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Summertime of the Dead
Yukio’s two best friends are dead. Tormented and blackmailed by the Yakuza – the Japanese mafia – they have taken their own lives.
Yukio is a kendo champion and he knows all the stories of the samurai. Heartbroken and furious, he is determined to avenge the deaths of his beloved Hiroshi and Miko.
And so begins a deadly struggle between Yukio and the Yakuza, and between Yukio’s capacity for love, and his thirst for revenge.
Shot through with the beauty of Tokyo in spring, this is an unforgettable and uncompromising read.
Yukio is a kendo champion and he knows all the stories of the samurai. Heartbroken and furious, he is determined to avenge the deaths of his beloved Hiroshi and Miko.
And so begins a deadly struggle between Yukio and the Yakuza, and between Yukio’s capacity for love, and his thirst for revenge.
Shot through with the beauty of Tokyo in spring, this is an unforgettable and uncompromising read.
- GenresYoung Adult
352 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2012
2 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
About the author
Gregory Hughes
9 books35 followersGot off to a bad start as a teenager. Expelled from school. That said I've had an okay life. I've had hundreds of different jobs. Ive done a lot of traveling and met a lot of good people along the way.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
July 3, 2016
4,5/5
Priznám sa, že koniec predčil aj moje očakávania. Kniha bola rozhodne iná, ako hocičo iné, čo som čítala a bolo to vážne dobré. Keby mi ešte Jukio neliezol toľko na nervy, tak by bol aj plný počet hviezdičiek :D
Ale odporúčam, určite! :D
Priznám sa, že koniec predčil aj moje očakávania. Kniha bola rozhodne iná, ako hocičo iné, čo som čítala a bolo to vážne dobré. Keby mi ešte Jukio neliezol toľko na nervy, tak by bol aj plný počet hviezdičiek :D
Ale odporúčam, určite! :D
June 12, 2013
Review: After being blackmailed by the Yazuka, Miko and Hiroshi kill themsleves. Yukio, their best freidn, is determened to avenge them. As a result, he goes out to kill all those he holds responsible for their deaths.
First thoughts on Yukio-whoa, overreaction much? Yes, you do kendo. I understand you’re upset. But actually killing someone? You’re fourteen.These honour things are a bit outdated (not living in 21st centuryJapan, I don’t know how common it is for a teenager or anyone to hold the views that someone messes with your friends you mess them up even more). And even if you are going to live by the way of honor, you have gone much too far. And yeah, you’re fourteen. How the heck did you guys get into that club that started it to begin with? And then casually get hold of swords and bikes? I had issues wth the age in this. Also, issues with Yukio. He needs someone around him.
Mikazuki aka The Lump, Yukio’s cousin, is a really sweet but a little annoying. It’s nice seeing her tryand keep Yukio from going completly batcrap insane, but it doesn’t really work.
I suppose you could call it a coming of age story. There’s a few firsts for Yukio, some very big firsts. After a certain amount of kills, it got a bit boring.
You really can see Yukio go off on his own spiral of depravity in the killings, and I liked getting inside his head. It doesnt’ really bother him, which I find an interesting point. a fourteenyearold, whose first experience with death is traumatic and sudden, going off and killing more people, and not getting too worried could have been really interesting. but t wasn’t.
The writng style was quite simple, but got across the story well. I liked the way the setting of gangland Japan was brought together.
Overall: Strength 2 tea. A nonsympathetic main character and a bloodbath that went too far.
First thoughts on Yukio-whoa, overreaction much? Yes, you do kendo. I understand you’re upset. But actually killing someone? You’re fourteen.These honour things are a bit outdated (not living in 21st centuryJapan, I don’t know how common it is for a teenager or anyone to hold the views that someone messes with your friends you mess them up even more). And even if you are going to live by the way of honor, you have gone much too far. And yeah, you’re fourteen. How the heck did you guys get into that club that started it to begin with? And then casually get hold of swords and bikes? I had issues wth the age in this. Also, issues with Yukio. He needs someone around him.
Mikazuki aka The Lump, Yukio’s cousin, is a really sweet but a little annoying. It’s nice seeing her tryand keep Yukio from going completly batcrap insane, but it doesn’t really work.
