Confessions of a Yakuza is a compelling memoir of one of the last traditional members of the Yakuza, a Japanese version of the Mafia, written by Junichi Saga. John Bester is the one who penned the translation into English.
Saga apparently was a doctor treating Ijichi Eiji, who had been a leader in the criminal syndicate known as the Yakuza. Eiji decides to reveal his life story to this doctor, who apparently decided to record the account and write it up for publication.
The story moves along quite well and provides some insight into some aspects of Japanese culture in the early twentieth century through the end of the Second World War. Eiji gives his account from a turbulent childhood through his rise to be one of the bosses in the criminal organization, and it is laid out quite plainly.
Saga is not too bad when it comes to bringing the reader to the “present day” scenes. It was prudent to give a reminder of how these confessions unfolded and who was recording these reminiscences.
I think much of the credit is due to John Bester’s translation which opened the window for those not terribly familiar with Japanese culture.
Sometimes the exposition can seem to slow things a little, but it wasn’t too egregious. Although there are many works that detail criminal organizations, this one did feel like a unique reading experience in many ways.
Saga seems to be a pretty efficient storyteller, and I would have likely found the company of Eiji to be absolutely fascinating as well.
A friend finds this to be a good campfire read, and I think I know what he means. It was a good recommendation that I am more than pleased to pass on.
Next up, I have decided to check into Cate Quinn’s The Clinic.
Sherlock Holmes and the Telegram of War by Nicholas Meyer may not be the best of the pastiche novels featuring the most renowned fictional detective, but there is still some enjoyment to be discovered as a reading experience.
Dr. John Watson is quite a bit older, but he is able to still use his medical skills to care for the soldiers wounded in the First World War. His old friend, Sherlock Holmes, suddenly appears looking as if he was on the wrong end of a fight and explains that he is about to undertake a rather important mission on behalf of the British government. A telegram has been sent to Mexico, and the two elderly adventurers are still able to track it down, but it will take a lengthy trip to the United States during wartime where German U-boats prowl the seas, and an assassin apparently has them in their sights. It may be their most important case, and they are not young anymore, but it is often still a mistake to count out the tenacity and ingenuity of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.
Meyer is unquestionably a talented writer, but I had some trouble staying all that interested in the plot because it does not entirely feel like something Arthur Conan Doyle would actually delve into in spite of the views presented in the review excerpts. Some of the photos of the real historical figures encountered by Holmes and Watson and Meyer’s enthusiastic depictions of the research he has obviously done sometimes gets a littl distracting from the plot.
I did find the Watson’s reflections and doubts about his ability to continue living in this manner at his age to be a bit more interesting than the actual plot. There are some concerns that Holmes’ deductive abilities have waned as well, but they still press on.
Meyer does explore some aspects of the First World War that do not seem widely known. Watson’s narration is still interesting enough when he reveals thoughts and fears that appear rarely in previous exploits. Meyer is good at keeping such well-known characters recognizable. Although I doubt that Doyle would have had such a convoluted plot, the characters still appear consistent with how he would have written them.
I still consider Meyer to be one of the better writers who have contributed to the Sherlock Holmes literature not written by the original creator. This particular novel didn’t have as many highlights as I would have preferred, but it was still a worthwhile read.
I think it’s time to make a slight variance in my usual reading indulgences. I will gain some insight into the Japanese underworld with Junichi Saga’s Confessions of a Yakuza.
Lethal White is the rather lengthy, convoluted fourth novel featuring Cormoran Strike by Robert Galbraith, who is really J.K. Rowling. It is still quite good, but some of the more personal dynamics between Strike and his partner, Robin Ellacott, tends to grab my interest more than the actual murder mystery.
It has been a year since Robin has entered what appears to be a troubled marriage. She has been elevated to partner in Strike’s detective agency. Strike has been gaining some notoriety due his involvement in some high-profile murders occurring in London. He is also the illegitimate son of a popular rock star. He also lost a leg when he served king and country in the military. Needless to say, he is a guy with a colorful past.
