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Fated Blades #2
Year of the Demon
Detective Sergeant Mariko Oshiro has been promoted to Japan’s elite Narcotics unit—and with this promotion comes a new partner, a new case, and new danger. The underboss of a powerful yakuza crime syndicate has put a price on her head, and he’ll lift the bounty only if she retrieves an ancient iron demon mask that was stolen from him in a daring raid. However, Mariko has no idea of the tumultuous past carried within the mask—or of its deadly link with the famed Inazuma blade she wields.
The secret of this mask originated hundreds of years before Mariko was born, and over time the mask’s power has evolved to bend its owner toward destruction, stopping at nothing to obtain Inazuma steel. Mariko’s fallen sensei knew much of the mask’s hypnotic power and of its mysterious link to a murderous cult. Now Mariko must use his notes to find the mask before the cult can bring Tokyo to its knees—and before the underboss decides her time is up....
The secret of this mask originated hundreds of years before Mariko was born, and over time the mask’s power has evolved to bend its owner toward destruction, stopping at nothing to obtain Inazuma steel. Mariko’s fallen sensei knew much of the mask’s hypnotic power and of its mysterious link to a murderous cult. Now Mariko must use his notes to find the mask before the cult can bring Tokyo to its knees—and before the underboss decides her time is up....
532 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2013
30 people are currently reading
574 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
August 9, 2016
Отново подходих с резерви към книгата, очакващ, след много доброто начало, авторът да ни сервира още от същото, но предъвкано. Бях приятно изненадан, наистина е още от същото, но без да изпада в клишета и повторения, Байн успява да разчупи повествованието и да задържи интереса на читателя. Трите сюжетни линии, макар и свързани, са самостоятелни и краят на всяка глава те кара да искаш продължение точно на тази история.
В наши дни, сержант Марико Оширо е получила назначението в „наркотици”, за което се бори с зъби и нокти в предишната книга. Странен случай я повежда по следите на старинен артефакт – кабуки маска – който е свързан с фанатизиран култ смятащи се за наследници на нинджа древен клан.
През 16 век, познатият ни от предишния роман Дайгоро, вече е даймио и трябва да запази автономността на малката си област. За съжаление се замесва с дясната ръка на Тойотоми Хидеоши – мъж притежаващ стара маска, която е свързана с бащиния му меч – и за да оцелее трябва да вземе трудни решения, включително да се свържа с един стар нинджа клан.
През 15 век, в едно малко село, 13 годишната Кайда – момиче ама – се опитва по всякакъв начин да се махне от грубия еднотипен живот. След като един кораб се разбива в зъберите покрай островчето им, се появяват странници, които търсят един определен меч сред руините, за целта изковават кабуки маска сопсобна да го открие.
Действието и в трите сюжета е грабващо, единствената ми забележка остана, че всички завършиха с доста отворен край, за разлика от предишната книга. Все още мисля, че това е приом ненужен за добрите автори, какъвто със сигурност е Стив Байн.
В наши дни, сержант Марико Оширо е получила назначението в „наркотици”, за което се бори с зъби и нокти в предишната книга. Странен случай я повежда по следите на старинен артефакт – кабуки маска – който е свързан с фанатизиран култ смятащи се за наследници на нинджа древен клан.
През 16 век, познатият ни от предишния роман Дайгоро, вече е даймио и трябва да запази автономността на малката си област. За съжаление се замесва с дясната ръка на Тойотоми Хидеоши – мъж притежаващ стара маска, която е свързана с бащиния му меч – и за да оцелее трябва да вземе трудни решения, включително да се свържа с един стар нинджа клан.
През 15 век, в едно малко село, 13 годишната Кайда – момиче ама – се опитва по всякакъв начин да се махне от грубия еднотипен живот. След като един кораб се разбива в зъберите покрай островчето им, се появяват странници, които търсят един определен меч сред руините, за целта изковават кабуки маска сопсобна да го открие.
Действието и в трите сюжета е грабващо, единствената ми забележка остана, че всички завършиха с доста отворен край, за разлика от предишната книга. Все още мисля, че това е приом ненужен за добрите автори, какъвто със сигурност е Стив Байн.
March 23, 2014
Being the only female police officer in Tokoyo can be tough but Detective Sergeant Mariko Oshiro has been promoted to Narcotics. Her new case though strikes closer to home, how can an old iron demon mask, her Inazuma sword Glorious Victory Unsort and the strangest drug deal her and her new partner has ever seen be connected? But, the history of the mask and the sword began hundreds of years before and the sword and the mask's deadly relationship is now making itself known in the present.
I really enjoyed the first book in this series Daughter of the Sword and I continue to enjoy the Fated Blades series with this installment, Year of the Demon. Its clever mixture of present and past events makes this an intriguing story.
Year of the Demon continues the format of the previous book, by showing half the story in the present with Mariko, the current holder of a very famous sword Glorious Victory Unsought, and the other half shown in hundreds of years ago with a past owner of the sword, Daigoro Okuma. I like the way the past is used to explain some of the mysteries in the present, piecing together a puzzle that seems to have started a hundreds of years before Mariko was even born.
The book, although it could feel slow at times, did tell an interesting story, one that kept me reading and wanting more. I look forward to the next book in this series where I can follow the characters from both the past and present, as well as the intriguing history Steven Bein has created for the sword and the mask.
October 25, 2022
A volte ci si deve ricredere e va ammesso con umiltà (e mestizia).
Se il primo volume di questa serie mi era parso nozionistico, almeno per me che ero (e sono) totalmente ignorante di cultura nipponica e anche di brevi cenni sulla storia dei samurai, del loro codice d'onore e delle loro numerose tradizioni, questo romanzo ha una struttura totalmente diversa: è un thriller avvincente e un gioiellino storico-fantasy. Basti dire che, per circa una settimana, la sera tornavo a casa pregustando il momento di riprenderne la lettura.
