"The Beast Player", by Nahoko Uehashi is a fantasy tale ,translated from the Japanese version with a very different kind of world building and storyli"The Beast Player", by Nahoko Uehashi is a fantasy tale ,translated from the Japanese version with a very different kind of world building and storyline also.The original was titled "Kimona No Soja " and published as four volumes from 2006 to 2009.The series was so popular that it has been adapted into a Manga version and also an anime series on Japanese Television Nahoko Uehashi ,is in fact a famous teen fiction writer in Japan and is also famous for the "Moriboto " series of books. This is a world where huge serpents called the Toda are trained for battle by the Aluhan who use them to defend the borders of the country ruled by the Yojeh (divine Goddess).The Yojeh are in turn protected by the huge magnificent ,golden royal beasts who can fly in the sky and whose natural prey are the Toda.It is a world where humans fight their wars using these fierce animals without realizing the harm caused to the animals.Erin,the heroine is orphaned at a very young age and she has a heart filled with compassion for these animals .She is the only one who can communicate with the beasts and this gift makes her get caught in the murky waters of state politics. This is a very beautiful book with writing that just flows like a smooth stream,peaceful and calm.The natural descriptions were really wonderful including two or three chapters on bees.I loved the heroine Erin who is exceptionally quiet and looks at the world with different eyes.She is innately curious and wants to know everything about the animals she comes across.There is a lot of discussion about using creatures who are meant to be in the wild for their own selfish reasons. The only thing I did not like was the abrupt ending.It was as though the story was left hanging Midway . Recommended for all fantasy lovers who are looking for something different🤩...more
Spite,malevolence,animosity,hostility, jealousy,hatred,bitterness,revenge. My eternal search for the perfect murder mystery that will thrill me to the tSpite,malevolence,animosity,hostility, jealousy,hatred,bitterness,revenge. My eternal search for the perfect murder mystery that will thrill me to the toes led me to the shores of Japanese murder fiction.This is my second Higashino novel ,the first being the critically acclaimed "The Devotion of Suspect X ".This is a well crafted novel by Higashino and he has explored "malice" at every possible level.We have two writers Hidaka who is extremely popular with bestsellers and Nonoguchi ,a less popular children's writer.Then the famous Hidaka is found dead in his writing room by Nonuguchi and he has left an unfinished novel.This brings in the third character ,the detective Kaga who is called to investigate the crime and who also happens to know Nonoguchi from years before.Thats all there is to it - such a simple plot.But Higashino has weaved a Freudien tale and we slowly realise that all is not what it seems to be. Nonoguchi was in love with Hidaka's dead wife and there is childhood rivalry,bullying,plagiarism added to the fact that there is a constant cat and mouse game between the detective and Nonoguchi. Higashino shows us that hatred and jealousy of the heart have the capability of growing over the years and festering into un healing wounds which would lead to unholy acts like murder and that perhaps is the greatest danger of malice . Recommended to all lovers of mystery!!!!...more
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