Ichirin has the life most people dream about: a good job, solid and stable friendships, a bodiless kami speaking in her head helping her hunt down creatures from mythology that turn out to be more real than anyone would have thought possible.
Maybe not that last part.
But it is a destiny she is burdened with as Ichirin possesses the ability to borrow the powers of these monsters when they're nearby. Her spiritual guide, Taka, guides her in the use of these abilities, imparting its wealth of knowledge accumulated over generations, often along with a helping of its observations of the colorful human race. Living in a rock for thousands of years gives one a unique perspective.
But as she digs deeper with the help of her friends, Ichirin begins to realize these attacks are not random. The appearance of the beasts is orchestrated, with some unseen hand pulling the strings and putting them in her way. She struggles to unravel the mystery of what is really going on, all while being the hunter Taka tells her she is destined to be. All she knows for sure is that she must be the one to face down these threats before they cause too much destruction.
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Maybe not that last part.
But it is a destiny she is burdened with as Ichirin possesses the ability to borrow the powers of these monsters when they're nearby. Her spiritual guide, Taka, guides her in the use of these abilities, imparting its wealth of knowledge accumulated over generations, often along with a helping of its observations of the colorful human race. Living in a rock for thousands of years gives one a unique perspective.
But as she digs deeper with the help of her friends, Ichirin begins to realize these attacks are not random. The appearance of the beasts is orchestrated, with some unseen hand pulling the strings and putting them in her way. She struggles to unravel the mystery of what is really going on, all while being the hunter Taka tells her she is destined to be. All she knows for sure is that she must be the one to face down these threats before they cause too much destruction.
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Used availability for Dylan Birtolo's Saga of Ichirin