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Idzumo #2
The Dragon Stone
Once more the evil Lord Marishoten tries to obtain universal power and to seize the Chrysanthemum Throne - this time through possession of the Dragon Stone. "Fashioned in blood and fire and hate and death," the Dragon Stone brings to its holder power over the wills of men. Tied to the Stone are the dreaded Fuma, dark winds of hell, creatures of the Hag of the Three Ways...
Once more, Prince Hachi, Lord-Eight-Thousand-Spears, leads the Mikado's kinsfolk to his rescue and defense.
Once more, Prince Hachi, Lord-Eight-Thousand-Spears, leads the Mikado's kinsfolk to his rescue and defense.
223 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 1982
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 18, 2022
This is a wonderful sequel to The Plum Rain Scroll. Many of the old characters return, and a whole host of new ones contribute to a rollicking plot with many funny moments and plenty of drama. As before, the plot unwinds rapidly, with no wasted sentences. And the climax is perfect. Highly recommended (if you can find it!)
December 22, 2017
Some background: I am a big fan of The Plum Rain Scroll, the first book in Ruth Manley's Japan trilogy. I have vague memories of starting this sequel when it came out in 1983 or so; I would've just started high school. I didn't get very far then. It just didn't hold my interest.
I recently read TPRS to my daughter, and we both enjoyed it very much, so at her urging I decided to give the Dragon Stone another go.
It's a real slog. So, so much exposition. So much sitting around waiting for stuff to happen. The story itself doesn't kick into gear for 70 or so pages - a full third of the way into the book. Manley doggedly sticks to her single viewpoint, third person narrative, and this is a problem, because Taro is still boring, a blah. Moreover, other more interesting characters are constantly heading off on adventures of their own, of which we hear only when they inevitably turn up to save the day. So - our main character has no real agency, and all the interesting stuff happens elsewhere.
It's difficult to believe the published version got past Manley's editors. If they'd got in early, they might have been able to deliver something more comprehensible and readable. Something that flowed.
There are way too many characters. The plot is complicated and confusing and yet curiously inert. There are still things to love - Uncle Thunder's exasperation at Cousin U, a tribe of giant freaks with a penchant for flying kites, three vampires trying to be good by following the example of their benefactor, a Buddhist priest. But there is a strong sense that in the midst of researching Japanese folklore and accumulating ideas, Manley lost track of the thing that made her TPRS so enjoyable - a cracking story.
I recently read TPRS to my daughter, and we both enjoyed it very much, so at her urging I decided to give the Dragon Stone another go.
It's a real slog. So, so much exposition. So much sitting around waiting for stuff to happen. The story itself doesn't kick into gear for 70 or so pages - a full third of the way into the book. Manley doggedly sticks to her single viewpoint, third person narrative, and this is a problem, because Taro is still boring, a blah. Moreover, other more interesting characters are constantly heading off on adventures of their own, of which we hear only when they inevitably turn up to save the day. So - our main character has no real agency, and all the interesting stuff happens elsewhere.
It's difficult to believe the published version got past Manley's editors. If they'd got in early, they might have been able to deliver something more comprehensible and readable. Something that flowed.
There are way too many characters. The plot is complicated and confusing and yet curiously inert. There are still things to love - Uncle Thunder's exasperation at Cousin U, a tribe of giant freaks with a penchant for flying kites, three vampires trying to be good by following the example of their benefactor, a Buddhist priest. But there is a strong sense that in the midst of researching Japanese folklore and accumulating ideas, Manley lost track of the thing that made her TPRS so enjoyable - a cracking story.
January 18, 2016
This one's a bit of a mess compared to The Plum-Rain Scroll--WAY too many characters, way too much backstory explanation required, bad editing--but it's still so nice to come back to the main ragtag group of friends. Hope to read the 3rd installment someday, but since it's OOP and the only copies floating around in the world seem to be around $200, I just hope I'll come across it in a bookstore...in Australia...which means I have to get to Australia.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews