Top reviews from the United States

• 

  Aanel Victoria

  5 out of 5 stars

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  Fascinating and masterful historical account

  Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2011

  Format: Paperback

  This book is the conclusion to White as Bone, Red as Blood: The Fox Sorceress.

  "The Storm God" covers seven intricately eventful and fateful years in Japanese history -- years which saw the transition of Japanese culture from refined classical Japan which was at the height of its flowering, to the shogunate period in which the Samurai held sway.

  Fallingstar gives us a rich and detailed look at this critical period, from an insider's point of view. The protagonist Seiko Fujiwara has intimate personal and political knowledge of the various historical players: from the Empress and Emperor and all of their clan and relatives and advisors; to the Heike soldiers and allies who protect the royal family; to the opposing Genji warriors and "barbaric" provincial Northern nobles and peasants; to the innocent women, children, and rural tribesmen caught up in the middle of constantly shifting alliances, betrayals, and plots.

  For readers of The Fox Sorceress (volume one of this two-volume epic), all of our favorite characters are back. Plus we meet new people: new friends, new potential lovers, and new young people and children in Seiko's life. And fascinating to the historically minded are the many political and military movers and shakers who wield so much power during this period, and who cause the shifting sands of fortune to blow in bizarre and unexpected directions.

  Fallingstar's beautiful writing creates an empathetic and compassionate and even poetic and at times erotic flow through all the vagaries of the times, via the wise and eloquent and very observant voice of her protagonist, the poetess and healer/priestess Seiko Fujiwara.

  There is plenty of culture and daily-life detail here to enjoy, in the midst of the panorama of political intrigue and overarching events. Just one example out of many is the fascinating interplay between relatively new Buddhism and ancient animistic Shintoism in late 12th-century Japan.

  "The Storm God" is longer than "The Fox Sorceress." I read it in a relaxed and very comfortable mode, so that I could take the time to soak up the rich and intricate details of the thick and at times complex historical tapestry. Read this way, the book is always rewarding, and hard to put down.

  As the incredible historical saga winds to a close, it feels moving and breathtaking. The final moments of the book are poetic, inspiring, and goose-bump-inducing, as only Cerridwen Fallingstar can make them.

  Highly recommended. This book is a masterful achievement, and a great read.

  PS: The book includes a glossary and a list of principal characters at the end. This proves useful, as two unrelated people have the same name: Tomomori -- one is Sessho's son in his country estate, and one is the Empress Tokushi's brother in Kyoto.

  Also fascinating is the fact that many, if not most, of the people and events in the book can be looked up online. This is especially enlightening after finishing the book -- since Fallingstar has provided, through her apparent past-life memories, rich details and events which have thus far not been present in the "official version" of history which has come down through the ages.

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• 

  Teresa Garcia

  5 out of 5 stars

  Verified Purchase

  Gripping historical novel

  Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2012

  Format: Paperback

  Once again, a fabulous book. I did notice a few typos that snuck in, but that happens with any book, even from the big publishing houses.

  The storyline is sweeping, and I really appreciate how there are so many sub plots to follow. Without dropping any spoilers, since anyone that knows Japanese History knows about what happens with Antoku, I was very interested in the point of view that was being told from. Certainly very different from those watching from in the water. The whole book was handled very well, and had me crying hard at several points because the emotion was conveyed so clearly.

  This book definitely grabbed me, and once I had the time to sit and read uninterrupted, I finished it in two days.

  It is too bad that the story could not follow Seiko through the moon path.

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• 

  Zelena

  1 out of 5 stars

  Verified Purchase

  I can't forgive the basic errors in this book.

  Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2020

  Format: Paperback

  Maybe if the author hadn't of claimed that this is her past life and that this book was "thoroughly researched" in her foreword, I could look past it...maybe if I had read "Fox Sorceress" first as she suggested, maybe - MAYBE I could forgive these egregious ERRORS. But I can't get past the first chapter, nay 6 PAGES, because of them.

  Page 1: She calls Heian-kyo "Kyoto"

  Page 6: "Shigata na gai - it can't be helped." (The phrase is "Shigata Ga Nai" and it literally means "It can't be helped"...if you're going to get the Japanese spelling wrong then just stick with the English translation...if your characters are set in a Japanese setting but the dialog is in English, it should be assumed that they are actually speaking Japanese but the dialogue in English for the convenience of the reader. If you want to say it for dramatic effect then DO NOT literally repeat the meaning INSIDE the quote - it's an impossible scenario...I don't even think this form of English even existed in 1178, BUT even if it did it certainly had not made it's way to Japan, especially since this was the time of Japan's self-imposed isolation from the mainland. The characters would NOT under any circumstance flip from one language to another mid-sentence. If you have to explain it to the reader then don't include it or put the meaning in the footnotes where it belongs!)

