Cloud of Sparrows

“Exotic, entertaining . . . [an] exceptional first novel . . . with an ambitious, unexpected ending that cuts deeper than a samurai sword.”—San Francisco Chronicle

“Nimble [and] adventure-filled . . . a likably straight-up samurai epic.”—Entertainment Weekly

“A rousing tale of Shogun Japan.”—New York Post

“The book seizes you from start to finish.”—The Washington Post

“[Cloud of Sparrows] is what a samurai novel should be: dramatic and bloody, sybaritic and sexy by turns. . . . You have to force yourself to slow down or it’s over too soon.”—Honolulu Advertiser

“Matsuoka has a great sense of humor and employs comic relief skillfully. Who needs a samurai story that takes itself too seriously?”—Tampa Tribune

“A fine first novel . . . truly engaging and hard to put down.”—Baton Rouge Magazine

“Like James Clavell in Shogun and Arthur Golden in Memoirs of a Geisha, Matsuoka effortlessly introduces the reader to mysterious Japanese customs, rituals, and traditions . . . a compelling debut.”—Booklist

“An exciting debut novel . . . Matsuoka has all the markings of a great storyteller.”—Grand Rapids Press