The Way of the Sword

Young Samurai #2

by Chris Bradford

In 1611 Japan, English orphan Jack Fletcher continues his difficult training at Niten Ichi Ryu Samurai School, while also trying to get back the rutter, his father's navigational logbook, that an evil ninja wants to possess.

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

547 pages, Hardcover

First published July 2, 2009

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

[Khurram · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. I originally bought this series to encourage my 9 year old to read, when he was devouring book 3 and hungry for more. I though I should take a look. I loved the first book and I loved this book. Chris Bradford perfectly captures the 17th century Japan, the culture, their code of honour and spirit of bushido.

Though Jack struggled in Japan, he has also thrived, now he has the chance to claim even more glory, competing in an even called the circle of the three. Only five places are available. Building on friendships while facing intense racial prejudice in a changing and unforgiving Japanese society. All this and he still has his mortal enemy Dokugan Ryu "Dragon Eye" to contend with. I love the way Jack progresses throughout the book in his training both mentally and physically. This is a great book for any martial arts fan or practitioner. I love Jack's progress through this book and can't wait to see what he does next.

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know how it is when you find a book you really love, you pick up the sequel and you so hope it’s as good as the first one. You just pray you’re not going to be disappointed. The Way of the Sword was every bit as good as The Way of the Warrior. If you are into martial arts or Eastern culture I think you’ll love these books. I found I could totally relate to the main character, Jack Fletcher. Like the first book, once I started I just couldn’t put it down. Even when I had homework to do I found myself sneaking in a chapter or two because I just had to know what happened next. I’m so in love with this series. Can’t wait to start book three!

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

Book One - The Way of the Warrior
Book Three - The Way of the Dragon
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

[e.c.h.a · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sabishigaru
Sasurai muen
Mina hateru
Omoishiraseru
Taitougomen

***

Feeling lonely
Wandering alone in strange country, helpless
Everyone is dead
To have a revenge
Must become a non-samurai being granted be
privilege of wearing a sword

Tanka (puisi) oleh Kenji Sekiguchi, mengawali kisah lanjutan perjalanan hidup seorang bocah Inggris bernama Jack Fletcher. Setelah satu tahun tinggal di Jepang serta mendalami Jalan Hidup Ksatria, kali ini Jack harus memahami Jalan Hidup pedang untuk menjadi Samurai Sejati.

Dengan tetap memegang teguh Bushido; Integritas, Keberanian, Welas Asih, Hormat, Kejujuran, Martabat dan Kesetiaan; Jack ditantang untuk mengikuti ujian Lingkaran Tiga. Lingkaran Tiga bukan merupakan ujian layaknya ujian samurai biasanya. Di sini para samurai diuji tiga kekuatan; tubuh, pikiran dan jiwa.

Dibanding buku pertamanya, buku ini memang kurang greget walau tetap dengan mempertahankan detail bela diri yang akurat serta atmosfer kehidupan para Samurai-nya. Dan buku ini tetap mengajarkan filosofi kehidupan. Sampai-sampai saya berfikir, sebenarnya ini buku motivasi dalam bentuk novel atau novel motivasi?

Melalui Jack, pembaca diajarkan tanpa terkesan mengajari, berbagai hal dalam hidup. Seperti:

Rasa Takut; "jika seseorang melihat dengan mata hati, dan bukan mata di kepala, maka tak ada yang perlu ditakutkan". p 123.

Rasa takut itu bukan untuk ditakuti tapi dihadapi, dengan keteguhan hati dan pikiran rasa takut akan berkurang, tidak hilang tapi berkurang. Karena sebenarnya Rasa takut itu sendiri adalah ketakutan. Pikiran kita lah yang mengatur ketakutan itu sendiri, dan hanya kita yang bisa menguasai pikiran kita sendiri. Saya jadi teringat momen saat saya mengikuti suatu training dan saya dikondisikan untuk berada dalam ketakutan saya sendiri, perlahan saya digiring ke suatu kondisi di mana saya bisa mendengar hati dan pikiran saya. Dengan keteguhan hati, saya bisa menghadapi rasa takut itu dan itu pula yang Jack lakukan untuk mengatasi rasa takutnya. Kekuatan Pikiran!!!

