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The Night Parade of 100 Demons: A Legend of the Five Rings Novel

Marie Brennan (Goodreads Author)

4.32 · Rating details · 25 ratings · 16 reviews

A thrilling epic fantasy adventure in the astonishing realm of Legend of the Five Rings, as two rival clans join forces to investigate a lethal supernatural mystery

Chaos has broken out in the isolated Dragon Clan settlement of Seibo Mura. During the full moon, horrifying creatures rampage through the village, unleashing havoc and death. When the Dragon samurai Agasha no Is ...more

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Paperback, 336 pages

Published February 2nd 2021 by Aconyte

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Feb 02, 2021 The Captain rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy

Ahoy there me mateys! I received this fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .

I love Marie Brennan and requested this book based on a) her being the author; and b) it dealing with Japanese folklore. I did not know that this book took place in a fictional world called the legend of the five rings which apparently is a card and role playing game. I cannot speak about how it fits into that world but I can speak to how it stands alone.

In th ...more

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Feb 01, 2021 Kamila Komisarek rated it liked it

"That is the meaning of duty. To do what you can, and what you must, even if it is not enough."

"The Night Parade of 100 Demons" by Marie Brennan is a fantasy novel based in Rokugan, the world from Legend of the Five Rings universe. It is firmly based on a feudal Japan, but also includes elements of other Asian cultures as well as magic.
Dragon Clan's samurai, Agasha no Isao Ryotora, travels to help the remote village deep in the mountains. During the full moon, horrifying creatures of all kind "That is the meaning of duty. To do what you can, and what you must, even if it is not enough."

"The Night Parade of 100 Demons" by Marie Brennan is a fantasy novel based in Rokugan, the world from Legend of the Five Rings universe. It is firmly based on a feudal Japan, but also includes elements of other Asian cultures as well as magic.
Dragon Clan's samurai, Agasha no Isao Ryotora, travels to help the remote village deep in the mountains. During the full moon, horrifying creatures of all kinds are attacking the settlement wreaking havoc wherever they go. He finds the situation is far worse than he expected and is also surprised to see another samurai already on the site – a visitor from the Phoenix Clan, Asako Sekken. They are forced to join forces to investigate the case while trying to keep their secrets.
This novel is a real feast for Japanese culture fans. The focus of the book is on spiritual matters – holy rituals, guardian spirits and demons. Everything was described in great details showing us the wealth of Japanese mythology. As the title of the book suggests, the story is based on the folklore tale Hyakki Yakō. I enjoyed discovering all those different creatures and even felt encouraged to read more on Japanese folk tales. It shows that the author is genuinely fascinated with the culture (Marie Brennan is a former anthropologist and folklorist).
Unfortunately, as I love the setting, I didn't care much for the characters. They are both brave samurais doing their best to live by the virtues of Bushido; each has different backgrounds, troubles, and secrets. They also feel mutual attraction toward each other and try hard to keep an appropriate distance. Their stories weren't poorly written, but, ultimately, they fail to ignite any emotions in me. I far more fascinated by intricate culture than their dilemmas.
With novels from Legend of the Five Rings universe, I always consider if it can be read without prior knowledge of this world. And in this case, you don't have to be familiar with the setting at all. Everything specific to Rokugan is neatly explained (there is not much though, mostly the relation between the Clans), and the rest is pure Japanese folklore.
I think "The Night Parade of 100 Demons" can be immensely enjoyed if you like Japanese myths, legends, and folk tales. I didn't have a broad knowledge of the topic but found it even more fascinating after reading this book.
...more

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Feb 02, 2021 Rowena Andrews rated it really liked it

I leapt at the chance to read Night Parade of 100 Demons because while I have only loose knowledge of the world of the Five Rings game, I love Japanese folklore and the Night Parade is a tale that I’m both familiar with from other books and media, but it is also one of my favourites. There is also the fact that this was by Marie Brennan, who I’ve read before and I enjoy the way that she writes, her prose is beautiful and really carries you away, so I was excited for the combination of the two.

Ov I leapt at the chance to read Night Parade of 100 Demons because while I have only loose knowledge of the world of the Five Rings game, I love Japanese folklore and the Night Parade is a tale that I’m both familiar with from other books and media, but it is also one of my favourites. There is also the fact that this was by Marie Brennan, who I’ve read before and I enjoy the way that she writes, her prose is beautiful and really carries you away, so I was excited for the combination of the two.

