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Tales of Yamato
Yamato. A land of lavish forests, full of life… and loss. The beautiful string of islands, surrounded by expansive seas, hide a harsh reality: Wrathful gods, dangerous yokai, and humans who could end your life with a slice of the sword. Follow the lives of those surviving in any way they can, while cherishing love found along the way.
When the great sea god Susanoo is controlled more and more by the destructive part of his soul, he must do all he can to keep himself from harming humanity.
A tanuki father goes on a quest to prepare his young pup to blend in to the dangerous human world and causes mischief and mayhem along the way.
Lightning brings both luck and tragedy to a young boy who desperately picks peaches to save his sick mother.
Fourteen tales will take you on a journey with humans, gods, and yokai, showing how each one isn’t so different from the other. And that, even in death, there will always be those who will honour your life.
When the great sea god Susanoo is controlled more and more by the destructive part of his soul, he must do all he can to keep himself from harming humanity.
A tanuki father goes on a quest to prepare his young pup to blend in to the dangerous human world and causes mischief and mayhem along the way.
Lightning brings both luck and tragedy to a young boy who desperately picks peaches to save his sick mother.
Fourteen tales will take you on a journey with humans, gods, and yokai, showing how each one isn’t so different from the other. And that, even in death, there will always be those who will honour your life.
ebook
Published March 5, 2025
44 people want to read
About the author
Odessa Silver
7 books5 followersOdessa has been stuck in her imagination since a child creating strange ideas and weaving them into stories. She follows wherever her mind takes her, although almost always staying under the genre of fantasy somewhere. A lover of character driven narratives, each story is woven with emotion and human nature. Odessa lives in the UK alongside her very helpful ‘editor’ cat, Phoebe.
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Follow on social media for more information and pictures of Phoebe:
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 21, 2025
An intriguing collection of interconnected short stories inspired by Japanese mythology. The writing style is immersive, with vivid descriptions that bring both places and emotions to life. While I enjoyed the structure, I occasionally found it challenging to follow the main themes. Some stories ended without a clear resolution, leaving room for interpretation—and perhaps even hinting at a sequel. Though I’m not an expert in Japanese culture and folklore, I found the reading experience deeply engaging. The stories had the feel of ancient fairy tales, offering warnings about human nature, cleverly disguised as myths of gods and legendary creatures. I’d recommend this to readers interested in Japanese mythology who don’t necessarily have a strong background in the topic and aren’t looking for a purely traditional Japanese experience.
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November 10, 2025Incredibly creative and convoluted web of short stories that all interlace in ways often unpredictable. A lot of suspence, and I love the way that this book both humanises the divine characters and gives en the most humble humans an aura of legend and fairytale. I love stories inspired by folklore, so this was a very pleasant read for me!
dnf
March 5, 2025This book just wasn't for me.
February 14, 2025
Tales of Yamato by Odessa Silver is a masterfully crafted collection of interconnected stories that blend seamlessly into a compelling narrative.
Through multiple points of view, Silver immerses readers in a richly developed world, drawing them effortlessly into its pages. From beginning to end, this book was impossible to put down, leaving me eager for more.
The characters and their arcs are thoughtfully designed, each serving a clear purpose within the larger story. No narrative feels extraneous, and every thread contributes meaningfully to the overall tapestry. My only lingering curiosity lies in the fates of certain characters, as a few storylines end on tantalizing cliffhangers—perhaps hinting at a sequel? I certainly hope so.
Beautifully written and expertly executed, Tales of Yamato is a captivating read. The final story, in particular, stood out for its originality and unique formatting, making it my personal favorite.
Through multiple points of view, Silver immerses readers in a richly developed world, drawing them effortlessly into its pages. From beginning to end, this book was impossible to put down, leaving me eager for more.
The characters and their arcs are thoughtfully designed, each serving a clear purpose within the larger story. No narrative feels extraneous, and every thread contributes meaningfully to the overall tapestry. My only lingering curiosity lies in the fates of certain characters, as a few storylines end on tantalizing cliffhangers—perhaps hinting at a sequel? I certainly hope so.
Beautifully written and expertly executed, Tales of Yamato is a captivating read. The final story, in particular, stood out for its originality and unique formatting, making it my personal favorite.
March 5, 2025
This was such a lovely dive into Japanese myth with nods to some classic stories like Broken Waves which centers around the sea god Susanoo, and equally entertaining original tales about classic Japanese creatures like Tanuki Troubles and The Cry of the Raijuu.
The whole book is written in a style that reminds me of classic fairy tales and bedtime stories, though not all are appropriate for children. Those unfamiliar with Japanese will appreciate the authors notes and explanation of honorifics in the preface. Puritans looking for authentic Japanese stories might not love these takes as there are some clear influences of Western taste in some of the motifs, I did feel the author approached each story with a lot of love and respect for the culture she was working with, and personally I thought the fusion of east and west each story was lovely and engaging.
The whole book is written in a style that reminds me of classic fairy tales and bedtime stories, though not all are appropriate for children. Those unfamiliar with Japanese will appreciate the authors notes and explanation of honorifics in the preface. Puritans looking for authentic Japanese stories might not love these takes as there are some clear influences of Western taste in some of the motifs, I did feel the author approached each story with a lot of love and respect for the culture she was working with, and personally I thought the fusion of east and west each story was lovely and engaging.
October 16, 2025
If you're a fan of Japanese culture, folklore, or anime like Noragami then this book is for you.
The collection of short stories based in Yamato were easy to read, very visual and immersive. I enjoyed the range of emotions and characters explored and the world building is brilliantly executed. The short story about the kappa took a sudden turn I wasn't expecting, which made it a gripping read.
Silver presents a detailed taster of Japanese folklore with a wide range of mythical creatures, a couple of which I hadn't heard of, so the tales made for a fun and interesting read.
The collection of short stories based in Yamato were easy to read, very visual and immersive. I enjoyed the range of emotions and characters explored and the world building is brilliantly executed. The short story about the kappa took a sudden turn I wasn't expecting, which made it a gripping read.
Silver presents a detailed taster of Japanese folklore with a wide range of mythical creatures, a couple of which I hadn't heard of, so the tales made for a fun and interesting read.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews