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Legend of the Five Rings
The Night Parade of 100 Demons
A thrilling epic fantasy adventure in the astonishing realm of Legend of the Five Rings, as two rival clans join forces to investigate a lethal supernatural mystery
Chaos has broken out in the isolated Dragon Clan settlement of Seibo Mura. During the full moon, horrifying creatures rampage through the village, unleashing havoc and death. When the Dragon samurai Agasha no Isao Ryotora is sent to investigate, he faces even greater danger than expected. To save the village, he must confront his buried past – not to mention an unexpected Phoenix Clan visitor, Asako Sekken, who has his own secrets to hide. The quest to save Sebo Mura will take the two samurai into the depths of forgotten history and the shifting terrain of the Spirit Realms… and bring them face to face with an ancient, terrifying evil.
Chaos has broken out in the isolated Dragon Clan settlement of Seibo Mura. During the full moon, horrifying creatures rampage through the village, unleashing havoc and death. When the Dragon samurai Agasha no Isao Ryotora is sent to investigate, he faces even greater danger than expected. To save the village, he must confront his buried past – not to mention an unexpected Phoenix Clan visitor, Asako Sekken, who has his own secrets to hide. The quest to save Sebo Mura will take the two samurai into the depths of forgotten history and the shifting terrain of the Spirit Realms… and bring them face to face with an ancient, terrifying evil.
336 pages, Paperback
First published February 2, 2021
26 people are currently reading
443 people want to read
About the author
Marie Brennan
172 books3,254 followersMarie Brennan a.k.a. M.A. Carrick
Marie Brennan is a former anthropologist and folklorist who shamelessly pillages her academic fields for material. She recently misapplied her professors' hard work to Turning Darkness Into Light, a sequel to the Hugo Award-nominated series The Memoirs of Lady Trent. As half of M.A. Carrick, she is also the author of The Mask of Mirrors, first in the Rook and Rose trilogy. For more information, visit swantower.com, Twitter @swan_tower, or her Patreon.
Marie Brennan is a former anthropologist and folklorist who shamelessly pillages her academic fields for material. She recently misapplied her professors' hard work to Turning Darkness Into Light, a sequel to the Hugo Award-nominated series The Memoirs of Lady Trent. As half of M.A. Carrick, she is also the author of The Mask of Mirrors, first in the Rook and Rose trilogy. For more information, visit swantower.com, Twitter @swan_tower, or her Patreon.
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October 31, 2025"That is the meaning of duty. To do what you can, and what you must, even if it is not enough."
"The Night Parade of 100 Demons" by Marie Brennan is a fantasy novel based in Rokugan, the world from Legend of the Five Rings universe. It is firmly based on a feudal Japan, but also includes elements of other Asian cultures as well as magic.
Dragon Clan's samurai, Agasha no Isao Ryotora, travels to help the remote village deep in the mountains. During the full moon, horrifying creatures of all kinds are attacking the settlement wreaking havoc wherever they go. He finds the situation is far worse than he expected and is also surprised to see another samurai already on the site – a visitor from the Phoenix Clan, Asako Sekken. They are forced to join forces to investigate the case while trying to keep their secrets.
This novel is a real feast for Japanese culture fans. The focus of the book is on spiritual matters – holy rituals, guardian spirits and demons. Everything was described in great details showing us the wealth of Japanese mythology. As the title of the book suggests, the story is based on the folklore tale Hyakki Yakō. I enjoyed discovering all those different creatures and even felt encouraged to read more on Japanese folk tales. It shows that the author is genuinely fascinated with the culture (Marie Brennan is a former anthropologist and folklorist).
Unfortunately, as I love the setting, I didn't care much for the characters. They are both brave samurais doing their best to live by the virtues of Bushido; each has different backgrounds, troubles, and secrets. They also feel mutual attraction toward each other and try hard to keep an appropriate distance. Their stories weren't poorly written, but, ultimately, they fail to ignite any emotions in me. I far more fascinated by intricate culture than their dilemmas.
With novels from Legend of the Five Rings universe, I always consider if it can be read without prior knowledge of this world. And in this case, you don't have to be familiar with the setting at all. Everything specific to Rokugan is neatly explained (there is not much though, mostly the relation between the Clans), and the rest is pure Japanese folklore.
I think "The Night Parade of 100 Demons" can be immensely enjoyed if you like Japanese myths, legends, and folk tales. I didn't have a broad knowledge of the topic but found it even more fascinating after reading this book.
"The Night Parade of 100 Demons" by Marie Brennan is a fantasy novel based in Rokugan, the world from Legend of the Five Rings universe. It is firmly based on a feudal Japan, but also includes elements of other Asian cultures as well as magic.
Dragon Clan's samurai, Agasha no Isao Ryotora, travels to help the remote village deep in the mountains. During the full moon, horrifying creatures of all kinds are attacking the settlement wreaking havoc wherever they go. He finds the situation is far worse than he expected and is also surprised to see another samurai already on the site – a visitor from the Phoenix Clan, Asako Sekken. They are forced to join forces to investigate the case while trying to keep their secrets.
This novel is a real feast for Japanese culture fans. The focus of the book is on spiritual matters – holy rituals, guardian spirits and demons. Everything was described in great details showing us the wealth of Japanese mythology. As the title of the book suggests, the story is based on the folklore tale Hyakki Yakō. I enjoyed discovering all those different creatures and even felt encouraged to read more on Japanese folk tales. It shows that the author is genuinely fascinated with the culture (Marie Brennan is a former anthropologist and folklorist).
Unfortunately, as I love the setting, I didn't care much for the characters. They are both brave samurais doing their best to live by the virtues of Bushido; each has different backgrounds, troubles, and secrets. They also feel mutual attraction toward each other and try hard to keep an appropriate distance. Their stories weren't poorly written, but, ultimately, they fail to ignite any emotions in me. I far more fascinated by intricate culture than their dilemmas.
With novels from Legend of the Five Rings universe, I always consider if it can be read without prior knowledge of this world. And in this case, you don't have to be familiar with the setting at all. Everything specific to Rokugan is neatly explained (there is not much though, mostly the relation between the Clans), and the rest is pure Japanese folklore.
I think "The Night Parade of 100 Demons" can be immensely enjoyed if you like Japanese myths, legends, and folk tales. I didn't have a broad knowledge of the topic but found it even more fascinating after reading this book.
February 2, 2021
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
I love Marie Brennan and requested this book based on a) her being the author; and b) it dealing with Japanese folklore. I did not know that this book took place in a fictional world called the legend of the five rings which apparently is a card and role playing game. I cannot speak about how it fits into that world but I can speak to how it stands alone.
In this story, Agasha no Isao Ryotora, a samurai goes to a small isolated village to determine why supernatural creatures descend on the town at the full moon leaving destruction and death in their wake. While there, he unexpectedly meets samurai Asako Sekken from an opposing clan. The two of them are drawn into a much bigger problem that could destroy the world. Can they work together and solve the issue?
This book centers around Yōkai, which are historical Japanese monsters, and the legend of the Hyakki Yagyō or parade of demons. I very much enjoyed getting to learning more about these concepts. The highlight was the characters. I loved watching Ryotora and Sekken's relationship develop in the novel. It is slow-burn in terms of relationship development and plot but unfolded more like an older style myth so I very much enjoyed it. Additionally, I liked how the chapters switched back and forth between the two samurai.
The mystery itself was fun to watch unfold. Though the pace was steady, the ending ramped up. And I adored the ending which is rare for me. I am very glad that I picked this book up. Arrrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Aconyte Books!
I love Marie Brennan and requested this book based on a) her being the author; and b) it dealing with Japanese folklore. I did not know that this book took place in a fictional world called the legend of the five rings which apparently is a card and role playing game. I cannot speak about how it fits into that world but I can speak to how it stands alone.
In this story, Agasha no Isao Ryotora, a samurai goes to a small isolated village to determine why supernatural creatures descend on the town at the full moon leaving destruction and death in their wake. While there, he unexpectedly meets samurai Asako Sekken from an opposing clan. The two of them are drawn into a much bigger problem that could destroy the world. Can they work together and solve the issue?
This book centers around Yōkai, which are historical Japanese monsters, and the legend of the Hyakki Yagyō or parade of demons. I very much enjoyed getting to learning more about these concepts. The highlight was the characters. I loved watching Ryotora and Sekken's relationship develop in the novel. It is slow-burn in terms of relationship development and plot but unfolded more like an older style myth so I very much enjoyed it. Additionally, I liked how the chapters switched back and forth between the two samurai.
The mystery itself was fun to watch unfold. Though the pace was steady, the ending ramped up. And I adored the ending which is rare for me. I am very glad that I picked this book up. Arrrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you Aconyte Books!
February 2, 2021
I leapt at the chance to read Night Parade of 100 Demons because while I have only loose knowledge of the world of the Five Rings game, I love Japanese folklore and the Night Parade is a tale that I’m both familiar with from other books and media, but it is also one of my favourites. There is also the fact that this was by Marie Brennan, who I’ve read before and I enjoy the way that she writes, her prose is beautiful and really carries you away, so I was excited for the combination of the two.
Overall, I wasn’t disappointed, and the worldbuilding, in particular, stood out for me in this book, not least because it is a culture and mythology that I have been interested in for a long time. A lot of the exploration of the world is done through the characters, as it's through them that we get to learn a lot of the beliefs, the role and conflict of class in this world, as well as the yōkai. However, Brennan does an excellent job of creating a living, breathing setting that went beyond just the supernatural elements, and that really brought the story to life for me, and I was quite happy to keep reading and exploring that aspect of the world. And it has certainly left me wanting to read more within the setting of the Legend of the Five Rings, and it will be interesting to see what different authors bring to this world.
