Katana

Gr 8 Up—Skater girl Rileigh and her friend Quentin are leaving the mall one afternoon when they witness an attack on an elderly couple. Rileigh closes her eyes in fear as the mugger runs toward her, but the next thing she knows the attacker is at her feet, looking up at her with fury. Somehow, without even being conscious of it, she has brought him down. Strange events continue. Rileigh hears a voice in her head, guiding her actions in some very scary situations. She dreams of medieval Japan—vivid dreams with details she shouldn't know. When Kim, a local dojo owner, tells her that she's a reincarnated samurai warrior named Senshi and that reincarnated bad guys are after her, she scoffs. As Senshi's voice gets stronger, and her attraction to Kim grows, Rileigh realizes that she must face the truth. Only by transcending, joining her past and current selves, can she hope to defeat her ancient enemies. But once she's transcended, will she still be herself? Or will Senshi take over her life? This action-packed novel has a unique and compelling plot. Rileigh is a believable heroine with understandable motivations and reactions. The supernatural elements of the story are relayed via her disbelief and Kim's certainty and explained in a way that seems plausible and credible. Details of 15th-century Japanese life and battle are seamlessly woven into the narrative, and a romantic triangle adds depth (as well as veracity to Kim's side of the argument). Fans of Carrie Asai's "Samurai Girl" series (S & S) will be particularly interested, but even readers who dislike supernatural story lines will enjoy this tale of modern samurais.—Heather Miller Cover, Homewood Public Library, AL