Fantasy super star Charles de Lint will impress his fans and create a new following with The Painted Boy.  A tale of shape-shifting clans, gang-banger hoodlums, teen love, angst and rock and roll,  the main character, James Li,  is on his discovery quest not only to find himself, but to do much more.  Set in the Arizona desert, James is a stranger to the land, coming from Chinatown in Chicago.  He aquired his birthmark dragon tattoo at the age of 13 and had been learning lessons from his grandmother to prepare his for this journey.  He makes new friends, including a love interest in Anna, and he makes enemies too.  He soon discovers that his “test” will be to rid the town of the biggest gang leader, who also is a shape-shifter.  The writing spirals between 1^st and 3^rd person, even within chapters, and the variety of personality types, including non-human shape-shifters, keeps the mind interested throughout the story.  This is not your typical fantasy story with it’s contemporary setting and themes.  R* for sure.