Cloud of Sparrows
15 journalers for this copy...
Oh man, I LOVED this book.
Here's what Amazon's got to say on this subject:
"Warrior clans nursing ancient grudges. Western missionaries brandishing pistols. After two centuries of isolation Japan has been forced to open its doors. Now new influences are tearing apart the old order. Japan is as unprepared for outsiders as missionaries are for samurai assassins, executions and honour killings.
Genji's life is at risk. He plans his escape to the Cloud of Sparrows but the road is long and there are many places along the way for brutal samurai to attack…
The demons of the past, the treachery of the present, an uncertain future are about to collide in the most terrifying ways."
This is to be an international bookray. It's my second copy as there was NO way, no sir, that you were going to part me from my first ;o)
PM me if interested...
Here's what Amazon's got to say on this subject:
"Warrior clans nursing ancient grudges. Western missionaries brandishing pistols. After two centuries of isolation Japan has been forced to open its doors. Now new influences are tearing apart the old order. Japan is as unprepared for outsiders as missionaries are for samurai assassins, executions and honour killings.
Genji's life is at risk. He plans his escape to the Cloud of Sparrows but the road is long and there are many places along the way for brutal samurai to attack…
The demons of the past, the treachery of the present, an uncertain future are about to collide in the most terrifying ways."
This is to be an international bookray. It's my second copy as there was NO way, no sir, that you were going to part me from my first ;o)
PM me if interested...
Okay then. Here's the prospective order for the Cloud of Sparrows bookring. Please PM if there're any problems.
tantan (Australia)
gypsyrose02 (Australia)
Czersk (USA)
mlbish (USA)
gerenggat (U.K.,st int.)
ziggythecat
ffyrestarr (U.K., post int.)
senorag (USA, post int.) ***Skipped, (a bit busy right now)***
meddyg
tehuti (last in list)
coolboxuk (U.K.)
Drusillamac
Turquoisefloyd
safrolistics (U.K., post U.K.)
Angellica (golden spike) ***en route to...***
...and back to me.
tantan (Australia)
gypsyrose02 (Australia)
Czersk (USA)
mlbish (USA)
gerenggat (U.K.,st int.)
ziggythecat
ffyrestarr (U.K., post int.)
senorag (USA, post int.) ***Skipped, (a bit busy right now)***
meddyg
tehuti (last in list)
coolboxuk (U.K.)
Drusillamac
Turquoisefloyd
safrolistics (U.K., post U.K.)
Angellica (golden spike) ***en route to...***
...and back to me.
Sent to tantan today.
Happy reading!
Happy reading!
I received this today. It'll be up next right after my current read. Thanks Mytilusgirl.
I really enjoyed this book - it was a great read! Similar in style to Adam Williams' The Palace of Heavenly Pleasures although that one is set in China. Thanks to Mytilusgirl for starting this ring beacuase it's a book that I've wanted to read for quite a while. I'm looking forward to the next installment of Autumn Bridge. On its way now to gypsyrose02.
received this today as part of a ring. will start it today so i can get it moving.
Journal Entry 7 by gypsyrose02 from Byford, Western Australia Australia on Wednesday, April 21, 2004
what an amazing book! to start with i couldnt get into it, but i peservered and about half way thru the 2nd or 3rd chapter, something just clicked, and i was drawn right in. didnt like the references to the poor horses that kept getting killed and the poor children who were killed. but i loved it and cant wait for the next one (autumn bridge). will be sent on to czersk asap.
sent it to czersk yesterday 22/4/04. travel safely little book!
I just got this in the mail yesterday, started reading it last night, and I'm already hooked. I do believe I shall finish this one soon.
I have just spent the majority of my day hushing people so I could finish this wonderful book. I cruised right through it- I just couldn't put it down. Books like these make me want to drop everything, and enroll somewhere-anywhere- in a class that will teach me how to swordfight. I don't care who, although the Errol Flynn-dude who taught Viggo Mortinson (Aragorn) would be wonderful. I know Aragorn's style isn't quite Samurai style swordfighting, but I don't care- I just want to learn. Another impulse I have is to run out and rent The Last Samurai. I heard it was great. I wonder if it's out on video yet? I'm rambling again, so I must end my review that wasn't really a review at all, just a reaction. It was great though!
PS- I intend to buy Autumn Bridge when I get the chance, and will offer it as a ring as soon as I've read it, for any of you who might be interested! I don't have it yet, though. . .
Off to mlbish in Chicago!
PS- I intend to buy Autumn Bridge when I get the chance, and will offer it as a ring as soon as I've read it, for any of you who might be interested! I don't have it yet, though. . .
Off to mlbish in Chicago!
I mailed this out today-May 15, 2004- to mlbish in Chicago.
