From Far Away: Vol. 3

by Kyoko Hikawa

Synopsis
With each passing day, Noriko discovers more and more about the strange and chimerical world she now calls home. And the more she learns... the more frightened she gets!

Everyone around her is talking about an ancient prophecy and the awakening that will usher in a new epoch. To some, this foretold era is fraught with uncertainty and danger. To these people, the power of the awakening must be eliminated.

Ever so slowly, Noriko starts to realize that she, somehow, embodies the gift of the awakening. With the help of a valiant hero named Izark, the young teenager has thus far eluded the attention of those who wish to destroy her. But secrets are hard to keep... and with one misspoken word, Noriko could seal her very own death!

Review
Again, the book builds up to something, but I don't know what. It doesn't help that about a third of it is taken up with some other included story, so we're cheated a chapter or two.

Anyway, Izark has finally decided to leave Noriko behind, in the care of a friend of his. This parting is very emotional, especially for her. In previous volumes, Izark has ruminated over what he should do with Noriko. I suppose what made him change his mind is that she accidentally talked about meeting him in the "sea of trees" with some strangers. Fortunately, they didn't figure out what she meant, but since she's learning how to speak better, she's becoming more of a liability.

Noriko takes this all in stride and does her best to move on. She hears about the prophecies of the Awakening and the Sky Demon, and realizes that she may be the awakening, but then reassures herself that she can't be, because she doesn't know any sky demon.

There's more politics in the volume, something that I wish I was more interested in, but the people that Noriko is staying with are being chased by "bad people" (meaning I don't know why they're bad other than they are), and Noriko is left alone again. Meanwhile, Izark gets swept up in some fighting thing against his will, so he can't come to Noriko's aid, even when she calls him telepathically.

Where this volume ends is really frustrating, because I turned the page expecting more, and I get some other story that I don't care about. I never know what to make of these tacked on things, as sometimes they are filler, and other times, more like an advertisement for another story. I usually don't read them, intending to go back later, but I usually forget.

Anyway, I'm dying to read the next book, to find out what happens to Izark and Noriko.

Final thought: I'll keep collecting this series.