Help! Pick the First Chapter of The Samurai Poet

As promised back in January (see post here), I've taken a step toward making more of The Samurai Poet available in advance of publication. Originally, I was going to upload a total of four chapters, but while working on the site update, a different approach occurred to me. Why not stick to the Prologue and Chapter One, then invite readers to decide which would make the best opener?

There's a good reason I haven't decided yet. By using Osaka 1615 as a sort of prologue, I am able to establish a number of themes examined in the novel without giving too much of the story away. It serves its purpose to raise questions in the reader's mind and hopefully encourage them to read on long enough to find answers of a sort.

Even though I'm partial to Osaka 1615, I am also fond of the opening sentence of 1589, so much so that I wonder if its impact demands Chapter One status. My only fear is that readers might lose patience with the chronological approach, then not wait long enough to see the seeds planted in the early chapters come to fruition.

So that's my piece. If you carve out some time to read both chapters at my website, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Also, if you think I need to share some more sample chapters there, this is a good place to let me know.