Samurai Era Based Novels

[Vahn]

So I'm a big fan of books. I have a room in my house dedicated to just being a library. I'm looking for some novels set in medieval (or pre-medieval) Japan to add to my collection (and my brain). Below I'll list the books pertaining to medieval Japan that I already have. Chances are if it's in the list, then I recommend it on some level, should any of them interest you.

The Confessions of Lady Nijo (Translated by Karen Brazell)
The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon (Translated by Ivan Morris)
The Heike Story by Eiji Yoshikawa
Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa
Taiko by Eiji Yoshikawa
Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu
Rashomon and Other Stories by Ryunosuke Akutagawa
Sani Ichiro Series by Laura Joh Rowland
The Snow Fox by Susan Fromberg Schaeffer
Tales of the Otori series by Lian Hearn
Tales of Old Japan Compiled by A.B. Mitford
--Tales Include:
......The Forty-Seven Ronin
......The Loves of Gompachi and Komurasaki
......Kazuma's Revenge
......A Story of the Otokodate of Yedo
......The Wonderful Adventures of Funakoshi Jiuyemon
......The Eta Maiden and the Hatamoto
......Fairy Tales: (many titles here)
......The Ghost of Sakura
......How Tajima Shume was Tormented by a Devil of His Own Creation
......Tales Concerning Superstition: (many titles here)

I am positive I have a few more, they must be on loan to friends.

At some point I will be picking up Shogun (I own the DVD series).

I am hoping to find some recommendations from you here at the forums. Any novels dealing with any aspect of the medieval era (wars, samurai, love, ninja, political intrigue, mystery, horror, etc) or preceding eras are of interest to me. I am also a huge history buff, but I only listed novels so as to keep my list short enough to be readable. If you know of a particularly good historical document/essay/book, I would be interested in that as well.

While English is preferable, Japanese or French will also work. Thanks, to any future responses.

[Senshi]

I'd recommend: Cloud of Sparrows & Autumn Bridge by Takashi Matsuoka
Those are the only two I can think of that wasn't already on your list. (Sano Ichiro series, and Tales of the Otori were my favorites btw)

[Vahn]

Aha! I knew I was forgetting a few!

I own both Cloud of Sparrows and Autumn Bridge.

However, good recommendation! They were really good reads. I believe Takashi Matsuoka was a Buddhist monk before he began writing novels, if memory serves me correctly (or maybe he just worked in the temple. One of the two).

Thank you though!

The Sano Ichiro series was a blast to read (I was reading it about the time I read through the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher - two very different takes on investigators!)

The Forty-Seven Ronin is my favorite "story" (one might also recognize it by the play/movie entitled Chuushingura). I was able to visit the cemetery where they are buried, and see the well that they washed the severed head in. However, I think my favorite novel listed is Heike Story.

[water737]

i love tales of the otori im glad u made this list i was looking for some more, also book of five rings by musashi and the life giving sword by i think he was a yagyu? and umm the hagakure were awesome

[Delerium]

I have read The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi as well, very good book I thought.

[Vahn]

Yes, The Book of Five Rings by Musashi Miyamoto (a person of signifigance to me) is an excellent book. I know many businessmen in Japan still read it as it's principals apply quite well to the business/marketing world.

Hagakure is also a good one.

I have not heard of The Life Giving Sword, but "I hope", Yagyu someone. When I get back from vacation (really, really slow internet here, and my laptop is being slow for unkown reasons) I'll deffinitely look that one up, thanks water737!

[water737]

np (Y) it rivals book of five its so its worth it yagyu munenori i think it was by

[water737]

hey vahn wats this shogun dvd i havnt heard of that?

[Vahn]

Shogun is a novel written by James Clavel. They then made a mini-series, starring Richard Chamberlain and Mifune Toshiro-san (seven samurai, miyamoto trilogy, etc). It was made for TV, but with a movie budget (think HBO's "Rome" as a modern-day example of what Shogun was designed to be). It's about 9 or 10 hours long, if memory serves me correctly.

It's a lot of fun to watch, and I have yet to tire of it after countless viewings. It's also a great learning experience for anyone intrested in the Japanese language. The movie is in English, but most of the Japanese people only speak Japanese, as their characters do not understand English. They did NOT subtitle any of this, in an effort to make the audience feel like Richard Chamberlain's character feels in each situation. It's handled very well.

If you've not seen it, AND you're able to sit through 8-10 hours of samurai era Japan, then I highly recommend watching it.

EDIT: I mentioned HBO's "Rome" as an example -- I then saw you're from Australia. Do they have HBO there? It's on my list of places to visit :D

[hessan]

Shogun, to my understanding really doesn't fall into the same category. To not give away much of the plot line, but still inform, the main character is based on a real-life English pilot, William Adams (Anjin-sama or Miura Anjin), the pilot of the first Dutch ship to reach Japan in 1600 CE, starting the eventual end of the Portuguese monopoly.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Adams_%28sailor%29

[Vahn]

Shogun, to my understanding really doesn't fall into the same category.

To what category are you referring? The thread is about Samurai Era Novels -- Shogun is set in the Samurai Era.

[water737]

yeh i saw an ep or 2 of rome on our equivelent more or less hallmark i think it was, was very good reminded me of the emperor series of novels which is really good, not japanese samurai based but great books akin to tales of the otori, but we all kno otori is better :P im aiming in the future to have a tatt of the otori heron kinda stole the idea off a guy whoes already doin that but meh lol

oh before i forget who does the banners for ikko and kumamoto with the kanji? and anyone who speak jap. just curious wat chikushinkai means in english? i kno its not for this category but meh

[Yagyu]

There were two books by Munenori Yagyu. The sword and the mind, and the Life giving sword.

Other good reads are the Art of War.
and the Unfettered Mind by takuan Soho which are actually mostly letters to Yagyu munenori, Takuan was Munenoris good friend and was one of the Main Characters in Musashi.

Also Vahn im currently reading Tale of the Genji so far its pretty good.

[DeathBringer]

I loved the Tales Of Otori books, fourth one had such a sad ending.

[Tsumaru Ryuza]

I highly recommend "A Samurai's Tale" can't recall the author. Amazing read though.

[Vahn]

Would the author be Erik C. Haugaard? That was the first return for the title on Amazon. If so, I'll go ahead and add it to my list!

I'm currently reading through Shogun again. I really enjoy this book.

[c1047]

ah you mentioned Shogun, now I am going to have to read it again :)

One of the best books I have read. If any of you haven't read it I highly recommended it.

Shogun by James Clavell.