魔術師

明智小五郎事件簿 #5

by Edogawa Rampo

波乱に富む物語、意外で壮絶な結末。名探偵明智小五郎が生涯で最大の強敵に相対する表題作「魔術師」。骸骨怪人による恐るべき事件の捜査に明智が乗り出し、小林少年が初登場する「吸血鬼」。明智小五郎の恋と冒険を存分に堪能できる傑作長編2編を収録。

Genres: Japanese Literature

Paperback

First published January 1, 1931

About the author

Hirai Tarō (平井 太郎), better known by the pseudonym Rampo Edogawa ( 江戸川 乱歩), sometimes romanized as "Ranpo Edogawa", was a Japanese author and critic who played a major role in the development of Japanese mystery fiction.

Reviews

[Julian King · Rating 4 out of 5]

Devo ancora abituarmi al grottesco Ranpiano, che nella sua massima espressione, in realtà, intacca il fascino del genere poliziesco/mystery, ai miei occhi ignoranti. Di contro, amo gli indizi che valicano la quarta parete in modo confuso, sfumato, che vanno colti e non sono offerti come le sue riflessioni esplicite.

[Zr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many revenge stories are really exciting. But it's more compelling when the avenger is the protagonist and not the villain, as in The Count of Monte Cristo. Because Edogawa's villains are so superficial, the villain is the villain, and while there are plausible character motivations, the writer and reader fail to develop sympathy for the villains.
The villain like Javert in Les Misérables impressed me more because the reader also understands the villain who is a flesh and blood human being while nobody is an unforgivable villain. (But yeah it’s not comparable I mean this one is only a crime fiction xx

Edogawa's narrative strategy probably won't be accepted by everyone, I found it ok, certainly not as brilliantly entertaining as Nabokov's sometimes slightly prophetic narration in Lolita.

“I don't know anything, and my children have even less to do with it. There is no reason to pass on the hatred of fathers to future generations.” Somehow relatable

[I Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

The descriptions were such that I felt like I was there and I looked forward to what was going to happen next.

[Angel 一匹狼 · Rating 2 out of 5]

5.5/10

(Original Japanese)