Yang paling saya ingat dalam kisah Young Samurai: The Way of The Sword ini adalah di mana Jack semakin merasa kalau dia tidak diterima dalam lingkungan sosial warga jepang. Jack melihat semakin banyak perbedaan, semakin merasa sendiri, semakin merasa tidak dihargai dan semakin merasa dikucilkan. Dan Jack membuktikan kalau Ia punya kekuatan untuk bangkit dan bertahan.

"Siapapun bisa menyerah Jack-kun, itu adalah hal termudah yang bisa dilakukan di dunia. Tapi untuk tetap bertahan saat orang lain menginginkan kau jatuh, itu baru kekuatan sejati"
p 175

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just read The Way of the Sword by Chris Bradford. In this epic novel, British samurai-in-training Jack Fletcher struggles with prejudice, ninja, and his rival Kazuki who believes that gaijin, or foreigners, do not belong in Japan. In this installment of the series, Jack also enters the Circle of Three trials. If he passes them, he will be chosen to compete in the three challenges of Mind, Body and Spirit to determine if he is worthy enough to learn the Two Heavens, a legendary technique taught by the great samurai Masamoto. My favorite part of this book is probably when Jack fights Kazuki in their town's streets because it was full of action and suspense, like all of their epic battles. Kazuki almost drowned Jack, and when he thought he had killed him he was worried he'd gone to far. But to his surprise, Jack jumped out from the deep puddle he was in and kicked Kazuki in the jaw. I really thought Jack had actually died and I was VERY surprised when this happened. I believe Chris Bradford wrote this book to inform people about Japan's culture and society in a fun way. Overall, I think this book is exciting and is also educational in some ways.
I think Jack is a lot like me because his name is Jack, he worries a lot, and he is independent. I think one of the things I learned from the book is always be patient and never take something for granted, which Sensei Yamada teaches the young samurai with his various quotes. Finally, I would definitely recommend this book to other readers because it is very suspenseful and action-packed. At sometimes it can be a little gruesome, so just be aware of that. Also, read the first book in the series (Way of the Warrior) before you read this installment because you won't understand anything. So, go to a library right now and get the first book. NOW!

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again, a good book, and this time I enjoyed all of it. It reminded me of another book that where the main character also has to pass multiple tests for something (unfortunately, I can't remember the title, but it'll come to me). A good follow up to the first book, The Way of the Warrior .

[Hafsah Faizal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review by my 12 year old brother

After a vicious ninja attack left him orphaned and stranded in Japan, Jack Fletcher managed to complete his first year of samurai school. Still, his troubles are far from over. The prejudice of his Japanese classmates has gained him dangerous enemies within his school, and Dragon Eye -- the ninja who killed his father -- is still after him. Jack's only hope of defeating them lies in surviving the Circle of Three: an ancient ritual that tests a samurai's courage, skill, and spirit to the limit. For most, gaining entry into the Circle means honor and glory, but for Jack it's a matter of life or death.

The winner will be trained in the Two Heavens -- the formidable sword technique of the great samurai, Masamoto. Learning this secret is the only hope Jack has of protecting his father's rutter -- the invaluable navigation guide of the world's uncharted oceans -- from Dragon Eye. Forced into a deadly battle, Jack's going to have to master the Way of the Sword. And his time is running out.

The Way of the Sword was fantastic, and author Chris Bradford has yet again, written a flawless book. Most of the time, books will have some good things about them, but they will almost always have a few bad things too. But in The Way of the Sword there were all these good things but absolutely no bad things! It has action, adventure, and everything else a good book must have. The book is great for both boys and girls, and almost any age will love it.