Overall, I wasn’t disappointed, and the worldbuilding, in particular, stood out for me in this book, not least because it is a culture and mythology that I have been interested in for a long time. A lot of the exploration of the world is done through the characters, as it's through them that we get to learn a lot of the beliefs, the role and conflict of class in this world, as well as the yōkai. However, Brennan does an excellent job of creating a living, breathing setting that went beyond just the supernatural elements, and that really brought the story to life for me, and I was quite happy to keep reading and exploring that aspect of the world. And it has certainly left me wanting to read more within the setting of the Legend of the Five Rings, and it will be interesting to see what different authors bring to this world.

This is a slower-paced story, sometimes to the point where it feels as though we’re not really getting anywhere despite the mystery, and there were a few times where I wandered away from this one and it took a while to come back to it. Not, because I didn’t enjoy it, because whenever I was reading it, I was lost in the worldbuilding and the prose, I just wasn’t hooked into the plot itself. The pace does pick up towards the end, and the final twenty per cent or so I was firmly in the story itself and needing to see how it was all resolved, but I feel as though some of the action could have been brought forward or interspersed a bit more. That said, the slower pace is not necessarily a bad thing, as it gave us the time to explore the world and to get to know the main characters.

I say the main characters because I did find it hard to feel much attachment to any of the other characters, even when they were endangered by the events happening in the village. However, Sekken and Ryōtora more than made up for that as they are both fantastic characters. While they’re both Samurai and bound by the rules and the beliefs that come from that lifestyle, they are enriched by their own individual struggles and strengths, and different situations and backgrounds. I felt that they both worked so well, not just because they complimented and contrasted against one another beautifully, but because the slow pace allowed us to witness their struggles, with themselves, the situation and a village that wasn’t particularly welcoming to them, as well as the attraction (and whether to act on it) between them. The emotion of the story very much lay with them, and through their investigation and the development of their relationship, we get a rich tale of honour and duty and love.

This is a book that slides between genres, cresting between mystery and supernatural fantasy, with a vein of slow-burn romance throughout, but the combination of different approaches helps to bring this book to another level. It wasn’t without its faults, but it was an entertaining and impactful read, that went far beyond its supernatural elements to create a very human, emotional story. ...more

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Jan 07, 2021 Milou rated it liked it

I requested this book through Netgalley because of it’s author (and the cover to be honest), not knowing anything going into it. I was definitely excited though… and sadly somewhat disappointed.

I love the idea of this. Every full moon a remote village gets attacked by a whole host of mythical and magical creatures, and it is up to two samurai to find out why and stop it. Both samurai have their own secrets, the being born into the village and spirited away at a very young age, the other is haunt I requested this book through Netgalley because of it’s author (and the cover to be honest), not knowing anything going into it. I was definitely excited though… and sadly somewhat disappointed.

I love the idea of this. Every full moon a remote village gets attacked by a whole host of mythical and magical creatures, and it is up to two samurai to find out why and stop it. Both samurai have their own secrets, the being born into the village and spirited away at a very young age, the other is haunted by a spirit dog. I loved the idea and the setting was immersive and magical. I am not familiar with the world of Legends of the Five Rings, nor with the Japanse mythology a lot of this is based on, so I cannot judge its accuracy. But for someone as ignorant as me it genuine and like Brennan knows what she is writing about. I would at times get a bit lost in all the different creatures, but again, that is because I am not familiar with them, and I did enjoy looking them up online from time to time.

So why was I disappointed? Well, at no point did I feel invested in the story. While I was reading it I was enjoying myself, but when I put it down I never felt inclined to pick it up again. Nothing really happens till about 85% into the book. The rest is spent talking to villagers and finding out why the attacks happen there. If the book had started with one of such attacks it would have already made a big difference I feel. And sure, Marie Brennan’s Lady Trent books aren’t the most action packed books either. But they have good characters. These guys? Not so much. We switched perspective between the two samurai, but I barely noticed a difference in their inner voice. They are good and proper man… which makes them lack in personality. Only one of the side characters sorta stood out, but again not enough to make me care for her. And then there is the romance… I appreciate the idea, but the execution was so annoying. These two characters are constantly just lusting after each other, but don’t bother to tell each other of their feelings. It is so angsty, which never fails to infuriate me. And it is not like these characters have any chemistry either. I just didn’t care for it whatsoever.

