The Way of the Dragon

Young Samurai #3

by Chris Bradford

June 1613.

 

Japan is threatened with war and Jack Fletcher is facing his greatest battle yet. Samurai are taking sides and, as the blood begins to flow, Jack’s warrior training is put to the ultimate test. His survival – and that of his friends – depends upon him mastering the Two Heavens, the secret sword technique of the legendary samurai Masamoto Takeshi. But first Jack must recover his father’s prize possession from the deadly ninja Dragon Eye. Can Jack defeat his ruthless enemy? Or will the ninja complete his mission to kill the young samurai...

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult, Adventure, Fiction, Historical, Japan

423 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 4, 2010

About the author

Chris Bradford is the bestselling author of the Young Samurai, Bodyguard and Soul Series.

Chris is renowned for his inspiring author events and ‘method writing’ style. For his award-winning Young Samurai series, he trained in samurai swordmanship, karate, ninjutsu and earned his black belt in Zen Kyu Shin Taijutsu.

For his BODYGUARD series, Chris embarked on an intensive close protection course to become a qualified professional bodyguard.

And for the Soul Prophecy trilogy, Chris travelled extensively to experience first-hand the cultures featured in the story – from living with the Shona people in Zimbabwe, to trekking the Inca trail, to meditating in a Buddhist temple amid the mountains of Japan.

His books have been published in more than 25 languages and been nominated for 30+ book awards, winning among others the Northern Ireland Book Award 2011, the Hampshire Book Award 2014 and the Brilliant Book Award 2014. Young Samurai: The Way of the Warrior was deemed one of Puffin’s 70 Best Ever Books, alongside Treasure Island and Robin Hood.

To discover more about Chris or book an author visit: www.chrisbradford.co.uk

Reviews

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to admit right from the start that the main character, Jack Fletcher, is one of my favorite characters of all time. As someone that’s into martial arts I can so relate to Jack. I actually find myself getting jealous of him because I’d so love to be able to learn martial arts like he is. But then the reality of it all hits home and I’m like, “okay, never mind.” When deciding how to rate this the third book in the Young Samurai series, I almost regretted giving the first two books five stars. If those first two books deserved five stars, then The Way of the Dragon deserves six. Yes I loved it!

I will offer a word of caution for parents. This might not be suitable for really young readers. The description of the war that takes place, along with all the death, may be a bit much sensitive young readers.

To see my review of other the books in this series, please use the links below:

Book One - The Way of the Warrior
Book Two - The Way of the Sword
Book Four - The Ring of Earth
Book Five - The Ring of Water
Book Six - The Ring of Fire
Book Seven - The Ring of Wind
Book Eight - The Ring of Sky

[Courtney Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This made me replay Ghost of Tsushima

[Paul Limsuwannarot · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Way of the Dragon, by Chris Bradford, is the third book of the trilogy called Young Samurai. It is about an English boy stuck in the formidable country of Japan, who is currently training to be a samurai in the well known school of Niten Ichi Ryu. He is trying to go back to England, but is cut short by the hatred and the killings of gaijin, the term for foreigners in Japanese.
Since this is the third book of the series, The Way of the Dragon, is about how Jack Fletcher is learning the legendary Two Heavens, the technique of using two swords, the katana and the wakizashi, to fight with. But war was on the horizon, and the school was on the edge of collapse due to traitors within and the prospect of war. Later on Jack is stuck in the midst of war between two powerful armies. Will Jack survive against bloodthirsty samurais, or will he not escape the war with his life?

One of my favorite scenes in the book was when Jack confronted the infamous ninja, and his archenemy, Dokugan Ryu, also known as Dragon Eye on the rooftop of the Osaka Castle. The scene was very well described, nearly to the point of excellence. It gave the scene an orchestrated feel of tension to it. This is one of the paragraphs in the scene that I would like to show to give a feel on the scene: “Staring into the eyes of the assassin, Jack so no fear, no guilt, no remorse in the man’s soul. This was the very ninja responsible for murdering his father, garroting him before Jack’s own eyes; for killing the innocent maid, Chiro, and assassinating Yamato’s brother, Tenno. Dragon Eye had not destroyed only his life, but those of his friends, too. All the pain, suffering, and loss he’d experienced since being in Japan welled up inside him, threatening to explode in a burst of murderous fury.”

