. Probably because of several italicized Japanese words. It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but every time I saw one my mind was conditioned to look for a definition of the word at the end of the page or to look for a vocabulary list somewhere at the end of the chapter/in the back of the book. It’s just something textbooks did while I was growing up, so I put all the blame for this habit on them.
The characters are what really made this book for me though. I came to love Akakiba and Yuki and the subtlety of their relationship. Yes, it’s quite plain to others that the two have a rather intimate bond, but they never outright make proclamations of love to each other and their physical interaction is minimal. It’s evident they care quite a bit for one another, but it’s done in a lovely, toned down and more natural way, which I adored. I also came to like the secondary characters, even Jien, who at first inspired the will to kill in me because he was dreadfully annoying. I can’t say I developed a connection with the secondary characters to the point where I’d be upset if they died, but I still enjoyed their presence and thought they added a nice ambience to the story.
So in the end, I definitely loved this book and I will eagerly be waiting for the sequel.
May 29, 2017
The Fox's Mask is set in a mythical world based on Japanese culture and folklore. Parts of it felt like I was reading the light novel version of a manga, but eventually I was drawn into the story and stopped thinking about the book like that. I'm always a huge fan of anything kitsune, but this book was enjoyable, even without the influence of magical fox people.
Though ninjas vs kitsune battles - I'm just sayin'. It's hard to deny the awesomeness of that combination. Oh, and there were demons, too. I swear, it's like this book was written just for me.
The story is told from the...not so much point of view of various characters, but...it was all written omniscient third person, but each chapter would be about what a certain character was doing. There were five characters the book followed, in total: Akakiba, Yuki, Sanae, Jien, and one of the shinobi. I forget his name. It started with an "m". Each chapter announced whose story was being followed. I'd have loved to just follow Yuki and Akakiba, but I see why all five of those characters were included in the rotation. Each holds a piece of the overall story.
I really enjoyed the carefully balanced relationship between Akakiba and Yuki. It was very well-written, and done fairy tastefully. It also wasn't a story where the relationship happens instantly, love at first sight, you know they're going to be together by the end of the book sort of thing. I was a bit irked at the cop-out at the end, but it made sense based on what you were told about the Fox clan's traditions, dialogue between Akakiba and his mother, and the fact that kitsune are shape shifters. It's just...would it have been so terrible to leave that relationship alone?
The Japanese names were fun. It added to the immersion of the story. Sakura and Yuki, though...really?
I loved the folklore behind the story. It was all heavily based on Japanese/Chinese stories, of course, but there were little twists thrown in that helped make the world unique.
There's not much resolution by the end of the book. It doesn't end on a cliffhanger, but not much actually gets done. However, I just noticed that the second book came out on March 1st. So if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go back to my kitsune now.
Though ninjas vs kitsune battles - I'm just sayin'. It's hard to deny the awesomeness of that combination. Oh, and there were demons, too. I swear, it's like this book was written just for me.
The story is told from the...not so much point of view of various characters, but...it was all written omniscient third person, but each chapter would be about what a certain character was doing. There were five characters the book followed, in total: Akakiba, Yuki, Sanae, Jien, and one of the shinobi. I forget his name. It started with an "m". Each chapter announced whose story was being followed. I'd have loved to just follow Yuki and Akakiba, but I see why all five of those characters were included in the rotation. Each holds a piece of the overall story.
I really enjoyed the carefully balanced relationship between Akakiba and Yuki. It was very well-written, and done fairy tastefully. It also wasn't a story where the relationship happens instantly, love at first sight, you know they're going to be together by the end of the book sort of thing. I was a bit irked at the cop-out at the end, but it made sense based on what you were told about the Fox clan's traditions, dialogue between Akakiba and his mother, and the fact that kitsune are shape shifters. It's just...would it have been so terrible to leave that relationship alone?
The Japanese names were fun. It added to the immersion of the story. Sakura and Yuki, though...really?
I loved the folklore behind the story. It was all heavily based on Japanese/Chinese stories, of course, but there were little twists thrown in that helped make the world unique.
There's not much resolution by the end of the book. It doesn't end on a cliffhanger, but not much actually gets done. However, I just noticed that the second book came out on March 1st. So if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go back to my kitsune now.
Read
July 9, 2017The Fox's Mask is a YA LGBT historical fantasy, which is something I've never read before. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it surprised me in the best way. It was a fun book full of wit and humor, spirits, dragons, cultural details that never felt too weighty, and well-written battles. I really, really enjoyed it.
Akakiba and Yuki had this fantastic relationship full of camaraderie, respect, loyalty, and maybe even a bit more. I loved that the 'more' was so subtle, never needing to be voiced because it could be seen in the way they interacted. The questions of gender was really interesting, and the Fox Clan's women have a certain ability that totally surprised me but was quite intriguing.
Yuki was perhaps my favorite character even though I really liked Akakiba. Yuki's voice was just so funny. Several times, while in his point-of-view, I laughed out loud at something he was thinking. Akakiba had some great moments too, but he was usually the more serious, brooding half of the relationship (but not always). All the characters brought something interesting to the story, and I don't think there was anyone I disliked.
The world building was well done. I loved all the back story about the dragons and how they bonded with humans. The villages, the market, the nature of the spirits and the demon hunters and the Fox Clan all felt fully realized.
The conflict really took off about midway into the book, and I was hooked. The plot was interesting, the characters engaging, and everything came together in a coherent way. I adored the characters, who were in turns funny and witty and a little angsty, and I was intrigued by the world and the dilemma the Fox Clan faced with magic dying. The ending definitely left me wanting more, and I'm looking forward to the sequel :)
Akakiba and Yuki had this fantastic relationship full of camaraderie, respect, loyalty, and maybe even a bit more. I loved that the 'more' was so subtle, never needing to be voiced because it could be seen in the way they interacted. The questions of gender was really interesting, and the Fox Clan's women have a certain ability that totally surprised me but was quite intriguing.
Yuki was perhaps my favorite character even though I really liked Akakiba. Yuki's voice was just so funny. Several times, while in his point-of-view, I laughed out loud at something he was thinking. Akakiba had some great moments too, but he was usually the more serious, brooding half of the relationship (but not always). All the characters brought something interesting to the story, and I don't think there was anyone I disliked.
The world building was well done. I loved all the back story about the dragons and how they bonded with humans. The villages, the market, the nature of the spirits and the demon hunters and the Fox Clan all felt fully realized.
