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Sugawara Akitada #1
The Dragon Scroll
In an adventure filled with highway bandits, unscrupulous politicians, and renegade monks, The Dragon Scroll introduces readers to the lively world of eleventh-century Japan and an irrepressible hero—Sugawara Akitada. On his first official assignment, Akitada—an impoverished nobleman and earnest young government clerk in the Ministry of Justice—is sent from the capital city on a nearly impossible mission to the distant province of Kazusa to discover why tax convoys are disappearing. In the politically murky world of the Japanese court, he has been set up to fail. Against the odds, the ever-resourceful Akitada, his elderly servant Seimei, and his impudent bodyguard Tora are determined to fulfill their mission and discover the truth in a town of dangerous secrets.
338 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
April 9, 2023
On the one hand, there are a number of strong moments in the book, a murder mystery actually (not typically in my interest zone), whether about solving the mystery, passionate love, or action sequences involving swordplay and physical struggle.
On the other, it did seem to drag from time to time, and I felt the plot and writing should have been leaner and tighter.
The author has definitely done her research regarding medieval Japan, and its customs and culture, which makes the reading more fascinating.
The publisher has offered up the first two volumes in this series for free, I expect to interest readers into purchasing the other subsequent books. I will try out number 2 and I’ll see how I feel about it in comparison to this initial mystery.
On the other, it did seem to drag from time to time, and I felt the plot and writing should have been leaner and tighter.
The author has definitely done her research regarding medieval Japan, and its customs and culture, which makes the reading more fascinating.
The publisher has offered up the first two volumes in this series for free, I expect to interest readers into purchasing the other subsequent books. I will try out number 2 and I’ll see how I feel about it in comparison to this initial mystery.
June 23, 2018
One of my Christmas presents! Yay!
...
I wanted to try another mystery series set in Japan, and found this one. It has much better reviews than Laura Joh Rowland's Sano Ichiro books (which are my guilty pleasure despite numerous flaws), so I expected good writing and good research. I was sort of disappointed.
The main character, Sugawara Akitada, is a young, honest and kind of ambitious clerk in the Ministry of Justice. He is also an aristocrat, even if an impoverished one, he's been to court, and at the end of the book he attends a party where imperial princes are also present. The party is written in such a casual way that I couldn't help but picture some sort of a cocktail party where all guests intermingle without the slightest sense of unease or inequality. This is actually true for the whole book. Only once I was able to believe that I was reading about the Heian world, and that was before the story began, during Akitada's journey to Kazusa. Maybe it was because there was no people interaction, just landscape description. The moment Akitada and his faithful servant Seimei met Tora, the suspension of disbelief became impossible for me.
Yeah, there are two problems in this book. The first one is that the story is sort of meh. There is no mystery really, the main character and his gang are stereotypical, the bad guys are obvious from the moment they show up, and the side plots aren't very engaging.
The second one is that the anachronisms make the book just bland. Once again, I don't care for research all that much. Mistakes and anachronisms can actually add to the charm, or to the excitement, in my opinion. Here, they do not. They are all over the place. For example, we have Ayako, who becomes Akitada's love interest. (I sure as hell hope I haven't just committed a spoiler, but it's hard not to see it coming. Why? Because she's a tomboy, a great fighter, and awfully nasty to men.) Now, her kind of character is common not only in Western fiction, but in Japanese fiction as well. The problem is that she wouldn't be that out of place in a story about later periods, say, Kamakura or Edo. But in Heian? A rough, rude, provincial, plain woman as a love interest? For an aristocrat coming from the capital? All right, let's say that he wouldn't pass his days drowning in tears and writing poetry about his awful fate of being banished from the capital (which would be the most probable). Let's say he does look at women outside his sphere. Let's say he is not repelled by a woman who can fight, cannot write poetry or compose a scent, and who is loud and obnoxious. But he behaves as if he were completely divorced from the time and place. Not only does he fall in love with her, but he's also perfectly willing to accept her domination, he admires her, considers her pure and honest, is jealous of her, and generally lets her walk all over himself. He doesn't explain why. He doesn't think Ayako is unusual. He doesn't think his having any feelings for her is unusual. Why? Instead of a love story plausible for the period, either typical OR not, we have one that is stereotypical through and through, in any setting, any period.
Same with Tora, who goes from a servant/sidekick to the main character's best friend. Here the author seems to perceive that it goes against everything we know about society structure in general, and Japanese society in particular... and no explanation is offered, other than telling the reader repeatedly that "of course Akitada knew that this way of treating servants was unheard-of, but he didn't care and was going to treat Tora as his friend, because it was just totally cool." Considering that there is generally lots of hugging and patting each other on the back between male characters, maybe I shouldn't be picking nits, but the whole business with Tora really turned me off, the more that I have read negative reviews describing class relations in the book as "too formal" and I thought, oh this book must be great, at last someone got it right. Then I saw all this touchy-feely stuff, and I was like, wait what? Are we talking the same book? Are we talking Heian period, when common folk were literally afraid to look an aristocrat in the eye for fear of said aristocrat's magical powers? The hero doesn't get to be any more heroic because he is ashamed of his "social position", and more importantly, the book doesn't get more interesting either. On the contrary.
There is more stuff which makes me wonder why this book needed to be set in Heian period. No superstitions, no taboos, no one is afraid to touch the dead. Neither Akitada nor Tora have any qualms to be around Ayako's younger sister Otomi who is mute, and no one seems to realize that it would be extremely difficult for a handicapped person to get married at that time - it's a problem in Japan even now - not only that, but her sister would be considered undesirable. Yes, there is Buddhism thrown in, true, there is a whole monastery. It exists so that the heroes could be outraged and repelled by pederasty practiced by the monks, which very common at the time.
There is also pumpkin and cabbage. Yup. Pumpkin and cabbage. In Heian Japan. Pumpkin and cabbage! This just about seals it for me.
No, I'm kidding, but... I know that Heian is so difficult to pull off! There is almost no info on how common people lived. Food, clothing, religion, social structure are so different from the universally known "Japaneseness". Making a step without poetry seems impossible. So I wanted to see how it was done in this book, and I'm left scratching my head about the lack of Heian goodness. With pumpkin and cabbage.
...
I wanted to try another mystery series set in Japan, and found this one. It has much better reviews than Laura Joh Rowland's Sano Ichiro books (which are my guilty pleasure despite numerous flaws), so I expected good writing and good research. I was sort of disappointed.
The main character, Sugawara Akitada, is a young, honest and kind of ambitious clerk in the Ministry of Justice. He is also an aristocrat, even if an impoverished one, he's been to court, and at the end of the book he attends a party where imperial princes are also present. The party is written in such a casual way that I couldn't help but picture some sort of a cocktail party where all guests intermingle without the slightest sense of unease or inequality. This is actually true for the whole book. Only once I was able to believe that I was reading about the Heian world, and that was before the story began, during Akitada's journey to Kazusa. Maybe it was because there was no people interaction, just landscape description. The moment Akitada and his faithful servant Seimei met Tora, the suspension of disbelief became impossible for me.
Yeah, there are two problems in this book. The first one is that the story is sort of meh. There is no mystery really, the main character and his gang are stereotypical, the bad guys are obvious from the moment they show up, and the side plots aren't very engaging.
