Book Review: A Wild Sheep Chase is Haruki Murakami's first full-length novel, which he considered the "true beginning of my career as a novelist." It's a quantum leap forward from his first two shorter works, Hear the Wind Sing and Pinball 1973, and has the usual Murakami themes and signatures, an ear fetish, a Sheep Man, and the beginning of his use of magical realism (the book jacket cites the book as a hybrid of "mythology and mystery" -- I saw more magic than myth). The story is intriguing, not riveting, but picks up tempo in the final third. The ending was tidy but disappointing, and some elements of the story continue into Dance Dance Dance, the fourth book in the series. Although A Wild Sheep Chase is sometimes listed as the Rat #3, it's not necessary to read the first two books (now titled Wind/Pinball) before this one -- the author places everything in context and there's little overlap. The translation, by Alfred Birnbaum, is passable, tho it would be interesting to see a new translation. In A Wild Sheep Chase, Murakami hasn't quite developed the skills he will later, he's not yet Murakami, but still draws the reader into his world and it's a worthwhile and enjoyable read. [3.5 Stars]
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