Customer Reviews

Kill the Shogun (Samurai Mysteries)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a truly brilliant trilogy. I've enjoyed all three books in the series immensely, and I think that these books-- "Death At The Crossroads", "Jade Palace Vendetta"; and "Kill the Shogun" should be on every serious mystery lover's list as a 'must read'. I sincerely hope that there is a series in the wings for Kaze, the wandering samurai.

In "Kill The Shogun", Kaze closes in on the whereabouts of his dead overlord's daughter. He has finally tracked her to a brothel, The Little Flower, that caters to paedophiles. However before he can affect a rescue, he is accused of an attempt on the Shogun's life.

This is a tautly written and very exciting book. There are several brilliantly described sword fights as Kaze faces off against the Shogun's soldiers and a group of mysterious ninjas. Kaze literally faces danger at every corner, and there seems to be a lack of people that he can trust.

An added bonus to lovers of history are the carefully sketched in glimpses of life and culture in early seventeenth century Japan. A little more of Kaze's history is also fleshed out so that we get to appreciate all over again his sense of honour and integrity as well as the great sorrow he carries with him.

I really like this series. And I heartily recommend all three books. I only hope that Dale Furutani writes more adventures for Kaze.

If you haven't read any of Furutani's wonderful Samurai trilogy (And why haven't you?) be sure to do so. Each book can stand alone, but if you possibly can, then read them in order as one long marvelously rich novel. #1 DEATH AT THE CROSSROADS, #2 JADE PALACE VENDETTA. #3KILL THE SHOGUN. Each book deals with a different class--Crossroads with the peasant class, Vendetta with the merchant class, and Shogun with the upper class and street entertainers.

Protagonist Matsuyama Kaze is a wandering samurai--a ronin--experiencing a variety of adventures, some good, some life-threatening, while he searches for the kidnapped daughter of his former Lord and Lady, both of whom were killed at the time of the battle of Sekigahara, following which Tokugawa Ieyasu became Shogun of Japan.

In this book Kaze is hunted as well as hunting--accused of the attempted assassination of the Shogun.

The story takes place in Edo, (which later became Tokyo--which means Eastern Capital.)

"From a sleepy fishing village, Edo was being transformed into the new capital of Japan. Now an Edokko, a child of Edo, was expected to have a free-spending view of life, with a love of luxury and pleasure. It didn't matter if the person was not born in Edo, because being an Edokko was a state of mind, and within months most new citizens of Edo were caught up in the ebullient spirit that seemed to pervade the very air."

At first, Kaze, one of my favorite fictional characters of all time, seemed darker to me in this particular story--and who could blame him after all he had gone through during his quest? All the same, I missed his great sense of humor--until I came upon a performance of Kabuki theater--a hilarious scene that is no less funny for walking a sword's edge between its own wit and a background of suspense and danger.

I loved this book, as I loved its predecessors. The writing alone is worth reading for, the plot is engrossing, the characterizations intriguing and masterful. Furutani brings early 17th century Japan to glorious life and does it with grace, humor and obvious affection.

I felt sad nearing the ending of Kill the Shogun. This series is a trilogy and this was the third book. I'm hoping Wm Morrow will insist that the trilogy should become a series--there's a place at the end that seems to leave that door open. Kaze is so wonderfully realized he could surely star in many more stories.

...Matsuyama Kaze ("Pine Mountain Wind") is a ronin (masterless samurai) on the run. He is being hunted by a boyhood enemy, the ambitious and ruthless Lord Okubo, who wants Kaze's head, literally, for besting him in a wooden sword match that severely injured one of Okubo's legs. Adding insult to that crippling injury, Kaze was awarded the top prize by Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu himself. This event took place years before the historic battle of Skigahara in 1600 which led to the forces of Tokugawa defeating those loyal to the late Lord Hideyoshi. Japan was finally united under the rule of Tokugawa. Kaze's Lord was on the wrong side in the battle and, true to the Warrior's Code (bushido), chose to die in battle rather than be captured and lose his honor. Kaze was ordered by his master to guard the Lord's Lady and young daughter, so he was not present at the battle. This caused him much anguish, as his home is destroyed and his wife and children die because of Kaze's loyalty to his Lord and Lady. Much is told about honor, duty, and loyalty by the author, so I'll not go into that here. Suffice it to say, Kaze rescues the dying Lady from her captors and promises to search for his mistress's daughter no matter how long it takes. It takes several years and three novels.