This is a slower-paced story, sometimes to the point where it feels as though we’re not really getting anywhere despite the mystery, and there were a few times where I wandered away from this one and it took a while to come back to it. Not, because I didn’t enjoy it, because whenever I was reading it, I was lost in the worldbuilding and the prose, I just wasn’t hooked into the plot itself. The pace does pick up towards the end, and the final twenty per cent or so I was firmly in the story itself and needing to see how it was all resolved, but I feel as though some of the action could have been brought forward or interspersed a bit more. That said, the slower pace is not necessarily a bad thing, as it gave us the time to explore the world and to get to know the main characters.
I say the main characters because I did find it hard to feel much attachment to any of the other characters, even when they were endangered by the events happening in the village. However, Sekken and Ryōtora more than made up for that as they are both fantastic characters. While they’re both Samurai and bound by the rules and the beliefs that come from that lifestyle, they are enriched by their own individual struggles and strengths, and different situations and backgrounds. I felt that they both worked so well, not just because they complimented and contrasted against one another beautifully, but because the slow pace allowed us to witness their struggles, with themselves, the situation and a village that wasn’t particularly welcoming to them, as well as the attraction (and whether to act on it) between them. The emotion of the story very much lay with them, and through their investigation and the development of their relationship, we get a rich tale of honour and duty and love.
This is a book that slides between genres, cresting between mystery and supernatural fantasy, with a vein of slow-burn romance throughout, but the combination of different approaches helps to bring this book to another level. It wasn’t without its faults, but it was an entertaining and impactful read, that went far beyond its supernatural elements to create a very human, emotional story.
Overall, I wasn’t disappointed, and the worldbuilding, in particular, stood out for me in this book, not least because it is a culture and mythology that I have been interested in for a long time. A lot of the exploration of the world is done through the characters, as it's through them that we get to learn a lot of the beliefs, the role and conflict of class in this world, as well as the yōkai. However, Brennan does an excellent job of creating a living, breathing setting that went beyond just the supernatural elements, and that really brought the story to life for me, and I was quite happy to keep reading and exploring that aspect of the world. And it has certainly left me wanting to read more within the setting of the Legend of the Five Rings, and it will be interesting to see what different authors bring to this world.
This is a slower-paced story, sometimes to the point where it feels as though we’re not really getting anywhere despite the mystery, and there were a few times where I wandered away from this one and it took a while to come back to it. Not, because I didn’t enjoy it, because whenever I was reading it, I was lost in the worldbuilding and the prose, I just wasn’t hooked into the plot itself. The pace does pick up towards the end, and the final twenty per cent or so I was firmly in the story itself and needing to see how it was all resolved, but I feel as though some of the action could have been brought forward or interspersed a bit more. That said, the slower pace is not necessarily a bad thing, as it gave us the time to explore the world and to get to know the main characters.
I say the main characters because I did find it hard to feel much attachment to any of the other characters, even when they were endangered by the events happening in the village. However, Sekken and Ryōtora more than made up for that as they are both fantastic characters. While they’re both Samurai and bound by the rules and the beliefs that come from that lifestyle, they are enriched by their own individual struggles and strengths, and different situations and backgrounds. I felt that they both worked so well, not just because they complimented and contrasted against one another beautifully, but because the slow pace allowed us to witness their struggles, with themselves, the situation and a village that wasn’t particularly welcoming to them, as well as the attraction (and whether to act on it) between them. The emotion of the story very much lay with them, and through their investigation and the development of their relationship, we get a rich tale of honour and duty and love.
This is a book that slides between genres, cresting between mystery and supernatural fantasy, with a vein of slow-burn romance throughout, but the combination of different approaches helps to bring this book to another level. It wasn’t without its faults, but it was an entertaining and impactful read, that went far beyond its supernatural elements to create a very human, emotional story.
March 30, 2022
Una trama totalmente sobrenatural en contraposición a Río Venenoso que era todo mundano. Novela ligera y entretenida, ideal para colar entre libros más largos.
Diría que me ha gustado más que la otra (y ojo que la otra también me gustó)
Diría que me ha gustado más que la otra (y ojo que la otra también me gustó)
February 10, 2024
During the full moon the quiet mountain village of Seibo Mura is struck by a swarm of horrifying spirits and monsters. Their houses are destroyed. Their neighbors slain. The Dragon Clan has sent help in the form of one of their samurai, Agasha no Isao Ryotora, a mage capable of communing with the spirits of the land and, hopefully, able to put things right before the next full moon. To the surprise of all, a member of the Phoenix Clan, a samurai by family rank and training, Asako Sekken, has also arrived, willing to help but with his own mysterious reasons for being there. Both men have dangerous secrets, but the true threat facing Seibo Mura is lost to history, knowledge of stopping it buried beneath collapsed shrines and legends long forgotten.
Sometimes I just want to chew on a book for a little while, to have fun with it and see where it goes. Marie Brennan’s venture into Rokugan, The Night Parade of 100 Demons, is exactly the kind of book that allows for that sort of experience. There is a solid mystery with a number of twists and turns, but it often feels more like an adventure than a mystery. The kind of thing that crops up at a game table readily.
That the Night Parade of 100 Demons is such an ancient issue as to have become seemingly contextless for Ryotora and nothing more than an old literary trope for Asako, adds an interesting layer to things. Both are trying to figure out what demons are part of the problems plaguing the village as well as why they might possibly be as far from their traditional homes as they are. It makes for this delightful feeling of wrongness as all Ryotora can do is address the symptoms and gather more information and hope that the actions he takes will be enough. Meanwhile, Asako helps as he can, but lands himself in trouble because he very carefully does not talk about the inugami following him around despite it being an aggressively stubborn out of context spirit itself, making himself seem hilariously suspicious.
More than that though, I find that I appreciated how the two characters approached the problems of the Parade differently. Ryotora goes about his business as a mage, has interviews done, resets the wards outside of town, and investigates what he can find. Asako on the other hand, is there less for the village’s problems and more because he wants to rid himself of the inugami, the dog spirit, that has been haunting him, and yet he also has specialized knowledge that Ryotora needs to make his investigation move at all. He also has something of a tunnel vision problem though, he assumes that he is cursed by a witch, so the village’s problems must be caused by a witch despite a lack of evidence for it.
Both protagonists are pining idiots, though for fascinatingly different reasons. Asako is so used to being the useless younger sibling, who does not need to have accomplished anything because his siblings have already advanced the family satisfactorily, so he assumes he is not good enough for Ryotora, a dedicated samurai doing all he can to help this village. He also assumes that Ryotora is so wrapped up in his honor and rote virtues that he would not get involved even if he was interested. Meanwhile, Ryotora is so tied up in knots over having been born to a peasant family before being adopted into the family that raised him, so tied up in a former lover’s cruelty, that he cannot see anything but more heartbreak in his future if he did make a move. It gets a little exhausting after awhile because I’m left just wanting them to talk about it at all, but delighted by the dancing around they do because to talk about it risks being rejected, which would be unseemly.
I really enjoyed The Night Parade of 100 Demons, that should be clear at this point. Brennan does a good job with her characters and her setting, the village of Seibo Mura. The mystery aspect is a delight and the threat of failure feels like it has some actual weight to it, especially when our protagonists try something only for it to result in a set back or a greater problem. Five out of five, I already have the sequel and will be reading it at my earliest convenience.
This book was provided to me through netGalley for honest review. Review was previously posted at https://tympestbooks.wordpress.com/20...
Sometimes I just want to chew on a book for a little while, to have fun with it and see where it goes. Marie Brennan’s venture into Rokugan, The Night Parade of 100 Demons, is exactly the kind of book that allows for that sort of experience. There is a solid mystery with a number of twists and turns, but it often feels more like an adventure than a mystery. The kind of thing that crops up at a game table readily.
That the Night Parade of 100 Demons is such an ancient issue as to have become seemingly contextless for Ryotora and nothing more than an old literary trope for Asako, adds an interesting layer to things. Both are trying to figure out what demons are part of the problems plaguing the village as well as why they might possibly be as far from their traditional homes as they are. It makes for this delightful feeling of wrongness as all Ryotora can do is address the symptoms and gather more information and hope that the actions he takes will be enough. Meanwhile, Asako helps as he can, but lands himself in trouble because he very carefully does not talk about the inugami following him around despite it being an aggressively stubborn out of context spirit itself, making himself seem hilariously suspicious.
More than that though, I find that I appreciated how the two characters approached the problems of the Parade differently. Ryotora goes about his business as a mage, has interviews done, resets the wards outside of town, and investigates what he can find. Asako on the other hand, is there less for the village’s problems and more because he wants to rid himself of the inugami, the dog spirit, that has been haunting him, and yet he also has specialized knowledge that Ryotora needs to make his investigation move at all. He also has something of a tunnel vision problem though, he assumes that he is cursed by a witch, so the village’s problems must be caused by a witch despite a lack of evidence for it.
Both protagonists are pining idiots, though for fascinatingly different reasons. Asako is so used to being the useless younger sibling, who does not need to have accomplished anything because his siblings have already advanced the family satisfactorily, so he assumes he is not good enough for Ryotora, a dedicated samurai doing all he can to help this village. He also assumes that Ryotora is so wrapped up in his honor and rote virtues that he would not get involved even if he was interested. Meanwhile, Ryotora is so tied up in knots over having been born to a peasant family before being adopted into the family that raised him, so tied up in a former lover’s cruelty, that he cannot see anything but more heartbreak in his future if he did make a move. It gets a little exhausting after awhile because I’m left just wanting them to talk about it at all, but delighted by the dancing around they do because to talk about it risks being rejected, which would be unseemly.
