Rating: 
Summary: Good Period Fun with Minor Flaws
Review: Each volume in the Matsuyama Kaze trilogy-this is the middle book- is a standalone tale, however it adds a great deal to read them in order, as the wandering ronin's central quest spans all three books. Set in 1603, just after the events recounted in Death at the Crossroads, the story finds Kaze traveling down the Tokaido road tracking three travelers who may have a clue to the whereabouts of his dead lord's daughter. Just as in that previous book, a chance encounter on the road propels Kaze into intrigue and danger. This time, he comes across a merchant being attacked by bandits. He naturally saves the man and his cargo from immediate danger, but then they must trek through the lawless wilderness to safety with the merchant's valuables, avoiding the rest of the bandits. Most readers will probably pick up on a slightly discordant note in all this that for some reason Kaze seems to miss, even with obvious prompting.When Kaze then proceeds on his quest, he locates his targets, but is forced to help them before they will reveal their information-all of which dovetails to his adventure with the merchant. This all hinges on a bit of coincidence that isn't too annoying as long as one doesn't think about it too long. Another minor quibble is that just as in the previous book, the villain here is a powerful, but insane figure who manages to maintain a semblance of normality. All in all the story telegraphs its clues and direction, and most readers will and unraveled all the connections well ahead of Kaze, yet it's still fun to read. Unlike so many mysteries, it's a pleasantly compact tale, easily digested in a single night's reading. The cast of characters is small and well depicted-although not perhaps as vivid as the villagers of the previous book. What is impressive is the development of Kaze as a protagonist you can't get enough of, from his mastery in swordsmanship, to his sly sense of humor, compassion, and reverence for humanity-he's an excellent dispenser of cosmic justice. (Justice is one of the book's themes, as a careful delineation is made between murder and killing.) As with the earlier book, Furutani weaves period detail throughout. Often, a ritual or object will lead to a brief tangential discussion of its development and use. These asides are not always subtle, but are fascinating slices of history and custom. I look forward to the completion of Kaze's quest in Kill the Shogun.
Rating: 
Summary: A teriffic historical mystery
Review: Europe considers the year to be 1603, but Japanese see it as the eighth year of Keicho. Life is finally quieting down following the battle of Sekigahara where the Takugawa clan became the rulers of Japan. Fifty thousand samurai were left without a master. Many such as Matsuyama Kaze became ronins, a homeless warrior. In the case of Matsuyama, he searches for the missing nine-year old daughter of his former Lord and Lady. After three years of futility, Matsuyama finally finds a clue. He now seeks three people who most likely can provide him with answers. As he travels down The Tokaido Road, he rescues a merchant under attack by several bandits. He safely escorts his new but temporary employer home and receives gold in payment. He goes back to his hunt for the trio of people with answers. When he catches up to the threesome, he learns they have a personal vendetta against the person Matsuyama just rescued. Still, they agree to help him if the ronin can learn what happened to their grandmother's grandson, who disappeared on the merchant's estate. THE JADE PALACE VENDETTA, the second novel in Dale Furutami's Samurai trilogy, is a remarkable work of historical fiction that brings to life a part of the Japanese heritage not seen by westerners. The descriptions are so well drawn, the audience feels they have been magically transported to an exotic locale. Cleverly integrated within the story line of the well-designed mystery are folklore tales, legends, and customs. Anyone who takes pleasure in a wonderful work of historical fiction that makes a different era and culture come to life needs to read this novel and its predecessor. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: A fantastic, engrossing historical mystery
Review: For a man who wasn't there, Furutani has an excellent ability to transport a reader to the distant, rather mysterious past. This is the second in his Samurai trilogy, something I was mournfully aware of as I picked it up. I did not want to be 2/3 of the way done with the books, but paradoxically can't wait for the third! Matsuyama Kaze is about as untraditional a protagonist of a mystery as it gets-- yet I can think of no one better suited to what he does. He is intelligent, intriguing, focused. He is a master swordsman, and in fact does end up using his sword a good deall, but he is ever honorable and has just the right combination of self-deprication and humor. A ronin in a tumultuous time, when the Tokugawa shogunate has just come to power, he is a man on a mission: find the daughter of his defeated Lord. In Jade Palace Vendetta, Matsuyama Kaze is drawn almost against his will to defend a traveling merchant. At Hishigawa the merchant's home, he finds more than he expected. The wife of Hishgawa remains hidden, yet the head of the household, a female servant named Ando, avoids Matsuyama Kaze whenever possible. Meanwhile, the reappearance of a certain memorable trio from the first book of the trilogy, Death at the Crossroads, spurs Matsuyama Kaze to action. He comes closer than ever before to finding the daughter of his Lord, and remembers his few painful encounters with the Lady. This has got to be one of the best mysteries of the year.
Rating:
Summary: A fantastic, engrossing historical mystery
Review: For a man who wasn't there, Furutani has an excellent ability to transport a reader to the distant, rather mysterious past. This is the second in his Samurai trilogy, something I was mournfully aware of as I picked it up. I did not want to be 2/3 of the way done with the books, but paradoxically can't wait for the third! Matsuyama Kaze is about as untraditional a protagonist of a mystery as it gets-- yet I can think of no one better suited to what he does. He is intelligent, intriguing, focused. He is a master swordsman, and in fact does end up using his sword a good deall, but he is ever honorable and has just the right combination of self-deprication and humor. A ronin in a tumultuous time, when the Tokugawa shogunate has just come to power, he is a man on a mission: find the daughter of his defeated Lord. In Jade Palace Vendetta, Matsuyama Kaze is drawn almost against his will to defend a traveling merchant. At Hishigawa the merchant's home, he finds more than he expected. The wife of Hishgawa remains hidden, yet the head of the household, a female servant named Ando, avoids Matsuyama Kaze whenever possible. Meanwhile, the reappearance of a certain memorable trio from the first book of the trilogy, Death at the Crossroads, spurs Matsuyama Kaze to action. He comes closer than ever before to finding the daughter of his Lord, and remembers his few painful encounters with the Lady. This has got to be one of the best mysteries of the year.
Rating: 
Summary: Annoyed and disappointed
Review: Jade Palace Vedetta was recommended to me by my teenage sister. She loved the story. I was disappointed by the ending and annoyed at the author of his blatant copycat of A. Kurosawa and a James Bond movie (can you guess which one? ;)). At least the author did admit in the Author's note that he did use A. Kurosawa's ideas. The author says he did this because he respects A. Kurosawa as one of the greatest Japanese filmmakers. The movie was of course "The Hidden Fortress", directed by Akira Kurosawa which is set in feudal Japan. Stars Wars also has some reflection of the two peasant characters. As for the James Bond movie, well, you'll have to guess that one for yourself. Kaze Matsuyama is wanted by the law and is a wandering ronin, unemployed samurai. He is looking for his Lord's daughter because of a pledge he made to the Lord's wife, whom the novel hints of an infatuation, while she was dying. Homeless and without a family, Kaze uses his wits, ingenuity, and samurai training to get himself out of a sticky situation with a merchant and a family that has a vedetta against the merchant. It was hard for me to finish and continue the story. I kept going back to it because my sister loved it and I thought the story would get better. The story isn't bad, but I think the author could develop his character of Kaze with more dimension, he seems like the same wanderlusted samurai in many Japanese movies with a dark past.
Rating:
Summary: Annoyed and disappointed
Review: Jade Palace Vedetta was recommended to me by my teenage sister. She loved the story. I was disappointed by the ending and annoyed at the author of his blatant copycat of A. Kurosawa and a James Bond movie (can you guess which one? ;)). At least the author did admit in the Author's note that he did use A. Kurosawa's ideas. The author says he did this because he respects A. Kurosawa as one of the greatest Japanese filmmakers. The movie was of course "The Hidden Fortress", directed by Akira Kurosawa which is set in feudal Japan. Stars Wars also has some reflection of the two peasant characters. As for the James Bond movie, well, you'll have to guess that one for yourself. Kaze Matsuyama is wanted by the law and is a wandering ronin, unemployed samurai. He is looking for his Lord's daughter because of a pledge he made to the Lord's wife, whom the novel hints of an infatuation, while she was dying. Homeless and without a family, Kaze uses his wits, ingenuity, and samurai training to get himself out of a sticky situation with a merchant and a family that has a vedetta against the merchant. It was hard for me to finish and continue the story. I kept going back to it because my sister loved it and I thought the story would get better. The story isn't bad, but I think the author could develop his character of Kaze with more dimension, he seems like the same wanderlusted samurai in many Japanese movies with a dark past.
Rating:
Summary: A lyrical, engrossing mystery with a fascinating setting.
Review: Like Death at the Crossroads, the first book in Dale Furutani's Samurai Trilogy, Jade Palace Vendetta is set in 17th century Japan and features lyrical prose, haiku to lead in each chapter, and one of my favorite fictional characters, Matsuyama Kaze. (Last name first) Kaze is that extreme loner--a ronin--a samurai left masterless after Japan's civil war made Ieyasu Tokugawa the triumphant ruler of Japan. In many ways, Kaze reminds me of a Knight Errant from my own country's history--a medieval knight who wandered in search of adventures--a person of a chivalrous and/or adventurous spirit. Kaze has a prototype in American mystery fiction also. Remember the quote from Raymond Chandler? "Down these mean streets must go a man who is not himself mean." Kaze fits this description, his "mean streets" being the Tokaido Road, one of the most famous roads in Japanese history. Kaze is a great swordsman, a terrific strategist, an honest and honorable man who is saved from stuffiness by an appealing sense of humor. I'm really in awe of this character, and of the author's amazing feat in creating such an attractive and intriguing character out of someone who goes around killing people with his sword. In this novel, an interesting and convincing distinction is made between killing and murdering. Kaze would never murder, nor would he kill anyone who didn't deserve it, but he does still manage to knock off a considerable number of bad guys. Early in the novel, Kaze gets involved in a sword fight. I would not have thought I'd ever be compelled to read every stroke of a sword fight, but I watched the whole thing in breathless anticipation of the outcome. It starts like this: "The new attacker brought his sword down, and Kaze brought his blade up to parry the blow. The sword blades, both finely polished and shimmering silver in the murky light, came together with a tremendous clang, and Kaze was pushed back a step by the combined momentum of the running man and the force of his overhead blow." Lovely stuff. The year is 1603 and Kaze is continuing the quest that motivated him in Death at the crossroads --searching for the kidnapped daughter of Kaze's former master and his lady. On the way, he becomes involved in other people's problems and finds himself in great danger The reader also learns more about Kaze's past and his training as a samurai in this book, and an enthralling past it is. I was interested to learn that a merchant in that period was considered one of the lowest of the low. There's a fascinating character named Hishigawa, a merchant who fancies himself a Samurai. A merchant, by the way, could not kill anyone and get away with it, but a Samurai could. There's a wonderful scene under a waterfall of Kaze's first meeting with the Lady, and another most subtle and touching scene between the two that creates powerful sexual tension out of one small action on the Lady's part. There's also an appearance by Elder Grandma, who showed up in Death at the Crossroads wearing a headband with the kanji character for revenge emblazoned upon it. Elder Grandma has attitude and she knows what to do with it! In return for information Kaze wants from her, she demands Kaze's assistance in finding out who killed her grandson, Mototane, which Kaze agrees to do. He is as surprised as I was to find out the identity of the murderer! This novel, like its predecessor, Death at the Crossroads, is a literary novel with a mystery at its heart. It's not a traditional mystery, yet there is a whodunnit in it, and a truly amazing conclusion. It's also a beautifully written, engrossing tour de force. I can hardly wait for book three.
Rating:
Summary: A lyrical, engrossing mystery with a fascinating setting.
Review: The second book in the Samurai Mystery Trilogy continues the saga of Matsuyama Kaze, a ronin in feudal Japan and his search for his lord's missing daughter. The story begins with Kaze coming upon a merchant under attack by bandits. Single-handedly dispatching the ruffians, Kaze escorts the merchant and his treasure home where Kaze discovers evil in the form of slavery of young girls. This novel is best read as a sequel to Death at the Crossroads. That said, the sign of a good book is one that leaves the reader wanting more. Furutani has accomplished this with both entries in the trilogy.
Rating:
Summary: Mystery in Feudal Japan
Review: The second book in the Samurai Mystery Trilogy continues the saga of Matsuyama Kaze, a ronin in feudal Japan and his search for his lord's missing daughter. The story begins with Kaze coming upon a merchant under attack by bandits. Single-handedly dispatching the ruffians, Kaze escorts the merchant and his treasure home where Kaze discovers evil in the form of slavery of young girls. This novel is best read as a sequel to Death at the Crossroads. That said, the sign of a good book is one that leaves the reader wanting more. Furutani has accomplished this with both entries in the trilogy.
Rating:
Summary: One of the BEST mystery books I've ever read
Review: This book ranks up in the top near a good nancy drew mystery. While the first couple of pages were a little dry and the main character switches from present to past back to present, it is a wonderful book and I would reccomend it to anyone and everyone who loves a good mystery book. I initially picked this book out because in my 11th grade english III class (in the United States)we had to chose from a list of minority authors and we have to do this project, this was the most interesting book I could find and I still wasn't very excited I guess you could say about having to read this "long" book but I love it and would like to read the whole series if possible!!!!!!!!!!!!
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