I suppose you could call it a coming of age story. There’s a few firsts for Yukio, some very big firsts. After a certain amount of kills, it got a bit boring.
You really can see Yukio go off on his own spiral of depravity in the killings, and I liked getting inside his head. It doesnt’ really bother him, which I find an interesting point. a fourteenyearold, whose first experience with death is traumatic and sudden, going off and killing more people, and not getting too worried could have been really interesting. but t wasn’t.
The writng style was quite simple, but got across the story well. I liked the way the setting of gangland Japan was brought together.
Overall: Strength 2 tea. A nonsympathetic main character and a bloodbath that went too far.
March 22, 2014
Po tom, co jsem si od Gregoryho Hugha přečetla Sundej mi mesíc, mi bylo jasné, že ani Léto mrtvých nebude obyčejná kniha. Spíš absolutně neobyčejná..
Ten název je tak neskutečně trefný!! Mrtvolky jsem přestala počítat po deseti (Psycho killer killnul i buddhistickou jeptišku) a v sebevraždách jsem už na konci taky ztrácela přehled. Jednoduše, právě takovými drobnostmi jako je přímý popis zabití člověka, si mě autor získal.
A to Japonsko? Prostě..netypické.. :)
Regulérní 4* a doporučení každému, koho potkám! :3
Jako by život byl něco, na co se můžu jen dívat, ale ne žít.
Ten název je tak neskutečně trefný!! Mrtvolky jsem přestala počítat po deseti (Psycho killer killnul i buddhistickou jeptišku) a v sebevraždách jsem už na konci taky ztrácela přehled. Jednoduše, právě takovými drobnostmi jako je přímý popis zabití člověka, si mě autor získal.
A to Japonsko? Prostě..netypické.. :)
Regulérní 4* a doporučení každému, koho potkám! :3
Jako by život byl něco, na co se můžu jen dívat, ale ne žít.
March 14, 2018
Although this isn’t strictly a horror novel it is so unrelentingly dark it has more than earned its place near the top of the list. Yukio is a fourteen year old living in Tokyo who sets out to revenge the death of his two best friends who killed themselves after being endlessly tormented by the Yakuza. And there begins one of the most vicious revenge thriller you’ll read all year. Is this kid really fourteen? It’s a pretty hard book to classify, has references to both Manga and the samurai of old. Much of its brilliance is in the portrayal of Yukio who is totally relentless in his quest for revenge. The author hasn’t published anything since this very cool 2012 novel.
September 29, 2025
The childhood bias definitely played a part in how I see this book, but wow. ( I read this about 6 years ago)
The main premise is as the sypnosis says.
A wrongful death that was lead by revenge from our main character.
It is a mental battle where in one side he wants to be the son and grand-son that does honest work whilst on the otherhand wants to uphold the justice the law can't give him and in turn.
Upheld his warrior's honour.
The main premise is as the sypnosis says.
A wrongful death that was lead by revenge from our main character.
It is a mental battle where in one side he wants to be the son and grand-son that does honest work whilst on the otherhand wants to uphold the justice the law can't give him and in turn.
Upheld his warrior's honour.
June 5, 2023
Summertime of the Dead is a great book and I would definitely recommend it. Despite there being a lot of death, this book is highly emotional and quite sad. I like how Yukio had to avenge his twin's death, but the way he did it was a bit horrific. In conclusion, this is a great book for those who like books with sad endings and death.
April 23, 2022
If you like murder betrayal and crime and sorrow this is the book for you.
own
July 26, 2025Enjoyed
August 15, 2025
I have spent all week trying to decide what my final opinion this book is. It wasn’t great, but I thought that the storyline was pretty interesting and creative. I think that I would have enjoyed this book a lot more if the writing style weren’t so simple. I felt like I was reading a children’s book with adult topics.
Once Yukio had killed a couple times, the killings started to get kind of boring.
I was very mad and shocked when he killed the nun just because she knew he was the psycho killer, but I think that was needed for the readers and for Yukio to understand that he really was acting off of psychotic impulses and not because it was “his duty” to avenge the deaths of his friends.
