| With Flute of the Fallen Tiger, Volume 3 in the epic Lone Wolf and Cub saga, creators Kazuo Koike & Goseki Kojima take the series from mere greatness to a whole new level of perfection. Assassin-for-hire Ogami Itto and his infant son Daigoro continue to travel the assassin's road, meeting new friends and foes, most of whom wind up dead in short order. My favorite tale in this volume was "Half Mat, One Mat, A Fistful of Rice", where Father and Son meet a mysterious street beggar who implores Itto to spare Daigoro from a life of killing and hatred; He's so determined to save Daigoro that he's willing to gamble his own life. Another story, "The White Path Between the Rivers", tells of the birth of Daigoro and the events that led Father and Son to travel the assassin's road. There are some really memorable stories here, and somehow the creators manage to make each installment better than the last; It's tough to believe that there are 25 more volumes left; I for one can't wait to see what comes next. I highly recommend Lone Wolf and Cub; Not just for a good read, but also for it's fascinating insights into Japanese history and culture. |
The Flute of the Fallen Tiger (Lone Wolf and Cub, Vol. 3) Books In Print, Audio Books.