After I read the first book in the series, The Way of the Warrior, I immediately saw how great it was and wrote a five-star review for it. The second is even better since Bradford raises the stakes for Jack. And if I could, I would give the book plus five stars, but I'm stuck with giving it a plain old five! I can't wait to read the third book, The Way of the Dragon, when it comes to the US in February.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Atharva Shah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Young Samurai Book 2
*Way of the Sword*
This is the second installment in the juvenile fiction Young Samurai series by Chris Bradford and may I venture to say that it's better than the first book (which was not bad at all). While Way of the Sword may seem a bit alien like stepping in a completely different universe, Way of the Sword completely eradicates that mindset and makes you belong to this series and make it your own. Here, the main story follows a quest of the Three Circles (Fundamentally, much like the Goblet of Fire, but obviously the tests are different). Jack, Akiko and others enter the tournament and pass successfully and are promoted in order to learn the secret technique of the Two Heavens from Masamoto himself. Now, various "side quests" also keep happening in the book like the training for the Circle of Three, Dreams and Nightmares, Forming the Scorpion Gang, Ninja Raids by antagonist Dokugan Ryu, Akiko's secret training, and a lot of philosophy classes by Sensei Yamada who I'm beginning to like very much. The prologue of the book was just fantastic and it prepares you to get ready for the story that follows. A larger group of things keep happening throughout the book but obviously the most important is the Circle of Three. I wonder if the girl was Akiko or Sasori in the prolouge and if it was Akiko then who's her godfather and mentor. Now that would make anyone curious! Chris introduces only two new characters in the boom. Sensei Kuzo, who teaches the art of mastering the bō ( a kind of wooden staff) and trains Jack to fight blind using his senses and a new student who qualifies for the Circle of Three. The characters retain their previous traits and Jack develops a lot, not only physically but mentally and spiritually too and has begun to accept life as it is, thanks to Sensei Yamada. Kazuki has been given some importance but not aw much as in the previous book and I truly hate his Scorpion Gang ( what a silly name). The qualification takes are about fighting blind, archery, physical strength and spiritual puzzles. And the Final Circle of Three includes Spirit, Mind and Physical Excursion capabilities and Chris Bradford has delivered all of them in a very unique way. The philosophy has increased a lot here and almost every chapter teaches you a ton of new lessons regarding how to live life and attain peace. There's a lot f fighting and gore and bloodshed and this novel seems like an adaption of Naruto with all new weapons and battle tactics and ninja raids. Dokugan Ryu is really causing trouble for Jack. Speaking about Japan there's a lot of new words unveiled in the story mostly regarding scorpions and various arts which are seemingly easy to remember but the book is not as effective as it was to introduce the cultural history and background of Japan much to my relief and Chris directly hits the point making the story much more effective and magical. Its wonderful to see Jack grow so much and there are no major time jumps so characters don't get Mich older. The idea of introducing sasori who's an apprentice to Dokugan is unique and just what I wanted but now unfortunately she's dead. The book ends with a faint cliffhanger as the rogue ninja has stolen Jacks Rutter( this object has been given paramount importance in the book. Mind it!) And Akiko and I'm eager to finish off the next book soon. A very enchanting and inspiring story. Nice Reading!

[Ming Wei · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was surprised how entertaining this book was, typical Japan Samurai, as it all, adventure, drama, mistery, the author also does well in detailing the fighting phases so that the reader can easily project a visual image in their mind. But it is more than just a sword fighting book, there is a deep story line throughout the book, you learn more and more about the characters as you progress through the book, allowing you to get a feel and understanding of acient Japan, and the life style within this country in this period. I was very impressed by the book, reminded me of the Japan movie Shinobi, well worth reading, no editorial errors, no pictures inside the book,

[Trey Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Young Samurai The Way of The Sword author Chris Bradford.
This is the second book in the series it is following him learning in the first book the way of the japanese. Now he is progressing in his samurai skills why faced with somebody hunting him for the last thing left of his father and being faced with The Circle of Three. My favorite part in the book was when he faced the challenge of escaping the castle with the kings new security system. They were seeing if it was ninja proof so hey put jack to the test he lasted a little why but there was no escape from the castle with all the squeaky floor board they knew where he was at all times. It was a story about a kid looking for a place because he has nothing left in england except for his sister. I think he wrote it to show kids u cant give up even when things don't look good.

