The First Samurai: The Life and Legend of the Warrior Rebel, Taira Masakado Hardcover – November 1, 2007

Prompt delivery good book

There wasn't really much info here about the "first samurai" Tairo Masakado probably because there's not a lot written about him in historical record. Rather most of this book is about how the provinces were governed in Heian Japan. It's pretty informative in that regard if a bit dry.

While the book is a discussion of the ups and downs of Taira Masakado, along the way it explains in a fair amount of detail the fight styles (ambushes, small group fighting) of the Heian samurai - how their arms (bow, arrow) and armor influenced military tactics [effective arrow range of 20~30 yards against armor], the importance of mounted cavalry, and the relatively small scale of armies and battles of the time. Very different from the large scale combat of later periods (such as the sengoku period).The author has extensive training in the old Japanese martial arts (koryu bujutsu) and it shows in his clear explanations. He is also a professor of Japanese history of U of Georgia. Of the three books of his I've read ( Legacis of the Sword, Hired Swords, The First Samurai) this is the most fun to read - the others are quite scholarly.

This is, in addition to a more-than-functional biography of Taira Masakado, a narrative treatment of many of the ideas Friday put forth in his more scholarly work Hired Swords. While the latter had an extremely quantitative approach likely to alienate the enthusiast, The First Samurai uses Masakado's insurrection as a microcosm of the seismic changes that would forever change the loci of power in Japan. The text is vivid, with descriptions of contemporary horse-and-bow skirmishes providing color and context throughout. The only frustration is the relative paucity of sources, making Masakado's true motives impossible to divine. In all, it's a fascinating portrayal of a limited war, where gains on the field could be consolidated by court maneuvers, and where magnates like Masakado could be usurpers one day, and solid citizens the next.

This is very informative and goes into great detail about many things of that time period. Taira Masakado is a very interesting historical figure. The only downside to this book is that it can get a bit boring at times. If you are not really into Japanese history then you probably will not like this book since it isn't historical fiction. It is just an account of what happened during the life of Taira Masakado

This was an interesting book. You not only learn about an ambitious guy who sort of stepped sideways into rebellion, but about a cut throat world of deviousness and blood. You see the beginning of the end for Kyoto central control and the rising power of the landed gentry. This book would make a great Taiga drama.

Great timeline of the samurai

I ordered this book thinking it would be akin to  The Last Samurai: The Life and Battles of Saigo Takamori . The book begins promisingly after the subject, Taira Masakado, is killed in battle and his head is paraded to Kyoto and hung in a tree. The author spends some time discussing tales of the dead warrior's remains and retribution for disrespect at the body's last resting place.However in approximately 140 pages of text the author expends an inordinate amount of space to the histories of those involved in hunting down and punishing Masakado for his illegal revolution, discussions of military equipment and tactics of the Heian era that seem disconnected from the history of the individual, and similar matters. The author struggles with a lack of definitive historical materials and does a poor job of carrying his theme throughout the book. He skips back and forth between historical events relevant to the Masakado uprising and events totally unrelated, at one point even essentially summarizing [[ASIN:0804833184 The Heike Story: A Modern Translation of the Classic Tale of Love and War] a more deftly presented history of events about a century later. It is almost as if the author is seeking filler because there's not enough about his subject to fill a book.In the end I'm not sure there's any basis for the title, "First Samurai," because the author does not make it the central theme of the book. Instead he starts at the end, recites chronological events of about a three year period disjointedly, and ends with Masakado's death and the delivery of his head to Kyoto, where he started the book. Throughout the author is easily distracted, following tale after tale, forgetting his thesis.I cannot recommend the book to any but the most avid Japanese History readers who have a foundation in Japanese history that allows them to follow the twists and turns of this author. Even then I suspect there are better reads in Japanese History they have not yet read.

Karl Friday is an author that is so interesting and comelling that you could read him on any day of the weak. He challenges past sources that have demonized and scandalized Masakado's name and deeds, but now Karl Friday will but things to rights. Not only does he go through all of Masakado's life and career, he also explains samurai warfare and relationships during this period in Japanese history.