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Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Parker's fourth Sugawara Akitada mystery (after 2006's Black Arrow), set in 11th-century Japan, manages to outplot its superb predecessors. When exiled and disgraced Prince Okisada is poisoned on Sado Island, a penal colony, Akitada is recruited by a shadowy pair of high-ranking government officials who devise a risky plan to find the killer. While the local governor's son has been arrested for the murder, suspicions linger that he was framed by high constable Kumo Sanetomo as part of a plot against the emperor. Akitada, disguised as a convict, infiltrates Sado Island and suffers physical abuse from corrupt guards and police as he uncovers indications that the prince may have ingested the fatal blowfish toxin by accident. The fast-moving, surprising plot and colorful writing will enthrall even those unfamiliar with the exotic setting. The Shamus Award Parker won with her first Akitada short story may soon have company. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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First Sentence
The two high-ranking officials from the capital arrived in the tribunal of Echigo on a late summer afternoon. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
The two high-ranking officials from the capital arrived in the tribunal of Echigo on a late summer afternoon. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Terrific Mystery,
By
This review is from: Island Of Exiles (Paperback)
Book 5 of Sugawara Akitada mystery
This story is set in the exotic world of the 11th century Imperial Japan. The timely death of exiled and disgraced Prince Okisada of apparent poisoning on Sado Island, a penal colony, sends Provincial detective Sigawara Akitada undercover as a convict in order to get to the root of the plot and uncover the real killer. There he finds more than he bargains for and ends up putting his own life on the line... This is the first I have read of this series and I found it enjoyable without having read the previous novels, it appears to stand on its own. It is a very gripping and intriguing tale, the scenes were so detailed you are immersed into the aspects of life and the culture of the period, transporting you in time. The cast is enormous but easy to follow; all the characters are strong and appealing in their own way. I love the fact the author depicts her characters with all their weaknesses and strengths, no one emerges untouched giving the story an allure of credibility. The Imperial Police are portrayed as mean and cruel, although entertaining I hated them and wished them ill fate from the start. The best part of the book was when Akitada was sent to the mines. The author's account was so real I could hear the panic screams from the convicts entering the dark and choking tunnels, feel the weight of the baskets jerking their bodies leaving their muscles strained and weak..hear the bones cracking...the escape was even more eerie.... I.J. Parker is a terrific mystery writer. I think I am hooked, now I have to read the previous novels.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.5 out of 5 stars (11 customer reviews) 14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
excellent sequel,
By Rosomax - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Island Of Exiles (Paperback)
I thoroughly enjoyed all the previous books of the Akitada series, but this one in particular really shines. Parker's prose became more and more crisp and concise, action swift, intrigue intricate. Previously I always thought of Robert Van Gulik when reading them, but now I would venture to say that I like the authors voice more. Actually, there's a embedded story about stolen silver bars for which Parker credits Van Gulik himself.
"The Island of Exiles" finds the likable hero in pretty severe circumstances, but with some good luck and quick thinking he's able once again to avoid a certain death. Moreover, it shows Akitada as a man not invincible to his own lapses of judgment and all-too human failings. Definitely a page-turner. I missed the lively adventures of Tora and Genba, as well as Seimei's Confucius quotes, but otherwise the "spirit" of the series is all there. Domo-arigato gozaimasu, I.J.-san. 7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Almost perfect,
By Lisa Brandt - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Island Of Exiles (Paperback)
I have read all of the "Sugawara Akita" mysteries/thrillers. They always strike me as a tiny bit excessive in some respects (the thriller respect, mostly) but still irresistible. This volume is no different; or, if it is different it is even better. The historical authenticity is very strong, perhaps more so than usual, and the characters are appealing. If you love feudal Japan, don't miss this one.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Parker Just Keeps Getting Better,
By UFO6 - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Island Of Exiles (Paperback)
I've developed a voracious appetite for Parker's Sugawara novels that's unlike anything I've experienced for a long time, and if it didn't carry with it an unwarranted diminution of her previous titles, I'd call "Island of Exiles" her best work yet. There are scenes in this novel reminiscent of Tolkien, as raw and gritty a dramatization of a man's reduction to an animalistic state as I can remember.
This one vaults Sugawara entirely out of his familial and official milieus to do some undercover work - *seriously* undercover - and the departure is both harrowing and exhilarating. Akitada's extramarital fling in this one detracts somewhat from his character's sense of integrity, but in Sugawara's cultural/historical context it's certainly not an implausible nor even unusual occurrence. Presumably his lapse will feed into later character evolution? At any rate, the plot, which begins with a horrific, dreamlike ordeal, builds gradually into an absolute rip-snorter that is thoroughly engrossing. I lost countless hours zooming in on Sadoshima Island via Google Earth while reading this novel, and have added it to my list of must-visit Japanese locales for future vacations. The novel feels so real that I half expect to find the temples and horrific mines Parker describes when I get there. Actually, I was floored when I saw the posted images of the real-world Choukoku Temple at Hase - the image of Shunsai's monastery that Parker had painted in my head previously was virtually identical to them. Once again, the wait for her next is going to be as excruciating as it was for this one. Amazon is indicating the hardcover version of "Island" is set for release in a couple of weeks - very odd that the paperbacks were published beforehand. I highly recommend Parker's novels for historical fiction fanatics, Japanophiles in particular. Reading the Sugawara novels in order is not essential but on the whole probably more enjoyable, as there are numerous references within them to prior cases. Enjoy! |
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