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Furutani
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Samurai Series
(Matsuyama Kaze)
“Every gesture from Kaze's "gently cupping" his Lady's face as she dies, to the parrying of swords is rendered with the unhurried care of a master craftsman.” – Publishers Weekly
The Samurai Mystery series has been picked as one of the French "Grande Detectives" collection.
Death at the Crossroads - Matsuyama Kaze is a "ronin," a Japanese knight errant. Kaze must travel across Japan until he fulfills a promise made to his dying Lord and Lady -- to find their nine-year-old daughter. As this masterless samurai searches the countryside, he is caught up in a series of mysteries that test his strength and skills as well as his Confucian training.
“The face of remarkable actor Toshiro Mifune might insist on looming up before your eyes as you read this engrossing new historical mystery about a rogue samurai warrior named Matsuyama Kaze ("Pine Mountain Wind”) roaming through rural Japan in 1603...” – Amazon Company Review
Jade Palace Vendetta - Told with the beguiling mystery and historical authenticity that distinguish Dale Furutani's samurai trilogy, this second installment in the series brings us further into the heart of feudal Japan. The saga's hero is noble ronin Matsuyama Kaze, a warrior whose sense of honor is as keen as his deadly sword.
Starred Review – Publishers Weekly, 1999.
“Even the novel's one truly surprising scene, when Kaze learns the secret of Yuchan's life in the Jade Palace, has a kind of visual poetry, horror and beauty nightmarishly juxtaposed. Like Kaze's miraculous new sword "the Fly Cutter," Furutani's pen is "light and lively," but capable of gross violence when necessary. Yet what makes this novel so poignant is that Kaze's Jedi-like purity and self-restraint seem outmoded even in 1603 Japan a time in which violence, sex and commerce proliferate, and 50,000 ronin samurai roam the countryside.” – Publishers Weekly
Kill the Shogun - Told with the beguiling mystery and historical authenticity that distinguish Dale Furutani's samurai trilogy, this second installment in the series brings us further into the heart of feudal Japan. The saga's hero is noble ronin Matsuyama Kaze, a warrior whose sense of honor is as keen as his deadly sword.
Dale Furutani's Samurai Mystery Trilogy concludes with Kill the Shogun. In this book Matsuyama Kaze takes up his unfinished business from the previous adventures (Death at the Crossroads, Jade Palace Vendetta)--finding the daughter of his former patrons, his lord and lady who were massacred in the intrigues that attended an earlier change in the fortunes of Japan's 17th-century ruling class. Journeying to the capital of the new Japan, Edo, Kaze is catapulted once again into political intrigue when he is mistakenly identified as the would-be assassin of Tokugawa Iesyasu, the new Shogun.
As adept at disguise as he is at swordplay and as clever a reader of the mysteries of his enemies' minds as he is a private seeker of an ennobled spirituality, Kaze is a superhero who defeats the forces ranged against him by employing not only his own extraordinary physical and mental abilities, but the strength of his opponents as well. There's plenty of swordplay, including a fight with a band of ninjas, contract killers for one of the Shogun's rivals. There's also lots of palace intrigue and nicely rendered secondary characters, including a pair of peasants with theatrical ambitions, a young woman who's smitten by the Samurai, and, of course, the object of Kaze's quest, whom he manages to extricate from a brothel in the nick of time. Furutani makes a rarely evoked period come alive, with its distinctive mores, society, and class structure. If you haven't read the earlier books in this series, you'll probably want to when you've finished the concluding volume. --Jane Adams, Amazon review
The Ronin Returns - The Ronin Returns picks up the epic story of Matsuyama Kaze in 1603 Japan. This extension of Dale Furutani's critically acclaimed, best-selling Samurai Mystery Trilogy provides all the adventure, action and mystery as the original books in the series. The book picks up a few days after “Kill the Shogun” with Kaze and Kiku traveling to mighty Osaka Castle while being hunted by a group of samurai. Kaze meets a young orphan boy who decides to tag along, causing trouble for Kaze and conflict with Kiku. Before reaching Osaka, Kaze finds a dead Kirishitan Inspector, one of many killed lately. The strange circumstances of the murder point at Japan’s Christian community. Kaze and his two companions are taken to Osaka castle as witnesses. Kaze meets a variety of characters, including the widow of the powerful Hideyoshi, some jealous sword instructors, a helpful swordsmith, and his first Europeans. To Kaze, the Europeans are an exotic novelty, but he soon learns to understand their motives. Kaze discovers who is killing the Inspectors and why. After he confronts the killer, Kaze must try to escape from Osaka castle. In leaving the castle he puts himself and the children in a dangerous situation that will test them all.
