Firstly thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book. I seem to be going through a thriller phase at the moment and I was also looking for a translated fiction to spread my reading wings and this ticked both boxes. Kotaro Isaka is Japanese and I believe that the film rights have already been sold to Hollywood to make this into a movie, although I hope this uses Asian actors and not trying to blow its impact with big named people on a US train.

The Bullet Train has always fascinated me it is synonymous with Tokyo so when reading the premise being based on this unique fast train and with a number of killers on board finding themselves competing for a missing suitcase, who wouldn't want to read it!

Unfortunately the pace of the writing did not match what I had anticipated for this book, it almost felt too overambitious to have so many paid killers competing for quintessentially one prize, it did not read at pace with the train but more in pace with the characters.

The characters however, were detailed and well considered I particularly liked the Fruit, Lemon and Tangerine and how there similarities and differences bounced off each other.

Nanao (supposedly unlucky as a killer) sadly felt a little predictable that every time his story took an arc something would happen, there was also an underlying interaction with his handler which almost felt like it could have taken a romantic bent but thankfully did not!

Kimura is on the train to kill The Prince for the life threatening injuries that he sustained. This was the most intriguing of the threads as the historical context went across several previous encounters and tied together with their reason for being together on the train.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read and despite the pace, it kept my attention long enough to go back and see what would happen next.

Bullet train in more ways than one!

Really enjoyed this almost farcical thriller set on a speeding train with more than it's fair share of assassins and ne'er-do-wells. The characters were brilliant, but extreme, if you're after realism or subtlety, you've come to the wrong place. The duo Tangerine and Lemon, polar opposites, different blood types, an awful lot of conversation about Thomas the Tank engine, were great comic relief when paired against the extremely sinister Prince, and the interplay and connections between the characters got more tangled as the back and forth between them increased as they moved from train carriage to train carriage. The journey of the train, combined with the journey each character takes on the train is a great set up, the pacing works brilliantly, though the big picture felt frustratingly out of grasp sometimes as the point of view changed so often.

I'm still not entirely sure who hired who and why, but it didn't really spoil my enjoyment of this. I'm still chilled by some of the topics discussed by the Prince, particularly in the light of recent world events, which seem to prove his points a bit too well, but, in general, this is a book to entertain, (despite the murder and torture), rather than be taken too seriously.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK, Vintage for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Looking forward to the film!

Bullet Train is a quirky, unusual and fascinating thriller. By no means it is an easy read and I think translation from Japanese didn’t do it much justice as the writing is clunky and doesn’t flow. However, the premise, the twists and the characters are great. Whilst eccentric and humorous, the story is also poignant and humane. It certainly stands out amongst the multitude of current run-of-the-mill thrillers.

This book is based on assassins who are on board the bullet train from Tokyo. There are 5 of them and they don’t realise in the beginning that their goal is the same. The story went from one assissin to another. Two of them, Tangerine and Lemon were together. Tangerine the brighter one and Lemon a lovable rogue obsessed with Thomas the Tank Engine. Between them they made me smile. It was a bit of a farce in some respects. One assassin always had bad luck and everything he tried went wrong. Another was a school boy who took in everything and tried to play that to his advantage and the last a man was doing as he was told as his son was in hospital thanks to the mean streak of Prince, the school boy. The book went from one assassin to another going up and down the train doing the job they were on it to do and, of course, things became very complicated. I found it going from one person to another in tranches a little annoying. On saying this though I did enjoy the story and have just found out that this is being made into a movie which I will definitely go and see

The Bullet Train by Kotaro Isaka is a story about many criminals who find themselves on the same train. The book starts with Yuichi Kimura getting on the Shinkansen high-speed bullet train. His only motive is to avenge the wrong done to his son. His target is a psychopathic fourteen-year-old who fools everyone with his wit and innocent look. Also aboard the train are a criminal duo, Tangerine and Lemon, tasked with rescuing a crimelord's son and delivering him back to his father with the ransom money. Nanao is another passenger on the train hired to steal the ransom money and return it to Minegishi safely. In the mix are other criminals with scores to settle.
I have read the Three Assasins by the same author and knew what to expect. Quirky characters, dark humour, violence, action-packed, overlapping mission, suspense, and silly dialogues. I was not disappointed. The game of cat and mouse played out in the story by dim-witted criminals on a fast-moving train whose missions are inextricably linked makes this novel worth reading.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of Bullet Train but that has in no way influenced my review.

