Kill the Shogun: A Samurai Mystery - Hardcover

Furutani, Dale

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0688158196 ISBN 13: 9780688158194

Publisher: William Morrow & Co, 2000

Synopsis

In Kill the Shogun, Dale Furutani returns to the journey of Matsuyama Kaze, the masterless warrior destined to travel the seventeenth-century Japanese countryside until he fulfills the dying wish of his murdered lord's wife. Until now, Kaze's quick wit and samurai skills have enabled him to solve crimes, untangle himself from deadly schemes, and protect the innocent, all the while keeping his sense of justice and honor. But the danger now facing Kaze, from enemies known and unknown, is greater than ever.
Kaze is the closest he's ever come to fulfilling his quest to rescue his lord's kidnapped daughter. Following a trail of clues, he is led to Edo, the bustling new capital of Japan. Treading in unfamiliar territory, Kaze is the object of a deadly manhunt when an attempt on the Shogun's life fails. He must dodge his lord's rivals, even as he learns that the young girl has been sold into prostitution. In his quest to save her, Kaze teams up with an eccentric cast of local characters who bring feudal Japan to life. The samurai must clear his name and rescue the child as the odds against him grow.

About this title

About the Author

Dale Furutani's first novel, Death in Little Tokyo, was nominated for an Agatha Award, and won Anthony and Macavity Awards for best first mystery. He lives in Los Angeles.

Reviews

Anthony and Macavity award winner Furutani manages a fluid mix of cultural history and swashbuckling adventureAthe swordplay conjures memories of SabatiniAin this concluding volume of the Samurai Mystery Trilogy (Death at the Crossroads; Jade Palace Vendetta), set in early 17th-century Japan. Samurai Matsuyama Kaze's solitary quest to find the young daughter of his slain Lord and Lady, who figure in the previous two books, brings him to Edo (Old Tokyo), the bustling new capital of Japan, where fortune has made Tokugawa Ieyasu the new Shogun (ruler). Tokugawa is rebuilding and expanding Edo, recently ravaged by fire, at a feverish pace. Kaze's search for the young girl, who's been sold into slavery as a child prostitute, is difficult enough in the large city, but when he's mistakenly identified as the unsuccessful assassin who fired a shot at the Shogun, it becomes dangerous too. Single-mindedly pursuing his goal, Kaze adopts various disguises and eventually locates the brothel where the girl is likely kept. He then has to plot to extricate her while at the same time figuring out how to prove himself innocent of attempted assassination. A memorable cast of warriors, gamblers, merchants and craftsmen adds dimension to the proceedings. Kaze's subtle humor, supreme sword skills and calm spirituality are appealing, as Furutani succeeds in making this final volume stand alone as a complete and entertaining period mystery. (Sept.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Restless 17th-century samurai Matsuyama Kaze continues his search for his murdered lord's kidnapped daughter. He locates her in Edo but must first sidetrack his mission when authorities believe he has come to murder the shogun. Colorful adventure and a quick escape.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The concluding volume to Furutani's samurai series set in seventeenth-century Japan finds wandering samurai Matsuyama Kaze continuing his search for the young daughter of his slain lord. Kaze has determined that she is being held prisoner in a whorehouse called "Little Flower" in the town of Edo. Before he can rescue the child, however, an assassination attempt is made on the Shogun Ieyasu, and Kaze is publicly blamed for the crime. Normally cautious, he now must take extraordinary actions to avoid capture; a huge reward has been placed on his head, and the townspeople of Edo are eager to claim it. As usual, Furutani proves adept at combining historical fact with compelling fiction. His prose is flowing and lovely, even when describing rather gruesome fight scenes, and the haiku at the beginning of each chapter is an added bonus. If Furutani doesn't devise a way to extend this excellent series beyond what appears to be its finale, let's hope he continues to make use of the samurai setting in future novels. Jenny McLarin
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Delicate feathers,
speed, grace, style, and elegance.
Death in an instant.

Japan, the year of the Rabbit, 1603

She looked for something to kill. When she was taken from hooded darkness, it was because something was supposed to die. Her sharp eyes scanned the sky, looking for movement or a patch of dark against either the blue sky or the billowing white and gray clouds.

