Best Japanese Literature
On his way home, he commits a rash act, becomes a fugitive and brings life in his own village to a standstill--until he is captured by a weaponless Zen monk. Continually striving to perfect his technique, which leads him to a unique style of fighting with two swords simultaneously, he travels far and wide, challenging fighters of many disciplines, taking nature to be his ultimate and severest teacher and undergoing the rigorous training of those who follow the Way. Interweaving themes of unrequited love, misguided revenge, filial piety and absolute dedication to the Way of the Samurai, it depicts vividly a world Westerners know only vaguely. "... A stirring saga ... not only for readers interested in Japan but also for those who simply want a rousing read."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"A must read in my opinion for any/All martial artists."
"This story captured all of the truly wonderful elements of literature in a single novel."
"So happy I was introduced to this book."
"I look forward to continue reading this!"
"The names of the characters and locations are very confusing, but you can follow the story despite this small obstacle."
"It's awesome there is a Kindle version now as the hardcover is too large to pack for a weekend camping trip."
"As a karateka for many years I found the glimpse of Musashi and his mindset to be a window into the underpinnings of the martial arts."
"Beautiful story, amazing writing, fantastic imagery, and a satisfyingly long read."
Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World draws readers into a narrative particle accelerator in which a split-brained data processor, a deranged scientist, his shockingly undemure granddaughter, Lauren Bacall, Bob Dylan, and various thugs, librarians, and subterranean monsters collide to dazzling effect. The last surviving victim of an experiment that implanted the subjects' heads with electrodes that decipher coded messages is the unnamed narrator of this excellent book by Murakami, one of Japan's best-selling novelists and winner of the prestigious Tanizaki prize.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"There are clearly nods to classic hard-boiled detective stories, and then there are things that make it different from his other works... Like a hero who really prefers chubby women, but ends up with a very skinny one anyway. Of course, there are references to a lost cat, and a protagonist who spends a lot of time telling us about how he cooks - when he's not discussing his musical preferences. Norwegian Wood struck me as "what people expect from a novel", but like Iain Banks, Murakami decided not to let himself be tied down by boring things like reality, and adds his own improvements. This leaves us with an unlucky protagonist whose life seems to have been turned upside down by the careless interventions of this dangerous lunatic of a man, genius or otherwise. Compared to IQ or Wind Up Bird, this is not as good, but it feels more self-contained, and less like you have to read every single thing the author ever wrote just to "get" half of it. That would have made the earlier parts worthwhile, given them some point, but as is, they're just an unanswered question that leaves far too much for the reader to provide."
"About my individual reading, I am a third year in college duel majoring in philosophy and international literary and visual studies. It is particularly unique-- a real snapshot of Japanese modern fantasy undertoned by a sort of commentary on western idealism."
"Hard Boiled Wonderland is such an experience: it is an odd, eccentric, comic, whimsical, and thought-provoking fantasy that blends in parallel worlds settings with deep introspection about existing. Working as a Calcutec, he is responsible for sifting information through his subconscious, which he gathers for a group called the System. Within this world there are groups trying to steal the data, such as the subterranean Inklings, a Thug and his brute of a sidekick, and Semiotecs. The "end of the world" chapters involve a narrator living in "Town", an indistinct and generic place that has a false utopia feel to it. Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World has a deep level of symbolism and metaphor that make it a fascinating journey to think about."
On his way home, he commits a rash act, becomes a fugitive and brings life in his own village to a standstill--until he is captured by a weaponless Zen monk. Continually striving to perfect his technique, which leads him to a unique style of fighting with two swords simultaneously, he travels far and wide, challenging fighters of many disciplines, taking nature to be his ultimate and severest teacher and undergoing the rigorous training of those who follow the Way. Interweaving themes of unrequited love, misguided revenge, filial piety and absolute dedication to the Way of the Samurai, it depicts vividly a world Westerners know only vaguely. "... A stirring saga ... not only for readers interested in Japan but also for those who simply want a rousing read."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"A must read in my opinion for any/All martial artists."
