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Seasons of the Sword #3
Kano: A Kunoichi Tale
Can one girl save a nation?
With Japan’s future in the balance, Risuko may recover the Kano clan’s honor — or she may destroy it forever
Lord Takeda has sent Risuko, Emi, and Toumi on a mission to the capital. The road is dangerous. The destination is treacherous. Risuko — the girl who just likes to climb — must make a choice that will have repercussions not only for Risuko’s life and those of her friends, but possibly for all of Japan.
In this thrilling third book in the Seasons of the Sword, she encounters old friends, new enemies, and a strange boy from a far-off land called Portugal. Through raging battles and deadly court intrigue, Risuko must follow a path narrower and less stable than any pine branch. And the consequences should she fail are sharp and hard as rocks below.
The red-and-white disguise of the kunoichi awaits.
Is Risuko ready?
(Young adult historical adventure; Japanese Civil War)
Projected release, April 30, 2024
With Japan’s future in the balance, Risuko may recover the Kano clan’s honor — or she may destroy it forever
Lord Takeda has sent Risuko, Emi, and Toumi on a mission to the capital. The road is dangerous. The destination is treacherous. Risuko — the girl who just likes to climb — must make a choice that will have repercussions not only for Risuko’s life and those of her friends, but possibly for all of Japan.
In this thrilling third book in the Seasons of the Sword, she encounters old friends, new enemies, and a strange boy from a far-off land called Portugal. Through raging battles and deadly court intrigue, Risuko must follow a path narrower and less stable than any pine branch. And the consequences should she fail are sharp and hard as rocks below.
The red-and-white disguise of the kunoichi awaits.
Is Risuko ready?
(Young adult historical adventure; Japanese Civil War)
Projected release, April 30, 2024
240 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2024
2 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
About the author
David Kudler
59 books187 followersDavid Kudler is a writer and editor living just north of the Golden Gate Bridge with his wife, actress, teacher, and author Maura Vaughn, their author-to-be daughters, and their (apparently) non-literary cats.
His award-winning novel Risuko: A Kunoichi Tale , a young-adult historical adventure novel set in sixteenth century Japan, serves as the first book in the Seasons of the Sword series. The sequel, Bright Eyes , hit the shelves on May 5, 2022. He's now hard at work on Book 3 ( Kano ).
He served as managing editor for the Collected Works of Joseph Campbell, editing Pathways to Bliss, Myths of Light, and Campbell's Asian Journals) in addition to managing the publication of over a hundred other print, ebook, print, audio, and video titles, including the first revised edition of the seminal The Hero with a Thousand Faces since the author's death.
Currently, he serves as publisher for Stillpoint Digital Press, producing fine print, ebook, and audiobook editions for all ages in a wide variety of genres from philosophy and poetry to memoir and historical to fantasy and romance.
His award-winning novel Risuko: A Kunoichi Tale , a young-adult historical adventure novel set in sixteenth century Japan, serves as the first book in the Seasons of the Sword series. The sequel, Bright Eyes , hit the shelves on May 5, 2022. He's now hard at work on Book 3 ( Kano ).
He served as managing editor for the Collected Works of Joseph Campbell, editing Pathways to Bliss, Myths of Light, and Campbell's Asian Journals) in addition to managing the publication of over a hundred other print, ebook, print, audio, and video titles, including the first revised edition of the seminal The Hero with a Thousand Faces since the author's death.
Currently, he serves as publisher for Stillpoint Digital Press, producing fine print, ebook, and audiobook editions for all ages in a wide variety of genres from philosophy and poetry to memoir and historical to fantasy and romance.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 24, 2024
And the series keeps on getting better with each book I read. I absolutely loved the fact that he put in details such as the plays and poems. It made quite a difference in the flow of the book. I am sad that the series is coming to an end soon, but it was quite the series to read and there was plenty of mayhem to go around. I am also glad that I stumbled upon this series when I did. I really enjoyed reading it. Looking forward to the next in the series when it does come out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2025
An excellent addition to the series. So many lovely twists, turns, revelations I really enjoyed it. I can't wait for the next one!
September 16, 2025
Contrary to what Goodreads' automated thing is saying - and which can't be changed, apparently - I've only read this book once, and just finished it last night.
It's been awhile since I read the first and second books of this series - and I've read a dozen other books in the intervening time so it's difficult to compare - but this one may be the best of the series yet. A number of times while reading I was thinking it's a shame Mr. Kudler decided to write this within the Young Adult genre rather than as a full-blown novel for adults - or better yet, as the kind of fusion of the two that Ms. Rowling accomplished so spectacularly in the evolution of Harry Potter.
Despite that, and my reluctance to pick the book from my Kindle Fire queue - as in: "Do I really want to spend time reading another title from the YA genre?" - once I got a couple of chapters into "Kano" I couldn't put it down, at least not willingly. While messing with annoyances like eating and sleeping I would keep wondering what was going on with this fascinating band of child-assassins. And that's one of my litmus tests for an excellent novel: Does it make me think about its story and its characters when I'm not reading it? A big "yes" in this case.
Definitely time well spent, regardless of your age as a reader.
It's been awhile since I read the first and second books of this series - and I've read a dozen other books in the intervening time so it's difficult to compare - but this one may be the best of the series yet. A number of times while reading I was thinking it's a shame Mr. Kudler decided to write this within the Young Adult genre rather than as a full-blown novel for adults - or better yet, as the kind of fusion of the two that Ms. Rowling accomplished so spectacularly in the evolution of Harry Potter.
Despite that, and my reluctance to pick the book from my Kindle Fire queue - as in: "Do I really want to spend time reading another title from the YA genre?" - once I got a couple of chapters into "Kano" I couldn't put it down, at least not willingly. While messing with annoyances like eating and sleeping I would keep wondering what was going on with this fascinating band of child-assassins. And that's one of my litmus tests for an excellent novel: Does it make me think about its story and its characters when I'm not reading it? A big "yes" in this case.
Definitely time well spent, regardless of your age as a reader.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews