The Third Bullet in Japanese (Paperback Bunko)

The way the story weaves real historical figures into the plot is fascinating. I'm curious what motivated this approach and how much research went into it.

At times, I wondered if the factual details enhanced or complicated the narrative. How do readers feel about the balance between fact and fiction here?

The choice of narrator adds a lot of depth, but I’m curious whether this was planned from the beginning or evolved during writing. What do you think influenced this decision?