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Mitama: War in Yamato
When an ambitious politician hatches an insidious plot, the entire land of Yamato is in danger. Humble priest Kagetsuya must stand against the evil, with his friends. But can he defy one who defies even the gods?
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 22, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 15, 2024
It was well written and creative. The author is intelligent and this shines through in this book.
March 20, 2013
I read this book when it first came out, and am lucky enough to possess a signed copy. The author is a dedicated youkai researcher/folklorist/lover. It was the depth of his youkai database which has since been taken down by himself (although the community that discussed it remains) that drew me to reading his story.
The story is about the quest that a young Shinto priest must undertake to save his sister (the miko of his shrine), serve the various kami, rescue the sun kami Amaterasu, and protect Yamato (Japan) from a very much overly ambitious politician. The story is well based within the culture, and features many of the youkai from folktale.
You don't need a degree in Japanese culture and folklore to enjoy the tale. The youkai are nicely described and yet leave you to your imaginings, as is appropriate. The titles of characters are in English, and the names themselves are in Japanese romaji (not kanji, which would make it difficult for non kanji readers).
The book has a good blend of mirth and seriousness, and a good balance between heavy and light. The reader will learn a decent amount about Japanese folklore and mythology without even realizing they are. My favorite part of this book though is the depiction of Susanoo/Susanowo. In this tale he is past the impetuousness of his youth and settled into his role. This is a rare thing to see depicted, and certainly makes it worth the read, even leaving aside all else.
This is one of the tales that has stuck with me over many years, and I find myself rereading it now and then to relive the tale.
The story is about the quest that a young Shinto priest must undertake to save his sister (the miko of his shrine), serve the various kami, rescue the sun kami Amaterasu, and protect Yamato (Japan) from a very much overly ambitious politician. The story is well based within the culture, and features many of the youkai from folktale.
You don't need a degree in Japanese culture and folklore to enjoy the tale. The youkai are nicely described and yet leave you to your imaginings, as is appropriate. The titles of characters are in English, and the names themselves are in Japanese romaji (not kanji, which would make it difficult for non kanji readers).
The book has a good blend of mirth and seriousness, and a good balance between heavy and light. The reader will learn a decent amount about Japanese folklore and mythology without even realizing they are. My favorite part of this book though is the depiction of Susanoo/Susanowo. In this tale he is past the impetuousness of his youth and settled into his role. This is a rare thing to see depicted, and certainly makes it worth the read, even leaving aside all else.
This is one of the tales that has stuck with me over many years, and I find myself rereading it now and then to relive the tale.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews