OT:Looking for a good book/series set in Feudal Japan

[mooby]

Just to let you know, I'm usually into fantasy books, like Arthurian tales or Lord Of the Rings, ect.

I've never read a book about ninja or samurai, and I think it might be an interesting twist.

Any suggestions are welcome, thanks in advance.

 

[NiTessine]

James Clavell's Shogun is a good one to start with. It has it all... samurai, swordfights, ninja, and this one clueless Englishman in the middle of it all... An excellent book. And a thick one, too.

Then there's Eiji Yoshikawa's Musashi. It's a historical story of one of the best swordsmen to have ever lived yada yada yada. I never read it because the book is too damn big. It's enormous. It's the size of those large, ancient Bibles you see in museums. So, if you want to give yourself a hernia, I can recommend this one. Apparently, it's regarded as something of a classic, too, so it can't be all bad...

 

[Enforcer]

I'll second Shogun, it's really good. As for those Legend of the Five Rings novels set in Rokugan...they're mediocre for the most part, althought the Scorpion clan novel was pretty good.

 

[mooby]

Thanks, guys. Anymore suggestions?


BTW, as mentioned in the Paladin thread, I love the Samurai Jack cartoon.

 

[Dimenhydrinate]

Shogun is the place to start as has already been posted. My dad had me read 2 books from a trilogy when I was in middle school and I can't find the 3rd one or even remember the titles but the two I read where good books they had something to do with a dragon in the title. Japan was being invaded by some parts of china. Oh forget it I can't dredge up enough to tell you it has been too long. I think they were good books though. Had some monks. I am gonna go pull my hair out now.

 

[Tsyr]

Ick. I couldn't STAND the Clan War novels. At all.

Anyhow.

Another vote for Shogun, and a vote for Musashi.

 

[Oni]

Ok, I don't really know any novel novels. But slightly sidestepping your question I hightly recommend the Lone Wolf and Cub graphic novels. I also like Blade of the Immortal, set in japan (around meiji era, but I may have that wrong) with fantasy elements.

 

[Tauric]

Hello, everybody. This is my first time on the boards.

I went ahead and registered just so I could recommend 'Lone Wolf and Cub' and 'Blade of the Immortal'.

Imagine my chagrin when I found that Oni beat me to it.

Oh well.

At least I won't have that problem again.

 

[Deedlit]

Would the Inu-Yasha manga work. No ninja or samurai though.

 

[Daiymo]

I would also recommend Shogun. James Clavell is a author who wrote with a great appreciation for what we in the West once called the Orient.

I would also recommend Gai-jin by Clavell, set in Japan around the time of the Meiji Restoration, late 1800's. Like Shogun gives a good sense of culture clash, and also a hint of the disappearence of the samurai as Japanese nationalism takes over from the Tokugawa dynasty.

Although you didnt ask, a good non fiction book is Legends of the Samurai, by Hirokai Sato. A good collection of stories and essays written by the samuari about themselves, their exploits and history. Can be a little dry in parts, but not too big. Gives a good look into the mindset of the samurai and how they saw themselves, not only as warriors but as a class.