Stavolta Bein, che, lo ricordo, è pur sempre professore di storia e filosofia asiatiche, tira fuori dal cilindro una narrazione multistrato e corale, una storia unica che si dipana in tre periodo paralleli: il periodo Heisei, ovvero la modernità, con la detective Mariko che deve difendere costantemente la sua posizione di detective donna (in un corpo di polizia totalmente maschile) e "straniera" (essendo cresciuta sino alle medie negli Stati Uniti); il periodo Muromachi, anno 198 (corrispondente al nostro 1484 d.C.), con la vita di Kaida, quasi una bambina, poverissima pescatrice di perle e tesori dei fondali, coinvolta nel ritrovamento di una maschera maledetta; e infine il periodo Azuchi-Momoyama, anno 21 (corrispondente al nostro 1588 d. C), dove ritroviamo il sedicenne Daigoro, inaspettato erede del clan di samurai Okuna, già conosciuto nel primo volume quale uno dei tanti possessori di una spada magica di Inazuma.
E se Mariko prosegue nelle indagini, tra Yakuza e una strana setta segreta, che si proclama continuatrice del famoso Vento medievale, Daigoro e Kaida entrano veramente in contatto con il Vento originario e i suoi poteri magici, seppure a un secolo di distanza tra loro, coinvolgendo il lettore in avventure e imprese epiche, tra tristezza, coraggio e altruismo.
Daigoro, in particolare, è diventato un eroe a cui mi sono affezionata, zoppo e sciancato, quasi incapace di reggere la spada, eppure in grado di tenere testa a signori della guerra e generali avidi con la sola forza della propria scaltrezza e del suo bushido.
Purtroppo, e qui sta la mia frustrazione, sebbene il romanzo abbia una conclusione, è evidente che i tre filoni avranno un ulteriore compimento nel terzo volume, quando si coglieranno i frutti di tutti dettagli seminati tra le pagine. E, purtroppo, il terzo volume da noi non è mai uscito :(
Sì, potrei leggerlo in inglese, ma la commistione di termini e lo stile complesso mi spaventa.
Se il primo volume di questa serie mi era parso nozionistico, almeno per me che ero (e sono) totalmente ignorante di cultura nipponica e anche di brevi cenni sulla storia dei samurai, del loro codice d'onore e delle loro numerose tradizioni, questo romanzo ha una struttura totalmente diversa: è un thriller avvincente e un gioiellino storico-fantasy. Basti dire che, per circa una settimana, la sera tornavo a casa pregustando il momento di riprenderne la lettura.
Stavolta Bein, che, lo ricordo, è pur sempre professore di storia e filosofia asiatiche, tira fuori dal cilindro una narrazione multistrato e corale, una storia unica che si dipana in tre periodo paralleli: il periodo Heisei, ovvero la modernità, con la detective Mariko che deve difendere costantemente la sua posizione di detective donna (in un corpo di polizia totalmente maschile) e "straniera" (essendo cresciuta sino alle medie negli Stati Uniti); il periodo Muromachi, anno 198 (corrispondente al nostro 1484 d.C.), con la vita di Kaida, quasi una bambina, poverissima pescatrice di perle e tesori dei fondali, coinvolta nel ritrovamento di una maschera maledetta; e infine il periodo Azuchi-Momoyama, anno 21 (corrispondente al nostro 1588 d. C), dove ritroviamo il sedicenne Daigoro, inaspettato erede del clan di samurai Okuna, già conosciuto nel primo volume quale uno dei tanti possessori di una spada magica di Inazuma.
E se Mariko prosegue nelle indagini, tra Yakuza e una strana setta segreta, che si proclama continuatrice del famoso Vento medievale, Daigoro e Kaida entrano veramente in contatto con il Vento originario e i suoi poteri magici, seppure a un secolo di distanza tra loro, coinvolgendo il lettore in avventure e imprese epiche, tra tristezza, coraggio e altruismo.
Daigoro, in particolare, è diventato un eroe a cui mi sono affezionata, zoppo e sciancato, quasi incapace di reggere la spada, eppure in grado di tenere testa a signori della guerra e generali avidi con la sola forza della propria scaltrezza e del suo bushido.
Purtroppo, e qui sta la mia frustrazione, sebbene il romanzo abbia una conclusione, è evidente che i tre filoni avranno un ulteriore compimento nel terzo volume, quando si coglieranno i frutti di tutti dettagli seminati tra le pagine. E, purtroppo, il terzo volume da noi non è mai uscito :(
Sì, potrei leggerlo in inglese, ma la commistione di termini e lo stile complesso mi spaventa.
November 12, 2013
Full review over at Fantasy Book Critic
ANALYSIS: After last year’s fantastic debut Daughter Of The Sword, Steve Bein was very high in my lists for this year. I got a copy of Year Of The Demon early & was very intrigued to see how it would mark against its superb predecessor.
Like the previous title, the book’s blurb doesn’t reveal the entirety of the story. Similar to the last book, this book also has multiple POV characters and occurs in various time periods. The first one focuses on Mariko Oshiro and is set in the 22nd year of the Heisei era or 2010 C.E. Mariko has become somewhat famous due to the events of the last book wherein she lost a minor appendage and gained a major reputation as a badass cop. Her reputation comes with a hit on herself & the only way to avoid that is to help the same Yakuza retrieve his iron mask. In the second thread we are reintroduced to Okuma Daigoro in the 21st year of the Azuchi-Momoyama era or 1588 C.E. Daigoro is now the lord of the Okuma clan & commanders a viable area. He is soon to be wed however a dastardly turn of events finds him in opposition with Shichio, the advisor to general Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
Lastly the third and last thread is set in the 148th year of the Muromachi era or 1484 C.E. and the reader is introduced to Kaida. A one-armed child who is also an “ama” or pearl diver. Fate has been cruel to Kaida in the form of her stepsisters and an indifferent father. Things change when a shipwreck occurs near the coast of her village and brings in a group of individuals that might just be her salvation if they don’t kill her first. These are the complicated threads that make up the second volume of the Fated Blades series. As with the last book, Mariko gets the lion’s share of the sections, in this case five of them. Daigoro gets three and Kaida the last two. The plot once again twists and turns through out the entire book and making the reader wonder what is finally going to happen. With this book, the author brings another part of the fascinating period of Japanese history to the fore and also introduces an iron mask in to the fray.