The second one is that the anachronisms make the book just bland. Once again, I don't care for research all that much. Mistakes and anachronisms can actually add to the charm, or to the excitement, in my opinion. Here, they do not. They are all over the place. For example, we have Ayako, who becomes Akitada's love interest. (I sure as hell hope I haven't just committed a spoiler, but it's hard not to see it coming. Why? Because she's a tomboy, a great fighter, and awfully nasty to men.) Now, her kind of character is common not only in Western fiction, but in Japanese fiction as well. The problem is that she wouldn't be that out of place in a story about later periods, say, Kamakura or Edo. But in Heian? A rough, rude, provincial, plain woman as a love interest? For an aristocrat coming from the capital? All right, let's say that he wouldn't pass his days drowning in tears and writing poetry about his awful fate of being banished from the capital (which would be the most probable). Let's say he does look at women outside his sphere. Let's say he is not repelled by a woman who can fight, cannot write poetry or compose a scent, and who is loud and obnoxious. But he behaves as if he were completely divorced from the time and place. Not only does he fall in love with her, but he's also perfectly willing to accept her domination, he admires her, considers her pure and honest, is jealous of her, and generally lets her walk all over himself. He doesn't explain why. He doesn't think Ayako is unusual. He doesn't think his having any feelings for her is unusual. Why? Instead of a love story plausible for the period, either typical OR not, we have one that is stereotypical through and through, in any setting, any period.
Same with Tora, who goes from a servant/sidekick to the main character's best friend. Here the author seems to perceive that it goes against everything we know about society structure in general, and Japanese society in particular... and no explanation is offered, other than telling the reader repeatedly that "of course Akitada knew that this way of treating servants was unheard-of, but he didn't care and was going to treat Tora as his friend, because it was just totally cool." Considering that there is generally lots of hugging and patting each other on the back between male characters, maybe I shouldn't be picking nits, but the whole business with Tora really turned me off, the more that I have read negative reviews describing class relations in the book as "too formal" and I thought, oh this book must be great, at last someone got it right. Then I saw all this touchy-feely stuff, and I was like, wait what? Are we talking the same book? Are we talking Heian period, when common folk were literally afraid to look an aristocrat in the eye for fear of said aristocrat's magical powers? The hero doesn't get to be any more heroic because he is ashamed of his "social position", and more importantly, the book doesn't get more interesting either. On the contrary.
There is more stuff which makes me wonder why this book needed to be set in Heian period. No superstitions, no taboos, no one is afraid to touch the dead. Neither Akitada nor Tora have any qualms to be around Ayako's younger sister Otomi who is mute, and no one seems to realize that it would be extremely difficult for a handicapped person to get married at that time - it's a problem in Japan even now - not only that, but her sister would be considered undesirable. Yes, there is Buddhism thrown in, true, there is a whole monastery. It exists so that the heroes could be outraged and repelled by pederasty practiced by the monks, which very common at the time.
There is also pumpkin and cabbage. Yup. Pumpkin and cabbage. In Heian Japan. Pumpkin and cabbage! This just about seals it for me.
No, I'm kidding, but... I know that Heian is so difficult to pull off! There is almost no info on how common people lived. Food, clothing, religion, social structure are so different from the universally known "Japaneseness". Making a step without poetry seems impossible. So I wanted to see how it was done in this book, and I'm left scratching my head about the lack of Heian goodness. With pumpkin and cabbage.
April 5, 2020
Life in 11th century Japan can be fascinating---at least if it is related by I. J. Parker in The Dragon Scroll. Thank you GR friend, Carol, for suggesting this one.
“It is no joking matter,” cried Seimei. “After years of disappointment, you got this chance to make a name for yourself….Remember, the path to success makes for a long and troublesome journey, but the way back is quick and easy.”
Seimei is an old retainer to the Sugawara family. He is speaking to Akitada Sugawara, a young nobleman. The noble family has fallen if favor and money is in short supply. Akitada is a junior clerk in the Ministry of Justice---a fortunate position that only came to him because of his achieving a “first” in the university exams.
We follow him in his mission and see how he augments his “team” in pursuit of those who would cheat the Emperor out of his taxes. “Akitada’s youth might have made him an unlikely inspector, but both his university training and his drudgery in the archives of the Ministry of Justice had thoroughly prepared him to search out, understand, and evaluate every financial transaction, from the collection of the smallest fine to the confiscation of land and property.” Yet he is young, and at times, very focused on himself. This gives us internal conflicts as well as external challenges.
The story is told in a straight-forward manner, and for those familiar with stories of ancient Japan and China, the character types offer no surprises. So, I was surprised that I found The Dragon Scroll both appealing and compelling. As Akitada finds his assignment growing in complexity, he relies on an augmented “team” of interesting characters that help fill out how it was in ancient Japan. Since this is Akitada’s first journey away from the capitol, we experience how he reacts to provincial ways and customs.
There is plenty of drama, deceit and duress to overcome. How all that is accomplished is enlightening and satisfying.
“It is no joking matter,” cried Seimei. “After years of disappointment, you got this chance to make a name for yourself….Remember, the path to success makes for a long and troublesome journey, but the way back is quick and easy.”
Seimei is an old retainer to the Sugawara family. He is speaking to Akitada Sugawara, a young nobleman. The noble family has fallen if favor and money is in short supply. Akitada is a junior clerk in the Ministry of Justice---a fortunate position that only came to him because of his achieving a “first” in the university exams.
We follow him in his mission and see how he augments his “team” in pursuit of those who would cheat the Emperor out of his taxes. “Akitada’s youth might have made him an unlikely inspector, but both his university training and his drudgery in the archives of the Ministry of Justice had thoroughly prepared him to search out, understand, and evaluate every financial transaction, from the collection of the smallest fine to the confiscation of land and property.” Yet he is young, and at times, very focused on himself. This gives us internal conflicts as well as external challenges.
The story is told in a straight-forward manner, and for those familiar with stories of ancient Japan and China, the character types offer no surprises. So, I was surprised that I found The Dragon Scroll both appealing and compelling. As Akitada finds his assignment growing in complexity, he relies on an augmented “team” of interesting characters that help fill out how it was in ancient Japan. Since this is Akitada’s first journey away from the capitol, we experience how he reacts to provincial ways and customs.
There is plenty of drama, deceit and duress to overcome. How all that is accomplished is enlightening and satisfying.
December 28, 2013
Fascinating - both because it is set in 11th century Japan and also because of the well-developed characters. As a mystery lover, I'm well aware that --typically - if the mystery's good, the characters are mere caricatures,or - if the characters are fully realized, the mystery's lame. In this instance, Parker's produced a wonderful novel where both the mystery and the characters are complex and satisfying. Can't wait to read more in the Akitada series.
March 28, 2011
Now after reading that synopsis you would think this is a book full of wonderfully fun characters set in a totally unfamiliar world to most readers, and you would be half right. This is an unfamiliar world to most of us and because of that I find myself not really caring for the characters all that much. The men tend to be sexist and overly hung up on "class" and how people fit into categories that are neither flexible or forgiving. The women are either meek and seeking protection from the men or devious vixens bent on eliminating anything in their way. Now there is one exception to that last part and for that I'm honestly grateful to the writer. Ayako is actually a fearless "warrior" woman who teaches martial arts and sleeps with whoever she chooses to, but in the end she is still forced to play by the rules and marry a man that is acceptable class wise as opposed to who she might really want to be with.
