The Way of the Warrior

Young Samurai is unabashed YA adventure. The Young Samurai series is about the adventures of Jack Fletcher, an English boy who is shipwrecked off the coast of Japan in the 17th century, his father and ship crew slaughtered by ninja assassins. Rescued by the legendary swordmaster Masamoto Takeshi, Jack's only hope of survival in a foreign land is to become a samurai warrior.

It is written in quite short chapters with plenty of action. Many chapters end in some kind of cliffhanger so that it's difficult to stop reading. Its only ambition is entertaining, and in that it is successful. There's no attempt to be literary. The author takes many liberties with Japanese society (for example, female warriors are commonplace), but he is a black show more belt martial artist himself and has obvious respect for Japanese martial philosophy and gets it across quite well.

The action is relentless. Jack goes to a school for young samurais founded by Masamoto Takeshi, and he makes some good friends and terrible enemies. There is a lot of xenophobia in medieval Japan, and because of that he is the target of ruthless bullies. All the while he is pursued by the master ninja assassin who killed his father and is now after a valuable rutter book that Jack rescued from his ship.

Sometimes it reminded me of the Harry Potter series: boarding school with colorful teachers and subjects, the shock of foreign culture, very competent female friend, extremely powerful external enemy, a teacher that particularly dislikes him, a fierce enemy among his fellow students (although Kazuki feels like much more of a threat than Draco Malfoy ever did). However, it does not have the emphasis on character interaction and world-building that Harry Potter has, and instead the focus is on action.

I have finished book 4 (out of 8), and while it is very much YA (for an adult treatment of similar themes there's of course Shogun, by James Clavell), I was surprised to see how the death count (including important characters) was much higher than in Harry Potter, and how dark it sometimes is, in that there is no guarantee that "good" will triumph over "evil". show less

Dit is het verhaal van Jack Fletcher en zijn avonturen in Japan. Hij strand aan in Japan via een reis die hij met zijn vader maakt. Zijn vader word al vrij snel vermoord door de ninja Drakenoog die op zoek is naar de rutter van het schip die belangrijke informatie kan bevatten. Hier in Japan word hij onder de hoede genomen door een grote samoerai die luistert naar de naam Masamoto. Jack leert wat het betekend om een samoerai te zijn en maakt onderweg vriend- en vijanden.

Het boek is lekker vlot geschreven en ondanks dat het een YA boek is, is het zelfs voor een ouder persoon vermakelijk om te lezen. Er zijn een hoop delen in deze serie en ben benieuwd welke avonturen hij verder zal ervaren.

Japan, 1611. Jack Fletcher has been sailing with his father attempting to be on the first English ship to trade with the mysterious Japanese. Attacked by ninja pirates when they arrive on the coast, only Jack survives by jumping overboard when the ship explodes. He washes ashore and is rescued by the great samurai Masumoto. In Masumoto's home, Jack recovers from his injuries and begins to learn about the Japanese language and culture, until he is once again attacked at night by the ninja pirate with one green eye... who murdered Masumoto's son Tenno, and is thus Masumoto's greatest enemy. Jack has his father's rutter, which is the ship's atlas to all waters and ports, with notes from his father about every area he has ever sailed, and show more that book makes Jack a target. For saving the life of his second son, Masumoto arranges for Jack to be trained at his own school for samurai warriors, and as a foreigner, Jack has to prove himself over and over. Good and evil, friends and enemies, lots of martial arts battles and swordfights, this tale is action packed and lots of fun! I like that even though the story focuses on the male characters, the girls in this book are NOT doormats, especially Akiko, who has more courage in her little finger than most others do in their entire bodies. A great historical fiction "guy read", for 6th grade and up. First in the series of six books so far. show less

This is an entertaining and uncomplicated read that gives great insight into the customs and training of samurai in feudal japan. The book is compelling as the main character who is training to be a samurai is not Japanese, and the friendships and strong bonds that are created between senseis and students is endearing. I am going to continue with the series so I can read about more adventures of this young samurai and if you like YA, coming of age, Japanese culture and customs, samurai, and adventure, you'll like this book (and, She Named Me Wolf by Tenkara Smart has similar themes and is YA but has a more 'tragic' theme as part of the plotline). I recommend this book and Chris Bradford is a great author. Great description, believable show more dialogue and draws you into the characters and the story. show less

This is one of those books you wish you'd read when you were 14. Adventures, ninjas, samurais, swordfights, hand-on-hand combats, the coming-of-age of an English boy in medieval Japan, Harry Potter with a bokken instead of a wand, the importance of friendship... What's not to love?

Jack's boat is hijacked by the feared Wakusa (Japanese Ninja/Pirate) and everyone, including his father is killed in front of him. He escapes, and is put in the care of Masamoto, one of the most powerful samurai. Jack must not only deal with the pressures of being thrust into a new culture, but also the gravity of becoming a samurai. This book opens up strong, but then uses a lot of technical language, slowing the pacing dramatically. Despite the pacing being uneven, there is a lot to like in this series.

I read this book with my child for a school project, Voices In the Prairie. Not my usual style at all, but a perfect choice for a junior high read. Not only are readers exposed to the Japanese culture, the story is fast paced and entertaining, appealing to a diverse group.

Englander Jack Fletcher, orphaned after the murder of his father, struggles to find acceptance in Japan. He must learn everything about the culture, including the ways of the Samurai Warrior, if he wants to avenge his father's death. His female companion, Akiko, helps him navigate within this new world, proving her loyalty and worthiness throughout the journey.

Chris Bradford's writing is simple, yet direct, and this story zips along, keeping the tension taunt. Lots of show more swords fights as well as sage, spot-on zenful advise from expert warrior sensei teachers propel the characters along toward their final, ultimate battle. show less