Caught! Thanks very much. I'll read it and pass it along ASAP.
First of all, my deepest apologies for keeping the book so long. For some reason, my careful ray and ring records failed me and I didn't realize how long I'd had it.
Unfortunately, I was not a fan of Cloud of Sparrows. I tried and tried, but I just could not get interested in the characters. I had trouble keeping them all straight as well. There were way too many of them, and they were constantly shifting alliances. The writing style was not my favorite either. I found it boring, confusing, and contrived. I forced myself through it, thinking it would get better, but it never really did. The book bounced around from scene to scene in a very disjointed way. And, there was ridiculous violence throughout.
Ah, well, I suppose to each his own. I hope everyone enjoys it more than I did!
Posted today.
Unfortunately, I was not a fan of Cloud of Sparrows. I tried and tried, but I just could not get interested in the characters. I had trouble keeping them all straight as well. There were way too many of them, and they were constantly shifting alliances. The writing style was not my favorite either. I found it boring, confusing, and contrived. I forced myself through it, thinking it would get better, but it never really did. The book bounced around from scene to scene in a very disjointed way. And, there was ridiculous violence throughout.
Ah, well, I suppose to each his own. I hope everyone enjoys it more than I did!
Posted today.
I just loved this book. And I think I will now be able to blame Mytilusgirl that I will have to go and buy the sequel "Autumn Bridge" ;o)
Thank you so much for sharing this book. One of the best on this subject since Shogun. Beautiful heroines, strong men, prophecies - what more can you want?
Thank you so much for sharing this book. One of the best on this subject since Shogun. Beautiful heroines, strong men, prophecies - what more can you want?
Journal Entry 16 by gerenggat at By Mail in per Post, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases on Monday, November 1, 2004
Released on Monday, November 01, 2004 at about 12:00:00 PM BX time (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada) at 2nd class in Controlled Release, Controlled Release Controlled Releases.
RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Journal Entry 17 by ziggythecat from Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Tuesday, November 2, 2004
Arrived this morning. Thanks muchly. May be a slight delay in sending it on as I'm a bit behind with bookrings & rays at the moment!
Journal Entry 18 by ziggythecat from Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Wednesday, December 8, 2004
Would it be wrong to say I was lucky my youngest had flu this weekend - so I had to sit on the settee with him and read?? (bad mum, bad mum!)
I really enjoyed this book, especially the way the stories of the outsiders and of the history behind all the ongoing feuds and loyalties were gradually unfolded. Glad I'd read Memoirs of Geisha first as it gave background to Heiko. I must be feeling mellower than Czersk though, cos instead of it making me want to take up sword-fighting I now have a strong urge to read up on buddhism. It was jimbo's phrase that "he entered the vast emptiness at the same moment it entered him", woh.
Come on then who's got Autumn Bridge already ;o)
Off to ffyrestarr tomorrow.
I really enjoyed this book, especially the way the stories of the outsiders and of the history behind all the ongoing feuds and loyalties were gradually unfolded. Glad I'd read Memoirs of Geisha first as it gave background to Heiko. I must be feeling mellower than Czersk though, cos instead of it making me want to take up sword-fighting I now have a strong urge to read up on buddhism. It was jimbo's phrase that "he entered the vast emptiness at the same moment it entered him", woh.
Come on then who's got Autumn Bridge already ;o)
Off to ffyrestarr tomorrow.
Journal Entry 19 by ffyrestarr from Warminster, Wiltshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, December 21, 2004
gotthis in the post today thanks! god timing any later and i wouldn't have got it til after xmas!!! thank you very much! i look forward to reading it over xmas.
Journal Entry 20 by ffyrestarr from Warminster, Wiltshire United Kingdom on Thursday, January 6, 2005
i don't know about having autumn bridge already ziggythecat though i'll be sure to acquire a cop from somewhere after reading this excellent book.
this was for me a really interesting look into the traditions and customs of samurai in a fantastic fictional setting. i liked the irony of some of Shigeru's visions (i won't say what as it may take some enjoyment out of the book!, but needless to say some of his visions were very accurate if slightly from a different viewpoint.
i was also much intrigued by the attention to the different ideas of female beauty in the different cultures as described by the author.
thank you very much mytilusgirl for sharing this wonderful book, i will be sending this book on to senorag in a few days.
this was for me a really interesting look into the traditions and customs of samurai in a fantastic fictional setting. i liked the irony of some of Shigeru's visions (i won't say what as it may take some enjoyment out of the book!, but needless to say some of his visions were very accurate if slightly from a different viewpoint.
i was also much intrigued by the attention to the different ideas of female beauty in the different cultures as described by the author.
thank you very much mytilusgirl for sharing this wonderful book, i will be sending this book on to senorag in a few days.