When it comes to Yukio’s cousin, at first I was just really annoyed about the way that he treated her, but I loved the development of their relationship and how she helped him to keep his head on straight, but once he left, he started killing again. I also thought that it was interesting and pretty symbolic that once he was caught and arrested, his cousin ended up dying
Anyway, all that being said, it wasn’t a horrible read, but I wouldn’t read it a second time because I had a hard time getting into it.
Once Yukio had killed a couple times, the killings started to get kind of boring.
I was very mad and shocked when he killed the nun just because she knew he was the psycho killer, but I think that was needed for the readers and for Yukio to understand that he really was acting off of psychotic impulses and not because it was “his duty” to avenge the deaths of his friends.
When it comes to Yukio’s cousin, at first I was just really annoyed about the way that he treated her, but I loved the development of their relationship and how she helped him to keep his head on straight, but once he left, he started killing again. I also thought that it was interesting and pretty symbolic that once he was caught and arrested, his cousin ended up dying
Anyway, all that being said, it wasn’t a horrible read, but I wouldn’t read it a second time because I had a hard time getting into it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2014
Léto mrtvých je kniha, která splní, co slibuje na obálce, ale zároveň i zaručeně překvapí. Jde o příběh čtrnáctiletého Jukia, přeborníka v kendo, který se poté, co jakuza (nebo pár jejích příslušníků) dožene jeho nejlepší kamarády k sebevraždě, rozhodne krvavě pomstít.
Ano, vyvíjí se to trochu jako O Ren Ischiina zápletka v Kill Bill, ale narozdíl od Tarantina, kde prostě fandíme Nevěstě a vychutnáváme si gejzíry krve, u Hughese se nám jako čtenářům tak nadšenecký přístup nemusí vyplatit. Jukio totiž, aniž by si toho sám jako vypravěč nějak zvlášť všímal, čím dál víc sklouzává od původní neochoty vzít komukoli život k až paranoidní vražedné posedlosti, pod jejímž vlivem je schopen zavraždit i ty prokazatelně nejnevinnější. A taky je mu čtrnáct. Léto mrtvých se tak dá číst nejen jako spravedlivý příběh pomsty, ale i jako postupný sesun mladíka z nezdravého rodinného prostředí poněkud posedlého samurajskými hodnotami až k úplné nepříčetnosti, takže čím víc se blížíme ke konci, tím nespolehlivějším se Jukio jako vypravěč stává.
Jedinou polidšťující charakteristikou na Jukiově straně nakonec zůstane jeho vztah k tak trochu pomalejší, nebo naopak neuvěřitelně moudré sestřenici Hroudě, který od původní odcizenosti přehoupne až v závěrečnou náklonnost. Hrouda, zastávající tu tak trochu roli Jukiova svědomí, však v souboji o jeho duši prohraje a Jukio se tak svojí pomstou nechá zcela pohltit.
Na to, že jde o knihu propagovanou pro mladé čtenáře, obsahuje kromě atraktivních tokijských kulis a poučných informací o japonské kultuře a náboženství i překvapivé množství scén, otevřeně rozbrazujících násilí (což podle mě psychickému vývoji mládeže nijak zvlášť neškodí), ale hlavně poměrně nespolehlivého čtrnáctiletého vypravěče, který se čím dál víc vyžívá v násilí a postupně přichází o soudnost a rozum - pokud jsou tedy cílovu skupinou otrlí puberťáci, budou nejspíš nadšení.
Ano, vyvíjí se to trochu jako O Ren Ischiina zápletka v Kill Bill, ale narozdíl od Tarantina, kde prostě fandíme Nevěstě a vychutnáváme si gejzíry krve, u Hughese se nám jako čtenářům tak nadšenecký přístup nemusí vyplatit. Jukio totiž, aniž by si toho sám jako vypravěč nějak zvlášť všímal, čím dál víc sklouzává od původní neochoty vzít komukoli život k až paranoidní vražedné posedlosti, pod jejímž vlivem je schopen zavraždit i ty prokazatelně nejnevinnější. A taky je mu čtrnáct. Léto mrtvých se tak dá číst nejen jako spravedlivý příběh pomsty, ale i jako postupný sesun mladíka z nezdravého rodinného prostředí poněkud posedlého samurajskými hodnotami až k úplné nepříčetnosti, takže čím víc se blížíme ke konci, tím nespolehlivějším se Jukio jako vypravěč stává.
