Review of Blade of the Samurai by Susan Spann

I loved Claws of the Cat, the first of Susan Spann’s mysteries set in medieval Japan and featuring two unconventional sleuths, a shinobi assassin and a Portuguese Jesuit priest. In Blade of the Samurai, Spann again pulls us into a vivid, exotic world. You’ll feel like you live in this far away place and time. She also creates twists and turns in plot all the way to the last page. Spann’s books exemplify historical fiction at its best—lots of fun to read while also plunging you into an historically accurate world full of rich detail that you’d have to slog through far too many scholarly tomes to get on your own. I enjoy being brought into a world I would not have found without these engaging mysteries.

Spann works in serious themes while entertaining her readers. In this latest, we see the tensions and traditions between classes in medieval Japan, along with her continuing look at the role of women. A samurai character will assume he can ignore and denigrate the commoners who build the mansions and temples he enjoys. The men who run the stables will get no respect. But we all know that men and women often rise above the expectations of their culture in intelligence if not in respect and are craftier than their “betters” may suspect. And some of those highly valued samurais need to take lessons in reading character—their culturally induced blindness is fascinating.

In contrast, Spann’s two “sleuths,” Father Mateo and Matsui Hiro, are delightfully deep. Mateo, the strict Jesuit, will surprise you with his ability to bend the rules and lie when needed for a cause. He grows in Blade of the Samurai in his sophistication and his attitude toward his originally immovable moral beliefs—not in their contents but in how he deploys them. Matsui Hiro faces a crisis of trust that will keep your head spinning to the end. One of the most powerful themes shows the hold of shinobi training on its adherents like Hiro. As we explore the psychology of Hiro’s choices, we are alarmed and startled by the choices he is willing to make. This is an emotionally moving step into an historical moment defined by an extreme honor code. Hiro will go down some surprisingly wrong roads more than once in this complicated, intriguing tale. He won’t follow his heart sometimes and you’ll just have to see how that works for a trained assassin of medieval Japan.

I gobbled this book. As an author I thought more than once about how much time and research a book like this takes—and then I consumed it in one delicious gulp. Somehow the balance of effort between reader and writer seems unfair, but I’m so glad authors keep feeding us these thoughtful treats.

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About Susan Spann

Susan Spann acquired her love of books and reading during her preschool days in Santa Monica, California. As a child she read everything from National Geographic to Agatha Christie. In high school, she once turned a short-story assignment into a full-length fantasy novel (which, fortunately, will never see the light of day).

A yearning to experience different cultures sent Susan to Tufts University in Boston, where she immersed herself in the history and culture of China and Japan. After earning an undergraduate degree in Asian Studies, Susan diverted to law school. She returned to California to practice law, where her continuing love of books has led her to specialize in intellectual property, business and publishing contracts.

Susan’s interest in Japanese history, martial arts, and mystery inspired her to write the Shinobi Mystery series featuring Hiro Hattori, a sixteenth-century ninja who brings murderers to justice with the help of Father Mateo, a Portuguese Jesuit priest. When not writing or representing clients, Susan enjoys traditional archery, martial arts, horseback riding, online gaming, and raising seahorses and rare corals in her highly distracting marine aquarium. Susan lives in Sacramento with her husband, son, three cats, one bird, and a multitude of assorted aquatic creatures.

For more information please visit Susan Spann’s website and blog.  You can also find her on Facebook andTwitter.

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Poisoned Pen

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