The Tale of the Heike (Penguin Classics)

If you are a fan of Japanese history, this is for you. I read the Tale of Genghi first and would recommend doing that as it will give you little insight into what the "Genghi" are. (The Tale of Genghi is supposedly the first novel written in Japan.) This book however, gives you an idea of what the Genghi vs Heike war was like. Very descriptive, so please be aware of that. Very good read for those interested in Japan and their history.

Absolutely loved this book. Royall Tyler's translation is incredible, and the story itself stands the test of time as an engaging and dramatic story with everything from all out war to the clashes of nuanced political and familial ties. My only gripe is that I had to constantly google unfamiliar Japanese terms and I had a hard time following the characters with similar names, but this is more likely caused by my unfamiliarity with Japanese names and culture. I would suggest reading up on the Hogen and Heiji eras before reading this book, as they provide some helpful context, but the book stands great alone anyway. The book also arrived in great condition.

Haven't got to read it yet, but looks like it's going to be a good story.

This translation made apparent (for myself, anyway), three levels of this story - the raw history for the Genpei war; the human tragedy of war: greed, vengeance, betrayals, loss, fear, love, loyalty; and the Buddhist theme of impermanence - despite the Minamoto victory in the end, you cannot help but hear Gionʻs bells tolling, see the fall of the Sala blossoms, and acknowledge the inevitable cycle of human suffering unless one embraces a path to salvation. It was well worth the read, and now I want to find other translations, as well as explore the Noh traditions that arose out of the Heike Monogatari.

I had been very favorably impressed by Royall Tyler's translation of the Tale of Genji. So, having read Helen Mc Cormick's, which is a bit arduous, I thought I would try this one. I am delighted to have it. The text flows with ease, it is a pleasure to read. An unexpected bonus is the lovely illustrations. There are also very useful maps. I recommend it to any one with an interest in early Japanese history. This a key period.

Truly one of the great works of literature. Heike needs to become part of the standard literary canon. Like the Shakespeare history plays (Richard II through Richard III) this is a story of an unstable monarchy spiraling out of control into ever increasing violence and brutality. And like Shakespeare it does it in beautiful language with sympathy for all sides in the catastrophe. Forget Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones; this is epic deserves a major cinematic treatment.

In some reviews, this tale has been compared to the "Iliad": it certainly has the same importance for Japan as Homer's epic for Western Europe. However, the way the two tales are told differ widely, and that's what makes the value of this tale, beyond the story line itself, full of action: it's not just the story which is exotic, but also the narration, and this is why it takes us in the heart of Japanese culture. In other words, even if the story is thrilling, the reader should not expect a "Shogun"-style thriller... But if he's ready to take the step into another world, he will be amply rewarded and, of course, he will find out that in this new world the feelings are the same as in ours: ambition, love, hatred... and, more than in the West, an eye for beauty, where a man will be admired for being both a great warrior and a delicate poet.

I found myself completely within the awful and beautiful world of the text. It can be hard to read, what with the multiplicity of Japanese names and allusions spanning the whole long story and the history it springs from, but it's worth the effort. I read it initially on the Kindle but got a print copy as well for ease of reference to the excellent introduction and notes and to examine the wonderful illustrations with a magnifier. I will certainly be reading it again.