The Book of Fallen Leaves

Loyalty and peace buckle under the strain of ambition in Tamaki’s densely poetic debut and Autumn Empire series launch, set in a Japan-inspired secondary world. Kai and Sen, orphaned when their parents took up arms against the Imperial chancellor, seek to redeem the family name, with Kai maneuvering openly at court and Sen secretly raised by another noble family. Their uncle, Yora the Poet, tries to maintain his position with the chancellor but finds it increasingly difficult as the chancellor schemes to put his own family into the Imperial succession. Meanwhile, Rui, a peasant woman and Sen’s childhood friend, finds herself at the mercy of Hososhi, the “guardian-god of the barrier between our world and the next,” who seeks to vanquish a vengeance-summoned demon. Past crimes come to light, debts come due, and civil war brews as monks fight for temple authority, an Emperor is pushed aside for his infant son, and warriors clash in epic sword battles. Tamaki drops readers straight into this well-stocked stew of rivalries, drawing deeply from Japanese history and Samurai sagas. It can be a challenge to keep track of the fast-moving coups and battles, but lovely snippets of poetry, appealing protagonists, and fascinating interpersonal dynamics will keep readers hooked. Tamaki is an exciting new voice in epic fantasy. (Mar.)