MUSASHI

Listeners will be enthralled by this classic tale of feuding samurai locked in battle. Narrator Brian Nishii's performance is epic, giving life to the novel's sprawling cast of characters. Musashi, a wandering samurai and historical Japanese figure, was first given the historical fiction treatment in the 1930s in a newspaper serialization. The resulting novel recounts a hero's journey, with the titular Musashi experiencing a personal awakening, the discovery of his life's mission to seek "the Way of the Sword" throughout feudal Japan. Yoshikawa's imagery is steeped in historical Japanese environs, which alone make this immersive audiobook captivating. Nishii's tone is often playful and fun yet provides the necessary gravitas to carry listeners through this long, rewarding adventure set in ancient Japan. S.P.C. 2019 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2019]