So I am sorry to say I am not a massive fan of this book. It did succeed in making me interested in the world though, so I would love to check out some of the novellas (and hope they suit me better). I ended up giving this a 3* rating. It definitely isn’t a bad book, and I can see people enjoying it for sure. I just needed a bit more from it. ...more

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Feb 04, 2021 S.J. Higbee rated it it was amazing

What is speedily apparent by the blurb alone, is that this swords and sorcery adventure takes place within a Japanese setting, using their pantheon of demons and otherworldly creatures. While the trained samurai dealing with the outbreak are two very different young men from completely different backgrounds. What might not be quite so apparent – I certainly hadn’t realised it while reading the book – is that the world is also part of a very popular role-playing game. To be honest, I offer that i What is speedily apparent by the blurb alone, is that this swords and sorcery adventure takes place within a Japanese setting, using their pantheon of demons and otherworldly creatures. While the trained samurai dealing with the outbreak are two very different young men from completely different backgrounds. What might not be quite so apparent – I certainly hadn’t realised it while reading the book – is that the world is also part of a very popular role-playing game. To be honest, I offer that info-nugget more as a matter of interest. If it encourages you to go and out and get hold of a copy, then I’m delighted – what I don’t want it to do is discourage you from doing so. Because you’ll be missing out a wonderful story.

This tale drew me in from the first. Told in third person viewpoint through the characters of the two samurai who end up in the village trying to help this desperate state of affairs, I loved the setup right from the start. Brennan’s brilliant characterisation and scene setting came to the fore – and then the plot grabbed hold of me and wouldn’t let me go. I’m a tad tired this morning as I stayed up far too late into the wee hours of the morning, unable to put this one down. And I dreamt of it as I slept…

The plot is also a joy – I didn’t see any of the twists coming, and the growing relationship between the two young men is beautifully and tenderly handled. I’m not the most romantic soul – but from halfway into this book, I was willing both these likeable characters to get together. There is plenty of action and lots of tension as the stakes go on growing ever higher – so the appearance of a very sassy cat in the last third of the book was a welcome slice of humour, in amongst the threat and battle. All in all, this is an absolutely cracking read and comes very highly recommended to all fans of excellent fantasy – whether you’ve heard of The Legend of the Five Rings game, or not… While I obtained an arc of The Night Parade of 100 Demons from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
10/10 ...more

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Jan 16, 2021 Faith Hurst-Bilinski rated it liked it

Shelves: netgalley

Marie Brennan writes some good science fiction. This was no different. A town taken over periodically by everything imaginable. Sounds good to me. But, weirdly, it took me a long time to read this book. I'd put it down and when I started reading again I'd pick up something else. I somehow did not feel engrossed in this town. I wasn't invested in it or any of the characters. It was more like an action movie. A lot happening and entertaining at the time, but not really sticking with me outside of ...more

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Jan 27, 2021 Alena rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, 2021, reviewed

A beautifully written Japanese-inspired fantasy which turned out to be somewhat lacking. I liked the world-building which had a lot of Japanese words and some of them were not translated or explained. The premise of a village being haunted by various demons sounded exciting but we actually don't see any of those demons until the last third of the story. Most of it is spent walking around the village, talking to people, and praying. And I also didn't feel anything for the two protagonists and the ...more

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Feb 04, 2021 Simone rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-stars, netgalley, review

“The Night Parade of 100 Demons“ by Marie Brennan [5/5]

Thanks to Aconyte and Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review

This is a book set in the world of the tabletop RPG Legend of the Five Rings. I am not really familiar with it except I know there is a lot of Japanese mythology stuff going on and that samurai and different clans are a thing. My ARC provided me with a quick overview of the setting and while I appreciated it I do not believe one needs to understand the ...more

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Feb 04, 2021 Michael Botterill rated it really liked it

I have been provided with an advance copy of the new Legend of the Five Rings book The Night Parade of 100 Demons by Marie Brennan, published by Aconyte Books, so here is the honest review I promised in exchange for the book.

So here is an important disclaimer which is always important to put out there first. I have a casual work contact with Asmodee to demonstrate board games for them in stores and at conventions. Asmodee being the parent company of Aconyte the publisher.

I am going to try my bes ...more

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Feb 17, 2021 Andrew Jaden rated it it was amazing

I normally don't read tie-ins (I have long memories of Forgotten Realms and Star Wars EU), but this one was well worth it. I debated whether to give it 4 or 5 stars, because while I did enjoy it, I couldn't really pinpoint what made it amazing for me. But I think I'll settle on 4.5 stars and round that up to 5.

