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中央流沙
官僚制度下，基層人物的冷眼旁觀－－
一樁震盪全農林省上下的弊案，令牽涉其中的高層官員個個風聲鶴唳。此時，一位遭警方鎖定，被認為是破案關鍵的基層助理，卻失足墜落溫泉鄉的懸崖，神祕身亡。這一切，在農林省默默賣命大半生，並於此回負責將屍體運回東京的山田事務官全都看在眼裡；長年身為基層公務員，只能仰官僚菁英鼻息的山田，已迫不及待想目睹接下來的事態發展。這樁沸騰得滿城風雨，牽動著死神息吐的貪汙弊案，最後的發展究竟是……？
一樁震盪全農林省上下的弊案，令牽涉其中的高層官員個個風聲鶴唳。此時，一位遭警方鎖定，被認為是破案關鍵的基層助理，卻失足墜落溫泉鄉的懸崖，神祕身亡。這一切，在農林省默默賣命大半生，並於此回負責將屍體運回東京的山田事務官全都看在眼裡；長年身為基層公務員，只能仰官僚菁英鼻息的山田，已迫不及待想目睹接下來的事態發展。這樁沸騰得滿城風雨，牽動著死神息吐的貪汙弊案，最後的發展究竟是……？
288 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1968
About the author
Seichō Matsumoto
631 books447 followersSeicho Matsumoto (松本清張, Matsumoto Seichō), December 21, 1909 – August 4, 1992) was a Japanese writer.
Matsumoto's works created a new tradition of Japanese crime fiction. Dispensing with formulaic plot devices such as puzzles, Matsumoto incorporated elements of human psychology and ordinary life into his crime fiction. In particular, his works often reflect a wider social context and postwar nihilism that expanded the scope and further darkened the atmosphere of the genre. His exposé of corruption among police officials as well as criminals was a new addition to the field. The subject of investigation was not just the crime but also the society in which the crime was committed.
The self-educated Matsumoto did not see his first book in print until he was in his forties. He was a prolific author, he wrote until his death in 1992, producing in four decades more than 450 works. Matsumoto's mystery and detective fiction solidified his reputation as a writer at home and abroad. He wrote historical novels and nonfiction in addition to mystery/detective fiction.
He was awarded the Akutagawa Prize in 1952 and the Kikuchi Kan Prize in 1970, as well as the Mystery Writers of Japan Award in 1957. He chaired the president of Mystery Writers of Japan from 1963 to 1971.
Credited with popularizing the genre among readers in his country, Matsumoto became his nation's best-selling and highest earning author in the 1960s. His most acclaimed detective novels, including Ten to sen (1958; Points and Lines, 1970); Suna no utsuwa (1961; Inspector Imanishi Investigates, 1989) and Kiri no hata (1961; Pro Bono, 2012), have been translated into a number of languages, including English.
He collaborated with film director Yoshitarō Nomura on adaptations of eight of his novels to film, including Castle of Sand.
Matsumoto's works created a new tradition of Japanese crime fiction. Dispensing with formulaic plot devices such as puzzles, Matsumoto incorporated elements of human psychology and ordinary life into his crime fiction. In particular, his works often reflect a wider social context and postwar nihilism that expanded the scope and further darkened the atmosphere of the genre. His exposé of corruption among police officials as well as criminals was a new addition to the field. The subject of investigation was not just the crime but also the society in which the crime was committed.
The self-educated Matsumoto did not see his first book in print until he was in his forties. He was a prolific author, he wrote until his death in 1992, producing in four decades more than 450 works. Matsumoto's mystery and detective fiction solidified his reputation as a writer at home and abroad. He wrote historical novels and nonfiction in addition to mystery/detective fiction.
He was awarded the Akutagawa Prize in 1952 and the Kikuchi Kan Prize in 1970, as well as the Mystery Writers of Japan Award in 1957. He chaired the president of Mystery Writers of Japan from 1963 to 1971.
Credited with popularizing the genre among readers in his country, Matsumoto became his nation's best-selling and highest earning author in the 1960s. His most acclaimed detective novels, including Ten to sen (1958; Points and Lines, 1970); Suna no utsuwa (1961; Inspector Imanishi Investigates, 1989) and Kiri no hata (1961; Pro Bono, 2012), have been translated into a number of languages, including English.
He collaborated with film director Yoshitarō Nomura on adaptations of eight of his novels to film, including Castle of Sand.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
April 5, 2017
I give The Central Quicksand 3.5 stars.
There isn't much plot twists in this novel which revolves around the corruption within the governmental Agricultural Affairs Department in the 1960s and a supposed suicide of a lowly manager from the department. And there is no 'good guys win in the end and bad guys go to jail' type of happy ending, but the strength of this novel lays on the characters, the dynamics and the circle of corruption within the governmental body Mr. Matsumoto had managed to explore through his writing. Given the fact that Mr. Matsumoto wrote this novel for a newspaper ran by the Japanese communist party (a party he supposed) then no wonder the story would turn out like this.
And at the very end, Mr. Matsumoto didn't forget to highlight the importance of voting...at least we can always make what little difference by giving our votes. How thoughtful of him.
I also like how Mr. Matsumomo handled his characters, the few key characters we have managed to meet in the book are pretty flawed and selfish if not downright unlikable (), but you can still see why those characters would behave like this and how the authoritative culture within the governmental body forces everyone to duck their heads and do as they were told.
Therefore, I'm very disappointed to hear when this novel was adapted into a TV series in 2009, they changed the plot, making the dead manager's wife some sort of brave heroine, and letting her expose those corrupted officials with the help of a reporter, when none of these things has ever taken place within the novel! >__<
There isn't much plot twists in this novel which revolves around the corruption within the governmental Agricultural Affairs Department in the 1960s and a supposed suicide of a lowly manager from the department. And there is no 'good guys win in the end and bad guys go to jail' type of happy ending, but the strength of this novel lays on the characters, the dynamics and the circle of corruption within the governmental body Mr. Matsumoto had managed to explore through his writing. Given the fact that Mr. Matsumoto wrote this novel for a newspaper ran by the Japanese communist party (a party he supposed) then no wonder the story would turn out like this.
And at the very end, Mr. Matsumoto didn't forget to highlight the importance of voting...at least we can always make what little difference by giving our votes. How thoughtful of him.
I also like how Mr. Matsumomo handled his characters, the few key characters we have managed to meet in the book are pretty flawed and selfish if not downright unlikable (), but you can still see why those characters would behave like this and how the authoritative culture within the governmental body forces everyone to duck their heads and do as they were told.
Therefore, I'm very disappointed to hear when this novel was adapted into a TV series in 2009, they changed the plot, making the dead manager's wife some sort of brave heroine, and letting her expose those corrupted officials with the help of a reporter, when none of these things has ever taken place within the novel! >__<
Displaying 1 of 1 review