I connected to the book when my grandfather died i felt as if everything was over but you have to learn to live through it and live life on. I learned exactly what i said. I t really liked this book and i will continue to read this series.

[asma · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVED EVERY PART .
I sometimes act like a proud mother while reading this book - Jack-kun is growing up into a great samurai ;( AND YAMADA SENSEI IS JUST SO AWESOME

[15GrahamA · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great follow up to the first book and the plot was great yet again.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dit is het tweede boek van de reeks, en het eerste waar er een beetje vaart in begint te komen. Zoals ik al zei bij mijn eerste recensie, Boek 1 is meer een opwarmertje dan iets anders. Goed, je hebt al die problemen al wel met Drakenoog en Kazuki, maar al bij al is het nog redelijk kalmpjes aan naar de eindstreep. Het is pas in dit boek dat het algehele plaatje, dat de rest van de reeks zal bepalen en overheersen, duidelijk wordt: de strijd tussen twee machten onderling in Japan. En daar zit Jack, vanwege zijn achtergrond, recht tussenin.
De Japanse wereld en de levenswijze van de Japanners wordt verder uitgediept, en geloof me: Bradford graaft heel erg diep. Het komt niet vaak voor dat we zoveel worldbuilding voorgeschoteld krijgen. Je zou verwachten dat het na een tijdje allemaal wat veel wordt, maar dat is het gelukkig niet. In principe is het allemaal nogal straightforward, maar er worden gewoon veel 'voorbeelden' en situaties gegeven die samenhoren, en door die verschillende invalshoeken op hetzelfde probleem/verschil krijg je een beter en duidelijk beeld over hoe Japan nu in elkaar zit.
Opvallend is dat er een heel scala aan uiteenlopende personages in zit: personages waar je de muur van op loopt, personages die je niks doen, personages die je shipt, personages die je niet shipt, en personages die je aangenaam vindt. En er is ook een goed evenwicht tussen neven- en hoofdpersonages, eigenlijk.
Grappig trouwens dat we hier zo'n beetje dingen te weten komen over ninja's, in deze drie boeken. Ik weet al wat er later komen gaat, dus het is leuk om te zien hoe er hier over ze gesproken wordt.
En het zijn ook goede vertalingen. Dit is een duovertaling (voor de leken: gemaakt door twee vertalers samen) en hun namen zeggen me eigenlijk niets. Waarschijnlijk zijn het een paar mensen die voornamelijk ander, niet-YA-werk doen, maar hun vertalingen lezen vlot. Er is hier een daar een beetje overdaad aan 'nou', maar dat is maar één klein dingetje, en je ziet het dan nog zoveel, dat ik daar maar geen aandacht aan besteed.
7,5/10

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great sequel, and sets it up for the next book quite well...
I like that this sequel wasn't just more of the same-this one brought out religious persecution and touched upon the tension of being a Christian immersed in a Buddhist culture, and focused more on the battle within each person to persevere and defeat their own fears rather than battles with opponents (although there IS still that, and there IS still bloody violence in parts) as well as learning new skills, like the bo staff, "seeing" with all your senses rather than just eyes, and being able to anticipate your opponents moves. I also appreciated that Jack realizes that he too has some prejudices, and that he has made some bad choices. The added mysterious behavior of Akiko also added a layer of interest to this book.

I think something that I enjoy about these types of books (middle grade fantasy books) is the idea of dedicating all their time to mastering a certain craft in their schools/apprenticeships(whether it's magic or martial arts or Ranger skills). This is something so different than the general education that we have today-dabble a little in everything. It's not realistic to do today, but I find the idea intriguing to devote so much time and energy and truly mastering something from a young age. I guess there's people who do that today for sports or music. The other thing that draws me is the situations that the teens are put into-something that would NEVER be allowed today, with all our focus on safety and prevention of lawsuits or accusations of abuse. These crazy situations like the trials in this book would never happen, but there's something exciting about teens rising to the challenge and coming out on top. I also love that there's a lot of life lessons throughout this series-often given through some cryptic riddle-wise advice, without being preachy.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jack Fletcher is back in a brand new adventure. After being adopted by Samurai warrior Masamoto who runs a Samurai school, Jack tries to fit in and to survive against those who bully and prejudice against him for being different as well as try to master the arts of the Samurai. Will he survive all of the trials set before him? Read on and find out for yourself.