With this book the primary focus across all the three time periods is the iron mask and it’s affinity towards the Inazuma blades particularly Glorious Victory Unsought. This fatal attraction is what propels the story with Mariko and Daigoro as both of them have to fight people with the mask who have been under its influence. The author doesn’t quite reveal the how and why about the mask but there are some crucial clues in Kaida’s story that dwell upon the mask and the tribe that originates about it. The members of this tribe or the “Wind clan” leave their imprint in almost every time period and it will be up to the reasders to deduce what their agenda is. Another part of the story that was different from its predecessor was the struggles that each character faces. For Daigoro & Mariko, both face immense personal tribulations that would perhaps break many a person however how they strive to overcome these is what makes their threads such a rousing read.
With Kaida, the author explores a grim Cinderella-like storyline that showcases Kaida’s fortitude and makes her the most endearing among all the POV characters. Surprisingly in this book, the focus is more on the mask and less on the blades & the blades perhaps will come to the fore in the third book. Wherein the hope is also that the POV characters that survive are sure to return. The author makes sure to keep all the sections intriguing and with the constant switches, keeps the tension spread evenly throughout the story. The sequel story is much darker and also has a graphic sequence present even though the author doesn’t believe in torture. The sequence from a story perspective makes sense and doesn’t seem gratuitous in the least. As with the last book, this book takes a very cautious approach to the magical front & again while we are shown a magic-lite storyline, it is still very addictive.
The only point that I thought which deducted a bit of awesome from this book is that this book suffers from the classical “middle book” syndrome (assuming that this might be a trilogy). There are quite a few threads that aren’t sufficiently resolved and I believe are left for the third book. This caused me some consternation and might do the same for readers who expect a complete resolution to all the plot points.
CONCLUSION: Steve Bein gives out a strong sophomore effort that proves he’s not a one-book wonder. Year of The Demon is a darker story that excoriates its characters much more than was thought possible. Year Of The Demon makes sure that readers invested in the Fated Blades series will find a new corner to be intrigued by & is a good follow-up to one of my favorite debuts of all time.
October 19, 2013
I had a great review penned then my computer went wonky. Suffice it to say that this rocked. Mariko is an awesome character and this is the urban fantasy for those who are tired of urban fantasy being co-opted by the romance genre. If you're looking for the heroine to fall in love with some hunky kitsune shifter, don't waste your time complaining. This heroine's got a damn sight more important things to do, such as her JOB, staying alive since the Yakuza has a hit out on her, and reclaiming her magical sword Glorious Victory Unsought. She's also managing the small slings and arrows of being a woman in a predominantly male profession in Japan. So that love stuff doesn't even rate. Oh yes, she's also dealing with a crazy cult with its genesis in Japan's fabled past.
What I liked even better is the cover. Yes, there's a Japanese woman on it and the world didn't come to an end or the book didn't self-destruct. In fact, the entire book takes place in Japan with only one gaijin (who behaves like a gaijin and not in the best way possible)--getting in the middle of a police action and mouthing off completely oblivious that his ass was close to a very ugly death--all that and the characters were relatable and likeable, especially Mariko's partner Han, loyal if not always by the book. Moreover, Mariko LOOKS like a police officer on the cover, samurai sword doesn't detract from that, not like she's headed to a bondage club. I know that authors have no input on covers, but if enough got together and decided that their demon-vampire-werewolf-zombie-slaying heroines should be wearing black jeans, a t-shirt that says "Kill Em All" and Doc Martens instead of stilettos and corsets, I'd be more inclined to take them seriously.
These are cops and the talk and behave like cops and Mariko is a bundle of rough and tumble contradictions. She definitely reminds me of Jane Tennyson, sans the alcoholism. I loved the deft intertwining of the past and present. My only complaint--I didn't want it to end, and while not necessarily a cliffhanger, it's rather obvious this arc is far from over.
What I liked even better is the cover. Yes, there's a Japanese woman on it and the world didn't come to an end or the book didn't self-destruct. In fact, the entire book takes place in Japan with only one gaijin (who behaves like a gaijin and not in the best way possible)--getting in the middle of a police action and mouthing off completely oblivious that his ass was close to a very ugly death--all that and the characters were relatable and likeable, especially Mariko's partner Han, loyal if not always by the book. Moreover, Mariko LOOKS like a police officer on the cover, samurai sword doesn't detract from that, not like she's headed to a bondage club. I know that authors have no input on covers, but if enough got together and decided that their demon-vampire-werewolf-zombie-slaying heroines should be wearing black jeans, a t-shirt that says "Kill Em All" and Doc Martens instead of stilettos and corsets, I'd be more inclined to take them seriously.
These are cops and the talk and behave like cops and Mariko is a bundle of rough and tumble contradictions. She definitely reminds me of Jane Tennyson, sans the alcoholism. I loved the deft intertwining of the past and present. My only complaint--I didn't want it to end, and while not necessarily a cliffhanger, it's rather obvious this arc is far from over.
October 19, 2013
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
Steve Bein’s DAUGHTER OF THE SWORD felt like a book James Clavell might have written if he had ever turned his hand to urban fantasy. That’s some of the highest praise I can give a book because Clavell’s Asian Saga is easily my favorite series of all time. Bein’s mix of police procedural, historical novel and just enough magic to make it actually seem plausible had me hoping for more of the same when I started YEAR OF THE DEMON.
Bein’s second book in the Fated Blades series is set a few months after the events of the first. Police officer Oshiro Mariko finally has her promotion to the Narcotics unit. She’s the only woman to ever make the rank of detective sergeant in Tokyo’s most elite police unit. Because of this she’s still fighting for the respect of her peers, but things are at least settling down to some semblance of normalcy. Of course this would be a pretty boring book if that stayed the case.
The book starts off quickly with Mariko and the rest of her team executing a drug raid. In the aftermath of the raid an ancient mask gets stolen. What seems like an ordinary missing bit of evidence quickly becomes more when its Yakuza owner demands that Mariko retrieve it. Interspersed in the novel we have the stories of a 16th-century lord and previous wielder of Mariko’s sword, and a 15th-century one-armed pearl diver.
I really enjoyed this book. It has the usual middle novel issues in that a lot of the events seem to do nothing other than set things up for the third, but just like the first YEAR OF THE DEMON moves along at a brisk pace.
Since I’m writing this review for All Things Urban Fantasy I almost feel as if I should warn folks that this is very much not your typical urban fantasy. The magic in this world is ancient and subtle and very much not front and center like most novels of the genre. I hope that doesn’t scare off curious readers because that is very much a good thing. In a field that lends itself so often to copycat rehash novels of whatever trope is currently popular it is fantastic to find a novel that doesn’t use any of them.
Part thriller, part police procedural, part historical and part urban fantasy, YEAR OF THE DEMON is simply a book for people who like to read. It has something for everyone and Bein does an amazing job weaving them all together into a fascinating story.
Sexual content: References to sex.
Steve Bein’s DAUGHTER OF THE SWORD felt like a book James Clavell might have written if he had ever turned his hand to urban fantasy. That’s some of the highest praise I can give a book because Clavell’s Asian Saga is easily my favorite series of all time. Bein’s mix of police procedural, historical novel and just enough magic to make it actually seem plausible had me hoping for more of the same when I started YEAR OF THE DEMON.
Bein’s second book in the Fated Blades series is set a few months after the events of the first. Police officer Oshiro Mariko finally has her promotion to the Narcotics unit. She’s the only woman to ever make the rank of detective sergeant in Tokyo’s most elite police unit. Because of this she’s still fighting for the respect of her peers, but things are at least settling down to some semblance of normalcy. Of course this would be a pretty boring book if that stayed the case.
The book starts off quickly with Mariko and the rest of her team executing a drug raid. In the aftermath of the raid an ancient mask gets stolen. What seems like an ordinary missing bit of evidence quickly becomes more when its Yakuza owner demands that Mariko retrieve it. Interspersed in the novel we have the stories of a 16th-century lord and previous wielder of Mariko’s sword, and a 15th-century one-armed pearl diver.
I really enjoyed this book. It has the usual middle novel issues in that a lot of the events seem to do nothing other than set things up for the third, but just like the first YEAR OF THE DEMON moves along at a brisk pace.
Since I’m writing this review for All Things Urban Fantasy I almost feel as if I should warn folks that this is very much not your typical urban fantasy. The magic in this world is ancient and subtle and very much not front and center like most novels of the genre. I hope that doesn’t scare off curious readers because that is very much a good thing. In a field that lends itself so often to copycat rehash novels of whatever trope is currently popular it is fantastic to find a novel that doesn’t use any of them.
Part thriller, part police procedural, part historical and part urban fantasy, YEAR OF THE DEMON is simply a book for people who like to read. It has something for everyone and Bein does an amazing job weaving them all together into a fascinating story.
Sexual content: References to sex.
June 15, 2020
Ho trovato questo secondo capitolo davvero molto deludente rispetto a "La figlia della spada". Si capisce chiaramente che si tratta di un libro di transizione ma comunque avrei voluto vedere un po' più di carne al fuoco.
Trovo che anche le storie ambientate nel passato abbiano preso troppo spazio rispetto alla narrazione principale; nel primo libro servivano solo per approfondire il discorso delle spade, e adesso invece ci sono altri due personaggi rimasti sospesi.
Peccato anche per il fatto che Fanucci non abbia ancora deciso a pubblicaee il terzo capitolo che di certo avrebbe chiarito molte cose.
Trovo che anche le storie ambientate nel passato abbiano preso troppo spazio rispetto alla narrazione principale; nel primo libro servivano solo per approfondire il discorso delle spade, e adesso invece ci sono altri due personaggi rimasti sospesi.
Peccato anche per il fatto che Fanucci non abbia ancora deciso a pubblicaee il terzo capitolo che di certo avrebbe chiarito molte cose.
December 17, 2018
Voto 3,5
Più lungo e con meno ritmo rispetto al primo, che era stato ottimo. La parte nel passato è bella ma finisce per essere troppo lunga e ridurre quella nel presente. Però leggerò anche il terzo, se mai uscirà in italiano
Più lungo e con meno ritmo rispetto al primo, che era stato ottimo. La parte nel passato è bella ma finisce per essere troppo lunga e ridurre quella nel presente. Però leggerò anche il terzo, se mai uscirà in italiano
April 29, 2018
datemi il terzo, subito!
December 16, 2013
Aww....this book is just so fun. And so cool. I'm a bit jealous. Because, you know, it's got a female cop in Japan and it's the 2nd book in the series (started out with Daughter of the Sword) and its even BETTER than the first book.
We still have Mariko the Japanese female cop in Tokyo with an ancient sword from Japanese myth trying to take down a bad guy interspersed with historic fictional narratives from prior people who owned her sword.
All the characterization bits I didn't care for so much in the first book got ironed out here. Mariko gets to have a gruff-but-caring mentor, and we get emotional fulfillment with two characters in the historical sections of the book: a lower-level crippled samurai with a huge honking sword trying to save his house from ruin the face of manipulation by the lover of Toyotomi Hideyoshi (one of the 3 unifiers of Japan) and a pearl-diving crippled girl (hmm...methinks I see a theme here as Mariko, our modern time protagonist, also is crippled with a missing finger)trying desperately to escape the prison of her small town on the outskirts of Japan.
And you get very cool and authentic-sounding cop-talk. Cool political strategizing from Daigoro in the historical section, lots of ethical meditations on duty vs. the right path and how far people are willing to go to protect others or get what they want.
But there's also these unexpected and unlooked for bits of beauty and truth:
On Mariko's feelings about trying to be a female cop in a society still bound by gender-separation mentality: "It was the years of perfectionism that did it, the fear of her male counterparts seeing her as a girl instead of a policewoman. That wasn't a big concern with Han, but still, even the little failures burned, lingering, like droplets of hot oil spat from a frying pan."
And on Mariko's aversion to hospitals, a little truth about cancer that Bein snuck in there (I'm a cancer survivor): "He'd been weak for a long time by then, long enough that the daily fear of death had subsided. It was disturbing how quickly a family could return to business as usual even when one of their number lay dying."
And on Daigoro's lieutenant's bald admission of why he followed Daigoro into danger because of Daigoro's adherence to samurai code and duty: "He could give up being a samurai. Put down the burden of his father's sword. Make an obsequious and public apology. Cut off his topknot and go home unmolested. Comfort his mother. Share Akiko's bed. Be there for the birth of his child. He could have everything he wanted, and all he had to do was betray his code. "I can't," he said, near tears. "I can't give up duty. I don't know how."
