Tiger's Blood

Tiger's Apprentice #2

by Laurence Yep

Ever since Tom became the apprentice to Mr. Hu, the Guardian of the phoenix egg, his life has been a whirlwind. Now Mr. Hu is weak after saving Tom's life in battle, and the two must flee with their motley crew of friends to the dragon kingdom, far below the ocean's surface. While Tom waits for Mr. Hu to recover, he realizes that even the dragons cannot promise safety. And as an unstoppable evil advances, Tom must find the strength within to protect the egg by himself.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Adventure, Asian American, Magic

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Born June 14, 1948 in San Francisco, California, Yep was the son of Thomas Gim Yep and Franche Lee Yep. Franche Lee, her family's youngest child, was born in Ohio and raised in West Virginia where her family owned a Chinese laundry. Yep's father, Thomas, was born in China and came to America at the age of ten where he lived, not in Chinatown, but with an Irish friend in a white neighborhood. After troubling times during the Depression, he was able to open a grocery store in an African-American neighborhood. Growing up in San Francisco, Yep felt alienated. He was in his own words his neighborhood's "all-purpose Asian" and did not feel he had a culture of his own. Joanne Ryder, a children's book author, and Yep met and became friends during college while she was his editor. They later married and now live in San Francisco.

Although not living in Chinatown, Yep commuted to a parochial bilingual school there. Other students at the school, according to Yep, labeled him a "dumbbell Chinese" because he spoke only English. During high school he faced the white American culture for the first time. However, it was while attending high school that he started writing for a science fiction magazine, being paid one cent a word for his efforts. After two years at Marquette University, Yep transferred to the University of California at Santa Cruz where he graduated in 1970 with a B.A. He continued on to earn a Ph.D. in English from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1975. Today as well as writing, he has taught writing and Asian American Studies at the University of California, Berkeley and Santa Barbara.

Reviews

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thomas has to take on more responsibility with his master Mr. Hu asleep, recovering from injury. Or does he? Very good till I discovered it was a cliff hanger, which I hate! On to the last book, if the library has it!

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite as good as the first one, but I love how this series keeps you guessing on who's truly evil until the very end

[Hannah Crossett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent sequel to a thoroughly engrossing mythology-based YA fantasy series!

[Ceridwyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the characters in this series, and I like the Chinese mythology that is brought to life. However, characters get forgotten, I feel, until they are needed for a plot point. The underwater world was fun to explore.

[Amanda Wel]

Tiger's Apprentice #2

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXCELLENT!!! Truly a thought provoker. LOVED LOVED LOVED IT!

[Angela Barakat]

I read this with my son.

[Gail Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was just as good as the first book in the series