'Enthralling fantasy mystery from the world of Legend of the Five Rings as two samurai risk everything to rescue an old friend from the clutches of a shadowy trickster.
'Having vanquished demons and halted invasions of devious creatures from the Spirit Realms, Asako Sekken and Agasha no Isao Ryotora are finally going to be married. But when a note from their old ally Sayashi arrives unexpectedly, the samurai find themselves dragged into another supernatural mystery.
'Their investigation leads them to Crane lands and an ancient market ruled by a mysterious being. Now Sekken and Ryotora must use all their wit and charm to save Sayashi from a hundred year bargain before they find themselves embroiled in a conflict with a forgotten deity of unimaginable power.'
I've only had the briefest experience with Legend of the Five Rings world, having read a few of the books before, and I didn't realise going into The Market of 100 Fortunes that this particular novel was one of a series, with the main characters having been used in previous books. Despite this, Marie Brennan makes this latest entry in the franchise feel incredibly accessible to new readers, and it was easy to slip into this world and these characters stories as we get taken on a story of mystery and adventure.
Having read the second book in this series, The Game of 100 Candles, it was easy to slip into this story as it picks up directly following those events. Even though I had a small amount of experience with Sekken and Ryotora, Brennan makes the beginning of the book easy to get into, and much of the details from the first two books is given over when needed in order to catch people up and to introduce things to new readers. There was a lot of stuff that I wasn't completely sure of that was from the first book, but I found that I never got lost once as I re-joined these two characters for their latest tale as they prepare to marry in the Dragon Lands.
After the events of the last book our two heroes seem to be looking for something of a quiet life, and things seem to be going well for them until Sayashi, an old friend of theirs, writes to them asking for help in the distant Crane Lands. Knowing that they cannot leave their ally alone and in trouble, they head off, leaving their wedding behind and travel to the distant Market of 100 Fortunes.
As with previous entries in this series, the book is filled with mystery, and Ryotora and Sekken are forced to search for clues and work alongside new allies as they try to help their friend find the entrance to a supernatural market. The book blends the world of the ordinary, filled with rigid tradition and order, with that of the supernatural well, and our two leads definitely feel like they're trapped between the two; forced to go against their leaders in order to help out a friend and ally in their hour of need not because it's the proper thing to do, but because it's the right thing to do.
The story also evolves the relationship of the two leads in some new and interesting ways. At the end of the last book the two of them found themselves with a new connection, one that means they're bonded in ways in which most people wouldn't understand. This book sees them exploring that connection, figuring out what it means for their relationship, and tests them in ways that neither of them would first expect. However, it helps that they have both new and old allies along for the journey to keep things running smoothly.
Brennan does a fantastic job with the setting, and the melding of historical inspired setting with the fantastical is something that she has done well across her career in several novels; and she certainly brings it to The Market of 100 Fortunes in spades. Even those who have no experience with this series and this game world but have a love for Japanese history and mythology would enjoy the world that Brennan has brought to life here. It feels like something familiar, yet also something with a fresh and interesting twist on it at the same time; and if you're like me you'll come away from the book wanting to learn more about the world of Legend of the Five Rings.
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