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

[reddist]

While not exactly set in Feudal Japan, Eric Lustbader's Ninja books might give you a good thrill. Set in modern times, but they tie in a lot of mysticism and lore.

Another good one, though again not precisely what you asked for, is Kij Johnson's Fox Woman. The sequel to this should be out sometime this winter. Kij is pretty cool, too. She held several seminars at GenCon last year.

Anyway, 'luck.

-Reddist

 

[Lawrence of Arabica]

I realize you asked for novels, but if you're
at all interested in feudal Japan it would be
foolish to miss the classic films, e.g. Kurosawa's.

 

[Richards]

I'll add to the chorus of approval for Musashi and second the vote for Rowland's samurai detective series. I'll also dredge through my memory and come up with three titles for you (but unfortunately, no corresponding authors - sorry). The first two, Koren and Rajan (and I may have them in opposite order), are about a young swordsman and are definitely fantasy - I distinctly recall an encounter with a kappa in one of them. (I also recall a lot of falcon imagery, but have forgotten the significance.) The other is more historical fiction (non-fantasy), and is called The Tokkaido Road. I believe it was written by a woman, and the protagonist is a woman who must flee one part of feudal Japan and make it across country to find her father's trusted swordsman.

Johnathan

 

[tleilaxu]

If you want to know what samurai were -really- like then you should read Musui's Story, an autobiography of a Tokugawa samurai. It is excellent and easy reading

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...r=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-1473321-0510522?v=glance

Here are the excerpts: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...21-0510522?v=glance&vi=slide-show#reader-link


Childhood

There can't be many in the world as foolish as I am. So let me say this to my grandchildren and great grand-children -- listen to what I have to say, and may the scoundrels and fools, especially, take my story as a lesson.
I was teh child of my father's concubine. She fell out of favor with him, and I was born in her family home.* I was then taken in by my father's wife -- I think of her as my real mother -- and put under the care of a wet nurse. I was naughty from the time I was little and made life difficult for my mother, and with my father away at his office every day, I acted up and was so headstrong that all were at their wits' end. Or so our old retainer Riheiji told me years later.
We lived in the Aburahori section of agawa. In the garden there was an ornamental pond that was filled with water drawn from one of the nearby canals.

 

[Tsyr]

Actualy, Tomoe Gozen is still availible today... It's been renamed, but it's still around. It's now called "The Disfavored Hero", and you can pick it up on Amazon, or presumably any good bookstore.

 

[CCamfield]

I'll also dredge through my memory and come up with three titles for you (but unfortunately, no corresponding authors - sorry). The first two, Koren and Rajan (and I may have them in opposite order), are about a young swordsman and are definitely fantasy

Hey, I own those! Rajan is the first one; I just re-read it last month. They were written by a Tim Lukeman.

Tsyr, that's good to hear about Salmonson's book. It's a pity she stopped writing. (She now runs a bookstore with an online side to it, and which has some good stuff about the authors of old swashbuckler novels.)

 

[Sulimo]

And there was the Shike series by Robert Shea that began with Time of the Dragons . I read it when I was much younger but really have fond memories of it.

 

[Black Omega]

Hagakure by Yamamoto Tsuentomo is also well worth a look. It's not fiction, instead it's an account from the 1700's of what a samurai should be, by someone who thought the samurai were losing their edge during this period. It's an interesting read and gives a good feel for the classic view of what a samurai should be.

You can find it on Amazon.com though there is also an online translation that is nearly as good.

 

[Eldritch]

One book and author I really like is Paladin by C.J.Cherryh. No it is not set in Japan, it is in its own eastern inspired fantasy world, but it might as well have been Japan. It has the feel of an ancient epic legend. Plus Cherryh does such a good job of world building that it is entirely believable. This book is a few years old but it still can be found in stores.

 

[Skade]

Try The Initiate Brother and The Gatherer of Clouds by Sean Russle. It has more in common with China really, but utterly fantastic. Russles grasp of the subtleties of politics and religion is fascinating.