Now this isn't the fault of the charcters, the time the story is set in is to blame. This was a time period where women had their place and class was so culturally ingrained that it's part of who they are. It's not fair to read a book, set in another time and place, and judge it by todays' standards equality and social justice. Of course it's always easy to say that, then to actually, on some level, not react to what you are reading using your own moral compass.
Now, after all that, if you think I didn't enjoy this book, then you are very much mistaken. Regardless of what I think of Akitada as a person, I found this to be a wonderfuly crafted mystery filled with missing gold and murder all around. The author has crafted a wonderfully intricate story with so many layers, you aren't really able to see how they work together until the story is over. Once the "solution" is sprung on you, you may just end up kicking yourself in the ass for not figuring out why the prologue was important or relevant to the rest of the story.
I'm really looking forward to the rest of the series, one of which I've already read, but will be reading again in order. Because of that unfair advantage I can tell you that Akitada does become more likeable as the books go on and as he matures. I would recomend this series to anyone who enjoyes a well crafted mystery set in a beautifully imagined world.
Now this isn't the fault of the charcters, the time the story is set in is to blame. This was a time period where women had their place and class was so culturally ingrained that it's part of who they are. It's not fair to read a book, set in another time and place, and judge it by todays' standards equality and social justice. Of course it's always easy to say that, then to actually, on some level, not react to what you are reading using your own moral compass.
Now, after all that, if you think I didn't enjoy this book, then you are very much mistaken. Regardless of what I think of Akitada as a person, I found this to be a wonderfuly crafted mystery filled with missing gold and murder all around. The author has crafted a wonderfully intricate story with so many layers, you aren't really able to see how they work together until the story is over. Once the "solution" is sprung on you, you may just end up kicking yourself in the ass for not figuring out why the prologue was important or relevant to the rest of the story.
I'm really looking forward to the rest of the series, one of which I've already read, but will be reading again in order. Because of that unfair advantage I can tell you that Akitada does become more likeable as the books go on and as he matures. I would recomend this series to anyone who enjoyes a well crafted mystery set in a beautifully imagined world.
December 18, 2015
I was very excited to find a mystery series set in medieval Japan. I thought for sure that it was going to be a good book based on the reviews I had read but I couldn’t even finish it. I’m not sure if this was affected by the fact that I listened to it instead of reading the story but I found it tedious and frustrating and the characters were annoying in the extreme and very stereotypical. I can’t say much about the plot or the story as I didn’t make it that far but after listening to the end it felt a little predictable.
September 17, 2021
Интересна, лека и добре написана криминална история с политически привкус от ранносредновековна Япония (това е преди самураите, когато Япония прилича доста на Китай), от която можете да научите доста за бита и културата по това време.
January 4, 2024
I started off enjoying this book a decent amount. The setting was great, if somewhat sparse, and the characters seemed interesting enough. The mystery also seemed like it would turn out to be pretty cool when solved. But around halfway through, I started to get more and more bored. I can't put my finger on what it was, other than that I just didn't care what happened to anyone. The characters didn't endear themselves to me enough for me to want them to succeed. Tora started really getting on my nerves and we met more and more people that I couldn't keep straight. I seem to have almost this exact same issue every time I try to read a cozy historical mystery. There just aren't enough stakes to keep me interested. Whether they solve the mystery or not doesn't matter enough. I don't think I'll be continuing with this series.
May 22, 2009
Summary:
The third in the series by I.J. Parker, The Dragon Scroll features young Sugawara Akitada, an impoverished samurai of noble birth serving as a government clerk at the Ministry of Justice. Sugawara is assigned to investigate the disappearance of tax convoys in the distant province of Kazusa, a seemingly impossible mission. He is accompanied by his loyal family retainer and trusted companion, Seimei. Along the way, Sugawara and Seimei befriend Tora, an army deserter who becomes his servant, and a familiar character in the Sugawara Akitada series.
Sugawara must exercise his full powers of diplomacy as he examines the accounts of the outgoing governor Fujiwara Motosuke, soon-to-be father-in-law of the Emperor and confronts Master Joto, the Abbot of the local temple. It is while hunting down the lost tax convoys, that Sugawara comes across evidence of several seemingly unrelated murders - that of a lady-in-waiting of the imperial household in the capital, of a retired former governor of Kazusa province, of local prostitutes in Fujisawa and Kazusa provinces.
Fortunately, Sugawara's good nature and honesty win him friends and allies. He is accompanied by his loyal family retainer and trusted companion, Seimei. Along the way, Sugawara befriends Tora, an army deserter who becomes his servant, and a familiar character in the Sugawara Akitada series. Sugawara is also aided by Higekuro, a crippled instructor in martial arts and Higekuro's two lovely and unconventional daughters.
Review:
I like escapist fiction very much and I'm partial to detective novels that are set in an unusual time or place. The Sugawara Akitada series, set in Ancient Japan, piqued my interest immediately. The style and language fully communicate a different time and place. The dialogue, interaction between the characters, the description of landscape, customs, and culture work so that you are always aware that the action is going on in a very different time and place. However, at the same time, Sugawara and his colleagues are very accessible and I found myself sympathizing with their problems, heartaches, and difficulties and hoping for their triumphs.
I recommend this book to anyone looking for an unusual detective series and with a fondness for Japanese history and culture.
The third in the series by I.J. Parker, The Dragon Scroll features young Sugawara Akitada, an impoverished samurai of noble birth serving as a government clerk at the Ministry of Justice. Sugawara is assigned to investigate the disappearance of tax convoys in the distant province of Kazusa, a seemingly impossible mission. He is accompanied by his loyal family retainer and trusted companion, Seimei. Along the way, Sugawara and Seimei befriend Tora, an army deserter who becomes his servant, and a familiar character in the Sugawara Akitada series.
Sugawara must exercise his full powers of diplomacy as he examines the accounts of the outgoing governor Fujiwara Motosuke, soon-to-be father-in-law of the Emperor and confronts Master Joto, the Abbot of the local temple. It is while hunting down the lost tax convoys, that Sugawara comes across evidence of several seemingly unrelated murders - that of a lady-in-waiting of the imperial household in the capital, of a retired former governor of Kazusa province, of local prostitutes in Fujisawa and Kazusa provinces.
Fortunately, Sugawara's good nature and honesty win him friends and allies. He is accompanied by his loyal family retainer and trusted companion, Seimei. Along the way, Sugawara befriends Tora, an army deserter who becomes his servant, and a familiar character in the Sugawara Akitada series. Sugawara is also aided by Higekuro, a crippled instructor in martial arts and Higekuro's two lovely and unconventional daughters.
Review:
I like escapist fiction very much and I'm partial to detective novels that are set in an unusual time or place. The Sugawara Akitada series, set in Ancient Japan, piqued my interest immediately. The style and language fully communicate a different time and place. The dialogue, interaction between the characters, the description of landscape, customs, and culture work so that you are always aware that the action is going on in a very different time and place. However, at the same time, Sugawara and his colleagues are very accessible and I found myself sympathizing with their problems, heartaches, and difficulties and hoping for their triumphs.
I recommend this book to anyone looking for an unusual detective series and with a fondness for Japanese history and culture.
September 10, 2013
As an avid fan of everything that is Japanese,my first thought when i saw this book in the shelves of my local bookstore was "OMG!SAMURAIS!JAPANESE CULTURE!KARATE!".PLus,when you add a mistery that is normally associated with modern PI novels,i just had to have it home.
But,you cant judge a book by its covers(and title,and caracters,and synopsis).The book is good.The caracters are good.The dialogue is cursive and it`s highly readable,but it`s just...bland.The writing has actually nothing special.And,maybe ,the most annoying thing is that..there`s no japanese culture in it.I mean,yeah,you have the story center in the 700-1000 period of Japan,but the author doesnt capture anyhting from Japan at all.Better saying,if you switch out the names of the caracters,you wont even tell that the whole plot happens in Japan.There`s no description.I mean,not a single description of buildings,places,customs,religion(except the buddhism part,but that one is vital to the plot.)its bland.
3 stars
But,you cant judge a book by its covers(and title,and caracters,and synopsis).The book is good.The caracters are good.The dialogue is cursive and it`s highly readable,but it`s just...bland.The writing has actually nothing special.And,maybe ,the most annoying thing is that..there`s no japanese culture in it.I mean,yeah,you have the story center in the 700-1000 period of Japan,but the author doesnt capture anyhting from Japan at all.Better saying,if you switch out the names of the caracters,you wont even tell that the whole plot happens in Japan.There`s no description.I mean,not a single description of buildings,places,customs,religion(except the buddhism part,but that one is vital to the plot.)its bland.
3 stars
July 24, 2013
3.5 stars
I had a friend recommend this series and this is the first one I read. I don't know why I started with #3. I must have had a brain freeze but I had no trouble in appreciating the story. The mystery was almost too easy. I had it figured out before I was half-way through.
Still it was interesting in reading a novel set in eleventh century Japan and Sugawara Akitada is an engaging hero. The minor characters were well developed and the enitre novel entertaining. I look forward to reading more but I hope the mystery part improves.
I had a friend recommend this series and this is the first one I read. I don't know why I started with #3. I must have had a brain freeze but I had no trouble in appreciating the story. The mystery was almost too easy. I had it figured out before I was half-way through.
Still it was interesting in reading a novel set in eleventh century Japan and Sugawara Akitada is an engaging hero. The minor characters were well developed and the enitre novel entertaining. I look forward to reading more but I hope the mystery part improves.
November 22, 2011
Meh. I found the characters to be pretty stereotypical- young, naive nobleman; faithful but cranky servant; femme fatale; tomboy... The plot was mildly interesting, and the details about medieval Japan were, too. Not sure the author captures the sensibilities of the era, though.
January 12, 2011
Brilliantly written, Parker's prose is engaging and thought-provoking.
November 15, 2017
Read at my folks. Too much of a “mystery” for me. When a servant is asked if he swept the snow from the stair outside the room where a murder took place, you know you’re looking at a CLUE. Seemed good for someone, but not for me.
December 29, 2016
Japan, in the winter of the year 1014 CE. A clerk from the Ministry of Justice is sent from the capital, Heian Kyo (Kyoto) to an outlying province to investigate three consecutive missing shipments of taxes. Young, unconventional and expected to fail in his mission, Sugawara Akitada is accompanied only by an old and faithful servant, Seimei, but has soon acquired another servitor, the hot-headed fighter Tora. Between them, they set out to examine Kazusu and its people: the governor Fujiwara Motosuke, who is due to leave this post and who has deep connections with the Emperor himself; the prefect Ikeda; the handsome Captain Yukinari; and the former governor Tachibana. But when Tachibana dies—just the night before he is due to tell Akitada a secret—our hero realizes that there may be more to this mystery than he suspects…
Except that there is actually little mystery to The Dragon Scroll’s main plot. It becomes obvious, fairly early on in the plot, who the perpetrator of the main crime—the looting of the tax convoys—is. As corpses build up, however, and secondary crimes are committed, the resolution of these throws up a few surprises. Interspersed with this is Akitada’s affair with Ayako, a young woman who helps her father run a martial arts training school, and whose deaf-mute younger sister may hold the key to the disappearance of the tax consignments.
While the mystery element of The Dragon Scroll didn't really impress me, I liked the depictions of life in ancient Japan: the descriptions of houses, of clothing, of food. On the other hand, some of this (especially the interactions between people) struck me as being vastly at odds with the extremely rigid and formal behaviour that ruled ancient Japan (I'll admit I know little of Japanese history, but I have read The Tale of Genji, so am aware of the strict formality that governed even illicit relationships, let alone more everyday social interactions). In The Dragon Scroll, while the author takes great pains to explain that Akitada is a maverick and therefore ready to mingle with the lower classes, it isn't explained why so many people of the lower classes, even when meeting Akitada for the first time (and therefore unaware of his unorthodox views) are so informal with him.
This jarring informality, an anachronism, was what put me off the most in this book; had it not been for that, I'd probably have liked it a whole lot better.
Except that there is actually little mystery to The Dragon Scroll’s main plot. It becomes obvious, fairly early on in the plot, who the perpetrator of the main crime—the looting of the tax convoys—is. As corpses build up, however, and secondary crimes are committed, the resolution of these throws up a few surprises. Interspersed with this is Akitada’s affair with Ayako, a young woman who helps her father run a martial arts training school, and whose deaf-mute younger sister may hold the key to the disappearance of the tax consignments.
While the mystery element of The Dragon Scroll didn't really impress me, I liked the depictions of life in ancient Japan: the descriptions of houses, of clothing, of food. On the other hand, some of this (especially the interactions between people) struck me as being vastly at odds with the extremely rigid and formal behaviour that ruled ancient Japan (I'll admit I know little of Japanese history, but I have read The Tale of Genji, so am aware of the strict formality that governed even illicit relationships, let alone more everyday social interactions). In The Dragon Scroll, while the author takes great pains to explain that Akitada is a maverick and therefore ready to mingle with the lower classes, it isn't explained why so many people of the lower classes, even when meeting Akitada for the first time (and therefore unaware of his unorthodox views) are so informal with him.
This jarring informality, an anachronism, was what put me off the most in this book; had it not been for that, I'd probably have liked it a whole lot better.
March 21, 2016
It took me a while to realize how bad this book is.
I wanted to like it, and there are things in it that I like, but my primary complaint is that the characters act like modern characters, not like Japanese of the time period in which the story takes place.
In this story, the characters intermingle across class distinctions that were crucial to rules of behavior in Heian times. I am perfectly willing to overlook the absurdity of projecting the "detective" mindset back in time (cf. Umberto Eco's "Name of the Rose" or the "Cadfael" stories, both of which I quite like). Detective work can only take place in a social setting in which it is possible to question people as if they were equals under the law. In Heian Japan this was simply not the case.
The moral background is also modern: characters express outrage at things (sexual, familial, marital situations, etc.) that would have been expected in Heian Japanese culture.