"This story captured all of the truly wonderful elements of literature in a single novel."
"So happy I was introduced to this book."
"I look forward to continue reading this!"
"The names of the characters and locations are very confusing, but you can follow the story despite this small obstacle."
"It's awesome there is a Kindle version now as the hardcover is too large to pack for a weekend camping trip."
"As a karateka for many years I found the glimpse of Musashi and his mindset to be a window into the underpinnings of the martial arts."
"Beautiful story, amazing writing, fantastic imagery, and a satisfyingly long read."
Best Chinese Literature
—President Barack Obama on The Three-Body Problem trilogy The Three-Body Problem is the first chance for English-speaking readers to experience the Hugo Award-winning phenomenon from China's most beloved science fiction author, Liu Cixin. Liu is a winner of the Hugo Award and a multiple winner of the Galaxy Award (the Chinese Hugo) and the Xing Yun Award (the Chinese Nebula).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"What I mean by that, is that this series has permanently changed: the way I look at the stars, the way I perceive time, the way I think about life, the way I think about SETI, the way I think about the meaning of life, the way I think about human beings' place in the universe, the way I view technology, etc. The story is interesting and good, and there is most definitely some drama and entertainment - and the writing is excellent (translation to English is superb). But the main thing for me about this series is that it educated me about physics and really made me look at EVERYTHING through a new lens."
"The plot's political and scientific setting reminded me quite a bit of the writing of Gregory Benford, specifically, his novel Timescape. Cixin Liu's personal experiences as a Chinese citizen (a young child - he was born in 1963) lends a degree of authenticity to that aspect of the novel. UPDATE: I read this book again and it has led me to preorder the next in the trilogy, The Dark Forest, which doesn't even come out in English until some time in 2015. UPDATE 2 (22 FEB 2017): I ended up buying The Dark Forest (see note above - the second in the trilogy) and finally just recently finished what has turned out to be an awesome series with the third book in the trilogy, Death's End (Remembrance of Earth's Past)."
"What kind of book do all those sick puppies think unworthy of a Hugo award? And ironically their ideological pogrom fits perfectly within the book! Not only about science and human nature, but of an era probably only someone from China can communicate fully. You want that unsettled feeling you get when you both deeply disagree and agree with an idea? Then the writing moves the story along nicely with brief forrays back into lusciousness."
Best Indian Literature
Tracy Crosswhite has spent twenty years questioning the facts surrounding her sister Sarah’s disappearance and the murder trial that followed. “Dugoni does a superior job of positioning [the plot elements] for maximum impact, especially in a climactic scene set in an abandoned mine during a blizzard—which is melodramatic but nevertheless effective.” — Publishers Weekly. “ My Sister’s Grave is a chilling portrait shaded in neo-noir, as if someone had taken a knife to a Norman Rockwell painting by casting small town America as the place where bad guys blend into the landscape, establishing Dugoni as a force to be reckoned with outside the courtroom as well as in.” — Providence Journal.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Also, the author needs to work on names and naming conventions. As I said, I'm not sorry I read the book and would recommend it to someone who was looking for a easy crime read."
"* Superior intelligence or strength (she shoots, she runs, she out wits the killer). * Invokes trust or likability (I would want her as my friend or CSI). The story begins with the discovery of the remains of Tracy’s murdered sister."
"This is the second of Robert Dugoni's book's that I've read from the Tracy Crosswhite series (I read the 3rd book first, don't ask me why!)."
"Told between present day events as well as flashbacks, this story reads exactly like a thriller movie with the courtroom scenes reading like a Law and Order episode. Dugoni did not create an overly complicated crime that made it hard to keep track of all the moving parts but he told a compelling story that kept me hooked until the very end."
"The connection between the two sisters is strong and the reader feels the family dynamics throughout the book."
"I have already purchased the second book and can't wait to read what Tracy Crosswhite's newest adventures are."