Samurai 1: Kastel Awan Burung Gereja (Cloud of Sparrows: An Epic Novel of Japan)
by Takashi Matsuoka
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 241)
Read in September, 2003
Takashi Matsuoka, Cloud of Sparrows (Delacorte, 2002)
Takashi Matsuoka's debut novel, Cloud of Sparrows, is quite a treat. The similarities between the code of the Samurai and the code of the Wild West gunfighter have been done before, of course, but never within such an elaborate framework. The novel begins on New Year's Day 1861, with the arrival of three American missionaries to Akaoka. Akaoka's present Great Lord, Genji, has a reputation as an effeminate dilettante, keeps company with Japan...more
Takashi Matsuoka's debut novel, Cloud of Sparrows, is quite a treat. The similarities between the code of the Samurai and the code of the Wild West gunfighter have been done before, of course, but never within such an elaborate framework. The novel begins on New Year's Day 1861, with the arrival of three American missionaries to Akaoka. Akaoka's present Great Lord, Genji, has a reputation as an effeminate dilettante, keeps company with Japan...more
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Read in September, 2005
"Klan Okumichi telah menguasai wilayah Akaoka dengan gelar Bangsawan Agung Akaoka. Sudah menjadi buah bibir di masyarakat kalau pewaris klan Okumichi memiliki kemampuan meramal. Belum lagi tindakan mereka yang dianggap aneh karena menerima kehadiran orang asing. Itulah yang dilakukan Genji Okumichi dengan menerima 3 misionaris Kristen ke wilayahnya. Selain masalah itu, Genji juga harus menghadapi pengkhianatan dari orang-orang kepercayaannya, pamannya yang dianggap gila dan... 3 pertanda ya...more
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Read in April, 2005
Membaca buku ini, mungkin kita akan teringat novel ‘Shogun’ – James Clavell. Novel ini berbicara tentang samurai, shogun dan geisha.
Buku ini lumayan tebal, tapi cukup menarik, terutama bagi yang suka sejarah. Buku ini meramu intrik di antara para samurai, kehidupan percintaan dengan geisha, dan pertentangan antara ‘penglihatan’ dan kenyataan, kegelisahan Jepang dengan masuknya orang asing. Menggambarkan Jepang yang masih kolot dan kurang bisa menerima perbedaan dan keterbukaan. Di ...more
Buku ini lumayan tebal, tapi cukup menarik, terutama bagi yang suka sejarah. Buku ini meramu intrik di antara para samurai, kehidupan percintaan dengan geisha, dan pertentangan antara ‘penglihatan’ dan kenyataan, kegelisahan Jepang dengan masuknya orang asing. Menggambarkan Jepang yang masih kolot dan kurang bisa menerima perbedaan dan keterbukaan. Di ...more
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Read in January, 2008
buku yg lumayan tebal tapi g bisa ditinggal begitu kamu membacanya. inilah kesan sederhana yg bisa diungkapin untuk buku ini.
tetang isinya sendiri sangat-sangat tidak monoton. novel yg sedikit banyak menyisipkan sejarah pemerintahan jepang dan perjuangan klan-klan samurai yg ada. penuh strategi untuk menghadapi musuh, tetapi juga tak kalah banyak cerita romantis yang membuat buku ini semakin manis.
menilik dari sisi pria (okumichi no kami genji) bangsawan agung yg segala mcm kebijaksanaan bag...more
tetang isinya sendiri sangat-sangat tidak monoton. novel yg sedikit banyak menyisipkan sejarah pemerintahan jepang dan perjuangan klan-klan samurai yg ada. penuh strategi untuk menghadapi musuh, tetapi juga tak kalah banyak cerita romantis yang membuat buku ini semakin manis.
menilik dari sisi pria (okumichi no kami genji) bangsawan agung yg segala mcm kebijaksanaan bag...more
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Read in September, 2004
The book started out interesting enough, set during Japan's transition between closed and open to the West. The main character, whose name I no longer remember, was fairly satisfying as he interacted with Westerners and evaded his countrymen who wanted to kill him for this. What killed it for me was the end. Now, I am all for relationships between Asian men and Western women, especially since the current ratio is so small and the fetishization of Asian women is so rampant, but there is just s...more
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Read in July, 2007
Huhuhuhu, after finishing this book yesterday, I jumped to find the sequel.
And I couldn't help my self to let this book off my hand since I grabbed it.
I could picture Genji in my head, huihihi, just like Ryusuke Kai in Yokohama. Beautiful long face with slim and sharp nose and deep black eyes.
And the hair.... and I pictured him with no beard or anything hairy in his face -not like the picture in Mushashi's cover-.
Well the cover draw him beautifully.
Phew.
This book reveals how people c...more
And I couldn't help my self to let this book off my hand since I grabbed it.
I could picture Genji in my head, huihihi, just like Ryusuke Kai in Yokohama. Beautiful long face with slim and sharp nose and deep black eyes.
And the hair.... and I pictured him with no beard or anything hairy in his face -not like the picture in Mushashi's cover-.
Well the cover draw him beautifully.
Phew.
This book reveals how people c...more
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in July, 2007
recommends it for:
ermm...
the ending was complete shit¬_¬
i dont usaully hate books so much but the storyline was terrible!
however his style of writing was amazing and i loved reading the first chapter, there were other small parts that really drew me in but when i think back to the story line i felt as if id wasted my time reading this book..
obviously this book will be liked by certain people due to there personalities and interests... i did not enjoy it as it was not my type of story but i would be lying if i sa...more
i dont usaully hate books so much but the storyline was terrible!
however his style of writing was amazing and i loved reading the first chapter, there were other small parts that really drew me in but when i think back to the story line i felt as if id wasted my time reading this book..
obviously this book will be liked by certain people due to there personalities and interests... i did not enjoy it as it was not my type of story but i would be lying if i sa...more
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Read in January, 2005
recommends it for:
Japanophiles; people who like grandiose stories.