The search begins in the first book DEATH AT THE CROSSROADS and continues through JADE PALACE VENDETTA and KILL THE SHOGUN. I found the trilogy entertaining and informative. As the author said, the reader will recognize similarities in each book to the films of Akira Kurosawa. There is humor to be found in these books, also, so don't fear they will be weighty, historical tracts. They're supposed to be light and fun. The best part is that they also inform. I learned much about medieval Japan that I didn't know...

In 1603 Japan, honor dictates that samurai Matsuyama Kaze continue his three year quest to find and rescue Kiku-Chan, the daughter of his murdered lord. Though weary of his seemingly endless but hazardous trek, in deference to the wife of his deceased lord, Kaze knows he must continue the search until he is dead or Kiku-Chan is rescued.

Clues inform Kaze that Kiku-Chan has been brought to the new capital of Japan, Edo. However, as Kaze gets closer to his quarry, he learns that the advisors to the new Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu want him eliminated. Since his enemies are based in Edo, entering the city is dangerous, but veneration of his former master requires Kaze to do so even though it probably will cost him his life.

KILL THE SHOGUN, the third book in Dale Furutani's samurai series, is a great historical novel that will thrill fans and send new readers searching for the previous books (see DEATH AT THE CROSSROADS AND JADE PALACE VENDETTA). As expected the exciting story line is rich with the heritage of seventeenth century Japan. That alone makes the novel worth reading. However, excellent characters and a fabulous plot turn this tale, like its predecessors, into a superior story strongly standing by itself or as part of a delightful three-book volume. Both will work, but the latter is more than a great dinner, it is a feast. Though Kaze's quest has ended (read the book if you want to know how), hopefully the award winning Mr. Furutani has more stories set in historical Japan.

Harriet Klausner

Dale Furutani gives us an excellent ending to his ronin Kaze mystery trilogy with "Shogun". Japanese history buffs like myself should agree he depicts the early Edo era wonderfully, with great use of imagery, believeable characters, and even some historical figures. His fine woven mystery will have you hanging on edge, his sense of humor will have you chuckling constantly, and his usage of some Japanese words (with its English equivelent following!) will please Japan fans.

I highly recommend you buy this book if you can; if not, borrow it from your library (I had to). If you love Japanese history/myseries, this is an excellent book to read. I also suggest you read "Death At The Crossroads" and "Jade Palace Vendetta" first, but this book can stand by itself.

The Matsuyama Kaze trilogy concludes with this book which sees the ronin complete his trip down the Tokaido road (detailed in Death at the Crossroads and Jade Palace Vendetta) and end up in Edo, the new capital of the new Tokugawa Shogunate. Away from the rural settings he's comfortable in, Kaze is faced with the daunting task of searching the entire city for his dead lord's daughter. His problem is confounded by the organic nature of the city, which is constantly shifting as various lords claim swathes of land, and people and businesses are constantly relocating. It also doesn't help that he's a fugitive from the new Shogun's forces, having been a loyal to the deposed Emperor Hidyoshi. And it really doesn't help that someone tries to assassinate (with a gun no less) the new Shogun, and Kaze is suspect number one.