The conflict really took off about midway into the book, and I was hooked. The plot was interesting, the characters engaging, and everything came together in a coherent way. I adored the characters, who were in turns funny and witty and a little angsty, and I was intrigued by the world and the dilemma the Fox Clan faced with magic dying. The ending definitely left me wanting more, and I'm looking forward to the sequel :)
March 22, 2014
This novel was extremely well written, but I found that I had a difficult time getting engaged in the story. Once I finally got into it, it turned out to be a very intriguing story. Part of the issue that I found was that the crux of the story occurs in the last half. The first half of the story is a large amount of background information.
Frost has an amazingly well developed cast of characters. Each one is ideally suited to their purpose in life. That said, not one single character is the “perfect” person. Each one is a real individual, with real strengths and real flaws. They all find themselves in social situations that you could run into in a normal day at home, school, or the office. These situations are heightened by the supernatural backdrop of the story, but they are still realistic interactions. The familial relationships within the story had me giggling. The main characters treat each other like a real pair of siblings would, and interact with their parents like a real family.
I was also completely enthralled by the complex mythology of the kitsune that is the backdrop for this story. It is based in a fairly traditional Japanese setting. The characters also have traditional Japanese names. This all helps round out the story.
Finally, this story was complete in and of itself. Don’t get me wrong, there is definitely the potential for more to come after this story and I can’t wait for the sequel, but I loved the fact that this story had an ending. It did not end like so many other books in a series, where the characters are basically being held suspended until the sequel is published.
Frost has an amazingly well developed cast of characters. Each one is ideally suited to their purpose in life. That said, not one single character is the “perfect” person. Each one is a real individual, with real strengths and real flaws. They all find themselves in social situations that you could run into in a normal day at home, school, or the office. These situations are heightened by the supernatural backdrop of the story, but they are still realistic interactions. The familial relationships within the story had me giggling. The main characters treat each other like a real pair of siblings would, and interact with their parents like a real family.
I was also completely enthralled by the complex mythology of the kitsune that is the backdrop for this story. It is based in a fairly traditional Japanese setting. The characters also have traditional Japanese names. This all helps round out the story.
Finally, this story was complete in and of itself. Don’t get me wrong, there is definitely the potential for more to come after this story and I can’t wait for the sequel, but I loved the fact that this story had an ending. It did not end like so many other books in a series, where the characters are basically being held suspended until the sequel is published.
July 30, 2016
Anna. Anna! ANNA! You slayed me with this book. I had no idea what to expect. I purposely didn't look at the reviews because this book was so new to me and I wanted to go into this with an open mind. I'm happy to say that I loved The Fox's Mask. It isn't something I would pick out for myself. But that's the beauty of it. It transcended my preferences and gave me something new to experience.
I've never watched anime or been heavily into Japanese culture. I don't watch ninja movies. Basically, I am not the target audience for The Fox's Mask. That's what is great about it, though. Even with all of the odds stacked against it, I still loved this story. The pieces of culture and history that were woven into the book were so amazingly done, and I enjoyed that aspect immensely.
This book is written in third person, but I felt like I was able to establish a relationship with the characters regardless of that. Sometimes a third person telling can have a detached edge, but that was not the case for The Fox's Mask. I was very much a fan of Yuki and Akakiba's relationship and rooted for it the entire time.
All in all, I enjoyed Anna Frost's The Fox's Mask. It was a different type of story for me, and I loved it just the same. At times, the story lagged but overall, I found it easy to keep up. If you're a YA fan who likes Japanese culture, The Fox's Mask will be a perfect read for you!
**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no cempensation.
I've never watched anime or been heavily into Japanese culture. I don't watch ninja movies. Basically, I am not the target audience for The Fox's Mask. That's what is great about it, though. Even with all of the odds stacked against it, I still loved this story. The pieces of culture and history that were woven into the book were so amazingly done, and I enjoyed that aspect immensely.
This book is written in third person, but I felt like I was able to establish a relationship with the characters regardless of that. Sometimes a third person telling can have a detached edge, but that was not the case for The Fox's Mask. I was very much a fan of Yuki and Akakiba's relationship and rooted for it the entire time.
All in all, I enjoyed Anna Frost's The Fox's Mask. It was a different type of story for me, and I loved it just the same. At times, the story lagged but overall, I found it easy to keep up. If you're a YA fan who likes Japanese culture, The Fox's Mask will be a perfect read for you!
**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no cempensation.
October 25, 2012
Loved this, can't wait for the next one.
February 22, 2013
I'm so very lucky to have gotten a free e-copy in order to give an honest review. My full review with a guest post from Anna Frost plus a link to a giveaway is now live on my blog:
The Broke Book Bank
I was immediately hooked in from page one.
The Fox’s Mask uses historical Japan (around the 1600s) as a loose basis for a fantastical tale involving samurais, ninjas, fighting monks, shifters, demons, spirits and, my personal favorite, dragons. Seriously, the dragon part had me deliriously happy to the point of tearing up on page 22. I also have a soft spot for shifters. No, no one can really explain away the extra/less body mass but I don’t care. It’s my one blind spot in my nitpicky everything must be internally logical self. Come on, turning into an animal at will and in control is one awesome thing. When I say it’s loosely based it’s because the author what authors do - if they don’t like it, they change it. I admittedly love how things have been changed, i.e. there’s an emperor instead of an shogun and the women are more free socially speaking. There’s also realistic little details that I am so glad is included because I’ve wanted it in other books, like how tearing off pieces of clothing to make bandage isn’t easy or comes automatically in neat strips of the right size.
GLBT fiction isn’t just for those who are GLBT and it isn’t all erotica. This YA tale fits all the criteria for the “clean” identifier. The romance is sweet, new, the first for the characters and has all the “D’awwing” blushing moments people look for in YA romance.
I love how there’s strong women working within the limits of society and sometimes outside it. I love how it explores gender, not in the lecture you way, or the textbook way but just making you think about it using examples in a fictional setting. I love how it shows the myriad of ways gender roles and expectations wreak havoc on lives.
Characters:
The characters and the plot is my favorite aspects of the book. They are each dynamic and compelling. They make you want to hug them or hit them. Even minor characters. It’s just really hard to talk about without including spoilers because I just want to go on and on about them. So I’ll try to keep it short and to just four main characters.
Akakiba, the main character, is easily my favorite. For all the times they made me wonder, smile, smirk, laugh and cheer. For standing up and fighting. For going their own way and coming back when needed. For making me want to scratch a fox behind the ears and stroke their fur. For making me want to be a samurai when I’ve never wanted that before.
