Robert Nakamura

Some of my beta readers have mentioned that while they enjoyed The Wolf’s Path: Ronin, they would have preferred a single POV over multiple perspectives, or a tighter cast of characters instead of a story woven through a web of viewpoints.

It’s fair criticism, but when I think of a single story, centered on one character, with one POV, what comes to mind is the kind of story I’d tell if it were set in the Edo era (or a universe inspired by it). A period with a single authority, centralized power, and a well-defined hierarchy. At least compared to what came before.

When I think about the Sengoku era, however, this quote from Lee A. Butler in his review of Mary Elizabeth Berry’s book The Culture of Civil War in Kyoto comes to mind:

The problem with Sengoku Japan (let us be frank about it) is that there were too many daimyo. Not only daimyo, but shoguns, kanrei, and kokujin, too: few of whom wielded enough power for sufficient time to hold our attention. The result is that the period we routinely characterize as “pivotal” and “transitional” remains poorly understood. (1259)

It’s not that I don’t sympathize with my beta readers, but I believe a structure with multiple POVs vying for the reader’s attention better reflects the multiplicity of power centers warring for dominance that defined this period. While the Edo era may be easier to study and understand, it’s precisely the chaos of the Sengoku era that holds much of its appeal. A vibrant chaos that surprises readers with turbulent stories and rewards those who navigate it with a thrilling conclusion.

That’s not to say an Edo-era story (or one inspired by it) can’t work with multiple POVs, or that a Sengoku-era story with a single POV can’t be effective. But I think the reverse pairing feels more natural.

I understand this complexity will turn off some readers, but I’m confident that those who embrace the challenge will finish the book feeling it was worth the effort.