"That is why I follow you."
So this review is already too long and I haven't even go to the cool ninja-takes-over-small-fishing-village part with Kaida the pearl diver and her fierce desperation not to be limited by her village.
So I'll just briefly mention that most of the main characters at some point meditate on the ethical choices of what they're doing in a self-conscious way that betrays Bein's background as a professor. Some might find that dry, but I liked it.
The only place that made me a bit conscious of the author were a few places where he had male, Japanese characters (Mariko gets a pass because she grew up in the USA) using nicknames and/or metaphors that I thought could have been a little bit more Japanized. For instance: "...and we know there's a new amphetamine on the street called Daishi that's selling like pointy ears at a star trek convention" could have been a bit more "flavored" with the setting by having something like "pink wigs at a cosplay convention" or "furry ears at a Ghibli convention" or what-have-you.
But hey, minor quibble. The rest of the book is well worth your time. Especially if you like historical fiction. ninjas, samurai, or police procedural.
This Book's Snack Rating: Garlic Parmesan Kettle Chips for the solid crunch of police procedure interwoven with the creamy goodness of historical sword-wielding samurai and pearl-divers experiencing moral conundrums
We still have Mariko the Japanese female cop in Tokyo with an ancient sword from Japanese myth trying to take down a bad guy interspersed with historic fictional narratives from prior people who owned her sword.
All the characterization bits I didn't care for so much in the first book got ironed out here. Mariko gets to have a gruff-but-caring mentor, and we get emotional fulfillment with two characters in the historical sections of the book: a lower-level crippled samurai with a huge honking sword trying to save his house from ruin the face of manipulation by the lover of Toyotomi Hideyoshi (one of the 3 unifiers of Japan) and a pearl-diving crippled girl (hmm...methinks I see a theme here as Mariko, our modern time protagonist, also is crippled with a missing finger)trying desperately to escape the prison of her small town on the outskirts of Japan.
And you get very cool and authentic-sounding cop-talk. Cool political strategizing from Daigoro in the historical section, lots of ethical meditations on duty vs. the right path and how far people are willing to go to protect others or get what they want.
But there's also these unexpected and unlooked for bits of beauty and truth:
On Mariko's feelings about trying to be a female cop in a society still bound by gender-separation mentality: "It was the years of perfectionism that did it, the fear of her male counterparts seeing her as a girl instead of a policewoman. That wasn't a big concern with Han, but still, even the little failures burned, lingering, like droplets of hot oil spat from a frying pan."
And on Mariko's aversion to hospitals, a little truth about cancer that Bein snuck in there (I'm a cancer survivor): "He'd been weak for a long time by then, long enough that the daily fear of death had subsided. It was disturbing how quickly a family could return to business as usual even when one of their number lay dying."
And on Daigoro's lieutenant's bald admission of why he followed Daigoro into danger because of Daigoro's adherence to samurai code and duty: "He could give up being a samurai. Put down the burden of his father's sword. Make an obsequious and public apology. Cut off his topknot and go home unmolested. Comfort his mother. Share Akiko's bed. Be there for the birth of his child. He could have everything he wanted, and all he had to do was betray his code. "I can't," he said, near tears. "I can't give up duty. I don't know how."
"That is why I follow you."
So this review is already too long and I haven't even go to the cool ninja-takes-over-small-fishing-village part with Kaida the pearl diver and her fierce desperation not to be limited by her village.
So I'll just briefly mention that most of the main characters at some point meditate on the ethical choices of what they're doing in a self-conscious way that betrays Bein's background as a professor. Some might find that dry, but I liked it.
The only place that made me a bit conscious of the author were a few places where he had male, Japanese characters (Mariko gets a pass because she grew up in the USA) using nicknames and/or metaphors that I thought could have been a little bit more Japanized. For instance: "...and we know there's a new amphetamine on the street called Daishi that's selling like pointy ears at a star trek convention" could have been a bit more "flavored" with the setting by having something like "pink wigs at a cosplay convention" or "furry ears at a Ghibli convention" or what-have-you.
But hey, minor quibble. The rest of the book is well worth your time. Especially if you like historical fiction. ninjas, samurai, or police procedural.
This Book's Snack Rating: Garlic Parmesan Kettle Chips for the solid crunch of police procedure interwoven with the creamy goodness of historical sword-wielding samurai and pearl-divers experiencing moral conundrums
March 30, 2016
A MASK OF DESTRUCTION
Detective Sergeant Mariko Oshiro has been promoted to Japan’s elite Narcotics unit—and with this promotion comes a new partner, a new case, and new danger. The underboss of a powerful yakuza crime syndicate has put a price on her head, and he’ll lift the bounty only if she retrieves an ancient iron demon mask that was stolen from him in a daring raid. However, Mariko has no idea of the tumultuous past carried within the mask—or of its deadly link with the famed Inazuma blade she wields.
The secret of this mask originated hundreds of years before Mariko was born, and over time the mask’s power has evolved to bend its owner toward destruction, stopping at nothing to obtain Inazuma steel. Mariko’s fallen sensei knew much of the mask’s hypnotic power and of its mysterious link to a murderous cult. Now Mariko must use his notes to find the mask before the cult can bring Tokyo to its knees—and before the underboss decides her time is up....
Year of the Demon starts off where Daughter of the Sword left off, following Detective Sergeant Mariko Oshiro, recently being promoted to the Narcotics unit. What starts off as a typical drug raid turns out to be anything but normal. A mysterious iron demon mask is stolen from an underboss of a powerful yakuza crime syndicate.
Kamaguchi Hanzo “hires” Mariko to get the mask back with the catch, if she does he will remove the hit that was put out on her (Daughter of the Sword explains why there is a hit on her). Along with doing this search for the mask, Mariko also needs to do a search for her recently stolen sword “Glorious Victory Unsought”. Little does Mariko know that both the mask and sword have a dark history.
This book like the first one follows multiple stories at the same time. The breakdown is very easy to follow.