Sanae - Oh, little sister of Akakiba. Impish, impervious, impetuous and (ccc-combo breaker) curious to a fault. I’m wondering if stubbornness just runs in Akakiba family or through the whole clan. Maybe they should be mules instead of foxes, for how much they are willing to change. Though change they do. Easily my second favorite character. To say I can’t wait for her part of the story to continue the story is an understatement to say the least.
Yuki, the brash, wants to prove something, and naive young apprentice, whose character progression I’m curiously watching to see if he makes me smack him or hug him. As it is, I was cycling through responding to him with ‘D’aww’’s and “Omg, you dumb oaf” but in a friendly sort of way. He’s the friend who is clueless about things regarding themselves and you feel just needs your guidance to do what you think is best the right thing. Still love them, and enjoy their company but damn do they need to just get their act together already!
Jien, the womanizer monk. That sounds so contradictory. I honestly don’t like this type of character, whose epitome is Charlie Sheen, because they usually come with everyone (especially a romantic interest) desperate to change them. To unveil that golden heart supposedly buried under all that shit. At least in with Jien that doesn’t seem to be case and gets more flak for his despicable actions than support. (“Boys will be boys” UGH. Good thing that’s not included here.) I’m totally with Akikaba about Jien. Should’ve left him on the mountain, lol. Don’t get me wrong, Jien does some good things and isn’t generally a terrible person. Okay, so he isn’t useless and I’m actually glad he has my character’s back. He’s terribly obnoxious though which gets on my nerves and I want to beat him with a stick off a certain character that deserves better.
Akakiba is the main character but isn’t the sole perspective. There’s different points of view shown in third person omnipresent, which I couldn’t get enough of. The overall voice doesn’t change much from person to person but what they notice, think and feel does so it’s not hard to distinguish one from the other. Usually, I’m all for dramatic changes in writing from perspective to perspective but that critique doesn’t come into play here. I don’t really care about the overall voice/writing doesn’t change, because it comes off as very gender neutral, which I think is necessary for this book and certain aspects of it to come off correctly. The other thing I love about changing perspectives is when two characters view the same moment differently and there’s several incidents of that here that’s wonderfully insightful.
The Plot:
OMG, did I love this part. I’m loving all the different twists, reveals and am so curious to see it continued. There’s so much here and I really can’t say much, otherwise it would ruin the experience. There’s no way i want to do that! Even when I thought it done, when it was all set to end, I was thrown into the last chapter that really makes me want to follow. It’s just so different and intriguing. I have no idea where it’s going and there’s so many wonderful possibilities.
Seriously, fantasy fans readers tired of the obvious? Read this book. It bends in ways I hadn’t thought of or read before that makes me go, “Why didn’t anyone else think of this?”.
The Setting:
This isn’t palaces and royalty type of fantasy. This is little villages, woods, traveling and the basics rather than the grandiose. This is one of the few (total count: 2 places) where I’d like more from The Fox’s Mask. Not in changing the setting, just more descriptions. While reading I was able to visualize it well based on what was here and the other historical Japanese fiction I’ve read. I was more concerned about the characters anyways. My view completely narrowed to just the characters and I was totally engrossed. Sitting down to write the review is when I realized how sparse the descriptions and details were for the larger picture.
I know that sounds just terrible. But it isn’t! The characters really are the main focus and failure to expand on setting isn’t a fatal flaw. Usually in fantasy that’s a huge mark down because fantasy is all about creating whole new worlds. Admittedly, if one has no idea or knowledge of historical Japan this part may prove more lackluster or frustrating.
In The Fox’s Mask case, this is different for me because 1. it’s basically Japan around the 1600’s and I have some idea of the time; 2. the fantasy part is more about shifting, dragons, demon and spirits - all of which gets explored and expanded on more so than the setting; and finally 3. personal preference. Well, that’s the thing some people like flowery, purple-y prose, while I’m all for details that aren’t bogged down by long windedness. I’d prefer more simplistic than more superfluous. Which is just another reason why I’m satisfied with The Fox’s Mask.
While the descriptions of surroundings outside necessity are sparse, the things immediately in the character’s purview are given great treatment. Still not flowery or in depth but what is there works perfectly, for my mental image, general impression of the time/place and for the character perspective. Like the use of straw beds, talking about paths in the woods, the snaking through back alleys, the money and individual rooms. These little tale tell details filled my much needed detail fiene fix.
Other:
I am a cover lover and luster. There’s books on my TBR list and that I’ve read completely for just the cover. Unfortunately, The Fox’s Mask doesn’t currently inspire that feeling from me. It’s a completely shallow complaint I know, but I love covers good enough to be a poster. I’m not really a movie person and TV is mostly background noise to me but books are my thing. Book posters can cover my walls like a tween obsessed with Bieber and I’d be a happy camper.
I saw this in other reviews and just wanted to clarify about the Japanese words being italicized. That’s actually the standard convention to italicized words from another language. It’s not like something the author just decided to do or anything. I get how it made others think of textbooks and may be unusual for those who haven’t read a book that uses this technique, that’s just more of a problem with the genre standards than specifically with this book.
If you’d like to check examples, you can look through the Amazon’s first pages on these books to see the convention at work:
The Wayword Moon by Janice Weizman
Stormdance by Jay Kristoff
The Broke Book Bank
I was immediately hooked in from page one.
The Fox’s Mask uses historical Japan (around the 1600s) as a loose basis for a fantastical tale involving samurais, ninjas, fighting monks, shifters, demons, spirits and, my personal favorite, dragons. Seriously, the dragon part had me deliriously happy to the point of tearing up on page 22. I also have a soft spot for shifters. No, no one can really explain away the extra/less body mass but I don’t care. It’s my one blind spot in my nitpicky everything must be internally logical self. Come on, turning into an animal at will and in control is one awesome thing. When I say it’s loosely based it’s because the author what authors do - if they don’t like it, they change it. I admittedly love how things have been changed, i.e. there’s an emperor instead of an shogun and the women are more free socially speaking. There’s also realistic little details that I am so glad is included because I’ve wanted it in other books, like how tearing off pieces of clothing to make bandage isn’t easy or comes automatically in neat strips of the right size.
GLBT fiction isn’t just for those who are GLBT and it isn’t all erotica. This YA tale fits all the criteria for the “clean” identifier. The romance is sweet, new, the first for the characters and has all the “D’awwing” blushing moments people look for in YA romance.