The whole exercise feels like a modern Western writer with modern Western sensibilities wanted to connect to modern Western readers and simply wrote the story to achieve that end, forcing the characters to behave according to authorial contrivance rather than how they would actually have behaved.
I wanted to like it, and there are things in it that I like, but my primary complaint is that the characters act like modern characters, not like Japanese of the time period in which the story takes place.
In this story, the characters intermingle across class distinctions that were crucial to rules of behavior in Heian times. I am perfectly willing to overlook the absurdity of projecting the "detective" mindset back in time (cf. Umberto Eco's "Name of the Rose" or the "Cadfael" stories, both of which I quite like). Detective work can only take place in a social setting in which it is possible to question people as if they were equals under the law. In Heian Japan this was simply not the case.
The moral background is also modern: characters express outrage at things (sexual, familial, marital situations, etc.) that would have been expected in Heian Japanese culture.
The whole exercise feels like a modern Western writer with modern Western sensibilities wanted to connect to modern Western readers and simply wrote the story to achieve that end, forcing the characters to behave according to authorial contrivance rather than how they would actually have behaved.
February 26, 2008
This is the third in a series set in medieval Japan, although it is a prequel to the first two books in the series. It’s about an impoverished member of the nobility who holds a position in the government and is sent to discover what’s happening to the tax payments that are leaving a town and not making it to the capital. I’m told that the historical details are quite accurate, but the style of writing is stilted and although the thoughts and rationales of the characters may be historically accurate, I found the focus on the hierarchical relationships between people to be not very interesting. I had an early idea about the solution to the mystery, and was hard-pressed to do more than skim read this. A revelation at the very end woke a bit of interest in me – but not enough that I would go back and read more of the books to find out how that plays out.
May 21, 2009
The Story about one man, Akitada Sugawara...In an adventure filled with highway bandits, unscrupulous politicians, and renegade monks, The Dragon Scroll introduces readers to the lively world of eleventh-century Japan and an irrepressible hero—Sugawara Akitada.
On his first official assignment, Akitada—an impoverished nobleman and earnest young government clerk in the Ministry of Justice—is sent from the capital city on a nearly impossible mission to the distant province of Kazusa to discover why tax convoys are disappearing.
On his first official assignment, Akitada—an impoverished nobleman and earnest young government clerk in the Ministry of Justice—is sent from the capital city on a nearly impossible mission to the distant province of Kazusa to discover why tax convoys are disappearing.
May 21, 2009
This is the only book in the mystery genre I've read since reading the complete Sherlock Holmes as a teen. The genre has never interested me much; I've always had this preconception that the genre is particularly formulaic. This book didn't really alter my perception, with a number of mystery cliches. But the setting made it fairly interesting. The author has a good background in medieval Japan, and it shows. Parker's prose is not bad, and her characterization of the main characters was fairly complex and fairly poignant.
November 15, 2014
This was a pretty good start to a series. The main character was kind of flat, but I see his potential for later so I'm okay with it. Tora started out with a bang, and I was glad because he is my favorite character in the series. The storyline was good, but Parker went a round about way for resolving all the loose threads. It wasn't a bad ending, I just think it needed a little more editing. Overall, I really enjoyed it!
May 9, 2017
This was a light read but one that has me interested in the rest of the Sugawara Akitada mystery series. There were enough plot twists to keep me guessing at the outcome until the end. I must admit that I enjoyed the Sano Ichiro mysteries better-they just, to me, seem to demonstrate the culture of feudal Japan better.
August 26, 2016
A very entertaining historical detective novel set in medieval japan, during the Heian era before the time of the Samurai. The story starts off a bit awkwardly but finds it's groove and is afterwards paced brilliantly.
It was well plotted, full of colourful characters and set in a beautifully painted world. Highly recommended.
It was well plotted, full of colourful characters and set in a beautifully painted world. Highly recommended.
July 9, 2014
I didn't find much adventure, much character, or much interest.
March 11, 2022
This book impresses me as a homage to the Judge Dee novels by Robert van Gulik - transported to the Japan of the 11th century. Judge Dee has been transformed into Sugawara Akitada, aristocratic scholar-official and sleuth; Ma Joong has become Tora (his enforcer) and Lieutenant Hoong is Seimei (the elder advisor).
The problem is that Akitada is made out to be just such a staunch Confucianist as the Judge Dee of Van Gulik (who is already more Van Gulik than Chinese), and an opponent of Buddhism. That doesn't fit Japan, where a syncretist mixture of Buddhism with the indigenous kami creed (now called Shinto) was the dominant religion in the 11th century - with some admixture of Confucian elements such as filial piety, but none of the strict Confucianism represented here (that came only much later, in the 17th-19th century). The negative view of the Buddhist clergy as criminals is based on Van Gulik's first novel, The Chinese Bell Murders, but was completely alien to 11th c. Japan. Except for a short period when State Shinto was created in the early Meiji period (around 1870) Buddhism was never negatively viewed by the Japanese.
The material culture of the China described by Van Gulik (the 7th-9th c. Tang dynasty seen through the lens of the 14-17th c. Ming dynasty, so already quite complicated!) has become Heian Japan. For example, the aristocracy did sometimes - but very rarely - drink expensive and exotic tea, as described by Parker, but that was not tea brewed in a pot (sencha) as she writes, it was brick tea that was ground into a powder and then stirred into a froth in a tea bowl using a whisk (like matcha). The wine house and restaurant culture described in the novels simple didn't exist in Heian Japan, and there were no multistory houses.
Women lived in their rooms and didn't show themselves to men, even not from behind screens - men had to sit outside on the veranda and could not enter (except sometimes secretly at night). Often aristocratic women didn't even speak directly to men, they had their maidservants convey their words. In the novel a sweet potato is offered to someone, but sweet potatoes (satsuma-imo) only came to Japan in the 17th century. Courts of law were not held inside a courtroom as in China, but the magistrate would sit on the floor of the raised building close to the veranda and face the criminals who had to kneel outside in the gravel of the inner courtyard (see for example Kurosawa's film "Rashomon").
I could continue like that, but that would be childish. I.J. Parker was not a Japanologist, but, until retirement, Associate Professor of English and Foreign Languages at Norfolk State University in Virginia. She was interested in Japanese literature and in the Judge Dee novels and that led to the present project, which comprises about 20 novels and several short story collections. That is quite an achievement. She did seriously document herself and the mistakes which are jarring to me won't bother an average English reader. "The Dragon Scroll" is quite a lively and comprehensive tale. The detection elements are not very strong, but the novel offers a nice historical panorama. I read it almost in one sitting. I think I'd like to try one of the later novels as well.
The problem is that Akitada is made out to be just such a staunch Confucianist as the Judge Dee of Van Gulik (who is already more Van Gulik than Chinese), and an opponent of Buddhism. That doesn't fit Japan, where a syncretist mixture of Buddhism with the indigenous kami creed (now called Shinto) was the dominant religion in the 11th century - with some admixture of Confucian elements such as filial piety, but none of the strict Confucianism represented here (that came only much later, in the 17th-19th century). The negative view of the Buddhist clergy as criminals is based on Van Gulik's first novel, The Chinese Bell Murders, but was completely alien to 11th c. Japan. Except for a short period when State Shinto was created in the early Meiji period (around 1870) Buddhism was never negatively viewed by the Japanese.