I really enjoyed The Night Parade of 100 Demons, that should be clear at this point. Brennan does a good job with her characters and her setting, the village of Seibo Mura. The mystery aspect is a delight and the threat of failure feels like it has some actual weight to it, especially when our protagonists try something only for it to result in a set back or a greater problem. Five out of five, I already have the sequel and will be reading it at my earliest convenience.
This book was provided to me through netGalley for honest review. Review was previously posted at https://tympestbooks.wordpress.com/20...
January 8, 2021
I requested this book through Netgalley because of it’s author (and the cover to be honest), not knowing anything going into it. I was definitely excited though… and sadly somewhat disappointed.
I love the idea of this. Every full moon a remote village gets attacked by a whole host of mythical and magical creatures, and it is up to two samurai to find out why and stop it. Both samurai have their own secrets, the being born into the village and spirited away at a very young age, the other is haunted by a spirit dog. I loved the idea and the setting was immersive and magical. I am not familiar with the world of Legends of the Five Rings, nor with the Japanse mythology a lot of this is based on, so I cannot judge its accuracy. But for someone as ignorant as me it genuine and like Brennan knows what she is writing about. I would at times get a bit lost in all the different creatures, but again, that is because I am not familiar with them, and I did enjoy looking them up online from time to time.
So why was I disappointed? Well, at no point did I feel invested in the story. While I was reading it I was enjoying myself, but when I put it down I never felt inclined to pick it up again. Nothing really happens till about 85% into the book. The rest is spent talking to villagers and finding out why the attacks happen there. If the book had started with one of such attacks it would have already made a big difference I feel. And sure, Marie Brennan’s Lady Trent books aren’t the most action packed books either. But they have good characters. These guys? Not so much. We switched perspective between the two samurai, but I barely noticed a difference in their inner voice. They are good and proper man… which makes them lack in personality. Only one of the side characters sorta stood out, but again not enough to make me care for her. And then there is the romance… I appreciate the idea, but the execution was so annoying. These two characters are constantly just lusting after each other, but don’t bother to tell each other of their feelings. It is so angsty, which never fails to infuriate me. And it is not like these characters have any chemistry either. I just didn’t care for it whatsoever.
So I am sorry to say I am not a massive fan of this book. It did succeed in making me interested in the world though, so I would love to check out some of the novellas (and hope they suit me better). I ended up giving this a 3* rating. It definitely isn’t a bad book, and I can see people enjoying it for sure. I just needed a bit more from it.
I love the idea of this. Every full moon a remote village gets attacked by a whole host of mythical and magical creatures, and it is up to two samurai to find out why and stop it. Both samurai have their own secrets, the being born into the village and spirited away at a very young age, the other is haunted by a spirit dog. I loved the idea and the setting was immersive and magical. I am not familiar with the world of Legends of the Five Rings, nor with the Japanse mythology a lot of this is based on, so I cannot judge its accuracy. But for someone as ignorant as me it genuine and like Brennan knows what she is writing about. I would at times get a bit lost in all the different creatures, but again, that is because I am not familiar with them, and I did enjoy looking them up online from time to time.
So why was I disappointed? Well, at no point did I feel invested in the story. While I was reading it I was enjoying myself, but when I put it down I never felt inclined to pick it up again. Nothing really happens till about 85% into the book. The rest is spent talking to villagers and finding out why the attacks happen there. If the book had started with one of such attacks it would have already made a big difference I feel. And sure, Marie Brennan’s Lady Trent books aren’t the most action packed books either. But they have good characters. These guys? Not so much. We switched perspective between the two samurai, but I barely noticed a difference in their inner voice. They are good and proper man… which makes them lack in personality. Only one of the side characters sorta stood out, but again not enough to make me care for her. And then there is the romance… I appreciate the idea, but the execution was so annoying. These two characters are constantly just lusting after each other, but don’t bother to tell each other of their feelings. It is so angsty, which never fails to infuriate me. And it is not like these characters have any chemistry either. I just didn’t care for it whatsoever.
So I am sorry to say I am not a massive fan of this book. It did succeed in making me interested in the world though, so I would love to check out some of the novellas (and hope they suit me better). I ended up giving this a 3* rating. It definitely isn’t a bad book, and I can see people enjoying it for sure. I just needed a bit more from it.
February 4, 2021
What is speedily apparent by the blurb alone, is that this swords and sorcery adventure takes place within a Japanese setting, using their pantheon of demons and otherworldly creatures. While the trained samurai dealing with the outbreak are two very different young men from completely different backgrounds. What might not be quite so apparent – I certainly hadn’t realised it while reading the book – is that the world is also part of a very popular role-playing game. To be honest, I offer that info-nugget more as a matter of interest. If it encourages you to go and out and get hold of a copy, then I’m delighted – what I don’t want it to do is discourage you from doing so. Because you’ll be missing out a wonderful story.
This tale drew me in from the first. Told in third person viewpoint through the characters of the two samurai who end up in the village trying to help this desperate state of affairs, I loved the setup right from the start. Brennan’s brilliant characterisation and scene setting came to the fore – and then the plot grabbed hold of me and wouldn’t let me go. I’m a tad tired this morning as I stayed up far too late into the wee hours of the morning, unable to put this one down. And I dreamt of it as I slept…
The plot is also a joy – I didn’t see any of the twists coming, and the growing relationship between the two young men is beautifully and tenderly handled. I’m not the most romantic soul – but from halfway into this book, I was willing both these likeable characters to get together. There is plenty of action and lots of tension as the stakes go on growing ever higher – so the appearance of a very sassy cat in the last third of the book was a welcome slice of humour, in amongst the threat and battle. All in all, this is an absolutely cracking read and comes very highly recommended to all fans of excellent fantasy – whether you’ve heard of The Legend of the Five Rings game, or not… While I obtained an arc of The Night Parade of 100 Demons from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
10/10
This tale drew me in from the first. Told in third person viewpoint through the characters of the two samurai who end up in the village trying to help this desperate state of affairs, I loved the setup right from the start. Brennan’s brilliant characterisation and scene setting came to the fore – and then the plot grabbed hold of me and wouldn’t let me go. I’m a tad tired this morning as I stayed up far too late into the wee hours of the morning, unable to put this one down. And I dreamt of it as I slept…
The plot is also a joy – I didn’t see any of the twists coming, and the growing relationship between the two young men is beautifully and tenderly handled. I’m not the most romantic soul – but from halfway into this book, I was willing both these likeable characters to get together. There is plenty of action and lots of tension as the stakes go on growing ever higher – so the appearance of a very sassy cat in the last third of the book was a welcome slice of humour, in amongst the threat and battle. All in all, this is an absolutely cracking read and comes very highly recommended to all fans of excellent fantasy – whether you’ve heard of The Legend of the Five Rings game, or not… While I obtained an arc of The Night Parade of 100 Demons from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
10/10
October 3, 2023
4 stars. Yokai and Gay Samurai? I'm all in!
The story starts off in a rural village that has been experiencing a series of supernatural events during a full moon. Two samurai from rival clans must work together to try and solve this supernatural mystery before the next full moon, while also dealing with their own personal agendas in this village; one is trying to confront their past and the other is trying to solve their own haunting.
While the pacing of the story was slow at first, I found myself enjoying the world building and learning about the different yokai as the mystery slowly unraveled. I advise readers who are interested in yokai in particular to be patient as they are slowly introduced in the story, and to use the glossary at the back of the book. The last act, however, made up for the slow start and the book became hard to put down near the end.
I also enjoyed the character development of Ryotora and Sekken and their slow burn relationship despite my personal gripes with gay angst. Their growing attraction for each other did not deter from the plot. In fact, this is a very plot driven story. Duty over Desire as they say in the book.
Finally, I didn't know this book was by the same author as the Lady Trent series until a friend mentioned it to me, nor did I know it was based off a fictional world from a game. So I figured this book would be a good introduction to the author's writing style, which I thought was easy to read and follow. The author did a great job making this book accessible to those unfamiliar with The Legend of 5 Rings game, too. I noticed thorough research was needed to incorporate Japanese rituals and folklore into the story, which paid off and led to some detailed and engrossing chapters. Overall, this book was a great way to get over my reading slump and kick start my spooky season reading.
The story starts off in a rural village that has been experiencing a series of supernatural events during a full moon. Two samurai from rival clans must work together to try and solve this supernatural mystery before the next full moon, while also dealing with their own personal agendas in this village; one is trying to confront their past and the other is trying to solve their own haunting.
While the pacing of the story was slow at first, I found myself enjoying the world building and learning about the different yokai as the mystery slowly unraveled. I advise readers who are interested in yokai in particular to be patient as they are slowly introduced in the story, and to use the glossary at the back of the book. The last act, however, made up for the slow start and the book became hard to put down near the end.
I also enjoyed the character development of Ryotora and Sekken and their slow burn relationship despite my personal gripes with gay angst. Their growing attraction for each other did not deter from the plot. In fact, this is a very plot driven story. Duty over Desire as they say in the book.
Finally, I didn't know this book was by the same author as the Lady Trent series until a friend mentioned it to me, nor did I know it was based off a fictional world from a game. So I figured this book would be a good introduction to the author's writing style, which I thought was easy to read and follow. The author did a great job making this book accessible to those unfamiliar with The Legend of 5 Rings game, too. I noticed thorough research was needed to incorporate Japanese rituals and folklore into the story, which paid off and led to some detailed and engrossing chapters. Overall, this book was a great way to get over my reading slump and kick start my spooky season reading.
May 26, 2023
This book took me on a delightful and labyrinthine journey through the remote mountains and far-off spiritual realms of Rokugan! It felt both grounded where it needed to be (in the everyday existence of rural life) and tantalizingly fantastical in other places. Add to that the dramatic weight of social and cultural expectations, and you have a recipe for a thoroughly engaging read from end to end!