Heisei Era, the Year 22 (2010 CE) follows Mariko and what is going on in her part of the story.
Azuchi-Momoyama Period, the Year 21 (1588 CE) follows the story of Daigoro Okuma, the Lord of House Okuma, at this point in time he is the owner of “Glorious Victory Unsought”
Muromachi Era, the Year 148 (1484 CE) follows the story of Kaida who is an ama (traditional Japanese free diver, best known for diving for pearls) and her connection to the cult “The Divine Wind” and the iron mask.
There were a few parts of the book that felt extremely slow when it came to getting to the point of what was going on. Other than this one small snafu, I had a great time reading about the history and finding out more about Daigoro and the introduction of Kaida.
One interesting side note I did notice about the 3 main characters in their respective time lines is that each has been dealing with how to live their lives and overcome their obvious handicaps, while facing the naysayers on a daily basis.
This is a great series to check out if you are a fan of Urban Fantasy with a touch of Japanese history and the way of the Samurai.
4/5
Detective Sergeant Mariko Oshiro has been promoted to Japan’s elite Narcotics unit—and with this promotion comes a new partner, a new case, and new danger. The underboss of a powerful yakuza crime syndicate has put a price on her head, and he’ll lift the bounty only if she retrieves an ancient iron demon mask that was stolen from him in a daring raid. However, Mariko has no idea of the tumultuous past carried within the mask—or of its deadly link with the famed Inazuma blade she wields.
The secret of this mask originated hundreds of years before Mariko was born, and over time the mask’s power has evolved to bend its owner toward destruction, stopping at nothing to obtain Inazuma steel. Mariko’s fallen sensei knew much of the mask’s hypnotic power and of its mysterious link to a murderous cult. Now Mariko must use his notes to find the mask before the cult can bring Tokyo to its knees—and before the underboss decides her time is up....
Year of the Demon starts off where Daughter of the Sword left off, following Detective Sergeant Mariko Oshiro, recently being promoted to the Narcotics unit. What starts off as a typical drug raid turns out to be anything but normal. A mysterious iron demon mask is stolen from an underboss of a powerful yakuza crime syndicate.
Kamaguchi Hanzo “hires” Mariko to get the mask back with the catch, if she does he will remove the hit that was put out on her (Daughter of the Sword explains why there is a hit on her). Along with doing this search for the mask, Mariko also needs to do a search for her recently stolen sword “Glorious Victory Unsought”. Little does Mariko know that both the mask and sword have a dark history.
This book like the first one follows multiple stories at the same time. The breakdown is very easy to follow.
Heisei Era, the Year 22 (2010 CE) follows Mariko and what is going on in her part of the story.
Azuchi-Momoyama Period, the Year 21 (1588 CE) follows the story of Daigoro Okuma, the Lord of House Okuma, at this point in time he is the owner of “Glorious Victory Unsought”
Muromachi Era, the Year 148 (1484 CE) follows the story of Kaida who is an ama (traditional Japanese free diver, best known for diving for pearls) and her connection to the cult “The Divine Wind” and the iron mask.
There were a few parts of the book that felt extremely slow when it came to getting to the point of what was going on. Other than this one small snafu, I had a great time reading about the history and finding out more about Daigoro and the introduction of Kaida.
One interesting side note I did notice about the 3 main characters in their respective time lines is that each has been dealing with how to live their lives and overcome their obvious handicaps, while facing the naysayers on a daily basis.
This is a great series to check out if you are a fan of Urban Fantasy with a touch of Japanese history and the way of the Samurai.
4/5
November 3, 2013
With this book I found myself more engrossed in the parts of the story that took place in the past.
I really liked Daigoro, loved some of the moves that he made, they were so sneaky and underhanded, but still protected his family and allowed him to live according to the honor code of the samurai.
Kaida was a whole other matter. I loved that she was so brash, so brazen, and also that she knew the only place for her was away from her family. I hated her father, he had to know what was going on, but turned his head. Kaida followed Daigoro way of sneaky deals, but I loved her for them.
I felt sorry for Markiko, in the present, it seemed like if it could go wrong it would. She is still dealing with loosing part of her finger. It seemed like through the whole book Markiko was walking a line between right and wrong, sometimes herself and sometimes observing others. With her choices, I thought Markiko did a good job, watching the others...well their actions came at a high price. I did like how Markiko discovered the link between the mask and the sword. I can't see where it take her.
I really liked Daigoro, loved some of the moves that he made, they were so sneaky and underhanded, but still protected his family and allowed him to live according to the honor code of the samurai.
Kaida was a whole other matter. I loved that she was so brash, so brazen, and also that she knew the only place for her was away from her family. I hated her father, he had to know what was going on, but turned his head. Kaida followed Daigoro way of sneaky deals, but I loved her for them.
I felt sorry for Markiko, in the present, it seemed like if it could go wrong it would. She is still dealing with loosing part of her finger. It seemed like through the whole book Markiko was walking a line between right and wrong, sometimes herself and sometimes observing others. With her choices, I thought Markiko did a good job, watching the others...well their actions came at a high price. I did like how Markiko discovered the link between the mask and the sword. I can't see where it take her.
August 6, 2016
An urban and historical fantasy about duty vs. honor, choosing the hard path, committing to a course of action (vs. overthinking), and the law vs. justice. The main characters are all crippled in some way and underestimated – Mariko (a woman in a man’s world, who lost a finger), Daigoro (with a withered leg), and Kaida (who lost an arm); they are all intelligent, curious, questioning, and struggle with philosophical debates about honor, duty, morality, and the law. The must devise strategies to survive and protect others without compromising themselves. I also appreciated a mainstream fantasy involving complex Asian characters who are not yakuza or ninja. I loved Lieutenant Sakakibara, who gives everyone a nickname (Mariko and Han are Butch and Sundance, Batgirl, munchkins, and Frodo in one meeting alone). At first, I resented jumping to new characters and storylines, but once the narrative settled into the three main characters, I enjoyed seeing their different perspectives of the sword and the demon mask, and the moral issues they face.
December 9, 2013
Mariko has continued her career as a police officer in Japan. Now possessing the sword Glorious Victory Unsought and her mentor's notebooks, she tries to reposition herself after the losses and issues of the first book.
The book does a great job of weaving historical and modern time settings, giving a history of her sword and the forces that have shaped it; enough stuff is different that it's clear these are not simply parallels of one another but different stories in their own right. I found myself switching between which timeline was my favorite throughout the novel.
The book does a great job of weaving historical and modern time settings, giving a history of her sword and the forces that have shaped it; enough stuff is different that it's clear these are not simply parallels of one another but different stories in their own right. I found myself switching between which timeline was my favorite throughout the novel.
January 19, 2014
Sequel to Daughter of the Sword which was also very very good. As in book 1, the story alternates between 1500's Japan and modern day Japan, with our heroine Mariko being a female cop struggling with male chauvinist attitudes as well as criminals. She is now the owner of the sword Glorious Victory Unsought, and a new artifact appears in this story, an ancient face mask which has an affinity for both violence and Mariko's sword. All the characters are very interesting and complex, and the details about 1500s Japan culture are fascinating.
March 5, 2014
I really liked the book. I hope the series is long and eventful. Mariko is a member of Tokyo's elite narcotics unit. She is also a student of the Samurai sword. It has an excellent plot. However, I was very sad when her sensi got killed in the first book. I missed this character, he gave the series a measure of warmth and depth. Why do authors kill off characters too early? Also I felt that this second book could do with a lot less police procedure and description.
October 30, 2015
Една от тези поредици, които надграждат и една от малките, но шиноби твърдят: “Няма място, където вятърът не може да проникне”, та Стив Байн прониква в душата и направи захват на читателя в мен и се предадох. Но няма как авторовото ти описва как Марико прави саблен удар да не ми хареса, нее?(нее-е тяхното нали, той си го е харесал, не знам дали в действително се ползва така често, но е сладко). http://tebeshirche.blogspot.bg/2015/1...
August 22, 2014
So. Darn. Compelling.
A police officer in modern-day Tokyo reluctantly joins forces with a yakuza to seek an ancient evil demon mask stolen by a mysterious cult that wants to destroy the world.
Meanwhile, in Feudal Japan...
Great storytelling, plenty of history, and a magic sword or two. Also, ninjas.
Keep it coming, Mr. Bein, because you have me more-than-slightly hooked.
A police officer in modern-day Tokyo reluctantly joins forces with a yakuza to seek an ancient evil demon mask stolen by a mysterious cult that wants to destroy the world.
Meanwhile, in Feudal Japan...
Great storytelling, plenty of history, and a magic sword or two. Also, ninjas.
Keep it coming, Mr. Bein, because you have me more-than-slightly hooked.
October 27, 2013
An excellent second book in the Fated Blades UF series set in Japan. With its intriguing blend of fantasy, Japanese history and police work, this was a highly enjoyable and very difficult to put down read that leaves me hoping there'll be many more entries to come in this series.
November 17, 2013
This was an odd book. I didn't like how it kept jumping back between modern day story and the past stories of a few characters. I just didn't like it as much as I hoped I would.
September 1, 2014
Actually likes this better than the first one. I really enjoyed the historical fiction element and felt it was more prevalent. Looking forward to reading book 3.
February 14, 2014
This book is even better than the first one.
February 21, 2020
Year of the Demon is the second and penultimate book in the Fated Blades series written by Steve Bein. It is a highly detailed blend of urban and historical fantasy set in modern Tokyo staring Detective Sergeant Mariko Oshiro.
Tokyo police officer Mariko Oshiro is now working in the Narcotics division. In the aftermath of a raid, an ancient mask is stolen, and its Yakuza owner demands that Mariko retrieve it. Her search for the mask leads her to a cult with a deadly agenda and a centuries-old mystery connected to the legendary sword she now possesses.
Extensive flashbacks to the lives of two historical characters: Daigoru, a 16th-century lord who wielded Mariko's sword, and Kaida, a 15th-century one-armed pearl diver forced to contend with ruthless mercenaries, further expand the story, essentially making it three books in one.
Year of the Demon is written rather well. Bein wonderfully combines the best parts of police procedural, buddy-cop films, historical fantasy, and intrigue-laden adventure, enhancing them with painstaking research and attention to atmosphere. However, like most trilogies, this middle installment feels a tad incomplete, but there is a promise that all three stories would wrap up in gripping style.
All in all, Year of the Demon is written rather well and is a wonderful continuation to what would hopefully be a wonderful series, which I plan to continue in the very near future.
Tokyo police officer Mariko Oshiro is now working in the Narcotics division. In the aftermath of a raid, an ancient mask is stolen, and its Yakuza owner demands that Mariko retrieve it. Her search for the mask leads her to a cult with a deadly agenda and a centuries-old mystery connected to the legendary sword she now possesses.
Extensive flashbacks to the lives of two historical characters: Daigoru, a 16th-century lord who wielded Mariko's sword, and Kaida, a 15th-century one-armed pearl diver forced to contend with ruthless mercenaries, further expand the story, essentially making it three books in one.
Year of the Demon is written rather well. Bein wonderfully combines the best parts of police procedural, buddy-cop films, historical fantasy, and intrigue-laden adventure, enhancing them with painstaking research and attention to atmosphere. However, like most trilogies, this middle installment feels a tad incomplete, but there is a promise that all three stories would wrap up in gripping style.
All in all, Year of the Demon is written rather well and is a wonderful continuation to what would hopefully be a wonderful series, which I plan to continue in the very near future.
February 21, 2020
Mariko is back, now assigned to Narcotics in the Tokyo Police Department. Her lieutenant refers to her as Frodo and her partner as Han - and they've hooked a possible big fish. The yakuza are bringing in a new type of drug and dealing with a group known as the Divine Wind. The thing is, the Wind are doing some unusual things and Mariko has to figure out what exactly they're up to.
In the mean time, in the far past, Daigoro, a past owner of Mariko's sword, is trying to keep his family from being destroyed by a new threat - a man named Shichio who is determined to take Glorious Victory into his own hands. Shichio will stop at nothing to get Glorious Victory, and as he has the ear of one of the highest ranked men in Japan, he has unlimited funds and men to through at Daigoro.
