Read this a few years ago so don't recall much detail but know I absolutely loved the different to usual setting for fantasy, based on an alternative mediaeval Japan. The plight of Kaede is particularly interesting and sympathetically depicted. I have always meant to read the rest of this trilogy, but have had a lot of other books to catch up on first. However, unlike most of those, the present novel is a 'keeper', that I have held onto, to re-read in the future.
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Update: having obtained other volumes in the series I decided to re-read the first and it is as good as I remember. The choice of a first person narrative for the young male protagonist and third for the female is an interesting choice but the characters are all well delineated despite there being a lot of them, so you don't get confused who is who. The main ones are very sympathetically developed, with the pairs of star-crossed lovers, and the Japanese attitudes towards honourable suicide well conveyed. Despite the social attitudes towards women and in some cases persecution, the main female characters are all strong and find ways to resist. The special powers that Tomasu/Takeo develops are also interesting and the tensions between the various clans and the Tribe of assassins with the undercurrent of doom hanging over some likeable characters.

Given that I have been disappointed by some re-reads over the past few years, but not by this one, I have upgraded the original 4 stars to a 5 star rating and I hope to enjoy the subsequent volumes as much. ( )

After picking up a tiny little book that had just the first half of the story in it and reading that, I decided to finish it on audio. I enjoyed it, but don't really feel like I need to read the other books. Which is actually not a bad thing because it means the first book concluded successfully and didn't leave me hanging. In the end, this is YA stuff and I'm in my 50's so I need a little more adultness to be interested in reading an entire series.

One thing I didn't like was that the hero of the story was visiting whorehouses where it sounded like there were "underaged" girls and he himself was in his mid-teens. So first off, gross, and second, it just doesn't seem very "heroic" to have your young hero paying for sex. There wasn't any description of what happened, just a sentence about him visiting often. I'm like, "Would Captain America go to a brothel?" "Would Aragorn go to a brothel?" "Would Harry Potter go to a brothel?" I mean Geralt of Rivia or someone like Wolverine sure, but those "anti-heroes" and they're kind of assholes. ( )

Entertaining with a similar feel to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ( )

Actually read this a long time ago but for some reason never added this to my books.

Could be because it didnt leave a lasting impression on me. On paper the plot sounds very exciting (ninjas! adventure!) but the narrative is too dry and you never manage to connect with the characters.

I never even tried to start on the other books. Not horribly bad...just simply not that interested. ( )

Loved all four books of the Asian fantasy series, and any fans of Shogun are sure to enjoy this series.
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I just finished rereading the novel and feel very differently from the other people who’ve already posted in the SF & Fantasy Thread. I think this book written by a westerner is very Japanese, I believe that’s why it is paced the way it is. Sure love at first sight is unbelievable but imagine a fifteen year old girl, forced to marry against her will. She is dreading meeting the old man who’ll force himself upon her. Suddenly she’s filled with relief when she sees the young man who she believes is to be her husband, may it isn’t love at first sight as much as relief at first sight.

I don’t believe that good fantasy has to have a twist ending. When Frodo picked up the ring and headed to Mordor, I had no doubt that he’d arrive and destroy the ring but I’ve read and reread LOTR enough times to make it an all time favorite.


Keep reading if you like ninjas and pirates, there’s only four more books to go.
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