Customer Reviews

Bridge of Darkness: The Return of the Master Assassin

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The Bridge of Darkness (The return of the master Assassin) by Shotaro Ikenami is a collection of four thrilling tales of murder and intrigue, set during the early seventeenth century Japan. The backdrop of the stories is the contemporary Japanese society, which was ruthlessly ruled by the Shogun, which in modern terms means a Dictator. Dr. Fujieda Baian is an accomplished acupuncuturist and is equally adept in the art of assassination. However, he is an assassin with conscience. He uses his needles to save the lives of the innocent and seal the fate of the guilty. He is assisted by his trusted lieutenant, Hikojiro, a toothpicks maker, who sometimes reminds you of Sherlock Holmes and his close friend Dr. Watson, albeit in a different way.

Each of the four stories in the book is a masterpiece in its own right and a gem in this particular genre of story telling. Although, Dr. Baian commits one murder after another, your fondness for him gradually grows as you go along. He is an assassin with whom you cannot avoid falling in love and who you will surely miss after finishing the stories. I am eagerly looking forward to reading Shotaro Ikenami's other book, a novel, namely, The Master Assassin (Tales of Murder from the Shogun's City). Unfortunately, the book is presently not available in India and I intend to procure it through the Amazon.com.

I bought this from the discount rack at Swindon Bookstore in Hong Kong. They were probably going to dump it!!

Amazing tales from the Edo period. Get yourself some grilled eel and a plate of sushi and sashimi and enjoy yourself. That's what I did.