The Decay of the Angel Martin With powerful enemies lurking behind

With powerful enemies lurking behind the scenes

but also something else: craftsmanship

In this scorching crime hook-up

The Little Friend is a work of myriad enchantments by a writer of prodigious talent

The Decay of the Angel Martin With powerful enemies lurking behindThe Sea of Fertility #4. As the dramatic climax of The Sea of Fertility, 'The Decay of the Angel' brings together the dominant themes of the three previous novels the meaning and decay of Japan's courtly tradition and samurai ideal; the essence and value of Buddhist philosophy and aesthetics; and, underlying all, Mishima's apocalyptic vision of the modern era, which saw the dissolution of the moral and cultural forces that throughout the ages