Another of the scenes that I enjoyed in the book is when Jack tells the school’s owner, Masamato, about the sudden attack of ninjas in the Keep. I like how the author, Chris Bradford, describes the scene clearly. This paragraph may give you a faint display on how the author describes the scene: “ But the ninja kept sliding, his broken wrist preventing him from getting a grip on anything. He tumbled down the slope and disappeared. There was silence, then a distant thud as his body hit the ground.”

I recommend this book to anyone, but mostly young adults due to the fact that there is some well described battle scenes in the book, and the harder use of language.

[Carissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I DEVOURED THIS BOOK IN JUST THREE DAYS! This book was interesting, informative, action packed,mind bottling,fantastic, and even a little sad towards the end. I read this book first in the series not knowing that is was actually part of a series! (Silly me, lol.) Chris Bradford does such a fantastic job at adding so much detail that honestly I just kept reading, thinking that the book was just starting that way. HAHA. Anyways, I went back to the library and discovered the first two books. I grabbed them and instantly understood everything! I am a very busy person with school, volleyball, and tons of hw. However, for this book I put all of that aside, and read it in a short amount of time compared to the time it takes me to read a book. I just couldn't stop reading it! :)

SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!! Don't read this part if you have not read the book.



Thank you :p.
************************************************************



After reading the ending, I thought that it was over, since Yamato dies, and Masamoto is banished and in the Iga Mountains. (I think that's where he is, lol.) Plus, Dragon Eye dies! (At least that's what he wants us to think... I think.... haha.) But after reading the first 4 chapters of The Ring of Earth on Amazon I knew it wasn't over! I now need to get a hold of that book immediately! I can't wait!

I LOVE LOVE this series and recommend anyone and everyone to read it!

IT IS AMAZING.(:





This is my first review ever, so if I made a mistake/bragged too much, I apologize. I didn't want to give a summary because, well, it's up there and a lot of people have.

So, goodbye. (:

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jack Fletcher and friends are back in an brand-new adventure. When war breaks out and dark forces plan to exterminate all the Christians in Japan, Jack fears for his life as he and his schoolmates must fight for their lives as well as the ones they care about from the ninjas and dark forces that plan to turn their world upside-down. Is it worth the sacrifice though? Read on and find out for yourself.

This was a great installment of the Young Samurai series. If you like stories about loyalty, friendship, sacrifice, ninjas, samurai and Japan then be sure to check this book out at your local library and wherever books and ebooks are sold.

[Lydia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ah-hahaha! Finally got around to reading/finishing this book! Which continued to have the problems mentioned in my review of the second book with an added frustration, Jack can't win anything! It's ridiculous! It's like the author decided to throw some realism into the books after Jack pretty much coming out ahead in every battle (granted, except Dragon Eye fights) and winning every competition for the first two books, now he can barely even compete in friendly fights with his fellow students! (And the un-friendly fights? Well, we'll just say he nearly dies a lot in this book.) Okay, ranting over. Be aware though, that you will be saying goodbye to a LOT of familiar faces in this book (think battle of Hogwarts from HP 7 and you'll get the idea). So did I like it? Yes and no. Will I ever read it again? Probably not. Take that for what you will.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 stars

This book had a lot of fights, a great war and tragic deaths. It seems like it could have been the end of the series but there are at least 5 more books, so I´m looking forward to the rest oft the story.

[Helen Fincham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not expecting the emotion in this third installation! Definitely the best one so far.

Bradford’s writing suddenly picked up & the characters were deep and inviting.

The depiction of war and pain in detail I think would be too much for a younger 10-12 y/o reader without someone to read it with them for support / explanations.

[emma ♖ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The bond between akiko and jack is adorably cute and i like how their group of friends became even stronger together

[Uzair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Things i Liked:
1.This books made me appreciate Haiku.Before this the only Haiku I'd come across was Apollo's and(Trials of Apollo) and yes it was funny but this book had the real soul of Haiku.
2.Jacks friendship with Yamato and Akiko.
3.The cliche sacrifices of the people you grow to love in a series(Not to say if hurts any less)Namely Yamato,Taro and Sensei Hosokawa and That Haiku kid who's name i forgot.

Things I didn't Like:
1.Despite Jack being a great Samurai,and Kazuki as well no one ever wins their fights despite Kazuki almost always having superior numbers and other advantages.
2.By the way this book is you can feel its gonna get a little mushy later on.
3.Father Bobadilla.Like why you gotta be such a bigot.I mean you're a pries for God sake.

And i don't remember much else.