I've read a lot of pulpy fiction in general over the last several years, and a bunch of stories set in Rokugan in particular, and this one engaged me on every level! The most evocative part though were the tenderly crafted characters and relationships that highlight the choices and burdens that even well-meaning societies foist upon people.
I've read a lot of pulpy fiction in general over the last several years, and a bunch of stories set in Rokugan in particular, and this one engaged me on every level! The most evocative part though were the tenderly crafted characters and relationships that highlight the choices and burdens that even well-meaning societies foist upon people.
January 4, 2025
I found it a bit dry, and I struggled to keep the two main characters separate in my head.
February 5, 2021
A beautifully written Japanese-inspired fantasy which turned out to be somewhat lacking. I liked the world-building which had a lot of Japanese words and some of them were not translated or explained. The premise of a village being haunted by various demons sounded exciting but we actually don't see any of those demons until the last third of the story. Most of it is spent walking around the village, talking to people, and praying. And I also didn't feel anything for the two protagonists and their "romance" which was super obvious from the start.
Despite all that, I did overall enjoy reading this quiet little story about gods, demons, and samurai.
Thank you to Netgalley and Aconyte Books for my eARC.
Despite all that, I did overall enjoy reading this quiet little story about gods, demons, and samurai.
Thank you to Netgalley and Aconyte Books for my eARC.
July 16, 2024
I'm speaking of this book as a stand-alone, I know nothing of the roleplaying game. Now, with that out of the way...
Marie Brennan never disappoints. Her knowledge of other cultures and talents as an anthropologist and folklorist help a lot in that and she manages to create worlds and cultures that feel real, and taking inspiration from actual, real-world populations, without any sense of mockery of disrespect.
I also like her pacing a lot: the beginning is creepy and unsettling enough to set the scene and make you curios about the situation, then a good portion of the book is about solving the mystery and the epic battle happens only in the last few chapters, which may sound rushed but believe me, it's so well thought out. It's a structure that I've noticed in most of her books, but as long as she writes it so well, I don't mind it.
The love story was really nice, but I would have liked a bit more focus on it (and more of Sayashi's sarcasm, she was a gem, I loved her).
All in all, this was fantastic. I heartily recommend it.
Marie Brennan never disappoints. Her knowledge of other cultures and talents as an anthropologist and folklorist help a lot in that and she manages to create worlds and cultures that feel real, and taking inspiration from actual, real-world populations, without any sense of mockery of disrespect.
I also like her pacing a lot: the beginning is creepy and unsettling enough to set the scene and make you curios about the situation, then a good portion of the book is about solving the mystery and the epic battle happens only in the last few chapters, which may sound rushed but believe me, it's so well thought out. It's a structure that I've noticed in most of her books, but as long as she writes it so well, I don't mind it.
The love story was really nice, but I would have liked a bit more focus on it (and more of Sayashi's sarcasm, she was a gem, I loved her).
All in all, this was fantastic. I heartily recommend it.
May 20, 2021
This is an epic fantasy adventure story, a supernatural mystery that includes samurai.
That sentence alone should seal the deal for you. It's set in the "Legend of the Five Rings" game universe, but you don't need to play the game to enjoy the book. It's thrilling and uniquely cool.
One of the neatest things that these Legend of the Five Rings novels do: Introduce readers to authors they might not know.
In this case, I'm reading Marie Brennan for the first time and she is making tens of dollars from me. Read this book now. Your dragon clans will thank you.
That sentence alone should seal the deal for you. It's set in the "Legend of the Five Rings" game universe, but you don't need to play the game to enjoy the book. It's thrilling and uniquely cool.
One of the neatest things that these Legend of the Five Rings novels do: Introduce readers to authors they might not know.
In this case, I'm reading Marie Brennan for the first time and she is making tens of dollars from me. Read this book now. Your dragon clans will thank you.
February 5, 2021
I have been provided with an advance copy of the new Legend of the Five Rings book The Night Parade of 100 Demons by Marie Brennan, published by Aconyte Books, so here is the honest review I promised in exchange for the book.
So here is an important disclaimer which is always important to put out there first. I have a casual work contact with Asmodee to demonstrate board games for them in stores and at conventions. Asmodee being the parent company of Aconyte the publisher.
I am going to try my best to not let that cloud my judgement in this review, but I accept that subconsciously it might.
So let’s crack on with a review then!
What is Legend of the Five Rings
L5R as it’s often known is a fantasy setting for a series of card games and RPGs originally published by AEG, but now taken care of by Fantasy Flight.
It’s set in the empire of Rokugan which is heavily feudal Japan influenced, with a bit of other East Asian influences, like China and Korea thrown in as well.
It’s a fantasy setting with the usual fantasy trips of goblins and rat men, but also oni and kitsune too.
In the Empire there are several great clans, made up of various families, and in this novel we focus on the Crab Clan, who are considered the least cultured of all clans.
Their task in life is to guard the rest of the empire from the taint of the Shadowlands on the Carpenter Wall.
The Story
Chaos has broken out in the isolated Dragon Clan village Seibo Mura, when during full moons, vicious demons rampage throughout the village, causing havoc, destroying buildings and killing villagers.
The Dragons send the samurai Agasha no Isao Ryotora to investigate the situation in the village, but an unexpected helper has arrived in the form of Asako Sekken of the Phoenix Clan.
Lets get this out the way, I have seen criticism in other reviews that the novel doesn’t have much action and the demons don’t actually feature that much, well if that’s what you want, this book isn’t for you.
This book is one that focuses on the spiritual, so it delves into the Kami, guardian spirits, demons, holy rituals and prayer. Its deeply engrained in Japanesse spiritual culture and is heavily based on the Hyakki Yakō. Not all that surprising as the author is a folklorist and anthropologist.
There is also an almost spiritual procedural investigation aspect to the story, as the pair figure out what exactly is going on in the village by interviewing the inhabitants and researching the background of the demons.
The characters are, well I will be honest, its hard to get into their heads at first. They both have secrets to hide, and they both try their best to solve the mystery whilst keeping those secrets hidden from the other. They are a bit of an odd couple, Rytotora is serious and sombre, a very straight character who despite his humble background, embodies the very nobility of the Samurai.
Sekken on the other hand is more laid back, care free, a scholar who prefers to spend his time reading rather than doing, and gives off an aura of only being there because its a break from his boredom.
The story alternatives between their points of view which is interesting, and there is a frustration that they clearly are attracted to one another but both too caught up in the whole idea that the other wouldn’t be attracted to them that you can almost tear out your hair.
And that leads me to another point, the fact that Aconyte have been very good about putting queer characters in their books, front and centre, with no song and dance about it. LGBTQ characters in their books are part of life, they exist and there is a wonderful, almost ordinary way in which they are presented.
Conclusion
I actually really loved this book, but I will be honest, it wasn’t the characters which drew me in, it was the background.
The fascinating and rather beautiful way that Marie has presented the culture and world of Rokugan drew me in and kept me turning the page.
The characters whilst mildly interesting really took a backseat to the wonderful world of L5R and this for me would be a better background read for anyone wanting to get into the RPG than any other background book as it makes the world really come to life.
Solid 4 out of 5 stars.
You can buy the eBook now and the paperback on the 15th April!
So here is an important disclaimer which is always important to put out there first. I have a casual work contact with Asmodee to demonstrate board games for them in stores and at conventions. Asmodee being the parent company of Aconyte the publisher.
I am going to try my best to not let that cloud my judgement in this review, but I accept that subconsciously it might.
So let’s crack on with a review then!
What is Legend of the Five Rings
L5R as it’s often known is a fantasy setting for a series of card games and RPGs originally published by AEG, but now taken care of by Fantasy Flight.
It’s set in the empire of Rokugan which is heavily feudal Japan influenced, with a bit of other East Asian influences, like China and Korea thrown in as well.
It’s a fantasy setting with the usual fantasy trips of goblins and rat men, but also oni and kitsune too.
In the Empire there are several great clans, made up of various families, and in this novel we focus on the Crab Clan, who are considered the least cultured of all clans.
Their task in life is to guard the rest of the empire from the taint of the Shadowlands on the Carpenter Wall.
The Story
Chaos has broken out in the isolated Dragon Clan village Seibo Mura, when during full moons, vicious demons rampage throughout the village, causing havoc, destroying buildings and killing villagers.
The Dragons send the samurai Agasha no Isao Ryotora to investigate the situation in the village, but an unexpected helper has arrived in the form of Asako Sekken of the Phoenix Clan.
Lets get this out the way, I have seen criticism in other reviews that the novel doesn’t have much action and the demons don’t actually feature that much, well if that’s what you want, this book isn’t for you.
This book is one that focuses on the spiritual, so it delves into the Kami, guardian spirits, demons, holy rituals and prayer. Its deeply engrained in Japanesse spiritual culture and is heavily based on the Hyakki Yakō. Not all that surprising as the author is a folklorist and anthropologist.
There is also an almost spiritual procedural investigation aspect to the story, as the pair figure out what exactly is going on in the village by interviewing the inhabitants and researching the background of the demons.
The characters are, well I will be honest, its hard to get into their heads at first. They both have secrets to hide, and they both try their best to solve the mystery whilst keeping those secrets hidden from the other. They are a bit of an odd couple, Rytotora is serious and sombre, a very straight character who despite his humble background, embodies the very nobility of the Samurai.
Sekken on the other hand is more laid back, care free, a scholar who prefers to spend his time reading rather than doing, and gives off an aura of only being there because its a break from his boredom.
The story alternatives between their points of view which is interesting, and there is a frustration that they clearly are attracted to one another but both too caught up in the whole idea that the other wouldn’t be attracted to them that you can almost tear out your hair.
And that leads me to another point, the fact that Aconyte have been very good about putting queer characters in their books, front and centre, with no song and dance about it. LGBTQ characters in their books are part of life, they exist and there is a wonderful, almost ordinary way in which they are presented.
