The Rose and the Crane

By: Clint Dohmen

Narrated by: Matthew Lloyd Davies

A Kinki samurai in King Henry's Court?

With elements smacking of Monty Python and The Princess Bride, The Rose and the Crane is a historical adventure that brings knight and samurai together for a ribald road trip across the medieval world.

The year? 1483. The place? China-adjacent. If you had told young Simon Lang that he'd spend his best years piloting a boat for a trumped-up Venetian instead of enjoying the good life back home in Exeter, he'd have laughed in your face. But King Edward IV did not like that Simon was thrice removed from some long-forgotten ancestor who was somehow related to the owner of the cow that gave milk to King Henry V. Or something like that, Simon was not very good at genealogy. But now, the Lancastrian lordling has fled to the far reaches of the world to brood on revenge.

He's stranded in these strange waters with money-hungry Captain Aldo Mitacchione, his halfwit first mate, Neno, and a crew of starving Italians. But if the strange vessel on the horizon or the unexpected ally on board have anything to say about it, things are about to get stranger.

Join smart-talking Simon, fabled samurai Kojiro Takeda, and their band of misfit brothers as they outrun cannibals, outsmart assassins, (attempt to) outdrink Scotsmen, and help Henry Tudor oust the crown from the sociopathic duke of Gloucester.

©2017 Clint Dohmen (P)2019 Tantor

First Half OK

Feels like two books. The first is a humorous, shallow tale of adventurers in Japan. The second is a portion of the war of the roses told via dialogue. No idea what plan the author had there. The narration is passable, but often softens into the gentle, comforting tones of a father reading to a small, distraught child.

Meh

It was okay but not super entertaining. All characters living in the 15th century displayed modern thoughts and characteristics.

I loved this book.

This is a wonderful book, well worth the listen.
The author spins a wonderful yarn. looking forward to more of his books.

Entertaining enough, but…

….eminently forgettable. A kind of lame attempt at the picaresque? A historical novel? A very unlikely brotherhood of the sword? I still don’t know…and won’t ponder the question long. As one reviewer remarked “Meh,”. And the tale is Not helped by the mediocre narration…I found it difficult to distinguish between the Venetian accent and the Japanese…and how does that happen? Get it on sale, but don’t use a credit.

Great Audible Book

This was such an entertaining story and the Narrator did a terrific job. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Its well worth a Credit.

wonderful mix of Samurai and English nights.

wonderful mix of battles with samurai and battles with knights. also wonderful inclusion of nutmeg, so important in later years.

I couldn’t stop listening

A really excellent story, just the right amount of everything. Highly recommended for anyone needing the thrill of battle.

Great listen

Absolutely loved this book. The narration and performance are great. Especially with all the different dialects and accents he needed to tackle. The story itself is action packed with never a dull moment. And I loved all the different characters and personalities.

England and Nihon in same pre Tudor history

Mainly some historical truth. I’ve studied both English and Japanese history. 1480 to 86, is mainly warring states period in Japan, and England war of the roses… both civil strife.