The Name of the Blade

by Sarah Coomes (Read by), Zoe Marriott

Overview

Ancient Japanese gods and monsters are unleashed on modern-day London in this first book of an epic trilogy from acclaimed fantasy writer Zoë Marriott.

When Mio sneaks the family’s katana — a priceless ancestral sword —from her parents’ attic, she just wants to spice up a costume. But the katana is much more than a dusty antique. Awakening the power within the sword unleashes a terrible, ancient evil onto the streets of unsuspecting London. But it also releases Shinobu, a fearless warrior boy, from the depths of time. He helps to protect Mio — and steals her heart. With creatures straight out of Japanese myths stalking her and her friends, Mio realizes that if she cannot keep the sword safe and learn to control its legendary powers, she will lose not only her own life . . . but the love of a lifetime.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781491502235
Publisher:	Brilliance Audio
Publication date:	11/11/2014
Series:	Name of the Blade , #1
Edition description:	Unabridged
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 5.50(h) x 0.75(d)
Age Range:	12 - 14 Years

About the Author

Zoë Marriott is the author of the young adult fantasy novels The Swan Kingdom, Daughter of the Flames, and Shadows on the Moon, which won the prestigious Sasakawa Prize. She lives in England.

Editorial Reviews

09/29/2014
Marriott (Shadows on the Moon) launches a trilogy that draws from Japanese mythology to deliver an action-packed story with a romantic undercurrent. When nearly 16-year-old Londoner Mio Yamato “borrows” the katana that has been in her family for centuries to flesh out a Christmas party costume, she inadvertently awakens an ancient evil—a nine-tailed cat demon called a Nekomata—which leaves blood and misery in its wake and wants the sword for itself. But she also frees Shinobu, a young man who has been trapped in the sword for 500 years. To rescue her best friend’s sister from the Nekomata and thwart its plans, Mio and Shinobu team up with London’s reclusive Kitsune community of shapeshifting foxes while Mio learns to master the sword’s power. While the story starts off slowly, it quickly kicks into high gear as Mio and friends fight for their lives in the real and spirit worlds, deal with Kitsune intrigue, and face omnipresent danger. Strong characters and an intriguing premise make this a solid, enjoyable story. Ages 12–up. Agent: Nancy Miles, Miles Stott Literary Agency. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

Marriott gifts Mio with a bit of uncertainty and typical teen angst, tempering the hard edge of the high-stakes-action scenes with convincing, swoonworthy moments between Mio and Shinobu. Fans of Japanese lore will appreciate the wily kitsune tribespeople, who agree to help this unlikely trio, and there’s enough nail-biting action and near misses in the romance department to keep every reader on their toes. First in a trilogy originally published in the UK, this will win American fans who like their fantasy urban, their romances mysterious, and their swords well sharpened.
—Booklist

A crucial battle for a highly sympathetic character and a clever twist on Japanese mythology. The story is slow to develop, but readers who keep with it will be rewarded with unique and fun characters, a truly dire conflict, and a lifetime-spanning love story. This is a particularly good choice for library collections that need more myth-based fiction, and want to branch out from Greek myth and fairy tales.
—School Library Journal

Mio's wry narration is appealing... Fast-paced.
—Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2014-10-01
An antique Japanese sword causes havoc in contemporary London in this series opener. Growing up in the U.K., Mio has little knowledge of her Japanese heritage. What she does have comes mostly from her late grandfather, who on one unforgettable occasion showed her their family's heirloom katana. Mio knows it's stupid to use a priceless family treasure as part of her costume for a Christmas party, but she can't resist the temptation to accessorize with the Japanese long sword. Of course, when she removes the katana from its hiding place, she unwittingly awakens its powers and unleashes a monster from Japanese myth on London. In her first foray into urban fantasy, Marriott (Shadows of the Moon, 2012) wears her influences on her sleeve. Many details of the plot will feel familiar to fans of shonen manga and anime, like Tite Kubo's Bleach or Kazue Kato's Blue Exorcist. While Mio's wry narration is appealing, her romance with Shinobu, a boy linked to the katana, progresses too quickly to instant love to be compelling. In the end, it's a shame the London setting isn't more fully explored, as the contrast between the setting and the use of Japanese myth has the potential to make this otherwise derivative adventure feel fresh. Fast-paced but forgettable. (Urban fantasy. 13-16)

Kirkus Reviews