Shogun Iemitsu

The ritual was invariable. Before his father would kiss his mother, before his father would greet or dandle him, the man who had had the courage and audacity to marry the daughter of one of the Dictator Oda's concubines removed his sandals with great care and walked to the black lacquer, double sword stand and, employing ever greater care, first removed the long sword from his sash and then the shorter sword. Each was positioned with incredible accuracy so that the handle and guard were outside of the cradle formed by the arms of the stand. The long sword was always placed above the shorter one. Their graceful curves, shining black lacquer scabbards, and silk-wrapped grips fascinated Hideo. They were so intimately associated with his father-a kindly but serious man of few words.

"Shogun Iemitsu" chronicles a day in the life of two young samurai, Hideo and Kobiyashi, as they attend a festival, fall in love, and put down a rebellion against the Tokugawa government that changes their lives forever. "Shogun Iemitsu" is based entirely on historical events, and it is filled with breathtaking details of life under the Shoguns. A must-read for anyone who enjoyed James Clavell's "Shogun." "Shogun Iemitsu" will thrill beyond your wildest expectations