3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fabulous! Fabulous!, May 3, 2009
This review is from: Season of Sanematsu (Paperback)
In volume 2 of the Saga of Sanematsu, author Kei Swanson maintains her high standard for incredible historical detail, adventure, in an engrossingly dramatic love story between the young vibrant Daimyo (overlord / king) Sanematsu Yoshihide and the lovely young "barbarian" Aderyn (Tori). Set amidst the turbulent wars and politics which prohibited even letting a "barbarian" live in Nihon, Sanematsu risked treason for the love of his beloved Seabird.
After suffering a near fatal wound, Sanematsu came home from war with the intention of dissolving his council; banishing his opponents; and taking Tori to wife. Arriving home Sanematsu was devastated to discover that Tori had been kidnapped, and severely burned in an accidental fire. He sent out his personal guard on a massive man-hunt to find Tori and bring her home but his general and boyhood arch-rival Matsumoto made sure that she would not be found.
Months later still bound and captive, Tori was malnourished and near death. Expecting her to die a slow death within hours, Matsumoto who had engineered her kidnapping, killed her jailer to erase any suspicion of his involvement. Waking from a drugged stupor; not able to walk Tori was determined not to die in the filth she'd been left in, and managed to crawl to the nearest water source where a monk found her.
*** With a grim beginning, the second volume in the Sanematsu Saga began. By way of a succinct prologue and some excellent references throughout this volume the reader is well able to assimilate the facts in order to read this book completely as a stand-alone. While this is true, I would HIGHLY recommend to any reader interested in immensely entertaining feudal Japanese historical they would be better served to read the first book (Seabird of Sanematsu) in order to fully absorb themselves of the exciting adventuresome intensity, passion, and exemplary lyrical voice of this author.
Both Sanematsu and Aderyn (Tori) were marvelous creations by this author. Tori, a fifteen- year old girl had seen her entire family slaughtered by her captors. Inspired by her courage and forthright manner, the author made a believable plot in having the daimyo Sanematsu spare her life thinking he wanted to gain knowledge of her world. How surprised he was when once Tori was cleaned up (Westerners were by no means taught regular bathing procedures) and brought to Sanematsu he was not only intrigued by her intelligence and knowledge of the world outside of Nihon but found her just a bit intoxicating. After a while they became fast friends and soon fell in love while each try to hide their true feelings from one another. Their love - a treasonous act- could threaten both their lives.
Filled with emotion, this has a briskly paced adventure, poignant moments and was written with fully developed characters. Ms. Swanson writes an intellectually stimulating and historical with a truly inspired romance. The historical research and accuracy made this saga one to remember, long after the last page is turned.
Marilyn Rondeau
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