Bundori [Hardcover]

Laura Joh Rowland (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 7, 1998

It is early spring, 1679, and the feudal Japanese capital, Edo, is beginning to blossom. But along its peaceful, misty streets evil lurks. With one stroke, the favored vassal of the ruling family is decapitated, his head taken for a bundori -- a war trophy.
Sano Ichiro, the shogun's Most Honorable Investigator of Events, Situations, and People, is called to find the culprit. In a city where danger and deceit lie just below the lush surface, Sano must rely on his mind, his instincts, and his noble training in Bushido -- the Way of the Warrior -- to solve this case that could bring him glory...or everlasting shame. Set against a backdrop of sumptuous castles, tawdry pleasure districts, and serene temples, and filled with unforgettable, rich characters, Bundori is breathtaking entertainment.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Brutal murders linked to an ancient betrayal send late 17th-century Tokyo into a panic. They also spell big trouble for the Shogun's special investigator, Sano Ichiro, in this sequel to Rowland's well-received first novel, Shinju. The killings are made known when the severed heads of the victims are put on public display, in the manner of an ancient custom known as bundori, or war trophy. The victims are descendants of warriors who, more than a century earlier, were involved in the murder of a powerful warlord. As the killings continue, Sano, though hampered in his investigation by his devotion to the warrior-code of bushido and its precepts of silent obedience and service, suspects three of the most powerful men in the Shogunate, including Chamberlain Yanagisawa. Also complicating Sano's quest for the truth is a female ninja in Yanagisawa's power; aiding it are an eager young officer in the Tokyo police and a quirky old morgue attendant. Sano's allegiance to bushido makes him an unexpectedly passive hero, undermining the author's apparent attempt to wed Japanese philosophy to Western mystery-thriller conventions. But the novel reads smoothly and positively smokes with historical atmospherics.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

Part historical novel, part detective story, and part romance, Rowland's sequel to Shinju (LJ, 8/94) features, once again, the samurai detective Sano Ichiro, working for the shogun of the city of Edo in Tokugawa-era Japan. Several questionable plot devices effectively remove the novel from the detective genre, but the story is well constructed and compulsively readable. Sano must track down, virtually single-handedly, a serial killer who is at work in the region and whose motivation is complex, related to events of 129 years prior. The detective's job is complicated by court intrigue, increasingly so as his clues point toward suspects of influence. The richness of the historical detail adds enormously to the novel, and the reader comes away with a highly visual sense of life in feudal Japan. An enjoyable light reading experience, recommended for public libraries and popular reading collections.
David Dodd, Univ. of Colorado Libs., Colorado Springs
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Random House Value Publishing (April 7, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 051730256X
• ISBN-13: 978-0517302569
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,379,498 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

L AURA JOH ROWL AND, the author of thirteen previous Sano Ichiro mysteries 'demonstrating an impressive level of sustained excellence' (Publishers Weekly), lives in New York.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but bit bland, June 7, 2004

By 

lordhoot "lordhoot" (Anchorage, Alaska USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bundori (Mass Market Paperback)

This is my second Laura Joh Rowland book and like the one I read before (Perfumed Sleeve), I found this book to be pretty interesting and its murder-mystery premises to be entertaining and easy to follow. Once more, Sano Ichiro goes forth against all evil to overcome and solved the crime.

I think this is a pretty decent book and it could have been better if the main villian wasn't so one dimensional. The Yanagisawa character proves to be very cardboard like in its characterization. Once more, I think that the author's understanding of Tokugawa politics appears to be very limited. Nobody with Yanagisawa's personality and tact as described in the book would last very long in samurai politics. Another thing is that the author seem to think that homosexual politics was paramount within the Tokugawa bakufu. Unfortunately for the author, homosexual activities in Japan was no more and probably no less then those in Europe. Why an all powerful Yanagisawa would ever fear a relatively nobody just because the Shogun seem to be mildy fond of him proves to be totally illogical. Another interesting oversight was the fact that Sano wears a Tokugawa crest when he works. That crest alone, would historically give him almost unlimited powers. No mere police officials would stand in his way or anyone's way if that individual was wearing the Tokugawa crest on his back. It appears that the author seem to be putting artifical elements in her story to created artifical dangers for her hero.

While good reading overall, the writing proves to be relatively lightweight in material and plot.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Samurai intrigue in 17th century Japan, February 6, 2003

By 

Jack Fitzgerald "JFD" (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Bundori (Mass Market Paperback)

Bundori is the 2nd installment in Laura Joh Rowland's Sano Ichiro series. Having secured shogun Tsunayoshi's favor in the first book, Sano has been elevated to "sosakan" level, kind of the chief investigator to the court. The main mystery plot involves a killer who is collecting "bundori" war trophies based on a century-old betrayal of the first shogun, Oda Nobunaga.
Sano must find the killer, while avoiding the wrath of the jealous chamberlain Yanagisawa, the allure of the mysterious priestess/ninja Aoi, and a host of uncooperative samurai and citizens.
Strengths:
Throughout the book are colorful descriptions of old Edo (now Tokyo) that give a sense of place. Rowland evokes the five senses, as well as inner senses with respect to atmosphere. I liked that there was action in the city aside from the investigation, such as the riots and resulting fire that burned throughout the latter portion of the book. This gave me the idea that there were other things happening outside the life of Sano. Rowland gives detailed physical descriptions of characters. Her use of history and cultural notes pulls one into the period. I also liked the sexual tension between Sano and Aoi, with love interest possibilities, plus the addition of the loyal Hirata as a sidekick.
Work areas:
The mystery ends up not nearly as compelling as the numerous subplots that surround it. As an antagonist, Yanagisawa basically has no redeeming qualities. There were times when Sano, an educated and intelligent man, acted so thickheaded that I wanted to throttle him. While the sensual details worked, Rowland needs work on showing emotions rather than telling them. There were also instances of someone saying something in Japanese, then translating it themselves into English, such as "Okashii ridiculous." I also can't let slide this gem of dialogue: "Dirty saboteur! Who are you working for, you agent of evil and darkness?"

Still, I enjoyed the period detail and the pacing was gripping, keeping me moving the story. I'm looking forward to watching these characters grow and eager to find out what happens next.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Bundori Review, October 19, 2006

By 

Critic "Susan W." (Wine Country Niagara CANADA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bundori (Mass Market Paperback)

This book seemed to explore too many avenues and had the usual formula to cover up the "who did it" scenario in a murder mystery. Sometimes I was quite disturbed with the sexual subject matter. The authour did spend sometime researching and giving fantastic imagery to medieval Japan. So I felt I was enlightened in that respect. The ending is really rushed and not conventional. I thought is was weak and the overall story was robbed because of it.