Hiyoko may be the same age as Suzuki but she’s been with the company for a long time, and has the according rank. In the month since Suzuki joined as a contractor, he’s been reporting to her.

Three Assassins” by Kotaro Isaka “Three Assassins” by Kotaro Isaka

As soon as I saw that Kotara Isaka’s newest novel was getting an English translation I was extremely excited. Bullet Train also by Isaka is arguably one of my favourite modern novels. It was complex but beautifully written with a great translation. Seeing Isaka return to the Japanese underworld of assassins I expected this to be good but I didn’t realise I would be blown away. From his vantage point at a nearby hotel, The Whale also witnesses the grisly scene play out in the street below. He is carrying out the assassination of a political secretary whose death will halt the investigation of a bribery scandal. Known for his big, dark pupils that drown victims in darkness and despair, the Whale waits for the secretary to come to terms with his impending death and considers the motivations of politicians who hire hit men like him. The plot is well-designed, the connections neatly made -- and the intricacy is pleasing, down to the two victims Hiyoko and Suzuki drug right at the start of the story, who continue to serve a purpose throughout, down to the very end. Finally, somebody brought up the idea to assassinate Caesar at one of the senate meetings. [34] All other plans had one detriment: while Caesar had no official bodyguards, he asked his friends to protect him in public. Most of these friends were imposing and dangerous-looking and the conspirators were afraid that they would interfere with the assassination. Here, this would not be an issue, since only senators were allowed in the Senate House. [35] Some also said that the murder of a tyrant in full view of the Senate would not be seen as a political plot, but as a noble act, done on behalf of their country. [36] The conspirators ultimately settled on this as the chosen plan. Caesar would be leaving the city on 18 March to embark on a military campaign against the Getae and the Parthians. The last senate meeting before that date was on the 15th, the Ides of March, and so the conspirators chose this as the day of the assassination. [34]Depending on how we use them, these two dummies could make us some decent money,’ she says, sounding bored. Suzuki called Hiyoko, took the couple to a cafe, and started introducing products as he normally would. Whether it was because they were young and stupid or just gullible, the young man and woman seemed almost comically willing to go along with what Suzuki and Hiyoko were pitching. Their eyes lit up at the barest of compliments, and they nodded enthusiastically at all the bogus data from the pamphlets. Epstein, David F. (1987). "Caesar's Personal Enemies on the Ides of March". Latomus. 46 (3): 566–570. JSTOR 41540686. From Kotaro Isaka, the award-winning, internationally bestselling author of Bullet Train, the high-octane thriller Three Assassins , set in Tokyo’s criminal underworld, pits an ordinary man against a group of talented and very unusual assassins. The Cicada is completely unhinged but the best character (to me) in the entire book. Manic with just a touch of creepy. Your classic up and coming assassin. “I’m here to rescue you, my dude” is peek hero vibes. Not to mention rescuing someone just so you can torture them. Like I said, unhinged, but we love him.

Three Assassins: A Novel by Kotaro Isaka, Paperback | Barnes Three Assassins: A Novel by Kotaro Isaka, Paperback | Barnes

By the internationally bestselling author of Bullet Train, the high-octane new thriller, set in Tokyo’s criminal underworld, pits an ordinary man against a group of talented and very unusual assassins. Intense and electrifying, Three Assassins delivers a wild ride through the criminal underworld of Tokyo, populated by contract killers who are almost superhumanly good at their jobs. Three Assassins, originally titled Grasshopper, has the similar slow pacing of Bullet Train, which followed a web of criminals after a misplaced bag of money on a train (entirely different from what made it to theaters). Although a train has a cameo in Three Assassins, the story follows the shifting viewpoints of two assassins in Japan and a third a man named Suzuki, who tries to get revenge against a mob boss’s son who killed his wife while drunk driving, avoiding prosecution because of local corruption. Two days before the assassination, Cassius met with the conspirators and told them that, should anyone discover the plan, they were to turn their knives on themselves. [40] Ides of March [ edit ] van der Westhuizen, Sonja (March 29, 2021). "Interview: Kotaro Isaka | Crime Fiction Lover". Crime Fiction Lover. Archived from the original on November 30, 2021 . Retrieved July 14, 2022.Told in a perspective of Suzuki, Whale and Cicada, it highlighted more on stories of fear, guilt and the exploration of life and death rather than an action and suspense thriller. Bit political and psychological related, and as I read few reference of Terahara vs Hornet in Bullet Train (the assassins really gossiping about this incident a lot!), it excites me a bit to delve into the root story of it in here. Love the Hornet duo although it was just a brief intro I like their cunning and unexpected characters. I've decided I love this author. Bullet Train was such an amazing read and whilst Three Assassins doesn't quite reach those dizzying heights it is a hugely compelling thrill ride, quirky and weird and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The plot is very intricate and full of events, twists and even some humour. Every assassin has a quirky codename and his unique modi operandi. Entertaining...high-speed...with lots of twists and turns...it has a Tarantino-meets-the-Coen-Brothers feel to it' The Times The world created here is highly imaginative and chaotic, with very engaging characters. This prequel to Bullet Train is a super fun and wild ride.”