[17sabinc032 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is based in Japan in the 1600s and is in a series that focuses on a young boy called Jack who has a book that unlocks all the worlds oceans . The genre is action and adventure. I really liked this book as I found the battles really exciting and i just couldn't put the book down midway through one. This story of the series is sad exciting and happy and i would recommend this book to everyone as I think that it is really inspirational because of what the girls are able to do in this. In the End Jack and his school eventually win. I would also advise reading the first two books in the series before reading this one.

[15croukampd]

I found this book exiting in the samurai's part in the war! It was very exiting but many main characters died:(

[Helena Mathäser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spannend, Mitreißend, Emotional, Unerwarteter Plottwist

[Tomz · Rating 5 out of 5]

ebic

[Sabine · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,75/5
Miss moet ik gaan slapen ipv reviews schrijven (ik ben het al bijma driekwartier aan het doen) maarja
Dit boek is het derde boek uit mijn lievelingsserie (op dit moment ben ik het vijfde boek aan het lezen)
Waarom ik het een 3,75 geef is omdat het grootste deel van het boek wat meer uit kleinere verhaaltjes bestond dan echt 1 grote hoofdverhaal snapje. Maar de laatste hoofdstukken waren echt kapot leuk met de oorlog. En door dit boek is Jacks leven (de hoofdpersonage) van deprissief en moeilijk naar kapot deprissief en kapot moeilijk gegaan. Dingen zoals racisme en discrimanitie spelen een grote rol in deze boeken. Ik raad zeker aan om deze serie te lezen (het is geen ya tho).
Dankjewel en doei

[Denis Hysenaj · Rating 5 out of 5]

I decided to read Young Samurai: The Way of the Dragon by Chris Bradford because I had read the previous two books of this epic series and just had to know what happened after that. This continues of the story of an English boy(Jack) whos father was killed leaving him on his own in 1600s Japan where he was adopted by a well respected Samurai. This Series is about Jack training to be a Samurai and his journey along the way.

A character I found interesting was Jack Fletcher. After being in Japan for a few years now he has adjusted to life in the far east. He is training to be a Samurai and is excelling. I find him interesting because he can always adjust and adapt to the situation that he is in. He is also very noble and fought against the usurping warlords who were trying to take Japan for themselves.

My favourite quote was when Jacks adoptive brother said "Sayonara my brother" just as he was about to fall to his honourable samurai death. This is my favourite because Yamato never really accepted Jack until just before his death. It shows how love is stronger than hate and how everyone is equal in the end.

I learned that you need to fight for whats right even if you are outnumbered because in this book 100000 noble Samurai battled to the death against 300000 less honourable combatants who in the end succeeded in taking Japan for themselves. Although most of them died they fought with honour and died with honour.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

'In een oorlog kún je niet kiezen,' verklaarde Jack... 'De oorlog kiest jou.'

Dit verhaal rond eigenlijk het eerste deel van de reeks af. Het vierde boek gaat verder met een nieuw 'deel', en een nieuw doel ook. Bovendien stopte De Boekerij na deel drie met vertalen; het zou pas enkele jaren later zijn dat ze de reeks weer oppakten, maar toen was het voor mij te laat. De rest van de boeken had ik toen al in het Engels gekocht.
Op zich is dit boek ook een bijna-afgewerkt verhaal. Veel van de losse draden en vragen die dit deel verbonden met de vorige twee, zijn opgelost. Er blijven nog een paar zaken over, maar eigenlijk kun je evengoed stellen dat dit het einde van de reeks zou zijn, met een open einde. Dat komt niet vaak voor en het is eigenlijk wel leuk, want als je dus niet de volledige reeks wil lezen, dan kun je hier stoppen.
Onnodig te zeggen, maar: wij gaan gewoon door natuurlijk.
In feite heb ik niet echt veel te zeggen over dit boek. Het is een degelijk boek, net als de vorige twee, maar naar mijn herinnering vond ik het tweede deel van de reeks eigenlijk beter. Bradford zet hier een mooi staaltje avontuur neer, maar veel meer dan dat is het ook niet echt. En mijn opmerkingen van bij de vorige boeken blijven gelden.
7,5/10

[Hao Kai Huang]

I found this book in my local public library.