The material culture of the China described by Van Gulik (the 7th-9th c. Tang dynasty seen through the lens of the 14-17th c. Ming dynasty, so already quite complicated!) has become Heian Japan. For example, the aristocracy did sometimes - but very rarely - drink expensive and exotic tea, as described by Parker, but that was not tea brewed in a pot (sencha) as she writes, it was brick tea that was ground into a powder and then stirred into a froth in a tea bowl using a whisk (like matcha). The wine house and restaurant culture described in the novels simple didn't exist in Heian Japan, and there were no multistory houses.
Women lived in their rooms and didn't show themselves to men, even not from behind screens - men had to sit outside on the veranda and could not enter (except sometimes secretly at night). Often aristocratic women didn't even speak directly to men, they had their maidservants convey their words. In the novel a sweet potato is offered to someone, but sweet potatoes (satsuma-imo) only came to Japan in the 17th century. Courts of law were not held inside a courtroom as in China, but the magistrate would sit on the floor of the raised building close to the veranda and face the criminals who had to kneel outside in the gravel of the inner courtyard (see for example Kurosawa's film "Rashomon").
I could continue like that, but that would be childish. I.J. Parker was not a Japanologist, but, until retirement, Associate Professor of English and Foreign Languages at Norfolk State University in Virginia. She was interested in Japanese literature and in the Judge Dee novels and that led to the present project, which comprises about 20 novels and several short story collections. That is quite an achievement. She did seriously document herself and the mistakes which are jarring to me won't bother an average English reader. "The Dragon Scroll" is quite a lively and comprehensive tale. The detection elements are not very strong, but the novel offers a nice historical panorama. I read it almost in one sitting. I think I'd like to try one of the later novels as well.
May 8, 2009
The Dragon Scroll adalah sebuah kisah detektif dengan setting Jepang di abad ke 11 ketika pemerintahan Jepang berada dalam periode Heian (794-1185). Mirip dengan kekaisaran Teng di China yang pemerintahannya terpusat, Jepang dikendalikan langsung dari ibukota Heian Kyo (Kyoto) oleh seorang kaisar dengan birokrasi yang rumit. Saat itu Jepang dibagi ke dalam beberapa propinsi yang diperintah oleh seorang gubernur yang bertugas mengawasi hukum dan tata tertib di daerahnya, termasuk penarikan pajak propinsi.
Sugawara Akitada, seorang bangsawan muda yang cerdas dan idealis yang sedang menata kariernya, baru saja dilantik menjadi panitera muda dalam Kementrian Kehakiman. Ia diberi tugas pertama oleh pemerintah untuk menyelidiki hilangnya iring-iringan pajak yang dikirim dari propinsi Kazusa. Ini adalah perjalanan pertamanya ke luar ibukota, untuk itu ia dibantu oleh Seimei, pelayan keluarga Akitada yang setia, mahir dalam pembukuan, dan memiliki pengetahuan yang sangat luas soal ramuan herbal. Selain itu dalam perjalanannya ia juga bertemu dengan Tora, seorang pengelana urakan yang turut menyertai Atikada dan Seimei dalam menjalankan tugas mereka.
Tugas yang diemban Atikada bukanlah hal yang mudah, karena ia harus berhadapan dengan pejabat-pejabat setempat seperti Motosuke, gubernur Kazusa, Residen Ikeda, mantan gubernur Lord Tachibana, yang merupakan tokoh-tokoh senior dan terpandang. Hal pertama yang dilakukannya adalah memeriksa arsip-arsip dan pembukuan gubernur Motosuke. Walau ia disambut dengan hangat namun Atikada tetap menjaga jarak dengan Motosuke, apalagi ketika diketahui Motosuke memberikan batangan emas di mangkuk makanannya. Apakah sang gubernur hendak menyogoknya?
Temuan sementara ternyata arsip dan laporan pembukuan sang gubernur rapih dan bersih dari unsur-unusur penggelapan keuangan negara, namun pemberian sang gubernur membuat Akitada mencurigainya. Belum lagi ia menyelidiki lebih lanjut, sebuah peristiwa berdarah terjadi. Lord Tachibana, mantan gubernur Kazusa terbunuh dalam ruang kerjanya. Padahal sehari sebelumnya Lord Tachibana mengundang Akitada untuk berkunjung ke rumahnya karena ada hal penting yang ingin disampaikannya secara rahasia. Pembunuhan ini tentu saja membuat Akitada curiga bahwa Lord Tachibana memiliki informasi mengenai hilangnya iring-iringan pajak dan ia sengaja dibunuh agar tak membuka mulut pada Akitada.
Benarkah Lord Tachibana dibunuh agar pelaku penggelapan pajak tak terungkap?. Akitada harus memutar akal agar dapat mengungkap semua itu. Bukannya semakin mudah karena berbagai persoalan rumit mulai menghadangnya, mulai dari persoalan perselingkuhan istri muda Lord Tachibana dengan seorang pejabat negara, terbunuhnya seorang mucikari, hingga keberadaan biara Empat Wajah Kebijaksanaan yang semakin kaya serta rahib-rahibnya yang sering membuat onar penduduk kota. Adakah keterkaitan semua itu dengan hilangnya iring-iringan pajak yang tak pernah sampai ke ibukota?
Akitada tak menyerah pada tantangan yang dihadapinya, bersama Seimei dan Tora, mereka berbagi tugas dalam melaksanakan tugas mereka, berhadapan dengan dunia politik yang kelam dan birokrasi yang rumit, mencoba menguak apa yang sesungguhnya terjadi di Kazuza yang penuh dengan intrik politik dan beberapa kasus pembunuhan yang terjadi selama Akitada berada di Kazusa.
Selain itu konsentrasi Akitada juga terpecah karena hatinya tertaut pada seorang gadis lokal yang memiliki seorang adik yang bisu yang ternyata merupakan salah satu saksi kunci dalam mengungkap kasus yang dihadapinya.
Bagi yang menyenangi kisah-kisah misteri detektif atau penggemar kisah-kisah samurai atau Jepang kuno tentunya kisah Akitada dalam The Dragon Scroll ini layak dicoba karena memadukan kisah detektif ala Alfred Hitcock dengan petualangan samurai Jepang. Pertarungan ala Samurai dan penyelidikan ala Alfred Hitchcock kental mewarnai novel ini. Selain itu yang membuat menarik dalam novel ini adalah settingnya yang eksotis yaitu Jepang di abad ke 11.
Melalui novel kita bisa mengetahui bagaimana kondisi sosial dan budaya Jepang di masa tersebut, misalnya budaya korupsi, birokrasi yang rumit, nuansa politik kotor dan bagaimana hilangnya kepercayaan masyarakat pada petugas negara mewarnai novel ini, selain itu kisah percintaan juga menjadi menu tambahan didalamnya.
Apa yang dicoba dideskripsikan oleh IJ Parker dalam novel ini bukanlah khayalan semata karena penulisnya telah melakukan riset yang mendalam mengenai suasana Jepang abad ke 11. Beberapa tempat, kejadian-kejadian, dan beberapa tokoh dalam novel ini didasarkan pada apa yang tercatat dalam sejarah. Karenanya dalam kadar tertentu, melalui novel ini kita memperoleh beberapa informasi mengenai sejarah kuno Jepang.
