Oni

by John Dodds

Danger and desire in ancient Japan. A runaway bandit disguised as a monk must defeat demons, his former bandit crew, and a devastating plague to win the heart of a woman.

"Loved this one! Romance, great characters (and a very unusual main hero), gripping tension and a menacing, horrifying enemy. I kept thinking about this story days after I read it! A" -- Tara Fox Hall (reviewing the story which originally appeared in now-discontinued Warriors and Wenches anthology, written under the author's pseudonym, JT Macleod).

44 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 29, 2014

About the author

I am the author of The Kendrick Chronicles crime series. The first three books, Bone Machines, Kali's Kiss, and Babylon Slide are out now as audiobooks from Blackstone Audio, Inc. The first two are narrated by Robin Sachs, who has appeared in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Babylon 5, Galaxy Quest, Lost World: Jurassic Park and more, while Babylon Slide is narrated by John Lee, a multiple award-winning narrator who has performed novels by Jo Nesbo and George R.R. Martin, among a host of others. The audiobooks are available in CD, MP3 disc and download formats from all major retailers, such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Audible and downpour.com.

I also have a number of works, including a steampunk YA, The Mechanikals and shorter works out on Amazon.

Reviews

[Tristan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short story set in feudal Japan, mixing a ghost story with a romance, and a backdrop of revenge and redemption. It reads well despite a few editorial issues here and there, but lacks a twist to become memorable. The protagonist seems to be just passing through the separate events of the story rather than every aspect being linked in a clever way to create the “aha!” moment such stories need. Pleasant but no more.

[Kristin L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story Oni, by author John Dodds, is a different take on traditional Japanese fairy tales. It is set in ancient Japan and mixes characters from their mythology well into a story that offers both adventure and romance. The main character is Chen Shu, a young bandit turned a most reluctant novice monk. He has taken refuge in a monastery to escape the villainous Zhu Ki, the leader of the bandits. There, he has been taken under the wing of Ling, a mysterious sensei. Chen finds life in the monastery difficult, especially as he finds himself attracted to a local village girl named Takei, and comes up with many reasons to go into town to see her. Soon, Chen is faced with an otherworldly Yurei, the ghost of a woman who had been killed by her abusive husband. Her presence is thought to bring a plague to the villagers and town. An Oni, in Japanese myth, is often a type of demon, but in this story he takes on more of the role as a protector. This short story weaves a good story about good versus evil, with Chen and Takei caught in the middle. Ultimately, Chen proves worthy and learns how to be a better man. As always, I love when the characters get a 'happily ever after.' This fantastic short story is well worth the read.