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Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Immensely popular in Japan, the author's first novel to be published here is a comic combination of disparate styles: a mock-hardboiled mystery, a metaphysical speculation and an ironic first-person account of an impossible quest. The narrator is a modern Japanese yuppie: divorced, in a mildly exciting relationship and a much less exciting job as an ad copywriter, he lives unexceptionally until a photograph throws his life into chaos. The snapshot, which he uses to illustrate a newsletter, shows a field of sheep with one unique crossbreed, and the picture is special enough to have attracted the attention of both the nomadic friend who sent it to him and a right-wing Mr. Big who, moribund, wants the source found before he dies. The Boss's henchman, a sleek, scary majordomo, gives the narrator one month to track it down, and the story that ensues is a postmodern detective novel in which dreams, hallucinations and a wild imagination are more important than actual clues. With the help of a fluid, slangy translation, Murakami emerges as a wholly original talent. $30,000 ad/promo; Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club alternates.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
This novel, the American debut of a popular contemporary Japanese writer, will have a familiar ring to Western ears. The narrative moves adroitly through mystery, fable, pensive realism, and modernist absurdity to tell the tale--at least on the surface--of a Japanese man caught up in a puzzling quest for a somewhat mystical sheep. The spare style echoes Raymond Carver, Dashiell Hammett, and Raymond Chandler, with matter-of-fact absurdities reminiscent of John Irving and, in less inspired moments, Tom Robbins. While the climax of the story is somewhat unrewarding, many readers will enjoy being pulled along by the playful and engaging style and fluid structure. Interesting as an example of current Japanese writing and as an unusually hip and irreverent look at contemporary Japanese society, this would be a nice addition to larger fiction collections.
- Mark Woodhouse, Elmira Coll., N.Y.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
- Mark Woodhouse, Elmira Coll., N.Y.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt
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Most helpful customer reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Review of the audiobook,
By
This review is from: Wild Sheep Chase a (Audio CD)
While reading A Wild Sheep Chase, Rupert Degas played the protagonist, his girlfriend, and the butler's voices quite well. However, when it came to the other characters, his voice became raspy and unbearable to listen to, sort of like Marge Simpson from The Simpsons.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant journey through a strange and wonderful route,
By Isaac (Malaysia) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Wild Sheep Chase (Paperback)
Excellent book by the wonderful Mr Murakami. I've read his "I" series backwards and have finally established a chronology. Though I haven't read "Hear the wind sing", I believe the series starts with that, followed by "Pinball 1973", then "A Wild Sheep Chase" and ending with "Dance Dance Dance". The main character is the nameless "I" who experiences a personal journey of sorts while trying hard to locate an inner touchstone within himself. A Wild Sheep Chase embroils the reader in mad cap chase for the elusive and mystical sheep who inhabits the body of "shells" in order to achieve world domination. How is the hero implicated in all this? If you don't want the story spoilt, stop reading this review now. If you care, read on ... His friend, the Rat, is the last person whom the sheep enters. In order to stop the sheep at all cost from running his life, and later, the world, he kills himself while the sheep is asleep within him. Why does he do it? Because he is too attached to his personal, "weak" human traits, like the smell of of summer, the sound of the sea ... blah, blah, blah ...
3.0 out of 5 stars
Predict! Predict! Predict!,
By Tomoka Takada (U.S.A) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Wild Sheep Chase (Paperback)
A Wild Sheep Chase is a warm-hearted, mysterious, detective story that engages the imagination and elicits conjecture. I think the narration of the story is unique. Haruki Murakami uses a lot of meaningless humor;he brings focus to circumstances or objects that people usually don't pay attention to.He strongly shows isolation, but the way he describes it is not at all gloomy or serious. The story doesn't reveal the answer to the mystery of the sheep easily. I thought I would be able to solve the riddles in the story while reading because Murakami drops many hints. However, as I continued reading, I realized that I still could not have predicted the end. I read it without stopping because of my curiosity. The ending was quite unexpected and desolate. I like the story very much because it was full of suspense, surprise,and shifty turns. I want to read this story again, but in Japanese.I think reading it in the original language is best because the expression and humor will be true to the writer's meaning, which is sometimes lost or compromised in translations. I recommend this book to people who like detective stories, mysteries, and dramas. Also, I think it's better to have a little knowledge of Japan.
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