Well, this caper starts off with a very troubled young man bursting into Strike’s office and claiming to have witnessed a strangulation when he was a child. When he and Robin start to take a look at this claim, a minister in Parliament shows up and hires the agency to assist in a blackmail situation which sends Robin undercover, much to the frustration of her new husband.
Anyway, a connection between the aforementioned strange visit and this minister’s problem becomes apparent. Once again, Strike and Robin have to risk their lives as they also navigate the complications in their friendship.
Galbraith is unquestionably a talented, interesting writer on the whole, but this novel felt a little more dense than necessary at times. Strike and Robin’s banter certainly helps one navigate this unwieldy plot.
Robin’s situation with her husband feels a bit cliche at times, but it was still interesting. There is an obvious “will they or won’t they” vibe going on between Strike and Robin, which is a little trite but still engaging.
As I work my way through the series, I doubt Lethal White will rank as a favorite, but it’s still worth the time. Galbraith still manages to be compelling enough to keep me returning to the series.
As usual, I will get the next installment a few books down the road. For now, it is time to revisit the living room of 221B Baker Street as Nicholas Meyer unveils the story of Sherlock Holmes and the Telegram From Hell.
White Butterfly by Walter Mosley is the third installment in the Easy Rawlins mystery series and is okay. Rawlins is becoming a little too dysfunctional for me to gin up much sympathy for him.
Mosley is still a talented writer, and the book wasn’t a total waste of time.
Rawlins is now married with a new baby and doing well as a property owner. He has not been involved in any major investigations in a few years. The police come to him to ask him to head into the ghettos of Los Angeles to look for a killer of several women. Initially, it was black women who were in somewhat less wholesome occupations targeted by this psychopath. When a young white woman is found, the police get more interested and seek Easy’s unique ability to assist. As extra motivation, they have his best friend, Mouse, in their crosshairs. Mouse is a dangerous psychopath, but even he has some standards. Easy Rawlins risks his marriage and his life once again as a reluctant assistant to the police as he crosses into territory where only he could gather the clues to identify one of L.A.’s dark souls..
This one has a plot that is a little stale. Easy does go through a bit of an emotional wringer, but he brings a lot of his personal troubles on himself. The friendship between him and Mouse is kind of interesting, although the idea of the somewhat psychopathic sidekick is also kind of an overdone trope in detective fiction.
The story takes place in 1956, not long after Easy’s service in the Second World War.
Mosley is a fine writer on the whole, and my dissatisfaction with this novel isn’t going to be keep me away from his works for long. Ezekial Rawlins is still a pretty compelling character for me to not to give up on the series. Mosley also has other series which I am likely to explore as well in the near future.
Anyway, White Butterfly isn’t terrible, but it could have used a bit more originality in the climax. Walter Mosley is still a writer worthy of having some space reserved on any mystery fans’ bookshelves.
It is time for the literary journey to take a rare detour into some classic science fiction. I, Robot by the revered Isaac Asimov is next to be lifted from the still growing stack of novels still to be read.
Pieces of Her is a thriller by Karin Slaughter that is pretty good but kind of felt longer than necessary.
Andrea and her mother, Laura, are having some lunch at a diner in a shopping mall when a mass shooter breaks up the repast with an intent to kill. When her daughter is threatened, Laura moves with unusual efficiency for a middle-aged speech therapist and dispatches the killer with surprising brutality. Laura’s seemingly heroic actions make the news, which brings some troubles from a buried past of which her daughter has no knowledge. A pretty harrowing attempt is made on Laura’s life, and Andy kind of returns the favor by saving her life. Andy is on a search to discover the history that her mother has kept secret. Andy finds that murder and fanaticism have followed her mother for some time. She also learns of a family she never knew she had and may wish she had not found out.
Slaughter makes liberal use of flashbacks to fill in the strange and tragic history of Laura Oliver when she had another name. Slaughter has been in the writing game for a while, and she is an interesting writer. I can see why she has her fans, but this novel sort of dragged for me.
The basic plot is pretty good, and Slaughter does toss in some pretty clever reveals. Slaughter does sometimes let the story get a little bogged down with exposition.
