“Exotic, entertaining . . . [an] exceptional first novel.”—San Francisco Chronicle The year is 1861. After two centuries of isolation, Japan has opened its doors to the West. And as foreign ships threaten to rain destruction on the Shogun’s castle in Edo, a small group of American missionaries has arrived to spread the word of their God. They have yet to realize that their future in Japan has already been foreseen. For a young nobleman has dreamt that his life will be saved by an outsider in the New Year. . . and it is said that Lord Genji has the gift of prophecy. What happens next—when the handsome lord meets an appa rently reformed gunslinger and a woman in flight from her own destructive beauty—sets the stage for a remarkable adventure. For as this unlikely band embarks on a journey through a landscape bristling with danger, East and West, flesh and spirit, past and future, collide in ways no one—least of all Genji—could have imagined. Praise for Cloud of Sparrows “The book seizes you from start to finish.”—The Washington Post “Adventure-filled.”—Entertainment Weekly “Rich . . . with an ambitious, unexpected ending that cuts deeper than a samurai sword.”—San Francisco Chronicle
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"Very descriptive in introducing Japanese culture, Samurai, and the characters were awesome. Genji's family is blessed (or is it cursed?) with an ability in reading the future. Not all the family members have the ability, though. Only the strong ones survives, but even that can't change destiny."
— Sylvia (4 out of 5 stars)
" Historical fiction interweaving stories of political intrigue among native Japanese and Americans in forcibly opened Japan in the mid 19th century. Character driven story. Graphic violence among both Americans and Japanese. I wonder how accurate the portrayal of the respective cultures really is. Almost 4 stars. Complex and thought provoking. "
— Dave, 2/20/2014" The book was so full of imagery and I enjoyed it immensely. Crisp writing and wonderful historical fiction. I continue to look for more works by the author. "
— Douglas, 2/11/2014" It's been a while since I've read this one, but I remember enjoying it. A group of missionaries, along with a gunslinger in search of revenge, come to Japan as the guest of a certain lord. Want to re-read at some point. "
— Benjamin, 2/5/2014" this was a really fun book. It was written well, and was really interesting the entire time. I look forward to the next one. "
— Jess, 1/31/2014" Lucu, mengharukan dan banyak pola pikir samurai yang rasanya sulit dimengerti oleh kepala manusia masa kini. Ada sedikit terjemahan yang sulit dipahami, tapi masih lumayan lah dibanding buku-buku terjemahan lainnya. "
— Audriane, 1/18/2014" Good read for my trip to Japan but totally unbelievable. A real stretchhhhh of the imagination about the Meiji era of Japan and its dealings with westerners. However, the Samurai scenes were dramatic and well explained. The western cowboys though - not. "
— Colleen, 12/13/2013" This is my favourite book. It has pretty much everything you could want in a story from sorrow to love, bloody combat to politics. It's mystical and fantastic. "
— Jaina, 12/8/2013" I thought the book was pretty good...A nice critique of the Japanese culture during a period of transition. "
— Jeff, 9/15/2013" A little too violent. Murders of children. "
— Andy, 9/3/2013" Solidly entertaining, if your suspension of disbelief skills are in rotation. Been a while since I read it, so no specifics. "
— Mark, 7/18/2013" Hmm,, what I've found so far, the sentences are poetic. "
— Indri, 11/18/2012" Strangely moving. Great story telling ability. "
— A.J., 10/8/2012" I listened to this as an audiobook that I picked up on a whim at the library, and found it entertaining as I was driving along. I doubt that I would have stuck with it in book form. "
— KathyC, 8/23/2012" Fantastic! x10 Loved the romance and subtleties and just everything about it! This was 'right up my alley' as my grandmother would say. "
— Sara, 8/4/2012" beautiful! very intriguing. combination between unusual love, violent of middle age japan and Mystic that backing up the mystery of the books. "
— Laksmi, 10/30/2011" The main story is nice as well the parallel stories of the American protagonists , but the ending is totally irrelevant to the whole story. "
— Matu, 9/3/2011" The second half of the book is nothing but a complete bloodbath. There's fratricide, patricide, suicide, infanticide - any kind of -cide you can think of, it is probably in this book. "
— L., 2/16/2011" Great! It got romance, comedy and action. "
— Pia, 2/5/2011" I liked it very much. I will definitely read more of this author's work. <br/>Japan in the year 1861; the current culture is being challenged by the foreigners from the West, bringing their uncivilized ways to disrupt the traditions of classical Japan. "
— Beth, 1/12/2011" What a wonderful, wonderful book. I just wish it had gone on a bit longer... "
— Sophiene, 10/15/2010" i was sucked right into it! "
— Tanya, 9/29/2010" A very interesting and rather different book about the Meiji era. "
— Jennifer, 8/13/2010" Too bloody. Good for learning about Japanese culture and the way of samurai. "
— Khoa, 8/12/2010" Tahu atau tidak tahu itu tidak penting.. tapi tahu yang harus tahu, dan yang tidak harus kita tahu itu lebih bijak... "
— Vien, 4/7/2010" A really fun read, if you can suffer through the first bit... To think I nearly didn't read it would have been a great pity. "
— Michael, 3/26/2010" too bawdy right from the start. the trouble with adult fiction is that it is sometimes too...adult. "
— Amanda, 3/1/2010" Ceritanya sih menarik, banyak tokoh dan intrik. Agak kesulitan menghafal nama-nama bangsawan dan klan. <br/> <br/>Kalo itu sih salahin diri sendiri aja, soalnya agak kurang konsen baca buku ini. <br/> <br/>Catatannya : suatu saat akan dibaca ulang. Dan hunting buku kedua nya. "
— Kerlip, 2/9/2010" American missionaries meet a Great Lord and his samurai in Edo in the 1860s. "
— Tara, 1/22/2010Takashi Matsuoka was born in Japan and raised in the United States. He lives in Honolulu, where he was employed at a Zen Buddhist temple before becoming a full-time writer.
Grover Gardner (a.k.a. Tom Parker) is an award-winning narrator with over a thousand titles to his credit. Named one of the “Best Voices of the Century” and a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine, he has won three prestigious Audie Awards, was chosen Narrator of the Year for 2005 by Publishers Weekly, and has earned more than thirty Earphones Awards.