In this book, I think that "loyalty" is most important and is expressed throughout the book. Jack Fletcher, is a 12 year old English boy who ends up in Japan because of a shipwreck. Loyalty is like the big idea that is expressed throughout the book because in the book, Kazuki and his family betrayed his school and country so that they could join Daimyo Kamakura in forcing non-natives from Japan to leave. Loyalty is also important throughout the book because it's loyalty that saved Jack. If sacrificed himself when Dragon Eye was climbing on him to get up and kill Jack, Jack could of died. "As Dragon Eye was driven off the balcony, he made a final lunge for Yamato...but you'll die...I'll die with honor...", this reveals that Yamato is willing to give up his life to save his friend Jack and Akiko. This book had revealed to me that loyalty is very important to friendship.

I recommend this book to readers that like Japanese culture and books that teaches a lesson.

[Khurram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. My 9 year old who has a taste for reading loves this series. This is the most brutal book so far. There is a war coming. Loyalties will be tested, betrayals revealed people will die. How will the young Samuri handle fighting experienced, merciless and blood thirsty warriors. Some will make the ultimate sacrifice, however even the survivors will be forever changed.

Jack also learns the origin of one of his arch enemies, and a man who hired him to get the Rutter in the first place. However with this knowledge it just makes his enemies want to kill him all the more. This book has huge changes not just for Jack, or the Young Samuri, but the whole of Japan as well. I think Chris Bradford, managed to perfectly capture the brutality of war but the essence of the Samuri as well. An all round great book.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love this series. Not only is it about a European boy learning to be a samurai in Japan in the 1600s(which is really an incredible feat), but it is also very well-written. While I was reading this book I'm sure my friends were quite amused. Every now and then I would let out a laugh or some other reaction during class. At home I was even worse, every now and then shouting out a "No!" or simply making strange noises and odd movements as I was held captivated by the story. My siblings were bemused by my behavior. However, I couldn't simply not react to this book. It was very good and I'm almost surprised these books aren't more widely recognized.

[Diario de un lector · Rating 5 out of 5]

Final de trilogía espectacular. Trepidante, emocionante, inquietante. En torno a la mitad del libro no puedes parar de leer.
En este libro la amenaza de guerra se convierte en realidad. Los jóvenes samuráis tendrán que demostrar las lecciones aprendidas en combate a vida o muerte.
Me ha parecido un buen final, no lo esperaba y me ha gustado que no fuera algo previsible. Me mantuvo en vilo.
Totalmente recomendable. Me repito: la parte de cultura japonesa, valores de los samuráis y artes marciales sigue siendo espectacular. La trama mejora mucho. No todo es tan simple como parece en un primer momento, todo es más crudo y realista.
Muy bueno, muy satisfecha.

[Sha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This ruined my life in so many levels but the beautifully composed sentences, phrases, and thoughts were hard not to be appreciated. I learned a lot from this, physically, mentally, emotionally, and most of all, spiritually. This is a fine work of art. But just know that it is a brutally painful one.

[15GrahamA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing read by Chris but this is quite sad compared to the others due to Yamato dying.

[Denae Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reader thoughts: Too many people died. I like happier books and happier endings. Plus, I'm sad because the next books aren't in audiobook format.

Jack and his friends still learn a lot of neat things at their Samurai school. They learn how to ride and shoot at the same time. They learn the art of haiku and origami. They learn to get along with each other and to act honorably even when the enemy isn't.

I liked the other books because there were quick attacks in the dark, one or six ninjas sneaking through the palace shooting darts or sinking ships and moving on. In this book, there were full-scale battles with a siege on a castle and everything. Hundreds of bad guys and good guys killing each other in a bloody battlefield (and on rooftops). It was more horrific and less exciting. I don't find it thrilling to read that some of the MC's friends died while they fought off the waves of bad guys.

Akiko is awesome in book 3 again. She's almost the only girl we hear much about, but she makes up for it by being awesome (best archer, great swordswoman, secret ninja skills) without being violent. Too many "strong" heroines are portrayed as angry and violent, as if kick-butt 24/7 is the only way to build a strong heroine. No, I'm pretty sure females can be strong in more than one way. It's cool when they can defend themselves, but don't make them lash out with a fist all the time. Punching guys to show off female muscle isn't cool; it's just rude. Anyway, Akiko knows how to fight but also knows how to use her brains so that she knows WHEN to fight.

Yuri gets more page time in this book. Jack sees more of his insecurities and more of his clever little ideas. Yuri is the best at haiku, riddles, and kiai.

Writer thoughts: Why kill so many? CB may have been trying to raise the stakes in the novel at this series midpoint. Maybe it was to slim down the character roster. Maybe it was to give Jack new motivation. There are many reasons for authors to kill off several characters. I just don't like any of them.