Conclusion
I actually really loved this book, but I will be honest, it wasn’t the characters which drew me in, it was the background.
The fascinating and rather beautiful way that Marie has presented the culture and world of Rokugan drew me in and kept me turning the page.
The characters whilst mildly interesting really took a backseat to the wonderful world of L5R and this for me would be a better background read for anyone wanting to get into the RPG than any other background book as it makes the world really come to life.
Solid 4 out of 5 stars.
You can buy the eBook now and the paperback on the 15th April!
January 8, 2024
The Night Parade of 100 Demons is set in the Legend of the Five Rings game world, but the game or its events don’t feature in any way. This is the second series I’ve read and I’m still so ignorant about the game that I don��t even know what the five rings of the legend are. The books work fine without.
The stories take place in an Asia-inspired, pre-industrial Emerald Empire that is divided into smaller vassal territories ruled by clans that are fairly independent and culturally diverse. The Asian elements work very well, even though neither author that I’ve read is Asian. There are enough modern elements in the mix, like the equality of genders and acceptance of same sex relationships, that the reader doesn’t really question the authenticity of the details that might be authors’ inventions.
This is a supernatural mystery that takes place in a remote mountain village of Seibo Mura in the Dragon Clan’s lands near the border to the Phoenix Clan. For two full moons, a horde of evil spirits have descended on the village, killing people and destroying everything. The villagers have asked for help and the nearest official has sent a samurai to investigate.
Agasha no Isao Ryotora is an itinerant samurai of the Dragon Clan and of fairly low standing among samurais. He’s not a warrior but a priest capable of communicating with spirits. When he arrives, he discovers that another samurai is already there, an aristocratic Asako Sekken of the Phoenix Clan. He’s not a warrior either but a scholar. Combining their knowledge of the spirit world, they set out to investigate.
It’s not an easy investigation, as all the people who might know about the lore and spirits of the village are dead. It’s a trial and error, and it’s made more difficult because both men are keeping secrets from one another.
Ryotora’s secret is that he’s been adopted to a samurai family from that village. He’s already lost a lover when he confessed his low birth status, and he’s not about to face the same humiliation. Sekken’s secret is that he’s not there by accident. He’s been haunted by a spirit dog and it’s lured him there. Of the two secrets, Sekken’s turn out to be more important for solving the problem.
This was a rather slow-paced mystery told in both men’s point of view. There are no great highs and lows along the way, but the investigation never stalls and something is constantly happening. Along the way, the men become friends and develop deeper feelings too, but neither of them is about to bring it up, mostly for the secrets they keep. It’s very slow burn, but their feelings have a crucial role in saving the village, so it’s well-woven in the story anyway.
The book is rich in Japanese mythology of evil spirits. Brennan is an anthropologist and she’s done a thorough research. None of the creatures—or other special Japanese words—are explained in the narrative, and while I didn’t know any of them, it didn’t mar my enjoyment. However, there’s a glossary of the creatures at the back for those who need to know.
Otherwise, the descriptions are sparse. I don’t know the ages of the main characters—I barely know what they look like—and the village remained vague to the end. But the narrative flows so well I didn’t miss the detailed descriptions all that much. I like the world, and I liked both Ryotora and Sekken. I have the next two books in the series waiting and I’ll definitely read on.
The stories take place in an Asia-inspired, pre-industrial Emerald Empire that is divided into smaller vassal territories ruled by clans that are fairly independent and culturally diverse. The Asian elements work very well, even though neither author that I’ve read is Asian. There are enough modern elements in the mix, like the equality of genders and acceptance of same sex relationships, that the reader doesn’t really question the authenticity of the details that might be authors’ inventions.
This is a supernatural mystery that takes place in a remote mountain village of Seibo Mura in the Dragon Clan’s lands near the border to the Phoenix Clan. For two full moons, a horde of evil spirits have descended on the village, killing people and destroying everything. The villagers have asked for help and the nearest official has sent a samurai to investigate.
Agasha no Isao Ryotora is an itinerant samurai of the Dragon Clan and of fairly low standing among samurais. He’s not a warrior but a priest capable of communicating with spirits. When he arrives, he discovers that another samurai is already there, an aristocratic Asako Sekken of the Phoenix Clan. He’s not a warrior either but a scholar. Combining their knowledge of the spirit world, they set out to investigate.
It’s not an easy investigation, as all the people who might know about the lore and spirits of the village are dead. It’s a trial and error, and it’s made more difficult because both men are keeping secrets from one another.
Ryotora’s secret is that he’s been adopted to a samurai family from that village. He’s already lost a lover when he confessed his low birth status, and he’s not about to face the same humiliation. Sekken’s secret is that he’s not there by accident. He’s been haunted by a spirit dog and it’s lured him there. Of the two secrets, Sekken’s turn out to be more important for solving the problem.
This was a rather slow-paced mystery told in both men’s point of view. There are no great highs and lows along the way, but the investigation never stalls and something is constantly happening. Along the way, the men become friends and develop deeper feelings too, but neither of them is about to bring it up, mostly for the secrets they keep. It’s very slow burn, but their feelings have a crucial role in saving the village, so it’s well-woven in the story anyway.
The book is rich in Japanese mythology of evil spirits. Brennan is an anthropologist and she’s done a thorough research. None of the creatures—or other special Japanese words—are explained in the narrative, and while I didn’t know any of them, it didn’t mar my enjoyment. However, there’s a glossary of the creatures at the back for those who need to know.
Otherwise, the descriptions are sparse. I don’t know the ages of the main characters—I barely know what they look like—and the village remained vague to the end. But the narrative flows so well I didn’t miss the detailed descriptions all that much. I like the world, and I liked both Ryotora and Sekken. I have the next two books in the series waiting and I’ll definitely read on.
August 21, 2021
Today’s post is on The Night Parade of 100 Demons: A Legend of the Five Rings Novel by Marie Brennan. It is 330 including notes about the demons. It is published by Aconyte Books. The cover has a silhouette of a samurai, within the silhouette there are two figures at the base and a mountain in the distance. There is mild foul language, mild sexuality, and some violence in this novel. You do not need to have previous knowledge of the Legend of the Five Rings setting to understand the story. The story is told from third person close of the two main characters from chapter to chapter. There Be Spoilers Ahead.
From the back of the book- A thrilling epic fantasy adventure in the astonishing realm of Legend of the Five Rings, as two rival clans join forces to investigate a lethal supernatural mystery
Chaos has broken out in the isolated Dragon Clan settlement of Seibo Mura. During the full moon, horrifying creatures rampage through the village, unleashing havoc and death. When the Dragon samurai Agasha no Isao Ryotora is sent to investigate, he faces even greater danger than expected. To save the village, he must confront his buried past – not to mention an unexpected Phoenix Clan visitor, Asako Sekken, who has his own secrets to hide. The quest to save Sebo Mura will take the two samurai into the depths of forgotten history and the shifting terrain of the Spirit Realms… and bring them face to face with an ancient, terrifying evil.
Review- A good novel set in the Legend of the Five Rings setting. Ryotora has been sent home to discover and deal with whatever is attacking the village. Asako is trying to discover why he is being haunted by a dog spirit that will not let him sleep during the nights of the full moon. Together they discover that there is something very special about this village and it’s important to save the village. This is the second novel in the Legend of the Five Rings new novels and I did enjoy this one but I liked the Daijoji Shin novel better. The story is interesting, the characters are good, and Marie Brennan is a fantastic writer. She did research into the world and it shows in the story and well detailed it is. It is almost a horror novel with the demons and the terrorizing they do to the humans. If you are a fan of Legend of the Five Rings or just want a fun fantasy, almost novel, then I would recommend this novel.
I give this novel a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this novel with my own money.
From the back of the book- A thrilling epic fantasy adventure in the astonishing realm of Legend of the Five Rings, as two rival clans join forces to investigate a lethal supernatural mystery
Chaos has broken out in the isolated Dragon Clan settlement of Seibo Mura. During the full moon, horrifying creatures rampage through the village, unleashing havoc and death. When the Dragon samurai Agasha no Isao Ryotora is sent to investigate, he faces even greater danger than expected. To save the village, he must confront his buried past – not to mention an unexpected Phoenix Clan visitor, Asako Sekken, who has his own secrets to hide. The quest to save Sebo Mura will take the two samurai into the depths of forgotten history and the shifting terrain of the Spirit Realms… and bring them face to face with an ancient, terrifying evil.
Review- A good novel set in the Legend of the Five Rings setting. Ryotora has been sent home to discover and deal with whatever is attacking the village. Asako is trying to discover why he is being haunted by a dog spirit that will not let him sleep during the nights of the full moon. Together they discover that there is something very special about this village and it’s important to save the village. This is the second novel in the Legend of the Five Rings new novels and I did enjoy this one but I liked the Daijoji Shin novel better. The story is interesting, the characters are good, and Marie Brennan is a fantastic writer. She did research into the world and it shows in the story and well detailed it is. It is almost a horror novel with the demons and the terrorizing they do to the humans. If you are a fan of Legend of the Five Rings or just want a fun fantasy, almost novel, then I would recommend this novel.
I give this novel a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this novel with my own money.
February 17, 2021
I normally don't read tie-ins (I have long memories of Forgotten Realms and Star Wars EU), but this one was well worth it. I debated whether to give it 4 or 5 stars, because while I did enjoy it, I couldn't really pinpoint what made it amazing for me. But I think I'll settle on 4.5 stars and round that up to 5.
So, this book has quite a straightforward premise: Demons are breaking out in a village, two samurai from different clans decide to investigate what's going on, for one reason or another. Most of the book isn't about demon-slaying action, however; it focuses on day-to-day life in the village of Seibo Mura, the investigations by the characters and the interactions that happen in the village.
