Plus get our latest book recommendations, author news, and competitions right to your inbox.
0:00 /
Table of Contents
About The Book
The first novel in a dazzling fantasy trilogy inspired by Japanese folklore and Studio Ghibli films like Spirited Away, set within a mythical archipelago brimming with dragons and Sun Spirits, high-tech hackers and bubble tea.
Limited copies with sprayed edges available for pre-order!
Life is hard for the inhabitants of Rainshadow City, a place where poverty and corruption are rife and where they are terrorised by an underground criminal organisation known as the Lucky Crows.
Toshiko, Jun and Mei Kawakami are a family, bonded through loyalty if not blood. They live outside the city's increasingly corrupt law and are seeking revenge on the Lucky Crows for the murder of their beloved ‘aunt’ Reiko.
When Toshiko steals a dragon pearl from the leader of the Crows, it sets them all on a thrilling path which will determine the future of Rainshadow City. Tightly set across two days and peopled with unforgettable characters, The Rainshadow Orphans blends the anime fantasy of works from Studio Ghibli and Pokémon and the science fiction of revolutionary cyberpunk like Akira to explore what it means to stand up to corruption and take charge of destiny.
About The Author
Photograph © Robin Christian
Naomi Ishiguro was born in London, in 1992. Her debut novel, Common Ground, was published by Tinder Press in the spring of 2021, and her collection of stories, titled Escape Routes, was published in the spring of 2020 (also by Tinder Press). She's a graduate of the University of East Anglia's MFA Creative Writing Programme, and has worked as both a secondary school English teacher and a freelance creative writing teacher. She also spent a lovely two years in her early 20s working as a bookseller and bibliotherapist at Mr B's Emporium of Reading Delights in Bath.
Product Details
- Publisher: Atria Australia (May 26, 2026)
- Length: 640 pages
- ISBN13: 9781761633119
Browse Related Books
Raves and Reviews
‘A perfect fusion of cyberpunk and fantasy, this electric debut, packed with memorable characters, will keep your heart pumping all the way through. The world is richly detailed, the stakes are high as a dragon flies, and the pace is addictive. Pick it up now’
– Samantha Shannon, internationally bestselling author of The Priory of the Orange Tree
‘A breathtaking adventure set in an immersive cityscape like no other. The Rainshadow Orphans has a wonderful cast reminiscent of Avatar: The Last Airbender, and a message of hope that made my diaspora heart soar’
– Eliza Chan, bestselling author of Fathomfolk
'The Rainshadow Orphans shimmers with wondrous worldbuilding and sublime writing. A luminous blend of folklore, sci-fi and aching humanity – I couldn’t put it down.'
– AF Steadman, internationally bestselling author of the Skandar series
'Accomplished, ambitious worldbuilding and dynamic, determined characters. I love Naomi Ishiguro’s writing both for its thrilling sense of adventure and her resolutely humane engagement with the most important questions of family, loyalty and friendship'
– Leon Craig, author of The Decadence
'Like the best fantasy/sci-fi anime… The Rainshadow Orphans will stay with me for its kickass characters, devastatingly-imagined world and Hiranaya: the most memorable dragon in fiction!'
– William Yamaguchi Dobson, author of Kamizen: Fortress of Lost Memories
'Spectacular. Rainshadow Island is redolent with wonders to rival Barrie's Neverland and threats fiercer than anything in Collins' Panem. Ishiguro has crafted an essential and propulsive novel about the magic of truly connecting with a land and its history. I will follow these wonderful characters wherever they take me'
– Alex Allison, author of Greatest of All Time
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
-
Book Cover Image (jpg): The Rainshadow Orphans
Trade Paperback 9781761633119
-
Author Photo (jpg): Naomi Ishiguro Photograph © Robin Christian(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit
