Nahoko Uehashi

A fantasy writer and cultural anthropologist with a PhD from Rikkyo University, Nahoko Uehashi is an associate professor at Kawamura Gakuen University. Her research focuses on the Indigenous peoples of Australia. Her books include The Beast Player and the multivolume Moribito series. She lives near Tokyo. 

Her debut novel, Seirei no Ki, was published during graduate school. She is best known for the Moribito series, The Beast Player, The Deer King, and Kokun. Her books have sold over 11.5 million copies, inspired multiple adaptations, and been widely translated. She received the Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award in 2014.

Cathy Hirano

Van’s chase to rescue the kidnapped Yuna leads him to the Ahfal Oma, the People of the Fire Horse. They reveal that the sickness plaguing Aquafa is no random resurgence but a carefully orchestrated revenge plan, and they want the leader of the Lone Antlers to join. Van can’t abide a destructive quest that threatens all of Aquafa, but he’s still only one man. And how can a single man stop a disease”especially one that already lives within him?