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Tomoe Gozen #2
The Golden Naginata
In the next dimension there is a world very much like ours, and on this world is an island nation much like our own Japan. In Naipon, however, the myths and dreams of the Japanese people are clothed in reality- sorcerers make magicks great and small, creatures out of legend walk the land from sea to sea. In Japan, magic exists now only in children's tales. In Naipon, the wonder never died...
In this land travels the one they call Tomoe Gozen - a warrior who is half legend herself, so skilled is she in swordplay and the other arts of the samurai. This is her story: of how she chose between pathways of duty and freedom, between love and honor, and how she came to bear the splendid sword called The Golden Nainata.
In this land travels the one they call Tomoe Gozen - a warrior who is half legend herself, so skilled is she in swordplay and the other arts of the samurai. This is her story: of how she chose between pathways of duty and freedom, between love and honor, and how she came to bear the splendid sword called The Golden Nainata.
307 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 1984
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 26, 2021
The second Tomoe Goezen book is in the same format as the first: Four nearly independent novellas under one cover, with no more than scene breaks within them. Like last time, they are different stories, with different tones, but there is an overall arc that ties the four together.
The episodic nature is made a bit more pronounced here by many (but not all) of the secondary characters from the first volume being absent here. Japanese myth is still ever-present in this world, and continues to be an important way of how the world and story works. This time we also have the Gempei War, or at least a good susbititute, and that forms the arc that ties the book together, as she ends up married to the ambitious Lord Kiso (Minamoto no Yoshinaka) in the first part, and his attempt to set up his own Shogunate is the background to the second part and the focus of the third.
Tomoe is much more distant as a character in this book, which certainly drags it down some, as well as the fact that there's large chunks where she is more acted upon than acting. A problem particular to my Kindle edition, is that the publisher put an ad for themselves right after the third and "final" part... which can easily obscure that there is a long epilogue after that which is nearly as extensive as the main three parts.
The episodic nature is made a bit more pronounced here by many (but not all) of the secondary characters from the first volume being absent here. Japanese myth is still ever-present in this world, and continues to be an important way of how the world and story works. This time we also have the Gempei War, or at least a good susbititute, and that forms the arc that ties the book together, as she ends up married to the ambitious Lord Kiso (Minamoto no Yoshinaka) in the first part, and his attempt to set up his own Shogunate is the background to the second part and the focus of the third.
Tomoe is much more distant as a character in this book, which certainly drags it down some, as well as the fact that there's large chunks where she is more acted upon than acting. A problem particular to my Kindle edition, is that the publisher put an ad for themselves right after the third and "final" part... which can easily obscure that there is a long epilogue after that which is nearly as extensive as the main three parts.
November 5, 2019
Excellent Book 2. Tomoe's personal journey continues with a couple of unexpected life changes. It's a little less mystical than the first book, but still deeply laden in Shinto and Buddhist lore. There is a lot of really interesting Japanese/Samurai culture mixed into a series of great battles, quests of revenge and a very high body count.
August 16, 2022
Please sir, may I have some more?
June 3, 2025
Upon redeeming herself of her darkness, the fierce samurai warrior Tomoe Gozen is on the run from a betrothal she is forced into by her father. This will set her down a path that will lead not only to the fabled Sword of Okio, but also to the legendary Golden Naginata……
The first eponymous Tomoe Gozen novel by Jessica Amanda Salmonson was fast-paced, thrilling, action-packed heroic fantasy filled with battles and political intrigue, of that there is no doubt. The second volume in the trilogy, The Golden Naginata is done in a similar vein, but the action is dialed back just a bit in favor of political intrigue and quest elements, but it is still almost just as good as the first.
In this volume, Tomoe continues her adventures, and, fleeing from a forced betrothal laid up on her by her father, happens upon a plot hatched by a nefarious giant and his compatriots against an innocent sword-smith and his family. The sword-smith has already been killed, and his ghost cries out for vengeance from beyond the grave. Also, hot on Tomoe’s trail is a sinister demon known as a Tengu, who has become her sworn enemy, as well as a mysterious female occultist that haunts her path. Tomoe will eventually be led to the legendary weapon known as the Golden Naginata, and to the very Gates of Hell itself.
Although it is somewhat slowed down, the action is still very prevalent in this second book of the trilogy, with plenty of battle scenes to be had. The political intrigue, even more intricate in this book, is also enjoyable, and there is again an overall dark moodiness that is very similar to the first one. There are, however, some disappointments I found in the storyline that made me knock a star off the rating of this book, but that’s just me, and your mileage may vary. Still a pretty impressive installment in the Tomoe Gozen Saga.
I give Thousand Shrine Warrior by Jessica Amanda Salmonson a 4 out of 5.
The first eponymous Tomoe Gozen novel by Jessica Amanda Salmonson was fast-paced, thrilling, action-packed heroic fantasy filled with battles and political intrigue, of that there is no doubt. The second volume in the trilogy, The Golden Naginata is done in a similar vein, but the action is dialed back just a bit in favor of political intrigue and quest elements, but it is still almost just as good as the first.