I found the revelation of Laura’s true identity to be somewhat creative. I will try to avoid spoilers, but some of the standard tropes did not appear. Laura is not a retired spy or something like that.
Slaughter did a decent job of keeping me guessing as to how certain people were significant.
It’s another novel that provided some solid entertainment without it being uniquely memorable. It is more than likely that this will not be my last foray into the works of Karin Slaughter
More literary mystery and mayhem is forthcoming with Walter Mosley’s White Butterfly.
Doctor Who: Pursuit is a reasonably entertaining audio boxset which is the second volume in the series known as Time War Uncharted. Paul McGann is back before the microphone in the Big Finish studio. The set was directed by Ken Bentley and is comprised of four episodes. The Eighth Doctor has had his TARDIS stolen by his great-grandson, Alex Campbell, played by Sunny McGann. Emma Campbell-Jones returns as Cass, who is accompanying Alex on his escapade separated from the Doctor.
The mysterious Hieronyma Friend, whose face is often changing, is played by Lizzie Hopley and then Niky Wardley. Friend seems to be in the employ of someone or something else and seems to shift from being an ally to an adversary. Either way, the Doctor needs to remain wary.
Dan Starkey returns as various Sontarans encountered throughout the set. Sontarans are apparently now Time Lords as a consequence of the Doctor’s meanderings through different realities. A Time War does strange things to the universe, and even the Doctor will have a challenging time keeping up with the sudden shifts in reality.
As mentioned before, there are four episodes that should be given some brief impressions.
Spoil of War is written by Mark Wright and brings Alex and Cass to an estate where an unusual auction is about to take place. The Doctor and Friend are on their trail but have problems of their own. The Time Lords are now Sontarans. The Doctor is about to discover bow navigating the consequences of the Time War is going to throw many obstacles in his pursuit of his stolen TARDIS and his renegade great-grandson.
Once again, the performances make an otherwise average story a little more enjoyable. The strange relationship between Friend and the Doctor provides enough intrigue to keep one engaged, but I find the plot somewhat unmemorable.
The Tale of Alex by Katherine Armitage sort of sets up Alex as taking up the legendary mantle of the Doctor. Sam Stafford is on hand as a kind of bard and narrator and does a good job with it.
It’s kind of an obligatory offbeat sort of story but has the sense of being done before. Armitage still manages to have a story that feels overdone because we have heard this type of poetic narrations before. She does a good job with it, but it does not come off as original as intended.
James Moran dips a bit more into the spookier aspects of the series with See-Saw with another sometimes-overdone trope with creepy children reciting whispering nursery rhymes. Alex and Cass sole the mystery alongside the Doctor and Friend without being able to see of communicate with each other, which is actually quite intriguing. I sort of like creepy tropes in Doctor Who, and this episode is probably the one that gripped me the most. It’s actually a pretty clever idea in spite of some of the story elements having a history of being overused.
Finally, Tim Foley brings this collection home with The First Forest. John Ramm plays a strange hermit type character who finds an injured Alex, who is separated from Cass. The Doctor and Friend finally find Alex and are close to the purloined TARDIS. Of course, more mysteries are revealed even when the Doctor accomplishes an important goal.
This was a little mid of a muddled episode, but the performances and the climactic encounters make the time well spent.
On the whole, it was an enjoyable but unremarkable set. This series in which we get to experience the Eighth Doctor’s somewhat limited participation in the Time War is a fascinating venture. Of course, he will become more active when he regenerates into the shunned incarnation known to us fans as the War Doctor. Paul McGann is a still a joy to hear in these episodes.
I don’t know how one can chart a course through a Time War, but I am still enjoying the ride.
Death on the Island is a decent murder mystery written by Eliza Reid, who turns out to be the former First Lady of Iceland. It’s a shameless homage to the great Agatha Christie, but she still reigns supreme as the Queen of Crime.
There is a remote island off the shores of Iceland in which an important meeting among the nation’s leaders and an ambassador are gathering. A high-price dinner is on the menu, with a little poison added as a surprise. An ambassador’s wife finds that she has an instinct for detection as she begins to probe the murder of her husband’s assistant. When another strange death occurs, Jane Shearer has to wonder how many others are in the crosshairs of a ruthless, clever killer.