Sayang plotnya yang tak terlalu cepat dan halamannya yang tebal kadang membuat saya agak bosan membacanya. Untungnya jalinan peristiwa misteri yang saling kait mengkait yang ditulis dengan kalimat-kalimat yang mudah dicerna dan enak dibaca membuat saya bertahan untuk menamatkan novel ini hingga selesai dan menemukan semua jawaban atas kasus yang dihadapi Akitada.
Sebagai pelengkap, di bab terakhir novel ini terdapat bab “Latar Sejarah” yang berisi latar sejarah dan situasi sosial, politik, agama, dan budaya Jepang di abad ke 11. Walau diletakkan di bagian akhir, bab ini ada baiknya juga dibaca sebelum kita mulai membaca novel ini karena setidaknya apa yang ditulis di bab ini memberikan gambaran riil mengenai setiing cerita yang dibangun dan memudahkan kita untuk lebih memahami dan menikmati kisah petualangan Akitada melalui latar sejarah, sosial, dan budaya Jepang di masa itu.
Kisah Akitada ternyata tak berhenti pada novel ini saja karena The Dragon Scroll merupakan buku pertama dari serial Sugawara Akitada. Selanjutnya masih ada lima judul seri Akitada yang telah ditulis oleh I.J. Parker yaitu : Rahsomon Gate, Black Arrow, Island of Exiles, The Hell Screen, dan The Convict Sword. Semoga kesemua judul ini kelak akan diterjemahkan dan diterbitkan oleh Penerbit Kantera.
Inggrid J. Parker adalah penulis kisah-kisah detektif kelahiran Jerman. Pada tahun 2000 ia meraih penghargaan Private Eye Writers" dari America Shamus Award untuk Best P. I. Short Story untuk bukunya “Akitada First Case” (1999). Ketertarikannya pada literasi dan budaya Jepang kuno membawanya pada riset yang mendalam tentang Jepang di abad ke-11 hingga kini. Apa yang dipelajarinya mengilhaminya untuk menciptakan tokoh Akitada dalam karya-karyanya. Cerita pertamanya tentang Akitada “Istrument of Murder” muncul di majalah Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery di Oktober 1997. . Saat ini Parker tinggal di Virginia Beach, Virginia. Hingga saat ini dia masih menulis untuk Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine.
@h_tanzil
Sugawara Akitada, seorang bangsawan muda yang cerdas dan idealis yang sedang menata kariernya, baru saja dilantik menjadi panitera muda dalam Kementrian Kehakiman. Ia diberi tugas pertama oleh pemerintah untuk menyelidiki hilangnya iring-iringan pajak yang dikirim dari propinsi Kazusa. Ini adalah perjalanan pertamanya ke luar ibukota, untuk itu ia dibantu oleh Seimei, pelayan keluarga Akitada yang setia, mahir dalam pembukuan, dan memiliki pengetahuan yang sangat luas soal ramuan herbal. Selain itu dalam perjalanannya ia juga bertemu dengan Tora, seorang pengelana urakan yang turut menyertai Atikada dan Seimei dalam menjalankan tugas mereka.
Tugas yang diemban Atikada bukanlah hal yang mudah, karena ia harus berhadapan dengan pejabat-pejabat setempat seperti Motosuke, gubernur Kazusa, Residen Ikeda, mantan gubernur Lord Tachibana, yang merupakan tokoh-tokoh senior dan terpandang. Hal pertama yang dilakukannya adalah memeriksa arsip-arsip dan pembukuan gubernur Motosuke. Walau ia disambut dengan hangat namun Atikada tetap menjaga jarak dengan Motosuke, apalagi ketika diketahui Motosuke memberikan batangan emas di mangkuk makanannya. Apakah sang gubernur hendak menyogoknya?
Temuan sementara ternyata arsip dan laporan pembukuan sang gubernur rapih dan bersih dari unsur-unusur penggelapan keuangan negara, namun pemberian sang gubernur membuat Akitada mencurigainya. Belum lagi ia menyelidiki lebih lanjut, sebuah peristiwa berdarah terjadi. Lord Tachibana, mantan gubernur Kazusa terbunuh dalam ruang kerjanya. Padahal sehari sebelumnya Lord Tachibana mengundang Akitada untuk berkunjung ke rumahnya karena ada hal penting yang ingin disampaikannya secara rahasia. Pembunuhan ini tentu saja membuat Akitada curiga bahwa Lord Tachibana memiliki informasi mengenai hilangnya iring-iringan pajak dan ia sengaja dibunuh agar tak membuka mulut pada Akitada.
Benarkah Lord Tachibana dibunuh agar pelaku penggelapan pajak tak terungkap?. Akitada harus memutar akal agar dapat mengungkap semua itu. Bukannya semakin mudah karena berbagai persoalan rumit mulai menghadangnya, mulai dari persoalan perselingkuhan istri muda Lord Tachibana dengan seorang pejabat negara, terbunuhnya seorang mucikari, hingga keberadaan biara Empat Wajah Kebijaksanaan yang semakin kaya serta rahib-rahibnya yang sering membuat onar penduduk kota. Adakah keterkaitan semua itu dengan hilangnya iring-iringan pajak yang tak pernah sampai ke ibukota?
Akitada tak menyerah pada tantangan yang dihadapinya, bersama Seimei dan Tora, mereka berbagi tugas dalam melaksanakan tugas mereka, berhadapan dengan dunia politik yang kelam dan birokrasi yang rumit, mencoba menguak apa yang sesungguhnya terjadi di Kazuza yang penuh dengan intrik politik dan beberapa kasus pembunuhan yang terjadi selama Akitada berada di Kazusa.
Selain itu konsentrasi Akitada juga terpecah karena hatinya tertaut pada seorang gadis lokal yang memiliki seorang adik yang bisu yang ternyata merupakan salah satu saksi kunci dalam mengungkap kasus yang dihadapinya.
Bagi yang menyenangi kisah-kisah misteri detektif atau penggemar kisah-kisah samurai atau Jepang kuno tentunya kisah Akitada dalam The Dragon Scroll ini layak dicoba karena memadukan kisah detektif ala Alfred Hitcock dengan petualangan samurai Jepang. Pertarungan ala Samurai dan penyelidikan ala Alfred Hitchcock kental mewarnai novel ini. Selain itu yang membuat menarik dalam novel ini adalah settingnya yang eksotis yaitu Jepang di abad ke 11.
Melalui novel kita bisa mengetahui bagaimana kondisi sosial dan budaya Jepang di masa tersebut, misalnya budaya korupsi, birokrasi yang rumit, nuansa politik kotor dan bagaimana hilangnya kepercayaan masyarakat pada petugas negara mewarnai novel ini, selain itu kisah percintaan juga menjadi menu tambahan didalamnya.
