Samurai Fiction

[Lowtardog]

Ok I have a googldy few Films to watch but was wondering if anyone has recommendations for good fiction with samurai etc

I ahve read 47 Ronin, The 5 rings and Shogun so anyhting else out there to insprie the project, whihc at present is sitting at lots of lead and 16 Ninja painted

[joroas]

Chris Bradford's Young samurai series of books is a Harry Potter meets Shogun spin off and the Otori series by Lian Hearn are both modern novels aimed at older teenagers.

[Pentaro]

I love the original "Lone wolf & cub" comics by Goseki Kojima. Great art, great stories. Adults only!

[Sheerluck Holmes]

"Musashi" by Eiji Yoshikawa - a big book and one I enjoyed very much.

The Otori novels are good. Whilst not actually set in Japan, they are set in a fictional land that mirrors Japan.

[DoctorPete]

Tomoe Gozen by Salmonson.  It's a trilogy about a female samurai set in a fictional Japan-like nation.  Fun read with interesting samurai characters.

[Bosch]

Laura Joh Rowland's Sano Ichiro mysteries.

[majorsmith]

Samurai executioner series and also path of the assassin both by the same authors of lone wolf and cub, fantastic books and highly reccomended

[traveller]

Shike by Robert Shea - great read!

[Henrix]

It might not be exactly what you're after, but I'm a big fan of Lafcadio Hearn's collections of japanese ghost, and other, stories.

A lot of them are available for free for e-readers.

Other than that I really second Musashi.

[Plynkes]

I read Cloud of Sparrows by Takashi Matsuoka on holiday once and found it a rather enjoyable romp. Set in the 19th Century, a sort of East meets West deal, told from the point of view of both Japanese and American characters. A bit of mystical mumbo-jumbo, sword and gun fights, plenty of plotting and intrigue.

Not quite "The Last Samurai" but set roughly at that time, when Japan was opened up to foreigners.

[Lowtardog]

Many thanks for all the suggestions, the kindle has been on full order mode and keeping an eye out for some in paper fashion

[white knight]

I read Cloud of Sparrows by Takashi Matsuoka on holiday once and found it a rather enjoyable romp. Set in the 19th Century, a sort of East meets West deal, told from the point of view of both Japanese and American characters. A bit of mystical mumbo-jumbo, sword and gun fights, plenty of plotting and intrigue.

Not quite "The Last Samurai" but set roughly at that time, when Japan was opened up to foreigners.

I was going to recommend that one too. 

[Skrapwelder]

I read Sword of the Demon when it first came out and remember enjoying it.

http://www.amazon.com/Sword-demon-novel-Richard-Lupoff/dp/0060127171

You might also try "Tale of the Genji" and "Tale of the Heike"

[JollyBob]

I was going to recommend that one too. 

So was I.    A great book, heartily recommended. There's also a sequel which is worth checking out.

What about Usagi Yojimbo? Yeah, I know, furries... But the stories are epic, the characters beautifully realised and it has a very evocative sense of place and time. Not as juvenile as you think.

[chantyam]

Usagi Yojimbo -thats new to me but now I see where Eureka got Samurai Rabbits from