More so than The Memoirs of Lady Trent, it feels like Marie Brennan truly got to use her knowledge of anthropology here! There's a strong sense of ritual and ceremony in many of the events that occur, and a lot of rote repetition -- that actually gives it further depth, because it feels lived in, something people might do frequently. The two main characters genuinely felt like they had their own distinctive thoughts and monologue as well, which made them enjoyable to follow (although Sekken of the Phoenix Clan was much more so). There's also a nice amount of m/m yearning going on, and once more I find myself glad at the presence of queernormative settings in fantasy.
And when there's action, it genuinely feels like it adds to the story, instead of just being a 'oh, let's put this here or the readers might get bored' thing. Again, Sekken particularly delights here, as he's more a guile hero than a mighty warrior, and it's fun to watch him come up with cunning ideas that don't involve him fighting blade-to-blade.
Overall, I think if you like slice-of-life stuff, fantasy of manners, or just a story that's slow and deliberate, with smaller stakes, this might be a good one to look at. It doesn't require much L5R knowledge to start with as well -- the only thing I looked up was what a shugenja was.
So, this book has quite a straightforward premise: Demons are breaking out in a village, two samurai from different clans decide to investigate what's going on, for one reason or another. Most of the book isn't about demon-slaying action, however; it focuses on day-to-day life in the village of Seibo Mura, the investigations by the characters and the interactions that happen in the village.
More so than The Memoirs of Lady Trent, it feels like Marie Brennan truly got to use her knowledge of anthropology here! There's a strong sense of ritual and ceremony in many of the events that occur, and a lot of rote repetition -- that actually gives it further depth, because it feels lived in, something people might do frequently. The two main characters genuinely felt like they had their own distinctive thoughts and monologue as well, which made them enjoyable to follow (although Sekken of the Phoenix Clan was much more so). There's also a nice amount of m/m yearning going on, and once more I find myself glad at the presence of queernormative settings in fantasy.
And when there's action, it genuinely feels like it adds to the story, instead of just being a 'oh, let's put this here or the readers might get bored' thing. Again, Sekken particularly delights here, as he's more a guile hero than a mighty warrior, and it's fun to watch him come up with cunning ideas that don't involve him fighting blade-to-blade.
Overall, I think if you like slice-of-life stuff, fantasy of manners, or just a story that's slow and deliberate, with smaller stakes, this might be a good one to look at. It doesn't require much L5R knowledge to start with as well -- the only thing I looked up was what a shugenja was.
April 28, 2022
I'm going to toss a small disclaimer at the front, here. This is a Legend of the Five Rings book and tends to assume that its readers already have a familiarity with the setting of Rokugan, specifically the Fantasy Flight Games rework of it. If you aren't familiar with the setting certain aspects may be lost to you, but the story won't inherently suffer; though I feel like it's not intended to be an introduction to the setting.
With that in mind, this is exactly what I wanted out of a Five Rings book.
The book has alternating perspectives between the two main characters. They're both interesting characters as it was nice to have the pace broken up by their alternating views on the same issue they were facing. Each of them has a personal arc on top of the main plot and it all ties together very well and has a good emotional payoff. If you're not the kind of person to get invested in the feelings of the characters you read about, a lot of this book's story isn't going to be that interesting to you. That said, this story is very heavy emotionally and can run a bit on the melodramatic side with little levity. It's not something I would call a "fun" read but if you want a good story involving characters you want to be seriously emotionally invested in, it's wonderful.
As far as feeling true to the setting, I so far consider this book to be the gold standard of how characters in Rokugan act as well as how its setting operates, particularly the aspect about how social expectations and the rigidity of samurai lifestyle conflict with personal goals and motives. As always drama born of personal sacrifice remains a constant theme in stories like these.
I'm probably doubling back around to the Daidoji Shin books for a bit after this on top of my current reread of the ASOIAF series. Until next time.
With that in mind, this is exactly what I wanted out of a Five Rings book.
The book has alternating perspectives between the two main characters. They're both interesting characters as it was nice to have the pace broken up by their alternating views on the same issue they were facing. Each of them has a personal arc on top of the main plot and it all ties together very well and has a good emotional payoff. If you're not the kind of person to get invested in the feelings of the characters you read about, a lot of this book's story isn't going to be that interesting to you. That said, this story is very heavy emotionally and can run a bit on the melodramatic side with little levity. It's not something I would call a "fun" read but if you want a good story involving characters you want to be seriously emotionally invested in, it's wonderful.
As far as feeling true to the setting, I so far consider this book to be the gold standard of how characters in Rokugan act as well as how its setting operates, particularly the aspect about how social expectations and the rigidity of samurai lifestyle conflict with personal goals and motives. As always drama born of personal sacrifice remains a constant theme in stories like these.
I'm probably doubling back around to the Daidoji Shin books for a bit after this on top of my current reread of the ASOIAF series. Until next time.
September 28, 2021
I was excited when I found there were now full lenght books available for the L5R universe, and even more excited to find that this one was written by Brennan whose Memoirs of Lady Trent series I love. I also had a friend tell me this book was great, so I went in with very high expectations. The beginning therefore was a bit slower than I expected and could be a bit tricky with the amount of Japanese and L5R specific terminology. However, you quickly adapt to this and the story just keeps on getting better and better.
As I expected from her, Brennan does a really good job with the world building and you get a really good sense of the village and the wider world it is situated within. She has also written a lot of great characters in this book. The main two Ryotora and Sekken are brilliant characters with complex backstories and personalities that are fun to read about. There are so many other fun characters which all feel fully formed and realistic. This story also gives you a great introduction to some of the weird and wonderful yokai from Japanese folklore, which I loved.
The storytelling alternates between Ryotora and Sekken's points of view, which gives you an insight into what each of them is going through and what they think of it all. Specifically it also gives you a look at how they feel towards each other, which I'm happy to say did get some resolution towards the end of the story. The story itself is a wonderful mix of fantasy and mystery as the characters try to find clues to help explain why the yokai are descending on the village each full moon. Each step reveals more and adds yet more questions, until it all comes together at the conclusion in a satisfying ending.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading more of the L5R novels in the future.
As I expected from her, Brennan does a really good job with the world building and you get a really good sense of the village and the wider world it is situated within. She has also written a lot of great characters in this book. The main two Ryotora and Sekken are brilliant characters with complex backstories and personalities that are fun to read about. There are so many other fun characters which all feel fully formed and realistic. This story also gives you a great introduction to some of the weird and wonderful yokai from Japanese folklore, which I loved.
The storytelling alternates between Ryotora and Sekken's points of view, which gives you an insight into what each of them is going through and what they think of it all. Specifically it also gives you a look at how they feel towards each other, which I'm happy to say did get some resolution towards the end of the story. The story itself is a wonderful mix of fantasy and mystery as the characters try to find clues to help explain why the yokai are descending on the village each full moon. Each step reveals more and adds yet more questions, until it all comes together at the conclusion in a satisfying ending.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading more of the L5R novels in the future.
June 18, 2023
Es war wie ein nach Hause kommen
Marie Brennon ist es hervorragend gelungen, Element der japanischen Mythologie in eine pseudojapanische Welt (Rokugan) glaubhaft zu integrieren. Es ist unter anderem eine Geschichte, die ohne großes politisches Geplänkel über die Gedanken und Empfindungen der beiden Hauptprotagonisten Einblicke in die Gesellschaftsstruktur und das Zusammenleben der Menschen in jener Welt gibt.
Leser, die jetzt eine riesige dunkle Dämonengeschichte, wie in „normalen“ Fantasyromanen erwarten, werden sicherlich irritiert sein. Auch wenn man durch die Beschreibung der Gegebenheiten in der Siedlung Seibo Mura sehr schnell in die laufenden Ereignisse eingeführt wird, treten die Dämonen erst zunehmend zum Ende hin aktiv auf. Und da lässt die Autorin eine ganze Bandbreite an japanischen Vertretern der Dämonenwelt freien Lauf.
Nein, der Erzählungsablauf gleicht eher einer guten japanischen Geschichte. Zuerst wird das derzeitige Ist geschildert, dann erfolgt eine Ursachenforschung, zu der parallel mit der Auslotung potentieller Gegenmaßnahmen begonnen wird. Und erst am Ende, wenn alle Puzzelteile zusammenpassen kommt der ultimative Showdown, der auch wirklich brilliert.
Das in Koordination mit den Einblicken in die Gesellschaft ergibt eine aus meiner Sicht hervorragende und zutiefst emotionale Story, die mich ganz und gar gefangen genommen hatte.
Als Pen & Paper Spieler von „Legend of the 5 Rings“ habe ich es sehr bedauert, dass ich eine so schöne Geschichte noch nie in einer Spielrunde erleben durfte. *Schnief!*
Ich kann dien Roman bestens empfehlen.
Marie Brennon ist es hervorragend gelungen, Element der japanischen Mythologie in eine pseudojapanische Welt (Rokugan) glaubhaft zu integrieren. Es ist unter anderem eine Geschichte, die ohne großes politisches Geplänkel über die Gedanken und Empfindungen der beiden Hauptprotagonisten Einblicke in die Gesellschaftsstruktur und das Zusammenleben der Menschen in jener Welt gibt.
Leser, die jetzt eine riesige dunkle Dämonengeschichte, wie in „normalen“ Fantasyromanen erwarten, werden sicherlich irritiert sein. Auch wenn man durch die Beschreibung der Gegebenheiten in der Siedlung Seibo Mura sehr schnell in die laufenden Ereignisse eingeführt wird, treten die Dämonen erst zunehmend zum Ende hin aktiv auf. Und da lässt die Autorin eine ganze Bandbreite an japanischen Vertretern der Dämonenwelt freien Lauf.
