The Deepest Cut

John Kane #0.5

by Orlando A. Sanchez

Takashi Fujita is dying. Chased by the Shadow Blades-a group of relentless assassins, he must find help and make it to safety before the poison in his body kills him. Using only his skills and experience he will be forced to confront the traitor in his family. Facing betrayal and overwhelming odds, Takashi must survive the night or lose it all.Along with Masami, a gifted healer they must uncover the plot of the traitor in his family before the Shadow Blades silence them, forever. Together they will race against time and Takashi will have to make the hardest decision of his life. Will he answer the call of duty or listen to his heart and the woman he loves?

20 pages, ebook

First published March 6, 2014

About the author

Orlando Sanchez has been writing ever since his teens when he was immersed in creating scenarios for playing Dungeon and Dragons with his friends every weekend. An avid reader, his influences are too numerous to list here. Some of the most prominent are: J.R.R. Tolkien, Jim Butcher, Kat Richardson, Terry Brooks, Piers Anthony, Lee Child, George Lucas, Andrew Vachss, and Barry Eisler to name a few in no particular order.
The worlds of his books are urban settings with a twist of the paranormal lurking just behind the scenes and generous doses of magic, martial arts, and mayhem.
Aside from writing, he holds a 2nd and 3rd Dan in two distinct styles of Karate. If not training, he is studying some aspect of the martial arts or martial arts philosophy.
He currently resides in Queens, NY with his family and can often be found in the local Starbucks where most of his writing is done.
Please visit his site at: www.OrlandoASanchez.com for more information about his books and upcoming releases.

Reviews

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the prequel to a new Orlando Sanchez series. Not sure where Jiro, the central character of this story fits in but a well written martial combat tale

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent prequel to what will hopefully be an intriguing series. No one named John Kane appears in this prequel. He is either a character who appears later or an alias of the main character, Takashi (Jiro) Fujita. The Deepest Cut gives us a tantalizing glimpse into a world which appears to be a blend of medieval Japan, mysticism, magic, and present day New York. Jiro, his companion Masami, and their adversaries all demonstrate a proficiency in various weapon skills and magic. In fighting for his life and that of Masami, Jiro unwittingly places himself at the fore of a struggle for leadership within his mafia-like family. I'll read the next book to hopefully learn more about this unusual family, their abilities, and aims. I'm also interested in seeing how the reluctant Jiro deals with his new prominence within the family.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short John Kane prequel is overflowing with dedication, honor, and deceit.

Takashi Fujita has become the victim but refuses to go down without a fight. His chances increase tenfold when his friend, Masami, risks everything to help save him.

Takashi later learns of Masami’s purpose, as well as a hint of his destiny.

[Trevor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short prequel to the John Kane series, although he does not appear.