Apa yang dicoba dideskripsikan oleh IJ Parker dalam novel ini bukanlah khayalan semata karena penulisnya telah melakukan riset yang mendalam mengenai suasana Jepang abad ke 11. Beberapa tempat, kejadian-kejadian, dan beberapa tokoh dalam novel ini didasarkan pada apa yang tercatat dalam sejarah. Karenanya dalam kadar tertentu, melalui novel ini kita memperoleh beberapa informasi mengenai sejarah kuno Jepang.
Sayang plotnya yang tak terlalu cepat dan halamannya yang tebal kadang membuat saya agak bosan membacanya. Untungnya jalinan peristiwa misteri yang saling kait mengkait yang ditulis dengan kalimat-kalimat yang mudah dicerna dan enak dibaca membuat saya bertahan untuk menamatkan novel ini hingga selesai dan menemukan semua jawaban atas kasus yang dihadapi Akitada.
Sebagai pelengkap, di bab terakhir novel ini terdapat bab “Latar Sejarah” yang berisi latar sejarah dan situasi sosial, politik, agama, dan budaya Jepang di abad ke 11. Walau diletakkan di bagian akhir, bab ini ada baiknya juga dibaca sebelum kita mulai membaca novel ini karena setidaknya apa yang ditulis di bab ini memberikan gambaran riil mengenai setiing cerita yang dibangun dan memudahkan kita untuk lebih memahami dan menikmati kisah petualangan Akitada melalui latar sejarah, sosial, dan budaya Jepang di masa itu.
Kisah Akitada ternyata tak berhenti pada novel ini saja karena The Dragon Scroll merupakan buku pertama dari serial Sugawara Akitada. Selanjutnya masih ada lima judul seri Akitada yang telah ditulis oleh I.J. Parker yaitu : Rahsomon Gate, Black Arrow, Island of Exiles, The Hell Screen, dan The Convict Sword. Semoga kesemua judul ini kelak akan diterjemahkan dan diterbitkan oleh Penerbit Kantera.
Inggrid J. Parker adalah penulis kisah-kisah detektif kelahiran Jerman. Pada tahun 2000 ia meraih penghargaan Private Eye Writers" dari America Shamus Award untuk Best P. I. Short Story untuk bukunya “Akitada First Case” (1999). Ketertarikannya pada literasi dan budaya Jepang kuno membawanya pada riset yang mendalam tentang Jepang di abad ke-11 hingga kini. Apa yang dipelajarinya mengilhaminya untuk menciptakan tokoh Akitada dalam karya-karyanya. Cerita pertamanya tentang Akitada “Istrument of Murder” muncul di majalah Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery di Oktober 1997. . Saat ini Parker tinggal di Virginia Beach, Virginia. Hingga saat ini dia masih menulis untuk Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine.
@h_tanzil
March 27, 2019
I have to concur with some of the others in the sense that I found the mystery rather bland. I did find it had a bit of a slow start, which might have been me! The characters had substance although seemed a bit too stereotypical. I was okay to stick with it until the end and I didn't find the end sufficiently satisfactory at all. So, it was a chancy pick up off the shelves and I may or may not try another. I have read other novels set in China and Japan that did a better job of immersing one in the culture, which is something I enjoy, although how they make it interesting from the state of the ground beneath the characters feet, the food, the dishes and everything about the rooms, décor, buildings, clothing, culture and everything else in the more successful novels without making it utterly boring or trivial, I don't know, but it can and has been done! There was some action and a few surprising moments and developments, just not enough suspense and authenticity for my personal taste. Other reviewers found it good enough, though, to read it and the others so it's probably worth a shot...but the ending...not really satisfying for me, as I've said.
July 19, 2018
I. J. Parker writes beautiful but compact prose, this was a fast and fascinating read. The mystery was engaging but not frustrating, though I have suspicions several threads seemingly tied up will unravel and get more complicated in the sequel. I really enjoyed the interactions between Akitada and Seimei and Tora, they make a funny, sometimes grumpy team. Akitada is a very driven and relatable protagonist, though it takes a bit of time to settle in his skin and understand him.
My only quibbles were: 1) how some of the female characters were handled. (Parker presents most of the sexism deftly and bluntly, except for a judgment seemingly shared by author and main character alike that conventionally attractive women are either soft angels or vicious snakes.) That aside, I adored both of the sisters and how they interacted with each other and Akitada's squad and wished they'd get their own book, too.
2) Historical context and culture were glimpses at best. We got the clothes and the temples and stuff, but I felt like I learned more about ancient Japanese culture from Konoha in the Naruto anime than I did from Kazusa.
My only quibbles were: 1) how some of the female characters were handled. (Parker presents most of the sexism deftly and bluntly, except for a judgment seemingly shared by author and main character alike that conventionally attractive women are either soft angels or vicious snakes.) That aside, I adored both of the sisters and how they interacted with each other and Akitada's squad and wished they'd get their own book, too.
2) Historical context and culture were glimpses at best. We got the clothes and the temples and stuff, but I felt like I learned more about ancient Japanese culture from Konoha in the Naruto anime than I did from Kazusa.
November 25, 2018
This book is sporting one of the most attractive covers I've seen on a paperback in a long time. Really, that's why I bought it. Then, of course, I had to read it.
What I found was a mystery steeped in historical detail, which was pretty good except for...
1. A lot of repeated, unnecessary graphic violence. There was simply too much of it.
2. Some completely unbelievable fight scenes where one inexperienced and otherwise handicapped person suddenly takes on a deadly foe and somehow triumphs. These were just clumsy author manipulations, frankly.
3. The story was just too complicated. Some streamlining would have made it leaner and meaner.
I started the novel with the anticipation that it would be good; I continued with hope that it might improve, and I ended up just hoping that it would end soon.
You really can't judge a book by its cover.
What I found was a mystery steeped in historical detail, which was pretty good except for...
1. A lot of repeated, unnecessary graphic violence. There was simply too much of it.
2. Some completely unbelievable fight scenes where one inexperienced and otherwise handicapped person suddenly takes on a deadly foe and somehow triumphs. These were just clumsy author manipulations, frankly.
3. The story was just too complicated. Some streamlining would have made it leaner and meaner.
I started the novel with the anticipation that it would be good; I continued with hope that it might improve, and I ended up just hoping that it would end soon.
You really can't judge a book by its cover.
September 12, 2025
Good setting (medieval Japan) and a well thought out plot that was layered. The characters were done well too as this is a series, so I could see how the author assembled his detective crew. It was a mystery, but I never felt compelled to finish “just one more chapter,” nor was the medievalness of the story prominent enough to make it feel like I was in the middle of medieval Japan. The author did his homework but the mechanisms at work (laws and ‘paperwork’ the detective has to do) were such that the story could be set in modern (or recent history) Japan and not much would change. I listened on audio and the narrator was fine, but also lacked that last bit of star quality, and so it’s 4 stars for performance as well.
August 6, 2019
I gave it a 4, maybe should be a 3.5- there is so much in this book of the imperial/ ancient times in Japan, and those who were not part of the ruling classes. The ranking of those in governement in the military, and those who had wealth was high, while those with a good family name but little money did nto have much rank or honor in the system. There was mystery, romance, questions of honor, depiction of strong women and other sub themes, and the culture and the poetry of Japan runs throughout the book. As I studied in Japan as a student long ago, this brought back some good memories of the scenery and peoples of Japan.
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