And, somewhat farther into the future (but not nearly during Mariko's time), Glorious Victory has been lost at sea and it is up to a young pearl diver to find the sword - if only to rescue herself.
Continuing from the previous novel but not necessary to read it to understand the storyline, there is a subtle magic in Glorious Victory. With the appearance of the Divine Wind, another mystic object comes into play - a demon mask that controls Shichio in some ways and affects Mariko's case in the current time.
In the mean time, in the far past, Daigoro, a past owner of Mariko's sword, is trying to keep his family from being destroyed by a new threat - a man named Shichio who is determined to take Glorious Victory into his own hands. Shichio will stop at nothing to get Glorious Victory, and as he has the ear of one of the highest ranked men in Japan, he has unlimited funds and men to through at Daigoro.
And, somewhat farther into the future (but not nearly during Mariko's time), Glorious Victory has been lost at sea and it is up to a young pearl diver to find the sword - if only to rescue herself.
Continuing from the previous novel but not necessary to read it to understand the storyline, there is a subtle magic in Glorious Victory. With the appearance of the Divine Wind, another mystic object comes into play - a demon mask that controls Shichio in some ways and affects Mariko's case in the current time.
January 2, 2023
Questo libro l'ho notato grazie alla mia migliore amica. L'autore riesce a mescolare più generi: fantasy, storico, giallo, poliziesco, thriller. E' ambientato in epoche diverse il Giappone antico e quello contemporaneo. Nel Giappone antico i protagonisti sono: il samurai Daigoro e la ama Kaida, nel mondo contemporaneo l'agente della narcotici: Mariko Oshiro la loro vita è molto difficile. Devono lottare duramente per sopravvivere ed hanno a che fare con una spada: Vittoria Gloriosa Indesiderata e con una maschera demoniaca ed una setta di nijia chiamata il Vento. Ma su Mariko pende anche una taglia messa dalla yakuza, la mafia giapponese, se vuole cancellarla deve ritrovare la maschera demoniaca che sembra collegata alla spada che lei possiede, lasciatale in eredità dal maestro e che le è stata sottratta. La scrittura è coinvolgente, i personaggi ben caratterizzati. La storia è molto originale, ma non c'è continuità tra la storia dei vari protagonisti, è come se fossero tre storie separate.
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September 21, 2018
Year of the Demon is the second book in the Fated Blade series. The second book picks up where the first book ended in regards to Mariko and Okuma Daigoro, both owners of the sword Glorious Victory Unsought, though in different eras. Mariko Oshiro wields Glorious Victory Unsought during current times, while the story of Daigoro is set in the late 16th century CE. The book also tells another story, this one set in the earlier half of the 16th century about the bond between the sword Glorious Victory Unsought and a demon mask belonging to an extra-mysterious ninja organization known as the Wind. Although I haven't read the third book in the series, I recommend reading the books in order. There is continuation of the story between the first two works. If I have one complaint, I felt the story needed more Mariko in this one.
October 16, 2018
The protagonists are flawed (hot-headed, short-sighted, perpetually weary, etc) but their fighting spirit is really commendable. Improves upon the 1st book and weaves the historical narratives of these fated artifacts together in a spellbinding way.
___
It was so easy to terrify these men, these fearless worthies from the samurai caste. They thought nothing of pain, they held death in contempt, and yet the mere sight of a lunatic gave them pause. This one had no idea what to make of Shichio and his mask, and in the structured world of the soldier, to be unpredictable was to be utterly mad. The largest cobra and fiercest tiger were nothing in comparison. Animals had instincts. Their intentions were easily known. Not so the madman.
I'm not evil. I just do what it takes to survive until tomorrow.
___
It was so easy to terrify these men, these fearless worthies from the samurai caste. They thought nothing of pain, they held death in contempt, and yet the mere sight of a lunatic gave them pause. This one had no idea what to make of Shichio and his mask, and in the structured world of the soldier, to be unpredictable was to be utterly mad. The largest cobra and fiercest tiger were nothing in comparison. Animals had instincts. Their intentions were easily known. Not so the madman.
I'm not evil. I just do what it takes to survive until tomorrow.
August 23, 2025
Great followup to a great book. Three POVs - Mariko and Daigoro are back, and a new POV, Kaida, a disabled pearl diver in 15th century Japan who finds herself involved with a ninja clan that interrupts her complicated family life.
The book does feel like it has fewer fantastical elements than the first book - now that the swords have been firmly established, the book distances itself a little from their fated element - the focus is on mundane scheming in Daigoro's time, the familial oppression and worries Kaida faces in her time, and Mariko fights a cult. Both her and Daigoro get some insanely badass moments in this.
The start of Daigoro's story and bits and bobs of Mariko's story kind of fell flat for me, but it's an A- for me. 9/10, rounds to a 5.
The book does feel like it has fewer fantastical elements than the first book - now that the swords have been firmly established, the book distances itself a little from their fated element - the focus is on mundane scheming in Daigoro's time, the familial oppression and worries Kaida faces in her time, and Mariko fights a cult. Both her and Daigoro get some insanely badass moments in this.
The start of Daigoro's story and bits and bobs of Mariko's story kind of fell flat for me, but it's an A- for me. 9/10, rounds to a 5.
September 23, 2018
3 1/2 stars. This can be reader as a mystery/thriller and/or a fantasy novel. The history is interwoven with modern day with dept skill, though sometimes it dragged a little.
Bein's depiction of Mariko as a hard working narc officer who has to contend with sexual bias both in the work place and in her newly important world of working with Glorious Victory without getting bitter is well done. The book also gives insight to a culture that is very foreign to Westerners.
There's nothing boring about this book or the characters that inhabit this world.
Bein's depiction of Mariko as a hard working narc officer who has to contend with sexual bias both in the work place and in her newly important world of working with Glorious Victory without getting bitter is well done. The book also gives insight to a culture that is very foreign to Westerners.
There's nothing boring about this book or the characters that inhabit this world.
April 26, 2021
Eh, I really liked the first book but this one was not nearly as good as that one. It felt like it spent way too much time in the chapters from the past and not what was going on in present day. While yes the stories of what was going on in the past were somewhat interesting, I'd have liked more of the story to focus on our modern day main character. I don't think I'm going to be reading the last book in the series.
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