(In my books I only kill off one or two characters at a time. Even Mockingjay didn't kill off more than 3 or 4 characters per fight. I think this book killed about 7 of Jack's friends/teachers in one, drawn-out battle.)

[Inge Van Delft · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last year Easter I read the first two in the series, this Easter I continued the series with #3. Even though it is a series for young teens, I am thoroughly enjoying it. Jack is now 14 years old and is fully integrated in Japanese life. He's a highly skilled student at a prestigious Samurai training school. He still is chased by the Dragon Eye, the ninja who killed his father, and he still needs to find the rutter back that will help him to return to England one day (hopefully). This ongoing quest, mixed with the daily interactions between Jack and his friends and school enemies, plus the growing national tension and finally civil war, made for a fast-paced, gripping and interesting read. It also brings and interesting take on the clashes of religion at the time, and its political impact in Europe and Japan. Not just the clashes of eastern and western religions, but also the clash between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism and its political impact. Of course the question remains at the end of the book: will he ever make it back to England? And does he still want to? Looking forward to book four.

[Florian Halbinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

The highlight of the series so far! A book that says so much and definitely captivates you. In the course of the book, there are passages with an unprecedented tension that cannot be put into words! With unpredictable spots that catch you so surprisingly that you have no choice but to keep reading! The whole thing combined with a wonderful romance hidden in the background, which includes a touching ending where everyone probably tears. Just a captivating book to join in!

Der bisherige Höhepunkt der Reihe! Ein Buch, das so viel aussagt und dich auf jeden Fall in seinen Bann zieht. Im Laufe des Buches gibt es Stellen mit einer nie dagewesenen Spannung, die sich nicht in Worte fassen lässt! Mit unvorhersehbaren Stellen, die dich so überraschend erwischen, dass du keine Wahl hast, als weiterzulesen! Das Ganze kombiniert mit einer wundervollen, im Hintergrund versteckten Romanze, welche ein rührendes Ende beinhaltet, an dem vermutlich jedem die Tränen kommen. Einfach ein fesselndes Buch zum Mitfiebern!

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a page-turner! I read this in a single day! I think it might actually be worthy of 5 stars, except that I didn't like some of the things that happened in the book...It was definitely the most brutal and most tragic of the books so far. There were definitely great things about the book-a bunch of surprising revelations, lots of action, deepening relationship issues, a few unexpected twists, great life lessons-but it also got a little more 'fantasy'ish with the kiai power which is fine as long as you're not thinking of this as too realistic of a story (then again, I guess the whole thing is a little unrealistic that any of these kids could be THAT good or a blind guy could fight that effectively, so I guess if I can accept those, I can accept the kiai-fighting) and it's got a LOT of death and violence, including suicide, which is part of the culture of course, but not something I enjoy reading about.