I love how there’s strong women working within the limits of society and sometimes outside it. I love how it explores gender, not in the lecture you way, or the textbook way but just making you think about it using examples in a fictional setting. I love how it shows the myriad of ways gender roles and expectations wreak havoc on lives.
Characters:
The characters and the plot is my favorite aspects of the book. They are each dynamic and compelling. They make you want to hug them or hit them. Even minor characters. It’s just really hard to talk about without including spoilers because I just want to go on and on about them. So I’ll try to keep it short and to just four main characters.
Akakiba, the main character, is easily my favorite. For all the times they made me wonder, smile, smirk, laugh and cheer. For standing up and fighting. For going their own way and coming back when needed. For making me want to scratch a fox behind the ears and stroke their fur. For making me want to be a samurai when I’ve never wanted that before.
Sanae - Oh, little sister of Akakiba. Impish, impervious, impetuous and (ccc-combo breaker) curious to a fault. I’m wondering if stubbornness just runs in Akakiba family or through the whole clan. Maybe they should be mules instead of foxes, for how much they are willing to change. Though change they do. Easily my second favorite character. To say I can’t wait for her part of the story to continue the story is an understatement to say the least.
Yuki, the brash, wants to prove something, and naive young apprentice, whose character progression I’m curiously watching to see if he makes me smack him or hug him. As it is, I was cycling through responding to him with ‘D’aww’’s and “Omg, you dumb oaf” but in a friendly sort of way. He’s the friend who is clueless about things regarding themselves and you feel just needs your guidance to do what you think is best the right thing. Still love them, and enjoy their company but damn do they need to just get their act together already!
Jien, the womanizer monk. That sounds so contradictory. I honestly don’t like this type of character, whose epitome is Charlie Sheen, because they usually come with everyone (especially a romantic interest) desperate to change them. To unveil that golden heart supposedly buried under all that shit. At least in with Jien that doesn’t seem to be case and gets more flak for his despicable actions than support. (“Boys will be boys” UGH. Good thing that’s not included here.) I’m totally with Akikaba about Jien. Should’ve left him on the mountain, lol. Don’t get me wrong, Jien does some good things and isn’t generally a terrible person. Okay, so he isn’t useless and I’m actually glad he has my character’s back. He’s terribly obnoxious though which gets on my nerves and I want to beat him with a stick off a certain character that deserves better.
Akakiba is the main character but isn’t the sole perspective. There’s different points of view shown in third person omnipresent, which I couldn’t get enough of. The overall voice doesn’t change much from person to person but what they notice, think and feel does so it’s not hard to distinguish one from the other. Usually, I’m all for dramatic changes in writing from perspective to perspective but that critique doesn’t come into play here. I don’t really care about the overall voice/writing doesn’t change, because it comes off as very gender neutral, which I think is necessary for this book and certain aspects of it to come off correctly. The other thing I love about changing perspectives is when two characters view the same moment differently and there’s several incidents of that here that’s wonderfully insightful.
The Plot:
OMG, did I love this part. I’m loving all the different twists, reveals and am so curious to see it continued. There’s so much here and I really can’t say much, otherwise it would ruin the experience. There’s no way i want to do that! Even when I thought it done, when it was all set to end, I was thrown into the last chapter that really makes me want to follow. It’s just so different and intriguing. I have no idea where it’s going and there’s so many wonderful possibilities.
Seriously, fantasy fans readers tired of the obvious? Read this book. It bends in ways I hadn’t thought of or read before that makes me go, “Why didn’t anyone else think of this?”.
The Setting:
This isn’t palaces and royalty type of fantasy. This is little villages, woods, traveling and the basics rather than the grandiose. This is one of the few (total count: 2 places) where I’d like more from The Fox’s Mask. Not in changing the setting, just more descriptions. While reading I was able to visualize it well based on what was here and the other historical Japanese fiction I’ve read. I was more concerned about the characters anyways. My view completely narrowed to just the characters and I was totally engrossed. Sitting down to write the review is when I realized how sparse the descriptions and details were for the larger picture.
I know that sounds just terrible. But it isn’t! The characters really are the main focus and failure to expand on setting isn’t a fatal flaw. Usually in fantasy that’s a huge mark down because fantasy is all about creating whole new worlds. Admittedly, if one has no idea or knowledge of historical Japan this part may prove more lackluster or frustrating.
In The Fox’s Mask case, this is different for me because 1. it’s basically Japan around the 1600’s and I have some idea of the time; 2. the fantasy part is more about shifting, dragons, demon and spirits - all of which gets explored and expanded on more so than the setting; and finally 3. personal preference. Well, that’s the thing some people like flowery, purple-y prose, while I’m all for details that aren’t bogged down by long windedness. I’d prefer more simplistic than more superfluous. Which is just another reason why I’m satisfied with The Fox’s Mask.
While the descriptions of surroundings outside necessity are sparse, the things immediately in the character’s purview are given great treatment. Still not flowery or in depth but what is there works perfectly, for my mental image, general impression of the time/place and for the character perspective. Like the use of straw beds, talking about paths in the woods, the snaking through back alleys, the money and individual rooms. These little tale tell details filled my much needed detail fiene fix.
Other:
I am a cover lover and luster. There’s books on my TBR list and that I’ve read completely for just the cover. Unfortunately, The Fox’s Mask doesn’t currently inspire that feeling from me. It’s a completely shallow complaint I know, but I love covers good enough to be a poster. I’m not really a movie person and TV is mostly background noise to me but books are my thing. Book posters can cover my walls like a tween obsessed with Bieber and I’d be a happy camper.
I saw this in other reviews and just wanted to clarify about the Japanese words being italicized. That’s actually the standard convention to italicized words from another language. It’s not like something the author just decided to do or anything. I get how it made others think of textbooks and may be unusual for those who haven’t read a book that uses this technique, that’s just more of a problem with the genre standards than specifically with this book.
If you’d like to check examples, you can look through the Amazon’s first pages on these books to see the convention at work:
The Wayword Moon by Janice Weizman
Stormdance by Jay Kristoff
July 8, 2018
an enjoyable read with some interesting takes on both foxes and demons.
Too bad that it is out of print, though I am glad that the author has made it available to those readers who manage to find out that they can request copies directly from her.
Too bad that it is out of print, though I am glad that the author has made it available to those readers who manage to find out that they can request copies directly from her.
July 17, 2017
read excerpt
February 5, 2015
This review has been crossposted from my blog at The Cosy Dragon . Please head there for more in-depth reviews by me, which appear on a timely schedule.
