Den of the White Fox [Paperback]

Lensey Namioka (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1997

Who is the White Fox? Is he merely the mysterious, charismatic leader of a doomed political rebellion? Or is he a powerful spirit, taking revenge on the occupying force that desecrated his shrine? And who-or what-shoves Zenta off a cliff on a dark and misty night? Two unemployed samurai in sixteenth-century feudal Japan find themselves engaged in an adventure charged with trickery and political intrigue.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up. An intriguing blend of historical fiction and mystery that will be appreciated by fans of either genre. Freelance samurai Matsuzo and Zenta are warned that the valley they are about to enter is an "unwholesome place after dark." Rumors about a powerful spirit that haunts the area and the more tangible threat of an occupying army fail to dissuade the two, however, and they descend into the valley's depths. The place is rife with intrigue and the samurai establish an uneasy existence among the locals, ever unsure of who is friend and who is foe. As the plot unfolds, the two warriors attempt to solve the mystery of the White Fox, a shadowy figure who might be the leader of a political rebellion or a supernatural spirit. This extremely well-researched work gives readers a real sense of what life was like in 16th-century Japan. As a mystery, it is methodically planned and resolved with no loose ends. The characters are all well developed and interestingly drawn and YAs will be as unsure as the samurai about whom to trust. The language is challenging and includes some Japanese words. This novel will expose teens to a fascinating period in world history.?Robyn Ryan Vandenbroek, formerly at Otterville Public School, Ontario
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 6-10. As they have done in other adventure tales, the young and impulsive Matsuzo and his seasoned, wise mentor Zenta--ronin, or unemployed samurai--are roaming the Japanese countryside in search of work as mercenaries. The legend of a white fox draws the two to a small village that is under the rule of a brash, insensitive occupying force. As they gingerly make their way down the steep, rocky slope to the village, they enter a fog as impenetrable as the mysteries surrounding the village's white fox. Is the fox an evasive wild animal, a mere legend, the disguise of pranksters tormenting the occupying soldiers, or the mask of a sinister schemer plotting trouble for the village? Fans of earlier books about the duo and others intrigued by medieval Japan, samurai, and the art of jujitsu will follow the story's strong characters into its rousing period mystery. Ellen Mandel --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: Browndeer Press/Harcourt Brace (February 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152012834
• ISBN-13: 978-0152012830
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #882,042 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a samurai adventure with a twist, January 5, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Den of the White Fox (Hardcover)

Den of the white fox by Lensey Namioka is a compelling book. Two Ronin Samurai Zenta and Matsuzo go into to a mysterious forest that is said to be haunted by The White Fox. These two samurai's experience many things that are not normal and they also meet some rather strange like Kinu and Jiro that offer them shelter for the dark cold nights in the forest. Their journey teaches Matsuzo a young samurai some of the dangers of life, it's a very exciting story with all the puzzles and problems these two samurai face in the book. I recommend this book to people that would like to read a good action/adventure novel It's a wonderful book and if you don't read that much and want to start reading more, or if you aren't having good luck with finding a good book this is a book that will help you if you have any of these problems. I know this because I had these problems and this book helped me with my reading choices. This book flows very well and I and it's a really fun to read. But if you aren't interested in samurais or the Japanese culture this may not be the book for you. Still this is a good book for fun and instead of analyzing it you should enjoy it; any ways there's not that much cultural instances in the book. But you should really read this book if you want to start reading more often. I enjoyed this book and you should too if you read it.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Den of the White Fox, April 28, 2001

By 

"macphearsome" (Cairo, Egypt) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Den of the White Fox (Paperback)

It's a shame to see that this book is out of print. I found it when I was ten, and loved it. This should be required reading for fifth graders everywhere. It has a very fine story, with unexpected twists and endearing characters that make you wish you owned the rest of the series featuring these two samurai. If you see it, buy it.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Excursion to medeival Japan, March 28, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Den of the White Fox (Hardcover)

Namioka's "young adult" book is a gentle, amiable mystery story set in Medeival Japan. While it didn't have quite enough historical detail for my tastes (I like a book that "takes me someplace I've never been"), I enjoyed the idiosyncratic characters and the low-key atmosphere. It's not too tough to solve the mystery, however!