One of the late Shusaku Endo’s finest works, The Samurai tells of the journey of some of the first Japanese to set foot on European soil and the resulting clash of cultures and politics.
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From Publishers Weekly
A historical novel of early contacts between East and West from one of Japan's greatest 20th-century writers.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
In the 17th century, Hasekura and three other low-level samurai are sent to seek trade with Nueva Espa?a (today's Mexico). Accompanied by Father Velasco, a Franciscan missionary and interpreter, they pursue their mission from Nueva Espa?a to Spain. Along the way, they endure not only the hardships of the journey but Velasco's incessant proselytizing. The ambitious priest, who believes that their conversion will gain him the appointment as Bishop of Japan, convinces them that they will succeed only if they convert to Christianity, and reluctantly they agree. Failure, however, is their only reward. After years of wandering, they return to Japan, where they face shame and persecution. Basing his novel on the actual voyage of Hasekura, Endo (Deep River, LJ 2/15/95) masterfully evokes the struggle between the Western individual and the Eastern collective identity and in so doing plumbs the depths of honor, faith, and human endurance. The result is an expansive novel of astonishing power and insight. Strongly recommended for all collections.?Paul Hutchison, Bellefonte, Pa.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I found "The Samurai" to be not quite as powerful and stark as "Silence," and the themes are similar--but this novel is more complex and nuanced in its characterization and scenario. Once again Endo emphasizes the lowly, humble nature of Christ (who is described repeatedly as "that emaciated man"), and how understanding this nature of God is the key for the spiritual awakenings of both the scheming Velasco and the humble samurai. At times I felt the point was a bit overdrawn and obvious, but by the book's second half most of my objections had disappeared; Endo's sheer skill at narration and portraying elegaic tragedy is unmatched.
This is still an excellent novel. Highly recommended, as both a historical adventure and a rumination on what it means to take up one's Cross and follow Jesus.
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
One of the biggest surprises I have received in the last year was "The Samurai", for good reason. Though it starts slowly, this novel is a gripping tale of determination, sacrifice, honor, deceit, and love, following a group of three Japanese noblemen and a Spanish priest in their trek from Japan to Rome. The priest hopes to be declared Bishop of Japan in order to oversee the missionary effort in that country, and is willing to sacrifice almost anything to conquer the religious intolerance of Japan at the time. The noblemen are trying to regain family lands by succeeding in their mission to establish trade between Japan and Nueva Espana. I could not put this novel down once the quest began, and I nearly wept as I finished it. I highly recommend this novel to one and all.
14 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This very powerful novel known as a classic, evokes strong feelings and emotions in the reader, especially if he is a committed Christian. The background of the novel is the persecution of Christians in Japan in the early seventeenth century. There are lots of historical elements in the novel. The Samurai who undertook a voyage in 1613 seems to have kept a journal of his experiences abroad. Fr Luis Sotelo the model for Valesco is also a historical person. Besides, the author as the first Japanese to study abroad after the war acknowledges that there are also some autobiographical elements in the novel. The Samurai called Rokuemon Hasekura and Fr Velasco a missionary of the Franciscan Order are the main characters. Both are on a mission to the Nueva Espana, Espana and Rome as a Japanese envoy and his Spanish interpreter respectively. They plan to meet the King as well as the Pope. Both are eager to make their mission successful. Blinded by their own ambitions, both of them fail to see the truths before them. Both of them meet with disappointment and defeat. Soon they realize their mistakes, but too late to save their own lives. They gradually come to an understanding of what it really means to follow Christ, and embrace martyrdom.
There are various themes that are dealt with in the novel in a profoundly powerful manner. The snobbishness of the religion preached by the affluent clergy, the relevance of the sufferings and death of Christ to the ordinary people, the fickleness and pride of the Japanese people, the political strategies of the Japanese rulers, the ambitions of the foreign missionaries, the rivalries between missionary orders etc are only some of them.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Endo always works well for me
"The Samurai" is my third Endo novel. I have enjoyed each. "Silence" is his best known. Published in 1969 it surely must have caught the attention of readers not used to such open... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Digital Rights
3.0 out of 5 stars
Beware of Zealots
At this point, I am reading through Endo's opus. I suppose when I read the reviews of "The Samurai", I was hoping for Endo's vision/view of the West through his Japanese... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Reader in the Caribbean
5.0 out of 5 stars
stark look at belief, culture, and commitment
_The Samurai_ captures Endo's craftsmanship superbly. Following the voyage of Hasekura Rokuemon from the shores of Japan to the steps of the Vatican, Endo skillfully reconstructs... Read more
Published on December 21, 2010 by suburban dissident
2.0 out of 5 stars
The Samurai
The Samurai is an historical fiction that does give insight into 16th century Japan and the struggle between established culture and religion in Japan versus Christianity. Read more
Published on July 4, 2009 by S. Brokenshire-Prater
5.0 out of 5 stars
meaningful historical fiction
Based on historical fact, Shusaku Endo's The Samurai tells the story of a zealous Franciscan priest named Velasco (based on a priest named Luis Sotelo) and a rural samurai named... Read more
Published on February 4, 2008 by Samuel Leiter
5.0 out of 5 stars
A small masterpiece
At first sight, a book about Japan, Mexic, Spain and Italy, a book about religion in Japan and religion in medieval Europe. Read more
Published on January 25, 2007 by Adrian S.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very Good!
Okay first of all, don't let the title mislead you. One of the two main characters is a samurai but don't expect sword fights and bloody battles in this book. Read more
Published on May 26, 2006 by Jonathan Duran
4.0 out of 5 stars
An spiritual trip
The samurai Hasekura Tsunenaga Rokuemon has been assigned a mission: to establish commercial ties with the Spanish government and to bring back "padres" to the region of Sendai. Read more
Published on March 23, 2006 by Erie Koyama
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Simple and the Grandiose
I have read a number of other books by Shusaku Endo and I have come to appreciate his unique (to me) Christian theology. Read more
Published on January 24, 2006 by Randy Keehn
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Struggle of Faith and Duty
This was the first novel I read from Endo, and I have to confess to being hooked on it from the first. Read more
Published on April 1, 2005 by Bu-Chan
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