Book Review: Usagi Yojimbo Book 5 by Stan Sakai

Usagi Yojimbo Book 5: Lone Goat and Kid by Stan Sakai

Another set of adventures for the rabbit ronin! Here's the story-by-story rundown...

Frost and Fire--Usagi is hired by a widow to recover her husband's swords. She's not interested in the body coming back, just the invaluable family heirlooms. Usagi agrees to the job. At the town where the samurai died, people are not forthcoming, except for one guy whose sister has the swords. She has her own sob story about why she wants to keep the swords but her brother is ready to cash in. Usagi slowly discovers more and more about the death and the characters involved. The story's melancholy ending is satisfying.

A Kite Story--A massive kite festival draws a master kite-maker, a dishonest gambler, and Usagi. The three cross paths two at a time, creating an interesting story, though maybe there's too much detail about the making of the kite.

Blood Wings--While traveling through the mountains, Usagi discovers a dead body. The fatal cuts are precise but the field has no footprints other than Usagi's and the corpse's. Usagi continues on to a small farming village where the man came from. The dead man discovered a cave full of ninja bats who are plotting to seize a gold shipment from a nearby mine. The ninjas are keeping the townfolk in town so the mine isn't warned. Usagi sets out early the next morning to try to get to the mine to warn them and get help for the village. Things don't go according to plan. The story is exciting and the bat ninjas are natural and interesting bad guys.

The Way of the Samurai--Usagi wanders into a town ruled by an ex-general. The general is a fine administrator but cannot fight the illness that's overcome him. He and Usagi share a connection--the samurai code. That code gives the story a poignant finale. This may be the best story in this collection.

Lone Goat and Kid--Lord Hirone's clan is potentially in disgrace if the ronin Yagi reveals the plot that had him and his son (the two are the titular characters--Yagi really is a goat!) banished from the clan. Three of the clan's lieutenants hatch a plan where a merchant will hire Yagi to kill Usagi, with the hope that Usagi will kill Yagi. The lieutenants watch as the battle begins but the backstabbing starts a little early on their side, throwing the plan into chaos. The story makes an exciting finale to this book.

Highly recommended--all the stories are entertaining and exciting.