Akakiba is part of the Fox Clan of samurai. He can change into a fox - but he hasn't told his apprentice yet. With dragons at stake and strange demon possessions going on, it's important to be honest, and reduce the inevitable shocks. But Akakiba isn't as contented with himself as he seems.
Nothing was dramatic with the love and affection through the novel. It was ok to love other people, and it was ok that foxes could change their gender. There wasn't any huge fanfare about Akakiba and Yuki's relationship, which appeared deeply, but confusingly, loving. I loved how being queer was treated normally - or so I thought. The novel highlighted an issue that's rampant within the Queer community and is yet to receive widespread acceptance from the general public.
This is historical YA LGBT fiction, and I want to get my hands into more of it as soon as possible. In fact, the next time I have a book buying spree, I think I may need to purchase the second and third books in the trilogy. Or I might get lucky and the author will send me a review copy. Either way, I want them!
I had a couple of reservations at the beginning of the novel, as some of the text and dialogue didn't sit right with me. I went into this novel dreading the end, because I didn't know it was a trilogy and I couldn't see how the action could possibly resolve. The action really was quite slow. There was quite a lot of traveling, which was fine with me, as I wanted to hear more about the countryside.
The thought of magic dying out was scary. It's a new dread to have in a novel to me, as most fantasy novels take magic for granted. More could have been done with it, but this novel was mainly about exposing Akakiba.
The Japanese words scattered throughout the text didn't bother me, as I studied Japanese at school and remembered their meanings. They added a bit of interest to the text for the average reader I felt - more than just saying it's set in Japan, the culture and language hold true as well.
I was requested by the author to read this novel, and participate in the tour. I haven't toured a novel for a while, since my reading schedule doesn't always allow me to finish novels in time. This one however was entrancing enough that I devoured it in one gulp.
I'm lucky enough to have a giveaway associated with this novel (but don't think that's why I gave it a glowing review, I loved it!)
Akakiba is part of the Fox Clan of samurai. He can change into a fox - but he hasn't told his apprentice yet. With dragons at stake and strange demon possessions going on, it's important to be honest, and reduce the inevitable shocks. But Akakiba isn't as contented with himself as he seems.
Nothing was dramatic with the love and affection through the novel. It was ok to love other people, and it was ok that foxes could change their gender. There wasn't any huge fanfare about Akakiba and Yuki's relationship, which appeared deeply, but confusingly, loving. I loved how being queer was treated normally - or so I thought. The novel highlighted an issue that's rampant within the Queer community and is yet to receive widespread acceptance from the general public.
This is historical YA LGBT fiction, and I want to get my hands into more of it as soon as possible. In fact, the next time I have a book buying spree, I think I may need to purchase the second and third books in the trilogy. Or I might get lucky and the author will send me a review copy. Either way, I want them!
I had a couple of reservations at the beginning of the novel, as some of the text and dialogue didn't sit right with me. I went into this novel dreading the end, because I didn't know it was a trilogy and I couldn't see how the action could possibly resolve. The action really was quite slow. There was quite a lot of traveling, which was fine with me, as I wanted to hear more about the countryside.
The thought of magic dying out was scary. It's a new dread to have in a novel to me, as most fantasy novels take magic for granted. More could have been done with it, but this novel was mainly about exposing Akakiba.
The Japanese words scattered throughout the text didn't bother me, as I studied Japanese at school and remembered their meanings. They added a bit of interest to the text for the average reader I felt - more than just saying it's set in Japan, the culture and language hold true as well.
I was requested by the author to read this novel, and participate in the tour. I haven't toured a novel for a while, since my reading schedule doesn't always allow me to finish novels in time. This one however was entrancing enough that I devoured it in one gulp.
I'm lucky enough to have a giveaway associated with this novel (but don't think that's why I gave it a glowing review, I loved it!)
June 1, 2015
I was given a free copy of The Fox's Mask by the author to read and provide an honest review.
I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting it to be as good as it was.
I entered the contest for a free copy because the provided summary sounded intriguing and didn't notice it was listed as M/M Romance until after I had won. Being acquainted with the sappy, stereotypical, fanfiction-ey paranormal romance novels that are becoming increasingly popular these days, I grew naturally suspicious of this book, and thought "Oh, I hope it's not one of THOSE."
I shouldn't have worried. I was given instead believable, well-written characters, a realistic and fantastic world, and a compelling plot.
Set in a world reminiscent of feudal Japan, dragons roam the countryside and demons prey upon the unwary. The writing style allowed me to fall right into this world immediately, and set to the business of getting to know the characters and learning what they knew.
Romance was a factor, of course, but it was less about the sappy run-of-the-mill lead-up and more about the effects of your actions on those you care about, the ways your priorities get shifted when you grow to care for someone, and what it's like to actually let that someone into your life. Though the main relationship of the story was the romantic one, it was surrounded by many other interpersonal connections of equal depth and importance, lending the whole story a much more believable feel than the typical romance story. Every character was three-dimensional and important, not just the two main ones, and the main plot churned out steadily, of its own volition, as a good novel should. The romance was a detail born of the characters and their actions, and not the other way around.
A lot happened in this book; there was action and peril around every turn, resulting from a fully-designed world and realistically-motivated characters. Details were cleverly provided to keep you thinking and forumlating your own theories, so that when a reveal came, it was still a surprise, but it also fit without feeling forced. Everything meshed into a well-presented and absorbing story that served as a superb first book in what I expect to be a five-star trilogy.
Please excuse me while I go purchase books two and three.
I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting it to be as good as it was.
I entered the contest for a free copy because the provided summary sounded intriguing and didn't notice it was listed as M/M Romance until after I had won. Being acquainted with the sappy, stereotypical, fanfiction-ey paranormal romance novels that are becoming increasingly popular these days, I grew naturally suspicious of this book, and thought "Oh, I hope it's not one of THOSE."
I shouldn't have worried. I was given instead believable, well-written characters, a realistic and fantastic world, and a compelling plot.
Set in a world reminiscent of feudal Japan, dragons roam the countryside and demons prey upon the unwary. The writing style allowed me to fall right into this world immediately, and set to the business of getting to know the characters and learning what they knew.
Romance was a factor, of course, but it was less about the sappy run-of-the-mill lead-up and more about the effects of your actions on those you care about, the ways your priorities get shifted when you grow to care for someone, and what it's like to actually let that someone into your life. Though the main relationship of the story was the romantic one, it was surrounded by many other interpersonal connections of equal depth and importance, lending the whole story a much more believable feel than the typical romance story. Every character was three-dimensional and important, not just the two main ones, and the main plot churned out steadily, of its own volition, as a good novel should. The romance was a detail born of the characters and their actions, and not the other way around.
