Nonogawa

The small town of Nonogawa in Okayama Prefecture.

Liminal Chronicles

Rise is Available!

An ex-gangster. A mysterious old woman. A mythological world of magic and danger hiding behind everyday life.
An urban fantasy series set in small town Japan.

An ex-mobster must choose between breaking a promise to his parole officer, which will send him back to the slammer, or angering a powerful mythical being. Faced with an impossible decision, how will he forge a path to redemption?

Where to Buy Rise

"Must read: An engaging fantasy inspired by Japanese mythical lore. Great characters with a fast paced story...Which readers would I recommend Rise: The Liminal Chronicals to, all readers. But especially those that enjoy anime and manga, or are interested in reading them. You may not enjoy this novel as much if you do not have an interest in either of them. While reading it felt like I was watching a movie."
— Keisha Jackson-LaMon via Reedsy Discovery, ★★★★★

Tell Me the Story Details

Fresh out of jail, Umeji Tatsuya seeks redemption in a small town, far from his Yakuza ties.

Umeji Tatsuya by Odette.A.Bach

'Once Yakuza, always Yakuza. The tattoos mark you for life.'

Nakamura Hisako by Odette.A.Bach

He’s barely moved in when the town’s feisty dowager, Nakamura Hisako, discovers the tattoos that mark him as an ex-mobster. She hounds his every step as she tries to make him leave, but Umeji is determined.

Seeking a break from the ridicule leads him to an out of the way shrine where he discovers Nakamura has a secret of her own: she's a kitsune, an ancient fox spirit—like in the stories Umeji read when he was a kid. But Nakamura is undeniable proof that those tales are true and mythical beings blend in among human kind. Nakamura offers a truce. Keep her secret and she'll help him forge a mob-free future, starting with learning magic. Just when things are looking up, Umeji’s training is interrupted. Date, a kitsune with a centuries-old grudge against Nakamura and a taste for turning former Yakuza members into vicious ogre-like oni to do her bidding, brings destruction in her wake. Worse yet, the one person who could drag Umeji back into the mob shows up on his doorstep, under Date’s control. Is Umeji the next victim in Date’s sights? Or is there more to this magical threat than he wants to believe...

Rise is the first book in the Liminal Chronicles series. Join Umeji’s action-packed journey into Japanese myth, personal redemption, and found family.

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