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The Samurai and the Prisoner

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About this listen

 The winter of 1578, four years prior to the Honno–ji Incident. Araki Murashige has betrayed his ally Oda Nobunaga and holed himself up in Arioka Castle—but a string of unsettling incidents within the castle walls has him at his wit’s end. The desperate warlord’s only hope for solving these mysteries is imprisoned in the castle’s dungeon: a man named Kuroda Kanbei, one of Oda’s most gifted strategists. When all the conflict and intrigue come to a close, what will these two men have gained…and lost? Award–winning author Honobu Yonezawa’s English–language debut is a page–turning blend of historical and detective fiction. Historical International Mystery & Crime Mystery Fiction Exciting Crime
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There are two significant problems with this recording that detract from overall story. The translation seems to have been done by a non-native English speaker. The dialogue in particular wobbles from current American English to medieval English with little consistency. The countless repeats of "with bated breath" are tedious to say the least. The narrator lacks variety in his characterisations. This is unfortunate, since there is quite an array of characters and at times it is difficult to decide who is speaking. That said, the accurate delivery of the Japanese names and phrases is good to hear.

It's a shame since the story presents a nice window on a fascinating period in Japanese history

A fascinating tale that is flawed

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