A lot happened in this book; there was action and peril around every turn, resulting from a fully-designed world and realistically-motivated characters. Details were cleverly provided to keep you thinking and forumlating your own theories, so that when a reveal came, it was still a surprise, but it also fit without feeling forced. Everything meshed into a well-presented and absorbing story that served as a superb first book in what I expect to be a five-star trilogy.
Please excuse me while I go purchase books two and three.
May 20, 2013
I enjoyed this as it reminded me of InuYasha, and Rurouni Kenshin both anime dealing with a older era of Japan. Some of the names were ones I had seen before, twists in the idea of dragons and foxes and demons were interesting.
Akakiba we learn from the start, isn't perfect, Yuki is a orphan because he hadn't been able to find a demon in time and Yuki's family paid the price.
It starts when Akakiba and Yuki come to a village -so not to give too much away - they find eggs which lead them to a city, and in the city is the monk Jien who tells Akakiba that his younger sister Sarae is going through her trail to adulthood. I quiet liked Jien for his flirting and the history between Akakiba and he. (Yuki hatches one of the dragons which is just adorable) .
I quite enjoyed how it seemed the fluidity of the fox goddess /god Inari was refected in the fox people.
It's something that carried over well, and whatever you call them werefox /kitsune have always had a shape changing ability but it's rarely carried over so well as in this. But there is something wrong, hinted at from the very beginning - they are losing their abilities -but they aren't the only ones.
Water spirits, and dragons also are losing what magic they once had. The only ones growing, and changing, are the demons which inhabit humans. Akakiba and Yuki find that demons aren't nearly so, well, thoughtless - they've gotten smarter, possessing not just random people but whole villages - and they want to live. Worse, not all humans seem to want to be freed from the possession. Yet the monks and kitsune must fight them while they still can.
They do -at a greater cost than Akakiba and Yuki had thought could be paid.
The sequel is The Fox's Quest in this magical and intriguing new trilogy.
Akakiba we learn from the start, isn't perfect, Yuki is a orphan because he hadn't been able to find a demon in time and Yuki's family paid the price.
It starts when Akakiba and Yuki come to a village -so not to give too much away - they find eggs which lead them to a city, and in the city is the monk Jien who tells Akakiba that his younger sister Sarae is going through her trail to adulthood. I quiet liked Jien for his flirting and the history between Akakiba and he. (Yuki hatches one of the dragons which is just adorable) .
I quite enjoyed how it seemed the fluidity of the fox goddess /god Inari was refected in the fox people.
It's something that carried over well, and whatever you call them werefox /kitsune have always had a shape changing ability but it's rarely carried over so well as in this. But there is something wrong, hinted at from the very beginning - they are losing their abilities -but they aren't the only ones.
Water spirits, and dragons also are losing what magic they once had. The only ones growing, and changing, are the demons which inhabit humans. Akakiba and Yuki find that demons aren't nearly so, well, thoughtless - they've gotten smarter, possessing not just random people but whole villages - and they want to live. Worse, not all humans seem to want to be freed from the possession. Yet the monks and kitsune must fight them while they still can.
They do -at a greater cost than Akakiba and Yuki had thought could be paid.
The sequel is The Fox's Quest in this magical and intriguing new trilogy.
July 12, 2013
It is refreshing to see a fantasy book that is set in Imperial Japan. So often, fantasy series are based on a Western Medieval archetype, inferring that this is the only forum for sword and sorcery. Anna Frost, although not Japanese herself, explores the imagery and richness of Japanese culture as a framework for her novel The Fox’s Mask. Populating her novel with Kitsune (fox spirits), healing spirits from springs, demons possessing humans, and dragons, it is clear why she chose an ancient Japanese setting for her fantasy series because it is so rich with mythical material for her to incorporate into this narrative. The framework of Shintoism works so well for explorations of the fantastic, having a general comfort with the notion that the natural world is populated not just with recognised animals, but also with a range of spiritual beings and manifestations.
Frost’s novel explores the relationship between duty and love (whether that be of a job or of a person), the social obligations that try to push people to accept familial responsibility over their own needs. Akakiba is a kitsune, able to transform from human form to fox form. He is a samurai, interested in protecting humanity from demons who would do them harm. He loves his job, and tolerates the humanity that he serves to protect… yet, his world is shaken when he is forced to take on a human apprentice, Yuki. Despite sharing years with his apprentice, he keeps secrets from him about his past, his family, and his kitsune nature. Despite his family wanting him to hold his first duty to them, he sees his primary duty as the protection of humanity, honouring his relationship to Yuki, and living the samurai lifestyle.
If you are interested in reading a longer review, you can explore my website at http://speculatingcanada.wordpress.co...
Frost’s novel explores the relationship between duty and love (whether that be of a job or of a person), the social obligations that try to push people to accept familial responsibility over their own needs. Akakiba is a kitsune, able to transform from human form to fox form. He is a samurai, interested in protecting humanity from demons who would do them harm. He loves his job, and tolerates the humanity that he serves to protect… yet, his world is shaken when he is forced to take on a human apprentice, Yuki. Despite sharing years with his apprentice, he keeps secrets from him about his past, his family, and his kitsune nature. Despite his family wanting him to hold his first duty to them, he sees his primary duty as the protection of humanity, honouring his relationship to Yuki, and living the samurai lifestyle.
If you are interested in reading a longer review, you can explore my website at http://speculatingcanada.wordpress.co...
December 21, 2012
4 1/2 stars!
This was a beautifully written young adult fantasy that blends the elements of Japanese samurai and the mythology of the kitsune in a tale that is filled with delightful twists and turns. The flowing imagery and the intriguing characters that are depicted make this a wonderful introduction to the series, ‘The Kitsune Trilogy’. The author artfully combines familiar concepts such as shape-shifting and demon possession into a fresh new tale that entertains and educates and makes one curious to discover what new creature is going to appear and how it will fit into this fascinating world. A very enjoyable read that will make one anxious for the next episode in the series.
“Fox’s Mask” by Anna Frost is a delightful young adult story that follows the adventures of a samurai named Akakiba and his apprentice Yuki. The two travel the countryside battling and eliminating demons even though Yuki is human and not a member of Akakiba’s Fox Clan. A remarkable series of events results in Yuki obtaining a new and complex companion even as he learns that there is far more to his enigmatic mentor than he ever dreamed. The trio travel to the Fox Clan’s home base and discover that there are two different enemies to be confronted, not to mention complex family issues that Akakiba has never revealed. The life and death struggles will require fortitude and teamwork but the challenge will be to identify who the real enemy is.
