My book of the week is Moribito II: Guardian of the Darkness by Nahoko Uehashi. Which means you'll have to read Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit, first. Yeah, I know, it's a little sneaky recommending a sequel, but they're both quick, fun reads. They follow a woman named Balsa Spear-wielder, a wandering warrior and body guard for hire.
In the first book, Balsa is hired to protect Prince Chagum from both his father the Mikado, and from a strange monster that hunts him. Chagum's mother is certain that the Mikado plans to have Chagum assassinated after a strange event convinces her that Chagum is host to a mythical creature.
In Moribito II, Balsa journeys to the country of her birth: Kanbal. Her's is a quest to clear her late mentor Jiguro's name; the king who forced their flight from Kanbal is dead, and with him the dangerous conspiracy has supposedly passed away. But Balsa's innocent rescue of two children during her passage into Kanbal has dangerous consequences, revealing that old conspiracies die hard and run much deeper than she suspected.
Want to pick your own "Book of the Week"? Go here and list your current favorites! Then check back and vote on the final list of titles!
