Japanese Tales of Mystery and Imagination

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Edogawa Ranpo: Japanese Tales of Mystery and Imagination (2012, Tuttle Pub.)

English language

Published Sept. 24, 2012 by Tuttle Pub..

ISBN:
978-4-8053-1193-6
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ASIN:
4805311932
Goodreads:
13367225

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5 stars (1 review)

Japanese Tales of Mystery and Imagination contains nine bloodcurdling tales that combine the quick tempo of Western writing with the rich fantasy of the East. These tales include the strange story of a quadruple amputee and his perverse wife; the record of a man who creates a mysterious chamber of mirrors and discovers hidden pleasures within; the morbid confessions of a maniac who envisions a career of foolproof "psychological" murders; and the bizarre tale of a chair-maker who buries himself inside an armchair and enjoys the sordid "loves" of the women who sit on his handiwork. Lucid and packed with suspense, the stories of Edogawa Rampo have enthralled Japanese readers for over half a century.

1 edition

Poe of the Rising Sun

5 stars

While not the first Japanese mystery writer, Edogawa Rampo was one of the most influential. As the name implies, he was an avid fan of Edgar Allan Poe, and this collection of short stories were the first ones translated to English with his cooperation back in the 50s. And an interesting collection it is. These are of distinguishably Japanese affair, with the kind of sensibilities one wouldn't usually expect in western fiction.

While most stories are about murder cases, which are quite enjoyable, part of the collection are what is called "ero guro nansensu" or erotic grotesque nonsense, which dials up the weirdness factor. Most famous of these stories is "The Living Chair", where a craftsman constructs himself inside a resting chair out of a whim, subsequently losing his mind over the one sided "love affairs" to the women who sit on his work – and on him.

So there …

Subjects

  • FICTION / Ghost
  • FICTION / Horror
  • Japanese Short stories