The Tokaido Road

By: Lucia St. Clair Robson

Narrated by: Rebecca Cook

After the execution of her father, the young and beautiful Lady Asano is in grave danger from the powerful Lord Kira. In order to save herself Asano must find Oishi, the leader of the fighting men of her clan. She believes he is 300 miles to the southwest in the imperial city of Kyoto. Disguising her loveliness in the humble garments of a traveling priest, and calling herself Cat, Lady Asano travels the fabled Tokaido Road. Her only tools are her quick wits, her samurai training, and her deadly, six-foot-long naginata. And she will need them all, for a ronin has been hired to pursue her, a mysterious man who will play a role in Cat's drama that neither could have ever imagined.

©2013 Books In Motion (P)2013 Books In Motion

Amazing

This story has been a favorite of mine since I was a teenager. The reading that Ms. Cook provides is truly magical and brought life to St. Clair Robinson’s tale of a journey down the Tokaido. I highly recommend this book either in print or audio!

Loved it

This was a very good story. The narrator was really good. I will definitely listen to this book again.

Fabulous book!

Read it years ago, and can't wait to hear the audio version! A different take on the 47 Ronin legend.

Awesome!

A bit hard to concentrate on the story at times. Still a wonderful book that I highly recommend!

A Must Read

The Tokaido Road by Lucia St. Clair is a riveting and fast moving novel. A true must read!!!!

47 Samurai from a new POV

This book is well worth the time. Enjoyed it immensely and liked the spin on the Legend of the 47 Samurai.
The author did a great job with names, places and kept within historical context. Fantastic.

A Visit to Feudal Japan

I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure story of a women's quest in another time, another place. At the end of the story there is an author's note explaining that the setting and background story really happened, but the main character's are fiction. And indeed, some of the events during the quest are satisfying but unbelievable (a woman repeatedly taking on groups of men and besting them, sometimes without real weapons). There is more violence than I am typically comfortable with, but it is handled in an almost impersonal, not detailed, way that made it easier for me to handle and not think too much about. What I loved were the rich descriptions of life on the road and feudal Japan. It was especially nice having both an aristocrat and a peasant, which allowed the reader to glimpse life for the different classes. And I loved and rooted for the main characters.

Haiku of High Recommendation

Incense on the air
Is this story to the ears.
O, how it lingers.

(Highly recommended)

Boring.

I couldn't finish this mess. It was so bogged down in descriptions that the plot moved at a snail's pace. I enjoy a SLOW story but this book barely moved at all.

SKIP IT.