Black Arrow

Sugawara Akitada #3

by I.J. Parker

In I. J. Parker's latest mystery set in ancient Japan, a cold and hostile land pits Akitada against his deadliest foe yet

I. J. Parker's engrossing historical novels bring eleventh-century Japan to life in all its colorful, treacherous glory. As Black Arrow opens, Sugawara Akitada assumes his new post as provisional governor of Echigo, a frigid province in the far north notorious for its hostility to outsiders. But the snow that threatens to completely isolate the region is the least of his problems-which include a local uprising, a series of brutal murders, and a mystery that's as old as the frozen hills and a lot more dangerous. Superbly written and rich in period detail, Black Arrow is another bravura performance from a master of the historical thriller.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Japan, Historical Mystery, Fiction, Historical, Crime

356 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Knigoqdec · Rating 4 out of 5]

Акитада ми е на сърце. Много пълнокръвен и симпатичен образ ми е. Липсваха ми и снеговете на провинция Ечиго, въпреки че съвсем скоро се връщам пак там (покрай новия аниме сезон на Golden Kamuy, макар че те са дори още по-снежни и това е страхотно!).
"Черната стрела" не ми позволи да ми бъде скучно. Много ми се искаше тъкмо срещата с една такава Япония, понеже не ми се беше случвало от доста време насам.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book in the series so far. This story is beautiful and tragic, full of twists and turns, some of them you can see coming and a couple not so easily. It is a story of tragic and forbidden loves, deception, and innocent death.

It is very difficult to put down.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sugara Akitada, along with his wife and loyal retainers, travels to the snowy north of Japan to take over his assignment as provincial governor. The province is far from the imperial capital, however, and he finds that he has little power to back up his position. Outside of the capital, this historical period is little documented and the author does a masterful job of imagining the setting. The plot involves a number of mysteries as well as convoluted political intrigue. A bit cold and grim.

[Brett Bydairk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another 11th C. tale of Japanese bureaucrat Sugawara Akitada. Well-written and -plotted as usual, although many of the secondary characters seem two-dimensional.
This time, Our Hero is sent to the northern province of Echigo (modern Niigama prefecture) as provisional governor. And once again, the situation makes it obvious that Akitada is set up to fail.
The story of how he doesn't is action-packed, from several murders to the siege of a mountain fortress and should satisfy anyone interested in ancient Japan.

[Gary Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third in a series featuring Sugawara Akitada, a fictional Japanese midlevel magistrate in the eleventh century. I've become quite fond of this series. The character development is excellent. The plot as convoluted as anyone could hope for. Very well researched regarding both customs and location.

[Tom Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first started reading this, I was very concerned about the parallels to Van Gulik's legendary character Judge Dee. I mean, he didn't invent the formula, but Parker really didn't change much at all. Having said that, he really sticks the landing and it was a joy to read. And to be fair, there was more sex and blood in this than anything Van Gulik could've stomached...so that's original.

[Starry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice historical detail, nice plot, shallow characters.

[Jessica L Seay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay.

The story flowed a lot better then previously read books from this series. It is not a huge favorite of mine like another Japanese series I have read, but it holds its own and is fun to read.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

the story brings you into that time period. once you hear his story you must stay to the end.

[Jeffrey L Adger Jr (The Equalizer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great who don't!

[Jbondandrews · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy read but unsure if I want to read all eighteen books.

[Katheyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

TBA

[Monica Bond-Lamberty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes the enemies just seem a little too much.
Really, he won't say anything to save himself again?

[Sebastian · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Harley · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this novel, Akitada is sent as a governor to the northern province.

[Hans-christian · Rating 3 out of 5]

