6
Clackamas Print
Wednesday.
2008
‘Death Note’ novel enthralls fan
Jess Sheppard
I
Arts & Culture Editor
Before Light Yagami ever picked up the supernatural Death
Note that made him believe he could change the world, there
was Beyond Birthday, another murderer who had also been
touched by the corrupting power of death.
Beyond Birthday has lived his whole life with an unnerving
gift - the eyes of a Shinigami, or God of Death. Just by looking
at people, he can see their name and the exact date of their death.
It’s an unsettling power that ultimately drives him to commit
three violent and mysterious murders in the hopes of defeating
his predecessor, the legendary detective L.
Based on the controversial manga/anime, “Death Note
Another Note: The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases” is a prequel
to the original series in novel format
Written by popular Japanese novelist Nisioisin and translated
into English by Andrew Cunningham, “Another Note” is addict
ing, engrossing and impossible to put down.
Although prior exposure to the original “Death Note” series
adds a special perspective to the reader, it is entirely possible to
read the novel without ever having seen the anime or manga.
The Death Notes themselves, so pivotal in the storyline, are
mentioned only briefly in the foreword along with a summary
of the original series’ events.
The book focuses on a string of serial murders called the L.
A. Serial Locked Room Killings (later renamed the Los Angeles
BB Murder Cases), which are mentioned briefly by the detective
L at the beginning of the “Death Note” series.
From toe original cast is Lhimselfas well as Naomi Misora,
the Japanese FBI agent chosen to be his eyes and ears in the
field.
Joining them is Beyond Birthday, or BB, the killer who dares
to challenge the greatest detective of the century, and a suspi
cious private investigator named Ry uzaki, who has a monstrous
sweet tooth and an uncannily good memory.
Possibly the only fault of the book is in the names of the
characters who are not from the original series. In addition to
Beyond Birthday himself whose name is at least explained by
the narrator, there are the three victims - Believe Bridesmaid,
Quarter Queen and Backyard Bottomslash.
Those are not errors of any kind. They are the characters’
actual names.
Obviously they are uncommon and they stretch the reader’s
suspension of disbelief. However, their names have purpose; it
just isn’t evident until well into toe stay. .
It’s very hard to put down a book that begins by break
ing the fourth wall within the first two paragraphs. From the
description of the first crime scene, to Misora and Ryuzaki’s
step-by-step analyses of Birthday’s cryptic clues, to the final,
head-spinning twist at the end, “Another Note” grabs a hold of
toe reader and doesn’t let go.
MM
mmmmm
______
Artwork contributed by Yuumei of Deviantart www.yuumei.devianti
Showcase your art and writing tn The Print
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