Reid throws in many of the tropes of a classic murder mystery. You have the isolated setting, the group of eclectic characters, a sudden death while a storm rages outside. The lead character is not a professional sleuth but is apparently a little sharper than everyone else. The fact that this takes place in Iceland is kind of cool, but the Nordic mystery has been quite popular for some time now.
It’s not a bad novel. There are some interesting twists. It is notable that Reid’s husband was at one time president of Iceland for a fair amount of time so that gives the author some pretty impressive credentials. She throws in some of the local flavor quite effectively. I must confess I find her background to be more intriguing than the actual book.
It’s an enjoyable enough read, but there isn’t much here I would call all that original. Reid did do a good enough of a job where she may stay on my radar enough to entice me into her next novel.
I am sticking with the suspense genre and reading another author for the first time, although this one has been on scene for some time. Next up, I will crack open Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter.
Flight 741 is a 1986 adventure novel featuring Mack Bolan who is also known as the Executioner. Bolan was created by Don Pendleton many moons ago. I think the author of this particular one is a guy named Mike Newton who is given some sort of credit on the copyright page.
Anyway, this is obviously a leisure read in the extreme. It’s a fun indulgence but nothing too surprising here.
Mack Bolan is a super antiterrorist operative who has appeared in numerous novels probably about thirty to forty years ago. He was part of the men’s adventures range of Gold Eagle publishing. Each book had a significant body count because Bolan was not one to bother with courts and trials when it comes to terrorists.
In this particular installment, Mack Bolan is traveling under an alias from Munich to New York when his flight gets interrupted by a hijacking. He takes a pretty brutal beating when trying to save a flight attendant from certain indignities. Once the ordeal is over, Bolan is thirsty from some good old-fashioned vengeance. Unlike the most people, Bolan is more than capable of getting it. He embarks on a pursuit of a known terrorist who goes by the moniker of “the Raven” and finds this guy to be quite elusive, especially since he employs body doubles. He comes across an old flame who is no stranger to this type of danger, and his ruthless hunt is now tempered by his desire to keep another girl safe from aforementioned indignities. Anyway, Bolan is justifiably angry, and a group of crazy hijackers and their sponsors have well earned their executions.
So, the Mack Bolan series is not something to stimulate the higher intellects of the world. It is brutal and can really crank up the testosterone levels if one has an overactive imagination. It’s great even if the writing is not the best. No one is going for the Pulitzer here.
I liked the book because most of it is the aftermath of the hijacking and how Bolan settles the score. There are different perspectives, and the reader gets some more insight into the history of the villain as well. It’s still great when Bolan catches up to him and lives up to his own codename.
There are some efforts to flesh out supporting characters which I appreciated. There was some display of tenderness from Bolan when it came to his lady friend, Toby Ranger, who end up in danger. Bolan is the good guy, so that was not surprising, but it did lend itself to giving some depth. In spite of his more brutal proclivities, there is a sense of gallantry I can respect.
This isn’t a great novel by any means. The genre doesn’t quite lend itself to that, but it was enjoyable enough to make it likely for me to pick up another Mack Bolan escapade in the near future.
My next step on the pleasantly unending literary journey brings me back to Edward Rutherford with his novel of historical fiction entitled Paris. I had read London some time ago and enjoyed it, so I think I will see what his take on the City of Light.
Doctor Who: Short Trip Rarities is a collection of audio short stories featuring the Eighth Doctor, as played by Paul McGann. McGann isn’t really in these since they are narrated by a pair of compelling performers. These stories were previously released only to Big Finish Productions subscribers. Hugh Ross narrates the first one while Stephen Critchlow relates the remaining three.
Late Night Shopping by Matt Fitton has the Doctor and Lucie Miller help a shop worker fend off some peculiar alien tomatoes or something like that. It’s a strange yet amusing tale. There’s not much very notable here, but at least it wasn’t terrible.
The Caves of Erith by Alice Cavender has the Doctor and Lucie spending Christmas at a remote village. There are some strange bats living nearby, and the innkeeper has a secret of his own.
