A novel of historical fiction, it is the story of a Jesuit missionary sent to seventeenth century Japan, who endured persecution that followed the defeat of the Shimbara Rebellion.
Shūsaku Endō (遠藤 周作 Endō Shūsaku) was a reowned 20th century Japanese author who wrote from the unusual perspective of being both Japanese and Catholic. Together with Junnosuke Yoshiyuki, Shotaro Yasuoka, Junzo Shono, Hiroyuki Agawa, Ayako Sono, and Shumon Miura, Endo is categorized as one of the "Third Generations," the third major group of writers to emerge after the second World War. His books reflect man of his childhood experiences, including the stigma of being an outsider, of being a foreigner, of living life in a hospital, and the struggle with his tuberculosis. However, his books mainly deal with the moral fabric of life. His Catholic faith can be seen at some level in all of his books, and is often the central focus.