So, this book has quite a straightforward premise: Demons are breaking out in a village, two samurai from different clans decide to investigate what's going on, for one reason or another. I normally don't read tie-ins (I have long memories of Forgotten Realms and Star Wars EU), but this one was well worth it. I debated whether to give it 4 or 5 stars, because while I did enjoy it, I couldn't really pinpoint what made it amazing for me. But I think I'll settle on 4.5 stars and round that up to 5.

So, this book has quite a straightforward premise: Demons are breaking out in a village, two samurai from different clans decide to investigate what's going on, for one reason or another. Most of the book isn't about demon-slaying action, however; it focuses on day-to-day life in the village of Seibo Mura, the investigations by the characters and the interactions that happen in the village.

More so than The Memoirs of Lady Trent, it feels like Marie Brennan truly got to use her knowledge of anthropology here! There's a strong sense of ritual and ceremony in many of the events that occur, and a lot of rote repetition -- that actually gives it further depth, because it feels lived in, something people might do frequently. The two main characters genuinely felt like they had their own distinctive thoughts and monologue as well, which made them enjoyable to follow (although Sekken of the Phoenix Clan was much more so). There's also a nice amount of m/m yearning going on, and once more I find myself glad at the presence of queernormative settings in fantasy.

And when there's action, it genuinely feels like it adds to the story, instead of just being a 'oh, let's put this here or the readers might get bored' thing. Again, Sekken particularly delights here, as he's more a guile hero than a mighty warrior, and it's fun to watch him come up with cunning ideas that don't involve him fighting blade-to-blade.

Overall, I think if you like slice-of-life stuff, fantasy of manners, or just a story that's slow and deliberate, with smaller stakes, this might be a good one to look at. It doesn't require much L5R knowledge to start with as well -- the only thing I looked up was what a shugenja was.
...more

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Jan 28, 2021 Shilo Quetchenbach rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc-review, best-books-read-in-2021, favorites, from-publisher, netgalley

I love Marie Brennan's work but wasn't sure about this one because I had no prior knowledge of the game world it's based in and I have only a smattering of knowledge about Japan's mythological creatures. I requested it anyway and I'm so glad I did.

Apparently I've read more about Japan's yokai than I'd thought, because I recognized a great many of them. The setting was easy to accommodate myself to, as it's just a small mountain village in Imperial Japan.

What really shines here is the two main c ...more

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Feb 02, 2021 Adriana rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy

A bit slow in developing, this great fantasy set in an alternate reality Japan definitely pays off in the couldn't-put-it-down action of the ending. By the time we get to the big appearance of the Night Parade, Brennan has expertly developed every character that will have a part in the story and made it impossible not to care about them.
Both Ryotora and Sekken are complex characters. The fact that they're apparently complete opposites only makes it that much better to see how well they interact. ...more

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Jan 21, 2021 Dawn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley

What a fantastic story! "The Night Parade of 100 Demons" has it all - action, adventure, a bit of mystery, great characters, thrilling story, terrific writing, and a satisfying ending. What more could you ask for?! Maybe a bit of folklore and legend? Yep, has that too! So, go grab yourself a copy - you won't regret it!

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion. ...more

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Jan 05, 2021 Engel Dreizehn rated it really liked it

Shelves: advance-reader-copy

ARC COPY...it's been a long time since I last heard of the "Five Rings" World but still the world building is being upheld and even if you don't know the franchise, there is alot of Japanese mythology style goodness combined with mysterious intrigue. The final battle was a fast paced/yokai joy to enjoy. ...more

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Nov 11, 2020 Justine marked it as arcs

Shelves: fantasy

Thanks to NetGalley and Aconyte Books for providing an ARC!

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Feb 21, 2021 Solomon Barber rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Finally, a L5R book featuring Yokai!

Great book! Enjoyed both of the protagonist and addressing aspects of Dragon lands that have nothing to do with monks!

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About Marie Brennan

Marie Brennan

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Marie Brennan a.k.a. M.A. Carrick

Marie Brennan is a former anthropologist and folklorist who shamelessly pillages her academic fields for material. She recently misapplied her professors' hard work to Turning Darkness Into Light, a sequel to the Hugo Award-nominated series The Memoirs of Lady Trent. As half of M.A. Carrick, she is also the author of The Mask of Mirrors, first in the Rook and Rose ...more