  Ok, maybe I'm being too hard on her for using Kyoto. Kyoto is probably easier for the average reader to digest and understand the setting without having to look up "Heian-kyo" on the web. This one I understood, but not during my first reading though. When I read the foreward I was hoping for a full immersion into her past life and really experience Heian culture. And then, when I got to the end of page 1, I closed the book and didn't continue for a few months because I was that upset that I wasn't going to get the full immersion I bought into from the foreward. My bad. But this sets up my anger come page 6.

  So it took me at least 3 months to get over THAT. Imagine when I get to page 6 and I read "Shigata na gai - it can't be helped." I still wouldn't call myself fluent in Japanese, not by a long shot, but I certainly understand more of what I read and hear than I can speak. So when I got to this quote I had to stop, puzzled at first. Then I read it again making sure I wasn't the one that just dyslexicated the quote. I read it again and then put down my book. I was thinking to myself - ["ga" is the particle between two words, "na" does not exist, and the ending of "nai" implies negative there is no "gai" I know what "shigata" means, but...but this is so very wrong - how can this woman who claims this to be her past life and that this book is "thoroughly researched" get this MOST BASIC understanding of Japanese language wrong?] I then went to google translate and confirmed I was right. I forgive the editor for overlooking this mistake, I don't expect them to correct romanized Japanese....but seriously I can not stand nor forgive this.

  Anyway - if you don't know Japanese and have a blanket understanding of Japanese History you probably won't be as offended as I was reading it and your expectations will probably be different. For those that have actually studied Japanese for 4 years or more, and have traveled there, and have extensively studied the history of Japan including having an extensive understanding of the Genpei war - this book will probably annoy the snot out of you.

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• 

  veronique

  4 out of 5 stars

  Verified Purchase

  Haunting and darker than the first one

  Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2019

  Format: Paperback

  This is the conclusion of the past-life memoir of a 12th-C Japanese woman in the royal court. The main characters get put through the wringer, living through war, conquest, imprisonment, etc. If you are like me and are psychically burnt out re: violence against women, you will appreciate that Ms. Fallingstar does not get gratuitous with the details of the common experiences of women in wartime, but still I would not call this book uplifting. Entertaining and haunting, yes. When I read it again it will be under a comforter with a whisky-based hot beverage.

  As in her other books, The Fox Sorceress and The Heart of the Fire, the author delights in the world of the senses -- the feel of jade objects, how little pastries taste, the many patterns of koi scales, moonlight on water, autumn leaves, the personalities of animals and pets, etc. These details stayed with me the most and they do contribute to the feel of a memoir.

  For those of you who like to match perfumes with books, this one reminds me a lot of Etro’s Shaal Nur.

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• 

  Mizdeegz

  3 out of 5 stars

  Verified Purchase

  Mixed feelings

  Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2011

  Format: Paperback

  Well, I was SOOOO excited to see this 2nd in the series (and last, per the author's words in the beginning of the book, which made my heart sink immediately, but, ah..well) was available, being a huge fan of The Fox Sorceress, and The Heart of the Fire, which are among my favorite books. I have to emphasize that I KNOW the author writes about her previous lives, and I ADORE her for that, due to my own experiences with past life memory, and that makes me seek her books out. They give me validation personally, and they are powerful.

  I would guess that most people dont read her novels for that reason, or even understand what I'm talking about, but just giving you my take. Her books touch on the bits of history that we don't remember because they were not written down, or they were written down wrong. I appreciate the author's courage and strength to put this down on paper for us to share. That makes me love her and her novels, even if this book was a big disappointment as far as a read.... I rated The Fox Sorceress as a 5 star, but I didn't enjoy The Storm God nearly as much. I will continue to read everything put out by this author.

  This was a dark period in Japanese history, and Seiko's life was very intense, and this period of Seiko's life in The Storm God was pretty much ALL dark. So I am conflicted as to how to review it. You NEED to read the prequel. The Storm God was dark, all the way through. You had a feeling it was going to end bad, but the ending was darker than I thought (or did I?), and left no closure really. The whole book was dark. I was disappointed. The love scenes this time around felt repeated and empty. Even the cover of the book didn't fit the story at ALL. So I would give the novel as a read, a 2.5 star, I would give the author a 4 star for having the courage and persistence to finish out her story as Seiko... as a Priestess I really hate making any judgement, as I realize it was a REAL experience.

  I won't read this book again because it's not a feel good book..more like reading a tragedy over and over. In fact I finished it late at night and was so disturbed I had to read a fluff book before I went to sleep, which was silly. I will, however, read the Fox Sorceress again, as it is not so monotonous, and not so dark.

  Thank you Cerridwen. Your bravery is an inspiration!

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• 

  Cgates

  5 out of 5 stars

  The story is excellent with rich characters and vivid descriptions

  Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2014

  Format: Paperback

  I adore this book. The story is excellent with rich characters and vivid descriptions. You really get a filling perspective of the HEIAN era. It's a shame this book isn't more well known.

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