.jpg)
Samurai Series
(Matsuyama Kaze)
“Every gesture from Kaze's "gently cupping" his Lady's face as she dies, to the parrying of swords is rendered with the unhurried care of a master craftsman.” – Publishers Weekly
The Samurai Mystery series has been picked as one of the French "Grande Detectives" collection.
Death at the Crossroads - Matsuyama Kaze is a "ronin," a Japanese knight errant. Kaze must travel across Japan until he fulfills a promise made to his dying Lord and Lady -- to find their nine-year-old daughter. As this masterless samurai searches the countryside, he is caught up in a series of mysteries that test his strength and skills as well as his Confucian training.
“The face of remarkable actor Toshiro Mifune might insist on looming up before your eyes as you read this engrossing new historical mystery about a rogue samurai warrior named Matsuyama Kaze ("Pine Mountain Wind”) roaming through rural Japan in 1603...” – Amazon Company Review
Jade Palace Vendetta - Told with the beguiling mystery and historical authenticity that distinguish Dale Furutani's samurai trilogy, this second installment in the series brings us further into the heart of feudal Japan. The saga's hero is noble ronin Matsuyama Kaze, a warrior whose sense of honor is as keen as his deadly sword.
Starred Review – Publishers Weekly, 1999.
“Even the novel's one truly surprising scene, when Kaze learns the secret of Yuchan's life in the Jade Palace, has a kind of visual poetry, horror and beauty nightmarishly juxtaposed. Like Kaze's miraculous new sword "the Fly Cutter," Furutani's pen is "light and lively," but capable of gross violence when necessary. Yet what makes this novel so poignant is that Kaze's Jedi-like purity and self-restraint seem outmoded even in 1603 Japan a time in which violence, sex and commerce proliferate, and 50,000 ronin samurai roam the countryside.” – Publishers Weekly
Kill the Shogun - Told with the beguiling mystery and historical authenticity that distinguish Dale Furutani's samurai trilogy, this second installment in the series brings us further into the heart of feudal Japan. The saga's hero is noble ronin Matsuyama Kaze, a warrior whose sense of honor is as keen as his deadly sword.
Dale Furutani's Samurai Mystery Trilogy concludes with Kill the Shogun. In this book Matsuyama Kaze takes up his unfinished business from the previous adventures (Death at the Crossroads, Jade Palace Vendetta)--finding the daughter of his former patrons, his lord and lady who were massacred in the intrigues that attended an earlier change in the fortunes of Japan's 17th-century ruling class. Journeying to the capital of the new Japan, Edo, Kaze is catapulted once again into political intrigue when he is mistakenly identified as the would-be assassin of Tokugawa Iesyasu, the new Shogun.
As adept at disguise as he is at swordplay and as clever a reader of the mysteries of his enemies' minds as he is a private seeker of an ennobled spirituality, Kaze is a superhero who defeats the forces ranged against him by employing not only his own extraordinary physical and mental abilities, but the strength of his opponents as well. There's plenty of swordplay, including a fight with a band of ninjas, contract killers for one of the Shogun's rivals. There's also lots of palace intrigue and nicely rendered secondary characters, including a pair of peasants with theatrical ambitions, a young woman who's smitten by the Samurai, and, of course, the object of Kaze's quest, whom he manages to extricate from a brothel in the nick of time. Furutani makes a rarely evoked period come alive, with its distinctive mores, society, and class structure. If you haven't read the earlier books in this series, you'll probably want to when you've finished the concluding volume. --Jane Adams, Amazon review
The Ronin Returns - The Ronin Returns picks up the epic story of Matsuyama Kaze in 1603 Japan. This extension of Dale Furutani's critically acclaimed, best-selling Samurai Mystery Trilogy provides all the adventure, action and mystery as the original books in the series. The book picks up a few days after “Kill the Shogun” with Kaze and Kiku traveling to mighty Osaka Castle while being hunted by a group of samurai. Kaze meets a young orphan boy who decides to tag along, causing trouble for Kaze and conflict with Kiku. Before reaching Osaka, Kaze finds a dead Kirishitan Inspector, one of many killed lately. The strange circumstances of the murder point at Japan’s Christian community. Kaze and his two companions are taken to Osaka castle as witnesses. Kaze meets a variety of characters, including the widow of the powerful Hideyoshi, some jealous sword instructors, a helpful swordsmith, and his first Europeans. To Kaze, the Europeans are an exotic novelty, but he soon learns to understand their motives. Kaze discovers who is killing the Inspectors and why. After he confronts the killer, Kaze must try to escape from Osaka castle. In leaving the castle he puts himself and the children in a dangerous situation that will test them all.
