another question for stan...

[Steve Hubbell]

Hi again...
quick question... Have you read the fantasy novel "Genpei" by Kara Dalkey? I believe it came out last year and is only in hardcover at this time. It is based on the tale of the Taira and the Minamoto clans... I've just started reading it myself, so I can't really rate it or describe it too well... Maybe I'll get around to reading the copy of "The Heiki Story" by Eiji Yoshikawa next, I've only had it for a year now. Just recently read "Sensei II - Sword Master" by David Charney (and "Rashomon Gate" by I. J. Parker). Have to read something between issues of Uagi Yojimbo, right?:D
Abayo,
Steve

Sorry for any mis-spellings...

[Stan Sakai]

I've never read Genpei, but will definitely try to track it down. Heritage Source usually has a good selection of new historical novels about Japan, as well as those about culture and actual history.

[Steve Hubbell]

Just a note... I mentioned this book is listed as a fantasy... as opposed to a historical... because it depicts the role of Japans various deities and other supernatural elements in the story. An interesting change from the straight historical versions of the Taira and Minomoto feud. It is published by Tor Books.

The mentioning of Yoshitsune (spelling?) in Usagi Yojimbo #65 was a nice suprise and is what made me think to mention Genpei and the other novels set during this time period... I know you prefer to set your stories in the later time period following the age of civil wars, but maybe one of these days you will set a story back in the Heiaen Kyo (spelling?) setting of the Taira and Minomoto...

[Stan Sakai]

maybe one of these days you will set a story back in the Heiaen Kyo (spelling?) setting of the Taira and Minomoto...

One of the prologues in UY Book 12: Grasscutter details the Battle of Dan-no-Ura, the final battle of the Gempei War. Yoshitsune and Benkei are major characters in that section. It goes on to tell how the sword Grasscutter was lost at the bottom of the straits, and of the drowned Heike warriors that were turned into the red crabs that are found in that area. It was those crabs that recovered the blade which Usagi later found.

[Steve Hubbell]

Actually, I had meant another story set during that time period, something a little less "epic" than what you did with the grasscutter prologue. I think I will go back and re-read that story now that you have mentioned it, it's been a bit since I last read it. Wonder if Kara Dalkey's Genpei novel has a similar ending (I still have not finished it).