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Musashi Miyamoto #1
Ronin
Sein Name ist Bennosuke. Seine Bestimmung: Ein großer Samurai zu werden wie sein Vater, bewundert und gefürchtet im gesamten japanischen Reich. Furchtlos kämpft er für ihn im Duell – und siegt. Doch den schändlichen Mord an seinem Vater kann er nicht verhindern. Bennosuke muss fliehen. Fortan hat er nur noch ein Ziel: Unter dem Kämpfernamen Musashi Miyamoto den Tod seines Vaters zu rächen …
512 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1976
112 people are currently reading
2594 people want to read
About the author
David Kirk
4 books94 followersDAVID KIRK, twenty-seven, became interested in Japanese history when his dad gave him a copy of James Clavell's Shogun. Later he would write his dissertation on samurai cinema. Kirk now lives in Japan, where he works as an English-language teacher.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 213 reviews
December 28, 2014
4.5 Brilliantly written, a real grower on you, look forward to more from this author.
Those with a touch of red-eye & the bloodlust this (mostly) wont be for you..... the thinkers, thought provoked & culture vultures step right-up as you'll love this beautifully written & crafted tale of a Samurai at his transition to manhood. Ok Feudal Japan means coming of age at about 13 but in NO WAY did I find this a rights of passage or YA read, as the early story revolved around the adults in the tale & then to the hero Bennosuke as he takes his first "head". The chapter on a ritual suicide (seppuka) was captivating & enthralling, artistic even..... a strange expression perhaps you'll say but the book is excellant & grips you as you delve further into the characters & culture of the time where the real story is.
Highly recommend.
Those with a touch of red-eye & the bloodlust this (mostly) wont be for you..... the thinkers, thought provoked & culture vultures step right-up as you'll love this beautifully written & crafted tale of a Samurai at his transition to manhood. Ok Feudal Japan means coming of age at about 13 but in NO WAY did I find this a rights of passage or YA read, as the early story revolved around the adults in the tale & then to the hero Bennosuke as he takes his first "head". The chapter on a ritual suicide (seppuka) was captivating & enthralling, artistic even..... a strange expression perhaps you'll say but the book is excellant & grips you as you delve further into the characters & culture of the time where the real story is.
Highly recommend.
October 20, 2016
So, I'm really into Samurai Historical Fiction right now. I really enjoy the honorable death cult of feudal Japanese culture and this book delivers.
Not quite as in depth as SHOGUN, CHILD OF VENGEANCE definitely hits the spot. We follow a young Miyamoto Musashi through his coming of age story and it is both fun and interesting.
The first half is better than the ladder half but overall this was a great read. I did, however, miss the Japanese vernacular that was so prominent in SHOGUN. This book opts to Anglicize many things like adjectives and phrases. Also everyone's surname is placed at the end of their names instead of the front. A small thing but it niggled at me.
Highly Recommended.
Not quite as in depth as SHOGUN, CHILD OF VENGEANCE definitely hits the spot. We follow a young Miyamoto Musashi through his coming of age story and it is both fun and interesting.
The first half is better than the ladder half but overall this was a great read. I did, however, miss the Japanese vernacular that was so prominent in SHOGUN. This book opts to Anglicize many things like adjectives and phrases. Also everyone's surname is placed at the end of their names instead of the front. A small thing but it niggled at me.
Highly Recommended.
March 11, 2016
Appassionante, è vero.
Sono rimasta affascinata dalla narrazione, dall’atmosfera arcaica, piena di tradizione, di abitudini, di riti, di onore.
Kirk mi ha condotto in un Giappone magico, ma al contempo duro. Mi serviva proprio un narratore maschio. La scrittura è fluente, precisa ma dura, tagliente. Niente sentimentalismi, niente romanticismo. Questa è una storia di guerra. Una storia di formazione.
È la storia di un ragazzo che improvvisamente si ritrova in un mondo di adulti, un mondo corrotto, pieno di morte e onore. Bennosuke è scaraventato in una vita caotica e pericolosa.
“Sei un Samurai?”, questa è la prima domanda che tutti gli rivolgono. Ma cosa significa essere un samurai? Donare la propria vita ai signori della guerra, combattere sempre con onore, non avere paura della morte del corpo, perché è lo spirito che guida il samurai verso la Dimora Celeste. Ma Bennosuke, scoprirà che non è tutto oro ciò che luccica, che nella logica dei samurai c’è una grossa falla. Guidato dalla vendetta, si spingerà nel cuore di una grande battaglia per trovarsi alla fine tradito.
Un romanzo bellissimo, che si legge in un battito di ciglia.
Il lettore viene trasportato in un'altra epoca.
Ho adorato le descrizioni minuziose della battaglia, dei vari rituali dei samurai, mi è piaciuto come Kirk ha imbastito l’intera storia. La figura del samurai così venerata, è in questo libro ridimensionata. Perché come in tutti i Popoli del mondo, anche in una stirpe antica come quella dei samurai c’erano uomini di grande onore e… erbe marce.
Non vedo l’ora di leggere il secondo volume!
Sono rimasta affascinata dalla narrazione, dall’atmosfera arcaica, piena di tradizione, di abitudini, di riti, di onore.
Kirk mi ha condotto in un Giappone magico, ma al contempo duro. Mi serviva proprio un narratore maschio. La scrittura è fluente, precisa ma dura, tagliente. Niente sentimentalismi, niente romanticismo. Questa è una storia di guerra. Una storia di formazione.
È la storia di un ragazzo che improvvisamente si ritrova in un mondo di adulti, un mondo corrotto, pieno di morte e onore. Bennosuke è scaraventato in una vita caotica e pericolosa.
“Sei un Samurai?”, questa è la prima domanda che tutti gli rivolgono. Ma cosa significa essere un samurai? Donare la propria vita ai signori della guerra, combattere sempre con onore, non avere paura della morte del corpo, perché è lo spirito che guida il samurai verso la Dimora Celeste. Ma Bennosuke, scoprirà che non è tutto oro ciò che luccica, che nella logica dei samurai c’è una grossa falla. Guidato dalla vendetta, si spingerà nel cuore di una grande battaglia per trovarsi alla fine tradito.
Un romanzo bellissimo, che si legge in un battito di ciglia.
Il lettore viene trasportato in un'altra epoca.
Ho adorato le descrizioni minuziose della battaglia, dei vari rituali dei samurai, mi è piaciuto come Kirk ha imbastito l’intera storia. La figura del samurai così venerata, è in questo libro ridimensionata. Perché come in tutti i Popoli del mondo, anche in una stirpe antica come quella dei samurai c’erano uomini di grande onore e… erbe marce.
Non vedo l’ora di leggere il secondo volume!
