The Betrayal of the Living - (Blood Ninja) by Nick Lake (Paperback)

About the Book

In sixteenth-century Japan, Taro enlists his friends to help vanquish a dragon in hopes of winning a reward that would allow him to marry Hana. But he faces surprisingly difficult obstacles as Kenji Kira raises the dead against him and his own flesh and blood betrays him.

Book Synopsis

The fate of feudal Japan hangs in the balance in this bloody conclusion to the epic Blood Ninja trilogy.

Taro is at a crossroads: He has vanquished Lord Oda for good, but with no land and no title, he has no hope of marrying Hana, the daughter of a daimyo. So when Taro receives news of a murderous dragon and the large reward for killing it, he and his friends find themselves on a dangerous quest to slay the beast.

Their mission has the potential to save the people of Japan--but failure will result in the deaths of thousands. And dragons are not the only monsters they will encounter: The dead, led by the odious Kenji Kira, have begun to rise, and they have Taro in their sights.

In this heart-stopping conclusion to the Blood Ninja trilogy, the future of all feudal Japan is in danger, and everything Taro holds dear will be threatened. But it is the betrayal of flesh and blood--his own flesh and blood--that may be his ultimate undoing.

Review Quotes

"An elegantly thrilling and action-packed tale of honor, duty, and destiny."--Derek Land, author of Skulduggery Pleasant

"Fans of Blood Ninja (2009) no doubt loved the plentiful gore, swordplay, light romance, and the premise
that all ninjas are vampires. This sequel . . . adds even more twists, turns, and travels."
--BOOKLIST, December 15, 2010

"A fast-paced, gripping book about ninjas. It's all I ask for, really."--Conn Iggulden, coauthor of The Dangerous Book for Boys

"Deftly blends sixteenth-century Japanese samurai history with vampire mythology to concoct a gory and fast-paced adventure that will grab readers...the cliff-hanger ending will leave readers clamoring for a sequel."--Booklist

"Lake uses the story's familiar elements skillfully, combining them into an imaginative and original whole. And, really, with vampire ninjas, how can you lose?"--Publishers Weekly

"Those who enjoy Far Eastern-tinged quest stories--with a dash of vampires and ninjas for flavor--will find much to enjoy here."--VOYA

"The night has a new hero."--Darren Shan, author of the Cirque Du Freak series

About the Author

NICK LAKE is the critically-acclaimed author of many YA novels. His books have won several prizes including the Michael L. Printz Award, and have been shortlisted three times for the Carnegie Medal. Nick is also the Fiction Publisher at HarperCollins Children's Books. He lives with his family in Oxfordshire, in a very old house protected by magical symbols. The House with a Dragon in It and Locked Out Lily are his middle-grade books with Simon & Schuster.