100% Robert van Gulik Judge Dee rip-off.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third book in Parker's Sugawara series, Black Arrow is another enthralling mystery of ancient (Heian) Japan.
But I must say as much as I enjoyed it, I only got through it so I can get to the next book in the series. It was good but not great. I never felt the urgency to keep turning the pages to find out what happens next- only the urgency to finish. That being said, it was still smooth enough for me to hurry through reading it and still be interested enough to retain and remember what I had read.
On a historical note, I'm impressed with how Parker writes the women of the Heian era in her stories, especially Tamako, Akitada's (the protagonist)young wife. She's a perfect juxtaposition to Sano, Reiko from Laura Joh Rowland's Sano Ichiro series. That being said they're two different authors and two different stories but Parker's portrayal of high-ranking woman seems more realistic to the times. For instance in Black Arrow, Tamako always leaves the men alone to talk business, and when she recognizes her husband is in distress over what current problem is weighing on him, she never presses him or pries. She helps him only inadvertently (wheres Reiko is always a part of murder investigations and is also prying into her husband's and his retainers' affairs). Not cutting down anyone through this comparison, but I just enjoy Parker's realistic women of ancient Japan.
The plot I feel is the one thing that bored me a bit and maybe it's just due to my gravitation towards murder mysteries, but it was the usual for me. Murder of somewhat significant individual(s), protagonist must solve against the odds of looming threats, family is at stake, etc etc. The series, however, is worth it, just make sure to go in order by how the author dictated and not any other site!

[Toni Osborne · Rating 3 out of 5]

4th novel featuring Sugawara Akitada

The adventure is beautifully written bringing to life 11th century Japan, its action-packed plot is nicely combined with period details.

In this story, Akitada and his lieutenants Tora, Hitomaro and Genda are assigned to the remote and lawless province of Echigo to govern a hostile population and its treacherous warlords. They quickly become entangle in a murder investigation of an innkeeper and many other out of control situations. Forcing them, against all odds and risk to their lives to take up arms and bring the province back under the ultimate control of the Emperor.

This novel has a cast of fine characters, real to life, although none shine on their own. The narration is crisp and offers chilling moments with many surprises, the writing skilfully brings to the forefront the brutality of the period. I found even with its many twists the plot to be a bit predictable, removing some of the suspense.The reader will find the battle scenes to be very graphic, definitely not for the faint of heart.

This historical thriller is an entertaining addition to the series.

[M.J. Fiori · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this installment, our 11th-century Japanese detective hero, Akitada, leaves the Heian capital for an outpost in a cold, unruly province where all forces seem set against him from the get-go. His new bride at his side, Akitada now shoulders the responsibilities of a married man and father-to-be, and in addition has a recent promotion to prove himself worthy of. Meanwhile, danger lurks and black hearts will out, etc. etc. etc.

Anyway, there are mysterious murders a-plenty in this volume as in the other Akitada books, but this volume does add something quite new to the mix: war-room planning, a military raid and battle scenes as an entire province is mobilized either for or against Akitada and his faithful band of men. These climactic scenes add a blood-pumping-on-a-grand-scale aspect not present in the other Akitada mysteries. All in all, one of the best books in the series. It is gratifying to see our young hero further cultivate his in-born powers of observation, rational thinking and people-reading while also developing hitherto unknown authority as the Emperor's representative far from the glories and comforts of Heian Kyo.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Black Arrow is a transitional book in the Sugawara Akitada series, which are set in 11th century Imperial Japan. Akitada has been sent with his new wife and retinue to the Echigo province in northern Japan as a provisional governor. However the people there are not eager to have another Imperial governor appointed,and Akitada must use all his intelligence and cunning to gain control and bring order. These are far more important and onerous duties than he has had in past books, and now he has a pregnant wife to protect. Therefore, the story is a little darker in outlook as Akitada is no longer investigating criminal cases just because they interest him as puzzles. He has to mete out some difficult justice and there is much more bloodshed than in previous stories. However, like all the other novels in the series, I. J. Parker has written a gripping, puzzling and enjoyable mystery. Parker is a master of plotting and setting, and she uses secondary characters to great effect.

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Parker turns in the fourth mystery rooted in her fascination with eleventh-century Japan and featuring Sugawara Akitada, a young nobleman down on his luck who has accepted various governmental administrative positions. Akitada ends up investigating murder and other mayhem while trying to govern a hostile population and hold his own family together. A dark secret is at the center of this novel, culminating in the surprise confession of a family member controlling the grand castle in a bone-chilling northern province. Themes familiar to many cultures--the healing power of love, the inherent corruption of government, socioeconomic stratification, and the power of individual honor--permeate the pages. Numerous characters besides Akitada are repeat performers from the previous Parker cast, but Parker wisely presumes no prior knowledge. The historical research is impressive, the prose crisp, and Parker's ability to universalize the human condition makes for a satisfying tale.