October 12, 2014
I may be getting tired of reading about young men's coming of age stories. I found myself thinking that I really didn't care about this or that tragedy, which were probably defining moments in his young life.....I just wanted to get to the man's story, not the boy's. But this book doesn't have that part of the story.
The author does do a pretty good job of the Japanese setting and some of the characters are quite good. It was an easy and fast read but not a book I liked.
The author does do a pretty good job of the Japanese setting and some of the characters are quite good. It was an easy and fast read but not a book I liked.
February 15, 2013
Scholar. Warrior. Samurai. His name was Bennosuke, son of the great Munisai Shinmen, known throughout the empire as one of the greatest warriors who ever lived. His destiny was to become a great warrior like his father – a Samurai, one of the most feared and respected in the world. But before fame comes action, and Bennosuke must prove himself on the battlefield before he can claim his inheritance. And in his way stands the vengeful Kensaku, son of Lord Nakata, the face of the enemy, a man who is determined to kill Bennosuke. It is a battle between honour and vengeance, pride and reputation. And Bennosuke must look death in the eye before he can call himself a warrior. Before he can call himself Musashi, the greatest warrior of all time…
I have an interest in the Far East and particularly in stories that delve into the region’s turbulent past. Strangely, the one time period I have always had a little difficulty with is feudal-era Japan. From a fiction standpoint, I’ve tried to read Shogun by James Clavell on more than one occasion and I’ve always ended up getting bogged down by the hugeness of it all. The massive cast of characters, the mind-boggling scope and the seemingly endless number of pages just makes it impossible for me to finish. With that admission in mind, I approached Child of Vengeance with a certain sense of trepidation. I’m pleased to report that I needn’t have worried. This novel is far more accessible then Clavell’s mighty tome, and more enjoyable because of that.
The relationship between Bennosuke and his father, Munisai, is a complicated one and it forms the backbone of the story. Munisai is the perfect samurai, driven by a strict code of honor and the hard life of a warrior. He is often distant towards his son, and it is only when Bennosuke uncovers the specifics of his origins that his father’s attitude becomes understandable.
In some ways, Bennosuke reads like a mirror of Japanese society from that time. Introspective and thoughtful, always concerned with his actions and how others perceive him, but also prone to great anger and violence. The biggest battles he faces are internal as he is forced to examine how his birth and upbringing have shaped him. In many respects this is the tale of a young man trying to reconcile two warring facets of his own psyche.
Some readers may consider the initial pacing a bit slow in places but this is in keeping with the gradual build up events. There is a wonderful economy in Kirk’s storytelling that mirrors the nature of the samurai life, almost a stillness at times. It makes the action scenes, when the do occur, seem much more unexpected and explosive.
Successful historical fiction should make a reader want to learn more about the time in which it’s set. Kirk’s writing manages this potentially difficult task with aplomb and I was quickly caught up in the plots and power plays of the samurai lords. There are various alliances, truces and political in-fighting that keep the plot continually moving forward. The novel then builds to a spectacular climax that sets things up nicely for a sequel that I’ll certainly be looking forward to reading.
I was talking to friends recently and I described Child of Vengeance as Shogun but with less pages. In hindsight, that does the book a great disservice. In my opinion, Child of Vengeance is better written, more enjoyable and far easier to connect with. I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys insightful, thought-provoking historical fiction.
Child of Vengeance is published by Simon and Schuster and will be available from 28th February.
I have an interest in the Far East and particularly in stories that delve into the region’s turbulent past. Strangely, the one time period I have always had a little difficulty with is feudal-era Japan. From a fiction standpoint, I’ve tried to read Shogun by James Clavell on more than one occasion and I’ve always ended up getting bogged down by the hugeness of it all. The massive cast of characters, the mind-boggling scope and the seemingly endless number of pages just makes it impossible for me to finish. With that admission in mind, I approached Child of Vengeance with a certain sense of trepidation. I’m pleased to report that I needn’t have worried. This novel is far more accessible then Clavell’s mighty tome, and more enjoyable because of that.
The relationship between Bennosuke and his father, Munisai, is a complicated one and it forms the backbone of the story. Munisai is the perfect samurai, driven by a strict code of honor and the hard life of a warrior. He is often distant towards his son, and it is only when Bennosuke uncovers the specifics of his origins that his father’s attitude becomes understandable.
In some ways, Bennosuke reads like a mirror of Japanese society from that time. Introspective and thoughtful, always concerned with his actions and how others perceive him, but also prone to great anger and violence. The biggest battles he faces are internal as he is forced to examine how his birth and upbringing have shaped him. In many respects this is the tale of a young man trying to reconcile two warring facets of his own psyche.
Some readers may consider the initial pacing a bit slow in places but this is in keeping with the gradual build up events. There is a wonderful economy in Kirk’s storytelling that mirrors the nature of the samurai life, almost a stillness at times. It makes the action scenes, when the do occur, seem much more unexpected and explosive.
Successful historical fiction should make a reader want to learn more about the time in which it’s set. Kirk’s writing manages this potentially difficult task with aplomb and I was quickly caught up in the plots and power plays of the samurai lords. There are various alliances, truces and political in-fighting that keep the plot continually moving forward. The novel then builds to a spectacular climax that sets things up nicely for a sequel that I’ll certainly be looking forward to reading.
I was talking to friends recently and I described Child of Vengeance as Shogun but with less pages. In hindsight, that does the book a great disservice. In my opinion, Child of Vengeance is better written, more enjoyable and far easier to connect with. I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys insightful, thought-provoking historical fiction.
Child of Vengeance is published by Simon and Schuster and will be available from 28th February.
January 18, 2021
I liked this book; didn't love it.
My first venture into samurai culture. I believe I may read more.
I just felt like there was something missing . . . can't put my finger on it.
The punctuation was odd at times. Maybe I'm picky, but I found many sentences that could have benefited from a comma. There were several passages I had to reread to understand.
The main character annoyed me more than once. By the end, though, I came to see and appreciate his point of view.
I already have the next book in this series; I'm sure I'll get to it eventually, but not right away.
My first venture into samurai culture. I believe I may read more.
I just felt like there was something missing . . . can't put my finger on it.
The punctuation was odd at times. Maybe I'm picky, but I found many sentences that could have benefited from a comma. There were several passages I had to reread to understand.
The main character annoyed me more than once. By the end, though, I came to see and appreciate his point of view.
I already have the next book in this series; I'm sure I'll get to it eventually, but not right away.
June 20, 2015
All great samurai start out as children. No better example than in Child of Vengeance, we get a peek at great warrior Musashi Miyamoto's childhood.
Bennosuke is a smart kid who makes all of the wrong mistakes. It's infuriating, but also realistic and that's what I really enjoyed. So many great hero stories paint the portrait of the protagonist as this flawless youth and it ends up coming across as very false and unreachable.
Munisai, father figure to Bennosuke is also extremely flawed yet as you read the story you come to respect him for his attempt at atonement for his mistakes.
Dorinbo, another father figure to Bennosuke teaches him kindness and morality.
And let's not forget the Nakata, spoiled child Hayato is the character you love to hate. He is immature, selfish, and cowardly.
The book is impossible to put down, Kirk really did his research and it shows. Making great attempts at historical accuracy, and imagery that takes you there instead of simply stating a fact. I cannot wait for his next book!
Bennosuke is a smart kid who makes all of the wrong mistakes. It's infuriating, but also realistic and that's what I really enjoyed. So many great hero stories paint the portrait of the protagonist as this flawless youth and it ends up coming across as very false and unreachable.
Munisai, father figure to Bennosuke is also extremely flawed yet as you read the story you come to respect him for his attempt at atonement for his mistakes.
Dorinbo, another father figure to Bennosuke teaches him kindness and morality.
And let's not forget the Nakata, spoiled child Hayato is the character you love to hate. He is immature, selfish, and cowardly.
The book is impossible to put down, Kirk really did his research and it shows. Making great attempts at historical accuracy, and imagery that takes you there instead of simply stating a fact. I cannot wait for his next book!
June 8, 2013
I just got tired of all the exposition. Gave up about page 175.
August 13, 2016
Historical fiction set in feudal Japan in the late 1500's, early 1600's. This is the story of a real man, Miyamoto Musashi. Wow. Japan at this time was a ridiculously bad hang for anyone that wasn't a samurai (noble), and pretty bad for most of THEM that weren't on the very top of the heap. All large societies I know of have gone through a feudal stage, and it was always rough for 99% of the folks there. But Japan took it to another level.
Can you imagine if your boss at work could say, at any time, and for any reason, "Stab yourself with that sword. YOUR sword." And because of rigid cultural training you would drop and do it, even consider it an honor (the term "brainwashing" might be more appropriate than cultural training). Maybe you would offer to do this if you fumbled somehow, and beg permission? Loony.
DK did a great job here. Musashi as a young man sees through to the other side of the samurai cult wall and sets out on a legendary path that is still studied today in Japan. Hard to pin this guy down. He was a swordsman/teacher/Buddhist philosopher. Wrote lots of books. Killed at least 60 men in duels. Many more in battle. To me these things are contradictory, but what do I know. Hah. I am interested and will find more books. I really hope DK is doing the rest of this story.
From wikipedia
"Musashi created and refined a two-sword kenjutsu technique called niten'ichi (二天一, "two heavens as one") or nitōichi (二刀一, "two swords as one") or 'Niten Ichi-ryū' (A Kongen Buddhist Sutra refers to the two heavens as the two guardians of Buddha). In this technique, the swordsman uses both a large sword, and a "companion sword" at the same time, such as a katana with a wakizashi.
The two-handed movements of temple drummers may have inspired him, although it could be that the technique was forged through Musashi's combat experience. Jutte techniques were taught to him by his father — the jutte was often used in battle paired with a sword; the jutte would parry and neutralize the weapon of the enemy while the sword struck or the practitioner grappled with the enemy. Today Musashi's style of swordsmanship is known as Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū.
Musashi was also an expert in throwing weapons. He frequently threw his short sword, and Kenji Tokitsu believes that shuriken methods for the wakizashi were the Niten Ichi Ryu's secret techniques.[13]
Musashi spent many years studying Buddhism and swordsmanship. He was an accomplished artist, sculptor, and calligrapher. Records also show that he had architectural skills. Also, he seems to have had a rather straightforward approach to combat, with no additional frills or aesthetic considerations. This was probably due to his real-life combat experience; although in his later life, Musashi followed the more artistic side of bushidō. He made various Zen brush paintings, calligraphy, and sculpted wood and metal. Even in The Book of Five Rings he emphasizes that samurai should understand other professions as well. It should be understood that Musashi's writings were very ambiguous, and translating them into English makes them even more so; that is why so many different translations of the Go Rin No Sho can be found. To gain further insight into Musashi's principles and personality, one could read his other works, such as Dokkodo and Hyoho Shiji ni Kajo.
Can you imagine if your boss at work could say, at any time, and for any reason, "Stab yourself with that sword. YOUR sword." And because of rigid cultural training you would drop and do it, even consider it an honor (the term "brainwashing" might be more appropriate than cultural training). Maybe you would offer to do this if you fumbled somehow, and beg permission? Loony.
DK did a great job here. Musashi as a young man sees through to the other side of the samurai cult wall and sets out on a legendary path that is still studied today in Japan. Hard to pin this guy down. He was a swordsman/teacher/Buddhist philosopher. Wrote lots of books. Killed at least 60 men in duels. Many more in battle. To me these things are contradictory, but what do I know. Hah. I am interested and will find more books. I really hope DK is doing the rest of this story.
From wikipedia
"Musashi created and refined a two-sword kenjutsu technique called niten'ichi (二天一, "two heavens as one") or nitōichi (二刀一, "two swords as one") or 'Niten Ichi-ryū' (A Kongen Buddhist Sutra refers to the two heavens as the two guardians of Buddha). In this technique, the swordsman uses both a large sword, and a "companion sword" at the same time, such as a katana with a wakizashi.
The two-handed movements of temple drummers may have inspired him, although it could be that the technique was forged through Musashi's combat experience. Jutte techniques were taught to him by his father — the jutte was often used in battle paired with a sword; the jutte would parry and neutralize the weapon of the enemy while the sword struck or the practitioner grappled with the enemy. Today Musashi's style of swordsmanship is known as Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū.
Musashi was also an expert in throwing weapons. He frequently threw his short sword, and Kenji Tokitsu believes that shuriken methods for the wakizashi were the Niten Ichi Ryu's secret techniques.[13]
Musashi spent many years studying Buddhism and swordsmanship. He was an accomplished artist, sculptor, and calligrapher. Records also show that he had architectural skills. Also, he seems to have had a rather straightforward approach to combat, with no additional frills or aesthetic considerations. This was probably due to his real-life combat experience; although in his later life, Musashi followed the more artistic side of bushidō. He made various Zen brush paintings, calligraphy, and sculpted wood and metal. Even in The Book of Five Rings he emphasizes that samurai should understand other professions as well. It should be understood that Musashi's writings were very ambiguous, and translating them into English makes them even more so; that is why so many different translations of the Go Rin No Sho can be found. To gain further insight into Musashi's principles and personality, one could read his other works, such as Dokkodo and Hyoho Shiji ni Kajo.
December 26, 2020
This is by far the worst book I've read this year. It's one of the worst books I've ever read.
Not only does it commit the cardinal sin of being extremely boring, with splashes of gore between long passive-voice exposition that explains feudal Japanese culture in a way so removed the tone sounds like outsider-perspective sci-fi (think, The Forever War), but Kirk also borrows another shitty trope of classic white men science fiction: colonialism. Despite being a supposedly well-researched epic set in feudal Japan, the narrative feels extremely Eurocentric, especially when Kirk resorts to derogatory terms - among them, "peasant" and "hovel" for the largely unnamed working classes in a rigid, cruel hierarchy he explains but never truly examines (despite examination of the status quo being the protagonist's main focus throughout). Worse still, he casually falls back on a British slur for a Chinese person (p. 159 - "It's like they got infected with barbarity from the c*****"), homophobia as a stand-in for cowardice (p. 297 - "You fucking coward, Musashi! I always knew you were queer!"), and of course a strong tendency towards misogyny. Women appear only as mute wives (p.169), "beautiful girls" who "tend" to the needs of men (p.200), and Bennosuke's mother (the longest physical description of her being on p. 67: "Her fine kimono was twisted around her naked body like a serpent, her breasts and her sex exposed, filthy from the dirt like she was some half-wit kept drooling in rags on a leash"). Or they are featured as throwaway lines like this delightful dialogue (p.275 "... it is not scrap. It is perfectly serviceable, sir," said Bennosuke. "So is your hand when you can't find a woman, but you'd rather have one over the other, wouldn't you?") Thus women are literally compared to objects for men to use in their service.
It's navel-gazing, without answering any serious questions, or pushing the reader to consider any. It tries to be epic, with unnecessarily convoluted sentences, but often it's just crude, and when examined even briefly a lot of the descriptive prose is nonsense (e.g. p. 233 - "They crouched or squatted in tense repose, their eyes unused and staring at the floor, their ears sifting for the minutest whisper" - even though a repose is relaxed, and unused eyes can't stare; or p. 157, where the phrase "innate scheming" is used, despite scheming requiring conscious thought, and therefore not being an inherent property). The pacing is sluggish, the prose is sloppy. The only reason it seems to have such high praise is because white men love when other white men present a deeply colonized version of ancient foreign history through a distinctly Western filter and call it their own truth. It is a book that seeks to intellectually conquer, the appeal of restoring the great order of whiteness atop perceived savagery, so alluring to the descendants of colonizers who feel they have been denied glory by our modern times, leads Kirk to fail upwards. Perhaps it's simply an arrogant lack of talent and self-awareness, or maybe it's because he didn't have a copy editor - after all, he refuses to acknowledge one, taking credit for this confusing, dull cliche of a book all for himself.
Not only does it commit the cardinal sin of being extremely boring, with splashes of gore between long passive-voice exposition that explains feudal Japanese culture in a way so removed the tone sounds like outsider-perspective sci-fi (think, The Forever War), but Kirk also borrows another shitty trope of classic white men science fiction: colonialism. Despite being a supposedly well-researched epic set in feudal Japan, the narrative feels extremely Eurocentric, especially when Kirk resorts to derogatory terms - among them, "peasant" and "hovel" for the largely unnamed working classes in a rigid, cruel hierarchy he explains but never truly examines (despite examination of the status quo being the protagonist's main focus throughout). Worse still, he casually falls back on a British slur for a Chinese person (p. 159 - "It's like they got infected with barbarity from the c*****"), homophobia as a stand-in for cowardice (p. 297 - "You fucking coward, Musashi! I always knew you were queer!"), and of course a strong tendency towards misogyny. Women appear only as mute wives (p.169), "beautiful girls" who "tend" to the needs of men (p.200), and Bennosuke's mother (the longest physical description of her being on p. 67: "Her fine kimono was twisted around her naked body like a serpent, her breasts and her sex exposed, filthy from the dirt like she was some half-wit kept drooling in rags on a leash"). Or they are featured as throwaway lines like this delightful dialogue (p.275 "... it is not scrap. It is perfectly serviceable, sir," said Bennosuke. "So is your hand when you can't find a woman, but you'd rather have one over the other, wouldn't you?") Thus women are literally compared to objects for men to use in their service.
It's navel-gazing, without answering any serious questions, or pushing the reader to consider any. It tries to be epic, with unnecessarily convoluted sentences, but often it's just crude, and when examined even briefly a lot of the descriptive prose is nonsense (e.g. p. 233 - "They crouched or squatted in tense repose, their eyes unused and staring at the floor, their ears sifting for the minutest whisper" - even though a repose is relaxed, and unused eyes can't stare; or p. 157, where the phrase "innate scheming" is used, despite scheming requiring conscious thought, and therefore not being an inherent property). The pacing is sluggish, the prose is sloppy. The only reason it seems to have such high praise is because white men love when other white men present a deeply colonized version of ancient foreign history through a distinctly Western filter and call it their own truth. It is a book that seeks to intellectually conquer, the appeal of restoring the great order of whiteness atop perceived savagery, so alluring to the descendants of colonizers who feel they have been denied glory by our modern times, leads Kirk to fail upwards. Perhaps it's simply an arrogant lack of talent and self-awareness, or maybe it's because he didn't have a copy editor - after all, he refuses to acknowledge one, taking credit for this confusing, dull cliche of a book all for himself.
August 14, 2015
Child of Vengeance is about Bennosuke, the son of the great samurai Munisai, and his coming of age.
I've never read a samurai story before or anything on Japanese history. However I have always liked stories about WW1 and WW2 so I thought I would give this novel a try.
The main characters were well developed and it was easy to connect with them.
Bennosuke being shy and withdrawn having lived alone with his uncle the priest and thinking that the villagers shunned him because of his rash.
Dorinbo the uncle,wanting Bennosuke to follow in his footsteps but knowing one day Munisai may one day return and take Bennosuke away.
Munasai,the great samurai, praised by all but living with the demons of his past actions.
With Munisai we saw beneath the tough unemotional exterior of a samurai to see his true feelings and thoughts.His love for his son and brother and, realised too late, the love for his wife.
Bennosuke was kept in solitude with only his uncle to bring him up. His father taught him how to fight like a samurai. However, Bennosuke ended up fighting like a samurai but thinking like a monk.
Whenever he was in a battle it was like run,fight,run,fight. bennosuke always seemed to be in conflict with what he thought a samurai would do and what he actually wanted to do.
The amount of lethal scrapes he managed to get out of amazed me. Amaterasu must have surely been looking out for him.
I don't know anything about the history of Japan or the Samurai,so this was simply a great fictional read for me.
I've never read a samurai story before or anything on Japanese history. However I have always liked stories about WW1 and WW2 so I thought I would give this novel a try.
The main characters were well developed and it was easy to connect with them.
