Premise
Japan, 1625
A new Drum Master has risen, and soon the nation will fall to the curse of Izanagi. Answering the call of his kotsuzumi, dead warriors abandon their peace to once again roam the land of the living, swinging rusty blades and chattering rotten teeth at his behest.
Japan’s last hope lies in the hands of the nine warriors gathered by the young daimyō of Owari. To reach Onijima, where the source of the curse’s power awaits, the Nine will not only have to face swarms of undead samurai and waves of shinobi mercenaries but even more dangerous to their mission, their inner demons.
Against the undead, the Nine only have two choices, fighting as one or becoming them.
Overview
Name – Undead Samurai
Author – Baptiste Pinson Wu
Genre – Fantasy/Historical Fiction/Action/Horror [Adult Fiction]
Chapters – 23 (plus a Prologue and an Epilogue)
Pages – 4414 (Kindle Reader Locations)
Cover Rating – 8/10 (certainly gives off the vibes!) [Cover designed by Damon Freeman (Damonza)]
Release Date – 13 February, 2024 (Kindle Edition by Little Conqueror Press)
Order at – Amazon
“Received an eARC (Advance Reader Copy) from the author in exchange for an honest review.”
Review
NO Spoilers
Before getting into the review, I would like to thank the author, Baptiste Pinson Wu, from the bottom of my heart. And if you’re wondering that’s simply because of him providing me with a free ARC of his book… then you’re not wrong! But that’s not the sole reason. Here’s how ‘Undead Samurai’ landed in my han… uh, on my Kindle reader –
Firstly, the thing that you should know about me is that I’m not an experienced blogger/reviewer. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. I started this very blog around halfway through 2023 because it combined two of my favorite hobbies – blogging and reviewing. So, I’m still very much an amateur blogger-reviewer, hoping to gradually make it in the blogging-reviewing community.
In January 2024, I happened to come across the author’s X/Twitter post about reviewers who were “brave enough” to give it a go. Having joined the micro-blogging platform in May 2023 myself, I was hesitant to interact directly. But seeing the cover, and going through the very exciting and equally intriguing premise, I just couldn’t help but politely ask about it (wouldn’t know unless I tried, eh?). And guess what… before you know it, I had the ARC mailed to me! It was that quick and that simple! And this being my first-ever ARC, I was literally over the moon! I can’t quite express the feeling of sheer joy and excitement when I first saw the email from the author with the ARC attached to it. It was unreal!
The reason for expressing my gratitude towards the author is due to the simple, yet very appreciable fact that he was willing to share his work with an inexperienced/amateur blogger-reviewer, and that too in an altogether friendly and polite manner. I just had to put this in here before the review.
Alright then. Just a quick reminder if you haven’t noticed already, but we’ve got a fight to join, the undead to battle, and a curse to thwart. So unsheathe your katanas, and let’s begin with…
… what is it all about –
The story takes place in a period of ancient, feudal Japan where Shoguns, Samurai, and Ninjas were all very much prevalent, and at the peak of their powers.
The prologue starts off at Okehazama, 1560. A time of clan wars. We witness one such battle between two fierce rivals. And despite being heavily outnumbered and facing a nailed-on defeat, Nobunaga Oda, the Fool of Owari, somehow completely annihilates his counterpart with relative ease. How did he manage to achieve such a quick, and altogether difficult feat?
There are rumors about “something unnatural” being deployed in the battle… something deadlier and ruthless than humans… something… “undead”. It’s nothing but a rumor… about a curse… which can bring back the dead to life… A rumor that stayed buried for more than 60 years since that very battle, is now about to wreak havoc and bring chaos to the land of Japan…
Back to the present – Jokoji, Owari province, 1625 (65 years later). Meet Ronin – the lone warrior. An ex-samurai in his early thirties, he is nothing but a mere vagrant roaming the lands of Japan in search of food and money. And like countless other wandering and masterless warriors who were a plague for Japan now that the empire was at peace, Ronin is struggling to survive. The news of a certain “challenge” at Jokoji Mountain has created a buzz throughout, and warriors from across the nation have arrived to participate. The organizer? Yoshinao Tokugawa, the young daimyo of Owari. The challenge? Reach the top of the mountain as quickly as possible. The first ten to reach the summit will be rewarded by the daimyo himself. The reward? Whatever they ask of the daimyo… anything they wish, and anything that the daimyo can provide… will be theirs.
But in reality, the challenge is far dangerous and all the more deadlier than just a massive hike or a race to the top. There are going to be certain “obstacles” along the way, making life very difficult for everyone involved. If the participants can brave them all till the end, they will be worthy of the reward. To Ronin, this seems as the perfect opportunity get back on track. And he, like countless others, are willing to risk it all… including their very own lives.
Only a total of nine warriors make it in the end, with Ronin being one of them. The daimyo himself is awaiting the victors at the top of the mountain. The skills required to pass such a challenge were always going to be of the highest caliber, and the daimyo promises that each one of them will eventually get their deserved reward. But the real reason, to everyone’s shock, for which he had organized this challenge, is what requires the utmost attention at present… the infamous and mythical Izanagi Curse.
It is believed that the curse can revive the dead, and whoever manages to get hold of its secret, holds the ultimate power. The secret? An hourglass-shaped hand drum – a kotsuzumi, which when used by the drummer not only awakens the dead, but also grants the power to control them. And this is not all there is to it either. There is rumored to be a hidden island somewhere in Japan – Onijima (Demon Island), which acts as the terrifying source of the curse’s power, and if found by the user, will grant them total dominance enough to bring Japan to its knees… and eventually, the world itself.
