Bundori

Rating:
Summary: very engrossing, very well written, most enjoyable
Review: 2d in a series, this is a good stand alone book also. I have really enjoyed this and its predecessor (Shinju) and its followup (The Way of The Traitor). I hope #4 is not far off.

Rating:
Summary: Another winner!
Review: After reading the first book in this series, 'Shinju', I was expecting a little bit of a letdown -- I didn't think this book would be as good; after all, it's hard to be inventive in the 'sequel'. However, I was pleasantly surprised that this novel was just as good as the first. The same characters, both good and bad, populate this novel, as well as new (presumably recurring) characters. The plot is complex: Sano Ichiro must hunt for another murderer, someone who is apparently fulfilling an ancestor's blood debt by killing his ancestor's rivals. The cast of characters and their motivations is sometimes hard to follow, and watching poor Sano get -- literally and politically -- beaten up is sometimes hard to read, but you have to admire a man who risks everything to find the truth. Rowland also captures the mental conflict between truth and preserving honor in 17th Century Japan. I learned a lot.

Rating:
Summary: Historically driven mystery, like the edge of a katana!
Review: As a Japanese history major, I was pleased to see a wealth accurate history lacing this intriguing mystery. Rowland approaches a perspective of samurai police life through Sano Ichiro that doesn't include the overdone shogun or ronin characters. Shinju was a thrilling intro! Splendid!END

Rating:
Summary: Loving it!
Review: Bundori had an exellent story that had me reading other books on ancient Japan! The visuals was beautiful and Sano, the main character, was very likable. I am looking forward to Mrs. Rowland's next Sano Ichiro mystery!

Rating:
Summary: A great mystery thriller
Review: Bundori is an intriguing mystery thriller penned by Laura Joh Rowland, and the sequel to Shinju. The story takes place in Edo (now known as Tokyo), Japan in 1689, and centers around a murder investigation involving much more than simply murder. The "Bundori Killer" decapitates his victims and mounts their heads as war trophies for... what? And why? ("Bundori" means "war trophy" in Japanese.)

The rather difficult task of answering these questions falls to Sano Ichiro, the shogun's sosakan-sama (Most Honorable Investigator of Events, Situations, and People). Already a daunting case, Sano's job is made much more difficult by the interference of the second most powerful man in Japan, Chamberlain Yanagisawa. Yanagisawa is jealous of Sano because he saved the shogun's life and feels that he is a threat to his own power. Another unexpected element is thrown into the mix in the form of a female ninja disguised as a shrine maiden working for Yanagisawa against her will. He orders her to sabotage Sano's investigation, but... let's just say things don't go quite as smoothly as Yanagisawa could have hoped for.

As the mystery unfolds, the story and characters only grow more intriguing. As the real murderer isn't revealed until the very end, it makes for a very suspenseful read. Being a fan of pretty much all things Japanese, the frequent use of Japanese terms, greetings, and such was a big turn on. It also provided an interesting look at 17th Century Japanese culture, and the mind frame of the people that made up that culture. The story was crafted beautifully and executed in a very believable manner. Bundori is one of those books that draws you in and keeps you hooked until the very end.

I would gladly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery, but also to anyone who enjoys Japanese culture. Reading Shinju is not necessary to understand and enjoy Bundori, but will give you a better understanding of Sano's character and the events that got him where he is. If you're in the mood for a good mystery thriller with a dash of romance and political intrigue (well, maybe more than a dash of the latter) thrown in, then Bundori is the book you've been looking for!

Rating:
Summary: A great mystery thriller
Review: Bundori is an intriguing mystery thriller penned by Laura Joh Rowland, and the sequel to Shinju. The story takes place in Edo (now known as Tokyo), Japan in 1689, and centers around a murder investigation involving much more than simply murder. The "Bundori Killer" decapitates his victims and mounts their heads as war trophies for... what? And why? ("Bundori" means "war trophy" in Japanese.)

The rather difficult task of answering these questions falls to Sano Ichiro, the shogun's sosakan-sama (Most Honorable Investigator of Events, Situations, and People). Already a daunting case, Sano's job is made much more difficult by the interference of the second most powerful man in Japan, Chamberlain Yanagisawa. Yanagisawa is jealous of Sano because he saved the shogun's life and feels that he is a threat to his own power. Another unexpected element is thrown into the mix in the form of a female ninja disguised as a shrine maiden working for Yanagisawa against her will. He orders her to sabotage Sano's investigation, but... let's just say things don't go quite as smoothly as Yanagisawa could have hoped for.

As the mystery unfolds, the story and characters only grow more intriguing. As the real murderer isn't revealed until the very end, it makes for a very suspenseful read. Being a fan of pretty much all things Japanese, the frequent use of Japanese terms, greetings, and such was a big turn on. It also provided an interesting look at 17th Century Japanese culture, and the mind frame of the people that made up that culture. The story was crafted beautifully and executed in a very believable manner. Bundori is one of those books that draws you in and keeps you hooked until the very end.

I would gladly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery, but also to anyone who enjoys Japanese culture. Reading Shinju is not necessary to understand and enjoy Bundori, but will give you a better understanding of Sano's character and the events that got him where he is. If you're in the mood for a good mystery thriller with a dash of romance and political intrigue (well, maybe more than a dash of the latter) thrown in, then Bundori is the book you've been looking for!

Rating:
Summary: Very graphic, but loads of fun
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Samurai intrigue in 17th century Japan
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Another good book
Review: I admit I approached this book prepared for a little disappointment. Ms. Rowland's 'Shinju' was a lot of fun to read, I liked the main characters and all in all it set a pretty high standard for any follow-on.

Happily, my worries were unfounded. While there are a few bumps here and there this book carries on well with the series and does not fail to keep the reader's interest in the cast of characters and the mystery underlying the action.

But a word about those bumps, or at least one in particular. The frankness of sexual encounters in the book are a little disconcerting in a couple of instances. This is perhaps not a book to lend to your teenager. But neither is it overly gratuitous in its forthright treatment of a culture with a somewhat different approach to sexual mores than extant in American society. Different readers will likely have different reactions but I'd put it at no more than skipping a page once or twice (ascetic spirit that I am). That said, I can happily recommend this book.

Rating:
Summary: A great read!
Review: I could not put it down! I finished it in 5 hours and read it again that night! It was the best gift I ever got! (Thanks, James!)