From Publishers WeeklyLustbader ( White Ninja , etc.) brings back Nicholas Linnear in this fast-moving thriller that combines the trademark Lustbader ingredients of Eastern mysticism and international intrigue. Because of a promise made to his father, Linnear finds himself allied to Mikio Okami, the Kaisho, or Godfather of the the Yakuza, the Japanese Mafia. Linnear's mission is to protect the Kaisho from a Vietnamese assassin who has already eliminated one of Okami's allies, an American mafioso supposedly hidden under the U.S. Witness Protection Program. All of this is the result of an alliance between the Mafia and the Yakuza and machinations of the Looking Glass, a secret organization that has infiltrated the U.S. government and is dedicated to world economic control. But reproducing all the intricacies of Lustbader's plotting would be fruitless; like Robert Ludlum, Lustbader is at his best when he is creating a twisted web of intrigue, violence, double cross and his own brand of oriental esotericism. Here again he proves himself a master storyteller who creates believable characters while juggling numerous plot lines without ever losing the reader's attention. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.From Kirkus sLustbader--Master of the Orient!--returns stronger than ever with the fourth of the Nicholas Linnear novels (The Ninja, 1980; The Miko, 1984; and White Ninja, 1990), with a fifth promised. Lustbader's dense approach to storytelling lets rich backgrounds support incredible plots and high-tension martial-arts battles. Here, he lavishes even more care than usual on bringing Tokyo, Venice, Paris, and Washington to a ringing life against which his stereotypes leap superhumanly and unload tons of Eastern expertise. Nicholas Linnear, co-owner of the Japan-based Tomkin- Sato electronics corporation, fights the recession by trying to expand the firm's base in Vietnam, where he hopes to make his phenomenal T-PRAM computer chip (it's based on the human brain structure) while being hit with attacks from McCarthy-like investigations by Senator Rance in Washington. Meanwhile, his wife, Justine, takes a passionate distaste for the Japanese following the death of their child and a miscarriage. In the middle of all this, the Kaisho (or Godfather of Japanese criminals) calls upon Nicholas to repay a moral debt incurred by his late father, who--when on General MacArthur's staff following WW II--enlisted the Kaisho's aid in jump-starting democracy in Japan. The Kaisho has moved in on the American Mafia--but an even superior Japanese criminal organization wants to kill the elderly Kaisho while forming a worldwide underworld conglomerate. The Kaisho trusts no one among his own people: Nicholas must find and destroy the assassin, despite his scorn for Yakuza. The assassin, the death-loving Du Doc--a mind-reading Vietnamese of fabulous fighting ability and access to occult areas of martial arts that Linnear himself must now master if he is to meet Du Doc head-on--is one of Lustbader's best villains, his wickedness woven with an erotic mastery that melts all women. Plunging melodrama and poppy dreams of supersex. Superior hokum. -- Copyright 1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.About the AuthorEric Lustbader is the author of nearly forty novels, including the New York Times bestseller The Ninja, which introduced Nicholas Linnear, one of modern fictions most beloved and enduring heroes. In 2004, Mr. Lustbader was chosen by the estate of the late Robert Ludlum to continue the Jason Bourne novels, and has published eight international bestselling works to rave reviews. He is also the author of two successful and highly regarded series of fantasy novels, The Sunset Warrior Cycle and The Pearl Saga. He and his wife Victoria are residents of the South Fork of Long Island. what is the reader about The Kaisho: A Nicholas Linnear Novel
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. It is getting boringBy CustomerAs much as I enjoy the ninja , miko, it seems like Eric has lost his Midas touch of the mystic ninja and starts into the occult Ancient art with no clear understanding of the research. This leading to unexplained actions by otherwise great character buildupAlso the lead character Nicholas is getting less and less of action time but more of unknown mind blogging mysticism that needs more explaining0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Superb chapter in the Nicholas Linnear Asian saga.By Ronald BolvinThe fourth book in the Nicholas Linnear saga is superb in every way. Van Lustbader is one of the best authors in mystery thrillers and the best in the Asian themed stories. My first book by him was in the eighties and I was hooked. I will continue the Nicholas Linnear story until the end of the series which is two books away. I am now reading book 5, Floating City which picks up where book 4 ended.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Excellent bookBy LWThe story of big business, international intrigue, and love with lots of twists and turns..