Jedinou polidšťující charakteristikou na Jukiově straně nakonec zůstane jeho vztah k tak trochu pomalejší, nebo naopak neuvěřitelně moudré sestřenici Hroudě, který od původní odcizenosti přehoupne až v závěrečnou náklonnost. Hrouda, zastávající tu tak trochu roli Jukiova svědomí, však v souboji o jeho duši prohraje a Jukio se tak svojí pomstou nechá zcela pohltit.
Na to, že jde o knihu propagovanou pro mladé čtenáře, obsahuje kromě atraktivních tokijských kulis a poučných informací o japonské kultuře a náboženství i překvapivé množství scén, otevřeně rozbrazujících násilí (což podle mě psychickému vývoji mládeže nijak zvlášť neškodí), ale hlavně poměrně nespolehlivého čtrnáctiletého vypravěče, který se čím dál víc vyžívá v násilí a postupně přichází o soudnost a rozum - pokud jsou tedy cílovu skupinou otrlí puberťáci, budou nejspíš nadšení.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 10, 2012
Gregory Hughes, writer of the astoundingly good Unhooking The Moon, is back with a Kill Bill-esque tale full of darkness, revenge and love. Summertime Of The Dead, set in the streets of Tokyo, is a blinding book. It’s the story of one summer in the life of Yukio and it’s the summer where his world went wrong. His two best friends are dead following a spiral of events involving the Japanese mafia. And Yukio loved them. He loved them so much, he decides to avenge their deaths.
Because Yukio is also a master at kendo.
If there’s one thing (and there’s not, there’s several) that Hughes does really well, it’s tales where teenagers suddenly become adults. He writes those moments superbly (and incredibly sympathetically). The moments when Yukio takes his first nervous, terrified, angry, furious steps into the adult world and starts to avenge his friends, are moments which are superbly written.
Where this book gets particularly interesting is with the introduction of The Lump. This character has a lot of parallel with The Rat from Unhooking The Moon and if it were poorly done, I’d be picking Hughes up on it. But it’s not. The Lump is Yukio’s cousin and she acts sort of as his moral barometer, even when he’s lost down so very low in his darkness. She’s fascinating. And sort of utterly lovely.
Summertime Of The Dead isn’t for the squeamish. There’s a fair few explicit scenes of death and murder and a couple of graphic situations at the end and it’s got a heck of an ending that doesn’t pull any punches (no pun intended). But where I think this book shines is in the relationships between characters, and that curious awareness that people may damn you but some people can also save you.
It’s a book that is somehow full of both death and life all at once.
Because Yukio is also a master at kendo.
If there’s one thing (and there’s not, there’s several) that Hughes does really well, it’s tales where teenagers suddenly become adults. He writes those moments superbly (and incredibly sympathetically). The moments when Yukio takes his first nervous, terrified, angry, furious steps into the adult world and starts to avenge his friends, are moments which are superbly written.
Where this book gets particularly interesting is with the introduction of The Lump. This character has a lot of parallel with The Rat from Unhooking The Moon and if it were poorly done, I’d be picking Hughes up on it. But it’s not. The Lump is Yukio’s cousin and she acts sort of as his moral barometer, even when he’s lost down so very low in his darkness. She’s fascinating. And sort of utterly lovely.
Summertime Of The Dead isn’t for the squeamish. There’s a fair few explicit scenes of death and murder and a couple of graphic situations at the end and it’s got a heck of an ending that doesn’t pull any punches (no pun intended). But where I think this book shines is in the relationships between characters, and that curious awareness that people may damn you but some people can also save you.
It’s a book that is somehow full of both death and life all at once.
July 17, 2013
Wow, this was such a contrast to many of the books I've read lately. A tale of grief and vengeance, this is a dark and at times disturbing read. It’s utterly captivating, I put off stopping to have lunch because I was so desperate to find out what was going to happen.
