Akutagawa Prize winner Nakamura (The Boy in the Earth; The Kingdom) brings to life the complex inner workings of fringe religions and cults. Toru Narazaki is searching for his missing girlfriend Ryoko, but his only lead is a quiet compound belonging to an eccentric Buddhist guru. Narazaki joins the group and delves into its leader's vision and dogma only to find that the members have splintered into a darker, secretive sect known as Cult X. Probing further, Toru uncovers a violent and extreme core. Nakamura's layered plot creates a sense of entering an underworld that is both fascinating and terrifying. At times, the narrative is slowed by the guru's philosophical meanderings on astrophysics, neuroscience, and religion, but Narazaki's heroic path will keep readers invested. Some extended salacious scenes feel extraneous. VERDICT Inspired by the 1995 sarin gas attack in the Tokyo subway, this best-selling novel from one of Japan's most talented crime writers offers a provocative look into the world of extremist beliefs in modern culture. [See Prepub Alert, 11/21/17.]
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