Bennosuke being shy and withdrawn having lived alone with his uncle the priest and thinking that the villagers shunned him because of his rash.
Dorinbo the uncle,wanting Bennosuke to follow in his footsteps but knowing one day Munisai may one day return and take Bennosuke away.
Munasai,the great samurai, praised by all but living with the demons of his past actions.
With Munisai we saw beneath the tough unemotional exterior of a samurai to see his true feelings and thoughts.His love for his son and brother and, realised too late, the love for his wife.
Bennosuke was kept in solitude with only his uncle to bring him up. His father taught him how to fight like a samurai. However, Bennosuke ended up fighting like a samurai but thinking like a monk.
Whenever he was in a battle it was like run,fight,run,fight. bennosuke always seemed to be in conflict with what he thought a samurai would do and what he actually wanted to do.
The amount of lethal scrapes he managed to get out of amazed me. Amaterasu must have surely been looking out for him.
I don't know anything about the history of Japan or the Samurai,so this was simply a great fictional read for me.
November 23, 2012
not the book i thought it would be. I will be passing on this book to a history buff. reads like a text book.
March 3, 2021
I hesitate to say anything about this book other than read it. It tells the story of the childhood of Musashi Miyamoto, the greatest swordsman Japan has known. As such, essentially nothing is predictable in this story and yet one matter follows naturally from another. For example, even though I knew the book was about Musashi Miyamoto it wasn't immediately clear which character would be revealed as Musashi Miyamoto since that name isn't taken until the last section of the book.
This book reads like a true crime tale rather than fiction. The author follows different characters to craft a central story only revealing what the character would reveal if given a chance or what the storyteller would glean from observation. It is not a happy tale, although cause for happiness occurs from time to time. Revenge and coming of age each play a role as does dicipline and wisdom.
It is pointless for me to go on as I do not wish to give specifics for fear of spoiling some aspect of the story. Therefore I return to: if you enjoy an honest tale set in sixteenth century Japan you should give this book a try.
This book reads like a true crime tale rather than fiction. The author follows different characters to craft a central story only revealing what the character would reveal if given a chance or what the storyteller would glean from observation. It is not a happy tale, although cause for happiness occurs from time to time. Revenge and coming of age each play a role as does dicipline and wisdom.
It is pointless for me to go on as I do not wish to give specifics for fear of spoiling some aspect of the story. Therefore I return to: if you enjoy an honest tale set in sixteenth century Japan you should give this book a try.
February 18, 2024
Very well written and absorbing. I enjoyed the fictionalized backstory of one of Japans most legendary Samurai. The second half of the book and the fictional reason for Miyamoto joining the Ukita clan, fighting in the battle of Sekigahara and how he handles that battle just didn’t work for me. Overall, I still very much enjoyed it and will read the second one even though I know there will most likely never be a third book and thus a conclusion to the trilogy. Oh well, there plenty of literature on Miyamoto and there is always The Samurai Trilogy films to enjoy.
December 8, 2019
Love it. It's really difficult to find a good fiction book in English based in the Sengoku Jidai era that's both interesting, and true to the time.
September 12, 2015
This is a debut novel and the first of a series telling the story of the great Warrier Musashi Miyamoto. It was a fabulously entertaining story and I thought it was written very well. This first installment tells us of the main character's beginnings (though I disagree with other readers that feel this was a "coming of age story" as I did not see typical adolescent angst being described - rather, this was a story that gives us an idea of what it was to be born into Japanese culture and to become (or "be") samurai.) The characters were so well developed, so believably flawed and so skillfully written so as to make the reader admire and love them despite their numerous undesirable traits/actions. Nothing cheesy in this story.
In very early pages, Musashi's (his name at this time is Bennosuke) "father" Munisai tells another character "We are samurai, Lord. Death defines us. We must become a master of dealing it to our enemies, yes, but most of all lose all fear of our own." At the end of the book, Musashi tells us that he "finally allowed himself to admit" that "death should not be cherished. That was it. That was everything." I think these two statements give perfect book ends to this story and since the real life Musashi was known to be the greatest warrior ever as well as being a scholar and a buddhist philosopher it is a perfect first installment to his story.
The author gives us a very plausible fictitious early life of Musashi to give us good bakcground to his seemingly conflicting values as an adult and this is partly achieved by the young Musashi's most influential family members, one of whom is a priest while the other was a true Samurai.
I cannot wait to read the second book.
In very early pages, Musashi's (his name at this time is Bennosuke) "father" Munisai tells another character "We are samurai, Lord. Death defines us. We must become a master of dealing it to our enemies, yes, but most of all lose all fear of our own." At the end of the book, Musashi tells us that he "finally allowed himself to admit" that "death should not be cherished. That was it. That was everything." I think these two statements give perfect book ends to this story and since the real life Musashi was known to be the greatest warrior ever as well as being a scholar and a buddhist philosopher it is a perfect first installment to his story.
The author gives us a very plausible fictitious early life of Musashi to give us good bakcground to his seemingly conflicting values as an adult and this is partly achieved by the young Musashi's most influential family members, one of whom is a priest while the other was a true Samurai.
I cannot wait to read the second book.
April 23, 2015
Je ne pourrais pas vraiment me satisfaire d'une telle histoire. La vengeance d'un enfant de treize ans et sa monté en puissance dans le crime. Car c'est ce que c'est. Mais, derrière cette histoire, se cache le culte du seppuku que tous les samouraï connaît. David Kirk a mis en avant durant tout le roman la vivacité de la mort. La raison, le comment, le pourquoi de se suicider par l'acte du seppuku. Mais aussi, ce que ça engendre quand ce n'est pas respecté. L'auteur a transmis ce savoir-faire ancestral dans son roman. Pour ma part, il m'a manqué la partie cérémonieuse de certains savoirs. Le principal message est passé avec énormément de questionnement de la part de Bennosuke. Peut-être, un peu trop.
July 17, 2014
At once a coming of age story as it is a cultural analysis and exposition, this story of how Miyamoto Musashi came to be known as such is simply wonderful. The pacing is consistent, the dialogue intelligent and true to character, and the setting shows both a knowledge of and a love for the history of Japan. The psychology of the characters helps illuminate what Westerners so often think they get but don't: the martial philosophy of the samurai. There is no hiding from the brutality or how the dedication to a stylized form of honor even in the face of internal questions. I can only hope that the author sees fit to continue the story.
November 19, 2015
I went into this thinking it would be like The Shogun, and in some ways it was. Certainly it takes place during the same era, Feudal Japan, almost exactly the same time period. Child of Vengeance, begins around 1598 whereas Shogun begins in 1600. This book also does a really good job of describing the military code of the Samurai and the mores of the society they inhabit. The characters are also vividly described, not only their physical presence but their beliefs and thoughts.