Nein, der Erzählungsablauf gleicht eher einer guten japanischen Geschichte. Zuerst wird das derzeitige Ist geschildert, dann erfolgt eine Ursachenforschung, zu der parallel mit der Auslotung potentieller Gegenmaßnahmen begonnen wird. Und erst am Ende, wenn alle Puzzelteile zusammenpassen kommt der ultimative Showdown, der auch wirklich brilliert.
Das in Koordination mit den Einblicken in die Gesellschaft ergibt eine aus meiner Sicht hervorragende und zutiefst emotionale Story, die mich ganz und gar gefangen genommen hatte.
Als Pen & Paper Spieler von „Legend of the 5 Rings“ habe ich es sehr bedauert, dass ich eine so schöne Geschichte noch nie in einer Spielrunde erleben durfte. *Schnief!*
Ich kann dien Roman bestens empfehlen.
September 13, 2022
ich liebs
Zugegeben, ich hab das Buch nicht in einem Stück durchgesuchtet, aber ich hätte gerne. Die Geschichte hat mich komplett in ihren Bann gezogen und ich habe jede einzelne Seite daran geliebt. Ab der Mitte des Buches war ich quasi schon traurig, dass ich die zwei Hauptprotagonisten bald verlassen muss.
Die Protagonisten haben meine Begeisterung durch das Buch getragen. Die Charaktere sind allesamt sehr gut ausgearbeitet, sowohl die Hauptprotagonisten, als auch die 'Nebendarsteller'. Sogar die Namenlosen haben ihren Teil dazu beigetragen, dass die Geschichte letztendlich in sich stimmig und unterhaltend war. Das Gleichgewicht zwischen den Protagonisten hat mich fasziniert. Es gab nicht DEN Superhelden, der alles kann. Es gab nicht DEN Versager, der vieles nicht kann. Sie haben sich gegenseitig wunderbar ergänzt. Auch hier beziehe ich mich auf alle Protagonisten. Die Yokai waren großartig ausgearbeitet. Viele davon waren sehr gruselig und immer sehr bildhaft beschrieben. Ich hatte immer ein ziemlich genaues Bild vor Augen.
In diesem Buch geht es nicht um irgendwelche Dramen zwischen den Menschen - auch wenn das Schicksal des Dorfes sehr dramatisch ist. Die Zuneigung füreinander wird immer angedeutet, in einem - für mich - sehr schönem Maß. Ich musste nicht einmal die Augen verdrehen (:
Ich weiß nicht, ob das Buch denselben Effekt auf Menschen hat, die mit der japanischen Kultur weniger am Hut haben, da viele Begriffe einfach nicht erklärt werden. Mich hat das nicht gestört, selbst wenn ich bei manchen Begriffen nicht eindeutig wusste, was nun gemeint war. Im Zweifel hilft Google.
Ich habe erst während des Lesens verstanden, in welchem Universum dieses Buch spielt. Dass L5R eigentlich ein Brettspiel wäre und ich war stark am Überlegen, ob ich mir zumindest die passenden Spielkarten dazu besorge.
Ich habe mich bei diesem Buch nicht eine Sekunde gelangweilt und ich hätte noch mehr Lust auf Bücher dieser Art. Ich wollte immer wissen, wie es weitergeht und dachte auch außerhalb des Lesens darüber nach.
Klare 5/5 Sterne
Unwichtige Sidestory: Das Buch ist auch ein ganz wunderbares Katzenkissen. Ich weiß nicht, was es ist, aber egal wo das Buch lag, lag wenige Minuten später meine Katze mit darauf (was das Lesen manchmal etwas erschwerte) - es ist ja nicht so, dass es nicht auch noch hunderte andere Bücher hier zum Draufliegen gäbe...
(:
Zugegeben, ich hab das Buch nicht in einem Stück durchgesuchtet, aber ich hätte gerne. Die Geschichte hat mich komplett in ihren Bann gezogen und ich habe jede einzelne Seite daran geliebt. Ab der Mitte des Buches war ich quasi schon traurig, dass ich die zwei Hauptprotagonisten bald verlassen muss.
Die Protagonisten haben meine Begeisterung durch das Buch getragen. Die Charaktere sind allesamt sehr gut ausgearbeitet, sowohl die Hauptprotagonisten, als auch die 'Nebendarsteller'. Sogar die Namenlosen haben ihren Teil dazu beigetragen, dass die Geschichte letztendlich in sich stimmig und unterhaltend war. Das Gleichgewicht zwischen den Protagonisten hat mich fasziniert. Es gab nicht DEN Superhelden, der alles kann. Es gab nicht DEN Versager, der vieles nicht kann. Sie haben sich gegenseitig wunderbar ergänzt. Auch hier beziehe ich mich auf alle Protagonisten. Die Yokai waren großartig ausgearbeitet. Viele davon waren sehr gruselig und immer sehr bildhaft beschrieben. Ich hatte immer ein ziemlich genaues Bild vor Augen.
In diesem Buch geht es nicht um irgendwelche Dramen zwischen den Menschen - auch wenn das Schicksal des Dorfes sehr dramatisch ist. Die Zuneigung füreinander wird immer angedeutet, in einem - für mich - sehr schönem Maß. Ich musste nicht einmal die Augen verdrehen (:
Ich weiß nicht, ob das Buch denselben Effekt auf Menschen hat, die mit der japanischen Kultur weniger am Hut haben, da viele Begriffe einfach nicht erklärt werden. Mich hat das nicht gestört, selbst wenn ich bei manchen Begriffen nicht eindeutig wusste, was nun gemeint war. Im Zweifel hilft Google.
Ich habe erst während des Lesens verstanden, in welchem Universum dieses Buch spielt. Dass L5R eigentlich ein Brettspiel wäre und ich war stark am Überlegen, ob ich mir zumindest die passenden Spielkarten dazu besorge.
Ich habe mich bei diesem Buch nicht eine Sekunde gelangweilt und ich hätte noch mehr Lust auf Bücher dieser Art. Ich wollte immer wissen, wie es weitergeht und dachte auch außerhalb des Lesens darüber nach.
Klare 5/5 Sterne
Unwichtige Sidestory: Das Buch ist auch ein ganz wunderbares Katzenkissen. Ich weiß nicht, was es ist, aber egal wo das Buch lag, lag wenige Minuten später meine Katze mit darauf (was das Lesen manchmal etwas erschwerte) - es ist ja nicht so, dass es nicht auch noch hunderte andere Bücher hier zum Draufliegen gäbe...
(:
January 29, 2021
I love Marie Brennan's work but wasn't sure about this one because I had no prior knowledge of the game world it's based in and I have only a smattering of knowledge about Japan's mythological creatures. I requested it anyway and I'm so glad I did.
Apparently I've read more about Japan's yokai than I'd thought, because I recognized a great many of them. The setting was easy to accommodate myself to, as it's just a small mountain village in Imperial Japan.
What really shines here is the two main characters. Ryotoro and Sekken are samurai from different clans who arrive at the town for different reasons that eventually turn out to be the same. Told through alternating perspectives, we get a slow, thoughtful investigation of what exactly has been happening in the village. We also are privy to the secrets they are keeping from one another and their slowly burgeoning attraction as they work to save the village from the rampaging yokai.
I loved the slowly building layers of story and will definitely be seeking out more of Marie Brennan's work.
*Thanks to NetGalley and Aconyte Books fro providing an e-arc to review.
Apparently I've read more about Japan's yokai than I'd thought, because I recognized a great many of them. The setting was easy to accommodate myself to, as it's just a small mountain village in Imperial Japan.
What really shines here is the two main characters. Ryotoro and Sekken are samurai from different clans who arrive at the town for different reasons that eventually turn out to be the same. Told through alternating perspectives, we get a slow, thoughtful investigation of what exactly has been happening in the village. We also are privy to the secrets they are keeping from one another and their slowly burgeoning attraction as they work to save the village from the rampaging yokai.
I loved the slowly building layers of story and will definitely be seeking out more of Marie Brennan's work.
*Thanks to NetGalley and Aconyte Books fro providing an e-arc to review.
February 2, 2021
A bit slow in developing, this great fantasy set in an alternate reality Japan definitely pays off in the couldn't-put-it-down action of the ending. By the time we get to the big appearance of the Night Parade, Brennan has expertly developed every character that will have a part in the story and made it impossible not to care about them.
Both Ryotora and Sekken are complex characters. The fact that they're apparently complete opposites only makes it that much better to see how well they interact. In fact, I'd say that even above the phenomenal fantasy elements, it's in the character interactions that this book is made.
I am a huge fan of how Brennan paces her plots and the way she incorporates learning actual, real-world facts so seamlessly into the story. It makes the incredibly fantastical elements of her story feel that much more realistic. And that's not even touching on the fact that it's based on actual legends and stories.
A great read for fans of fantasy and Japanese folklore.
Many happy thanks to NetGalley and Aconyte books for the early read!
Both Ryotora and Sekken are complex characters. The fact that they're apparently complete opposites only makes it that much better to see how well they interact. In fact, I'd say that even above the phenomenal fantasy elements, it's in the character interactions that this book is made.
I am a huge fan of how Brennan paces her plots and the way she incorporates learning actual, real-world facts so seamlessly into the story. It makes the incredibly fantastical elements of her story feel that much more realistic. And that's not even touching on the fact that it's based on actual legends and stories.
A great read for fans of fantasy and Japanese folklore.
Many happy thanks to NetGalley and Aconyte books for the early read!
October 29, 2025
"That is the meaning of duty: to do what you can, and what you must, even if it is not enough."
A remote Dragon-clan village is suffering under the depredations of many, and many sorts of, Yokai, and a Dragon Shugenja is sent to solve the problem. At the same time, a Crane scholar is drawn to the village as well, by mysterious means. To save the village, they must work together to halt the attacks.
