Wind and Waves

It is the 13th century in the kingdom of Koryo (now Korea). Mongol armies intent on conquest have invaded the land. Its population decimated, its fields laid bare, Koryo has no choice but to submit to the Mongol plan to launch an invasion of Japan from its shores.Wind and Waves tells the dramatic story of the great events that shaped the history of East Asia during the middle decades of the 13th century. In this artful narrative, Yasushi Inoue, the internationally renowned Japanese novelist, brilliantly recreates the atmosphere of futility and despair that prevailed in Koryo during the decades of Mongol occupation. All the events lead inevitably to the invasion of Japan in 1274, and to the second invasion of 1281.While the narrative focuses on the kings, ministers, and people of Koryo, Wind and Waves is as much a study of the fascinating but enigmatic Kubilai Khan, emperor of China, who combines diplomatic finesse with an unswerving will in his enlistment of Koryo as a participant in the invasions.On of the distinctive achievements of this prize-winning novel is the author's ability to maintain the viewpoint of the people of Koryo. Equally remarkable is his adherence to historical fact, readily acknowledged by Korean intellectuals.Wind and Waves reads like a 13th-century chronicle brought to life through spare narration, a minimum of dialogue, and subtle characterization. The contemplative mood of the story will haunt the reader long after its last page is past.