No spoilers here, but it did not end as I expected. I am not disappointed, it just gives me food for thought. I'm interested to see where the next book in the series takes Bennesuke.
No spoilers here, but it did not end as I expected. I am not disappointed, it just gives me food for thought. I'm interested to see where the next book in the series takes Bennesuke.
September 8, 2016
Following the early life of Musashi Miyamoto, we get a look at the life of the Samurai a world filled with contradiction as much as stricture in pursuit of Honour.
Taking several leaps of fiction with an actual historic figure is always risky, but luckily not much is known about Musashi's early life and what we get in this book is a fairly sympathetic character torn between a monastic life and the allure of the way of the sword......
Overall a good book and worth a read.
Taking several leaps of fiction with an actual historic figure is always risky, but luckily not much is known about Musashi's early life and what we get in this book is a fairly sympathetic character torn between a monastic life and the allure of the way of the sword......
Overall a good book and worth a read.
November 21, 2015
This was a fantastic book. I honestly do not have the words to describe it.
Kirk is a masterful writer and I will be looking at his other works. I think all aspiring writers should read this for an example of strong craft.
This book was just beautiful. It moved me in such a deep way. It will stay with me just like Coetzee's Waiting for the Barbarians, which is high praise in my book.
Kirk is a masterful writer and I will be looking at his other works. I think all aspiring writers should read this for an example of strong craft.
This book was just beautiful. It moved me in such a deep way. It will stay with me just like Coetzee's Waiting for the Barbarians, which is high praise in my book.
June 5, 2017
Mushashi Miyamoto was a celebrated samarai of fuedal Japan best known for his musings in 'The Book of Five Rings'. David Kirk's 'Child of Vengence'presents a fictionalized account of Miyamoto's early life which takes some dramatic license though it does somewhat resemble some of how the samarai described it in his book.
In the beginning Bennosuke Shinmen is the 13 year old son of respected soldier Munisai Hiratawho thru his exploits has been allowed to take his lords surname Shinmen. Munisai left the village some 7 years before and Bennosuke has been reared by his Uncles Dorinbo a monk and Tasumi a Samarai.
Munisai is a Commander in Lord Shinmen's campaign against another clan. In capturing the Clan's Castle, Munasai has accidentally burned the building to the ground after setting an armory on fire to drive the enemy out without a direct assault. Though victorious, Munasai has earned the emnity of an Allied Lord's son who was promised the Castle as his own. In his pride he insults Lord Hayata's son and sets in motion a fued between the families.
Munasai was wounded in the battle and decides to return to Miyamto to recuperate. He is very cold to Bennosuke and soon reveals a dark family secret that makes the boy doubt himself and his father.
The younger Hiyata shows up and attempts to goad Munasai into a fight with a hired sword. Instead the Samarai insults Munasai's brother the peaceful buddist monk. Enraged, Bennosuke kills the man with a staff and insults the younger Hiyata even more. There begins a fued with the Hiyata's that results in dishonor for Munasai and the promise by Bennosuke to be an Avenger.
Becoming a 'Child of Vengance' Bennosuke becomes a Ronin calling himself Mushashi Miyamoto so that he can hide from Hiyata's assassins. The rest of the book concerns his plans to avenge his father's honor.
Bennosuke's journey to become Mushashi Miyamoto is very interesting from a philosophical point of view. Kirk examines death thru Bennosuke's eyes and finds that unlike samarai tradition, there is no such thing as a good death.
Over all it was a good book. Way too much gore and violence for my tastes. Vivid depictions of seppuku for one thing and the overall barbarity of fuedal times will turn many people off.
In the beginning Bennosuke Shinmen is the 13 year old son of respected soldier Munisai Hiratawho thru his exploits has been allowed to take his lords surname Shinmen. Munisai left the village some 7 years before and Bennosuke has been reared by his Uncles Dorinbo a monk and Tasumi a Samarai.
Munisai is a Commander in Lord Shinmen's campaign against another clan. In capturing the Clan's Castle, Munasai has accidentally burned the building to the ground after setting an armory on fire to drive the enemy out without a direct assault. Though victorious, Munasai has earned the emnity of an Allied Lord's son who was promised the Castle as his own. In his pride he insults Lord Hayata's son and sets in motion a fued between the families.
Munasai was wounded in the battle and decides to return to Miyamto to recuperate. He is very cold to Bennosuke and soon reveals a dark family secret that makes the boy doubt himself and his father.
The younger Hiyata shows up and attempts to goad Munasai into a fight with a hired sword. Instead the Samarai insults Munasai's brother the peaceful buddist monk. Enraged, Bennosuke kills the man with a staff and insults the younger Hiyata even more. There begins a fued with the Hiyata's that results in dishonor for Munasai and the promise by Bennosuke to be an Avenger.
Becoming a 'Child of Vengance' Bennosuke becomes a Ronin calling himself Mushashi Miyamoto so that he can hide from Hiyata's assassins. The rest of the book concerns his plans to avenge his father's honor.
Bennosuke's journey to become Mushashi Miyamoto is very interesting from a philosophical point of view. Kirk examines death thru Bennosuke's eyes and finds that unlike samarai tradition, there is no such thing as a good death.
Over all it was a good book. Way too much gore and violence for my tastes. Vivid depictions of seppuku for one thing and the overall barbarity of fuedal times will turn many people off.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2025
Le samouraï est le premier volume d’une trilogie écrite par David Kirk et consacrée à Miyamoto Musashi, le plus célèbre maître du sabre du Japon.
Ce premier tome raconte l’enfance de Shinmen Bennosuke, jeune garçon de 13 ans et fils de Shinmen Munisai, samouraï et administrateur du village de Miyamoto.
Après les terribles événements qu’a connu le village, Munisai quitte celui-ci pour devenir le conseiller du seigneur Shinmen qui lui fera l’honneur de porter son nom. Pendant cette longue absence, Bennosuke est élevé par Dorinbo, prêtre au service de la déesse Amaterasu et frère de Munisai. Dorinbo fait tout son possible pour élever Bennosuke loin de la voie du guerrier.
Tout bascule quand Munisai revient au village, 8 ans après être parti, et décide de faire du garçon un samourai…
Ce roman se concentre sur l’enfance de celui qui deviendra plus tard, sous le nom de Miyamoto Musashi, le plus célèbre des manieurs de sabre du Japon. Il retrace la vie de ce dernier de sa prime enfance à ses 16 ans et sa participation à la célèbre bataille de Sekigahara, en 1600, dans le clan des perdants, celui des Toyotomi. Les grands événements de la jeunesse de Musashi y sont racontés, comme son premier duel face à Arima Kihei du clan des Nakata, clan ennemi de son père ; le seppuku de son père pour réparer son honneur suite à la blessure infligée par Bennosuke à l’héritier du clan Nakata ; la soif de vengeance de jeune garçon pour restaurer l’honneur de son père ; le moment et la manière dont il change de nom pour devenir Miyamoto Musashi, etc.
