The Beast Player
Published on 1. March 2018
Book
Paperback/Softback
512 pages
978-1-78269-167-9 (ISBN)
Description
Elin's family have an important responsibility: caring for the fearsome water serpents that form the core of their kingdom's army. So when some of the beasts mysteriously die, Elin's mother is sentenced to death as punishment. With her last breath she manages to send her daughter to safety.
Alone, far from home, Elin soon discovers that she can talk to both the terrifying water serpents and the majestic flying beasts that guard her queen. This skill gives her great powers, but it also involves her in deadly plots that could cost her life. Can she save herself and prevent her beloved beasts from being used as tools of war? Or must she face the terrible battles to come?
Alone, far from home, Elin soon discovers that she can talk to both the terrifying water serpents and the majestic flying beasts that guard her queen. This skill gives her great powers, but it also involves her in deadly plots that could cost her life. Can she save herself and prevent her beloved beasts from being used as tools of war? Or must she face the terrible battles to come?
Reviews / Votes
A spine-tingling fantasy that should delight boys as well as girls * New Statesman * A richly detailed coming-of-age fantasy epic that rewards the patient and contemplative reader -- The Best 100 YA Books of the Century (so far) * Kirkus * It's everything a book should serve up to a child at this age - life, death, survival, love, dragons (or todas, in this case, serpents of Japanese folklore that carry men in battle), and, above all, perfect prose * iNews * Questions humanity's tyranny over the natural world and persistently asserts the need for balanced compassion over unchecked greed... A beautifully layered coming-of-age tale * Japan Times * Beautiful... this epic fantasy is a must for any reader interested in complex imaginary worlds. Uehashi creates worlds on a par with Tolkein's in terms of attention to the most minuscule of details * Children's Books Ireland * Imaginative, immersive... A richly detailed coming-of-age fantasy epic * Kirkus Reviews * Gripping... a sophisticated, subtle tale... it all culminates in a climax that will have you turning the pages so fast your fingers will hardly be able to keep up... this is a book to treasure * BookTrust * Enthralling, epic storytelling at its best * The Alligator's Mouth * This is a 5 star for me, I just thought it was phenomenal... It's such an amazing story, a story of politics and history and relationships and its got this beautiful animal human relationship * Elena Reads Books * This is storytelling at its best... The kind of book which defies age boundaries. It deserves a place on every bookshelf * Book Murmuration (blog) * Even if you don't typically enjoy young adult fantasy, Nahoko Uehashi's "The Beast Player" is a perfect read for the underlying context of the zeitgeist... [a] beautifully layered coming-of-age tale * Japan Times * Huge fun * Amanda Craig * Amazing... A stunningly built world with a Black Beauty feel to it in the nurturing of creatures * Down the Rabbit Hole * Uehashi allows the reader insights into Elin's consciousness throughout the novel so that her grief, friendships, moral dilemmas and empathy with the royal beast cub she rears make this both a captivating and contemplative fantasy novel * The School Librarian * A thrilling way to begin a voyage of discovery into the extraordinary realms of this master storyteller... Will satisfy even the most demanding fantasy lovers * South China Morning Post * Hirano is a gifted stylist... [and brings us] moments of lyrical beauty... The Beast Player, like its titular character, make[s] an unexpected music of its own * SCBWI Japan Translation Group * A colourful and nuanced fantasy. Nahoko Uehashi does an incredible job of fleshing out the world and the characters. Nothing is black and white, nor as simple as it may first appear. Heart-warming and gut wrenching * The Bookaneers * Can a book ever be as beautiful as it's cover, when it's cover looks like this one does? Yes. Yes it bloody can. Nahoko Uehashi has created an incredible world, with fascinating creatures & heart-stopping politics; as well as characters you can't help but love & others you can't help but hate. This book took me into another world & when I finished it I felt like I had forgotten about the real world; I was mesmerised by this story every time I picked it up & I'm aching for the rest of the series * Writing Wolves (blog) * IT'S AMAZING. Truly, wonderfully amazing * Books Femme (blog) * An extraordinary and unique tale of intrigue, danger and adventure. Something different for the Summer * Sue & Pakka's (blog) * [Nahoko Uehashi] has an extraordinary ability to create different fantasy worlds * Hans Christian Andersen Prize jury * The best Japanese fantasy tale in years * Kochi Shimbun newspaper * The world feels real, the character construction is exceptional, and the plot development is complex-all these make The Beast Player an excellent read * Nikkan Gendai * I was blown away by the book's phenomenal scale and gripping storyline -- Tetsuo Matsuda Beautifully written, thought-provoking and utterly immersive * Japan Times *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Pushkin Press
Target group
Children/juvenile
Interest Age: From 9 to 11 years
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 128 mm
Thickness: 38 mm
Weight
381 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-78269-167-9 (9781782691679)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Persons
Nahoko Uehashi is a Japanese writer of fantasy titles, whose books have sold more than a million copies in her native Japan. She has won numerous awards, including the 2014 Hans Christian Andersen Award, which she won for her contribution to children's literature throughout her life. An associate professor at a Japanese university, she has a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology and studies indigenous peoples in Australia. She lives near Tokyo, Japan.