Japanese flavoured or inspired

PKFFW · 02-03-2014, 04:57 AM

I'm after novels that have a Japanese flavour or inspiration to them. Something dealing with Samurai and Ninja, the Bushido code, etc. Set in medieval times or fantasy/mythical Japan. Perhaps based on Japanese legends or myths. Something of that sort.

An example of the sort of thing would be Tales of the Otori by Lian Hearne....

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...%20the%20otori

Any suggestions?

P.S: I thought I saw a thread recently about Japanese books or language but I can't find it now, so if this is a repeat feel free to link me to that thread.

HarryT · 02-03-2014, 05:02 AM

I guess one obvious suggestion is James Clavell's "Shogun".

jscarbo · 02-03-2014, 07:27 AM

For a well-written, highly original fantasy set in a Japanese-inspired culture, check out Sean Russell's "Initate Brother Duology". Here's the link to the Kindle edition: http://www.amazon.com/Initiate-Broth...itiate+brother

Russell is one of my favorite fantasy writers and, although this isn't my favorite of his works, it is still quite good and is exactly the type of book you're asking about.

pdurrant · 02-03-2014, 07:51 AM

I enjoyed Wen Spencer's Eight Million Gods. Contemporary fantasy set in Japan.

bar49 · 02-03-2014, 09:15 AM

You might consider:

Dale Furutani's Matsuyama Kaze series:
1. Death at the Crossroads
2. The Jade Palace Vendetta
3. Kill the Shogun

I.J. Parker's Sugawara Akitada series:
1. Rashomon Gate
2. The Hell Screen
3. The Dragon Scroll
4. Black Arrow
5. Island of Exiles
6. The Convict's Sword
7. The Fires of the Gods
8. The Masuda Affair
9. Death on an Autumn River
10. The Emperor's Woman
11. Death of a Doll Maker
12. The Crane Pavilion

Eiji Yoshikawa' s novels:
Musashi
The Heike Story
Taiko

Laura Joh Rowland's Sano Ichiro series:
1. Shinju
2. Bundori
3. The Way of the Traitor
4. The Concubine's Tattoo
5. The Samurai's Wife
6. Black Lotus
7. The Pillow Book of Lady Wisteria
8. The Dragon King's Palace
9. The Perfumed Sleeve
10. The Assassin's Touch
11. The Red Chrysanthemum
12. The Snow Empress
13. The Fire Kimono
14. The Cloud Pavilion
15. The Ronin's Mistress
16. The Incense Game
17. The Shogun's Daughter

Takashi Matsuoka's novels:
Cloud of Sparrows
Autumn Bridge

As well, the Historical Novels site (http://www.historicalnovels.info/Asia.html#Japan) should provide you with other options.

Apache · 02-03-2014, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bar49

You might consider:

Dale Furutani's Matsuyama Kaze series:
1. Death at the Crossroads
2. The Jade Palace Vendetta
3. Kill the Shogun

I.J. Parker's Sugawara Akitada series:
1. Rashomon Gate
2. The Hell Screen
3. The Dragon Scroll
4. Black Arrow
5. Island of Exiles
6. The Convict's Sword
7. The Fires of the Gods
8. The Masuda Affair
9. Death on an Autumn River
10. The Emperor's Woman
11. Death of a Doll Maker
12. The Crane Pavilion

Eiji Yoshikawa' s novels:
Musashi
The Heike Story
Taiko

Laura Joh Rowland's Sano Ichiro series:
1. Shinju
2. Bundori
3. The Way of the Traitor
4. The Concubine's Tattoo
5. The Samurai's Wife
6. Black Lotus
7. The Pillow Book of Lady Wisteria
8. The Dragon King's Palace
9. The Perfumed Sleeve
10. The Assassin's Touch
11. The Red Chrysanthemum
12. The Snow Empress
13. The Fire Kimono
14. The Cloud Pavilion
15. The Ronin's Mistress
16. The Incense Game
17. The Shogun's Daughter

Takashi Matsuoka's novels:
Cloud of Sparrows
Autumn Bridge

As well, the Historical Novels site (http://www.historicalnovels.info/Asia.html#Japan) should provide you with other options.

All of these are great.
Apache

Yolina · 02-03-2014, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bar49

Eiji Yoshikawa' s novels:
Musashi
The Heike Story
Taiko

Yep, these are fab

I'll add The Samurai Banner of Furin Kazan by Yasushi Inoue to the suggestions

Geralt · 02-03-2014, 03:56 PM

The Twelve Kingdoms Series by Fuyumi Ono

(Click on book covers for more)

Books 6 and 7 haven't been translated into English officially by Tokyopop, but you can find fan translations online that are done in almost a professional level.

If you read French, all books have been translated by Milan.

PKFFW · 02-03-2014, 06:47 PM

Thanks everyone, there should be enough to keep me going for quite some time.

owly · 02-04-2014, 09:25 AM

Lian Hearn has written a fantasy YA series that's very Japan inspired (Shogunate Japan with hints of magic) the first book is Across the Nightingale Floor (Tales of the Otori)

deackychu · 02-06-2014, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geralt

Books 6 and 7 haven't been translated into English officially by Tokyopop, but you can find fan translations online that are done in almost a professional level.

If you read French, all books have been translated by Milan.

Considering Tokyopop no longer exists, I wouldn't hold your breath. I'd also be quite leery of anything that company translated as a vast majority of it was either made up, extremely liberal, far too Americanized, honorific-laden or just outright translated incorrectly.

moyogi2 · 02-08-2014, 05:13 PM

try the Across the Nightingale Floor series, by Liam Hearn

animedude01 · 02-08-2014, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I enjoyed Wen Spencer's Eight Million Gods. Contemporary fantasy set in Japan.

Thumbs up on this one.

WillAdams · 02-08-2014, 07:24 PM

Well there's Trevanian's _Shibumi_ --- it hasn't aged well, but has a certain '70s charm.

Agree that anyone interested in Japan should read the fictionalized Musashi books (and _The Book of Five Rings_, and the _Hagakure_, &c.)

When I was a kid I found a couple of books by T. C. Rypel, about a half-white Samurai, Gonji --- the first book was _Deathwind of Vedun_ (I think I had the second and fourth book) --- always meant to find the balance of them.

I've always been fond of _The Cybernetic Samurai_ by Victor Milán --- you pretty much need to read Heinlein's _The Moon is a Harsh Mistress_ first (and Minsky's _The Turing Option is a good grounding / contrast) though.

Kara Dalkey's _The Nightingale_ moves the setting to Japan from China and is as well done as the other ``Fairy Tale'' novels.

Neil Gaiman's _Sandman: The Dream Hunters_ is set in Japan and is quite vivid and moving.

Apache · 02-08-2014, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WillAdams

When I was a kid I found a couple of books by T. C. Rypel, about a half-white Samurai, Gonji --- the first book was _Deathwind of Vedun_ (I think I had the second and fourth book) --- always meant to find the balance of them.

You can find them on Amazon as Ebooks now. The first three released are actually the first book divided into three parts. I hope he releases the others too.
http://www.amazon.com/T.-C.-Rypel/e/..._athr_dp_pel_1
Apache

02-03-2014, 04:57 AM	#1
PKFFW Wizard Posts: 3,792 Karma: 33500000 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: BeBook, Sony PRS-T1, Kobo H2O	Japanese flavoured or inspired I'm after novels that have a Japanese flavour or inspiration to them. Something dealing with Samurai and Ninja, the Bushido code, etc. Set in medieval times or fantasy/mythical Japan. Perhaps based on Japanese legends or myths. Something of that sort. An example of the sort of thing would be Tales of the Otori by Lian Hearne.... http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...%20the%20otori Any suggestions? P.S: I thought I saw a thread recently about Japanese books or language but I can't find it now, so if this is a repeat feel free to link me to that thread.

02-03-2014, 09:15 AM	#5
bar49 Member Posts: 14 Karma: 26928 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: S.Ontario Canada Device: kindle 2, PW2	You might consider: Dale Furutani's Matsuyama Kaze series: 1. Death at the Crossroads 2. The Jade Palace Vendetta 3. Kill the Shogun I.J. Parker's Sugawara Akitada series: 1. Rashomon Gate 2. The Hell Screen 3. The Dragon Scroll 4. Black Arrow 5. Island of Exiles 6. The Convict's Sword 7. The Fires of the Gods 8. The Masuda Affair 9. Death on an Autumn River 10. The Emperor's Woman 11. Death of a Doll Maker 12. The Crane Pavilion Eiji Yoshikawa' s novels: Musashi The Heike Story Taiko Laura Joh Rowland's Sano Ichiro series: 1. Shinju 2. Bundori 3. The Way of the Traitor 4. The Concubine's Tattoo 5. The Samurai's Wife 6. Black Lotus 7. The Pillow Book of Lady Wisteria 8. The Dragon King's Palace 9. The Perfumed Sleeve 10. The Assassin's Touch 11. The Red Chrysanthemum 12. The Snow Empress 13. The Fire Kimono 14. The Cloud Pavilion 15. The Ronin's Mistress 16. The Incense Game 17. The Shogun's Daughter Takashi Matsuoka's novels: Cloud of Sparrows Autumn Bridge As well, the Historical Novels site (http://www.historicalnovels.info/Asia.html#Japan) should provide you with other options. Last edited by bar49; 02-03-2014 at 09:21 AM.

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02-03-2014, 05:02 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,560 Karma: 93980341 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I guess one obvious suggestion is James Clavell's "Shogun".

02-03-2014, 07:27 AM	#3
jscarbo Addict Posts: 220 Karma: 1075434 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Costa Rica Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle PW2, Nook HD+, Nexus 7	For a well-written, highly original fantasy set in a Japanese-inspired culture, check out Sean Russell's "Initate Brother Duology". Here's the link to the Kindle edition: http://www.amazon.com/Initiate-Broth...itiate+brother Russell is one of my favorite fantasy writers and, although this isn't my favorite of his works, it is still quite good and is exactly the type of book you're asking about.

02-03-2014, 07:51 AM	#4
pdurrant The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠 Posts: 74,433 Karma: 318076944 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Norfolk, England Device: Kindle Oasis	I enjoyed Wen Spencer's Eight Million Gods. Contemporary fantasy set in Japan.

02-03-2014, 03:56 PM	#8
Geralt Witcher Posts: 933 Karma: 7321117 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Swamp. Slaying Drowners. Device: Kindle PW2	The Twelve Kingdoms Series by Fuyumi Ono (Click on book covers for more) Books 6 and 7 haven't been translated into English officially by Tokyopop, but you can find fan translations online that are done in almost a professional level. If you read French, all books have been translated by Milan.

02-03-2014, 06:47 PM	#9
PKFFW Wizard Posts: 3,792 Karma: 33500000 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: BeBook, Sony PRS-T1, Kobo H2O	Thanks everyone, there should be enough to keep me going for quite some time.

02-04-2014, 09:25 AM	#10
owly Guru Posts: 729 Karma: 3822612 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Sweden Device: Paperwhite 2, Kobo Aura H2O	Lian Hearn has written a fantasy YA series that's very Japan inspired (Shogunate Japan with hints of magic) the first book is Across the Nightingale Floor (Tales of the Otori)

02-08-2014, 05:13 PM	#12
moyogi2 ereader apprentice guru Posts: 44 Karma: 300000 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: the Great Midwest Device: Kindle 3, Sony PRS-T1, Sony 300 (so far)	try the Across the Nightingale Floor series, by Liam Hearn

02-08-2014, 07:24 PM	#14
WillAdams Wizard Posts: 1,260 Karma: 3439432 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (300ppi), Samsung Galaxy Book 12	Well there's Trevanian's _Shibumi_ --- it hasn't aged well, but has a certain '70s charm. Agree that anyone interested in Japan should read the fictionalized Musashi books (and _The Book of Five Rings_, and the _Hagakure_, &c.) When I was a kid I found a couple of books by T. C. Rypel, about a half-white Samurai, Gonji --- the first book was _Deathwind of Vedun_ (I think I had the second and fourth book) --- always meant to find the balance of them. I've always been fond of _The Cybernetic Samurai_ by Victor Milán --- you pretty much need to read Heinlein's _The Moon is a Harsh Mistress_ first (and Minsky's _The Turing Option is a good grounding / contrast) though. Kara Dalkey's _The Nightingale_ moves the setting to Japan from China and is as well done as the other ``Fairy Tale'' novels. Neil Gaiman's _Sandman: The Dream Hunters_ is set in Japan and is quite vivid and moving.

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