It was the month of No Gods, and soon it would be the month of White Frost, so the day was not hot. Still, even on a cool day, the sun heated up patches of rock and earth, forming weak thermals that made invisible pillars in the air. Her delicate feathers sought these thermals like sensitive instruments, instinct telling her to use the columns of rising air to loiter in the sky as she sought out her prey. She encountered the buffeting of rising air and banked her wings to spiral into the thermal, constantly sweeping the sky with her bright eyes.

She gave two flaps of her powerful wings, the column of air not being strong enough on a cool day to keep her aloft without effort. Below, the steep hills were densely covered with trees. The fall colors were just beginning to tinge the landscape like the delicate strokes of a kimono painter, touching brush to silk and watching the rich hues spread across the tightly woven, shimmering cloth.

A movement invaded the periphery of one eye and the majestic bird cocked its head to track it. A dove, flying across the treetops. The hawk curled its wing feathers and made a tight bank. With a few beats of its wings, the hunter increased its speed to catch up to the hunted.

The dove was still unaware that mortality was approaching. It was intent on reaching the rice paddies on the horizon, where its own prey, grubs and worms, would be in abundance. The hawk increased its speed as it trimmed back its wings to plummet down on the dove.

At the last moment, the dove heard the rustle of wind in wings, then the needle-sharp talons of the hawk punctured its body.

With a few slow beats of its wings, the hawk rose higher into the sky, still clutching its dying prey. It made a wide semicircle until it spotted the group of men on horseback, and it started making its way back. One of the men held up a leather-covered arm to the bird, inviting it to return to the perch where it would get a tasty morsel to reward it for its successful hunt.

As the hawk approached the hunting party, its sharp eyes noticed another group of men. This group was hiding in the rocks near the men on horseback. Like the hawk, they were also hunters seeking their prey.

The two men had cloths tied around their heads, covering the bottom of their faces. One slowly raised his head above the rocks so he could get a clear view of the hunting party. The man next to him also rose and held out three fingers with his hand. Then he pointed to the right.

The first man counted three figures from the right and stared intently at the face of his intended victim. Even at this distance, it was easy to make out the features of the man he would eventually kill. He found it interesting that this man, secure in his power and lofty position, was actually a dead man. He simply didn't know it yet.

Tokugawa Ieyasu, the newly named Shogun and ruler of all Japan, felt the familiar weight of the hawk settle on his arm. He cooed at the bird and gently stroked its head with one finger. A servant went to pick up the dead dove where the hawk had dropped it and ran over to show it to the Shogun. Ieyasu nodded and turned his attention back to the hawk. He was pleased with the efficiency of the bird's kill. Ieyasu was a man who valued efficiency.

The servant took out a knife and cut a strip of flesh from the dove's body. He handed it to Ieyasu.

"Here, my pretty one," Ieyasu said, feeding the piece of meat to the hawk. "See, Honda, how she enjoys the treat! She is an extremely intelligent hawk."

Honda, renowned for his gruffness, growled, "If the bird were smart, it would keep the entire kill for itself."

Ieyasu looked at his other companion and said, "What do you think, Nakamura-san? Is it proper that the bird only gets a portion of that which she killed? Is she a dumb beast for not flying away and taking it all?"

"No, my Lord, it is not improper. Takagari, hawk hunting, goes back to the Emperor Nintoku, over twelve hundred years ago. It is a noble sport and one that follows natural principles. Everyone can see that there is a hierarchy in nature, so it is reasonable that this bird should have a master, just as men do. You are this hawk's master. You have worked with her and trained her to do your bidding. Each time you hunt with her, you stand the chance of losing her. But you have not lost her. She accepts that you are her master. She has returned to you and is quite content to eat whatever you choose to give her. It was her choice not to seek freedom and the ability to eat the entire dove."

"For goodness' sake, Nakamura, you make everything sound like a lesson from a priest. It's a dumb beast. You make it sound like a vassal!" Honda snapped.

"Well," Nakamura said, "in a way it is a vassal. It tenders its services to Ieyasu-sama and in return it's very happy to accept any rewards the Shogun chooses to give it. So it is with the men who fight for Ieyasu-sama."

Edition details

• Publisher: William Morrow & Co
• Publication date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0688158196
• ISBN 13: 9780688158194
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 230