I would like to thank NetGalley and Open Road Media for the chance to read this e-book in exchange for an honest review. Although I received it for free, that in no way impacts my opinions within this review."Totally absorbing...as gripping a tale of hatred and revenge as you will read...It is superb."NEWS RECORDThis is the story of Nicholas Linnear, half-Caucasian, half-Oriental, a man caught between East and West, between the sexual passions of a woman he can't forget and the one he can't control and between a past he can't escape and a destiny he can't avoid. A sprawling erotic thriller that swings from postwar Japan to present-day New York in a relentless saga of violence and terror elaborately designed for the most savage vengeance of all...This book was first published in 1980, so some of the references and language is a bit dated, yet in no way does that detract from the power of this tale. I should be upfront and say that I did not have particularly high expectations for this book as I am not a big fan of martial arts. I know just enough about martial arts to understand I really know nothing of them.Yet that is not important when reading this book, as you get an excellent education into the basic tenets, but without ever feeling a sense of information overload, for the explanations are shared throughout the course of this narrative.The story is split into five 'books,' each of which is then divided between the past and present. This approach helps clarify the story for the reader, as well as neatly avoiding overuse of flashbacks. Mr. Van Lustbader has a talent for seamlessly moving between layers of history, from A.D. 792 all the way to the present day (presumably 1980). He demonstrates a deep understanding in the differences between Eastern and Western cultures, and how those differences shape their people. Given the vast history Eastern cultures have in comparison to the relatively recent history of Western cultures, it is understandable that the two often find each other incomprehensible. But of course there are those who can see both sides, and find their soul called to the other culture. So it was with Nicholas Linnear's father, the Colonel. He was in the Pacific Theater after Pearl Harbor, and found that he was completely and utterly drawn to Eastern culture and history. He was raised Jewish, a fact very few people were aware of, for he changed his surname once he realized that Jewish people could only advance so far within the English military structure. His father falls madly in love with Cheong, a young Japanese woman whose full ancestry is unknown. She is raised in a traditional Japanese household, but her parents suspected that she may be half Chinese. The Colonel and Cheong marry out of love love, and from this marriage comes young Nicholas. It is clear, with all the different bloodlines that make up Nicholas heritage, just how divided he felt over time. Inheriting his father's occidental features, but being raised in the Japanese culture meant that he had a foot in both worlds, but never seemed to truly be accepted in either. He looked like a Westerner, but thought like an Easterner.The relationships, with their similarities and contrasts between Eastern and Western mind sets, was fascinating to see. And many different experiences, both positive and negative, were used to educate the reader about the yin & yang of East and West. Though the story was clearly fictional, it was extremely well researched and felt authentic. The descriptions, the way things were defined, all helped set not just the tone, but also the pacing of the novel. Seeing the contrast between different time periods in Japanese history was beautiful, and made quite clear the author's reverence for the Japanese culture, and to a smaller extent the Chinese as well. Even the generational differences in how Nicholas and his peers viewed things versus how their elders (parents and grandparents) viewed them was informative. Of course the war was a polarizing event for all, but especially the Japanese, after the atrocities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. However even that was shown through multiple points of view, and Mr. Van Lustbader once again handled a very charged topic with delicacy and respect.In the end the book comes back to the internal schism in a man with feet in two vastly different worlds, and his struggle to reconcile all the varying parts of his heritage. He tackles the challenges laid before him, eventually determining the threat and part of the cause. This situation actually helps him find his center again. Unfortunately he accepts a debt of honor which he feels obligated to pay, regardless of how difficult it may end up making his own life, thus leaving the story wide open for a sequel.The arc of this story is well constructed, as are the characters. Mr. Van Lustbader handles the action scenes as deftly as he handles the emotional lives of the characters. The characters gain depth and dimension as the story progresses, pulling you into their lives, even when you don't necessarily care for the character. While Nicholas Linnear is the main protagonist, there are other, supporting protagonists and antagonists that all play their roles well. Many of them are a blend of protagonist and antagonist, which is parallel to real life. Given the mature sex scenes I would not recommend this book for anyone under the age of 18. Without a doubt this is a fascinating and entertaining read.
Rather than just do a blurb, let me paste some points from a personal analysis I did of the story.OVERALL FEELING: Excellent understanding of the Eastern life and culture; great pacing; lots of intricate weaving of plotSYNOPSIS: Nicholas Linnear (notice the last name; straight as an arrow) is at a crossroads in his life; he has just left his job and met a younger woman with some psychological problems. To top it off, his old nemesis, who he doesn't know about, is on the prowl, wiping people out left and right. And, to make it even worse, he's a ninja. Nicholas, while trying to find Saigo, before he kills all his friends; disappears as we flash back to the earlier History of Nicholas' parents.CONCEPT: First off, it was a timely time to come out . . . right when Japan was doing very well economically (they had started to beat the auto industry) and Americans wanted to learn more about the culture. Toss in a secret group of assassins (known as the ninja) and toss it in New York with promises of sex, corruption and intrigue . . . and we're off to a good start.SPYS/GADGETS/SKILLS: This is where Lustbader excels. There's a plethora of information here about the History of Japan (and even a bit about China) in explaining the origins and continuation of the ninja.(REST CUT OFF BECAUSE OF SPOILERS)PACING: Story moves along nicely. Lustbader knows how to build the story up to a cliffhanger and then use something big to perk our interest before he jumps back to a flashback/another era. Lustbader tries to jump around with lots of different stories and tends to focus on these areas: (1) dark subjects or mystery; (2) sex; (3) Japanese History/Asian History; (4) lovers conflict; or (5) seedy murder investigations. That seems to be his basic formula in the topics he chooses.OVERALL STYLE: This guy has great metaphors; I must have marked over 60 in the book and it's only about 500 pages long! THE LITTLE THINGS: Great details about the outdoors; especially the waves of the oceans and the manner in which the sunlight plays on them. Good character actions during dialogue moments, too.SCORING: Superb (A), Excellent (A-), Very good (B+), Good (B) Fairly Good (B-) Above Average (C+), Mediocre (C ), Barely Passable (C-) Pretty Bad (D+), Dismal (D), Waste of Time (D-), Into the Trash (F)DIALOGUE: A- STRUCTURE: A- CHARACTERS: A- EMOTIONAL IMPACT: A- SURPRISES: A- SPY IDEAS/GADGETS/SKILLS: A INTRIGUE: B+ PACING: A- THE LITTLE THINGS: A OVERALL STYLE: A FLOW OF WORDS: B+ CHOICE OF FOCUS: A- TRANSITIONS/FLASHBACKS/POV: A- COMPLEXITY OF WORDS/SYMBOLISM/THEMES: AOVERALL GRADE: A
What do You think about The Ninja (1985)?
This novel was first published in 1980; Open Road Media is re-releasing some of the titles in the Nicholas Linnear series by Eric Van Lustbader. The Ninja is the first book in the series.The plot itself is divided into five 'books,' each is then further separated amongst the past and present. This method helps illuminate the story for readers, as well as skilfully evading overuse of flashbacks. Van Lustbader has a gift for effortlessly moving among periods of history, from A.D. 792 all the way to the [presumably] 1980s. He exhibits a deep understanding in the variances amid Eastern and Western philosophies.The interactions, with their parallels and disparities between Eastern and Western train of thought, were enthralling to see. Although the story was evidently fictional, it was exceedingly well examined and felt realistic. The imageries all assisted to set not only the tone, but also the stride of the novel.In the end the novel returns to the inner division in a man with his feet in two immensely diverse societies, and his struggle to merge the fluctuating parts of his heritage. The Ninja is a great read for fans of historical fiction. An Advanced Readers Copy of the book was provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.
—Kathy Russo
By turns tranquil and explosive, this is the pinnacle of martial-arts fiction writing. I must have read it ten times and will doubtless return to it again. Linnear is the most compelling and believable of characters in a genre that is usually packed with exaggeration and circus acrobats. The book is not entirely free of magic and mysticism, but in these proportions it fits perfectly. It is a pity that the later books tended to degenerate into oriental sorcery, but this is a stunning opening to the series and stands perfectly well alone.Linnear is a man who stands between East and West, the son of an American diplomat raised in Japan, Western on the outside and Japanese in his heart. Nicholas Linnear takes up the burden of learning bujutsu as a child and becomes one of the greatest living masters of the Japanese fighting arts. With the pain of a broken relationship with a sexually insatiable lover blighting his life, and a conflict with the "black" side of ninjutsu which he has tried to leave in his past, Linnear has come to live in the US and taken a Western lover. The lover's life is bound up by deeper fate with his own, however, and a series of martial-arts-style murders points to a murder contract on her father being executed by a ninja. As an expert on this art he is drawn into the police investigation. As the events spiral closer in towards Linnear and his difficult relationship with the police investigator mutates into friendship, he is forced reluctantly to the realisation that his conflict has come back to pursue him, and he must take up the sword again.This is some of the most graceful and lyrical writing that I have ever encountered; reading "The Ninja" is like entering a dream. The action scenes are absolutely rivetting, and still have me writhing in my seat trying to block as the blows fall. It is the masterpiece of its kind, entirely unique in my experience.
—Elliott Bignell
This is one of my favorite novels of all time, and the first book in one of my favorite series of all time. I'll grant I love a lot of books, but this is one that has stuck with me since I discovered it in high school. I've only now started reading this series again since it finally came out in e-book format.I think I have the Ludlum family to thank for that. I'm not sure if this would have happened if they hadn't decided to enlist Lustbader's aid to continue the Bourne series of books which Robert Ludlum began, once Mr Ludlum passed away.Regardless, it has happened, and I'm immersing myself once again in a series that stretches from wartime Japan of the 1940s (and, in legend, back to the 16th century & further) to the present day. It's an outstanding mix of my love for historical fiction, Oriental mythology and culture, and suspense/thrillers.Part of me is glad that so much time passed between the first time I read this book and this second entry into the world of the white ninja. There were fenceposts, benchmarks throughout the novel which remained with me, but there was much that unfolded as though I was reading it for the first time again.There were also patterns in his writing that I don't recall if I noticed or not on my first time through. He had a thing for danskin, especially as the fabric of women's swimsuits. There are a lot of cirrus clouds in his world. I'm not sure if I latched onto these this time because I was able to, having already read the book before, or if it was simply because of the point in my life in which I'm currently reading it.While parts of this book have been overtaken by time (it was written in 1980), for the most part, it passes that test and holds up quite nicely. If anything, it adds an element of time travel to an overall excellent read.
—Jerome Statema