The daimyo is deeply concerned and fully believes that the curse may well be true after all, citing the battle at Okehazama all those years ago… where the curse’s power was witnessed first-hand by a lone survivor who lived long enough to tell the terrifying tale. Now, the daimyo’s request to the Nine, and the impending task facing them – find Onijima, and bring a stop to the Izanagi curse once and for all… before the new Drum Master gets to it first. The task is going to be anything but easy, and taking on it head-on will mean that the fate of Japan, and that of the world beyond, now rests in the hands of the Nine…
Japan needs warriors, and the Nine are currently the best there are –
- Ronin – A vagrant ex-samurai, aka the lone warrior.
- Zenbo – A blind, yet deadly warrior monk.
- Tadatomo Honda – A drunk, middle-aged samurai with a knack for humor.
- Musashi Miyamoto – The most famous swordsman in Japan.
- Mikinosuke – Musashi Miyamoto’s only ever student.
- Yuki – The ruthless onna-musha (female warrior).
- Tsuki – A lethal archer, and Yuki’s younger sister.
- Ame – A very skillful musketeer.
- Kiba – A lethal, and equally dangerous shinobi (ninja).
What follows next is the Nine’s journey through Japan in search of Onijima, while being constantly pursued and hunted by deadly shinobis who will stop at nothing… and the ever-present, merciless and blood-thirsty hordes of the kyonshi (the undead), who feel neither fear nor pain. The undead will stop at nothing to turn any and every living soul into one of their own. But to put an end to any undead is a challenge in itself… How do you kill what is already dead?
Skills will be severely tested. Boundaries will be pushed to the very limits. Strong bonds of love and friendship will be formed. Sacrifices will be demanded. Honor will be challenged. A powerful curse will be unleashed. And the fate of Japan will hang in the balance… Can this motley group of warriors overcome this seemingly near impossible task before time runs out?
What really impressed me about it?
- First off, it’s fast-paced! Not a single moment throughout the book felt slow/boring/dull at any point whatsoever.
- Secondly, it’s action-packed to the very brim. Some scenes literally felt like they could be out of an anime! The numerous action sequences were just so exciting to read, especially considering the fact that pretty much every character had their own specialized weapon(s) to fight with!
- The writing was very good. I was constantly hooked to the plot, and was always itching to know what was coming up next.
- The characters were very well “characterized”, and were layered owing to their respective past/backstories.
- The themes involved – honor, sacrifice, redemption, trust, valor, love, friendship, etc. were nicely put forth.
- The whole ancient/feudal Japan vibe was very well depicted too.
- The ending was very much satisfactory, and the respective arcs were given a nice conclusion.
- The ‘Author’s Notes’ mentions – This novel is really a love letter to Japan, its culture, and its history. I think the author definitely manages to do justice to that notion.
What wasn’t quite up to the mark?
Honestly, I can’t think of anything majorly significant here. The only “issue” that I faced personally was the Japanese names/pronunciations. I was struggling a little bit in getting used to them initially. But as the story went along, it became much easier to do so. Nothing much to complaint about really.
Some quotes/dialogues –
“If you want to hit your target,” she went on, nocking the second arrow, “you’ll hit your target. But if you want to destroy your target—” Another clap of thunder followed the second release. “— you’ll destroy them and their will to fight.”
“We have peace. But being at peace and having no enemies isn’t the same.”
Ikeda Sen to Tsuki
Don’t let the enemy dictate the pace, Musashi had taught him many times over, so the boy bolted toward the threat.
Look past the enemy. Misdirection only works on focused eyes.
We use two swords to attack and defend at the same time.
Nothing breaks past two swords.
Text
War was ugly. The thought of losing someone was heartbreaking. And the world wasn’t safe.
Text
“We train and hone our skills, but truly it is our spirit that we strengthen with each swing of the blade. Every drop of sweat, every blister, every cramp, we suffer them to build the confidence that no matter who we face, we will come out on top. And often, the victor is the one who had the most faith in himself, not the most skilled one.”
Musashi Miyamoto
“Can you believe how easily we speak of curses and magic?” Rōnin asked, scoffing. “Until a few days ago, I thought a caterpillar changing into a butterfly was the closest thing to it, and even that I knew was not magic.”
“Seeing the dead rising to the sound of a drum changes one’s perspective, doesn’t it?” the warrior monk said.
“That it does.”
Conversation between Ronin and Zenbo
Other info.
- A glossary is present at the start, mentioning various Japanese words/terms, their counterparts in the form of symbols/writing, and their meaning. Certainly makes life easier for the reader! Also, you get to learn some Japanese, eh? For instance –
- Shinobi 忍び: Another word for ninja.
- A map of the ‘Early Edo Period’ of Japan, 1625 is present at the start (I love me some maps!).
- The book is written in a “third person” perspective/POV throughout. The chapter numbers are present along with the respective name(s) of the character/POV that it focuses on. Not only that, different illustrations are also present for each such POV along with the name and the number. For example – the chapters from Kiba’s POV had the illustration of “a demon mask” which the shinobi dons, and so on for the others. That was a good touch!
- And finally, the author more than just “hints” at possible future stories in this “world”… and I’m all here for it!
Final thoughts
This was a total blast! I honestly enjoyed it to the fullest. The pages just flew by! I mean, the premise had me very excited to begin with. And you know what? I was not disappointed whatsoever. The expectations were more than just met, and how so! Consider this – fast-paced, full of action, samurai, ninjas, zombie warriors, and ancient Japan… What’s NOT to like about that?! I really had a fun time right from page one itself. This was my first-ever read from the author, but it most certainly won’t be the last, that’s for sure. I highly recommend that you go for it!
Rating: – 9.4/10 (AWESOME!)
Moving at breakneck speed, with the undead aplenty, this action-packed tale set in ancient Japan delivers from start to finish. You better get ready to “join the fight”…
