Child of Shadow

Meet Miki's Journey

In Child of Shadow, Book One of the Child of Shadow series, we follow 6 year old Miki, an orphan from a destroyed Koga village adopted into a small Buddhist mountain temple. It is a good life, that is of course until local politics and a power struggle destroy her world days before she is officially an Ama. With a family she doesn't know about, a destiny that she can not see, she finds herself facing execution and exile into the world of the ninja, assasins, and politics.

What she does not understand is that she has a secret destiny that is hidden from her by everyone. Trying to return to the life she loved, what she does not understand is that it is that secret that places all of her friends in great danger.

Her Hidden Destiny

Unaware of her special bloodline, Miki’s path is shaped by ancient powers and fate. To protect her, she is hidden in a Bhuddist temple. This works until a simple act of kindness has her arrested and prepared for execution. Rescued by the sacrifice of the Ama that raised her, Miki must now survive the brutality of her Koga Ninja heritage. Only her brother and temple master knows who she trully is. Destiny can not be denied, and politics she does not understand and enemies that drive her life.

FAQs

Who is Miki?

Miki is an intelligent six-year-old Koga girl banished from her poor mountain villaige with her grandmother for speaking to wolves. This sets her on a path that takes her to a small mountain temple where she learns the art of healing. Deeply compasionate in a brutal world, she is named the Imp from Heavan by the temple that adopts her.

Events however, interrupt Miki's perfect life as she is sentenced to die with 9 other monks as a warning to others that may oppose Hamatsu rule. Her rescue comes at a cost as she is trained in the ninja arts by her Koga clan. It becomes impossible to operate in the shadow however, whan she casts so bright a light. Hidden again in a Buddhist temple, she gets caught up in the world that makes her blood dangerous. Once again, she is on the run, but this time toward her enemy and vengence.

What is Miki’s special gift?

From her earliest memory, the child Miki is taught medicine, herbs, poisons and healing at a mountain Buddhist temple. It is the childs comassion and empathy that earns her the love of the weak and helpless. It is her bloodline, a secret that Miki is unaware of that, makes her powerful enemies.

What themes are explored?

This story deals with the power of compassion in a world that has none. Underlying everything is Hisano, a Koga Konoichi trained in the arts of assassination, espionage and deceit who is assigned to protect this worthless child from the Buddhist temple.