Dragon Sword and Wind Child [Hardcover]

Noriko Ogiwara (Author), Masumi Washington (Editor)

Book Description

Series: Dragon Sword and Wind Child | Publication Date: October 16, 2007

In the land of Toyoashihara, the forces of the God of Light and the Goddess of Darkness have waged war for generations. But for 15-year old Saya, the war is far away and unimportant--until the day she discovers she is the reincarnation of the Water Maiden and a princess of the Children of the Dark. Raised to love the Light and detest the Dark, Saya must come to terms with her heritage even as she is tumbled into the very heart of the conflict that is destroying her country. Both the army of the Light and Dark seek to claim her, for she is the only mortal who can awaken the legendary Dragon Sword, the weapon destined to end the war. Can Saya make the dreadful choice between the Light and Dark, or is she doomed like all the Water Maidens who have come before her?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

An epic battle rages throughout the land of Toyoashihara, pitting the invading forces of the God of Light and the indigenous forces of the Goddess of Darkness in this masterful first novel from Japan. Immortal demigods representing Light fight the Goddess's band of endlessly reincarnated mortals. As the story opens, Saya, a 15-year-old whose adoptive parents have raised her to worship the Light, discovers that she is the reincarnation of the Water Maiden and therefore a leader of the Children of Darkness. She must travel to the very heart of the lands ruled by the Children of Light and retake the Dragon Sword, a mighty, magical weapon stolen from the Children of Darkness many years before. Then she must tame the destructive power of the Sword and help bring the war to an end. To accomplish these tasks--Saya has failed over and over again in previous lifetimes--she must master her own fear and hatred, and develop her ability to love and forgive. Drawing on Shinto mythology, Ogiwara crafts a complex, action-packed novel with dizzying plot twists and breathtaking fantasy sequences as well as gentle, emotionally charged scenes. Psychologically truthful and abundantly inventive. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

From the Japanese, a heroic fantasy featuring an orphan swept up in the gods' quarrels. When, eons ago, the Goddess of Darkness fled from the God of Light, the world of death and rebirth was created; Light sent his immortal children Prince Tsukishiro and Princess Teruhi to conquer it, and the struggle continues. Tsukishiro invites the mortal Saya to be his Handmaiden; in his stronghold, she discovers the haunted Dragon Sword, a key weapon in the conflict, and also Chihaya, an innocently amoral dreamer--Light's previously hidden third child. After a series of escapes and adventures, the armies of Darkness are victorious, Saya and Chihaya are in love, and Chihaya begs a final gift from his father--mortality. The author's language is stylized and ornate (``Saya...could not read his expression, for his noble features surpassed the splendor of the moon in the sky above''), focusing more on the feeling of the moment, and on sensual details of dress and scenery, than on creating realistic characters or plot. Saya is more an observer than a shaper of events; though she is killed (temporarily), her sacrifices, suffering, and inner growth seem less vividly realized than Chihaya's. The physical, metaphysical, and metaphorical all mingle in this flowery, dreamlike love story. (Fiction. 12+) -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 300 pages
• Publisher: VIZ Media LLC; 1 edition (October 16, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1421515016
• ISBN-13: 978-1421515014
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #115,942 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #38 in Books > Literature & Fiction > World Literature > Japanese

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lyrical, vivid, and simply beautiful, September 25, 2002

By 

Sarah K (Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dragon Sword and Wind Child (Hardcover)

It's an absolute tragedy that this book is out of print. There are more than a hundred Babysitters' Club books out there, each following an identical plot outline, yet a book of this caliber is unavailable.

I came across this book in our local library, and I loved it from the start. The style is ornate and has an air of being old-fashioned, but that is my favorite kind of writing. Japanese must be an intensely sensual language, because the imagery was incredible. Simple things, like the description of Princess Teruhi's clothes and the field of gypsy roses, made this book magical. Saya and Chihaya are wonderful protagonists, and even Prince Tsukishiro has his moments of sympathy.

I love how the book plays with the connotations of Light and Dark. We see Light as benevolent and pure, but is that always the case? Can one side ever be wholly right, and another wholly wrong? These are deep questions that I've found myself pondering in the middle of the night. Yet the theme is not thrown at the reader; it is presented as part of Saya's struggle.

Although it lacks the wry humor of the Harry Potter series, I must say that this book surpasses all four of those books on my list of favorites. Anyone looking for a marvelous high fantasy novel would do well to read this book.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of My Favorite Books, September 3, 2003

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Dragon Sword and Wind Child (Hardcover)

Dragon Sword and Wind Child is one of my favorite books of all time! I love fantasy and this book is absolutely beautiful! I guess some people would say it is kind of boring at first, but I really enjoyed Noriko Ogiwara's writing and the character developement. The characters are wonderfully alive, each with their own unique qualities. The book also explores a lot of themes, such as: innocence, naivity, compassion, being different, etc. I know many people think that fantasy isn't "real" but I know that the people in this book are very real and that you grow to understand and sympahize with them. The book also explores immortality, reincarnation, perfection, and the human emotion. However, the book is mainly about a 15-year-old Saya who has to find out in all this mess. Saya is a very real character, and I found myself relating to her.

I know many people are not interested in reading this book because it is a translation, but i have to say you have to give it a chance!

Some people may think this book is not humorous, but it is in many ways. The humor is very subtle though, so you have to picture the people talking in your mind to get the humor sometimes.

In conclusion, any person who wants to read a good book, absolutely HAS to read this book!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Enriching Tale of Conflict and Mystery, January 8, 2001

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Dragon Sword and Wind Child (Hardcover)

WOW! This book is remarkable. Its uplifting conclusion stunningly completes this exquisite Japanese fantasy book. Dragon Sword and Wind Child, by Noriko Ogiwari, is a story about a girl who has the power to end the war that has plagued her world for centuries. The girl, Saya, must decide whether to end the war in favor of the Light, the side she was raised to believe in, or in support of Darkness, the side she was raised to detest. Which side will Saya choose to be on? Dragon Sword and Wind Child's conflict resolution and its mysterious style make it an enthralling book to read. One very admirable thing about this book is the way characters work problems out. All characters, especially Saya (the main character), have many internal struggles which are positively resolved. I also love this book's mysterious element. The identity of many of the characters is clouded and even downright concealed for some period of the book. These are just a few of the many reasons to read this accomplished book. Although this book is charming, it is not flawless. Some people reading this book might tell you that its plot is very slow and hard to follow. However, this is just in the beginning. The book picks up and is incredibly fast moving later in the book. No book is perfect, but this book comes pretty close. Definitely read it.