The characters noted above are functionally co-equal protagonists, and the story alternates between their points of view. The characters are individual enough to make it relatively easy to determine which PoV is current in the narrative. Both characters have depth and both characters grow in the course of the plot.
The book does a good job of presenting the unique society of the L5R universe, and of feeling magical without the magic outshining the characters.
This relatively short volume does a good job of building characters and character relationships and also presenting a solid plot without feeling too rushed. Recommended.
A remote Dragon-clan village is suffering under the depredations of many, and many sorts of, Yokai, and a Dragon Shugenja is sent to solve the problem. At the same time, a Crane scholar is drawn to the village as well, by mysterious means. To save the village, they must work together to halt the attacks.
The characters noted above are functionally co-equal protagonists, and the story alternates between their points of view. The characters are individual enough to make it relatively easy to determine which PoV is current in the narrative. Both characters have depth and both characters grow in the course of the plot.
The book does a good job of presenting the unique society of the L5R universe, and of feeling magical without the magic outshining the characters.
This relatively short volume does a good job of building characters and character relationships and also presenting a solid plot without feeling too rushed. Recommended.
December 17, 2025
Firstly, put no stock in that cover image, as high quality as it is. Despite the shadow of a samurai helmet looming over the scene, with a pair of armed warriors standing before a ruined village, I do not think a katana even appears in this book, let alone get drawn. This is not a hack-and-slash story, but one exploring a more fantastical side of the 'Legend of the Five Rings' setting.
Indeed, this is a mystery, a pair of strangers investigating a supernatural mystery in an isolated area, neatly avoiding diving too deep into the politics of Rokugan and allowing the characters to shine. And what characters they are, torn between duty and desire, trying to keep secrets while unraveling a mystery.
The story flows with a relaxed pace, a somewhat sleepy small village torn by tragedy serving as the backdrop to the titular parade of bizarre folelore characters. The one downside of the novel is the mildly sbrupt and anticlimactic finale, but there are two more books that follow this, so these marvelous characters will continue.
Indeed, this is a mystery, a pair of strangers investigating a supernatural mystery in an isolated area, neatly avoiding diving too deep into the politics of Rokugan and allowing the characters to shine. And what characters they are, torn between duty and desire, trying to keep secrets while unraveling a mystery.
The story flows with a relaxed pace, a somewhat sleepy small village torn by tragedy serving as the backdrop to the titular parade of bizarre folelore characters. The one downside of the novel is the mildly sbrupt and anticlimactic finale, but there are two more books that follow this, so these marvelous characters will continue.
July 4, 2022
I read this without any prior knowledge of the Legend of the Five Rings IP.
In short, I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but I was sure I would like it, since Marie Brennan had written this book.
And I was right - the action was compelling, the world was explored enough that a non-familiar reader could still enjoy it (i.e. me), and the characters were absolutely the best.
There were serious moments, funny moments, tense moments, and an unexpected (again, to me) romance, which all felt deserved and I wanted it to go on forever.
I would recommend this to any individuals interested in Japanese folktales, since I was reminded of Mushishi, Natsume Yuujinchou, and other such anime when listening to the audiobook.
In short, I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but I was sure I would like it, since Marie Brennan had written this book.
And I was right - the action was compelling, the world was explored enough that a non-familiar reader could still enjoy it (i.e. me), and the characters were absolutely the best.
There were serious moments, funny moments, tense moments, and an unexpected (again, to me) romance, which all felt deserved and I wanted it to go on forever.
I would recommend this to any individuals interested in Japanese folktales, since I was reminded of Mushishi, Natsume Yuujinchou, and other such anime when listening to the audiobook.
October 4, 2023
This was not the book I was expecting but turned out to be the book I needed at the time.
I never read the blurb before buying, simply going by front cover or word-of-mouth. I guess I thought this would be a feudal period action piece, with Gantz-type crazy fighting and demons galore.
What it is, is a more sensitive tale centring on the relationship between two samurai and their efforts to protect a village from the titular meanies, .
The lore seems well-researched (the author says she enjoys delving deep into mythology and legends) and the story's world feels very real.
A quieter read than expected but a welcome one.
I never read the blurb before buying, simply going by front cover or word-of-mouth. I guess I thought this would be a feudal period action piece, with Gantz-type crazy fighting and demons galore.
What it is, is a more sensitive tale centring on the relationship between two samurai and their efforts to protect a village from the titular meanies, .
The lore seems well-researched (the author says she enjoys delving deep into mythology and legends) and the story's world feels very real.
A quieter read than expected but a welcome one.
February 4, 2021
“The Night Parade of 100 Demons“ by Marie Brennan [5/5]
Thanks to Aconyte and Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review
This is a book set in the world of the tabletop RPG Legend of the Five Rings. I am not really familiar with it except I know there is a lot of Japanese mythology stuff going on and that samurai and different clans are a thing. My ARC provided me with a quick overview of the setting and while I appreciated it I do not believe one needs to understand the setting to like this book as this book does a good job to introduce the aspects of the setting that are important to its plot. On the other hand I am not qualified to decide whether this is a good representation of the tabletop RPG's world.
The Night Parade
This book's setting is as mentioned a setting of a tabletop RPG called Legend of the Five Rings. As this tabletop RPG is full of Japanese mythology, so is this book. I do not know a lot about Japanese mythology – mostly the things I picked up while watching Anime or reading Manga and other books inspired by Japanese mythology. I really loved how what I knew was used in this book and how Marie Brennan uses the setting for her story. It is maybe not the most innovative way, but I have to say I have heard about the mythological phenomenon of the Night Parade of 100 Demons, but I am not sure if I have seen it used in a novel before.
The other aspects of the world-building are great too. Brennan uses words in a very nice way to show the reader hoe the small village looks the story takes place in, and I really loved how she described it and the surrounding nature. But I kind of expected this of Marie Brennan because I also loved her descriptions in her Lady Trent series. But this book is not that long, so I am very pleased to report that I don't think that the descriptions are too long or take away from the story.
From Samurai and Village People
There are two POVs in this novel – one is the samurai Ryotora from the Dragon Clan. He was sent to the village of Sebo Mura to investigate the horrifying creatures that appeared during the full moon in the village. The other is a member of the Phoenix Clan – his name is Sekkan, and he has a reason of his own to be in the village, even though it is not on Phoenix territory. Both of them have secrets that play a big role in their part of the narrative and are finally related to the village in one way or another. Both POVs are interesting to read even though I have to admit I was a bit more invested in Ryotora's side of the story – even though some people might argue he is less interesting.
But there are also some more important characters in the village. They are nowhere as interesting as the both POV characters, but that does not mean, that they are not important. There is a small subplot regarding the religious sect in the village and how both main characters come to terms with the way the people in the village worship the gods and the main characters wonder if this is in some way connected to the mystery of the monsters appearing in the village. I think all the people in the village work as characters even though a lot of them are mostly characterized by two or three traits. But I don't think all of them have to be multilayered characters with a lot of depth and the main reason this works in this novel is the distance between the main characters as samurai/nobles and the people in the village as the people who should bow to them.
The Mystery of Seb0 Mura
Whether you will like this novel or not will probably lie in the question of how long you can wait until the plot has to kick in. Do not get me wrong – I really liked the slower pacing Brennan decided on and that the Night Parade itself only appears in the last 25% of the novel was a good decision in my opinion. Until the last 25% this is not a book with a lot of action – it is much more about mystery and the character relationships. If you are not into this I would advise against picking this book up.
I think the mystery is a compelling one -mainly because both characters have secrets and are not willing to discuss them with the other one even though those secrets might in some way or the other related to what is happening in the village. There are also a lot of red herrings at the beginning – depending on what you expect the problem to be and what you already know about Japanese mythology you might be surprised by some of the secrets revealed or might not. I think how well this mystery works depends a lot on your knowledge and expectations. For me the mystery worked, and it took me as long as the characters to be sure about what is happening and why.
The last 25% might be the most interesting part of this novel – it has action, it has the solution to the mystery, and it has a journey into the spiritual world. I flew through this part and was not able to put the book down. But when talking about the last 25%, one has to consider the ending. This is still the point I am most unsure of in this novel. I was really happy that the novel ended the way it did. But I can already see a lot of people disliking it as well. So I would say if your overall enjoyment of the book is directly related to your enjoyment of the ending I am not sure what to tell you without spoiling way too much.
I will certainly pick up other books set in the world of The Legend of the Five Rings, and I am very interested in trying out the tabletop RPG now.
September 10, 2024
Letto per il prompt "un libro con animali parlanti" (anche se tecnicamente sono yokai - prompt scelto a posteriori)
Probabilmente il più "rokugan" dei tre libri letti fino ad ora ambientati nel mondo di 5 anelli. Una trama semplice ma che funziona, scritto meglio di molti altri libri del genere: ho apprezzato particolarmente il focus sugli yokai e sulla teologia rokugani. Personaggi interessanti, che spero di rivedere in libri successivi - unico neo, per il mio gusto, un finale un po' troppo "positivo".
Probabilmente il più "rokugan" dei tre libri letti fino ad ora ambientati nel mondo di 5 anelli. Una trama semplice ma che funziona, scritto meglio di molti altri libri del genere: ho apprezzato particolarmente il focus sugli yokai e sulla teologia rokugani. Personaggi interessanti, che spero di rivedere in libri successivi - unico neo, per il mio gusto, un finale un po' troppo "positivo".
January 21, 2021
What a fantastic story! "The Night Parade of 100 Demons" has it all - action, adventure, a bit of mystery, great characters, thrilling story, terrific writing, and a satisfying ending. What more could you ask for?! Maybe a bit of folklore and legend? Yep, has that too! So, go grab yourself a copy - you won't regret it!
My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.
My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.
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