Booklife Prize Judges Assessment

Title: The Moving Blade

Author: Michael Pronko

Genre: Fiction/Mystery/Thriller

Audience: Adult

Word Count:94,182

Assessment:

Plot: Pronko has written a fast-paced, highly entertaining tale steeped in elements of Japanese culture to follow his first book in the Detective Hiroshi series. The book is just the right length for readers to enjoy in a few suspense-filled sittings, and the storyline is creative and wraps up nicely.

Prose: Pronko’s prose flows well and his knowledgeable and respectful use of Japanese and other Asian phrases and cultural references are perfectly inserted into the story at appropriate times. Pronko’s dialogue is cleverly crafted and never feels stilted.

Originality: The Moving Blade is fresh and original. The contemporary issues that the Japanese face with American military bases may prove to be a novel topic for many mystery/thriller readers.

Character Development: The characters are drafted realistically and feel authentic. Pronko clearly strives to present characters from various cultures, such as Detective Hiroshi and sumo wrestler Sakaguchi, accurately and fairly.

Blurb: A stellar novel with a unique storyline and setting.

Score:

Plot/Idea: 9
Originality: 9
Prose: 10
Character/Execution: 9
Overall: 9.25

Report Submitted: September 8, 2018

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