I just finished this account of the rise and fall of perhaps the most feared and respected group of samurai in feudal Japan. Hilsborough writes in a rather irritating manner, insisting on repeating buzzword-like phrases such as ‘propensity to kill’ and the Nietzsche-lite ‘will to power’ ad nauseum, but I rather like his gung-ho attitude to reliability of sources, his honesty about said attitude, and his subject matter is utterly fascinating. Whether or not one is familiar with the legendary corps, much romanticised in various anime and live-action dramas, the account here is compelling, by turns chilling and deeply sad, showing an alien set of values that meant the deaths of hundreds of men, and chronicling a turbulent time in world history.
The subject is ripe for Memoirs of a Geisha-style western adaptation. I wonder if anyone will plunder this particular treasure chest any time soon…
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