Journal Entry 21 by ffyrestarr from Warminster, Wiltshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, January 12, 2005
senorag has asked to be passed over for this ring - too many thin gs happening at the mo!
so i will be sending this book on to meddyg when i have their addy.
so i will be sending this book on to meddyg when i have their addy.
Looking forward to reading this. Many thanks mytilusgirl.
Received from meddyg. Ummm, I see coolbox is on the list before me. Will PM to see whether I should send this on.
This book reminded me in places of the film "The Last Samurai". an enjoyable (if improbable)read, very suitable for long journeys and holidays.
Most enjoyable, with an insight into a culture that is totally alien to me. I must look out for the sequel mentioned in the back. If I can get coolboxuk's address by tomorrow, I hope to send it out then. Otherwise it will have to await my return from holiday in 2 weeks time.
Posted to coolboxuk today
I've read quite a few samurai novels of Japan before, but this one is one of a kind. I couldn't stop reading. There is something in the constant change of viewpoint that just keeps you on your toes. I'm referring to the unusual format of chapters - switching from one character to the next to relate parts of the story, sometimes the same part of the story or overlapping parts, mingled with flashbacks of the different characters' memories. I've never read a book that makes such ample use of this method, but it is an intriguing task to put together the whole story and its reasons by fitting together the pieces while you read. Very enjoyable, and am hoping to find the sequel "Autumn Leaves" somewhere soon.
Journal Entry 29 by Drusillamac from Glasgow, Scotland United Kingdom on Wednesday, February 1, 2006
Received this in the post this morning. Thanks to coolboxuk and Mytilus for sharing. I studied this period of Japanese history last semester so I'm looking forward to reading this fictional account of the West breaking into Japan.
I did enjoy this book as I tend to enjoy most things that are Japanese based. It's obvious the writer had done quite a bit of research into this era as numerous things from my History class kept cropping up such as Matthew Perry and the aspects of Shinto and so on.
Like some other readers have said I felt there were too many characters. I'm surprised Emily and Stark weren't seriously harmed in some way. Westerners who would have ventured outside their permitted areas would have zero chances of survival. Heck, even inside permitted areas they would have run some risk of being killed.
It was an easy read but switching between all the different viewpoints became rather confusing at some points. I may keep an eye out for the sequel to see what happens.
One last note: a geisha ninja? What the hell?!
Like some other readers have said I felt there were too many characters. I'm surprised Emily and Stark weren't seriously harmed in some way. Westerners who would have ventured outside their permitted areas would have zero chances of survival. Heck, even inside permitted areas they would have run some risk of being killed.
It was an easy read but switching between all the different viewpoints became rather confusing at some points. I may keep an eye out for the sequel to see what happens.
One last note: a geisha ninja? What the hell?!
Journal Entry 31 by abitstormyout from Ely, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Friday, February 24, 2006
Just arrived through the post from Drusillamac. Thanks!! My brother had a look when I opened the padded envelope and expressed an interest in perhaps reading it himself... We'll see!
:-)
:-)
I have to say that, whilst this was a compelling read, I really felt that the quality of writing was actually quite low and the structure of the novel was erratic, zipping backwards and forwards in past events without any logical progress.
This is another of those novels which could have done with a really thorough edit to put all it's failures right.
But having said that, there's much to enjoy in this one. Will now PM safrolistics for an address to send it on.
This is another of those novels which could have done with a really thorough edit to put all it's failures right.
But having said that, there's much to enjoy in this one. Will now PM safrolistics for an address to send it on.
Journal Entry 33 by Safrolistics from Newbiggin-By-The-Sea, Northumberland United Kingdom on Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Received today from turquoisefloyd, along with a beautiful flower card, thankyou.
Journal Entry 34 by Safrolistics from Newbiggin-By-The-Sea, Northumberland United Kingdom on Sunday, July 9, 2006
Wow, so sorry this has taken me so long to journal, it actually arrived at the same time as a couple of other rings, and then what with meetups, festivals and the UnCon...Well you know how it is!
But yes, great book.
Just waiting for the next addy to send it on it's merry way.
But yes, great book.
Just waiting for the next addy to send it on it's merry way.
Journal Entry 35 by angellica from Worksop, Nottinghamshire United Kingdom on Monday, August 7, 2006
Arrived safely this morning. Thank you for sharing. I am looking forward to reading this, but it may be a while.
Journal Entry 36 by angellica from Worksop, Nottinghamshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, August 20, 2008
When I signed up for thie, I was really in the mood for reading it. Unfortunately, certain instances over the last year have not allowed me to get to read this. I have decided that it is time to move it on. I have stuck it in the post to mytilus. Sorry for holding it up for so long!