[Natalie Petchnikow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Au cœur du Japon féodal, dans une contrée montagneuse reculée, une nouvelle enquête des plus périlleuses pour le téméraire et attachant Sugawara Akitada. Un polar historique aussi trépidant que dépaysant, le troisième volet d'une série récompensée par le prestigieux Shamus Award. Nommé à un poste de gouverneur, Sugawara Akitada émigre dans la lointaine province enneigée d'Echigo avec son épouse, Tamako, et ses fidèles acolytes, Seimei et Tora. A mille lieues du havre de paix qu'ils imaginaient, la région est à feu et à sang. Un seigneur de la guerre tyrannique, des greniers à grains vides, un tribunal en ruine... Malgré l'hostilité de la population à son égard, Akitada est bien décidé à rétablir l'ordre. Lorsque deux meurtres sont commis coup sur coup, la tache se corse. Akitada va alors trouver un soutien inattendu en la personne d'un jeune archer aïnu, une ethnie méconnue et isolée...

[Franklin Arbour · Rating 3 out of 5]

To a degree it hurt the novel, most of the townie characters were flat. There is an instance of double-identity that made little sense because we were only exposed to half of it — save a few brief glimpses here and there. When the character was exposed, I was too detached from that plot thread to be surprised. My reaction was, "Sure, why not?"

All told, it was a terribly interesting novel, and I do like the way Akitada and his staff interact as a sort of family of misfits. I was able to appreciate Akitada's dual status as both a cranky non-comformist and zealous defender of the status quo without that conflict ever being explicitly stated.

I'm looking forward to the other three books from this series that I have on my shelf.

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in 10th century Japan, this is the third in I. J. Parker's series about Sugawara Akitada, a young minor nobleman who is starting his career as a government official who also solves murders.

He is assigned the provisional governorship of a northern province while the actual governor spends the winter in the more comfortable capital. Akitada has to struggle for power and authority with the resident warlord to reestablish royal authority. The people are also unfriendly and unsupportive due to previous governors inabilities. The story unfolds as Akitada settles in during the coming winter and faces a number of challenges to his authority as well as resolving a number of murders.

[Writerlibrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good installment in a series that gets better with each new novel.
Akitada moves to the Northern part of the empire, newly assigned governor of Echigo. A cold, isolated place where the local lord is the law. Lots of intrigues, some good characters development, new friends and foes add to the already mismatched team supporting Akitada in his new post.

Parker succeeds in bringing new readers into an existing series quite easily, you don't need to start with the first book, you can start with this one and go back. She also makes faithful readers comfortable and happy to meet old friends again.

[Jeff Clay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very much enjoyed the first two in this series. This one not so much. Not that it was a slog or a terrible read. Parker does a good job of sketching 11th century Japan, no mean feat. With this 3rd outing though, it's as if she has grown a bit weary of of her main character (his whininess gets tiring) and the plot line seemed too labored, too forced. I will give the series a rest for a while, methinks.

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining and easy reads. I don't necessarily love them, because these aren't the type of novels that stick with you, however, it serves its purpose when it comes to entertainment value. I have enjoyed the two books in this series I have read already, and plan on reading more. I find the main characters to be likable, the setting/time period/etc to be well-researched, and the story line to be interesting/enjoyable to read. Perfect for trips and similar occasions.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent book by I.J. Parker. I looked ahead and saw that I have another 10 books with Akitada and his friends, and I was so happy. This one is set in northern Japan and the story is quite unusual. I kept wondering what was going on and who was behind all these plots for a quite a while in the book. Winter in northern Japan has something magic in it, and I.J. Parker does a great job again. Thank you for the story and the entertainment!

[Jarda Kubalik · Rating 4 out of 5]

By the 4 stars I literally mean 'I really liked it' as it says, nothing more. The story is indeed well constructed as the above readers say. To put it through a like-for-like test, I liked it better than Sano Ichiro novels (the two I read that is) and not more that R. van Gulik's works. To be honest, Parker obviously is inspired by the Judge Dee stories. No problem with that, it has good suspense, is historically accurate (as far as I can tell) and is enjoyable.

[Ed Dodson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my current favorite genre - historical detective stories, I.J. Parker has become my favorite writer. This, the second book about a civil servant in 11th century Japan, in the fashion of Robert VanGulik's Judge Dee mysteries, is extremetly well written and exciting. This has started me on another "read 'em all" quest.