Ne connaissant pas suffisamment la vie de Musashi, je suis incapable de dire si les événements narrés dans ce roman sont proches ou pas de la vraie vie de Musashi. Mais là n’est pas l’essentiel ! J’ai passé un bon moment de lecture avec ce roman. J’ai particulièrement apprécié le combat intérieur du jeune Bennosuke, tiraillé entre son envie de devenir un samouraï comme son père d’un côté et sa conscience imprégnée de la sagesse et des enseignements pacifiques de son oncle de l’autre côté.
Ce premier tome raconte l’enfance de Shinmen Bennosuke, jeune garçon de 13 ans et fils de Shinmen Munisai, samouraï et administrateur du village de Miyamoto.
Après les terribles événements qu’a connu le village, Munisai quitte celui-ci pour devenir le conseiller du seigneur Shinmen qui lui fera l’honneur de porter son nom. Pendant cette longue absence, Bennosuke est élevé par Dorinbo, prêtre au service de la déesse Amaterasu et frère de Munisai. Dorinbo fait tout son possible pour élever Bennosuke loin de la voie du guerrier.
Tout bascule quand Munisai revient au village, 8 ans après être parti, et décide de faire du garçon un samourai…
Ce roman se concentre sur l’enfance de celui qui deviendra plus tard, sous le nom de Miyamoto Musashi, le plus célèbre des manieurs de sabre du Japon. Il retrace la vie de ce dernier de sa prime enfance à ses 16 ans et sa participation à la célèbre bataille de Sekigahara, en 1600, dans le clan des perdants, celui des Toyotomi. Les grands événements de la jeunesse de Musashi y sont racontés, comme son premier duel face à Arima Kihei du clan des Nakata, clan ennemi de son père ; le seppuku de son père pour réparer son honneur suite à la blessure infligée par Bennosuke à l’héritier du clan Nakata ; la soif de vengeance de jeune garçon pour restaurer l’honneur de son père ; le moment et la manière dont il change de nom pour devenir Miyamoto Musashi, etc.
Ne connaissant pas suffisamment la vie de Musashi, je suis incapable de dire si les événements narrés dans ce roman sont proches ou pas de la vraie vie de Musashi. Mais là n’est pas l’essentiel ! J’ai passé un bon moment de lecture avec ce roman. J’ai particulièrement apprécié le combat intérieur du jeune Bennosuke, tiraillé entre son envie de devenir un samouraï comme son père d’un côté et sa conscience imprégnée de la sagesse et des enseignements pacifiques de son oncle de l’autre côté.
April 21, 2022
"The sky is blue, water is wet, and samurai serve."
As a child, Bennosuke finds himself caught between his uncle who raised him and his father who left him at a young age. One, a monk, urges Bennosuke to give up the violence and bloodshed of his birthright as a samurai, the other, a great warrior, who returns to Bennosuke's life and is disappointed by what he finds. Bennosuke chooses the path of the warrior, and dedicates his life to becoming a great samurai in order to right the injustice brought to his father. His journey teaches him a lot about what it means to be samurai, and what it takes to really earn the name he gives himself -- Musashi Miyamoto.
This series was recommended to me by Goodreads hot on the heels of finishing Conn Iggulden's historical fiction series covering Genghis Khan. I thought there was some really good thoughtful discourse on what it means to be samurai and to serve a lord, and whether at the end of the day revenge and vengeance is worth it. Bennosuke's character somewhat annoyed me in the middle of the book as he's finding himself, but I thought who he grew into made up for it. Was this the most accurate portrayal of Musashi Miyamoto? Probably not, but I gather not a whole lot is conclusively known about the finer details anyway, and I thought the author did a good job of painting a compelling story between the lines of what we know. The audiobook narrator (Mark Bramhall) was also really good, for what that's worth to anyone reading this review.
In short, a fun read, maybe light on the historical and heavy on the fiction, but I still enjoyed reading it.
As a child, Bennosuke finds himself caught between his uncle who raised him and his father who left him at a young age. One, a monk, urges Bennosuke to give up the violence and bloodshed of his birthright as a samurai, the other, a great warrior, who returns to Bennosuke's life and is disappointed by what he finds. Bennosuke chooses the path of the warrior, and dedicates his life to becoming a great samurai in order to right the injustice brought to his father. His journey teaches him a lot about what it means to be samurai, and what it takes to really earn the name he gives himself -- Musashi Miyamoto.
This series was recommended to me by Goodreads hot on the heels of finishing Conn Iggulden's historical fiction series covering Genghis Khan. I thought there was some really good thoughtful discourse on what it means to be samurai and to serve a lord, and whether at the end of the day revenge and vengeance is worth it. Bennosuke's character somewhat annoyed me in the middle of the book as he's finding himself, but I thought who he grew into made up for it. Was this the most accurate portrayal of Musashi Miyamoto? Probably not, but I gather not a whole lot is conclusively known about the finer details anyway, and I thought the author did a good job of painting a compelling story between the lines of what we know. The audiobook narrator (Mark Bramhall) was also really good, for what that's worth to anyone reading this review.
In short, a fun read, maybe light on the historical and heavy on the fiction, but I still enjoyed reading it.
December 14, 2018
THIS is the samurai book I've been aching for. A rich, intriguing narrative, strong and distinctive characters, tons of historical details and an unflinching look at the complex culture of the times. Though not the most accurate retelling of Musashi's early life, I found it to be a fascinating and engaging take on this well known figure. I listened to the audiobook version and loved every minute. Without spoiling anything, I was especially captivated while approaching the ending, which to my mind was nearly perfect. I'm looking forward to digging into the next installment!
This book probably isn't for everyone, however. I found every name drop exciting, especially approaching the battle of Sekigahara, but someone unfamiliar with the history may or may not be overwhelmed. The writing itself is very wordy, sometimes dwelling on the same points and revelations longer than necessary. There is also an excruciating amount of detail when it comes to the violence, with decapitations and disembowelings drawn out horrifically. I personally appreciated that the author didn't gloss over anything (I'm a horror fan and gorehound), but some will probably find it excessive.
I strongly recommend this book for anyone who is a fan of samurai stories, especially those already familiar with the era. But if this your first experience with the period, or if vivid descriptions of viscera aren't your speed, you might want to hold off.
