Genpei

Rating:
Summary: Good! Long.
Review: An entertaining and masterful blend of historical and fantastical elements. Bursts of military action balanced with drawn-out accounts of political intrigue.

According to notes accompanying the book it is written in the style of ancient Japanese tales, which I felt was ponderous at times. The writing is very good and the story interesting but I must say that I felt every one of the 448 pages. The style reminds me of Stephen Grundy's Rheingold.

Rating:
Summary: Good! Long.
Review: An entertaining and masterful blend of historical and fantastical elements. Bursts of military action balanced with drawn-out accounts of political intrigue.

According to notes accompanying the book it is written in the style of ancient Japanese tales, which I felt was ponderous at times. The writing is very good and the story interesting but I must say that I felt every one of the 448 pages. The style reminds me of Stephen Grundy's Rheingold.

Rating:
Summary: A Good Historical Tale
Review: As a student of Japanese history, I found that learning of this time era in class extemely dull and confusing, but Dalkey is able to tell the same story adding in all the myth of ancient Japan makeing the story of the Gempei wars much more entertaining. The voice of the book was also well done, reminding me of the Tale of Genji, it made me feel like I was reading a true tale of that time without all the confusion that comes with translating ancient texts. Of course if you're not the least bit interested in Japanese history this book is not for you.

Rating:
Summary: An Incredible Mix of Fantasy and Japanese History
Review: Genpei is one of the best books I have read in a long time. It is a mix of fantasy and Japanese History. Kara Dalkey has written a great novel of the 12th century Japanese Genpei Wars.

The Genpei war was a civil war in Japan between the powerful Taira and Minomoto clans for control of the country. The winner of this war would found the first shogunate in Japanese history.

Anyone who enjoys historical fiction or James Clavell type stuff will love this book. I especially enjoyed how the Japanese Shinto Kami spirits took life in this book giving it the fantasy angle.

What a great novel. This is well worth the time and the money. This book is a must buy.

Rating:
Summary: An Incredible Mix of Fantasy and Japanese History
Review: Genpei is one of the best books I have read in a long time. It is a mix of fantasy and Japanese History. Kara Dalkey has written a great novel of the 12th century Japanese Genpei Wars.

The Genpei war was a civil war in Japan between the powerful Taira and Minomoto clans for control of the country. The winner of this war would found the first shogunate in Japanese history.

Anyone who enjoys historical fiction or James Clavell type stuff will love this book. I especially enjoyed how the Japanese Shinto Kami spirits took life in this book giving it the fantasy angle.

What a great novel. This is well worth the time and the money. This book is a must buy.

Rating:
Summary: A good Effort
Review: I've never read anything else by Dalkey, but knowing something of the period she adapted to Fantasy, I would have to say this is a good effort, but not an excellent one.

It is a must read for those who eat, sleep and breath everything Japanese. But this is definately not a novel that grabs hold and keeps you rivitted, though for the first forty or so pages it may seem that way.

Much of this tradgedy should have been heartbreaking, but I found myself less and less sympathetic to the characters almost wishing I didn't know them so well.

Rating:
Summary: History
Review: If I am not mistaken, this book is meant to be a history book, not a novel for entertainment. (?)
Then if that is the case, it's not supposed to be "fantastic" or tell stories, it's supposed to give accurate fact and detail as genuine historical record. If you are looking for a sensationalized literature book based upon the Gempei war, then read "Tale of the Heike".

Rating:
Summary: History
Review: If I am not mistaken, this book is meant to be a history book, not a novel for entertainment. (?)
Then if that is the case, it's not supposed to be "fantastic" or tell stories, it's supposed to give accurate fact and detail as genuine historical record. If you are looking for a sensationalized literature book based upon the Gempei war, then read "Tale of the Heike".

Rating:
Summary: Could have been much more than it was...
Review: Like samurai?
Like vicious backstabbing and war?
Like demons, angered gods and magic?

Good! Genpei contains all of that. But oh, there's a problem. Genpei is entertaining if you really, truly crave samurai-themed books.

Everyone else is advised to beware.

Apparenly, Kara Dalkey modeled Genpei on ancient Japanese books like Shining Prince Genji, and therein lies the chief problem. Those old books are fantastic for historical reference, but in terms of entertainment value, they suffer.

Genpei is a dry and ponderous tome that feels twice as long as it actually is. Dalkey's writing is capable but stiff, lacking any voice or flourish. The dialogue is formal and devoid of wit, and the method of storytelling seems to be 'tell, don't show' (the story tracks decades in the lives of the Taira and Minamoto families, and much of the story is devoted to playing catch-up by summarizing what happened in the timespan between chapters).

It's hard to work up sympathy for anyone, as the characters all seem to be an array of scheming and politicking old men, mostly so similar that it's difficult to separate them -- and not just because of the Japanese name-changing and similarity customs. The whole thing is just... boring. Even the villains are weak.

A fantasy based on the Genpei wars could have been a fantastic read. It was a fascinating period in Japanese history, a time when courtly peace began its decay back into bickering feudalism. I was as giddy as a schoolgirl upon finding this novel in the library, knowing nothing about it. But after reading Genpei, I'd say unless you really, really, REALLY love samurai, you'd be better off skipping this one. I'm only giving it three stars because yes, I REALLY love samurai...

Rating:
Summary: One of the Greatest you'll find.
Review: Those who've read Dalkey's Blood of the Goddess trilogy know what she's about. An awesome blend of legend, history, and fantasy meld together in this book for a great read. So, if you haven't read any of Dalkey's works, start now. Genpei is an excellent start!