It feels quite claustrophobic at times, the way it is written really evokes the sense of the hot, bustling city – I felt that this worked so well to mirror how everything is weighing down on Yukio. This was paired with the lighter, almost redemptive sub plot focusing on Yukio’s visiting niece – a really welcome addition to the story.
One thing I did find was that I had to remind myself at times that Yukio is only 14 years old. I found that the decisions he makes and actions he takes often made it feel like he is much older than he is. I think this book’s probably better suited to slightly older teens than Yukio, I think it could make an excellent book group title – there’s certainly lots of scope for discussion.
It feels quite claustrophobic at times, the way it is written really evokes the sense of the hot, bustling city – I felt that this worked so well to mirror how everything is weighing down on Yukio. This was paired with the lighter, almost redemptive sub plot focusing on Yukio’s visiting niece – a really welcome addition to the story.
One thing I did find was that I had to remind myself at times that Yukio is only 14 years old. I found that the decisions he makes and actions he takes often made it feel like he is much older than he is. I think this book’s probably better suited to slightly older teens than Yukio, I think it could make an excellent book group title – there’s certainly lots of scope for discussion.
April 15, 2015
Tak tohle fakt ne. Pořádný děj to nemá, na začátku jen umřou dvojčata, tak hlavní hrdina jde a vraždí všechny kolem sebe, to prostě není normální zápletka. Navíc fakt ani v nejmenším nežeru fakt, že by ty vraždy bral čtrnáctiletý týpek tak v pohodě, žádné svědomí a vůbec... Když k tomu pričtu, že na celé té věci s vraždami je přiřazeno za vlasy snad úplně vsechno, mám jasno. Navíc je hlavní hrdina ultimátní kokot, s prominutím. A nijak zvlášť dobře se to taky nečte.
Do poslední kapitoly jsem však uvažovala o dvou hvězdičkách... Poslední kapitola ale všechno ještě víc zabíjí. Vlastně se mi líbila jen Hrouda.
Do poslední kapitoly jsem však uvažovala o dvou hvězdičkách... Poslední kapitola ale všechno ještě víc zabíjí. Vlastně se mi líbila jen Hrouda.
October 19, 2012
As a bookseller I would not feel comfortable recommending this to a parent buying for their teenage offspring. The content would have perhaps been a little better to stomach if it was accompanied by some further emotional context. I do appreciate that this is a novel about a very different culture from the western one I live in but still feel that the references to suicide and implied references to sex and prostitution through blackmail could have been dealt with a little bit more tastefully. Not one for me sadly but can appreciate that some people might enjoy a deeply gritty teenage read.
March 5, 2013
I haven't read Hughes other book but based on this one I don't think I will.
The plot line was predictable and it was sometimes hard to follow as it had a lot of unnecessary "And then...", "But...", making the sentences crazily long and equally as boring.
I don't know if it is because I don't know a lot about the Japanese culture and their senses of honour, but either way I didn't really like it.
The plot line was predictable and it was sometimes hard to follow as it had a lot of unnecessary "And then...", "But...", making the sentences crazily long and equally as boring.
I don't know if it is because I don't know a lot about the Japanese culture and their senses of honour, but either way I didn't really like it.
April 22, 2014
WOW!! Úžasná kniha. Moc mě bavilo číst popisy japonských zvyků a všechny ty samurajské věci okolo. Ale celou dobu jsem si přála, aby to skončilo nějak šťastněji.
Neuškodilo by, kdyby Gregory Hughes napsal druhý díl... :D
Neuškodilo by, kdyby Gregory Hughes napsal druhý díl... :D
June 5, 2014
Povedzte mi prosím niekto, koľko rokov má ten chlapec? 14 alebo 16? V anotácií je že 16, ale v knihe je napísané 14. Ani jeden vek mi nepasuje. Keby má 16 tak môže jazdiť na motorke a keby má 14 bolo by divné na tak mladého chlapca čo tam robí. :/
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June 3, 2014Jukio, you dont need to see blood, your blood ...
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