Samurai Series
(Matsuyama Kaze)
“Every gesture from Kaze's "gently cupping" his Lady's face as she dies, to the parrying of swords is rendered with the unhurried care of a master craftsman.” – Publishers Weekly
The Samurai Mystery series has been picked as one of the French "Grande Detectives" collection.
Death at the Crossroads - Matsuyama Kaze is a "ronin," a Japanese knight errant. Kaze must travel across Japan until he fulfills a promise made to his dying Lord and Lady -- to find their nine-year-old daughter. As this masterless samurai searches the countryside, he is caught up in a series of mysteries that test his strength and skills as well as his Confucian training.
“The face of remarkable actor Toshiro Mifune might insist on looming up before your eyes as you read this engrossing new historical mystery about a rogue samurai warrior named Matsuyama Kaze ("Pine Mountain Wind”) roaming through rural Japan in 1603...” – Amazon Company Review
Jade Palace Vendetta - Told with the beguiling mystery and historical authenticity that distinguish Dale Furutani's samurai trilogy, this second installment in the series brings us further into the heart of feudal Japan. The saga's hero is noble ronin Matsuyama Kaze, a warrior whose sense of honor is as keen as his deadly sword.
Starred Review – Publishers Weekly, 1999.
“Even the novel's one truly surprising scene, when Kaze learns the secret of Yuchan's life in the Jade Palace, has a kind of visual poetry, horror and beauty nightmarishly juxtaposed. Like Kaze's miraculous new sword "the Fly Cutter," Furutani's pen is "light and lively," but capable of gross violence when necessary. Yet what makes this novel so poignant is that Kaze's Jedi-like purity and self-restraint seem outmoded even in 1603 Japan a time in which violence, sex and commerce proliferate, and 50,000 ronin samurai roam the countryside.” – Publishers Weekly
Kill the Shogun - Told with the beguiling mystery and historical authenticity that distinguish Dale Furutani's samurai trilogy, this second installment in the series brings us further into the heart of feudal Japan. The saga's hero is noble ronin Matsuyama Kaze, a warrior whose sense of honor is as keen as his deadly sword.
Dale Furutani's Samurai Mystery Trilogy concludes with Kill the Shogun. In this book Matsuyama Kaze takes up his unfinished business from the previous adventures (Death at the Crossroads, Jade Palace Vendetta)--finding the daughter of his former patrons, his lord and lady who were massacred in the intrigues that attended an earlier change in the fortunes of Japan's 17th-century ruling class. Journeying to the capital of the new Japan, Edo, Kaze is catapulted once again into political intrigue when he is mistakenly identified as the would-be assassin of Tokugawa Iesyasu, the new Shogun.
As adept at disguise as he is at swordplay and as clever a reader of the mysteries of his enemies' minds as he is a private seeker of an ennobled spirituality, Kaze is a superhero who defeats the forces ranged against him by employing not only his own extraordinary physical and mental abilities, but the strength of his opponents as well. There's plenty of swordplay, including a fight with a band of ninjas, contract killers for one of the Shogun's rivals. There's also lots of palace intrigue and nicely rendered secondary characters, including a pair of peasants with theatrical ambitions, a young woman who's smitten by the Samurai, and, of course, the object of Kaze's quest, whom he manages to extricate from a brothel in the nick of time. Furutani makes a rarely evoked period come alive, with its distinctive mores, society, and class structure. If you haven't read the earlier books in this series, you'll probably want to when you've finished the concluding volume. --Jane Adams, Amazon review
The Ronin Returns - The Ronin Returns picks up the epic story of Matsuyama Kaze in 1603 Japan. This extension of Dale Furutani's critically acclaimed, best-selling Samurai Mystery Trilogy provides all the adventure, action and mystery as the original books in the series. The book picks up a few days after “Kill the Shogun” with Kaze and Kiku traveling to mighty Osaka Castle while being hunted by a group of samurai. Kaze meets a young orphan boy who decides to tag along, causing trouble for Kaze and conflict with Kiku. Before reaching Osaka, Kaze finds a dead Kirishitan Inspector, one of many killed lately. The strange circumstances of the murder point at Japan’s Christian community. Kaze and his two companions are taken to Osaka castle as witnesses. Kaze meets a variety of characters, including the widow of the powerful Hideyoshi, some jealous sword instructors, a helpful swordsmith, and his first Europeans. To Kaze, the Europeans are an exotic novelty, but he soon learns to understand their motives. Kaze discovers who is killing the Inspectors and why. After he confronts the killer, Kaze must try to escape from Osaka castle. In leaving the castle he puts himself and the children in a dangerous situation that will test them all.