This book probably isn't for everyone, however. I found every name drop exciting, especially approaching the battle of Sekigahara, but someone unfamiliar with the history may or may not be overwhelmed. The writing itself is very wordy, sometimes dwelling on the same points and revelations longer than necessary. There is also an excruciating amount of detail when it comes to the violence, with decapitations and disembowelings drawn out horrifically. I personally appreciated that the author didn't gloss over anything (I'm a horror fan and gorehound), but some will probably find it excessive.
I strongly recommend this book for anyone who is a fan of samurai stories, especially those already familiar with the era. But if this your first experience with the period, or if vivid descriptions of viscera aren't your speed, you might want to hold off.
August 21, 2021
M 2021 … 4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ … solid historical Samurai tale based on a true person, Musashi Miyamoto (Bennosuke), son of Munisai Shinmen, master swordsmen. The era is the decade leading up to 1600.
The samurai support the Lords with unquestioning devotion. The Lords pursue a strategy of land grabs, overseas adventures and self interest culminating in civil war.
In contrast the Buddhist monks follow a more peaceful path, represented by Bennosuke’s uncle Dorinbo, a follower of Amaterasu (goddess, shrine).
And so begins an internal battle for our hero. He is trained as samurai and given the biggest driver of all to follow this path, revenge. But although his uncle’s world holds fascination and the promise of inner calm, the struggle lacks any real bite, we always know this character will reach for the sword as the drama demands.
This is a well trodden path but Kirk’s characters are deftly drawn, his prose nicely constructed and his set pieces are occasionally delicious. His best writing emerges around scenes of seppuku (ritual disembowelment/ decapitation) where he employs graphic accuracy with well paced tension.
Of course our hero will fight another day and the fade to the next instalment was well handled - I look forward to another round
M 2021 🌟⭐️⭐️⭐️
The samurai support the Lords with unquestioning devotion. The Lords pursue a strategy of land grabs, overseas adventures and self interest culminating in civil war.
In contrast the Buddhist monks follow a more peaceful path, represented by Bennosuke’s uncle Dorinbo, a follower of Amaterasu (goddess, shrine).
And so begins an internal battle for our hero. He is trained as samurai and given the biggest driver of all to follow this path, revenge. But although his uncle’s world holds fascination and the promise of inner calm, the struggle lacks any real bite, we always know this character will reach for the sword as the drama demands.
This is a well trodden path but Kirk’s characters are deftly drawn, his prose nicely constructed and his set pieces are occasionally delicious. His best writing emerges around scenes of seppuku (ritual disembowelment/ decapitation) where he employs graphic accuracy with well paced tension.
Of course our hero will fight another day and the fade to the next instalment was well handled - I look forward to another round
M 2021 🌟⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 13, 2018
Just couldn't quite bring myself to give this 5 stars.
David has taken the tales of Miyamoto Musashi and created his own story from these, so some of this is loosely based in what is told of the real man and some of this is based entirely from David's imagination.
All told, it works really well, but there just seems a step too far here and there, which, for me at least, was distracting a little. While it has been compared to Shogun by some, for me, it just doesn't have that same level of believability to it.
But then, if i want the real tales of Musashi then i could, of course, go and read them.
It certainly keeps you reading. It's pretty much non stop without the annoying pregnant pauses of most stories and David really does portray the period very well.
All in all, i got this book and the next in the series for 99p each on Kindle - which is an absolute bargain for this kind of story telling - and i'll be diving back into Musashi's world in the second book later today after finishing a little short story i picked up - i'm looking forward to it very much.
David has taken the tales of Miyamoto Musashi and created his own story from these, so some of this is loosely based in what is told of the real man and some of this is based entirely from David's imagination.
All told, it works really well, but there just seems a step too far here and there, which, for me at least, was distracting a little. While it has been compared to Shogun by some, for me, it just doesn't have that same level of believability to it.
But then, if i want the real tales of Musashi then i could, of course, go and read them.
It certainly keeps you reading. It's pretty much non stop without the annoying pregnant pauses of most stories and David really does portray the period very well.
All in all, i got this book and the next in the series for 99p each on Kindle - which is an absolute bargain for this kind of story telling - and i'll be diving back into Musashi's world in the second book later today after finishing a little short story i picked up - i'm looking forward to it very much.
June 29, 2020
Somewhat fictionalized retelling of Miyamoto Musashi, the author of the legendary Book of Five Rings and generally reckoned to be the greatest swordsman Japan has ever produced. The prose is beautiful, the characters (especially Bennosuke and his family) are fascinating, and it tells an exciting Sengoku-era samurai tale while still taking a hard look at the violence of the samurai ideal and lifestyle, and the cost thereof. David Kirk doesn't hate his characters for not being 21st century in their outlook and mindset, but he sees that their ideals and their actual lives are in conflict, as human beings' always are.
Being marginally familiar with Musashi's life, I figured out pretty quickly that this wasn't the only volume in this series (though the book itself isn't labeled as such), and of course, I don't currently own copies of the next two volumes. Working on fixing that, as well as itching to read Eiji Yoshikawa's biographical novel of Musashi.
Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction, particularly the military side of things. Definitely not for kids.
Being marginally familiar with Musashi's life, I figured out pretty quickly that this wasn't the only volume in this series (though the book itself isn't labeled as such), and of course, I don't currently own copies of the next two volumes. Working on fixing that, as well as itching to read Eiji Yoshikawa's biographical novel of Musashi.
Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction, particularly the military side of things. Definitely not for kids.
September 30, 2017
Culturally interesting, deeply philosophical, and a great story ...
Kirk's first novel reminded me of one of my favorite fantasy authors, Joe Abercrombie. 17th Century Japan with its Samurai culture is so alien from that of the contemporary US that Child of Vengeance is as much fantasy as historical fiction. But like Abercrombie, Kirk's novel explores philosophical/theological/psychological issues that are as pertinent in our age as in all others, like, how does one create a meaningful life?
I learned a lot about Samurai culture through this book. E.g., that it evolved and was not an unchanging creed. Musashi's ruminations on whether there is a more enlightened way to live than the way of death modeled by his father, Munasai. Musashi's musings and questioning of conventional Samurai wisdom are threaded into an exciting and satisfying story.
Kirk's first novel reminded me of one of my favorite fantasy authors, Joe Abercrombie. 17th Century Japan with its Samurai culture is so alien from that of the contemporary US that Child of Vengeance is as much fantasy as historical fiction. But like Abercrombie, Kirk's novel explores philosophical/theological/psychological issues that are as pertinent in our age as in all others, like, how does one create a meaningful life?
I learned a lot about Samurai culture through this book. E.g., that it evolved and was not an unchanging creed. Musashi's ruminations on whether there is a more enlightened way to live than the way of death modeled by his father, Munasai. Musashi's musings and questioning of conventional Samurai wisdom are threaded into an exciting and satisfying story.
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