十字火燄

Title: 十字火燄Crossfire
Author: 宫部美幸
Translator: 刘子倩
Publisher: 独步文化

I read the Taiwanese Chinese version of this book even though the English translated copy is available. This is because I feel the Chinese translation is somehow closely in emotions and spirit to the Japanese original.

I started my attempt to read all of Miyabe's books in 2007 and have now almost completed all the copies available in NLB branches. An awarding winning author, Miyabe's range of subject matters is quite diverse and substantial. From mysteries, police procedural, crime thrillers to mythologies, horror stories to fantasy and science fiction. Miyabe is also known for 勇者物语 Brave Story which was made into a Japanese animation movie.

Miyabe’s books offer readers an unique view of Japan society, delving into social concerns such as credit card debt, demise of traditional family structure, marginalization of minority members of society. Peppered with interesting characters and plotting, her novels make engrossing reads.

Cross fire's main heroine is young girl named 青木淳子 Aoki Junko, who has psychokinetic power. She took it about herself to use her special abilities to rid the world of criminals. She simply incinerated them! Pursued by the arson division of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police and a secretive vigilante group that wants to recruit her, Junko attempted to rescue a woman kidnapped by juvenile delinquents.

While Junko may have superpowers like some of Stephen King's characters, don't expect Crossfire to be in the same genre as King's novels.