This story was a little better. Steven Critchlow is a talented enough narrator. He has shown up in much of Big Finish’s works.
Tuesday by Tony Jones has the Doctor reunited with an old friend in the shape of Harry Sullivan, however Sullivan has no recollection of his previous encounters with the Time Lord. Also, this is no ordinary Tuesday. It is supposed to be Christmas, but that doesn’t appear to exist either.
I am not one who needs to have old companions revisited all the time, but I sort of liked this meeting. Harry is older and maybe a little wiser but still familiar. Jones did a good job imagining Harry at a different stage in life than what was seen onscreen.
Finally, Paul Starkey’s An Ocean of Sawdust brings this set to a close. The TARDIS brings the Time Lord to a young boy’s bedroom where a wooden eel acts as the flooring, and the boy won’t get off his bed, which he treats as a life raft. The Doctor may be trapped in someone’s imagination and is not sure how to return to reality.
A rather imaginatively surreal story is presented here that is a little hard to conjure in one’s mind.
This is a reasonably entertaining release, but there is nothing that really stands out here.
Three for the Chair by Rex Stout is a small collection of three interesting stories featuring the sedentary yet brilliant detective, Nero Wolfe. Archie Goodwin, the more than capable assistant and narrator, is also there to guide the reader through these various conundrums.
The title is a little misleading since two out of three stories take place outside of Wolfe’s famous New York brownstone. Wolfe did manage to find a seat in all three stories, so I guess it still works.
A Window for Death is the better of the three, in my opinion. A prodigal family member has returned with a vast fortune. He later dies of pneumonia, but Wolfe is asked to take a second look into the circumstances where he finds a clever murder has indeed taken place.
Stout’s choice of weapon is rather hard to believe, but it seems pretty original. Wolfe once again gets to show off his genius from the comforts of his office.
In Immune to Murder, Wolfe and Archie head to a hunting lodge due to Wolfe being invited to prepare his special recipe for freshly caught trout. A foreign ambassador has a small gathering in mind and is familiar with Wolfe’s talents as a gourmand as well his nose for detecting crime. One of the guests is murdered by the riverbank, and Wolfe’s departure is delayed by the subsequent, inconvenient investigation.
This was a pretty good addition. Nothing too spectacular about it other than we have something take place outside of the brownstone, and Wolfe has the rare occasion to be on scene for the crime. There is a political backdrop that is kind of interesting as well. Stout does have a talent for finding some unique motives for murders. Of course, the banter between Wolfe and Archie is what keeps me engaged here.
Finally, this little collection closes with Too Many Detectives. Wolfe and Archie are being questioned alongside other private detectives by state authorities about the particulars of various wiretapping operations. The murder of a man, who was once a client of Wolfe’s, has occurred in the New York state capital building. Suspicion falls on Archie and his sizeable employer. It is kind of amusing to read of Wolfe’s stay in a jail cell. He handled it better than I would have thought.
I was also amused by Archie Goodwin’s somewhat politically incorrect opinions on female investigators. I may have actually applauded if Goodwin was a real person. I don’t have any real strong opinions on the subject myself, but anything that gets some uber liberal feminist outraged is something that will likely appeal to my sometimes-neanderthal funny bone.
The Nero Wolfe mysteries are not terribly complex most of the time, but I think most readers appreciate the dynamic between Wolfe and Archie. Archie respects his boss, but he is not really in awe of him unlike most fictional narrators alongside some eccentric, brilliant, and pompous sleuth. They argue and needle each other.
Even though the title of this small volume seems a little misleading, it’s still a fun diversion and worth the effort to add it to the bookshelf.
Things are about to get bloodier with my next read, which features Don Pendleton’s Mack Bolan. Flight 741 is about to be hijacked, but the culprits are about to find out that a passenger who is more dangerous than them is also aboard. The author isn’t listed on the cover, but a small inscription on the copyright page thanks Mike Newton for his special contribution, which likely means he actually wrote the book. Anyway, that is what was selected from the Reading Queue, so I will get back to you.