Boarding a train has never been so deadly! When the bullet train leaves Tokyo heading for Morioka little do the passengers know that in their midst are five highly skilled killers. Satoshi is a schoolboy, all sweetness and light to his superiors but really a psychopath in a school uniform. His use of control and coercion and his complete lack of remorse make him a deadly adversary. Kimura is on a mission to track Satoshi down and make him pay for what he did to his young son, no matter what the cost. But they are not the only two killers on board this high-speed train. As the train hurtles towards Morioka the clock ticks down. Time is running out for these trained assassins as not everyone will make it to Morioka alive...

Oh my goodness, Bullet Train was so much fun! What an immersive, high-speed thrill ride the author has created for his readers, featuring five thoroughly engaging characters. All of them, apart from Satoshi, are likeable - although you know you shouldn't warm to them really. They are trained killers after all! There is much comic relief provided by the brilliant Tangerine and Lemon. Lemon's obsession with trains, in particular Thomas and Friends, had me giggling to myself at frequent intervals. Bullet Train felt vey different to all of the other 'locked room' mysteries I've read in the past (even the Japanese ones!) and I really appreciated it.

The plot moves along swiftly, very much like the bullet train itself, with lots of interesting plot points and changes of direction. I wanted to steam through this novel to find out who survived but instead I took my time to enjoy and savour the interactions, the building tension and twists and turns. There is very little let up. There is always something happening and it's always attention grabbing.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Bullet Train is a unique and clever thriller which is perhaps a little bonkers at times, a little hard to believe maybe, but I didn't care one jot. I was entertained from start to finish and I know I will never read another book like this again. It's definitely quirky in the best way possible. I want to say to all crime fiction fans, you must read this book but I'm aware that it probably won't be for everyone. If you're a fan of translated fiction however, make sure you get yourself a copy and make sure you read it before the movie is released this summer. I, for one, will be first in the queue with my popcorn and slushie as I CANNOT WAIT to relive the Bullet Train experience once more. I thoroughly enjoyed Bullet Train and I'm looking forward to reading more from this author soon. Recommended.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of Bullet Train. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

What a ride this book was, it was just crazy. You don’t know who is working with who, who is working against who and sometimes what is going on. I struggled slightly with the language translation but nonetheless overall a good read with lots of plot twists and turns and enough to keep you engaged most of the way through.
I think it’s setting appealed for me as I wanted to learn more but at the same time I sometimes struggle to visualise things in other countries but that’s just me. Overall an enjoyable read though!

I read Bullet Train by Kōtarō Isaka shortly after it's publication date last year so this is a brief retrospective review. I have read quite a few Japanese crime novels in the past. Bullet Train follows their tradition of being a battle of wits however aside from that aspect to the book I really felt this was quite a unique story in terms of setting, characterisation and pace - which is as non relenting as the train.
Five very distinct assassins have been put on the same bullet train, each with their own experiences and motivations yet unbeknown to each, all with them with the same objective to come away with the same luggage in their possession.
While dangerous duo Tangerine and Lemon might appear the most dangerous, it is the baby faced Satoshi AKA The Prince that is the most manipulative but is he the most cunning? If there is one message to the book it is perhaps never lose sight of the big picture. The book is soon to made into a Holywood movie, it will have to be a very good production to capture the excitement and tension of this book. I look forward to watching it but before then I'm going to enjoy the next book by Isaka - Three Assassins (even if it sounds like a downgrade in the number of killers!)

The blurb got me for this one and also seeing the write ups for the new film but it was I think lost in translation for me and didnt work or hold my interest,apologies

I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher, in return for an honest review. This review is based entirely on my own thoughts and feelings.

Overall rating : 5*
Writing skill : 5*
Plot: 4*
Pace: 4*
Characters: 5*
Suspense: 4*

Yes! Yes! What a book! This was the ultimate cat & mouse story full of suspense and mystery. Think <i>murder on the orient express</i> on crack.

We follow 5 main characters, all assassins, aboard a train. All there for personal and selfish reasons and all their situations overlap in the most complex and original way. The plot and pace didn't seem to ever let up, each scenario crazier than the last, a complete and utter whirl wind!! I didn't particularly root for any one character over the other but I must say the ending was surprising, but perfect. I implore anyone to try and guess the twists and turns, and bet you that you cant!

Really looking forward to the movie coming out later this year to see how it changes, as I know its been bought by Hollywood.

I couldn’t make my mind up about this quite bizarre book. There were just so many ridiculous events mixed with acts by ruthless criminals that I was unsure whether it was serious or not. It was certainly entertaining in parts but never really tense or gripping as the writing style made it almost lighthearted despite the quite shocking crimes continually being committed. There is only so much that can happen on one train journey and it probably was a little lengthy to continue to be convincing. However, overall it was clever and original.

A bunch of deadly assassins board a bullet train, unaware of each other’s missions. How long till they run into each other? One things for sure, not everyone is getting off the train alive.

I loved this book! It’s not my usual genre although I love a good murder, this was so action packed from start to finish. I loved the sense of humour which was prevalent throughout despite the mounting drama unfolding. I took a liking to pretty much all the characters even though none of them were particularly likeable. The way the characters spoke and interacted reminded me a lot of the film pulp fiction - that’s one of my favourite films so I definitely see that as a positive. I would highly recommend this book to readers looking for a thrill!

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars

Bullet Train had some interesting characters, twists I didn’t see coming and humorous moments, but the narrative felt dragged out in certain sections, sticking with characters that were less engaging for longer than was enjoyable. For something so action packed it was frequently dense and unengaging. Some characters felt a little too broad and at points the narrative becomes quite repetitive.

I can see why the book is being adapted into a movie and hope the adaptation trims some of the fat.

Nanao is a very unlucky assassin and is tasked to steal a black suitcase on the Bullet Train travelling from Tokyo to Morioka. Should be easy but for him things always get complicated.
Kimura must obey a 14 year old or his son’s life could be ended. Tangerine and Lemon must deliver a major villain’s son but he is murdered in their care.
So many killers, so many twists and turns. A true adventure with an escaped snake too. Loved it, enjoy.

A very enjoyable story about various contract killers undertaking, on the face of it, unconnected jobs which require their presence upon the Japanese bullet train. Other passengers who are also on the train and who appear initially to have no connection to these criminal types may in fact be more than they seem. Throw a potentially sociopathic adolescent into this mix and you have an awful lot going on. My only issue would be the open ending which didn't satisfy my needs to know what had happened to the characters who remained at the end of the story. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for my honest opinion and review.

The story is about five people on a fast train all trying to get a black suitcase full of money. I found this difficult at times to follow as it was changing from one character to another but is worth the effort. Fast paced but a little too long.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. This is an astounding concept for a novel - a high speed train, a suitcase full of money and an assortment of killers all coming together to create mayhem. An array of memorable characters ranging from "The Prince," a scheming schoolboy to Tangerine & Lemon, a pair of mismatched assassins, one of which, Lemon, has an obsession with Thomas the Tank Engine. All the characters interact in increasingly bizarre ways and the death count rises exponentially. Bullet Train is being made into a movie an, if they do it justice, I cannot wait to see it - fast paced and laugh out loud funny at times this is a compulsive read.

This came out a while back so felt very lucky that when the paperback was being released I was accepted for this galley! A fast and wonderfully paced story throughout which had me guessing what was coming next… an author I’m very excited to get to know more work of

Unfortunately I struggled a bit too much with this and did not finish it. I struggled with the staccato style plot and struggled to gain interest when the cast were so young.

I’ve read a couple books lately after being inspired by the announcement of a blockbuster movie adaptation. I think what I have learnt is that if the book was independently brilliant, I would have heard more about it before the movie adaptation. Thankfully this book was a lot better than the previous one I read in this category.

Bullet train is a fun and chaotic journey of murder, lies, and subterfuge. The ‘Reservoir Dog’-esque plot is clever and the overall story well interlaced. You can see how it will make a great movie.

Having said that, I think I battled with the translation. Or perhaps more accurately the Japanese fiction it originates from. I just found myself cringing at times during character interactions. Conversations at times were carried out so awkwardly and I just couldn’t see anyone talking like that. It reminded me of the exceptionally weird dialogue in Squid Games that made the series for me time I wish I could get back.

Back to Bullet Train, if anything, this is an entertaining and enjoyable journey.