"An Epic Novel of Japan" the cover boasts--and perhaps it is, although it serves better as a set up to its sequel than anything else. Still, there are some great moments in here, and the interpretation of Japan that is built upon in this novel is good. The fanstasy elements, while too sparse to qualify the novel for any such genre label, enhance the characters of the story and don't dissuade the reader too much from the historical backrgound. It is only near the end, though, that the a...more
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Read in March, 2008
Kata-kata dapat melukai. Diam dapat menyembuhkan.
Tahu kapan saat untuk bicara dan kapan saatnya untuk diam adalah kearifan seperti yang diceritakan hikayat.
Pengetahuan dapat menghambat. Ketidaktahuan justru dapat membebaskan .
Tahu kapan saatnya untuk tahu dan kapan saatnya untuk tidak tahu adalah kearifan para nabi dan kaum Bijak.
Tak terganggu oleh kata-kata, kediaman, pengetahuan atau ketidaktahuan, sebilah pedang tajam menebas tajam. Ini adalah kearifan seorang prajurit.
Susume no...more
Tahu kapan saat untuk bicara dan kapan saatnya untuk diam adalah kearifan seperti yang diceritakan hikayat.
Pengetahuan dapat menghambat. Ketidaktahuan justru dapat membebaskan .
Tahu kapan saatnya untuk tahu dan kapan saatnya untuk tidak tahu adalah kearifan para nabi dan kaum Bijak.
Tak terganggu oleh kata-kata, kediaman, pengetahuan atau ketidaktahuan, sebilah pedang tajam menebas tajam. Ini adalah kearifan seorang prajurit.
Susume no...more
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in November, 2007
recommends it for:
People interested in Japanese History
I thought the book was good, although I was slightly disappointed at the ending. It is part of a sequel and the set up to the next book is a little much.
The view of how Japanese samurai viewed their role was interesting and dramatic.
I suggest reading it if you plan on reading the second book. I have to admit I haven't decided yet.
The view of how Japanese samurai viewed their role was interesting and dramatic.
I suggest reading it if you plan on reading the second book. I have to admit I haven't decided yet.
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Read in December, 2006
recommends it for:
anyone interested in the Japanese culture
A great story set in Japan in the 19th century. Even if you don't know much about the Japanese culture back then, it is a great read. It flows wonderfully and is always action packed. Takashi Matsuoka does a fabulous job of intertwining a wonderful story line and action scenes together to make a captivating book.
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Read in January, 2005
Very descriptive in introducing Japanese culture, Samurai, and the characters were awesome. Genji's family is blessed (or is it cursed?) with an ability in reading the future. Not all the family members have the ability, though. Only the strong ones survives, but even that can't change destiny.
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recommends it for:
Most readers of fiction
Loved this, loved this, loved this! Sometimes difficult to follow due to the narrator's lack of distinction between time changes, and different characters. Overall a really lovely epic that was written with sensitivity towards all the characters, each of whom was very well-developed.
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Read in June, 2005
bagus banget. i really like also this book. it's about a samurai, pemimpin dari klan *gue lupa* yang bisa ngebaca masa depan. finally get married ama Emily, cewe Amerika yang dateng ke Jepang buat misionaris. Tp intinya, it's a great great book. Seru...and ada 'isi'nya. ^_^
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Gw suka banget ma buku ini..
"Pengetahuan bisa menghambat. Ketidaktahuan justru
membebaskan.
Tahu kapan untuk tahu dan kapan untuk tak tahu,
sama pentingnya dengan pedang yang tajam."
membaca sejarah jepang dan bermain2 dg waktu.
"Pengetahuan bisa menghambat. Ketidaktahuan justru
membebaskan.
Tahu kapan untuk tahu dan kapan untuk tak tahu,
sama pentingnya dengan pedang yang tajam."
membaca sejarah jepang dan bermain2 dg waktu.
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Read in January, 2006
I loved this book. Matsuoka's minimalist prose is absolutely gorgeous. The book is pure unadulterated fun to read, the plot is great. I loathed one of the characters but that didn't stop me from enjoying the book very very much.
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Read in March, 2003
Beautifully written story with samurai, ancient Japan, love stories and battles. This is big, sprawling story and comes close to Clavell's Shogun in being dear to my heart as a reading experience. Highly recommend this one.
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Read in December, 2006
recommends it for:
Bagi yang tertarik pada Bushido, dan cara pikir orang Jepang
Lucu, mengharukan dan banyak pola pikir samurai yang rasanya sulit dimengerti oleh kepala manusia masa kini. Ada sedikit terjemahan yang sulit dipahami, tapi masih lumayan lah dibanding buku-buku terjemahan lainnya.
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Read in November, 2005
Great story, good translation.
But then again, I always love historical fiction/fiction with historical background. More so of Japanese and Chinese history. Hmmm....
But then again, I always love historical fiction/fiction with historical background. More so of Japanese and Chinese history. Hmmm....
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matsuoka, keren. beliau tau banget kehdpn n sejarah para samurai..
baca buku ini jadi kayak mempelajari kehidupan para samurai jaman jepang dulu..
bagus juga..
baca buku ini jadi kayak mempelajari kehidupan para samurai jaman jepang dulu..
bagus juga..
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