竜が最後に帰る場所

by Kōtarō Tsunekawa

しんと静まった真夜中を旅する怪しい集団。降りしきる雪の中、その集団に加わったぼくは、過去と現在を取り換えることになった――（「夜行（やぎょう）の冬」）。古く湿った漁村から大都市の片隅、古代の南の島へと予想外の展開を繰り広げながら飛翔する五つの物語。日常と幻想の境界を往還し続ける鬼才による最重要短編集。 （講談社文庫）

226 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2010

About the author

Associated Names:
* Kōtarō Tsunekawa
* 恒川 光太郎 (Japanese)

Reviews

[Emi · Rating 4 out of 5]

バラエティに富んだ5話の短編集。それぞれテイストが違うけどどれもおもしろい。「夜行の冬」が一番自分の中での著者のイメージ。どの話も良かったけど「鸚鵡幻想曲」と「ゴロンド」が特に好きだった。本の題名も好き。

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many of Tsunekawa's short story collections are connected by a common theme or subtle threads of plot; this volume stands out in that its works are all stand-alone, and they vary dramatically in content and mood. The most traditionally "Tsunakawa-esque" is 「夜行の冬」, but overall I'd say that these are some of his more meditative works.

I can't say that this is his best work; as a whole package it lacks the psychological complexity of e.g. 「夜市」 or the cathartic long arc of 『雷の季節の終わりに』. But it is an engaging read, with its characters moving through often-strange but still viscerally-realized worlds. Recommended for anyone who's already a fan, but also for anyone in the mood for some slow-burn "tales of the weird." I especially enjoyed 「ゴロンド」; the tone and mood are close to unique among all the things I've read since at least Dunsany's "Idle Days on the Yann."

[Meow Meow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the 3rd and the 4th stories the most. The 3rd one is about a night parade which always ends in the same small town where it starts but in a different parallel universe and I can totally see the allure of such parade. The 4th one really showcases the whimsical uniqueness of Tsunekawa’s storytelling.