A Wild Sheep Chase : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: Murakami's finest novel
Review: This is Murakami's first novel in that "Pinball 1973" and "Hear the Wind Sing" are more mini-novels that preface this work. And as such, this is a debut of startling originality, ease of language and namely, vivid allegory. At the centerpiece of this sepertine novel lies the sheep. The philosophy of "sheeplessness" is so inspired and layered, not only is it the crux of this entertaining novel, it is also the foundation of a much broader understanding of contemporary Japanese society. Echoing a theme found in much of his work, the advance of technology over the humane strikes a sharp chord in this work and contributes largely to the understated melancholy that permeates the work. The novel, and it's successor "Dance, Dance, Dance" are rich, allegorical works that offer up hints of rebirth and renewal in modern society. Needless to say, the novel is highly entertaining, humorous and wonderfully written. But below the surface, like so much of Murakami's work, lies a deeper message. This book unfolds upon many subsequent readings and although there are no easy answers, the wording never deadens and the characters live on in infinite space. A masterpiece.

Rating:
Summary: Haruki Murakami became my favorite author after I read it.
Review: Haruki Murakami has the depth of perception of Mishima, the beauty of Kawabata, and the sense of wonder of Abe. This is the story of an ordinary man who has learned to roll with whatever life hurls his way. His wife leaves him - he reasons that she probably never really felt like she belonged to him anyway. His best friend disappears after sending him a picture of a sheep - he's sure his friend will show up again. The sheep turns out to have mysterious mental powers and is trying to take over the world - well, we'll stop him somehow. The beauty of this book is how effortless it all is for Murakami. There are passages of incredible beauty, as well as breathtaking humor, all delivered almost conversationally. I've read this book at least fifty times, and it never grows old. I have thankfully never taken any literature classes - I have, however, read thousands of books in my time - and for my money, Murakami is the best writer walking. Forget about the Lit Crit Voodoo Guru Of The Month - this guy is the real thing!

Rating:
Summary: Good translation
Review: Surely Murakami's style in Japanese is somewhat English-like, which must have helped the translator much. Still,I think the translator did an extraordinarily good job.....

Rating:
Summary: What a novel is supposed to be!
Review: The works of Murakami-san are simply masterpieces of modern fiction. I'd suggest new readers start with the Sheep Chase and work their way upwards to his magnum opus - The Wind-up Bird Chronicles. Further words can do no justice. I'd just like to say doumo arigatou gozaimasu and gambatte!

Rating:
Summary: Haruki is just so cool!
Review: This is a man who has got such a wide expanse of mind and he isn't in the least bit pretentious in his work. Highly accessible to us regular people. All possibilities are considered. All weird things are worthy of being written. I was really satisfied with the way he wrapped up the plot. Conclusive and yet full of possibilities. An actual page turner.

Rating:
Summary: Fiction at its best
Review: "A Wild Sheep Chase" lingers in ones mind and demands more than one reading. The characters are beautifully developed and unraveling of the plot is so wonderfully written it makes the book extremely hard to put down. Note: the characters in this book first appear in "Hear The Wind Sing" and "Pinball 1973." I recommend all three of these books and the continuation, "Dance Dance Dance" very strongly!

Rating:
Summary: 11
Review: As a Murakami fan, this is my favorite one. I'm not sure why, but that goes for all his books. When I'm reading them, it's a thrilling ride. But when I finish them, there's this sense of emptiness in me saying, "What did I just read?" He seems to say so much, yet so little can be processed in the brain. The rest flows to the heart. Too bad the rating doesn't go to 11.

Rating:
Summary: Hard to belive this is a translation
Review: Most translated novels lose quite a bit. The idioms, style, and general tone often don't translate with the words. (Read the Spanish version of Allende's "House of Spirits", then compare the English translation if you don't believe me.) This exceptional story seems to retain its essence depite translation. It is haunting, surreal, and absurdly funny at the same time. It's the kind of story that invades your thoughts for months after you read it. Commendations to Alfred Birnbaum on his translation. I can only imagine how rich a story it must be when read in its intended tongue

Rating:
Summary: A wild journey through the other world that is this world
Review: A Wild Sheep Chase is one of the select few books which, upon finishing, I immediately returned to the front and read again. It's like an incredible roller coaster you never want to end. This is an entrancing plunge into the vast world that exits just below the surface of what we perceive as the everyday, a world brimming with delightful insanity and flavor which, though never acknowledge is what truly adds flavor to our lives. Murakami's everyman protagonist is plucked out of his mundane existence and shown first hand how bizarre and deep this mundane world can truly be if you're willing to peer beneath the surface. A wonder of a tale that will make you long for a quirky metaphysical adventure of your own, and just might move you to launch one

Rating:
Summary: Murakami does it again!
Review: Fabulous! Picturesque, dark, with much of the same melancholy as "Norwegian Wood," and told in the same offhand style. Murakami is a novelist with the heart and style of a poet, and the dry wit of a satirist. His stories, told in this loose, comfortable style seem to slip lightly along, until you are sucker-punched with tragedy or insight, related in the same voice. Once again, I can only describe Mr. Murakami's work as deeply haunting and memorable