“Satori” is neither a sequel nor a prequel to “Shibumi.” The book opens in Tokyo, Japan. The year is 1951 and Hel has just been released from prison. He has spent three years in solitary confinement. His American captors have decided to let him out.
Hel explains their reasons for doing so: “I killed General Kishikawa, as close to a father as I ever had, because it was my filial nature — and duty — to do so. The Americans imprisoned me for it because they could do nothing else, given their nature. And now they offer me my ‘freedom’ because they need me.”
Trevanian created a fascinating, exotic character in Hel, the world’s most lethal assassin. He was born in China during World War I.
His mother was a Russian aristocrat. His father was a German. He grew up in Japan where he became a master of the strategy game called “Go.” He has survived the nuclear attack on Hiroshima.
The Americans have a mission for him. They want him to return to China, now under Communist rule, and commit acts of lethal espionage.
But first he has to acquire the proper accent. Hel speaks French but his accent isn’t quite right. He must enter China disguised as a French arms dealer.
A French woman, Solange, studies with him to assure that his false identity and accent appear authentic. Hel has given up on ever falling in love again. But he falls hard for Solange.
Their dalliance embeds sinuous strands of romantic tension which threaten to entangle and distract Hel from his mission.
Hel goes to China and is immediately plunged into a spectacular spy game. Spies from the United States, Great Britain, the USSR, France and China are simultaneously making moves on the board. It’s an elaborate and lethal game of “Go” that is being played upon a board the size of Asia.
The second half of the book takes place in French Indochina where rebel forces are acquiring clandestine arms shipments. Hel has just made an amazing journey down river from China. He remains in the guise of the French arms dealer. Solange appears. The intrigue deepens.
Hel is a professional killer, but he has high standards. He refuses to kill people he feels are innocent.
This creates some moral ambiguity when he is forced to make split-second decisions during the heat of battle. Winslow does a superb job of interpreting Trevanian’s original spy novels. Some great action scenes here, too.
Vick Mickunas interviews authors every Friday at 1:30 p.m. and on Sundays at 11 a.m. on WYSO-FM (91.3). For more information, visit www.wyso.org/BookNook.html. Contact him at vick@vickmickunas.com.
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