Join Naomi Ishiguro as she presents The Rainshadow Orphans, the first novel in a dazzling new trilogy inspired by Japanese folklore and Studio Ghibli—a world of dragons and Sun Spirits, high-tech hackers, and bubble tea.
Life is hard in Rainshadow City, a place where poverty and corruption are rife and where inhabitants are terrorised by an underground criminal organisation known as the Lucky Crows.
Toshiko, Jun and Mei Kawakami are family, bonded through loyalty if not by blood—living outside the city's increasingly corrupt law, and seeking revenge for the murder of their beloved aunt Reiko. Haru is the son of the Emperor, destined to one day rule the whole Rainshadow Archipelago, though currently more interested in befriending magical Sun Spirits only he can see. And Theo, forced to flee his homeland, is a reluctant foot-soldier for the Crows—not because he wants to be a gangster, but because as an illegal immigrant his choices are severely limited.
When Toshiko steals a dragon pearl from the leader of the Crows, she sets all of them on a collision course that will determine the future of Rainshadow City.
Joined by Sunday Times bestselling author, Eliza Chan, this evening will explore the East and South East Asian pop culture influences, the allegorical power of contemporary fantasy, and how her former students inspire her protagonists.
“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, author of The Priory of the Orange Tree

The ‘stream and book’ package includes a unique ticket for the stream, and a copy of The Rainshadow Orphans (RRP £22) deliverable to any UK address.
The event will initially be broadcast on 16 July at 6.30pm UK time. It will be available to view up to two weeks after the event has ended and can be accessed Worldwide. If you live in a time zone that does not suit the initial broadcast time you can watch it at any point after the initial showing for two weeks.
If you have any questions, please email [email protected].