While the first two books were well-contained and precise, this finale is perhaps a little too grand in scale and action. The manhunt has Kaze ranging all over the city, and engineering too many unlikely escapes, and in addition to high level court machinations, the reader is introduced to ninjas and the use of guns. However, if one is prepared to forgive this surge in superheroism and scale, the book is as enjoyable as its predecessors. As in the those, Furutani ably adds period detail throughout the mystery, with fascinating tidbits of social custom and history. As with Kaze's previous adventures, the reader is likely to be several steps ahead of the ronin in deducing who the real villain is (indeed, I surmised it almost immediately!). Readers of the earlier books will not be surprised by the appearance of Kaze's boyhood rival Okubo, and his centrality to the climax. Despite the minor excesses and lack of mystery to the reader, it's a fitting and fun finale to an excellent trilogy.

Dale Furutani's third Samurai mystery has arrived.

It's 1603, the year of the rabbit, and Tokugawa Ieyasu is the new Shogun and ruler of Japan. The new Shogun is out hawk hunting with his companions. The three men are unaware that they are being stalked, and although their hunt remains unscathed from the observation, their future isn't. The reader will be aware of an assassination attempt. Who, what, and where is the mystery that needs to be solved.

Ieyasu has been Shogun for less than a year and ruler of the Edo area for thirteen years. His people have been in a mood of celebration since he became Japan's ruler. In the midst of this celebration, a murder occurs. Once this happens, the storyline skillfully takes off and suspects are introduced in an impressive, shadowy style, keeping the reader successfully in the dark until the end.

Kaze, the wandering Samurai, has come to Edo to find his Lady's nine-year-old daughter, who may have been taken to a local prostitution house. Once there he does his best, in his eating and behavior, to hide that he is a Samurai, so as not to give himself away. While looking for the child, Kaze finds himself in some unusual incidents that take his Samurai skills to escape. He reunites with some old acquaintances, makes some new ones, and finds himself in the middle of a murder plot -- as the one and only suspect.

The wandering Samurai mysteries are an inspiring addition to the historical mystery genre. Readers will experience the seamless collaboration of Japan's history with a compelling, action packed mystery. Kill the Shogun is an easy read full of unforgettable characters. The theme is far from cozy and I don't recommend it for younger audiences. Mr. Furutani mentions in the Author's Notes that, although this is the third volume in a trilogy, it is meant to meld together as one narrative. Each Samurai mystery can be read as a stand-alone mystery.

Death at the Crossroads and the Jade Palace Vendetta were wonderful books. Kill the Shogun is not. The first two were fresh, kept each character true to him or herself, and kept scrupulously to the right side of the line dividing good story from cheap effect. My feeling in reading this book was that either someone else wrote it, or Furutani did not have the same level of inspiration for this book as he did for the others.

The trappings are all there - rich descriptions of place, haiku opening chapters, conflict between expedience and honor - but it rings false in this novel. Unlike the first two novels, much of the action here is larger than life pulp - hero defeats six ninja, hero defeats ganglord while pinioned, hero solves mystery while the target of a city-wide manhunt, and so on. The book reads as though Barry Sadler wrote it quickly from Furutani's excellent outline. High concept, low execution.

Read the first two for joy; read Kill the Shogun only if you need to know how the story ends.

Furutani getd better and better! Don't miss this one; I could hardly put it diwn. Gripping suspense, great plot, lots of historical background. Hope there will be more.

This is the third book in the Samurai trilogy. In this book,Matsuyama Kaze continues his search for the daughter of his former Lord and Lady. He's been led to believe that she is in Edo, and that's where the books takes place. As he begins his search in Edo, there is an attempt on the Shogun's life, and he is accused of the crime. He becomes the subject of a massive manhunt. In order to clear himself of the crime, he must first learn who was behind the assasination attempt. In this outing, you get the feel of the city as an everyday-citizen would have seen it. With each book, Furutani has gotten better. Kaze is a character that is admirable and entirely likable. Furutani has said that this is only going to be a trilogy. If that's true, and he can't be convinced to continue the series, those of us who love historical mysteries will lose a memorable character.