The Tiger’s Apprentice

American author Laurence Yep wrote the action-adventure fantasy book The Tiger’s Apprentice. As the first book of The Tiger’s Apprentice trilogy, it was released in 2003. In this tale, ancient Chinese mythology is inserted into contemporary San Francisco. The plot follows young Tom as he trains with the tiger Mr. Hu to use magic. Their mission is to defend the ancient phoenix from Vatten and the Clan of Nine, who want to harness its powers for evil, together with a group of legendary misfits. The narrative examines themes of generosity, fidelity, responsibility, and bravery.

The Tiger’s Apprentice Scenario Description

Tom, a young Chinese American child, was raised in San Francisco by his eccentric grandmother Mrs. Lee. In order to guard a coral rose, he is her reluctant apprentice Guardian studying ancient Chinese magic. Monsters strike nevertheless when Mr. Hu, a tiger and Mrs. Lee’s old apprentice, shows up. Mrs. Lee passes away while defending Tom and the coral rose, leaving Mr. Hu as their guardian. Mr. Hu discloses that the coral rose is actually the phoenix, which has the ability to change evil creatures into good ones, while he is safe inside his antique store in Chinatown. The monster Kung Kung makes an effort to control people through the use of the phoenix in an old Chinese story. Following Kung Kung’s defeat by the Empress Nü Kua, the phoenix made the decision to retreat to his egg and wait for a period of peace when his power would not be abused and the position of the Guardian would be established to look after the phoenix. The phoenix will need both Mr. Hu and Tom to safeguard it since Kung Kung’s lieutenant Vatten and the Clan of Nine—named after Vatten’s shape as a nine-headed serpent—have followed the Chinese Guardians to America. But Tom is reluctant to assume the responsibilities of a true apprentice Guardian.

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Tom is led by Mr. Hu to Goblin Square, a secret marketplace for the supernatural residents of Chinatown in San Francisco. They encounter Mistral, a longtime friend of Mr. Hu, here. Chinese dragon Mistral was driven from her home in the seas after speaking out against the Dragon King. Mistral consents to give up her position as a bodyguard in order to assist Mr. Hu in safeguarding the phoenix.

After their trip to Goblin Square, another old buddy shows up. One of Vatten’s spies has been noticed by Sidney, an ardent seller who appears as a flying rat. Tom is left by Mr. Hu to watch for Mistral and guard the phoenix. Räv, a silver-haired girl seeking safety, approaches the door when Mr. Hu is absent. Tom is touched by compassion and opens the door even though Mr. Hu has told him not to.

The monster Loo enters through the door. Loo, a beast with three eyes and fangs from ancient Chinese folklore, has red hair and blue skin. He wears an umbrella that emits deadly illness gases. Räv and the phoenix vanish, and Tom is knocked out. When Tom awakens, he discovers Monkey, another of Mr. Hu’s old buddies. Upon Mr. Hu’s request, Monkey, who was cursed for defying Heaven and who stole his magic staff from the Dragon Kingdom, has also arrived to defend the phoenix.

When Mr. Hu arrives, he discovers Tom, Mistral, and Monkey among the wreckage of his store. The four go, Mr. Hu, Monkey, and Mistral in their human forms, in search of the phoenix after Sidney is imprisoned for being a spy.

They follow the spy’s trail to a dilapidated home close to the water, where Tom discovers Räv bound and hurt. The floor transforms into a pack of red-scaled, blue-bristled canines called Hsieh as they attempt to save Räv, overwhelming them. When Loo shows up, she admits that Räv deceived them. Räv and the Hsieh are left to perish beside them when Loo confines them in the chamber as it begins to shrink and fill with water. Tom reminds Mr. Hu of his grandmother’s parting advice to “use your intellect, not your claws,” even though the might of the tiger and dragon cannot shatter the walls. Mr. Hu makes everyone imprisoned smaller, and Monkey makes the hairs on his tail become tiny monkeys that lead everyone to the water’s source. However, not before she learns that Vatten intends to force the phoenix to hatch early, Räv and the Hsieh are saved and locked in a pebble.

Vatten has been concealing the phoenix behind a hill in the center of Stow Lake, according to Sidney, who had managed to escape from his incarceration. Even though Mr. Hu, Mistral, and Monkey are aware that they are too old to return and are probably not going back, they accompany Sidney and Tom in their search for the phoenix. Monkey, who is being held back by Loo, remains behind to combat him while the others move on to avoid the traps that have been prepared for them. Mistral is compelled to restrain a Po, a fanged and clawed unicorn that eats tigers. Tom purposefully sets up a trap so that Mr. Hu may get the phoenix since he is now driven to uphold his grandmother’s legacy. The Watcher, a poisonous, multi-headed beast, has Tom entangled in its hair. Mr. Hu is powerless to stop them, not even as a fierce tiger. Mr. Hu and Sidney try to burn the Watcher to liberate Tom in a last-ditch effort, but it’s too late.

Instead of putting Tom to death, Mr. Hu transports everyone to the Empress’s enchanted world. To rescue Tom, the Empress gives him a portion of Mr. Hu’s tiger soul. She also places a golden scale on Tom’s face as a promise to respond to his call. Exhausted but triumphant, the troop returns to the world of the living with the phoenix.

The Tiger’s Apprentice Characters

Tom Lee, a guardian trainee who is a young Chinese American.
Mr. Hu: A Tiger and Guardian Mrs. Lee: A Guardian and Tom’s grandma
Mistral: Dragon exiled
Immortal monkey with a supernatural stick who contested Heaven.
Räv: A young woman who betrays Loo and works for him
Vatten: A phoenix-loving enemy leader
Empress Nü Kua, a deity from ancient China

Topics

Compassion: Yep emphasizes the significance of kindness heavily. Even when they have mistreated him or when he is terrified, Tom frequently puts himself in risk to save others. He imitates his grandmother, who was renowned for taking in stray animals and turning them into her apprentices and companions, by acting in this manner.
Mr. Hu and Tom accepted their responsibilities because of loyalty to Mrs. Lee, but they carried them out out of commitment to one another. Despite being rivals, Mistral and Monkey team together with Mr. Hu out of loyalty. Sidney continues to be with Mr. Hu despite being labeled a traitor. Due to their allegiance to the Empress and her supporters, all of the characters battle for the Phoenix.