Category Novel

CHAPTER 13 : Part 1 – Shogun That night Toranaga could not sleep. This was rare for him because normally he could defer the most pressing problem until the next day, knowing that if he was alive the next day…

CHAPTER 12 – Shogun As Toranaga watched the barbarian leave the room, he took his mind regretfully off the startling interview and came to grips with the more immediate problem of Ishido.   Toranaga had decided not to dismiss the…

CHAPTER 11 : Part 2 – Shogun   “Yes. It’s our custom, Sire. To be paid and to have a share of all plun—of all trade and all enemy goods captured.”   “So you’re a mercenary?”   “I was hired…

CHAPTER 11 : Part 1 – Shogun Yoshi Naga, officer of the watch, was a mean-tempered, dangerous youth of seventeen. “Good morning, Sire. Welcome back.”   “Thank you. Lord Toranaga’s expecting me.”   “Yes.” Even if Hiro-matsu had not been…

CHAPTER 10 : Part 2 – Shogun   “Do you want to rest now?”   “No, Ingeles. Talking’s better. Talking helps to take the pain away. Madonna, my head hurts! I can’t think clearly. Let’s talk until you go ashore.…

CHAPTER 10 : Part 1 – Shogun  Their journey from the bay to Osaka was uneventful. Rodrigues’ rutters were explicit and very accurate. During the first night Rodrigues regained consciousness. In the beginning he thought he was dead but the…

CHAPTER 9 : Part 2 – Shogun You will be my vassal, Anjin-san!   He went down the side of the cliff with great skill. When he was halfway down he slipped. His left hand held onto an outcrop. This…

CHAPTER 9 : Part 1 – Shogun  They were quickly on land. Blackthorne intended to lead but Yabu usurped that position and set a strong pace, which he was hard put to keep up with. The other six samurai were…

CHAPTER 8 : Part 3 – Shogun   “Hai, Anjin-san?” the mate asked. He was a middle-aged man with strong white teeth and a broad, weatherbeaten face. A livid bruise marked his cheek where the sea had battered him against…

CHAPTER 8 : Part 2 – Shogun   He opened the well-oiled lock and took out his private rutter to check some bearings for the nearest haven and his eyes saw the sealed packet the priest, Father Sebastio, had given…

CHAPTER 8 : Part 1 – Shogun   “What do you think, Ingeles?”   “I think there’ll be a storm.”   “When?”   “Before sunset.”   It was near noon and they were standing on the quarterdeck of the galley…

CHAPTER 7 : Part 5 – Shogun   “Iyé,” the samurai said, shaking his head. “Kasigi Yabu-sama!”   “IYÉ?” Rodrigues said. “Kasigi Yabu-sama? I’m from Toda Hiro-matsu-sama, who’s a bigger king than your bugger and Toady-sama’s from Toranaga-sama, who’s the…

CHAPTER 7 : Part 4 – Shogun   “Forty-nine degrees fifty-six minutes North—and watch out for the reefs that bear sou’ by sou’west.”   “You’re the pilot, by God!” Rodrigues shook Blackthorne’s hand warmly. “Come aboard. There’s food and brandy…

CHAPTER 7 : Part 3 – Shogun   What about the barbarians? Now they’re your only profit from the ship. How can you use them? Wait, didn’t Omi give you the answer? You could use their knowledge of the sea…

CHAPTER 7 : Part 2 – Shogun   What about the barbarians? Now they’re your only profit from the ship. How can you use them? Wait, didn’t Omi give you the answer? You could use their knowledge of the sea…

CHAPTER 7 : Part 1 – Shogun   Toda Hiro-matsu, overlord of the provinces of Sagami and Kozuké, Toranaga’s most trusted general and adviser, commander-in-chief of all his armies, strode down the gangplank onto the wharf alone. He was tall…

CHAPTER 6 : Part 2 – Shogun   “You’re more than just a little clever.” Yabu laughed. “You’re put in charge of the animals. Omi-san, trainer of men!”   Omi laughed with him. “I’ll try, Lord.”   “Your fief is…

CHAPTER 6 : Part 1 – Shogun  All eyes in the pit went to Blackthorne.   “What do they want with me?”   “I don’t know,” Father Sebastio said gravely. “But you must come up at once.”   Blackthorne knew…

CHAPTER 5 : Part 2 – Shogun She smiled. “Yes.”   “I’m glad. At first I was very frightened. It’s very good to please.”   Together they dried Yabu gently and covered him with the quilt. Then the boy lay…

CHAPTER 5 : Part 1 – Shogun  Just before first light, the cries had ceased.   Now Omi’s mother slept. And Yabu.   The village was still restless in the dawn. Four cannon had yet to be brought ashore, fifty…