[Atharva Shah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Young Samurai Book 3
*Way of the Dragon*
I'm totally shocked after reading this book! It has the most unbelievable plot that you could encounter in a YA (Young Adult) book series. Its is the biggest novel in the series with a page length of 450+ Chris Bradford has done it yet again and taken this Japanese samurai series to an astounding height which has gained my respect and it surely will be a memorable book series which will be on my 'favorites' shelf for a very long time. In the 3rd Young Samurai Novel, the Niten Ichi Ryu students are trained with great skill and efforts in martial arts, sword handling, archery, horshemanship in order to survive a potential political warfare on a large scale that will completely change the balance of power and Jack, Akiko and Yamato must confront their destinies once and for all to attain peace, but are they capable enough to fight the Dragon Eye itself and win against the powerful daimyo Kamakura? Find out my reading in the book. But, to express my opinions about the book in a single word - Unbelievable! Chris delivers the story exceptionally well, with great narrative, thrilling action scenes, a steady pace of story, amazing character interactions, philosophical and practically inspiring dialogues and a realistic and dramatical storyline with ups and downs. The book marks the end of Vol. 1 of the Young Samurai series. There's a hoard of new characters in the book like the 'admired by all' Takuan who is truly a splendid ninja with his great haiku (Japanese limerick/poem) and courteous behaviour but unfortunately is killed by rogue ninjas. Also, his mother serves as a Haiku sensei for the Niten Ichi Ryu but she's not as remarkable. Other Sensei also endeavour to train their students and unleash their optimum capabilities, here Yori is given a lot of importance as he learn a new skill which saves a lot of lives during the Great War and is taught by Sensei Yamada, my all time favorite. The way the story began witht eh trio of Yamato, Akiko and Jack trying to learn about the secret hideout of Dragon Eye and their encounter with deadly ninjas in the forest informs the readers that this book is going to be a lot different and way more interesting than its predecessors. Takuan's entry and his relationship with Akiko really tics of Jack and causes multiple dramatic situations which are very similar to every persons life and adds a 'slice of life' thing to the novel. The combining competition of horsemanship and archery together was also an issue of importance, where Akiko, as always gains the trophy. Emi, the daughter of Takatomi has gained a lot of importance and a lot of people die to protect her by the end of the book. (I'm getting to that!). The 'Benevolent Sword' and the 'malevolent' sword situation is another great addition in the book with the essence of bushido. If there's any character that ticks me off, it's Kazuki, he's still the way he was in the first book with no character development and always persisting bullying behaviour, sometimes, people really don't attempt to improve. He turns out to be a traitor and burns off the Hall of Hawks and marks the beginning of the Great War as the rebellion of Lord Kamakura. A lot of secrets and mysteries that Mr. Bradford left us readers wondering about are revealed in the book at a very particular timing that influences the situation there, like Akiko being a ninja (trainee), Dragon Eye being the same person who Masamoto beheaded, etc,etc. Now, the main aim of the book is to look at the rebellion and war that is arranged by lord Kamakura in order to control the whole of Japan and becoming the Shogun, which he wins in the end, very sad but the whole war and the battles involved in it are delivered perfectly, bar the death of my favorite characters. The rutter has been given paramount importance and deserves the most attention. Also, the Two Heavens sword handling technique is given paramount importance as it becomes the survival instrument for Jack and Akiko. All those ninjas and Samurais and the race of Red devils fighting with each other along with castle sieges and fortifications and strategies just blows your mind off. The way battles are described just takes the level of bloodshed and gore to the next level with a lot of inappropriate violence which may be unsuitable for children younger than 12 years old. This book also introduces the original person who hired Dragon Eye to kill Jack who is the Priest Bobadill, he's also killed, by the way. Jack, somehwo seems to be an amateur and a beginner as he is just kicked off by everybody and sucks at everything but suddenly gets transformed at the second half of the book as he saves everybody from the battlefield, Yori and Jack surely have got some bond between them, though not as strong as Akiko's and Jacks. It's sad news by Tano, Jack and a whole lot of other young samurai are sacrificed in the war, yes Yamato too! But he deserves a round of applause as he takes down Dragon Eye with him. (I personally don't think he's dead. I mean he's invincible). The way Chris has delivered this book with dialogues at appropriate intervals, apt and perfect description of the action scenes and natural environment takes you to a whole new level of enjoyment and thrill and I was always on the edge of the seat to see what happens next. The Haiku's are also entertaining with a hint of philosophy and the magic of words, like bliss and heaven. Just to inform you Kazuki and Jack face off at the end and Jack gains an upper hand. I wonder what will happen next as Japan's under the reign of Lord Kamakura and Masamoto is banished. Life will be hard for Jack Fletcher as he turns to leave for Nagasaki port. A very enchanting, unbelievably twisting and turning book that will amaze you. Nice Reading.

[RohanK · Rating 5 out of 5]

SPOILER ALERT!

This is my favourite book in the series, tied with The Ring of the Sky. I really like the atmosphere of this book, and how the situation in Kyoto is getting desperate. I like how Jack is portrayed as surrounded, in the sense that Kyoto is the only city safe for him, as he will be burnt at the stake if he left, for being Christian. There is a certain buzz surrounding the book, as Jack and his friends have to speed up their training, as there will be a call to war, and all students fit to fight will participate. In addition to this, I like how there is also a lot of conflict in the Niten Itchi Ryu, after the arrival of Takuan, and Kazuki becoming an even more skilled swordsman. This puts pressure on Jack, and I like that as it tests his strength, to see if he will cave in the war.

[SK Lim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Different from many other series books, this book is a book that can be read before the other Young Samurai books. This book has a great story of its own that has made me re-read this book many times. The small events that happen slowly builds up to a tragic event.

When I started the Young Samurai series in 7th grade, I felt like the first two books really lagged and had no major event in the books. As I finished the 2nd book, I debated on whether or not to finish the series. I told myself, "let me read just one more book and decide later."

As I reached the ending of the book, the series started to get better and better and everything made sense. This book is a must read because it is a book that will spark excitement within you and last until the last page of the last book.