© Night Owl Reviews
I received a copy of this title in return for an honest review.
This was a beautifully written young adult fantasy that blends the elements of Japanese samurai and the mythology of the kitsune in a tale that is filled with delightful twists and turns. The flowing imagery and the intriguing characters that are depicted make this a wonderful introduction to the series, ‘The Kitsune Trilogy’. The author artfully combines familiar concepts such as shape-shifting and demon possession into a fresh new tale that entertains and educates and makes one curious to discover what new creature is going to appear and how it will fit into this fascinating world. A very enjoyable read that will make one anxious for the next episode in the series.
“Fox’s Mask” by Anna Frost is a delightful young adult story that follows the adventures of a samurai named Akakiba and his apprentice Yuki. The two travel the countryside battling and eliminating demons even though Yuki is human and not a member of Akakiba’s Fox Clan. A remarkable series of events results in Yuki obtaining a new and complex companion even as he learns that there is far more to his enigmatic mentor than he ever dreamed. The trio travel to the Fox Clan’s home base and discover that there are two different enemies to be confronted, not to mention complex family issues that Akakiba has never revealed. The life and death struggles will require fortitude and teamwork but the challenge will be to identify who the real enemy is.
© Night Owl Reviews
I received a copy of this title in return for an honest review.
March 16, 2015
Akakiba is a demon hunter from the fox clan. He and his apprentice, Yuki, travel the countryside to protect the people. Yet they see a strange trend – sometimes, the people fight them! Before long, they realize that the demons, weakened in the physical world, need host bodies, and are creating armies using local villagers. How can the warriors and their allies defend the people, when the people's enemy is within?
Besides being a story of a supernatural battle, this is also the story of the relationship between Akakiba and Yuki. The fox clan's ability to shape shift and even change from their birth gender lends itself well to a story whose audience includes the GLBT community. This is also a tale about the family dynamics within the fox clan, and Akakiba's relationships with his father, mother and sister, who seem excited and pleased that he has found Yuki.
I have never read a YA GLBT themed book before. I thought the theme was subtly interwoven throughout the text in a positive way. Intimacy and attraction were hinted at, without any graphic scenes that are unnecessary in a book geared towards teenage readers. I enjoyed the story line and reading about the conflicts that the different characters dealt with. They were easy to relate to.
The book was published in October 2012 through Musa Publishing. It is the first book in the Kitsuna Trilogy. ISBN 978-1-61937-832-2. You can find out more about the author and her books, including this series, here: http://www.annafrost.ca/
Besides being a story of a supernatural battle, this is also the story of the relationship between Akakiba and Yuki. The fox clan's ability to shape shift and even change from their birth gender lends itself well to a story whose audience includes the GLBT community. This is also a tale about the family dynamics within the fox clan, and Akakiba's relationships with his father, mother and sister, who seem excited and pleased that he has found Yuki.
I have never read a YA GLBT themed book before. I thought the theme was subtly interwoven throughout the text in a positive way. Intimacy and attraction were hinted at, without any graphic scenes that are unnecessary in a book geared towards teenage readers. I enjoyed the story line and reading about the conflicts that the different characters dealt with. They were easy to relate to.
The book was published in October 2012 through Musa Publishing. It is the first book in the Kitsuna Trilogy. ISBN 978-1-61937-832-2. You can find out more about the author and her books, including this series, here: http://www.annafrost.ca/
December 19, 2012
This is an ARC book in exchange for a review
Akakiba is half-fox and half-human from a secret Fox Clan. He's been away from his clan for over three years now. He's doing what has been his clan's job~demon hunting. He's also acquired an apprentice named Yukia after running a demon possessed man into Yukia's family dwelling. Akakiba sees things differently than the rest of Fox Clan after being on his own. The Fox Clan can't continue to battle demons and shinboi same way they have been. Akakiba's sister Sanae is about to go thru her coming of age ceremony with Jien as her second. The spiritual beings are losing their power and the demons seems to be gaining new ways to survive. Dragon eggs are rarely found any more yet dragon eggshells are considered very powerful medicine. Demon possession is becoming more common. Can Akakiba stop demon possessions? How will spiritual battle be fought? Has Akakiba changed? What about Sanae? Will Fox Clan be enough? Your answers await you in The Fox's Mask.
I love the blend of culture and folklore in this book! I think the author created a wonderful world with new and interesting ideas. I also love the characters and their personalities. All the ideas presented here are unique, interesting, and hold my imagination from the beginning of the book to the end of the book. I look forward to more from this author.
Akakiba is half-fox and half-human from a secret Fox Clan. He's been away from his clan for over three years now. He's doing what has been his clan's job~demon hunting. He's also acquired an apprentice named Yukia after running a demon possessed man into Yukia's family dwelling. Akakiba sees things differently than the rest of Fox Clan after being on his own. The Fox Clan can't continue to battle demons and shinboi same way they have been. Akakiba's sister Sanae is about to go thru her coming of age ceremony with Jien as her second. The spiritual beings are losing their power and the demons seems to be gaining new ways to survive. Dragon eggs are rarely found any more yet dragon eggshells are considered very powerful medicine. Demon possession is becoming more common. Can Akakiba stop demon possessions? How will spiritual battle be fought? Has Akakiba changed? What about Sanae? Will Fox Clan be enough? Your answers await you in The Fox's Mask.
I love the blend of culture and folklore in this book! I think the author created a wonderful world with new and interesting ideas. I also love the characters and their personalities. All the ideas presented here are unique, interesting, and hold my imagination from the beginning of the book to the end of the book. I look forward to more from this author.
September 1, 2015
The setting is an alternate feudal Japan and the protagonist is a samurai from a clan of demon hunters and slayers called the Fox clan. This is the first book in a trilogy and while the story is reasonably engaging, it could have been so much more. Reading the story, you just did not get the feeling that this was feudal Japan. Take away the Japanese names for some articles of clothing and weapons and the story could just as easily have been set in any other fantasy setting. The author, I think, missed the opportunity to make full use of her choice of setting which is a great pity.
As for the big reveal near the end, if that was intended to be the shock twist, then again the author failed as the revelation was pretty obvious early in the book.