This is the second installment of the Young Samurai series that I started a few years ago but stopped when I couldn't find any more of the books at my local library and realized it wasn't a completed series at the time. Now I have found them at my local ebooks library and with the series now completed, I can continue this series. If you like Samurai, Ninjas, stories about school and surviving, be sure to check this YA middle grade series out at your local library and wherever books and ebooks are sold.

[Adri Glez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leí el primero cuando tenía unos 15 años y me apetecía seguir.

Me ha gustado más del rating que doy porque me ha enganchado. La trama es sencilla pero interesante. Lo que te esperarías de un libro para adolescentes y de un autor inglés romantizando el Japón de la Era Moderna.

[Mikayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's an okay book but it's not my type.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

So with this second book of the Young Samurai Series I have to say that it didn't disappoint.

Like with the first one. This book had a lot of information concerning ninjas, samurai, and other aspects of Japanese culture. And also like the first one the story mostly follows Jack in training how to be a samurai. The first part of the book focuses on Jack preparing for an ancient ritual that tests a samurai's courage, skill, and spirit. The next part is Jack and a few other students going through the Circle of Three while having the subplots of Kazuki bullying him and Jack trying to keep the rutter from Dokugan Ryu. By the way, the villain takes the rutter do to Jack's stupidity. Man that kid can get on my nerves sometimes.

Let me just rant on the main character for a little bit. He tries to hide his father's rutter right? So he only tells a few people and that's it. But things get tense and Jack is debating whether or not to tell Masamoto about the rutter. He thinks that if people will know about it then Dragon Eye will kill them. Here's what I thought was interesting. In the beginning of the book, Dragon Eye already attacked a few people in the home of Masamoto and ended up killing a servant. Now keep this in mind, she didn't know anything about the rutter. She was just a mere servant and she died anyway. So Jack's logic about not telling Masamoto anything about the rutter doesn't make any sense. Dragon Eye will kill anyone, regardless if they know about the rutter or not. The only reason he's going after Jack is because Jack has it in his possession.

And if you think that keep the rutter a secret was not the smartest thing to do, get a load of this. He actually hides it in a daimyo's home because it's ninja proof and Dragon Eye could not possibly find it. WRONG! Look at the spoiler, it shows what an idiot Jack is.

Let's move on.



One of my main problems, again, is the bullying. I can't STAND bullying. Aside from that there isn't much to say except that it is basically the same as book 1. The story doesn't progress as much and I have to say that I'm just a little disappointed that we still don't have much information about the villain or the man that hired him.

But, oh well.

The stuff in the book that really stands out is the philosophy and the different lessons that are used are very interesting. Jack is a little impatient, brave and is not above learning the occasional lesson. The stuff that is taught to him, he actually uses them when he needs to. He applies his lessons and does learn from his actions even if he doesn't receive the results he expects.

The more I look at this the more I realized that the first book isn't really all that important. I was reading this and it looked strangely familiar then I realized that I did read it before a while ago. And I didn't need the first book to understand it. The only thing you miss is the techniques from the first book and that's about it.

Anywho . . .

The characters don't change much as characters but they do grow stronger in their technique. But Jack does grow more as a person and I was very glad to see that. I just hope it gets even better in the third book. The Way of the Dragon.

[Lyrical · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jack has spent a year at the Niten Ichi Ryu training as a samurai, but having proven himself to his friends, now he has to prove himself against the ultimate samurai test: the Circle of Three.

The great thing about Chris Bradford’s Young Samurai books is that no matter how much he has told you in the last book or how much you think you have learnt, the next book is jam packed with new lessons and new experiences. Each subsequent book you pick up is like a brand new packet of crisps, bursting with new flavours you’ve never tasted before. OK, I did just compare a book to a packet of crisps… What I mean is, in The Way Of The Sword, Bradford brings the reader a whole new storyline (the flavour bit) nestled in the overall plot of the series whilst developing the story strings that are attached from The Way Of The Warrior (the potato bit). Jack must learn a new martial art, learn to fight blind, perfect the art of origami and interpret the lessons of virtue through the challenges he faces. That’s what I really love about the Young Samurai books: it feels like the author couldn’t possibly tell you everything there is to know about being a samurai and all the training and lessons involved but he’s going to give it a damn good try and he succeeds without making it seem forced into the storyline. The story takes precedence but each chapter is so neatly packed that all the training becomes part of the story and at the end you understand how all that training comes together.

The relationships between the characters continue to deepen and although Jack now has a strong group of friends around him, he is faced with the challenge of the possibility that his closest friend, Akiko, may be deceiving them all. Jack’s arch rival, Kazuki, also takes a turn for the worse when he creates his black scorpion gang in an attempt to rid Japan of foreigners. Kazuki is so cleverly written because, despite the fact that he’s on a level if not slightly better than Jack in terms of his fighting skills, he is actually far less of a samurai than Jack is. Jack has bushido coming out of his ears but Kazuki concentrates so much on perfecting his ability to defeat someone that he has completely neglected to nurture his bushido, and probably will never have the ability to gain bushido as he is too consumed by hatred.

In the end, that’s what The Way Of The Sword is all about. This second book is where Jack – and the reader – really come to understand what bushido is. Kazuki may get to his destination faster but what has he sacrificed on the way? It doesn’t come easily to Jack, however, he learns the meaning of the virtue of honesty the hard way and nearly loses everything because he didn’t have the guts to tell the truth. This is a fantastic sequel to The Way Of The Warrior, the story is faultless, I wouldn’t change one word of it, and once again I feel just a little bit wiser than I was before I read it.

Lyrical Reviews

[Marla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was about perseverance and making up for your mistakes.

Likes:
* Jack and his friends, Akiko, Yamato and Yuri
* Jack always asks how people are doing, thinking of them first
* Kazuki is such a mean and horrible bully to Jack that I can't stand him, but the character is developed well in order to produce such a dislike in me
* Furoshin - unshakable calm
* Mushin - the samurai state of "no mind" where your sword is part of you and you expect nothing but are ready for anything
* Don't be afraid of fear itself.

* Sensei Kano, blind bo (staff) master, and Jack's special tutor with Yamato's help
* Yamato was understandably disappointed and jealous and overcomes it to support his friend and cousin
* Loved the white ninja in the winter!
* Jack learns to not accuse Kazuki without proof
* Dim Mak, Death Touch, was cool - gotta love it if you've ever seen Kill Bill 2
* Jack saving Yori
* Yori's paper cranes
* Samurai dual
* Female ninja, kunoichi, was a nice surprise with her unusual array of weapons
* Dragon Eye, Dokugan Ryu, on the cover of the book


Dislikes:
* I didn't understand that the selection for the Circle of Three still meant that you had to complete the three challenges to win the honor of the Circle of Three to learn Masamoto's Two Heavens sword technique

* I was ticked that Jack took so long to secure his father's Rutter in a safe location
* Jack showed poor judgement in safe hiding places
* Didn't learn more about Akiko's secret excursions
* As a parent, I was dismayed at the amount of danger the students were exposed to
* Tatoos and gang affiliations were sinister
* Fight with ninjas at the end was disturbing


Culture Notes:
I'm not sure about historical Japan, but modern Japan celebrates January 1st as New Year's Day with visits to the shrine for a fortune and special food and visits to families and neighbors, not Chinese New Year. Also, sashimi is correctly introduced as raw fish.


Chanoyu ceremony was neat and great to see the male daimyo celebrating the tea ceremony to honor his guests in a seemingly feminine activity. Nice contrast to the warrior training and fighting.


With-reservations:
peer tattoos, gang affiliations, unpunished and unrepentant bullying, religious and racial prejudice, violence and danger

[jia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, thumbs up for Chris Bradford's second installment in the Young Samurai's series. A very good job indeed.



My thoughts,

- Once again, it was a great read.
- I love the fighting scenes. They were definitley more intense. Tougher.
- I can really see each character's developments. And indeed, they were more mature here.
- I just adore Jack more and more. He has such a big impact on me. CUTE!!
- I'm loving the Japanese culture more and more.
- The writing is really good, the way Mr. Bradford narrates the story (using Japanese terms) is really awesome.
- A lot more to look out for.
- Suspense. Exciting. The thrill.

BUT,

- The story is predictable. Well, that was obvious. I know WHAT's going to happen next, or I kinda predicted that. But what keeps me reading is HOW it's going to happen.
- It's just excting to read how they're going to pull through in their adventures.
- I know Jack is "unkillable" well, of course. He's the protagonist, but it's fascinating to know how much he changed in the first book to the secong book.
- This is actually the first book of this kind that I've read. Although, the plot is kinda not "WOW", it's still appeals to me.

Well, that was a great read. And I'm loving this series more and more. Definitly worth reading. More recommended for boys but girls should also read it, you'll be inspired by Akiko's character! =)

[Susan Peterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read the first two in the Young Samurai Series. Let me say, first of all, that I enjoyed them. They are young adult books, but they are decent light reading for adults who don't take their martial arts novels too seriously. They are, however, shameless in their cribbing of popular motifs.

The Young Samurai books are what you get when you cross James Clavell's "Shogun" with the Harry Potter novels. See if this sounds familiar: a European stranded in Japan is adopted by a powerful samurai and becomes samurai himself. There are a stolen rutter, a Catholic priest complete with Japanese dictionary, ninja attacks and gifts of swords to cement alliances. There is also a teenaged boy with two friends, a boy and a girl, at a special boarding school, chased by an incredibly powerful adult, menaced by a boy at his school, facing trials to prove his skills. It's Harry Potter with kimonos and katanas.

"The Way of the Sword" is, however, a good read. And though it is not a slave to cultural accuracy, it has more than just sword battles. A good chunk of it is devoted to mind-body training and the internal aspects of the martial arts. I'll read the rest of the Young Samurai novels when they come to my local library's digital collection. They're interesting, exciting, and they make me want to get up and do kata.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

At the risk of cliche, this is very much a Japanese version of Harry Potter (with a strong overlay of Shogun). I didn't read the first book, but that didn't seem to matter that much. In the second installment, Jack (an English teen stranded in Japan after the boat he and his father were on is run aground; his father is murdered by the ninja Dragon Eye) is in samurai training school, still feeling his way and trying to find out 1. how he can get home to England and his younger sister Jess and 2. how he can safely keep his father's rutter from Dragon Eye.

There's a tournament, the Circle of Three, which is like the Triwizard Tournament (and thus unsuspensful) but with Trials of Mind, Body and Spirit. There are duels and snowball fights, ninjas and a potential love interest, friends and traitors: nothing terribly new or different. Still, Middle School-age boys will enjoy this series because it's not about magic (unless one considers the samurai code of bushido and the training methods "magic").

ARC provided by publisher.

[Dafydd Kordom · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intelligent, talented boy named Jack. Jack wants to part of this elite training program but is up against a lot of difficult tasks to join the group. So he trains 3 times a day to get in the group. Then he has dreams about meeting his worst enemy Dragon Eye. This book is about helping one another, trusting people and the ability to work hard.

[Mcowie8 · Rating 4 out of 5]

After being shipwrecked, rescued and taught the way of the warrior, he begins the next part of his training, the way of the sword, in which he learns to fight blind-folded with a bō staff, from a newly employed instructor at the academy.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this sequel about the English boy Jack continuing his studies at a samurai school in 17th century Japan.

[مريم · Rating 3 out of 5]

The ending made me a bit curious but I don't think I will read the next book. Maybe I'll just read spoilers to know what's going to happen, and to know what Akiko was up to.

[Caleb · Rating 5 out of 5]

i liked it

[15croukampd]

I think this book was very good and would recommend it to any one who likes action and japan!

[emma ♖ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this more than the first book, i admire the samurai values and how jack easily adopts the japanese ways and thinking