In this volume, Tomoe continues her adventures, and, fleeing from a forced betrothal laid up on her by her father, happens upon a plot hatched by a nefarious giant and his compatriots against an innocent sword-smith and his family. The sword-smith has already been killed, and his ghost cries out for vengeance from beyond the grave. Also, hot on Tomoe’s trail is a sinister demon known as a Tengu, who has become her sworn enemy, as well as a mysterious female occultist that haunts her path. Tomoe will eventually be led to the legendary weapon known as the Golden Naginata, and to the very Gates of Hell itself.
Although it is somewhat slowed down, the action is still very prevalent in this second book of the trilogy, with plenty of battle scenes to be had. The political intrigue, even more intricate in this book, is also enjoyable, and there is again an overall dark moodiness that is very similar to the first one. There are, however, some disappointments I found in the storyline that made me knock a star off the rating of this book, but that’s just me, and your mileage may vary. Still a pretty impressive installment in the Tomoe Gozen Saga.
I give Thousand Shrine Warrior by Jessica Amanda Salmonson a 4 out of 5.
June 28, 2023
I was deeply disappointed by the way that this book seems to have stripped out pretty much all the queerness of the first book. If you were to pick up this book without having read the first, there would be no indication that Tomoe is attracted to women at all. The beautiful ninja who seemed set to become the main love interest doesn't appear and in fact is never even mentioned. Tomoe's tendency to note the attractive qualities of almost every single woman she interacts with is gone; one character who got this treatment in book 1 is described a few times as "beautiful" but it comes off as an objective description that comes directly from the narrator, rather than as something that relates Tomoe's point of view. The nature of Tomoe's past relationship with Lady Shigeno is never mentioned either; it's possible that someone who had not read the first book might be able to infer that her decision to cut Tomoe off entirely after Tomoe marries (out of familial duty/filial piety) is in part driven by jealousy and hurt, but the subtext is extremely subtle. The book essentially shoves Tomoe into the closet and shuts the door, which is a jarring change from how explicit and unapologetic the first book is about her sexuality. (There aren't even any mentions of queer relationships/attraction between other women; there are a few brief mentions of such between men, mostly characters who are secondary at best, but that's it.) I don't really have much grounds to speculate, but the only way this makes sense to me is if the original publisher leaned on the author to tone it down--so I don't really blame her, but still, it's a letdown.
August 28, 2014
2.5 stars - it was just ok.
In the first book, Tomoe Gozen is a lady samurai, and no one ever questions that. She is just as strong as a male, she is able to go out on adventures without anyone taking advantage of her femaleness, and the love interest is, in fact, a lady.
From the first page of this sequel, she is no longer free to roam around adventuring or revenging. She must do her duty, and her duty is to have children. The duels do not become "You are a woman, so you are not worthy of fighting me," it is almost worse. It is "You are a woman, so it is your duty not to fight me." I get it, that is basically the most Japanese thing. But we already know this takes place in an alternate universe. Couldn't the ladies in that universe be free to do what they want?
Even worse, it makes Tomoe Gozen come across as whiny, while I wanted her to be so rad and kill all the bitches.
I am hoping that the last book will tie it all up nicely, as the ending of this book did give me some hope.
In the first book, Tomoe Gozen is a lady samurai, and no one ever questions that. She is just as strong as a male, she is able to go out on adventures without anyone taking advantage of her femaleness, and the love interest is, in fact, a lady.
From the first page of this sequel, she is no longer free to roam around adventuring or revenging. She must do her duty, and her duty is to have children. The duels do not become "You are a woman, so you are not worthy of fighting me," it is almost worse. It is "You are a woman, so it is your duty not to fight me." I get it, that is basically the most Japanese thing. But we already know this takes place in an alternate universe. Couldn't the ladies in that universe be free to do what they want?
Even worse, it makes Tomoe Gozen come across as whiny, while I wanted her to be so rad and kill all the bitches.
I am hoping that the last book will tie it all up nicely, as the ending of this book did give me some hope.
January 20, 2016
The second book in the trilogy. Acceptable but somehow I felt that it lacked something. As it is, it was a reasonably OK read. I did find it strange that the author chose to use the same name, Hidemi Hirota, for a samurai who appears in the second book which was the exact same name for the lord who presided over the climatic duel in the first book. Given that they were not the same persons, why didn't the author simply pick another name? It was a jarring element that spoilt that portion of the book.
But apart from that point, I had the same complaint as for the first book. It was missing something and I just could not get into it as much as I would have liked.
But apart from that point, I had the same complaint as for the first book. It was missing something and I just could not get into it as much as I would have liked.
August 9, 2024
When you get chosen for The Reading Life, there are going to be moments when you have to be honest with yourself and admit, "I am not enjoying this." I at least gave it a shot but none of the characters were interesting enough to hold my attention. There's stuff going on, I will give it that, but I wasn't enthralled enough to want to keep reading.
June 15, 2007
See Tomoe Gozen.
December 22, 2014
Great second book. The character of Tomoe Gozen is becoming one of my favorite. There is a lot of action as well as shinto and buddhist mythology. I am looking forward to the third book.
December 6, 2010
Book 2 of the series, not quite as strong as the first but still solid.
April 3, 2013
Continued the legacy of the first installment; an excellent read!
June 4, 2018
Not as good as the first volume. Tomoe was impetuous and stubborn sometimes. The pacing slowed down at the end.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews