DEATH OF THE PHOENIX is the first volume of the trilogy SPIRIT OF THE SHARK. The story takes place in the East Indies during and after the Japanese occupation of the islands. It tells the story of Kees, a five-year old boy's journey through the brutal world of Japanese operated prisons and his final escape into a new and civilized world. This new world proves to be more hurtful than the life he has just left behind. Not wanting to live with people any longer and having heard about the dangers of the sea, he dreams of meeting the tiger shark at the far horizon. With the help of an old fisherman they repairs a derelict canoe. Out at sea he meets the shark and discovers that he is not his enemy and later becomes his friend and savior. During the early weeks of the occupation, Beth, Kees' mother, fends off the advances of a Japanese Kenpeitai officer and in the process nearly kills him. She and two small children have to flee for their lives struggling their way through mountain canyons and snake-ridden swamps. The story displays a delicate balance between humor and horror, compassion and evil, courage and fear. It highlights people's extraordinary potential when confronted with nearly insurmountable obstacles and their willingness to risk their lives not only for their friends but also their enemies. An old servant woman, Nanektua, teaches him to see the world not only from his own perspective, but also to except the views of different cultures and religions. The SPIRIT OF THE SHARK is a multi cultural adventure story that touches on subjects such as terrorism, perceived ownership and other issues which are as pertinent today as they were then. This trilogy covers a part of history that has been adamantly denied by the Japanese and conveniently forgotten by the Allies.