Turtle Reader

A new book today. Shike by Robert J. Shea. At first glance, I thought it was about monks and almost skipped it (priests are nice but often all not that gripping [kungfu varieties aside]). For example the first two paragraphs: They stripped Jebu naked. They threw his yellow aspirant’s tunic into the fire bowl on [...]

He slid his hand into the breast of his robe and brought out something that sparkled in the light of the rising full moon. He put it into her hand. The surface felt rough to her fingertips, but when she held it up she saw that it was intricately carved. A tracery of fine lines [...]

“Very well, then,” she said. “If you won’t stay with me, I will go with you.”His grey eyes widened. “You will give up your position, leave your family and home, and travel all the way across the world with me?”“Will you take me?”After a long silence he said, “It would make the trip more difficult, [...]

“I’m sorry our love is such a burden to you, Jebu. But it seems you have the strength, somehow, to part from me.” He seemed to be trying to make it sound as if his sufferings were equal to hers, which could not possibly be true.“For me to refuse this responsibility would leave me with [...]

“Please greet him for me when you see him. And also tell his lordship Shogun Sametono that I hope to see him at his convenience. I am anxious to learn what progress he has made with Joshu’s No.”Chapter Twenty-Seven Taniko’s heart fluttered nervously, partly in happy excitement, partly in fear, as she rode ahead of [...]

She thought long. “You play upon my love of country to persuade me to sacrifice the man who is my life.”“The first branches of the Order Jebu visits will be those in China and Mongolia. He will meet with people who are trying to influence the course of events in those countries.”“You can’t promise me [...]

Sakagura did not speak to him again until the kobaya was tied up at a makeshift pier at Hakozaki. Then, after they had both climbed out, he turned and faced Jebu.“Excuse me, shiké, but what you don’t understand is that I am very much like my father. He told me how he once promised to [...]

At last he was looking into the few remaining Mongol faces, angry, frightened, determined, ready to die. With a gesture he pushed back the ring of samurai, bristling with swords and naginatas.“All right,” he called in Mongolian, raising his voice to be heard above the wind and the rain. “There has been enough fighting. Your [...]

“We’ll lose many men finishing them off,” said Jebu.“Our men want to draw blood today,” Zumiyoshi growled. “They’re angry, they’ve come out here in this storm to fight, and it’s Mongols they want to kill.”“I came out in this storm because I can speak to the Mongols and might persuade them to surrender,” Jebu said. [...]

One word or sound, over and over again. Jebu could not hear it, but knowing Sametono he was sure it could be only one cry: “Kwatz! Kwatz! Kwatz!”Chapter Twenty-Four Though Jebu sensed that it must be mid-morning, it was dark as midnight in Taniko’s bedchamber. She was awake beside him, and he could feel her [...]