But as this is only the first book in a trilogy, hopefully the later books will do a better job of adding in the little touches of behaviour, thought process and action that would set the story firmly in feudal Japan rather than a story that just happens to be set there and which could be set anywhere else without much difficulty.
As for the big reveal near the end, if that was intended to be the shock twist, then again the author failed as the revelation was pretty obvious early in the book.
But as this is only the first book in a trilogy, hopefully the later books will do a better job of adding in the little touches of behaviour, thought process and action that would set the story firmly in feudal Japan rather than a story that just happens to be set there and which could be set anywhere else without much difficulty.
November 30, 2017
This was a really great book! the story caught me and wouldn't let go. i even learned a few new japanese terms. it followed the mythos of japan as well as samaurai culture realistically. (although, i felt ronin needed to be used instead of just calling them masterless samurai).
i didn't feel it should have had the GLBT tag at least for this book. without giving anything away, i felt the situations were contextual to the cultural aspects of the story. much of it was innuendos of what might be going on but really wasn't.
overall, the story was very addictive, had great battle scenes, and samurai/japanese mythos. as well as dragons, one can't go wrong when there are dragons involved!
i am very sad i will not be able to read the rest of the series because i can not get it from a local book seller nor my library. :(
***SIGNED PROMO EDITION***
(Received free through Goodreads First Reads)
i didn't feel it should have had the GLBT tag at least for this book. without giving anything away, i felt the situations were contextual to the cultural aspects of the story. much of it was innuendos of what might be going on but really wasn't.
overall, the story was very addictive, had great battle scenes, and samurai/japanese mythos. as well as dragons, one can't go wrong when there are dragons involved!
i am very sad i will not be able to read the rest of the series because i can not get it from a local book seller nor my library. :(
***SIGNED PROMO EDITION***
(Received free through Goodreads First Reads)
May 12, 2015
This book is such a easy read without been simplistic that anyone can enjoyed it.I won it on the first-reads giveaway. I love how the author describes the fighting scenes without beeing to heavy which make this book suitable for all ages 13 and up. The story is set in ancient Japan which makes it a historical young adult fantasy. It's really well written but I would have enjoy if the secondary characters were described more in detail.I liked the story and how it contained a twist that I didn't expect which made the whole story more understandable. The author transported me into a wonderful world that remended me of Inuyasha and some what to Naruto. In the end, I wish the story continued so the I could know how Akakiba and Yuki's relationship develops. I really enjoy it and got fond of Akakiba and Yuki.
Received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
March 23, 2014
I can't say that this book was bad. I just read it the other day and it was enjoyable. I don't think I will remember much of anything about it. And I never really felt invested in the story. It felt like a children's story, being told rather than... experienced, and I didn't get involved in it. The perspective was all third person, but the character being followed changed every few characters. I was surprised by the gender aspects. And in favor of seeing the relationship between Yuki and Akakiba develop.
I think this book was written by someone with a great interest in Japanese culture, talking about their traditions. But... well... one criticism is that people seemed to get injured very severely all the time and heal very quickly and easily.
I don't know if I'll read more... I want to see the rest of the plot unfold, but I'm not likely to think about it much after today.
I think this book was written by someone with a great interest in Japanese culture, talking about their traditions. But... well... one criticism is that people seemed to get injured very severely all the time and heal very quickly and easily.
I don't know if I'll read more... I want to see the rest of the plot unfold, but I'm not likely to think about it much after today.
June 27, 2015
I really enjoyed this book.
The characters, of which there were many, were likeable enough and well developed. They were consistent in their moods and portrayal. I liked the plot. It was creative and well thought out and the imagery was well described.
There might have been a little too much traveling text in the book for my tastes. I felt that more could have been written about the the events at points A - B and less about how they managed to get there.
But that really is the only niggle I had with the book and I will certainly be buying the second installment.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes anime/manga such as, "Naruto."
The characters, of which there were many, were likeable enough and well developed. They were consistent in their moods and portrayal. I liked the plot. It was creative and well thought out and the imagery was well described.
There might have been a little too much traveling text in the book for my tastes. I felt that more could have been written about the the events at points A - B and less about how they managed to get there.
But that really is the only niggle I had with the book and I will certainly be buying the second installment.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes anime/manga such as, "Naruto."
February 28, 2016
Even though this book has similar pullings from other books I have read, i'm always a sucker for Japanese inspired works. This book has some interesting ideas that stand within the mythos of the Japanese that a thoroughly enjoyed reading about. This book has intrigued me with its colorful story and characters with a very firm landing in a well thought out setting. I will continue reading the series later on. The only thing I wish this book has was some more depth to it, but given the target audience I understand. Lets see how Deep The Fox's Mask runs.
I did get this book from the author for this review.
I did get this book from the author for this review.
June 13, 2013
First reads.
this is my first review so it might be a bit rubbish. sorry.
I really enjoyed this book, though i wasn't expecting to. i thought the plot was good. and i liked the characters. however i would have liked more on the relationship between Alkakiba and Yuki. i don't understand. is there romantic feeling between them or not?? i'm not sure how that works out though. would Yuki would be gay?? or straight?? or bisexual??
anyhow i can't wait to read the next book.
this is my first review so it might be a bit rubbish. sorry.
I really enjoyed this book, though i wasn't expecting to. i thought the plot was good. and i liked the characters. however i would have liked more on the relationship between Alkakiba and Yuki. i don't understand. is there romantic feeling between them or not?? i'm not sure how that works out though. would Yuki would be gay?? or straight?? or bisexual??
anyhow i can't wait to read the next book.
April 1, 2014
Anna Frost for sure got good ideas and fantasy, so story plot is full and pulling. Main character is Akakiba who is a fox shifter and also a demon hunter. The other main character is Yuki.
Even if reading was interesting and we had a lot of action that reading stile did not speak to me. Even with action I had feeling it was to passive. Don't ask me why but still something was missing. And I was missing more personal time between Akikiba and Yuki.
So it was okay reading material.
Even if reading was interesting and we had a lot of action that reading stile did not speak to me. Even with action I had feeling it was to passive. Don't ask me why but still something was missing. And I was missing more personal time between Akikiba and Yuki.
So it was okay reading material.
July 7, 2015
Enjoying young adult fantasy with slight LGBT/transgender undertones until it becomes overt in the last chapter. Well rounded characters and a fast moving plot made this an enjoyable read. I look forward to the other two in the series.
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May 4, 2018These books are now out of print but the publisher is graciously allowing me to give away the ebook files. If you missed out and want to read them, simply PM me your email address.
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